Dems' latest oil answer: Speed limits

[HackyMcHack]

Yep, the Jimmy Carter wing of the Democratic Party is back with another brilliant idea: resurrecting the 55-mph (or thereabouts) national speed limit. Gotta love the nanny state.

Link: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008807250355

 

[Pastor]

Driving slower reduces the amount of fuel consumed. Since driving is a privilege and not a right, I don't see a problem with this.

Why are you whining?

 

[Diabeetus]

Also reduces the number of fatal accidents.

 

[jgmacg]

Nixon nannied us into it the first time. 1974. Sorry, Hacky.

 

[cranberry]

Nice try, though. Feel free to come back and give it another shot when you have your facts straight.

 

[Ace]

You can slow me down when you pry my cold, dead foot off the accelerator!

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

You can slow me down when you pry my cold, dead foot off the accelerator!

Which occasionally is literally the truth.

 

[JR]

Well, at least he didn't say Democrat Party.

 

[spnited]

Does anyone actually drive 65 or slower on an open highway?

 

[forever_town]

You can slow me down when you pry my cold, dead foot off the accelerator!

Which occasionally is literally the truth.

Who brought Chef into the conversation?

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Does anyone actually drive 65 or slower on an open highway?

Sure, Japanese women. {John Rocker}

 

[PopeDirkBenedict]

Beetus,

The move from 55 to 65 actually reduced fatal accidents per capita.

The only winners under this plan would be state highway patrol officers.

 

[Riddick]

Rocker would have said women in general.

 

[Pastor]

Beetus,

The move from 55 to 65 actually reduced fatal accidents per capita.

The only winners under this plan would be state highway patrol officers.

Where are your statistics?

I'm searching around and the closest I could find was a study in Hong Kong proving that accidents went up. (link here)

I have heard during a news report over the radio that since the increase in gasoline prices, the number of accidents have gone down because less people are driving and those that are driving are driving slower. I haven't found a link to this one yet, either.

 

[NoOneLikesUs]

If you have an electric vehicle then should you be able to do 65?

 

[GB-Hack]

Does anyone actually drive 65 or slower on an open highway?

Sure. Why not relax and enjoy the drive?

 

[The Big Ragu]

Driving slower reduces the amount of fuel consumed. Since driving is a privilege and not a right, I don't see a problem with this.

Why are you whining?

Why exactly is driving a privilege and not a right? I'm not being facetious. By whose grace, do I get that privilege? Is it a privilege for me to ride my bike somewhere? How about to take a walk? If I even shift my weight in my chair right now, do I need permission?

If driving a car -- and this is not about regulating it to make sure I do it in safe manner that doesn't impinge on other's rights -- doesn't fall under the most basic right of "liberty," then I think it's safe to say we have no rights; just privileges.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Does anyone actually drive 65 or slower on an open highway?

Once in my last newspaper job, I was 2/3 of the way across the state covering state championship football when I realized the hard way that my paycheck hadn't cleared the bank yet (company refused to use direct deposit for some strange reason and still doesn't). I locked the cruise control on 55 mph all the way back and made 200 miles on almost 7 gallons of gas (I spent the last cash I had on it) in a large car with a V6. Fortunately, it was fairly cool so I could turn the A/C off.

 

[Ace]

Does anyone actually drive 65 or slower on an open highway?

Sure. Why not relax and enjoy the drive?

You are being sarcastic, but you gave me an idea. Guys are hardwired to want to get where they are going as fast as possible.

But what if we put giant video screens of naked women all along the interstates. That would be a good incentive for folks to slow down and rubberneck.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Why exactly is driving a privilege and not a right? I'm not being facetious. By whose grace, do I get that privilege?

Driving is a privilege extended to those who have passed appropriate tests to prove they have the ability to do so; those who have passed those tests carry a small certificate proving it. We call that certificate a driver's license.

Driving is a privilege because an automobile is a heavy piece of equipment that in the wrong hands can cause all manner of mayhem.

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