A Return to 55 MPH In Conn?

[drc72]

Senater Gaffey wants to bring back a 55MPH speed limit in Connecticut to save on gas. Personally I think this a very bad idea, since nobody really obeyed the posted limit when it was 55MPH intially, back before it was raised to 65MPH. The feds were threatening to pull federal funding for roads back in the nineties, because the state never enforced the 55MPH limit. What makes the state think that people will obey it now, since nobody really obeyed it back then. Please leave it at 65MPH!!!

http://www.wfsb.com/money/9572034/detail.html

[somad]

I'm not too sure if "they won't obey it, anyways" is a good excuse. If they don't obey the law, it would be because the law isn't enforced enough. When I was growing up, my parents always drove 60 mph on the highways. Now they drive 70... so the "no one obeyed it" argument doesn't hold true for everyone. Aren't cars more fuel-efficient at 55mph? I'd rather see them raise the limit to 70-75 and raise penalties for driving 5+ over the limit and also re-install the tolls...

[SOCOM]

Either way I'm screwed. I can't drive less than 75mph on the highway.

[drc72]

Either way I'm screwed. I can't drive less than 75mph on the highway.

LOL! I know 65 MPH is the lowest I go on the highway, even in a 55 MPH zone.

[drc72]

I'm not too sure if "they won't obey it, anyways" is a good excuse. If they don't obey the law, it would be because the law isn't enforced enough. When I was growing up, my parents always drove 60 mph on the highways. Now they drive 70... so the "no one obeyed it" argument doesn't hold true for everyone. Aren't cars more fuel-efficient at 55mph? I'd rather see them raise the limit to 70-75 and raise penalties for driving 5+ over the limit and also re-install the tolls...

Do you honestly drive 55 MPH on long stretches of highway? I can understand posting 55 MPH in the cities, but in rural areas, that speed is just to oppressively slow to deal with. Todays highways were built for high speed. Some CT roads can easily support a 70 MPH speed limit. I84 past Hartford is a good example. RT 9 Middletown on south as well should have no problems at 70 MPH. In fact RT 9 was intailly built for a 70 MPH speed limit.

[sp1dey]

Heck drop it all you want, just give me my commuter rail!

I'm a right lane slow poke anyway.

[MadVlad]

I'm going to blow my brains out if they drop the limit to 55, F that!!!

[somad]

Do you honestly drive 55 MPH on long stretches of highway? I can understand posting 55 MPH in the cities, but in rural areas, that speed is just to oppressively slow to deal with. Todays highways were built for high speed. Some CT roads can easily support a 70 MPH speed limit. I84 past Hartford is a good example. RT 9 Middletown on south as well should have no problems at 70 MPH. In fact RT 9 was intailly built for a 70 MPH speed limit.

No... I go 75 on the highway, and don't go higher because my car is a piece of crap and starts shaking terribly when I go too much faster. IF they enforced the laws better I wouldn't speed. On rural backroads I regulary go 45-60 in a 25 mph zone. As I said in my earlier post, I think they should probably raise the speed limit and install toll booths (on EVERY highway) to discourage local use and raise funds. Wouldn't it be better if all the trucks and other thru traffic that doesn't contribute much to our economy at least added a couple bucks in addition to the gas station and fast food purchases?

[drc72]

No... I go 75 on the highway, and don't go higher because my car is a piece of crap and starts shaking terribly when I go too much faster. IF they enforced the laws better I wouldn't speed. On rural backroads I regulary go 45-60 in a 25 mph zone. As I said in my earlier post, I think they should probably raise the speed limit and install toll booths (on EVERY highway) to discourage local use and raise funds. Wouldn't it be better if all the trucks and other thru traffic that doesn't contribute much to our economy at least added a couple bucks in addition to the gas station and fast food purchases?

Tolls would add some extra revenue to state coffers, but would also add congestion at the same time unfortunately.

I'm going to blow my brains out if they drop the limit to 55, F that!!!

I hear ya brotha on that one!!!

[JimSawhill]

Senater Gaffey wants to bring back a 55MPH speed limit in Connecticut to save on gas. Personally I think this a very bad idea, since nobody really obeyed the posted limit when it was 55MPH intially, back before it was raised to 65MPH. The feds were threatening to pull federal funding for roads back in the nineties, because the state never enforced the 55MPH limit. What makes the state think that people will obey it now, since nobody really obeyed it back then. Please leave it at 65MPH!!!

http://www.wfsb.com/money/9572034/detail.html

Hmmm...

Why does he want to do that?? I know why -- I bet it isn't his real reason -- but another way to for the state to make $$$.

Jim

[drc72]

Hmmm...

Why does he want to do that?? I know why -- I bet it isn't his real reason -- but another way to for the state to make $$$.

Jim

I wouldn't doubt it. Plus even if it was reduced to 55 MPH, I bet Senater Gaffey wouldn't obey it and would still do 65 MPH or greater.

[Captain59]

Yeah, like Gaffey cares about people saving money. Please. There's more to it than that. I wonder how much it will cost to change all those signs. Will Gaffet fork over that money?

[drc72]

Yeah, like Gaffey cares about people saving money. Please. There's more to it than that. I wonder how much it will cost to change all those signs. Will Gaffet fork over that money?

Nah, they'll just raise taxes to pay for it.

[JimSawhill]

I wouldn't doubt it. Plus even if it was reduced to 55 MPH, I bet Senater Gaffey wouldn't obey it and would still do 65 MPH or greater.

One day... I took a picture of one of the State sentator (who was against driving and talking on the cell phone) driving while talking on his cell phone. I mailed him asking if he is a Hypocrit! I guess he wants it banned for everyone except for himself.

He told me since he was stuck in RUSH hour on 91... he was talking to his staff for info on a vote.

[drc72]

One day... I took a picture of one of the State sentator (who was against driving and talking on the cell phone) driving while talking on his cell phone. I mailed him asking if he is a Hypocrit! I guess he wants it banned for everyone except for himself.

He told me since he was stuck in RUSH hour on 91... he was talking to his staff for info on a vote.

I love it!!! They pass all these laws, but when it comes time to obey it themselves, their exempt.

[runawayjim]

i drove from branford, CT to providence last night. i did not do more than 65 mph anywhere on the highway (most of the route, the speed limit is 65). the needle on my fuel guage barely budged, as opposed to when i do 70-75 and i notice it moving (the one way trip is usually about a quarter of a tank for me). i plan on keeping it this way. lowering the speed limit and enforcing it (or even having decoy cop cars randomly placed since everyone slows down when they see a cop car) will keep people at the speed limit. both CT and RI need to step up on highway enforcement.

as for tolls, i don't foresee them happening again in CT, but if they do, i also don't see them increasing congestion at all. they will serve to keep people from using the highway to drive 3 miles when they could take rt 1 instead. i have never been in another state where the entire length of highway across the state has exits every 1-2 miles. people use 95 like it's a local road, that's where the congestion comes from. it's not commuters or vacationers for the most part, it's people who are drivnig to the next town over. i will admit, i was one of those, but why take rt 1 when you could cut the time in half by taking 95? of course, if they do bring tolls back, you know they'll have ez-pass and you know people will think they aren't really paying the toll when they use their ez-pass...

[drc72]

i drove from branford, CT to providence last night. i did not do more than 65 mph anywhere on the highway (most of the route, the speed limit is 65). the needle on my fuel guage barely budged, as opposed to when i do 70-75 and i notice it moving (the one way trip is usually about a quarter of a tank for me). i plan on keeping it this way. lowering the speed limit and enforcing it (or even having decoy cop cars randomly placed since everyone slows down when they see a cop car) will keep people at the speed limit. both CT and RI need to step up on highway enforcement.

as for tolls, i don't foresee them happening again in CT, but if they do, i also don't see them increasing congestion at all. they will serve to keep people from using the highway to drive 3 miles when they could take rt 1 instead. i have never been in another state where the entire length of highway across the state has exits every 1-2 miles. people use 95 like it's a local road, that's where the congestion comes from. it's not commuters or vacationers for the most part, it's people who are drivnig to the next town over. i will admit, i was one of those, but why take rt 1 when you could cut the time in half by taking 95? of course, if they do bring tolls back, you know they'll have ez-pass and you know people will think they aren't really paying the toll when they use their ez-pass...

Back when it was officially 55MPH in CT, state police very rarely enforced it. In fact when I passed state police cars, I was always doing 65MPH in a 55MPH zone. and I never got stopped once. Although back then they would of stopped you, if you did 70MPH. State police now really don't bother you when your doing 70MPH, sometimes they wouldn't even bother you at 75MPH. Although your risk getting stopped at that speed. Once you hit 76 and up your definitely getting stopped for sure.

[SOCOM]

Yeah that seens to be the general rule on CT highways. 10mph over is usually OK, but 11mph+ and you're getting pulled over.

Funny story...couple years ago I was on my way up to Mt. Snow in Vermont. I'm driving through this small town called Wilmington. The speed limit through the center of town is 30mph. I drive by a cop at 33mph and he pulls me over and I actually got a ticket for going 33mph in a 30mph zone. He wrote it up on the ticket as so. I couldn't help but laugh when he gave me the ticket.

[MadVlad]

A lot of small towns do that, revenue for them, and they have nothing better to do. Many places also love to ticket the out-of-staters, Rhode Island shore, Maine, and Vermont come to mind.....

[somad]

A lot of small towns do that, revenue for them, and they have nothing better to do. Many places also love to ticket the out-of-staters, Rhode Island shore, Maine, and Vermont come to mind.....

It's the same way of thinking as putting up tolls... why not let out of staters contribute towards paying for our system?

[drc72]

It's the same way of thinking as putting up tolls... why not let out of staters contribute towards paying for our system?

I was never a big fan of tolls, but I might be reconsidering my opinion on that. Many other states charge us to use their roads, why not charge their state residents to use ours. Although I am not fully convinced yet of the idea.

[mikel]

It's the same way of thinking as putting up tolls... why not let out of staters contribute towards paying for our system?

Exactly, I'm waiting for the day we toll the crap out of our highways. It's about time. I'll just take the train when its ready.

I was never a big fan of tolls, but I might be reconsidering my opinion on that. Many other states charge us to use their roads, why not charge their state residents to use ours. Although I am not fully convinced yet of the idea.

We're throwing money down the toilet without tolls. Do you realize how many people from out of state use our highways but don't give us a dime, just more traffic? It's time for them to pay too. We have no tolls, yet once we enter New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, I'm pretty sure Rhode Island too, we pay them. There is no reason why we shouldn't have tolls.

[drc72]

Exactly, I'm waiting for the day we toll the crap out of our highways. It's about time. I'll just take the train when its ready.

We're throwing money down the toilet without tolls. Do you realize how many people from out of state use our highways but don't give us a dime, just more traffic? It's time for them to pay too. We have no tolls, yet once we enter New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, I'm pretty sure Rhode Island too, we pay them. There is no reason why we shouldn't have tolls.

The only thing that really concerns me about tolls, is the possible extra congestion it may cause. Lets face it, I95 even without tolls, is a commuters nightmare when it comes to congestion. I agree with all your points though. Out of staters use our roads all the time without paying a dime to us. It's time they start paying their share.

[MadVlad]

I haven't been to the Rhode Island shore in about 10 years. The last 3 times I went I got harrassed or followed by the cops because I have CT plates. It pissed me off so screw them, I won't be spending my money on Rhode Island anymore...

[SOCOM]

The only thing that really concerns me about tolls, is the possible extra congestion it may cause. Lets face it, I95, even without tolls, is a commuters nightmare when it comes to congestion. I agree with all your points though. Out of staters use our roads all the time without paying a dime to us. It's time they start paying their share.

You're probably right about that, but the solution is easy... EZ pass. I've had it for years and I just cruise right through all the tolls in NY. Even in rush hour, I'll wait maybe 1 or 2 min to get through the line while the Cash Only lines are backed up for 20-25 minutes.