Thinking about that Very Special TNG episode where they do an environment/climate change story that results in them realizing warp engines are destroying subspace, so Starfleet puts a fleet-wide speed limit of Warp 5 in place.
It's this dire, holy shit moment. Picard is in shock. "Oh my god, we're going back to NX-01 speeds", he might have said.
It's a real moment of haunting introspection.
This is carried over into a couple episodes where they just get "special permission to completely ignore the speed limit for this mission" or something.
It wasn't a GOOD idea, ultimately, but I can at least applaud them for stepping outside their comfort zone and doing something drastic like that. It was potentially a big shake-up.
But then the weight of it's consequence is completely nullified almost immediately. :D
Then again, it's not as if we ever really FEEL the effects.
We don't sit through the actual hours or weeks it would realistically take to get to their destinations, in real life, even at those speeds.
It's always a scene change or commercial break in-between and then BOOM: we're there. What speed did you go Geordi? Warp 9? Warp 6? Warp 1?
It never really mattered except to tell the viewer "We're going to the REALLY HIGH NUMBER for this one, folks!"
In fact, come to think of it: is there ever a reason to do LESS than the maximum safest, long-term warp? Especially considering how huge a jump each decimal, alone, is? It's not like a car where you have to move around corners, dodge traffic, etc. It's a straight line. Why would I go Warp 5 when I can go at a safe Warp 9.0 cruising speed? Why even give the option?
Full stop -> Impulse factions -> Warp 9.0. It's not like impulse where you're dealing with RCS thrusters and inertia. Actually moving this big craft around.
Warp drive _just folds space_. 🤔
#startrek
