If you do much driving around the U.S. you quickly understand that the posted speed limit signs on most major highways are two things:  ridiculously slow given modern car technology and breaking; and consequently, the signs are generally and widely ignored.  This is a bad thing.  Not for the reason people generally think though, which would be that it is because everyone is breaking the law.  Though that is part of it.  The reason this is a bad thing is because by arbitrarily making the law so laughably out of touch with reality that people lose respect for the law and grow used to picking and choosing which laws they will follow and which they won’t.  Unrealistic and stupid laws directly lead to less respect for the law and more lawbreaking.

So congratulations to Texas for taking some small action to bring their law into compliance with reality in raising the maximum legal limit to 80 MPH within the state.  Having driven there I can safely say that they didn’t go far enough yet but at least its a step in the right direction.

States in the West have large distances between cities, and often with very little in between so there is no reason the limit shouldn’t be at least 100 MPH in these areas.  Modern cars are built to cruise easily at 80-85 MPH and most can do solidly faster without straining anything, a statement easily proven is you want to head out on the remote highways yourself and see people generally traveling 90-100 MPH.   I’ve been passed by big rig cargo trucks in these regions moving at what must be at least 95-100 MPH or more.  And you know what?  It was reasonable in the area with a straight road where visibility was limited mostly by particles in the air and the curvature of the Earth, and no cross traffic or obstacles that could suddenly appear.

Of course the Nanny-State types who know what is best for you are going nuts over the increase in Texas already.  Doomsayers are predicting a large increase in deaths and injuries from just a 5 MPH increase in speed.  Click the link above to see an example of the type of biased liberal journalism that focuses most heavily on these fears and forecast doom.  Liberals have no interest in freedom, they want guaranteed controlled results.  Liberals know better than you what is good for you and they are determined to stop you from doing harm to yourself even if you don’t like it.  Fear, Fear, and more Fear is what they have to offer and is the siren song leading us to ever increasing domination of the State in our lives, removing most of our freedom and replacing it with choices made for us by the self appointed elite.

Liberal Nanny-Stater’s claims about risk are frankly just silly.  Statistically speaking your greatest risk of death is quite literally sitting up in bed too quickly in the morning and dieing of a heart attack, and after that of slipping on the tile in the bathroom.  Then there’s the huge threat of getting killed pulling out of your driveway.  All of these are massively higher than your chance of having an accident on a flat stretch of highway.  Life is about taking risks from the moment you open your eyes in the morning whether you realize it or not.  Hiding behind the fake safety of laws that very few people pay much attention to is simply not worth the costs to respect for the law and our general freedom to move around the country and enjoy our lives.

We are slowly winning this battle against the Liberal fear mongers in recent years.  A decade ago the Republican Congress removed the stupid national 55 MPH speed limit and many states promptly raised their speed limits.  People know from experience that the laws are a joke and are increasingly less willing to tolerate it any more.  Tell your legislator you want increased speed limits.  As the requests mount sooner or later they will make it happen because they know a political opponent could ride that pent up demand into office at their expense.