July 06, 2008

Because We All Remember How Well It Worked Last Time

Sen. John Warner wants to bring back the national speed limit from the glory days of the 70's, apparently because he figures drivers are too stoopid to be allowed to make decisions about speed vs. fuel cost their own dumb selfs:

Is it time to return to the 55 mile-per-hour speed limit?

Republican Senator John Warner of Virginia is suggesting a national speed limit to save on gas, although he's not pushing a particular speed. Warner does cite studies that a 55 mile-per-hour limit would save two percent of highway fuel consumption a day. He's urging the Energy Department to determine the optimal speed.

The Energy Department's Web site says fuel efficiency drops sharply above 60 miles-per-hour. Warner says every five miles per hour above that costs drivers roughly the equivalent of paying 30 cents a gallon more at the pump.

A national speed limit has been tried before, starting in 1974, but was dropped in 1995 when crude oil fell to $17 a barrel and gasoline cost $1.10 a gallon.

I've always followed a rule of thumb of not trusting the political instincts of anybody ever married to Liz Taylor. Glad to know that ol' JW is going to hang it up soon.

Posted by Robert at July 6, 2008 02:26 PM | TrackBack
Comments

I smell a comeback for Sammy Hagar.

Posted by: Stephen Macklin at July 6, 2008 06:42 PM

This is the same man that was partially to blame for Elizabeth Taylor getting fat.

I think I'm smart enough to know to slow down.

Posted by: GroovyVic at July 6, 2008 06:46 PM

The speed limit on L.I. has been 55 for at least ten years. Only people in the break down lane go that speed but, that is the law.
Maybe they should put us down to 30, for the children, or the planet or something...

Posted by: Babs at July 6, 2008 07:12 PM

This caught my eye:

in 1995 when crude oil fell to $17 a barrel and gasoline cost $1.10 a gallon.

Hmmm...

1995: oil @$17/barrel, gas @ $1.10/gal
2008: oil 8x more expensive, gasoline 3.7x more expensive.

Yup, them oil companies sure is runnin' up the price an' gouging us poor consumers.

Posted by: wolfwalker at July 7, 2008 07:26 AM

The solution is obvious: traveling, most popularly by car or plane is destroying the earth. Transporting food long distances is partly to blame too. Therefore we should stay close to home, say, "tied to the land." Yes folks, it's time to recycle a golden oldie and bring back feudalism! Our lord protectors such as Al Gore and Barack Obama of course need to be free to move about Gaia, but the earth cannot afford to grant us serfs the same luxury.

So who's up for a little bubonic plague?

Posted by: rbj at July 7, 2008 02:30 PM