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Speeding on Highways Might Be as Simple as the Speedometer - read.905.ew

The numbers position on speedometers changed about the same time drivers increased highway speeds. Just a coincedence? I dusted off the old car (25 years old) to get it running again and noticed something about the speedometer. Older cars had speedometers where, when the needle pointed straight up, it's pointing to 80 km per hour or 50 miles per hour. My newer car has a speedometer where when the needle points straight up, it's pointing to 120 km per hour or 75 miles per hour. Could higher vehicle speeds on highways be a simple straight up on the dial situation? Are we just accustomed to seeing the needle in that position when highway driving and straight up needle position on the speedometer seems normal driving speed?

Reply to
21trumpets
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That is one of the most stupid suggestions I've seen on usenet, ever.

Reply to
Evangelical Eddie

But officer, I could not have been speeding, my needle was straight up.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Actually, as stupid as it seems, this is true in many cases. Auto makers did (and still do) make speedometers so that the typical highway cruising speed is straight up, or about half scale. Mid-scale is always the more accurate point, and driver's do expect to see that.

Study cars made when there was a national 55 speed limit--and you'll see that most were designed so that 55 was right in the middle. In fact that stuck around a few years after (to avoid redesign/retooling costs.)

Reply to
PeterD

maybe because the meter went to 110 or 120 the center was straight up

Reply to
Tom

Around that time the speedo would only read 85 as the top speed. I think that was a mandate at the time. Mine goes considerably higher as the top seed rating is 134. My new car (that I take delivery of tomorrow) reads to

160 and I'm not sure of the real capability with the turbo.

Cruising at 70 to 75, the needle is in the 11 o'clock position. I'll probably never find the top speeds unless I go out west. Most I ever did here was 123 according to the reading on the gps.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

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