So We Are Thinking About Raising Speed Limits...

[SPDguns]

I'm not driving over 65. And if folks don't like it they can stay out of the right lane.

I'm not driving over 65. With my blinker on. And if folks don't like it they can stay out of the left lane.

 

[Slim Deal]

My grandmother, a native-borned Texican who lived half her life in Oklahoma, used to say that Texas had the good roads and Oklahoma had the rich politicians.

Well at one time all 77 OK county commissioners were under indictment or being investigated for corruption/criminal activities.

 

[SoonerP226]

Well at one time all 77 OK county commissioners were under indictment or being investigated for corruption/criminal activities.

I'm not talking about the "rich politicians" part, just the "good roads" part. I think our politicrits are, by and large, just as worthless as they've always been.

 

[dennishoddy]

MO does have the best roads in our proximity. We get nothing for our tax dollars.

A little off topic; MO has the best liquor prices as well. Our favorite cocktail is Mojitos and we use Bacardi Rum. A 1/2 gallon at the Langley liquor store 36 to 38 bucks, At Sam's in Joplin the same bottle is 28 bucks. Buying our liquor in MO pays for fuel, we usually buy 3 or 4 at a time. MO does some good things without taxing people to death.

I like Windsor Canadian as an every day bourbon. In Ponca City it costs $22 per 2 liter, In Tulsa it costs $18.
In the Branson wackadoodle LS it's $12.99.
We bring back a lot of that and other liquors. My go-to sipping stuff is Woodford reserve double oak. In Ponca it's over $60 per fifth. In New Mexico, its $36 and change.

 

[MacFromOK]

"Have you ever noticed... Anybody going slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?"
George Carlin

 

[BReeves]

"Have you ever noticed... Anybody going slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?"
George Carlin

Was a time when I was the maniac, now I find myself more in the idiot range. May have something to do with learning to drive in California, now retired and living in rural Oklahoma my whole life has slowed down.

PS: I do watch my mirrors and get out of the way of the maniacs.

 

[Biggsly]

Having traveled over a lot of miles of Texas highways over the last two months, I can say that their highways aren't much, if any, better than ours. They have some truly awful 75mph 2-lane highways way down Texas way...

This is true in some areas. I still drive to STL, Houston, and New Mexico pretty often. Not all of the roads are great, but some are good and you can run smooth at 80 mph. I can't think of hardly any places in Oklahoma that are good.
I remember when I drove a truck. All you would here on the cb radios was the long haulers talking about crossing the worst 330 miles in the US. I am always glad to see the state working on the roads, but I feel like they put it off until they are past bad.

 

[Biggsly]

The Cimarron Turnpike is ridiculous. It's the only turnpike I use, and that's rare fortunately. It's so rough that we can't keep drinks in the cup holders and any where there's a bridge, brace for impact when driving on to and off of the bridges................as in the rear of the truck leaves the ground and my traction light comes on. I know a 2012 F350 is no caddy but good Lord!! I've lost a spare tire, broke a spare tire cable, and 3 of 4 lug nut covers since September.

Oklahoma does need to attend a good bridge building school.

 

[DavidMcmillan]

So, back to the original question, why do we think it is necessary to drive 5-9 mph over the limit? I know, everyone else is doing it, so I have to keep up. That really isn't an answer. Why do the others drive over the limit. When we raise to 80, 85-89 will be fine.

 

[CHenry]

I-40 from east to west is almost all new. There are a few sections left to reconstruct but that is one nice road and 80 mph wouldnt be an issue. Its all about money. I-40 cost an average of $4 million/mile. Thats 1.3 billion dollars and the last 6-7 years has been spent replacing over 1100 bridges that were in such bad shape. So no money was really going towards pavement, only bridges. If we can get more money, more roads will get rebuilt. Also the shear number of lane miles in this state would blow your mind.