Quote:
Originally Posted by Sven7
Cool! That's a good idea; I just didn't know what to say on it. Will probably try to make one. Thanks  |
I was just showing you're not alone in trying to find the answer.
I suggest the largest-font, easiest-to-read, most quick-to-comprehend sign you can conceive. I think the best bets are the really simple ones like
RESEARCH VEHICLE - PLEASE PASS (whoever did that one, please weigh in). But I'm paranoid, and I can imagine some idiot whipping by me on a double yellow, nearly buying the farm in a head-on, and then suing me because "His sign said to pass!"
You'll notice TEST CAR and PASS are in the largest font. The former's to send a message that something out of the ordinary's happening (e.g., I'm going slow) and the latter suggests a course of action. The "okay to
pass when safe" part is for my peace of mind (see above). I doubt most bother to read the rest (if they even can from a distance), but as a whole it makes a good conversation starter at the pumps and elsewhere. Which helps spread the word and maybe change mindsets.
Back in the day, I had a lot of people sit behind me for miles and then finally whip past me. My theory was they figured nobody would willingly drive the speed limit
so there must be someone ahead with a radar gun. Then after a few miles they'd realize that wasn't the case, and tear off in frustration over having slowed down for nothing.
Once I added the sign, I had a lot less of that; people would either pass fairly quickly, or fall in behind me (maybe using me as an excuse to go slow themselves, I dunno).
The sign also helps when I run interference for other slowpokes. Yesterday it was somebody on a motorcycle doing 50
on a 70MPH interstate! That's slower than I would choose to go (in fact it seems downright dangerous), but I was worried the poor guy was gonna be fatally rear-ended. I matched his speed about three or four seconds back to deflect faster traffic for him; I'd rather people curse me out and go around both of us than be on top of a 25 MPH slower motorcycle before they realize what's going on.
The 45 MPG I averaged on that run was just a nice karma-based bonus.
Cheers,
Rick