On 09/01/2016 03:27 PM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per burfordTjustice:
A new proposal Friday would impose a nationwide limit by electronically capping speeds with a device on newly made U.S. vehicles that weigh more than 26,000 pounds. Regulators are considering a cap of 60, 65 or 68 miles per hour, though that could change.

Whatever the speed limit, drivers would be physically prevented from exceeding it.

The government said capping speeds for large vehicles will reduce the
+1,115 fatal crashes involving heavy trucks+ that occur each year and
save $1 billion in fuel costs.
"But Norita Taylor, spokeswoman for the 157,000-member Owner Operator
Independent Drivers Association, said her group has opposed the speed
limiters because they create dangerous interactions between vehicles as
faster cars slow down for trucks. "Differentials in speed increase
interactions between vehicles, which increases the likelihood of
crashes," Taylor said."

Understood she's a paid industry spin doctor... but, even so, that rings
true to me given the lack of lane discipline in the USA.

That was my observation when I was driving. Texas, for example, had a 60
mph speed limit for trucks. It was bad enough when you were rolling down
I20 out by Odessa but in more congested areas like DFW cars were always
weaving around the slow movers.

In this state the interstate limit in many places for cars is 80 while
the trucks theoretically are doing 65. You can certainly come up on one
fast.

The trucks I was driving were governed at 65 for fuel economy so it
didn't make too much difference until you got back east with the 55 mph
limits.