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Speeding - YAO (Yet Another Opinion)

Fellow Auto Enthusiasts,

I'm becoming quite enraged by the belligerence that seems to ensue at the
merest hint that someone among our ranks might dissent one iota from the
"speeding is our God-given right" party line that BMW owners are assumed to
follow.  This belligerence is happening not only in our mail group but in
the Roundel as well.  I'm sick of it!  Some of us don't believe in high
speed driving (for the masses).  Here are my simple reasons:

1) It's not me and my well-maintained bred-to-the-Autobahn German driving
machine that I'm worried about.  It's the '86 Escort with sagging springs,
failing tie-rod ends, rusting brake lines, non-functioning struts and bald
tires cruising past me at 80 that *I'm* worried about.  Getting stopped
and/or swerving to avoid hitting out-of-control jalopies is easier at 55
than it is at 85+.

2) I know what my car is capable of doing, and what it can/will do in
varying road conditions.  I don't believe that everyone else is in touch
with these subtleties (and they prove it daily all winter here in
Illinois).  Increasing the legal speed limit will almost certainly result
in more morons in more ditches - or doing 360's across my path as they
brake hard to with the left wheels on pavement and the right wheels on
glare ice (and no ABS, of course :)

3) Speed is fine.  If your car can handle it, you know what you're doing,
there is no traffic ahead of you and none entering the road ahead, then put
the pedal down.  If you misjudge a hairpin curve, causing your Yoke's to
cut loose suddenly, and pile up your 540i, that's your problem.  If you
don't, then you win, and you had fun.  Bully.

4) I don't want to share the road with truckers going 70+ on 4 hours of
sleep.  My heart goes out to those guys - many of them are being grossly
overworked - but I don't want to tangle with them when they're going fast.
Keep them at 55.

'Nuff said.  Flame away throttleheads!

Barry S.