Due to the size of the US, you’d think the nation would be a shoe in for a cross country road with at least significantly higher speed limits than that, or even none.
Actually, the 85 mph speed limit is only on a stretch of road in west Texas and is relatively straight with not much traffic. Most highways are still 70 or 75 mph.
I’m pretty sure there are stretches of road in the middle of nowhere like the deserts of Nevada that go on for hundreds or even thousands of miles with no deviations or branches, in places like that I doubt any kind of speed limit is enforced. I even recall driving to and from Florida a few times to visit colleges and spending hours driving at speeds in excess of 100 MPH and barely noticing it because the road never curved, there was nothing on the side of the road besides trees, and whatever other traffic there was moved at the same pace.
I’m pretty sure there are stretches of road in the middle of nowhere like the deserts of Nevada that go on for hundreds or even thousands of miles with no deviations or branches, in places like that I doubt any kind of speed limit is enforced. I even recall driving to and from Florida a few times to visit colleges and spending hours driving at speeds in excess of 100 MPH and barely noticing it because the road never curved, there was nothing on the side of the road besides trees, and whatever other traffic there was moved at the same pace.
North Dakota Highway 46, is supposedly the straightest of them all — plumb line straight — the longest straight road in America. It stretches across 123 miles of north Dakota prairie.Supercar owners with cars that go faster than 200mph/322kph regularly go there to experience what their car can do, carrying a 5gal container of gas to get them to the station to fill up after the run.
Do you know how low gas mileage would be if the cars couldn’t go that fast? How about the maintenance costs? Try driving at freeway speeds in 2nd gear for a week, you’ll see what I mean.
sueb1863 over 6 years ago
Probably in case you have to get out of an emergency situation in a hurry, such as a fire.
DW Premium Member over 6 years ago
Because not all cars are built for sale in the US. And in some places there is not a speed limit so we can actually go drive that fast!
Reaven over 6 years ago
Due to the size of the US, you’d think the nation would be a shoe in for a cross country road with at least significantly higher speed limits than that, or even none.
Retired Dude over 6 years ago
Actually, the 85 mph speed limit is only on a stretch of road in west Texas and is relatively straight with not much traffic. Most highways are still 70 or 75 mph.
Schrodinger's Dog over 6 years ago
because acceleration is an important safety factor, and a side effect of good acceleration is a higher top speed.
Spiny Norman Premium Member over 6 years ago
Because it’s awesome.
kab buch over 6 years ago
Where I live it looks like driver’s driver 10 miles over speed limit at local hwy and gets away with that speed.
neatslob Premium Member over 6 years ago
Not too many cars these days will go that fast.
oakie817 over 6 years ago
i got stopped for speeding once and told the young cute officer…miss the car just goes fast….at least i gave her a giggle…she gave me a ticket
yangeldf over 6 years ago
I’m pretty sure there are stretches of road in the middle of nowhere like the deserts of Nevada that go on for hundreds or even thousands of miles with no deviations or branches, in places like that I doubt any kind of speed limit is enforced. I even recall driving to and from Florida a few times to visit colleges and spending hours driving at speeds in excess of 100 MPH and barely noticing it because the road never curved, there was nothing on the side of the road besides trees, and whatever other traffic there was moved at the same pace.
yangeldf over 6 years ago
I’m pretty sure there are stretches of road in the middle of nowhere like the deserts of Nevada that go on for hundreds or even thousands of miles with no deviations or branches, in places like that I doubt any kind of speed limit is enforced. I even recall driving to and from Florida a few times to visit colleges and spending hours driving at speeds in excess of 100 MPH and barely noticing it because the road never curved, there was nothing on the side of the road besides trees, and whatever other traffic there was moved at the same pace.
cosman over 6 years ago
North Dakota Highway 46, is supposedly the straightest of them all — plumb line straight — the longest straight road in America. It stretches across 123 miles of north Dakota prairie.Supercar owners with cars that go faster than 200mph/322kph regularly go there to experience what their car can do, carrying a 5gal container of gas to get them to the station to fill up after the run.
falcon_370f over 6 years ago
Do you know how low gas mileage would be if the cars couldn’t go that fast? How about the maintenance costs? Try driving at freeway speeds in 2nd gear for a week, you’ll see what I mean.