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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Pedal-To-The-Metal Isn’t For Everyone

Los Angeles Times

It’s been six months since the 55-mph national speed limit was repealed, but not all motorists are interested in going faster.

“It feels dangerous,” Christine White, a Madison, Wis., social worker said of the higher speed limits during a stop in Idaho. “Maybe because I’m not used to driving that fast.”

Even some of those pushing the limit are uncomfortable.

“I got up to 90 mph, but that’s not safe,” said Mary Sauter, a Tulsa, Okla., woman stopped near Barstow, Calif., looking for directions. “I didn’t realize I was going that fast. I couldn’t believe it. Most of the time I was going 75 and they were just flying past us.”

Nerves aren’t the only reason some motorists watch how fast they go.

“I drive 55 all the time,” said Karl Jakob, a Canadian trucker, as he was stopped along I-90 west of Billings, Mont. He was hauling tomatoes from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Hartford, Conn. “It’s about $1,000 in my pocket to drive slower,” he said, referring to the fuel costs.

Another concern is trying to figure out how fast you can go without getting a ticket.

“The problem with the 55 was that no one went 55, so you had to play guesswork with the cops,” said law student Darren Bush, as he filled up at a gas station in Utah.

But it’s still a guessing game out there.

In Montana, where the law allows any speed that is “reasonable and prudent,” it is hard to know exactly how fast you can go legally.

Highway Patrol officers and traffic judges are reluctant to specify a maximum driving speed, saying it depends on such factors as traffic, weather and the condition of your car. When asked if anyone could legally drive 100 mph, Maj. Steve Barry of the Highway Patrol said: “I can’t really answer that.”

“Our people, they have a philosophy,” said Patrol Capt. David Dill. “They like the freedom to be prudent.”