I’m a good environmentalist and general liberal, but this just won’t fly out West. I’m sure good Democrats like Montana’s Jon Tester and the Udall bros. of New Mexico and Colorado have no enthusiasm for a lower speed limit in their states.
They would tell non-Westerners it’s not temporily feasible, beyond not being politically feasible.
I grew up in Gallup, N.M., during the 1970s. For any serious big-ticket shopping, we had to drive to Albuquerque — 140 miles each direction. If you’re in southeastern Utah, you can burn 250 or more to get to Salt Lake City. Ditto from southeastern Oregon to either Portland or Boise. Non-Westerners just don’t get the vastness.
Why won’t it work politically? When New Mexico gave into the Nixon push to cut speed limits to 55 after the first oil embargo, here’s what happened.
State law specifically noted a fine of just $5 unless you were doing over 70, and no record of the speeding going in your driving record.
In other words, the 55 was a paper-tiger speed limit.
Instead, let’s work more on the technology side. Beyond hybrids, etc., let’s push to get a minimum of five speeds in every new car tranny. Let’s support work to find a way to get rid of torque converters or otherwise make transmissions lighter.
Driving 55 just isn’t the answer out there.
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