hlh@linus.UUCP (Henry L. Hall) (01/23/84)
As I recall, when the Interstate highway system was first started, the basic
intent was to create a system of highways to link the the country. These
were to be limited in access (not alot of entrances or exits) and provide
a safe means of travel at the THEN current speed limits (60-65 mph) for the
THEN current automobiles on the road.
Cars, nowadays, are unquestionably safer than those in the mid 50's and
generally more economical besides (oops, remember the model from Nash (aka
Rambler/AMC) that got 45 mpg in the late 1940's, it didn't sell very well as
gasoline was under $ .20/gal. and the car was not very well appointed, nor
was it very expensive). We have been asked to ignore the progress of
technology and travel at a speed that has questionable economic value.
As was mentioned before, "the people", that great amorphous mass, does not
directly make laws, the Congress does. However, after driving in Maryland
in a car with the cruise control set to 65 mph (an Oldsmobile 98 rented from
Avis, just seeing how the "other half lives" ;-) ) I was never stopped by the
10-12 police cars that I passed on the road between D.C and Baltimore. This
law and its enforcement, or lack thereof, seems to give too much leeway to the
individual traffic officer as to whether to issue a citation. If the 55 mph.
speed limit is not going to be enforced/obeyed strictly, then it seems that it
should be abolished.
Just because a law is on the books, does not make it a good law. In Italy
recently, a psuedo-competent female political figure was asked to resign
because she did not meet the law decreeing that all political figures had
to be at least 5'1" in stature to hold a political office. Hmmmmmmm.
Henry L. Hall
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