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Old 11-04-2009, 05:16 PM   #68 (permalink)
shovel
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elhigh View Post
My truck won't sustain those speeds without damage. The gearing isn't there; she revs too high and starts to overheat if I go a long time over 75.

I've seen folks get ticketed for going too slowly. If they raise the limit so high that my old but otherwise perfectly serviceable vehicle can't stay within 10mph of the limit, does that mean I get a ticket for unsafe vehicle operation, even though before the change I wasn't a hazard? That's unacceptable, to be trapped by a changed standard - legal one day, but not the next.
Well shucks, I've had mah horse since 1903 and used to ride it to market on the ol dirt road, but over time they paved the road and cars started a-honkin' at me! Now they done paved it better and made it an interstate, and now it's illegal to ride mah horse on it anymore! WHY IS THE WORLD CHANGIN' ALL AROUND ME!?!

I just drove through Utah on my way back from a 3800 mile road trip (in a 4x4 on big knobby tires.. ) and enjoyed the 80mph roads. They didn't change my actual speed that I was going to be driving anyway on those stretches, but they did make it so I was only 5 mph over the limit instead of 10.. FWIW I did spend about 15 miles drafting behind a tractor trailer... amazing how far back you can stay while still in the "bubble" behind a trailer going 85mph. Think they get an aero benefit from my vehicle occupying some of their wake?

Joni (my boobs life support device with integrated boobs) has an Acura TL, which is virtually impossible to drive under 40 mph. The speedometer reads to 160mph so 60mph isn't even at "11 o'clock" and you have to keep the gas pedal clean because if a few specks of dust land on it the car won't drive under 60. It's all quiet and smooth and the genuinely bad side effect of that is that driving 55mph is AGONIZING. Seriously if you're not going at least 80 you feel like you're sitting still, and even at 80 you don't feel or hear any sounds or sensations of speed, you're just vaguely aware that you're at least moving sorta. I know that's all in my head, but that makes it no less important to any driver - if you don't feel like you're going anywhere you'll speed up till you do feel like you're making progress.

I was content driving my old 80's Montero at 55mph all over the western USA because at that speed it felt like it was moving pretty good. It's the same reason I preferred driving my subaru-powered bicycle to work over driving my subaru-powered subaru... it took literally the same time to get across town, but 25mph on a bicycle is hauling arse compared to 25mph in a car
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