EU at it again. 55mph anyone?
EU at it again. 55mph anyone?
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Discussion

turbobloke

Original Poster:

117,126 posts

289 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
Andris Piebalgs the EU energy commissioner said:
Due to rising oil prices I propose the formation of an International Energy Agency to reduce European
speed limits to 90 km per hour (55 miles per hour)

Trust the fucers (Federal Union of Communist European States) to propose something like this. If they absolutely must interfere, why not promote gasohol use instead, with subsidies for conversions where needed and tax breaks for its use?

JagLover

46,737 posts

264 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
If they do try and impose such a law it will be time to go and lynch that collection of parasites.

docevi1

10,430 posts

277 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
I highly doubt it would get the go-ahead in this country.

tuscan_thunder

1,763 posts

275 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
docevi1 said:
I highly doubt it would get the go-ahead in this country.


bet folk said that when the 70 limit came in!

it's a load of balls anyway - 100mile journey at 55mph. sure, lower fuel consumption but for a longer length of time. it's swings and roundabouts.

time for the revolution.......

parrot of doom

23,075 posts

263 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
It won't happen, the cost to the economy would be enormous.

ErnestM

11,621 posts

296 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
parrot of doom said:
It won't happen, the cost to the economy would be enormous.


That's what they said in the States and it took us 10 years and the election of Ronald Reagan to get around it. Thank goodness we can actually do 75-80 again on the multi-lane uber straightaway freeways (interstates).

ErnestM

dieseljohn

2,114 posts

285 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
tuscan_thunder said:

it's a load of balls anyway - 100mile journey at 55mph. sure, lower fuel consumption but for a longer length of time. it's swings and roundabouts.


Um well there is an optimum speed for fuel consumption multiplied by time which is usually around 55mph IIRC.

No flipping chance I am driving everywhere that slowly though.

cdp

8,041 posts

283 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
The great thing about 55mph is hardly any cars have it marked, so it's not so easy to stick to.

Kirching!

More money in the coffers for the speed camera brigade.

The melon lobby (green on the outside, but red on the inside) are trying to make car ownership as unpleasant as possible. They have always hated cars as initially they were a status symbol. I think is the reason they hate 4X4s in the city centres - big, flash and expensive.

Rob_the_Sparky

1,000 posts

267 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
dieseljohn said:

tuscan_thunder said:

it's a load of balls anyway - 100mile journey at 55mph. sure, lower fuel consumption but for a longer length of time. it's swings and roundabouts.



Um well there is an optimum speed for fuel consumption multiplied by time which is usually around 55mph IIRC.

No flipping chance I am driving everywhere that slowly though.



Surely that has a lot do to with gearing and engine efficiency at particular revs/load therefore will be different for every car on the road?

dieseljohn

2,114 posts

285 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
Rob_the_Sparky said:

dieseljohn said:


tuscan_thunder said:

it's a load of balls anyway - 100mile journey at 55mph. sure, lower fuel consumption but for a longer length of time. it's swings and roundabouts.




Um well there is an optimum speed for fuel consumption multiplied by time which is usually around 55mph IIRC.

No flipping chance I am driving everywhere that slowly though.




Surely that has a lot do to with gearing and engine efficiency at particular revs/load therefore will be different for every car on the road?


Yes and aerodynamic drag and other stuff but ballpark figure it is usually around 55mph in top gear I believe.

dcb

6,064 posts

294 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
docevi1 said:
I highly doubt it would get the go-ahead in this country.


It most certainly won't.

The cost of fuel possibly saved is swamped by the cost of the time lost.

Even at ten quid an hour average earnings, saving a pound on fuel isn't a worthwhile deal.

Time is money.

Even a politician should be able to see that.

t1grm

4,657 posts

313 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
docevi1 said:
I highly doubt it would get the go-ahead in this country.



Or any other EU country I would have thought, since IIRC we have one of the lowest motorway speed limits in Europe. Most countries have 120-130 km/h which translates to roughly 75-80 mph.

>> Edited by t1grm on Friday 8th April 12:22

tinman0

18,231 posts

269 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
cdp said:
The great thing about 55mph is hardly any cars have it marked, so it's not so easy to stick to.



yeah, i always mistake 55 for 85...happens all the time

LongQ

13,864 posts

262 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
dcb said:

docevi1 said:
I highly doubt it would get the go-ahead in this country.



It most certainly won't.

The cost of fuel possibly saved is swamped by the cost of the time lost.

Even at ten quid an hour average earnings, saving a pound on fuel isn't a worthwhile deal.

Time is money.

Even a politician should be able to see that.


In this country the biggest hit would be on the Tax take ...

I doubt the Chancer would support that.

On the other hand make everywhere really slow and we all burn fuel for no purpose at all - as in congestion.

I'm not sure any of these people have the ability to perform logical thought processes.

deva link

26,934 posts

274 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
cdp said:
The great thing about 55mph is hardly any cars have it marked, so it's not so easy to stick to.

Just watch it change to 90KPH 'for convenience'. Then next thing we'll all be driving on the right.

turbobloke

Original Poster:

117,126 posts

289 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
deva link said:
Just watch it change to 90KPH 'for convenience'. Then next thing we'll all be driving on the right.
And made to wear grey tunics with a red rose on a dark blue square with umpteen stars round the outside, chanting the EU Federal Anthem while farting into a jar to prevent global warming

4WD

2,289 posts

260 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
Sod it. My next car is either 5.3 or 6 litres.

turbobloke

Original Poster:

117,126 posts

289 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
4WD said:
Sod it. My next car is either 5.3 or 6 litres.
But will it run OK on fermented lentil juice

Alpineandy

1,395 posts

272 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
it'll be quicker to fly everywhere....
that's really green (using tax free av-gas).

trotter

4 posts

277 months

Friday 8th April 2005
quotequote all
Having just bought a car that will reach the top end of 150 I'd hate to hurt it's feelings by trundling along at 55. Cars have feeling too.