Highway Cruising

[alexshock]

Hi Ecomodders,

I want to raise a question about what you usually mean by highway traffic and highway cruising?

In general US, Europe and other countries have different traffic patterns.
For example, you can drive a highway inside the city in US, but that can rarely happen in EU.

I usually have 3 patterns of a highway traffic:
1. Speed streets inside the city - up to 80 km/h (50 mph). Actually, you can drive even faster, but that cannot be considered a a legal option.
2. Low speed interstate roads - up to 90 km/h (55 mph).
3. High speed interstate roads - up to 110 km/h (70 mph).

I'm sure that, for example, Germany have even more speed freedom on the interstate roads.

Can you describe your country/state patterns?
What are legal speed limits?
What speed usually people drive there?
What you, as an ecomodder, drive there?

[redpoint5]

At least on the west coast of the US, Interstates allow the fastest speeds and they extend through multiple states. Between cities the speed limits are higher, but the speeds are reduced as they go through cities. There are rarely any stop signs or traffic lights on a freeway interstate.

Highways will often have a speed limit around 55-65 MPH and they might have stop signs or traffic lights.

I notice California allows much faster driving on city streets than Oregon or Washington. California might allow 45 MPH in an area that would be 30-35 MPH up here.

Until 1999, Montana had no official speed limit. One could be ticketed for driving beyond what was reasonable, as determined by the highway patrol. Until 2005 one could drink and drive in Montana, so long as they weren't "impaired" or legally intoxicated. I always wondered why it was permissible to have a couple beers at a pub and take them along in your belly while you drive, but you couldn't put those beers in your belly as you drove.

[freebeard]

YMMV -- your mileage may vary is a meme.

The major variable will be population density:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popula...ensity_map.png

Then you have regulatory regimes, as redpoint5 shows.

There is also the age of the infrastructure. The deer path>Indian trail>wagon track>dirt>plank>gravel>macadam>concrete progression. City street width -- old town Europe vs Salt Lake City or Brasilia.

As for the speed limits, Oregon, taken as an example, has a Basic Rule (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_limit#Basic_rule)

Most legal systems expect drivers to drive at a safe speed for the conditions at hand, regardless of posted limits.

In the United Kingdom, and elsewhere in common law, as the reasonable man requirement.[23]

The German Highway Code (Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung) section on speed begins with the statement (translated to English):[24]

Any person driving a vehicle may only drive so fast that the car is under control. Speeds must be adapted to the road, traffic, visibility and weather conditions as well as the personal skills and characteristics of the vehicle and load.

As for myself, when I was working for my living, the speed limit was a lower bound. Once I found myself 'between gigs' I became an Ecomodder (but I don't pulse and glide).

[Gasoline Fumes]

Where I live in rural New York, there are three types of higher speed roads.

1. 2-lane country roads. Speed limit is usually 55 MPH, unless marked otherwise. Normally there aren't speed limit signs on these roads. You'll encounter stop signs, farms, and some sharp turns. Most of these are probably very old roads that have been paved. The shoulder is gravel and/or grass. I live on one of these roads.

2. 2-lane highways. Speed limit is almost always 55 MPH, except for portions that run through towns. These roads connect a lot of the smaller towns together. Wider with a paved shoulder, and longer than the country roads. Rarely any stop signs. Sometimes a traffic light for a major intersection. Limited opportunities for passing other cars due to traffic, hills, and curves.

3. Divided multi-lane highways. 55 or 65 MPH. Usually fairly straight and flat. Not too many of them here. Some shorter ones near cities. And the New York State Thruway, which crosses the entire state.

City/town streets are usually 30 or 35 MPH.

Most people around here like to go 5-10 MPH over the limit. If I'm hypermiling, I'll go about 5-10 under the limit, if I can do that without holding up too much traffic.

There are a few dirt roads left. Some are just one lane with grass in the middle. Technically 55 MPH, but I don't think too many people go that fast!

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by Gasoline Fumes

Most people around here like to go 5-10 MPH over the limit. If I'm hypermiling, I'll go about 5-10 under the limit, if I can do that without holding up too much traffic.

I recall years ago when I was on the road to Ithaca from Syracuse airport, everyone was going at least 80mph, a lot of people doing 90mph...Is that normal?

In California, my experience is that in Norcal, most people drive between 0-5 over the limit, while in Socal most people drive 10-15 over the limit. 65mph is the most common speed limit in CA for multi-lane roads, with 70 on the I-5 being the exception. Single lane per direction roads are usually 45 or 55.

[redpoint5]

Seems in general people slow as you go north. Maybe it's the weather, or maybe speeding is proportional to the amount of gridlock traffic one is subjected to.

Average is probably 70 in a 65 on I5 here. I'll do 72. I don't even slow down when I encounter the speed traps as they are looking for people doing 10+ over. If I were ever to get pulled over, I'd try out Scott Adam's suggestion of asking the officer "how can I help us keep safe today".

In my youth I had my license suspended a few times due to speeding tickets. I was battling a 2 hour commute each way, so when I could, I drove 85. In Oregon, suspension happens if you get 3 tickets in 2 years, and the record doesn't reset once you are suspended, so another ticket, another suspension.

The semi trucks are limited to 10 MPH lower than other traffic (55 instead of 65 typically). They'll do 5 MPH over (60). Always amazes me when I'm in another state and see a double trailer doing 80.

[Gasoline Fumes]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

I recall years ago when I was on the road to Ithaca from Syracuse airport, everyone was going at least 80mph, a lot of people doing 90mph...Is that normal?

That would be I-81. I don't drive there very often, but I don't think I've ever seen 80-90 MPH as a normal speed there. Maybe it's just certain times of day? I wouldn't dare go that fast, at least not without a radar detector!

[ksa8907]

I can honestly say I don't know what the interstate speed limit is here because it doesn't even matter. 75 is the defacto minimum and 80-85 is the norm.

[Isaac Zachary]

What's the difference between a highway and a freeway?

Anyhow, the highways here where I'm at are two lane, except for the occasional passing lane. Usually they are 65mph at most, but can be 55mph, or have an occasional drop down 45mph or lower through some areas.

Once you get near the bigger cities you find freeways with 4 or more lanes. I just did over 2,000 miles of driving in the past few weeks and most of it, probably 75% or better, was on two lane highways at 60-65mph.

[freebeard]

Why do you drive on the parkway and park on the driveway? ...anyway.