Spanish drivers slow down under new speeding law designed to combat Libya oil chaos

MADRID, Spain – Spanish drivers slowed down Monday under a new speed limit designed to reduce energy use, angering some motorists but pleasing others who say every euro saved helps a nation slammed by Libya’s oil chaos and Europe’s financial crisis.

Spain’s maximum highway speed limit went from 120 kph (75 mph) to 110 kph (68 mph), and government workers spent the weekend putting up thousands of new speed limit signs.

Reaction was varied to the emergency measure approved after crude prices soared amid fighting in Libya.

"I’ll try to obey," said 42-year-old banker Luis Manuel Majado as he filled up his BMW. "But driving at 110 (mph) is monotonous and could cause accidents."

The new speed limit was reminiscent of a similar U.S. move in the 1970s to reduce energy consumption. Spanish government officials say the new limit plus a host of other energy-saving measures are essential because Spain depends on imports for 75 per cent of its energy, in contrast to the European Union average of 60 per cent.

Taxi driver Jose Luis Rico, who regularly drove 180 kph (112 mph) on Spain’s highways years ago, speculated that Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodrigo Zapatero’s government wants to shore up public finances with more speeding fines.

"The speed limit is just an excuse," Rico said. "If you compare the cost-benefit of the savings compared to how much time motorists will lose, it’s clear that the expense is more than the savings."

Violators will face fines of C100 ($140) for exceeding the new limit, but won’t be penalized on their driving licenses. Drivers will have to go above 150 kph (93 mph) to face penalties affecting their licenses.

However, with Spanish unemployment at more than 20 per cent and grim economic growth prospects, some motorists said the new speed limit makes sense.

"It’s fine with me because it saves energy," said Alberto Garcia, a 65-year-old architect. "Everything you save is good because Spain is in terrible shape."

Juan Maca, 68, will miss going 120 kph (75 mph) on the highways because the new limit "almost feels like I’m not moving." The retired architect said he’d probably adapt quickly, but that his grown sons were outraged and would probably rack up plenty of fines.

Motorcyclist Rafael Menendez said the new limit won’t bother him because he took a trip to Canada once and saw firsthand that Canadians do just fine with lower speed limits.

"If it saves energy, it’s worth it," he said.

The new highway speed limit will stay until June 30 and could be extended, so it’s not clear how fast European drivers can go when they flock to Spain for summer vacations.

The national speed limit reduction is reminiscent of a 1974 U.S. law that reduced highway speed limits to 89 kph (55 mph). That law was eventually changed to allow 105 kph (65 mph) speed limits for major highways, and U.S. states now set their own limits. Some western U.S. states allow 129 kph (80 mph) in flat rural areas.

Spain and other European nations depend heavily on Libyan crude, and Libyan oil production has been drastically curtailed amid intense fighting between government forces and rebels trying to oust Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

Prices rose above $106 a barrel Monday in New York on fears of a prolonged cut in Libyan crude exports.

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Associated Press Television Producer Alicia Lopez contributed from Madrid.