🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Jul16.214706.19244@nsisrv.gsfc.nasa.gov>, karl@thuja.gsfc.nasa.gov (Karl A. Anderson) writes:

|> make intuitive sense to me, even if I'm occasionally guilty of
|> speeding. For example, accident rates should increase with speed,
|> because as speed increases a car's stopping distance increases while
|> the driver's reaction time does not; and, the sum of friction forces on
|> the car increase with speed, so more gas should have to be burned to
|> move the same distance at higher speeds.  In scientific parlance, the
|> null hypothesis (the one we accept unless it is shown otherwise) favors
|> lower speed limits.  Accordingly, I paid my one ticket without
|> complaint, and I'll continue to oppose higher speed limits.
|> 
|> No one's obligated to respond to my request for evidence.  Why should I
|> accept your arguments that speed limits should be raised?  If you want me
|> to lobby my state legislator, vote or otherwise support getting the law
|> changed, you'll need to convince me.  If you can show me that the
|> arguments in favor of raising speed limits have met reasonably rigorous
|> tests, I'm willing to be convinced.
|> 
|> [stuff deleted]

Your hypothesis doesn't take in all of the facts.  My car has a five-speed
transmission.  The minimum speed for fifth gear is 45 mph.  I get much
better gas mileage in fifth gear at 45 mph than I get in, say, first or
second gear at 45.  I don't know for sure, but my car probably gets the
best gas mileage >in fifth gear< at around 60 mph.

Also, speed isn't necessarily what kills.  A car going at 70 mph on
a deserted Interstate highway probably isn't that much more at risk
than if it was going 55 mph.  As you stated, the increased risk is
in the reduced time the driver has to react to a situation.  But a
road crowded with poor drivers all going 55 mph would, in my opinion,
be a much more dangerous situation.  Saying "speed kills" is just too
simplistic.  We'd probably get a greater reduction in highway deaths
by requiring more extensive driver training and more rigorous testing
at license renewal than by lowering the speed limit.

My 2 cents worth.

Bob Crosson
crosson@cam.nist.gov