Americans don't want to drive 55

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jon Zehnder, 54, knows he's a curiosity because, as his bumper sticker says, "I drive 55.

"I like to drive fast, but I'm old enough to remember the energy crisis in the 1970s," said Zehnder, a social worker who lives in Lindsborg, Kan. "And," he added with a laugh, "I'm saving a load on gas."

But even in a time of $4-a-gallon gas, the slow lane is lonely these days. For all the griping about spiking gas prices, there's no clamor for the return of the little-lamented 55-mph speed limit of the '70s and

'80s, though most agree it reduces consumption and saves money.

"It's not that people haven't thought of it, just no one is even close to discussing implementing it," said Therese Langer, speaking for the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. "It's not high on anyone's list."

The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the cost of driving rises faster above 60 mph, adding nearly 20 cents per gallon for each additional 5 mph. The Alliance to Save Energy in Washington estimates that restricting speeds to 55 mph could reduce the use of oil imported from the Persian Gulf by up to 20 percent a day.

Even so, "There doesn't appear to be any eagerness on Capitol Hill to revisit the issue," said Ronnie Kweller of the alliance.

No, indeed. Paul Hesse, a spokesman for the U.S. Energy Information Administration, said his agency willingly would analyze the value of a 55-mph speed limit if asked by a member of Congress. No one has asked.

In truth, the situation today is different, said Mike Right, spokesman for AAA. In the 1970s, the crisis turned on shortages caused by the oil embargo and turbulence in Iran. Today, there are no shortages. Instead, Asian demand is causing prices to skyrocket.

"Back in the '70s people were fearful they would get to a strange area, there wouldn't be any gas, and they'd be stranded," Right said. In contrast, today, higher prices seem more an irritant to commuters with busy lifestyles who want to arrive at work or play as fast as their wheels can take them. "I don't think the public is ready for those kinds of regulations imposed on their daily lives today," Right said.