Why do some folks need to speed?

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RVRAC

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I was driving on I-90 today and most of us in cars were doing 75-80, nothing unusual.  However, I could not believe it when I saw someone pulling a TT doing 80 mph.  Why do some folk need to speed when pulling a TT or FW?  I am surprised there are not more accidents.
 
Probably first day of his vacation and he needs to decompress. I won't drive that fast in a car let alone pulling a trailer. If he needs to stop in a hurry or make a sudden easive manoevre because some jackass changes lanes without signalling it's all over. There was a time when I was young and bulltproof but we won't go there. ::)
 
JackL said:
"most of us were doing 75 to 80"

You were speeding !

Jack L
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^^^^^  Exactly what I was thinking!  At least he wasn't in the passing lane doing 10 mph UNDER the speed limit and totally oblivious to the rest of the world.......stacked up behind him!
 
My drive to work includes mostly interstate then a 6 lane with stoplights when I get into town.  I always enjoy pulling up next to someone at the first stoplight.....the same someone who blew past me 15 minutes earlier!

Over the course of a day, you might save a few minutes speeding on a long trip.  On a short 15-30 minute trip, the time saved is negligible.

If only I could convince the DW  :-[
 
Okay, let's turn this around 180?.  Why is it there are so many out there RV'rs included that feel that driving 10mph below the speed limit on a two lane road and piling up traffic behind them for a half mile is the right thing to do?
 
Foto-n-T said:
Okay, let's turn this around 180?.  Why is it there are so many out there RV'rs included that feel that driving 10mph below the speed limit on a two lane road and piling up traffic behind them for a half mile is the right thing to do?
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If you drove the speed limit on two lane roads folks would still pile up behind you. People are in a hurry now days (I am guilty of this as well). Driving from Dover, DE to Wilmington or Philadelphia on DE 1 80mph is the norm. It is not unusual to get passed doing 85.
 
Something I discovered many moons ago as they say.

If you try to cram 3 weeks of "Stuff' into a 2 week vacation. STRESS and speeding are the result.

On the other hand I"ve had a few vacations where I tried to cram 2 weeks of stuff in a 3 week time slot.. Never hit 60 MPH less it was going down a big hill.

Years ago a Mabazine I subscribed to was Isaac Asimov's science fiction mag.  They had a feature titled "Probility Zero"  The story had only two "Actors" both researchers on a Faster than Light proiject..  And only one SET.. their car, on the way to/from work (They carpooled)  Now they were good law abiding citizens so they drove the speed limit.. During the course of the story the speed limit keeps increasing, and people keep blowing by them like they had the brakes on.. "What was that A rocket car?"

FInally one of 'em gets an idea.. They go before Congresw and get teh speed limit changed, to 300 million KPseond (186,282 or thereabouts MPS and change I remember the metric speed of light not the FPS version)

WIthin a week some "Good Old Boy" had a Faster than light engine because Americans have a GOD GIVEN RIGHT to SPEED. dont you know.

And before you comment recall it was titled Probility ZERO

 
I honestly don't feel bad for anyone if I'm driving the speed limit and they are getting annoyed by that.  If they feel the need to pass, it's on them to find a safe way to do so.  If they can't, then so be it.....I'm not going to get a ticket because some A$$hole behind me didn't plan well enough to get to their destination on time.  Maybe consider leaving a little earlier if you are in that big of a hurry.  Having said that, I'm not one to camp out in the passing lane of a multi-lane road either.  I make my pass if needed/necessary and then merge back to the right lane and drive the speed limit.  I absolutely HATE when people hang out in the passing lane and either NEVER look in their mirror or don't care enough to look in their mirror.  My motto........Either lead, follow, or get the hell out of my way if you are in the wrong lane! 
 
Im guilty as sin of speeding i do it all the time - yesterday we drove almost 500 miles for work, if i didnt speed i would still be on the road 250 miles from home in the middle of nowhere with only logging trucks moose and deer to keep me company. HOWEVER i never speed when pulling my trailer im always 1-2 miles under the limit its just safer when pulling 15000 lbs. todays speed limits are rediculous, think about it- they were set in the 70s for the most part when there was the oil crisis ( remember that one?) cars didnt have radial tires, no seat belts, no air bags, no anti lock brakes etc etc etc. Cars today are designed to be able to exceed 200mph ie Lambo, Porche,Ferrari, Corvette. In Europe the constantly drive 100mph on freeways and aregiven tickets for driving too slow and impeding traffic.

Our final leg home is 200 miles of straight boring freeway with a speed limit of 70 they wont give out tickets unless your 15+ over

I dont mind speeders its the stupid idiots doing 10 under the limit in the passing lane that cause accidents
 
LOL people pulling trailers blow past me all the time.  I have no idea what they are thinking.  I presume they're not thinking.
I also presume they drive the same way every day.  They need to be out front for some reason. I pull a trailer that may be pushing 6k # on a long trip.  I pull it effortlessly with a F-250.  About every half hour (or less) someone with a 30' trailer and a half ton truck blow past me doing 75mph. ::)  Whatever......so long as they only kill themselves.

My attitude is please pass me.
Flush out the police and deer for me.  A few times it worked out quite nicely. ;D
 
Gods Country said:
LOL people pulling trailers blow past me all the time.  I have no idea what they are thinking.  I presume they're not thinking.
I also presume they drive the same way every day.  They need to be out front for some reason. I pull a trailer that may be pushing 6k # on a long trip.  I pull it effortlessly with a F-250.  About every half hour (or less) someone with a 30' trailer and a half ton truck blow past me doing 75mph. ::)  Whatever......so long as they only kill themselves.

My attitude is please pass me.
Flush out the police and deer for me.  A few times it worked out quite nicely. ;D
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LOL.....I refer to those people that pass at excessive speeds as "bait fish".  It's takes a lot of pressure off of me if I do happen to be a few miles over the posted speed limit.
 
Mnay are accustomed to that speed and simply don't change when towing. Plus, they may only have the weekend  and anxious to get there and start the fun.  They probably won't slow down until they have an accident or near miss.
 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
Mnay are accustomed to that speed and simply don't change when towing. Plus, they may only have the weekend  and anxious to get there and start the fun.  They probably won't slow down until they have an accident or near miss.
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Yes, and as has been pointed out many time the same people are at the same stop light 5 or 6 vehicles ahead.
 
California speed limit for any vehicle towing another, 55mph.  AFAIK, it applies to all roads.  Everyone observes that limit while ascending lengthy 6+% grades.  However on a multi-lane freeway without grade, driving 55 mph can be a bit unnerving.  Most vehicles, including heavy tractor trailer combos, are 10-20 mph over the limit.  Passenger vehicles and trucks frequently exceed 80 mph. 
 
I was coming south on I87 in upstate NY a couple of days ago running about 65 mph in the left lane slowly passing a long line of trucks climbing a steep grade at 50-55 mph. Someone in a late model Beemer roared up behind me and almost immediately started flashing his lights and blowing his horn. At one point we hit a spot where the left shoulder was extra wide, and the Beemer guy nailed the gas and pulled out to pass me. I wished I could've seen the look on his face when he saw the long line trucks in front of me, but he hit the brakes and tucked back in behind me. I didn't see any more lights flashing or hear the horn blaring. I moved over when we crested the hill and right lane was getting up to speed, but a lot of the trucks that had been in front of me weren't in any hurry to get over and were still out there when I reached my exit. Beemer guy must have had smoke coming out his ears by then...  ::) ;D
 
I recall watching a video of a comedian some years ago. He's commenting the ways people are different, either just in general or because of cultural difference. "But", he said, "there's one thing that we all share, we all think we're good drivers!"
 
Modern vehicles are designed to isolate the occupants from the outside environment, and the perception of speed is also reduced. When I was a young patrol officer, and made traffic stops on the freeway (which I hated) it was a real eye opener experiencing how fast 65 - 70 mph actually is. Anyone who has ever had to change a tire on the side of the freeway knows what I'm talking about. When you consider that all that energy is connected to the road by only four small contact areas on the tires, it's even more scary.

Trailer tires are, in my opinion, barely adequate for the task at hand. Many are rated for a max speed of 65 mph, but I don't think a lot of trailer owners know that, because they don't visit forums like this. So when they pass me at 70 - 75 mph, I just shake my head, and wish them, and the rest of us on the road, the best.

Kev
 
Think about it, speeding is a habit.  We learn it early in our teens and do it the rest of our life. The next time you are getting irritated at a slow driver just look at your odometer, I'll bet you are going the speed limit.  We should all do like The Eagles Song and  "Take It Easy" 
 
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