[Ryan]

Originally Posted by sunset on the dock

I can't imagine that people made such a fuss about loss of liberty, wool being pulled over legislator's eyes, etc. when speed limits on roads were enacted.

Are you sure?

The National Maximum Speed Law in the United States was a provision of the 1974 Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act that prohibited speed limits higher than 55 mph. This law was modified in 1987 to allow 65 mph limits on certain roads.

The law was widely disregarded by motorists. Most states subversively opposed the law, ranging from proposing deals for exemption from it to minimizing speeding penalties.

This cap was intended to reduce gasoline consumption by 2.2% in response to the 1973 oil crisis.

Where's the bit about safety?????