It's your duty to drive FAST !!

[Levenkay]

jimmy carter had it right = 55 speed limit, except in rural areas.

slow down, save a soldier's life.

It was Nixon that tied the national 55MPH speed limit string to all the federal highway grants, not Carter, I believe. I remember hearing Nixon's speech about it on the radio at my summer job, and feeling a bit chagrined that I'd just gotten my license and now had to plod.

 

[hill]

jimmy carter had it right = 55 speed limit, except in rural areas.

slow down, save a soldier's life.

It was Nixon that tied the national 55MPH speed limit string to all the federal highway grants, not Carter, I believe. I remember hearing Nixon's speech about it on the radio at my summer job, and feeling a bit chagrined that I'd just gotten my license and now had to plod.

At the time, Montana had open speeds outside of towns, during daylight hours. Matching highway fed dollars would be withheld, if states chose to NOT set 55mph limits, AND enforce it. So Montana (being one of the states that strongly believe is state's rights) begrudgingly followed suit ... 55 limits were set, and the speeding tickets were handed out. As I recall, the fine for speeding (again, outside towns, in daylight hours) was around $5 (no 'moving violation points' added either). 3 or 4 other states followed their plan. bunch of gun tot'n nut jobs.

Of course, Montana only enacted "no open container" laws about 10 or 12 years, too. I didn't say objections to the 55mph laws it was a good idea ... just it imo it's funny how their bull headed objections to good ideas says volumes. That said - no - it's not your duty to drive fast, it's our duty to follow the laws ... or - work to get them changed if/when their wrong.

 

[TonyWilliams]

As I recall, the fine for speeding (again, outside towns, in daylight hours) was around $5 (no 'moving violation points' added either). 3 or 4 other states followed their plan. bunch of gun tot'n nut jobs.

I'm not sure what the connection is to guns and speeding.

The tickets in Montana were exactly $5, and were paid on the spot. The policeman generally had a clipboard with all the $5 bills they collected for the day.

The ticket was NOT issued for speeding. It was issued for what the federal government said was the issue; "Waste of Natural Resource".

No points issued. However, the not frequently mentioned issue is that "speeding" was illegal, but not specifically defined. Montana had, and still has, the "Basic Rule"... driving safe for conditions. So, driving 80mph in a blizzard will get you a ticket. Driving 80mph during a nice weather day on a straight highway with 100 miles to the next town... no ticket.

When you got stopped, you handed your $5 bill with your driver's license and registration, and you were on your way in no time. I got several of them. I don't know if I had a gun with me during my episodes of wasting resources.

 

[cwerdna]

The tickets in Montana were exactly $5, and were paid on the spot. The policeman generally had a clipboard with all the $5 bills they collected for the day.

The ticket was NOT issued for speeding. It was issued for what the federal government said was the issue; "Waste of Natural Resource".

No points issued. However, the not frequently mentioned issue is that "speeding" was illegal, but not specifically defined. Montana had, and still has, the "Basic Rule"... driving safe for conditions. So, driving 80mph in a blizzard will get you a ticket. Driving 80mph during a nice weather day on a straight highway with 100 miles to the next town... no ticket.

I've never lived in MT but I had no idea that the $5 speeding tickets were for "Waste of Natural Resource". LOL! Wow, if only monstrosity class SUV (e.g. Tahoe, Expedition, Navigator, Escalade, etc.) drivers were ticketed for the act of driving them around solo, w/minimal cargo or passengers or lining up at drive thru line more than 3 deep...

So, I decided to do some Googling using your keywords and found this hilarious article: http://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/10/us/speeding-is-easy-and-almost-free-in-montana.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

Funny quote:

Radar Constantly Chirping

Inside his Plymouth Grand Fury, the radar is constantly chirping. He's going about 60 or 65 miles an hour, and cars zip past as if he were not there.

''See, I can sit here and write every car that goes by,'' he said. ''One day I wrote 63 tickets. But with the Tinkertoy engine I've got in this car, it takes me five minutes just to catch up with the guy, and then I write a five-buck ticket. Is that worth it?''

 

[walterbays]

I recalled this old thread after seeing an unflattering depiction of an electric car on TV (Netflix). It was Kingdom, season 2 episode 5. Lyle got an electric car. It was smaller than a Smart Fortwo. In one scene Lyle was driving on the open road and was passed by a bicycle. A later episode continues the running joke, showing Peter hardly able to walk after having been crammed into the tiny car.

Then there's Lilyhammer, season 1 episode 1 featuring a Mafia boss relocated to Norway under the witness protection program and given the identity Giovanni Henriksen. Emblematic of the depths to which he has fallen from his New York high life he is given a small house, and his car is electric.

Okay, so now I think that Tesla is VERY important to the success of EV's.

 

[garsh]

Before getting my Leaf, I tried to maximize my gas mileage during my daily commute. I'd drive 55mph on the highway, try to find slow trucks to draft behind, etc.

I started out driving my Leaf the same way too. But then as I got used to how much range I had with the car, combined with free charging at work, things changed. I charge the car to 100% shortly before leaving for home. I find myself thinking that I have enough juice to go 75mph+ and still make it back to work the next morning. I end up following the fast cars in the left lane (no, not drafting - much too fast to be that close).

The Leaf is evil, I tell you. :twisted:

 

[mkjayakumar]

If you read the Teslamotorsclub.com form, you can see the folks that have their Model 'S' in their hands are driving happily at 70+mph. There was a report from a user who picked up his car from the factory and drove to his home in LA, charging on the way on two Tesla Superchargers doing 75 and 80.

He claims he drove 120 miles at 80mph, and arrived at the supercharger with half a tank left. That is impressive.

 

[EvansvilleLeaf]

I split the difference. I accelerate rapidly to demonstrate the fun factor, and then cruise at a reasonable, albeit usually supra-legal speed.

 

[theaveng]

I've heard this same thing with my hybrid (drive fast!). It seems like such a waste of energy. The faster you drive the more energy is used up: the difference in velocity (squared). And that energy is not exactly cheap, especially in California.

I don't know what the difference is for a Leaf between 75 and 55mph, but for my hybrid it's $600 every 20k miles (every year). Not trivial.

 

[DaveEV]

I don't know what the difference is for a Leaf between 75 and 55mph, but for my hybrid it's $600 every 20k miles (every year). Not trivial.

Travel at 75 mph about twice the power (around 25 kW, ~3 mi/kWh) and 40% more energy than travel at 55 mph (around 12-13 kW, 4.5 mi/kWh), requires.

 

[hill]

ok it's a zombie thread but I'll still bite. Now that we see some AZ Leaf's traction packs facing their mortality prematurely, one has to consider how important 75mph - 80mph is, when the pack heat rises even more, when it's 113+ degrees outside. Heat, high speed, AC on full blast - duty to drive fast? Don't act surprised when the next GOM bar dissapears ...

 

[Nubo]

Funny how some people will react. Where they might not give a second thought to someone in a generic car traveling at the 65mph speed limit in the right lane, some consider it a personal affront when they notice it's an electric car, and feel obligated to display their displeasure on behalf of all God-fearing, gasoline-consuming patriots. This often involves a gratuitous display of speed. But there are other variations.

The other day I was traveling in the HOV lane -- which was moving a few mph faster than the other lanes. About 70mph, for what it's worth. As I began to pass a fellow in a crossover, he suddenly sped up, zoomed dangerously around me and got into the HOV lane in front of me, even though he clearly was the sole occupant. I could see him yelling as he did so. Either he disagreed with the HOV privilege, was determined not to be passed by me in my God-d***** Obamacar, or both. :lol:

Hope he's feeling better.

 

[mwalsh]

Hope he's feeling better.

Whereas I hope he dies early, of a heart attack, leaving a grieving wife and kids. And not one of those quiet heart attacks either, where you slip away quietly in the middle of the night. I want the full on; chest grabbing; writhing around in agonizing pain for quite a while edition.

 

[theaveng]

As I began to pass a fellow in a crossover, he suddenly sped up, zoomed dangerously around me and got into the HOV lane in front of me, even though he clearly was the sole occupant. I could see him yelling as he did so. Either he disagreed with the HOV privilege, was determined not to be passed by me in my God-d***** Obamacar

Or maybe the guy in front of him suddenly braked, and he was swerving into the HOV in order to avoid a collision.

 

[theaveng]

I don't know what the difference is for a Leaf between 75 and 55mph, but for my hybrid it's $600 every 20k miles (every year). Not trivial.

Travel at 75 mph about twice the power (around 25 kW, ~3 mi/kWh) and 40% more energy travel at 55 mph (around 12-13 kW, 4.5 mi/kWh), requires.

What?

 

[gasmiser1]

[/quote] Or maybe the guy in front of him suddenly braked, and he was swerving into the HOV in order to avoid a collision.[/quote]
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Doubtful. There is definitely an increased aggression against EVs coming mainly from SUVs and BMW type drivers. I've experienced their vial behavior too many times to count while driving our LEAF :roll:

 

[pchilds]

I took the Murano for a drive today; because, it hadn't been driven in way to long. Driving the same route and speed as I drive the LEAF, no tailgaters, no cutting me off, no passing over the double yellow, no flipping the bird. I was driving 5-10 mph under the speed limit.

 

[ebill3]

Whereas I hope he dies early, of a heart attack, leaving a grieving wife and kids. And not one of those quiet heart attacks either, where you slip away quietly in the middle of the night. I want the full on; chest grabbing; writhing around in agonizing pain for quite a while edition.

Ouch!

A bit harsh, don't you think?

 

[mwalsh]

Whereas I hope he dies early, of a heart attack, leaving a grieving wife and kids. And not one of those quiet heart attacks either, where you slip away quietly in the middle of the night. I want the full on; chest grabbing; writhing around in agonizing pain for quite a while edition.

Ouch!

A bit harsh, don't you think?

No.

 

[Herm]

Remove all the provocative decals from the Leaf and put on some Versa badges.. also get some anti-Obama stickers.. that should calm down those aggressive SUVs.

The SUV driver is paying $100 to fill up their tank and there you go rubbing it in.