Schumer wants to control big rig speeds

[IndyDave1776]

I just wish they'd make them stay in the slow lane and stop letting anyone with a pulse get a CDL.

I'll go half with you on this. Slower traffic belongs in the slow lane regardless of tire count. Faster traffic, not so much.

The fundamental problems with the quality of drivers are as follows:

1. Driving schools with a profit-based incentive to turn out papered 'graduates' even if they couldn't drive a hot poker up a snowman's rear end.

2. Regulations and official handlers thereof which make one think frequently about Jefferson's admonition regarding the watering of the tree of liberty driving good and experienced drivers get out of the business because they are simply sick and tired of the government's sh*t.

3. Dumbasses like Schumer (among many others) who believe you can cure stupidity and people being placed where they don't belong by making life a son of a b*tch for the people who do belong. By extension, the regulations are ginned up by idiots who have no idea in the universe how to properly do the job.

4. Excessive regulations encouraged by 'the industry' (read groups including the largest corporations who realize that byzantine complexity in regulations will either discourage small competitors from starting or staying, or else have them shut down for 'noncompliance').

5. These same entities not tolerating the traits (with independent nature and initiative at the top of the list) which make someone good at driving and wish to replace such independent-natured persons with a multitude of ass kissers who blindly follow orders regardless of their ability to actually do the job.

6. It has become an easy place to put, well, recent imports who have mastered neither our language nor our customs where they have minimal interaction with others, safety of the traveling public be damned.

7. Control freaks are going to control to the extent they are able, regardless of the consequences.

 

[Tombs]

Very true. I only said it because it sure seems like I have a lot more near misses with trucks these days and that they're always passing the fast lane holding up traffic.

I can say from the other side of the fence, if you don't want a semi to blast by you, SET YOUR FRIGGIN CRUISE CONTROL!

 

[IndyDave1776]

Very true. I only said it because it sure seems like I have a lot more near misses with trucks these days and that they're always passing the fast lane holding up traffic.

If we didn't have that asinine split speed limit, that wouldn't be nearly so big a problem as it now is.

 

[edporch]

There shouldn't be governors on long haul semis.

I remember the old days before the 55 speed limit was passed in the early 1970's.

If you wanted to cover some mileage, you ran with the semis.

Nowadays, running with the semis who many have governors already, is a good way to get NOWHERE fast!
And they clog up the roads blocking off the passing lane and taking miles to pass somebody and congesting the traffic.

It's congestion, not speed that causes collisions, as you can only run into somebody when they're close by to run into.

 

[jd4320t]

I can say from the other side of the fence, if you don't want a semi to blast by you, SET YOUR FRIGGIN CRUISE CONTROL!

I definitely use cruise and never hold up traffic. I go my desired speed and get over after I pass. Nearly Everytime I'm on 69 these days I'll be cruising along and have a semi break out in front of me....passing another semi just to go the same speed...

 

[steveh_131]

I have an idea.

Let's treat cars like we treat guns. Use them responsibly and don't hurt people or property.

If you fail to do so, you get charged with the injury or damage you caused.

This stuff is only going to keep clamping down on us until we embrace real liberty.

 

[BluePig]

Everyday feels more and more like it is 1979...

 

[42769vette]

Yippee. I can't wait to increase the number of instances where one big rig is doing 60.5mph and the one behind him decides to pass since his is capable of 60.7mph. There really is nothing more edge of your seat exciting than a 23 mile, 21 minute drag race on a two lane interstate at 10mph below the posted speed limit.

Exactly what i was thinking.

 

[SSGSAD]

Yippee. I can't wait to increase the number of instances where one big rig is doing 60.5mph and the one behind him decides to pass since his is capable of 60.7mph. There really is nothing more edge of your seat exciting than a 23 mile, 21 minute drag race on a two lane interstate at 10mph below the posted speed limit.

YES, I agree 100% !!!!!

 

[IndyDave1776]

Everyday feels more and more like it is 1979...

Could you expand on that? Some of us don't remember 1979 so well (like those of us in Kindergarten at the time).

 

[2A_Tom]

Comparing murder to speeding is a silly analogy and I can't think of any way to make it fit.

Revelation 21:8
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” KJB

God has the same penalty for murderers and liars. Kinda' one size fits all.

 

[Tombs]

I definitely use cruise and never hold up traffic. I go my desired speed and get over after I pass. Nearly Everytime I'm on 69 these days I'll be cruising along and have a semi break out in front of me....passing another semi just to go the same speed...

Does the semi say Swift on the side? If it does, there's your problem.

 

[steveh_131]

God has the same penalty for murderers and liars. Kinda' one size fits all.

The government is not God.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Does the semi say Swift on the side? If it does, there's your problem.

Absolutely! Slow Wagon In Fast Traffic!

 

[IndyDave1776]

The government is not God.

Good point. The .gov is bad enough WITHOUT divine influence!

 

[Tombs]

Absolutely! Slow Wagon In Fast Traffic!

I got stuck behind one(Swift) on a trip out to Colorado when trying to climb a big mountain.

He must have got his hill lesson backwards, because he climbed the whole thing in low gear on a 75mph highway, going under 10mph. And lucky for us, it was a 1 lane road...

At least the radio traffic was entertaining for that 3 hours.

 

[IndyDave1776]

I got stuck behind one(Swift) on a trip out to Colorado when trying to climb a big mountain.

He must have got his hill lesson backwards, because he climbed the whole thing in low gear on a 75mph highway, going under 10mph. And lucky for us, it was a 1 lane road...

At least the radio traffic was entertaining for that 3 hours.

He may not have been able to help it. They program the computers in a lot of those trucks intended to be suitable for use by chimpanzees such that they will only wind up to about 1500 or 1600 rpms which won't allow a chance to shift up under a hard pull like that, and if you are already moving, it will choke down until you don't have enough rpms to maintain the gear and are forced to shift down until you are crawling. This is one of the many reasons that I oppose using mechanical limitations on trucks to compensate for deliberately putting them in the hands of people who are too damned stupid to drive them.

 

[Tombs]

He may not have been able to help it. They program the computers in a lot of those trucks intended to be suitable for use by chimpanzees such that they will only wind up to about 1500 or 1600 rpms which won't allow a chance to shift up under a hard pull like that, and if you are already moving, it will choke down until you don't have enough rpms to maintain the gear and are forced to shift down until you are crawling. This is one of the many reasons that I oppose using mechanical limitations on trucks to compensate for deliberately putting them in the hands of people who are too damned stupid to drive them.

Well yeah, I've driven a truck with a limiter before, you have to short shift them, and make sure you're in the right gear before you start up a hill or you will be SOL.

 

[jamil]

Yippee. I can't wait to increase the number of instances where one big rig is doing 60.5mph and the one behind him decides to pass since his is capable of 60.7mph. There really is nothing more edge of your seat exciting than a 23 mile, 21 minute drag race on a two lane interstate at 10mph below the posted speed limit.

Don't get me started. The other day I was behind two trucks side by side for 15 minutes. I reached my exit before the one ever passed the other.

 

[BluePig]

Could you expand on that? Some of us don't remember 1979 so well (like those of us in Kindergarten at the time).

I can do that.
Lowering the speed limit was originated as an idea to save gasoline because of the Energy Crisis.
It sort of started in 1973 with the Gas Crisis where gasoline took a massive jump and continued on into 1979 where it spilled over into other energy sources.
So, the speed limit on interstates was like 70 MPH and got cut to 55.
Took forever to get anywhere.
I remember the gov't running TV ads showing how driving 55 only took a "few more minutes" to get where you were going.
Cars got smaller to increase fuel economy.
Families couldn't afford them anyway due to high interest rates.
They were junk anyway, wouldn't run right and wore out easily.
I remember not just the speed limit, but sitting in school bundled up and freezing cause they set the heat to 60 deg. F, eating a cold sandwich at lunch because serving a hot meal was wasteful energy useage.
They went in and pulled out every other light bulb so it was always dark in class.
And all the time, you are getting news like the next ice age is starting or in 10 years there will be no oil.
I remember eating gov't cheese, wasn't too bad.
We traded eggs that our chickens laid to some neighbors.
Gov't trying to "solve a problem" made it worse and worse.
And all the time finding excuses why their solution would not work, playing the blame game.
I think the only thing that wasn't in play was racial tensions were not the way they are now.
The 60's kind of took care of that for a while.