Moveover Texas... We're coming through....

[bernie]

Montana legislators mull 85 mph speed limit

Big Sky Country could soon be the land of high speeds.

Four Montana lawmakers have proposed raising the state?s maximum speed limit from 75 mph to 80 or 85 mph and are working on bills to introduce during next year?s legislative session, the Missoulian reports.

State Senator Scott Sales of Bozeman, who favors an 85 mph limit, told the newspaper he?s been working across the state in the Bakken oil fields near the North Dakota border and that the higher limit would shave an hour off his 400-plus mile trip.

State Representative Mike Miller adds that neighboring states with similarly wide open stretches of road have increased their limits to 80 mph with apparent success.

?Utah, Wyoming and Idaho have all done it. Nevada is looking at it, too. I didn?t see any problems in the other states,? Miller said.

Texas currently boasts the nation?s highest speed limit of 85 mph on a stretch of State Highway 130 between San Antonio and Austin.

Prior to the imposition of a national 55 mph limit in 1974, and again from 1995-1998, many of Montana?s roads had no numerical speed limit during the day, with signs suggesting drivers maintain a ?reasonable and prudent? speed. However, a 1998 state supreme court decision ruled that this description was too vague and violated the due process protections of the state constitution, which led to the establishment of a 75 mph speed limit in the following year.

However, even in the days of the national limit, most violators were issued a fine of just $5 for wasting natural resources in order to keep the state in compliance with federal law, and today?s fines are still among the lowest in the nation.

Montana Highway Patrol Col. Tom Butler told the Missoulian that he couldn?t comment on the bills until he's seen them, but says driving faster reduces reaction time and makes stopping more difficult.

I grew up in MT and remember going from no speed limit to 55. What a change. Just couldn't get used to it. Had several $5. tickets.

 

[akbeemer]

Shows, to me at least, that some deer strikes are unavoidable.


[video]http://madworldnews.com/bicyclist-cruising-28-mph/#![/video]

 

[henzilla]

OUCH! knocked the bars smooth off the fork clamps

 

[henzilla]

Just don't bring your yoga pants

http://news.yahoo.com/montana-yoga-pats-ban-gop-175449277.html

 

[akbeemer]

Well, after appearing to be dead on arrival, the bill to raise the speed limit in MT to 80 MPH is getting its third reading in the legislature today. It may yet become law. However, included in the bill is a doubling of the max fine for speeding from $100 to $200. It is anticipated to bring in an additional $100K per year.

The MT Highway Patrol has seemed to tolerate driving 5 MPH over the 75 MPH limit. It remains to be seen if they react in the same way to 5 over an 80 MPH limit.

 

[bernie]

I was once riding north of Great Falls going about 80+ before it was increased to 75. Met a MHP. He flashed his lights. I stopped to wait for him to come back and ticket me. I waited for about 5 to 10 min. He didn't come back.

 

[36654]

Well, after appearing to be dead on arrival, the bill to raise the speed limit in MT to 80 MPH is getting its third reading in the legislature today. It may yet become law. However, included in the bill is a doubling of the max fine for speeding from $100 to $200. It is anticipated to bring in an additional $100K per year.

The MT Highway Patrol has seemed to tolerate driving 5 MPH over the 75 MPH limit. It remains to be seen if they react in the same way to 5 over an 80 MPH limit.

The People of Walmart doing 85MPH........ Now, that sets the mind to wander..

 

[classicvw]

I'm in agreement with all who agree that out West is where it should be tried. And also with the above poster who remarked about the people of Walmart doing 85 or 90 being a very scary thought. That's the main problem. Drivers have gotten worse in the past 50 years. Regs to get a drivers license have gotten easier. The test is easier. The test is available in 27 languages (no joke). How many languages are the road signs in? Take a private six hour driver Ed course and your state road test is waived. People will see "Speed Limit 85" and do 90 on a clear day, in rain, in snow, and in fog. Yes, stupidity and bad decisions may be self-correcting, but its a shame when they take out other innocents with them.

I drove Montana in my younger, faster days, in a brand new car when there was no daytime speed limit and I realized then at 90MPH that I had very little reaction time if a large animal suddenly appeared and if I had to swerve, id probably lose control.

 

[akbeemer]

There was always a limit in Montana... reasonable and prudent. Actually gave the LEOs quite a bit of discretionary authority, but no doubt people drove faster.

 

[classicvw]

There was always a limit in Montana... reasonable and prudent. Actually gave the LEOs quite a bit of discretionary authority, but no doubt people drove faster.

Yeah, right. OK. There was no SET daytime speed limit.

If you even saw a LEO. I drove over 1K miles in the state and only saw one LEO in a small city, none anywhere else.

 

[akbeemer]

If you even saw a LEO. I drove over 1K miles in the state and only saw one LEO in a small city, none anywhere else.

You say that like it is a bad thing.