blk (12/08/82)
Andy has made a request for facts; I think (hope) we are all getting tired of this slow opinion poll, where all submissions basically take 6-24 lines to say I like 55, I don't like 55. But the facts are a mess, too. I just heard on the radio from the National traffic safety commission, whoever, they are, this comparison of 'serious' (anything more than fender bender?) accidents: 55 mph odds of survival = 33:1 70 mph odds of survival = 1:1 Do you believe this? In my own experience, on Silicon Valley highways were (where) the normal speed is 65 and the drivers aren't too good, the only times I have suffered that surge of fear (just short of an accident) was from tailgaters who wanted to be driving 75 when someone slows down in front of me. What we need are laws against dangerous driving. Too bad noone knows how to legislate that. As to gas mileage; those numbers are verry specific to the beast in question. You consider the gear ratio, the gear spacing vs. the torque curve vs. the typical load and driving conditions, the coefficient of drag, and the method(s) of slip (slipstream, like a porsche; or bluff, like a BMW). I've studied the factors involved, which is about three steps back from *facts*. Consider a few observations: An Escort (high rpm, low torque, high gears, bluff, light body) may get 40 mpg with one man at 55, only 20 mpg with four men and luggage at same speed. A mazda pickup (medium rpm, high torque, medium gears, bluff, light) may get 25 mpg with one man at 55, and 24 mpg with a load of 1500 lbs. (I've done it.) A Citroen ID (medium rpm, high torque, high gears, slipstream, medium wt.) gets the same mpg at 45 and 75. It peaks (28 mpg) around 62 mph. note - the car looks like a flying saucer. At 75 mph it gets 25 mpg. The 'average american car', according to the govt., gets best mpg at 50. Gas mileage at 70 is about 60 percent of at 55. Facts? Beats me. -brian