Engine braking and stop lights

[McTimson]

I took a corner fairly fast once, and my girlfriend's sister, who was following me, ended up driving into a ditch. It was within the first few months of her having her license, and I think it kinda scared her of driving, so I tend to be a little more considerate of drivers behind me.

[Christ]

I'm considerate of people who aren't following my ass like there's a candy bar taped to it, and people whom I know are supposed to be following me.

People who tailgate, I'll do everything I can to scare them off my ass, within safety constraints for myself and those in my charge.

If they wreck because of it, that's not my problem. THey should have been paying more attention. It's hard enough sometimes to keep myself and my charges safe while driving - I don't need to burden myself with a tailgater's life as well.

[MadisonMPG]

I tend to take forever to turn if a guy is tailgating me.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by MadisonMPG

I tend to take forever to turn if a guy is tailgating me.

What if it's a girl? :P

If 'm not driving through twisties, I usually just go 10 MPH slower than the speed limit. If they don't back off, or in worse cases, they get closer, I just slow down more.

The margin of safety increases with each MPH I decrease, since reaction time is a component of distance between objects and overall speed. At least when I'm going 30 in a 55, the tailgater will have enough time to respond when I finally do hit my brakes.

(It's not very often I actually use them for anything other than a signal. They're over a year old, I just had Cara inspected, and the mechanic confirmed that they're about 80% new.)

[Laurentiu]

Darn, you guys should see how people drive here, in Cyprus...the other day, a traffic police car here (they have Mazda 3 V6) was like freakin' centimeters away from me on the highway and not like they were on a highway pursuit after me in my 45 bhp car , in fact they were probably off-duty, after probably 1-2 km's stuck to my ass they blasted past me...

I've lived in the US (FL) for about a year and the driving there, the drivers' behavior on the road is soooo far from what I've experienced here...Accidents almost everyday on my shortish 15km commute each way, kids (i mean <16) riding on one wheel, etc.

But you know what ? after founding this site and striving for more and more MPG through my congested drive I have actually realized I also increased my safety and probably that of others. Nowadays I never drive too close to anybody in front of me, I do make sure to tap the brake pedal for those behind me to know I'm coasting and in general I try not to let myself "pushed" by what the others do in traffic...and believe me, most of the time I feel like the sheep in the huge pack of wolves with people racing from stop-light to stop-light, changing lanes at all times almost never using their indicators, etc.

I'm actually curios if anybody here has been to Cyprus or maybe Lebanon (I've heard driving habits there are even worse ). I could only find 1 post from somebody else here in CY using the search function Link.

Anyway, sorry for the lengthy off-topic

[texanidiot25]

Originally Posted by Christ

What if it's a girl? :P

If 'm not driving through twisties, I usually just go 10 MPH slower than the speed limit. If they don't back off, or in worse cases, they get closer, I just slow down more.

The margin of safety increases with each MPH I decrease...

Q. Isn't slower always safer?
A. No, federal and state studies have consistently shown that the drivers most likely to get into accidents in traffic are those traveling significantly below the average speed. According to research, those driving 10 mph slower than the prevailing speed are more likely to be involved in an accident. That means that if the average speed on an interstate is 70 mph, the person traveling at 60 mph is more likely to be involved in an accident than someone going 70 or even 80 mph.

Q. Aren't most traffic accidents caused by speeding?
A. No, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) claims that 30 percent of all fatal accidents are "speed related," but even this is misleading. This means that in less than a third of the cases, one of the drivers involved in the accident was "assumed" to be exceeding the posted limit. It does not mean that speeding caused the accident. Research conducted by the Florida Department of Transportation showed that the percentage of accidents actually caused by speeding is very low, 2.2 percent.

Speed Limits - Information, Studies, Laws, Legislation

I know what you're saying about reaction times vs. speeds/distance, but if you make your car a road hazard then your intent defeats it's purpose.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by texanidiot25

Speed Limits - Information, Studies, Laws, Legislation

I know what you're saying about reaction times vs. speeds/distance, but if you make your car a road hazard then your intent defeats it's purpose.

The context of that post was involving someone following too closely. The micro event (not macro, micro) suggests personal safety with slowing down, to increase the chances of the person who is following too closely having the time available to properly react to a given situation. Your quotes have nothing to do with that, so I'll assume they weren't in argument of my post.

[user removed]

With my VX slowing down is an art. In 5th gear there is not much difference between coasting in neutral and DFCO in 5th gear. Down to about 25 MPH in 5th before DFCO cuts out, then down shift to maintain 0 fuel consumption without killing lean burn for 30 seconds by turning the engine off.

Around here tailgaters are the norm. I just use P&G to persuade them to follow someone else too closely especially if I see them using a cell phone.

I do usually leave them in the corners. There is one turn on my daily route that is posted as a max 35 MPH turn. 35 years ago I would go through that turn at 70 in a 59 Corvette.
Now I coast through it starting at 45 MPH, and usually it will put a couple hundred feet between me an a tailgater.

I slow down for several tenths of a mile to avoid red lights. Most tailgaters are to stupid to realize they are just wasting fuel passing me to get to the red light before me. Some of my timed red lights are several miles apart and invariably there are several cars that passed me in that stretch waiting for the light to change as I approach.

Occasionally I get a real jerk tailgater, usually female in a SUV. When their actions get really obnoxious I will coast down to significantly below the speed limit, and pulse around curves at speeds they can not maintain, anything to establish some separation, especially when they are on a cell phone, which I can easily see in my rear view mirror, because they are so close. I have had a few pass me on a double yellow line and make gestures, but I could care less since they are already driving recklessly and endangering my life and health.

I have the means to handle any escalation, but would much prefer they just get away from me and endanger someone else.

In the last two decades the only accidents I have been involved in are me being hit in the rear end by a moron, so that is where I focus a significant amount of my attention.

regards
Mech

[texanidiot25]

Originally Posted by Christ

The context of that post was involving someone following too closely. The micro event (not macro, micro) suggests personal safety with slowing down, to increase the chances of the person who is following too closely having the time available to properly react to a given situation. Your quotes have nothing to do with that, so I'll assume they weren't in argument of my post.

By purposely slowing down even further below the speed limit you create a dangerous situation because you become a road hazard. Not to mention you become distracted while toying with the other driver.

You were implying that because you drive slower, you instantly create a safer situation.

[dcb]

bullcrap you should not be on the road if you cannot avoid hitting slower objects. There will always be slower objects. That link was tripe. You go faster, you put everyone at risk, a slower moving herd is always safer.