Thread: 55 MPH rearing it UGLY head again?

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I agree with that Don, I had just bought a new 74 Monte Carlo, driving 55 was almost like walking after driving a 72 Camaro 80 plus.

Richard

Here comes all that falling asleep at the wheel again,to help the crash statistics..........

I think a combination of things will happen and already is happening. The days of the Super Size Me cars is fading. There will always be a market for them, but it will be with consious thought. SUV's still are the number one vehicle on the road, along with mini vans here in northern california. We actually bought a small one (2 wheel drive Toyota Highlander, with 4 cyl) which is a Camry chasis with a box thrown on top. It gets decent milage for it's size, about 22-27mpg depending on use, but it's the weight of the vehicle that has always concerned me. It takes a lot more distance to stop than my small truck, or any car I've driven. When you have to jam the brakes on at speed, the antilocking action takes over, and gives you an outta control feeling.
I agree with Don, getting T boned at 55 is better than 80mph!
What we are starting to see here, is lots of small commuter car purchases. My friends with two kids who insisted they needed a Ford Expedition to tote all their stuff, now have 3 kids, and drive a 4 door Mazda, that seems to work just fine for them, and gets about twice the gas milage!
Like the 70's when we had to buy gas on certain days, the muscle cars took a back seat to the Hondas and VW rabbits. Once gas was more availible, those cars faded away.
I also agree with the fact that everybody seems in such a damb hurry all the time. It's infectious! You hop in the car to run some errands, and next thing you know your ten miles over the speed limit, with some rubbernecker pissing everyone off to the point of road rage. I'm afraid if the speed limit does go down, road rage will get worse as will right lane passing. Here we have a really stupid law on the books that makes it legal to split lanes on a motorcycle. I ride a motorcycle and can tell you, this one law makes the car road rage against bikes even worse! It also causes accidents and fatalities.
I just hope that somewhere in all of this, my hot rod will have a future to stretch it's wings and be legal!