Am I the only one...

who understands that lower highway speed directly equates to better m.p.g.?  The last couple of days I have taken a few freeway trips of 100 miles or so in my SUV.  I cruise along on the freeway at about 60 m.ph., on cruise control, trying not to make any unnecessary speed changes,  keeping neck-jarring accelerations to a minimum.  And fully 99.9% of all other traffic is passing me by at speeds up to 85 mph.  Where are all these folks going that they need to get someplace yesterday?  Didn't they get the email about m.p.h. and m.p.g.?  Many of these movers and shakers are large SUV or 4WD trucks, so I know they can't be getting good m.p.g. even in the best of times.  Even Big rigs, who are now paying over $4.00 per gallon for diesel in some places, are burning rubber and passing  like I'm standing still.  I was in front of one such rig yesterday, in pretty heavy but reasonably fast moving traffic or around 60 + m.p.h. and he was honking for me to speed up (or move over, though I was in the #2 lane).  It wasn't like I was holding up traffic flow, I was just leaving a safe and prudent distance between myself and the vehicle in front, but he just wanted me to be up closer and more personal...I guess.    He even honked and gave me a one-fingered salute as he eventually passed.    I hope that guy is paying five bucks a gallon!  Funny thing is, it's all these speed demons who are complaining about paying high gas prices...I just don't get it!

BT

It's more than just fuel economy at stake, it's safety.  You have a much better chance of surviving an accident at 60mph than you do at 80mph.  It's scary driving these days.  And nobody seems to know about the 3 second rule.

Hello Buddy, no you aren't the only one. I too try and hold my speed some where around 60 when on the hiways. Some rare times I will do the speed limit or just below. It is amazing how few other people actually will do the limit. They will, if there happens to be a cop in the area and they see them. They all seem to have this one finger salute affliction. I have also observered cops speeding, of course their excuse is that they were on a silent call.

I think it has become common knowledge that you wont be stopped unless you are doing in excess of 15/20 mile per hour over the speed limit. This then lets people speed. The same way that construction signs with reduced speed limits have conditioned people to speed in construction areas. Some times you can drive for mile and miles without seeing the first sign of construction. This has now been aleviated somewhat by the words,"when workers present", added to the construction speed limit signs.

Where speed limits are strickly enforced you can see the difference. Ohio which has a 55 mph speed limit for large trucks and enforces it, makes you aware of it as soon as you reach the Ohio borders. The trucks do slow down. Don't know the stats, but I would bet that they have less big rig accidents, because of this.

I have contemplated having a large banner made with the words," I DO THE SPEED LIMIT, WHY DON'T YOU?", and hang it on the back. I don't really think most people would pay attention any way.

Thats my rant for the day, safe driving, Jerry

I was surprised yesterday when I went to Winslow on I 40 and back.  At 65 and the speed is 75, I actually passed a few people going slower.  Two weeks ago I was doing 70 and everyone was passing me. 

I was surprised last week on our trip back from Arizona that the traffic had seemed to , overall, slowed some.  There were still a few that would fly by but for the most part people were driving at or below the speed limit. 

Even Big rigs, who are now paying over $4.00 per gallon for diesel in some places, are burning rubber and passing  like I'm standing still.  I was in front of one such rig yesterday, in pretty heavy but reasonably fast moving traffic or around 60 + m.p.h. and he was honking for me to speed up (or move over, though I was in the #2 lane).

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I'm not condoning that trucker's actions, but a couple of points:

I don't know how many lanes that freeway had, but often trucks are either restricted to the two rightmost lanes or are prohibited from the fast (#1) lane.  So the #2 lane for a truck often the same as the fast lane for cars.

Most truckers are paid by the mile, so if they slow down (or are held up by traffic) their paycheck decreases accordingly.  If he's a company driver, he's paid strictly according to how many miles he runs.  Since the government controls how many hours he can drive each week, any slowdown directly reduces the amount of money he earns.    A 5 MPH reduction can cost the driver $20 a day.  That's $100 a week or almost $400 per month less he'll earn.

You also don't know what other pressure that driver was under.  Maybe he has a tight schedule to make his appointment at the loading dock.  If he gets there on time, he gets loaded and on his way right away.  If he's late, he'll have to wait until there's another opening - maybe a couple of hours or possibly until the next day.  Since most drivers are paid by the mile, this is unpaid time to the driver.  Even worse, the amount of time spent waiting at a dock reduces the total number of hours he can drive that week, further eroding his paycheck.

Commercial drivers drive thousands of miles per week, week in and week out, often under tremendous pressure to perform, and still manage for the most part to have exceptional safety records.  It doesn't hurt to cut them a little slack.

Lou

There was simply no excuse for that driver's actions.  I don't care if he was under pressure or not.  It's his choice to be a truck driver...warts and all.  The traffic at the time of the incident was heavy but moving at a steady speed of about 60-65 mph.  All four  lanes were congested with on-ramps every mile or so. merging into the right hand lane.  I was not going less than the general traffic flow, it was just that I was leaving a reasonable space between myself and the vehicle in front, probably 3 - 4 car lengths and the trucker, judging by how close he was to my tail-pipe, thought it should be 1 - 2. 

He eventually overtook me (I'm not sure if I pulled into the right lane or he moved into the immediate left lane to pass), but due to the traffic flow and congestion ahead, made no ground whatsover.  I actually moved over to my right to transition to another freeway at a constant speed and passed him by (on my left) because he was forced to slow due to traffic build up.  The driver clearly was not reading the traffic conditions ahead when he was honking me.  He was anxious to speed but wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, anyway.  Believe me, I was not holding up his schedule.  Even if I were, the seconds he may have gained would easily have been lost by the slowing traffic ahead.  Furthermore, trucks in Ca. on this particular stretch are restricted to a 55 mph limit and I was already travelling over 60 mph, as was all other traffic. 

Actually, in my initial post, I mispoke.  I was in the #3 lane and the trucker directly behind me with vehicles directly to my left and right, including other trucks.  It simply was not prudent or safe to move into the #4 lane because of upcoming and merging on-ramps. 

Lou, I cut truckers slack all the time.  I am a very courteous driver, especially to truckers when driving my MH.  (flashing lights after passing etc. etc).  I know they have a very difficult job to do with an amazing safety record.  But my point is simply this, slowing down saves gas or diesel.  We have an energy crisis (boy,  I hate hackneyed cliches) and,  IMO,  everyone - truckers especially -  would benefit from a little restraint.

Jerry,
Having spent a career in in law enforcement, some of which assigned to traffic control and patrol, I understand your concerns about 'cops speeding'  who should, seemingly set an example.  I am not making excuses - not my place -  but there are numerous factors why Police do exceed the speed limit, the primary one is...because they can.  State laws typically allow them to, with reason.  A patrol car, 'pacing' a speeder, by necessity will exceed the speed limit.  'Hot' calls or responding to another officer's call for assistance, will likely generate speeding.  Patrol officer's will typically have a specific area to patrol that day and will be responsible for the majority of calls within that boundary.  If he is absent from that area then another unit 'takes the call' and that's generally not kosher.  So, every attempt is made to return to your beat ASAP  if another call or incident, perhaps a speeder, has temporarily taken you away from it.  Now, having said that, should an officer get into an accident and excessive speed, without cause,  is to blame, then he/she  will be subjected to disciplinary action (loss of pay), potential civil penalty (sued by the injured party) and perhaps criminal action (if State law permits).    BTW I like your sign idea, it's along the lines of ..."Get off the phone and drive". 

BT

Ned said:

It's more than just fuel economy at stake, it's safety.  It's scary driving these days.  And nobody seems to know about the 3 second rule.

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Ned:

The new 3 second rule:

If you allow a three second gap between you and the vehicle in front of you at least three cars will cut in front of you to fill the gap and you will be ten feet from the nearest one. ??? ???

That's the one.  How can so many people be so stupid