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February 21, 2007
Fight looms over limiting big rigs to 68mph
On surface this is not very interesting. As we all probably know there are speed governors built into semis that restricts their maximum upper speed. They don't have be turned on mind you, but the technology exists to make it possible. So now some major trucking companies are pushing for having them turned on nationwide. The safety argument is pretty easy to make on this front. F=MxA is an extremely unforgiving formula, especially when it comes to semis. When you have such large masses, the force differences between a few miles per hour difference in acceleration can be pretty deadly. Well it's likely that all altercations between you and a semi are not going to have a happy ending, let's not kid ourselves. Independent truckers says that this is an effort to sneak in larger trucks onto the American highways with the argument that if they travel slower that things will be safer. Now you've seen the larger truck configurations from other countries.
So I think we all agree that bigger trucks are probably not going to be the solution to our traffic congestion problems. So if that is the goal, I agree it should probably be stopped dead in it's tracks, but it's hard not to see the safety concerns that would be solved by limiting the upper speeds (but I have to wonder in states where the speed is greater than 68 would that really be the best choice?).
For me the real question is if we are serious about our speed limit laws (which I think we all know that we aren't), then why don't we have electronic governors on all vehicles that travel on America's highways? I mean if you believe that 55 mph is the best choice, why not tell my car to not let me go faster than that when I pull onto that section of highway. That kind of technology has existed for pretty much as long as the automobile has existed. Why restrict just trucks? Why not restrict all motor vehicles if you believe that these laws have some value in the long run?
Back to the trucks, if you have opinions on the matter, the government is listening for opinions right now. If you want to put in your two cents worth, please feel free to write before March 27 at Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh St. S.W. Washington, D.C. 20590. Amazingly only snail mail seems to be a choice.
Read more over at AutoblogGreen.
Posted by Jamison at February 21, 2007 3:04 PM
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Comments
Do you think car drivers are going to say, cut down my ability to speed?
Posted by: mums at February 21, 2007 3:44 PM
Nope, Americans are pretty religious about their right to speed down the highway. But it sure seems like they should apply that same view to everyone else's right to speed down the highway, but it would appear that they don't. It's OK for someone else's rights to be taken away, but don't touch mine sort of attitude. It reminds me of the old poem from Germany, which I always heard the Americanized version from the New England Holocaust memorial.
"They came first for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time no one was left to speak up."
This is a valuable lesson that we should all internalize. Freedom only works when everyone has it. If we give away someone else's freedom we give away our own.
Posted by: Jamison at February 23, 2007 9:47 AM