Why can we go faster than 65mph if it's illegal?

Question

if the maximum speed limit in the US is 65mph, why doesn't the government make automobile manufacturers produce cars that can't go faster than 65mph?

with 1 exception of course! (emergency, municipal and state vehicles) i mean you'd want an ambulance to go as faster as necessary to save a life.

Answer 1

First off, there isn't a set speed limit.

The states were pushed to set the original speed limits at 55 during the oil crunch of the 1970's with the threat of restriction of US highway funding.

States may now set their own speed limits. Montana, for a brief period, set the limit for passenger automobiles at "reasonable and prudent;" which translated to floor the rental car.

In Texas, individual counties set the maximum speed on their interstates and highway systems, as do parishes in Louisianna. I can't speak for other states, but it was a surprise for me as a supervised permit holder to find myself having to slow down to operate on interstates and public streets in St. Louis.

Currently, the speed limit is set at 80 mph along stretches of I-10 and I-20 through certain parts of West Texas. Which is refreshing and likely a limit I will never reach in my Wrangler; can't say about a family member's 328i.

As a certifiable lunatic with a tendency to gravitate towards remote places, having learned to drive correctly on the German Autobahn, and having had to make several screaming trips to emergency rooms, I can safely say that yes, automobiles should not be goverened so that they are incapable of exceeding maximum limits.

Medevac helicopters take 10 minutes from the time of the call to the time of engine start when you're in remote areas. They fly at 130, 140 mph tops. If I have the keys to a decent, reliable and fully fueled car close at hand, I'm more likely to get a patient to an emergency room before they expire than the helicopter is.

Having been in, stopped for and rescued people from wrecks on the side of desolate sections of interstate, I'll stand by that. Having had arguments, with cops, over whether they would give me an escort or not, (they wouldn't, and the didn't give me any citations for tripling the speed limit on the road I was on,) the likelihood of my causing a medical emergency as I respond to one starts dropping into some pretty low statistics.

The law usually allows for extenuating circumstances.

So, I'm all for you not moving to govern the top end speed of automobiles.

Drive Friendly, Drive Right.

JT

Answer 2

Speed limits are not controlled by the automobile manufacturers for a few reasons. First, over the years the speed limit has fluctuated and at one point was 55mph nation wide, today the max speed limit I found is 75mph in some central-west states, and 65-70 in most states on the highways. This fluctuation would leave some in the slow lane if their cars were locked at 55 and the limit is then moved to 75. Second, it is a basic freedom of the car owners to be able to accelerate, which is a great feeling for most to just go over the limit. This could be essential especially when passing or avoiding certain hazardous situations. Who would buy a car that has a speed control unit in it. Some rental car companies tried that and they lost business and discountinued the practice.

Answer 3

First of all, when my mom was having a heart attack, I'm very glad my car went faster than the 85 mph speedometer showed.

The real issue you would get into were your idea implemented is that of excessive government control and taking away from individual states the right to govern themselves. The USSR (if you're young, that's what Russia and its sattelite countries called themselves) tried to control nearly every aspect of people's lives and you see how very unsuccessful that was. China is doing it by placing a limit on the number of children couples can have. I agree it's a serious problem over there, but so much for individuality. China also decides which sites Google can and can't display. Google Tianiman Square and you'll get absolutely nothing about the student killings by government troops. The young people have no idea of what even happened. Centuries ago when England governed Scotland, the English lord had the right to have sex the first night with the newly married woman regardless of how her new husband felt about it.

It all boils down to self determination and when the government limits how fast you can drive, other controls of your personal life are sure to follow.

Answer 4

In the US, each state sets their own speed limits, since the 55mph national speed limit was repealed under the Reagan administration in the early 1980s. Nowadays, the speed limits on many Interstate highways go up to 70 and, in some cases, 75mph. It is the responsibility of each individual driver, not the auto manufacturers, to observe the posted speed limits, regardless of the speed that their vehicle is capable of. Although many drivers exceed the posted speed limits, one will face the legal consequences (usually a fine and/or points against ones license) if caught doing so.

Answer 5

This is because it is different in different countries. I mean I live in the UK and the fastest were aloud to go on the roads is 70 however not many people really obey that.....

In Germany however and a few other countries there is no speed limit at all. And so these cars are produced to go up to high speeds so that when they are distributed or if you travel abroad with them, they can meet the requirements around the world.

Answer 6

I could'nt agree more, i think the speed should be locked at 65mph, but if it is an emergency there should be s witch you could activtivate that puts your car to its maximum speed, but whenever you switch it, it sends a signal to your car manufacturer and then a few days later they would contact you and say what your reason was for flipping the switch for (this period of time) and if it isn't a good enough reason, they should ticket you.

Answer 7

because it would make a cars performance be way down ,especially if it could only get up to 65,there are places where you drive faster ,some places its 70 on the freeway,they wont ever put governors on cars to keep them at 65,that's up to the driver to obey the speed limit,and people wouldn't buy cars that would only do 65 miles an hour,even though we cant do it all the time, we do get a chance to open them up once in a while,and see what they will do,speed is what helps sell some cars,good luck with it.

Answer 8

There used to be states that had no speed limit. Besides, when you're not on a public road, you can go as fast as you want and why should the car manufacturers limit those people?

Answer 9

The speed limit for the interstates in Tennessee is 70 mph and most people do 75 mph.

Answer 10

In NM, we have many roads with speed limits of 75 mph.