Texas House OKs hiking speed limit to 85 mph on some roads

[Texacon]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x833868#834172

Newsjock  (1000+ posts)       Thu Apr-07-11 10:26 AM
Original message

Texas House OKs hiking speed limit to 85 mph on some roads
 
Source: Associated Press

The Texas House approved a bill that would allow the speed limit on some highways to be raised to 85 mph, which would be the highest in the nation.

The measure passed Wednesday on a voice vote was part of a larger transportation bill. It would authorize the Texas Department of Transportation to raise the speed limit on designated lanes or entire stretches of roadway after doing engineering and traffic studies, the Dallas Morning News reported Thursday.

The Senate is considering a similar bill.

... “Obviously, the two things that kill most people on our highways are speed and alcohol. Increasing it to 85, or even 75, will have a dramatic impact on the death and injury rate on those highways where it’s implemented,” said Jerry Johns, a spokesman for the Southwestern Insurance Information Service.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/7511072.html
 

This is great!  There are som really long stretches out in west Texas and this will help.  Right now the speed limit in west Texas is 80 mph.  I don't think most of the DUmmies know this.

This next exchange is why I brought this over;

mwooldri  (1000+ posts)        Thu Apr-07-11 11:03 AM
Response to Original message

11. IMO perfectly OK on the right roads in the right conditions.
 
The German Autobahn system is safe and there are a good number of stretches that have no pre-set speed limit - and the safety rating of those parts with no pre-set limit vs the parts that have a locally set limit are on par with each other. Besides on the autobahn roads with no speed restrictions, there is a "gentlemans agreement" that the limit is no more than 155 mph, and the advisory speed limit is 81 mph.

So for Texas to up the speed limit on safe enough roads to 85 mph - no problem.

 

kentauros  (1000+ posts)      Thu Apr-07-11 01:27 PM
Response to Reply #11

30. Before comparing speed limits between countries,
 
you might want to compare driver education systems. I have no idea what it's like in Germany, but would guess it's easily ten times harder and better than it is here in Texas. It costs only $25 dollars to get a license here, though I don't know what the cost is if you have to take the written and driving test. And DPS (TX Department of Public Safety) has done their damnedest to dumb it down in order to get more drivers on the roads.

You also have to compare roadways. The Autobahn has no more than a 4% grade anywhere along its length and a roadway thickness greater than any other roads (something like 60cm if I recall correctly.) Not to mention crews that keep it free of debris, the signs cleaned and in good repair, and well-lit. You get out in the country on Texas roads and you're taking your own life in your hands if you want to drive over the current high-limit of 70 (65 at night.) We don't have that professional driver mindset like they do in Germany 

Spoken like a TRUE DUmmie.  He has NO IDEA but he's going to give you his take on it anyway.

Javaman  (1000+ posts)        Thu Apr-07-11 12:32 PM
Response to Reply #15

21. Remember when Montana eliminated speed limits?
 
the accident rate skyrocketed and the insurance corps freaked out.

The instituted a 75 MPH on major highways.

morons. 

I'll have to look that up.  I seem to remember their accident rate went DOWN not up.  It seems I remember the reason they went back to having a speed limit was because of the way the law was written.  The cops could give you a ticket for ANY speed if they felt it was unsafe and the people of Montana didn't like that.

Lots of stupid comments at the link.

KC

[Evil_Conservative]

I drove through Texas in 2005 and again in 2006.  At the time, the speed limit was 80 mph during the day.  DUmmies are... dumb.  No matter what the speed limit is, it's the other IDIOTS on the road you have to worry about.  Imagine all those DUmmies using their phones to post a bouncy while driving 85 mph. 

[Texacon]

I drove through Texas in 2005 and again in 2006.  At the time, the speed limit was 80 mph during the day.  DUmmies are... dumb.  No matter what the speed limit is, it's the other IDIOTS on the road you have to worry about.  Imagine all those DUmmies using their phones to post a bouncy while driving 85 mph. 

Yeah, I-10 becomes 80 around Beorne, TX and it's nice.  That is a loooong stretch of ground to cover from there to El Paso.

KC

[GOBUCKS]

As I recall, Montanans were perfectly content with having no speed limit on rural highways, which was the case for years. There was no outcry from Montana police officers. They were forced to impose a speed limit by democrat politicians in Washington, D.C., who hail from the choked, congested, filthy democrat hellholes of the east and west coasts, and who have no conception of the vast, open, clean spaces of red-state America. They passed laws to deny Montanans their share of the federal dollars, that had been previously taken from them in taxes, unless they adopted speed limits appropriate for driving in the democrat hellholes.

[longview]

As I recall, Montanans were perfectly content with having no speed limit on rural highways, which was the case for years. There was no outcry from Montana police officers. They were forced to impose a speed limit by democrat politicians in Washington, D.C., who hail from the choked, congested, filthy democrat hellholes of the east and west coasts, and who have no conception of the vast, open, clean spaces of red-state America. They passed laws to deny Montanans their share of the federal dollars, that had been previously taken from them in taxes, unless they adopted speed limits appropriate for driving in the democrat hellholes.

That's the way I recall it, too.  The catch was if you caused or had any trouble, the LEOs could say you were driving "unsafe for conditions," or something close.  Some people felt picked on when they and the LEOs opinions differed. 

I wouldn't want it here.  75 is plenty on the interstates.  65 is more than enough on most of the two lanes.  Kids, cows, and other critters - I don't want them getting schmucked.

[compaqxp]

85 seems excessive but I've never seen roads in Texas so I can't be sure.

I know if the limit up here were 85 people would be killing themselves driving that fast in the snow and freezing rain. Our limits ate 60, and people go that no matter what the weather is like. Plus a deer does a lot of damage at 60, I can't imagine what it would do at 85.

I don't really care because it might make sense for Texas, I can't compare roads in Texas to the roads in Nova Scotia. (see: Dirt Trail)

[GOBUCKS]

I know if the limit up here were 85 people would be killing themselves driving that fast in the snow and freezing rain.

If the gene pool loses people that stupid, then I don't see it as a bad thing.

[Chris_]

85 seems excessive but I've never seen roads in Texas so I can't be sure.

That's what I thought until I looked at a map of Texas.  Dallas to Austin is 3-1/2 hours and that barely scratches the surface.  I wouldn't have any problems removing speed limits outside of populated areas. 

[longview]

I wouldn't have any problems removing speed limits outside of populated areas. 

I do.  Define populated.

One of my kids or grandkids, one of my neighbors kids, our elderly or any other unfortunate people are just as important as any one living in a populated area. 

And somebody hits an antelope, overcorrects, ends up in a ditch, we have to gather the volunteer EMTs, stop our work, and haul their selfish butts 35 or more miles to a hospital.  That costs money and our fund is donations and most who wreck never contribute.  Not unless they are local and had a medical emergency.

[Texacon]

That's what I thought until I looked at a map of Texas.  Dallas to Austin is 3-1/2 hours and that barely scratches the surface.  I wouldn't have any problems removing speed limits outside of populated areas. 

It is almost as far from Marshall, TX to El Paso, TX as it is from Marshall, TX to Chicago, IL.  Once you get west of Boerne there isn't a whole lot of towns (or much to see until you get to the Davis Mountains).

KC

[Skul]

I'll see y'all at the stop-light.
I'm a 65er, max.
If that

[Evil_Conservative]

Yeah, I-10 becomes 80 around Beorne, TX and it's nice.  That is a loooong stretch of ground to cover from there to El Paso.

KC

I wasn't even on the interstate.  I jumped off I-40 in Tucumcari, NM and drove on highway 54 that goes through Dalton, TX.

[Evil_Conservative]

I'll see y'all at the stop-light.
I'm a 65er, max.
If that

They have stop lights on the highway?

[NHSparky]

Speed doesn't kill--inattention does.

And 85 mph wouldn't work here, but damn skippy it would on huge open stretches.  Yeah, I'm dating myself by remembering pre-1973 speed limits (read: none) on remote highways like in AZ, NV, etc.

[Airwolf]

I do know that in Germany you have to keep your car well maintained. You don't get to drive a car tha tlooks like you bought it off of an Ebay auction from leftovers out of a Mad Max movie. You can't even have a speck of ruct on the outside of your car there. Also If your going to be driving at 80+ or better you can bet the Germans are not doing everything from putting on makeup to reading the newpaper while driving.

[GOBUCKS]

Based on the few times I've driven across West Texas, an 85 mph speed limit will have very little effect. It's already the average cruising speed.

[Texacon]

Based on the few times I've driven across West Texas, an 85 mph speed limit will have very little effect. It's already the average cruising speed.

Yes sir.  And for those who say people will drive 90+ mph ... well, they haven't been in west Texas before.  Those cops are BORED.  86 mph will get you pulled over for a visit.  Probably not a ticket but those guys want someone to talk to.

KC