Do you think driving 85mph is too fast?

I think it is. It sounds dangerous.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-15749625/texas-speed-limit-raised-is-it-safe-24835691

Texas Speed Limit Raised: Is it Safe?
Fri Apr 8, 6:02AM PT - ABC News 2:15 | 588796 views
85 mph speed limit could mean more fatalities in crashes.

Texas May Raise Speed Limit to 85 MPH
Plan Would Designate High-Speed Roads, but Gas Costs Could Rise

By Lyneka Little
April 7, 2011
A bill to raise Texas highway speed limits to 85 mph could have motorists getting there faster but shelling out much more money at the gas pump. The bill, introduced by Texas Rep. Lois W. Kolkhort, would make the 85 mph limit the highest in the country, according to the Dallas Morning News. A similar plan is being considered by the state Senate, according to the AP. But first the measure, which is part of a larger transportation bill, must pass engineering testing and other studies before the Texas Department of Transportation authorizes it.

"Though this bill has passed the House, it's still not law," says department of Transportation spokeswoman Kelli Petras. "Technically, we cannot talk about pending legislation. Once something is law, then we can look into what we need to do about it." The Department of Transportation "would have to conduct extensive speed studies. We'd have to do engineering analysis before raising the speed limit on any roads in the state. That's our normal process. That will not change," says Petras.

"We are allowing a few ideas to continue: that is, the option to build designated truck lanes, and the option to build 85 mph lanes for passenger vehicles. Our state's Texas Transportation Commission would still need to approve this measure, only after a future highway was designed and built to handle the higher speeds or weights," Rep. Kolkhorst said in a statement to ABC News.
"With gas prices what they are, this would only be an option in the years ahead, and certainly only after a great deal of study. There's no highway in Texas today allowing for 85 mph, but we didn't to close the door on tomorrow."

In 2005, I visited Arizona and rented a car at the Avis station at the Tucson Airport because the place I was visiting was an hour away. The freeways there are 85 - and I was so nervous!! I had no choice but to do the driving. My brother was with me but was under 21 and couldn't drive the rental car because he was under the age limit. Plus, I'd already signed the rental agreement saying I would be the only one driving it.

Truth be told, I would've much rather let my brother do the driving. So we both had to do what we didn't want to do!! He didn't want to navigate (pre-GPS) with the road atlas and I didn't want to drive!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

It's too much because most people seem to drive at least 5 mph over the speed limit on freeways as it is.

Yeah, in Ohio the speed limit is usually 60 or 65 mph on the freeways and most of the motorists go at least 10 miles over that!!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

There are too many bad things that can happen at that speed.

i can't think of any place i want to get there going that fast.

What an insane idea. As if our society wasn't going fast ENOUGH already.

85 is too fast for freeways and some highways. The freeways where I live are 70 or 75.

Looks like there is going to be more wrecks

I just don't see the need for people to drive that fast.

I just don't see the need for people to drive that fast.

Yeah unless there is a emergency

I live in the Daytona Beach area, and from time to time drive 40 to 70 miles south to watch a Rocket Launch from Cape Canaveral. (Where I go depends on what's being Launched) The Speed Limit on I-95 is 70, but I set my Cruise Control at 60. Why? A fellow Motorist asked me the same question when both of us were at the site that's 70 miles from my House. He had passed me on the Freeway, and noticed I was driving slow. I told him the reason was simple, Money. Going 60 Miles an Hour instead of 70 saves me ONE GALLON of Gasoline. :D A Penny saved is a Penny Earned! :cool:

http://i384.photobucket.com/albums/oo283/tzgames/SammyHagar2.jpg

we drove through Montana once where there was supposedly *no* limit on that part of the highway - our little car could barely do 60-65mph and we we getting passed like we were standing still and every time a big truck flew past us it would almost throw us off the road.

yes its dangerous, but people are going to go that fast anyways and maybe it would be safer if they could design the roads or lanes to accommodate it better

...and give the police more discretion to ticket reckless drivers, and then the courts better ways to punish people who abuse the roads - what good is a $200 ticket to someone driving a Ferrari?

70 is the speed limit in West Virginia

I argee with you all. 85 is too fast. The fastest I drive on the highway is 70 to 75. You got semi trucks, other drivers, and sometimes the road going around in curves. Too risky to drive that fast. People have passed me on the road when I was going 75. Hey I am not speeding up to 85 or higher because they are in some sort of hurry, so I let them pass me. They are not worth me getting into a wreck over.