Can You Drive 55?

[laurieaw]

Some advocates are calling for the American driving public to take its collective foot off the gas

Eoin O'Carroll - Christian Science Monitor - June 10, 2008


A calm, sensible approach to slowing down. -- Ed.

With the national average gas price breaking $4 a gallon and looming fears of peak oil and catastrophic climate change, some advocates are calling for the American driving public to take its collective foot off the gas.

Shortly before Memorial Day weekend, the Sierra Club exhorted drivers to slow down with its I Can Drive 55 pledge to obey the speed limit. There’s also drive55.org, a site launched in 2002 by ecopreneur Tim Castleman that has been getting more attention lately. Mr. Castleman’s site includes statistics indicating that easing up on the gas saves money, the planet, and lives. His site also sells bumper stickers with messages ranging from “55 for peace” and “55: support the troops.”

Why does driving more slowly save gas? It’s a matter of drag. Your wind resistance increases as a square of your speed. So at 80 miles per hour, the wind resistance is more than twice what it would be at 55 miles per hour, because 80 squared (6,400) is more than twice 55 squared (3,025). But at 80, you’re only traveling 45 percent faster than you are at 55. … [Read More]

[bestmapman]

Nice find Laurie

[kngkeith]

I'm too important

[Harold]

I like 55mph. I wish more folks did! H

[kayasbluetaco]

When I first got my license, the limit was 55, and people drove 65. They moved it to 65 and people drive 75 and in some places the limits are 75...

I can absolutely drive 55 (would like still do between 55 and 60) but I wouldn't be as much of an obstacle to the speeders doing 65! If they wan't people to drive 65 drop the speed limit to 55 again! LOL...

[ericbecky]

Since I am facing the prospect of paying for car insurance for my three boys when they become teenagers, you can bet that I am teaching by example when it comes to driving 55.

[Chuck]

I had a 1988 CRX HF as the nation was letting go of the 55mph speed limit. It did not quite sink in my FE was partially impacted from going faster (conditions of the car the other )

[HemiSync]

Personally, and I take a lot of flack for this, I am all for bringing back the National Maximum Speed Law of 55 mph.

[mulad]

I suppose I'm in the minority on this site, but I'd rather not see 55 everywhere. It's fine for highways within metropolitan areas, but I'd prefer 65 or even 60 on rural freeways. I suspect there are a number of vehicles that actually run more efficiently in steady-state cruising at 60 vs. 55 (though admittedly, they're probably still in the minority).

Anyway, my mom was pleased to get 43 mpg out of her '97 Saturn SL1 when she drove from SE Minnesota up to Fargo recently. She simply dropped her speed down to 65 (most of the way on I-94 is signed at 70).

[Vooch]

Changing the speed limit will not have a positive effect until people have iFCD's in their cars.

I'd rather see an iFCD in every car.