A Different Kind Of Freedom

 

1. I live in Texas. East to west, it is 821 miles from our eastern border near Shreveport LA to our westernmost point - El Paso, TX. Similarly, from north to south (Texhoma, TX to Brownsville, TX) it is 894 miles. Raising the speed limit to 85 mph merely allows us to traverse our state in one day, just like those unfortunate souls who live in lesser states…

   Posted by CenTexTim       04/11/2011  at  06:52 PM  



2. My last car in the UK was A Citroen XM TD with a 2.4 litre 3 cyl turbo diesel, I had it chipped and its best speed on its computer was 103 MPH, and that gave me 55 MPG, it said, nearer 50 in real life, it I went 70 it dropped to 45 I took it up to an indicated 140 and that gave me 22 MPG, all on a private test track, honest!
   If the elect the Liberals (effin socialists) maybe Texas will be the next stop!

   Posted by Chris Edwards       04/11/2011  at  09:04 PM  



3. At 85 I can get across the entire state of NJ in about 40 minutes. But my econo-box sucks down gas at that speed.

   Posted by Drew458       04/11/2011  at  10:27 PM  



4. Chris unfortunately the carb rules in the US have killed off the small diesels. I used to get 50mpg out of a 1.9l turbo diesel VW and it put out 180bhp but the latest VW available in the US with the crd engine only puts out 140 in the UK it is available with a 170bhp engine. The US has some bizarre ideas that allow 6+ litre cummins engine trucks but discriminate against small passenger cars. I recall when I lived in the US and they brought in the 55mph limit. All the car speedos had to have an indicator at 55 it was a joke (thanks for nothing Carter). Crossing those huge states at 70mph was bad enough but 55 was misery.

   The UK is (under EU law shock horror) now considering changing the annual inspection to one every two years. The yearly UK MOT test is pretty stringent. Tyres, shock, brakes, emissions, body work, lights. They all are checked. For new cars there is a three year gap before mandatory testing. In Fwance it is four years with inspections every two years. Cars are a lot safer now and this makes sense. The German test is really rigourous. That’s one reason why so many cars on the roads in Germany are relatively new. Old shitters just wont pass the test so they have to be scrapped. So I agree bring in a higher speed limit but tighten up on safety inspections. Getting those old shit heaps off the roads will stimulate the economy!

   Posted by LyndonB       04/12/2011  at  03:52 AM  



5. Having driven from central TX (Ft Hood) to Camp Pendleton, CA and not even making it out of TX the first day (could not leave until daughter was out of school) and making it the second day (before dinner time) to Camp Pendleton - 85 isn’t fast enough. Drove from Ft Hood to Ft Campbell (had to be there at 6AM) again waiting until youngest daughter was out of school - at around 11pm older daughter called to ask how far out we were - I cried - We haven’t even gotten out of TX yet. As I said - 85 isn’t fast enough!

   Posted by wardmama4       04/12/2011  at  10:35 AM  



6. Wardmama - I was stationed at Ft. Hood from ‘72-’75. Small world…

   Trucker’s lament: “The sun has riz, the sun has set, and here I am in Texas yet.”

   Posted by CenTexTim       04/12/2011  at  11:36 AM  

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