driftless shifter
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Eisenhower was thoroughly impressed by German autobahn.
Bill
Bill
85 MPH in Montana?
- Thread starter BigSkyTrailerGuy
- Start date
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With all due respect you seem to be ignoring the context of my reply and have zeroed in on only one sentence in isolation. To be clear I was responding to this comment: "Carter 55 MPH law." Since Carter was the president I was simply answering that Carter had nothing to do with it and that in fact there was no 55 mph federal law. I didn't think in the context of that reply federal needed to be specified but apparently it did.bucks2 said:
Mike
99WinAdventurer37G
Well-known member
Tinmania said:
It's all just semantics. Let's all be happy now.
Tin man
Well-known member
What about the interstate was or could be used as runways.
denmarc
Well-known member
What ever happened to sitting back and enjoying the view?
If you need to go 80 MPH in/with your RV to make your itinerary fit into your vacation plans, you're not RV'ing. You're trying to cram 10 lbs. of crap into a 5 lb. bag! Life goes by too fast. Plan accordingly. Slow down and enjoy. You and your family will enjoy it so much more.
Just stay to the right.
If you need to go 80 MPH in/with your RV to make your itinerary fit into your vacation plans, you're not RV'ing. You're trying to cram 10 lbs. of crap into a 5 lb. bag! Life goes by too fast. Plan accordingly. Slow down and enjoy. You and your family will enjoy it so much more.
Just stay to the right.
99WinAdventurer37G
Well-known member
denmarc said:
And when you do that, the bag always wants to split at the seams. 8)
Joezeppy
Well-known member
denmarc said:
Amen to that!
denmarc
Well-known member
99WinAdventurer37G said:
Get a better bag.
WILDEBILL308
Well-known member
This thread brought back a memory from the rally in Perry Ga. at the suspension seminar this gentleman stood up and asked what he could do because his coach vibrated when he drove over 85.
I drive when conditions permit, speed limits etc. at 65-66 because I get better mileage. My coach doesn't shift into 6th till 65. I drove in California for a month at 55 and lost 1-2 mpg. I thought it would be a good test of the theory if you drive in 5th the engine doesn't work as hard and you will get better mileage. I think we busted that myth.
I half to admit I did spend some time at 70 in Montana and have in west Texas. But most of the time I am at 65-66.
Bill
I drive when conditions permit, speed limits etc. at 65-66 because I get better mileage. My coach doesn't shift into 6th till 65. I drove in California for a month at 55 and lost 1-2 mpg. I thought it would be a good test of the theory if you drive in 5th the engine doesn't work as hard and you will get better mileage. I think we busted that myth.
I half to admit I did spend some time at 70 in Montana and have in west Texas. But most of the time I am at 65-66.
Bill
Rancher Will
Well-known member
At the risk of getting a little off subject, please let me clarify the semantics above. I am a retired LEO, (Chief od Police), on duty all during, before during, and after the Carter "Fuel Conservation Act" law that required a maximum of 55 MPH. It was commonly called by the public, a "Speed Law" although it was never a true speed limit law under the Model Traffic Code used by states. There has never been a Federal Speed Limit Law since the states and local jurisdictions all set their speed limits, even on Federal Highways.
During the Carter years, within the 55 MPH Fuel Conservation Act period, a violation of driving over 55 MPH did not count against your Motor Vehicle Dept Violation points, and the fine was st at $5.00 per violation.
So, yes, it was commonly called a "Speed Limit" since there was a penalty for driving faster than 55, but the law was never titled or enforced as a true Speed limit since the Federal Government does not have authority to impose a Federal Speeding limit on state highways. That is why it was titled "The Fuel Conservation Act", passed under the Commerce Clause. It did not last long since the total cost was greater than the proposed benefit.
During the Carter years, within the 55 MPH Fuel Conservation Act period, a violation of driving over 55 MPH did not count against your Motor Vehicle Dept Violation points, and the fine was st at $5.00 per violation.
So, yes, it was commonly called a "Speed Limit" since there was a penalty for driving faster than 55, but the law was never titled or enforced as a true Speed limit since the Federal Government does not have authority to impose a Federal Speeding limit on state highways. That is why it was titled "The Fuel Conservation Act", passed under the Commerce Clause. It did not last long since the total cost was greater than the proposed benefit.
PJ Stough
Well-known member
Rancher Will said:
Why do you continue to call it the "Carter "Fuel Conservation Act" when it has already been established that the law was enacted 2 years before he became President?
Has your political leanings affected your memory as well??????
Paul
PJ Stough
Well-known member
An article about the 55 mph speed limit. Notice that it was originally done by Executive Order by President Nixon in 1973, and was made permanent in 1975. Let me remind you that Jimmy Carter didnt become President until January of 1977 and if you are not good at math, both 1973 and 1975 came before 1977.
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2009/07/27/55-mph-speed-limit-is-unenforceable-and-counterproductive
Paul
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2009/07/27/55-mph-speed-limit-is-unenforceable-and-counterproductive
Paul
HappyWanderer
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Tin man said:
There is an urban myth that Interstate highways neded to be straight for a certain length every so many miles, so they could be used as runways. This was never true, but it makes a good story.
Houston Remodeler
Well-known member
We just finished building a highway 22 lanes wide. I think they can land perpendicular to the flow of traffic .....
99WinAdventurer37G
Well-known member
newfurrows said:
Yea, but think of all that extra SSI money that is freed up when two high speed hero's hit at 85 mph. Lord I want to apologize for that comment...
Rancher Will
Well-known member
Call it what you will. The law was passed under Nixon, not implemented until after Nixon left the same year passed, and enforcement began in most states while President Ford served out Nixon's term, and was mostly universal through Carter's term until repealed by the Republican Congress in 1995. I was a Colorado Chief of Police during those years and I call it what was the common term in those years.
It makes no difference what it is called. The enforcement was the same under any name. In Colorado the penalty was a Mail-in only fine of $5.00 and no penalty points were assessed against an operator's license by the Motor Vehicle Department since it was not a violation of the Colorado Model Traffic Code.
It makes no difference what it is called. The enforcement was the same under any name. In Colorado the penalty was a Mail-in only fine of $5.00 and no penalty points were assessed against an operator's license by the Motor Vehicle Department since it was not a violation of the Colorado Model Traffic Code.
Rancher Will
Well-known member
Please do not take this as a rant, complaint, or political. I am only adding my comments for historical or incidental information for anyone interested in the history of the subject.
During the years of the 55 MPH law, here in the Rocky Mountain States including Colorado, the law was unpopular with both the public and law enforcement officers. In our region our department, and the County and State, used two different citation forms to be issued by the officers.
For violations of the 55 MPH law in Colorado the Citation Form issued to a violator did not list the actual speed of the violation. It only listed "exceeded 55 MPH ". The instructions on the citation when issued to the violator did not require, or even instruct the violator to appear in any court. The only instruction was to mail the citation, with $5.00 check, in the provided envelope, to the Department of Motor Vehicles in Denver. There was no follow up by the police to determine if the $5 was actually mailed.
For actual violations of the Colorado Model Traffic Code another Citation Form was issued, not listing the fine or penalty for most except very minor violations based on policy of the local court. That Citation, when issued by the officer did provide instructions for a court date when required and/or a fine that might be mailed if appropriate.
By way of an anecdotal incident or two:
One incident resulted in my wife receiving a citation for "exceeding 55 MPH" while on her way home on US Highway 285 in South Park, Colorado. In the box labeled " driver occupation" on the citation, the patrolman wrote "Race Car Driver" for my wife. We got a smile about that as I wrote out a $5.00 check to put in the envelope.
Another time, I and my family were on vacation, my driving, on I-90 East of Missoula, Montana. I was stopped by a Montana Patrolman. When he noticed that my identification indicated that I was a Colorado Chief of Police, we visited a few minutes and he told me to proceed without a citation. I told him that I would not leave until he issued me the citation for the 55 MPH violation since I had been going at least 70 MPH. He issued the citation to me and told me that if I was stopped before reaching Idaho at my speed, just show the citation to the next officer who might stop me. I mailed the $5.00 by check before we left St Regis, Montana on the way to Idaho.
During the years of the 55 MPH law, here in the Rocky Mountain States including Colorado, the law was unpopular with both the public and law enforcement officers. In our region our department, and the County and State, used two different citation forms to be issued by the officers.
For violations of the 55 MPH law in Colorado the Citation Form issued to a violator did not list the actual speed of the violation. It only listed "exceeded 55 MPH ". The instructions on the citation when issued to the violator did not require, or even instruct the violator to appear in any court. The only instruction was to mail the citation, with $5.00 check, in the provided envelope, to the Department of Motor Vehicles in Denver. There was no follow up by the police to determine if the $5 was actually mailed.
For actual violations of the Colorado Model Traffic Code another Citation Form was issued, not listing the fine or penalty for most except very minor violations based on policy of the local court. That Citation, when issued by the officer did provide instructions for a court date when required and/or a fine that might be mailed if appropriate.
By way of an anecdotal incident or two:
One incident resulted in my wife receiving a citation for "exceeding 55 MPH" while on her way home on US Highway 285 in South Park, Colorado. In the box labeled " driver occupation" on the citation, the patrolman wrote "Race Car Driver" for my wife. We got a smile about that as I wrote out a $5.00 check to put in the envelope.
Another time, I and my family were on vacation, my driving, on I-90 East of Missoula, Montana. I was stopped by a Montana Patrolman. When he noticed that my identification indicated that I was a Colorado Chief of Police, we visited a few minutes and he told me to proceed without a citation. I told him that I would not leave until he issued me the citation for the 55 MPH violation since I had been going at least 70 MPH. He issued the citation to me and told me that if I was stopped before reaching Idaho at my speed, just show the citation to the next officer who might stop me. I mailed the $5.00 by check before we left St Regis, Montana on the way to Idaho.
Photog
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This discussion of the old 55 mph speed limit has been interesting. It seems to have wandered a long way off topic.
Since there has been a previous post on the history of it. I thought a reality check might be in order. I lived in MT when Nixon sighed the law on Jan 2, 1974. It was not a Federal speed limit, but it required each state to adopt a 55mph max or lose Federal highway funds. I believe almost all states complied with the law quickly. I lived in MT until the summer of 74 when I moved to CO. AZ, ID,MT, NV and VT enacted 55mph "energy wasting" laws. I don't remember that CO had such a law, but it may have. Also, MT's was in place well before Nikon left office in disgrace on 8/9/74.
Until I saw it called the "Carter 55 MPH law" on this thread, I had heard the law called by only one name - the "Double Nickel". IMHO it's not just semantics when applying an incorrect political slant to a topic.
Since there has been a previous post on the history of it. I thought a reality check might be in order. I lived in MT when Nixon sighed the law on Jan 2, 1974. It was not a Federal speed limit, but it required each state to adopt a 55mph max or lose Federal highway funds. I believe almost all states complied with the law quickly. I lived in MT until the summer of 74 when I moved to CO. AZ, ID,MT, NV and VT enacted 55mph "energy wasting" laws. I don't remember that CO had such a law, but it may have. Also, MT's was in place well before Nikon left office in disgrace on 8/9/74.
Until I saw it called the "Carter 55 MPH law" on this thread, I had heard the law called by only one name - the "Double Nickel". IMHO it's not just semantics when applying an incorrect political slant to a topic.
