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Life in the "Legal Lane"
Some may see it as a late behavioral mod, but I've decided to abide by the speed limit on long Interstate hauls with rental cars for work...
As part of my job, I drive many miles with rental vehicles across the Great Plains and beyond. It's easy to bump-up the cruise speed to 5-7 over the limit (which is 70-75 translated to 75-82 mph), but honestly, that small reduction difference in top speed cruise has recently produced significant results in FE.
What is gained by higher speeds? Perhaps some time -- what happens when I arrive? I hang out at the hotel and fill the evening with things to do. I have decided that speed reduction is worth the extra time -- I'll get there when I get there.
"So, why the thread?"
It's a paradigm shift that evolves over time -- a realization that this forum emphasizes the importance of fuel consumption and emissions. I used to be a 9 mph over-limit cruiser in the state of Kansas (10 MPH is a moving violation, below that is not). 79 MPH drops the FE dramatically. These days (even though I don't pay for it, work does), I can't live with the emissions and consumption.
This has been applied to personal driving, but it takes some extra attention to other drivers.
Today I was nearly run off of the road by an RV pulling a Ford Explorer. Tooling along in the Cobalt Coupe 2.2L, the rig passed me and encountered a hill. I slowed to let it pass as traffic was piling-up behind it. Suddenly, the RV signaled and started to merge, while the RV rear was at my front bumper. I ended up on the shoulder and on the horn, or I would've tangled with the Explorer in-tow. The #$#@! went back over and merged later.
I don't want to discourage slower driving, but it takes additional awareness.
That's my Tuesday folks...
RH77
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“If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called research” ― Albert Einstein
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