I can’t drive 55

VIEWPOINT

By RALPH HARDIN

Evening Times Editor

You guys remember that song from Sammy Hagar from back in the ‘80s. Even better, you guys remember when 55 miles per hour was the actual national speed limit?

I was traveling to Mississippi with my daughter the other day and it came up in conversation. As far as I can tell, the speed limit in Memphis, even on the Interstate, is still 55. She found it ridiculous. Of course, the real ridiculous part of that is that no one on the Interstate in Memphis goes less than 70 and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone pulled over for speeding there.

Anyway, we now can go 75 in most of the country without fear of a citation, and there are actually multiple states where, in certain long strecthes of largely unpopulated areas, where the daytime, clear-weather speed lilmit is 85. My wife drives 85 all the time (don’t tell the police) but I rarely get above 75, because I am not a great driver, and perfectly willing to admit it.

Anyway, like I said, we were driving along and my daughter asked about the speed limit, so I had the opportunity to share a little history with her (and since she was trapped in the car with me, she had to hear it).

Speed limits have actually been around longer than the automo-

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biles, applied to horses and locomotives. But the speed limit as we know it originated in the 1920s, mostly applied within city limits. By 1930, most states had a speed limit in place of some kind.

It wasn’t until the 1970s, though, that a national speed limit was put in place. In an attemps to limit gas resource consumpstion, President Nixon set the aforementioned 55 mph limit in 1974. The more actually did reduce the number of highway fatalities in the U.S., but once fears of running out of gas subsided, the speed limit was raised to 65 in the late 1980s. That, of course, meant that people went from driving 65 in a 55 to going 75 in a 65 and so on, as we all seem to think of the posted speed limit as more of a suggestion than a law.

In 1995, Congress returned the control of speed limits to the individual states, which is where you get today’s laws where you can flirt with triple digits and not be too far into “speeding” territory.

But as for me, I do not have the need for speed most of the time, especially the other day when we attempted to get into Mississippi. I bet I didn’t get over 15 mph during that whole stretch where they are working on the old bridge.

One lane, with a “wall of death” on either side? In the rain? No, thank you on the 55 miles per hour. But despite the imminent threat of doom and non-stop stress sweat, I powered through it and we made it to our destination.

Like Sammy Hagar, I also can’t drive 55… I, however, am more likely to get pulled over for driving too slow.