"Hypermiler" pulled over for driving too slow

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by fultondp

I have a neighbor that is a state patrolman, and I've discussed hypermiling with him. If you are driving slower than the posted speed limit, and being followed closely by a cop, it's because they are trying to determine if you are drunk. Driving well under the limit is a BIG red flag for profiling drunk driving. So is failing to maintain a constant speed or riding out of the tire grooves. So hypermilers and drunk drivers look very similar to a cop. Driving close behind you is an intimidation technique used to see how you react. If you start acting nervous, swerving, or are too quick to speed up, they will use that as an excuse to pull you over. Basically they are begging you to do something twitchy, which gives them probable cause.

Darren

Oh yeah, don't I know it. It's not just drunks, gosh people smoking weed sometimes get real paranoid after smoking the bomb and end up driving about 20mph while they would swear they are going 55. haha

Anybody going too slow makes a police officer suspect it's an intoxicated driver, but it could be anything including alcohol, recreational drugs, or even a sick driver. From my experience, most drunks tend to speed too fast thinking their GOD, while purely weed smokers often get paranoid and have no idea how slow they are really going. And that's not even getting into what Meth and Coke does to drivers- but I really do not believe it makes them drive too slow. I do not blame the cops for doing their job, as long as they can tell I'm alright after tailgating me for a mile or so then fine. It's also a well known fact that when a person is going EXACTLY the speed limit, say 55 in a 55, that the police often ride their bumpers trying to get them to speed so they have an excuse to pull them over. I have seen this happen first hand to other drivers many times- they attempt to tick off the driver in hopes they will gun the gas, and wala they have a legal reason to pull them over and likely search (because most people give away their rights NOT to be searched). I'm sure they mainly want a legal excuse to pull over a driver they are pretty certain is stoned when they ride their bumpers going the P.S., anything else they find after the pull over is a bonus. OTH: We have dirty cops that don't give a hoot and will lie for pulling you over just because they want to know who you are and what your business is in the area- this often happens whenever I get a brand new car or truck- I guess they figure the car had to of been stolen.

[martinafan]

My problem is that I have a 3 sp. auto Corolla, It's a horrible highway car. Since it has no overdrive, the optimum mpg's is achieved by driving no more than45 or 50 tops. Even on secondary roads, that's just too slow for todays high performance vehicles and rushed to get there drivers. So I have no choice but to rent a car, when I do I do maintain the limit, stay in the right lane and use cruise when possible, I find that I get good mpg's. But to go under the limit even in the right lane can get you killed.

[wagonman76]

I wonder if the minimum speed of 55 on US131 here can still be enforced. They only had one sign at the very beginning of the freeway. But since Labor day, and they say until next summer, that part of the freeway is totally closed because they are replacing a bridge. I normally go 55-60 but with some of the long steep hills they built (some over 2 miles long), the wagon can't keep 55.

[gasstingy]

I used to drive much faster than I do now and was probably the cause of others road rage. Now I accellerate slower, go about 5 under most of the time on multilane roads and just barely under on two lane highways. I maintain a good following distance and if they want to pass, there's room for them to pull in front of me after they overtake me. My mileage if a lot higher nad my stress level is a lot lower. Win - win! :-)

[Jammer]

I too drive much slower than I used to when comparing my speed with the posted speed limit. I think in my case when this state went to 70 MPH speed limit it was more in line with the speeds I used to drive in the 55 zones- Funny the popular logic was that when the governments increase the speed limit most people still speed at least 5mph over the PS. But, at least in my case, I now often drive 5mph under the PS. (and I still use a radar detector! ha ha)

[Nevyn]

Here's what it REALLY says:

Originally Posted by gasstingy

I used to drive much faster than I do now and was probably the cause of others road rage. Now I accellerate slower, go about 5 under most of the time on multilane roads, just barely under on two lane highways. And I'm STILL probably the cause of others' road rage!

[Jammer]

Actually I find drivers are pretty cool about passing to the left lane whenever they come up on a slower moving car/truck on the local interstates. But there does come a point in which it becomes a safety problem. For example; I have seen cars going under 45MPH in a 70 zone.... Now that's just too slow for a 70 PS unless it's weather or mechanical related, in which case it might be wise to turn on the flashers.

[buckel248]

In Illinois, the minimum highway speed is 45 mph. Driving in the right lane, I get a lot of dirty looks at 45 mph, but it's perfectly legal. As a cop, I will tell you that, yes, we do look at slow drivers as potential drunk drivers, but there's a lot more factors than that. Probable cause can't be established by simply observing a vehicle operating below the speed limit (as long as it is at or over the minimum posted speed).

Most cops know about hypermiling (I know I get all sorts of crap for it from my co-workers). Just do what I do: Stick a "Hypermiler" sticker on your back window. That's enough to let us know that you're probably not a drunk

[Formula413]

Good idea, thanks for weighing in.

[dwtaylorpdx]

Soapbox mode activated....

IMHO,,,,Hyper-miling below the limit is perfectly acceptable IF

Other drivers have a clean safe option to get around you.

Hypermiling below the limit on a dry sunny day in rush hour
on a single lane highway on the other hand is:

Rude, and socially irresponsible, polite society is dependent
on respect for the needs of the many not the opinions or
needs of the individual... Not everyone can afford to lose
the time between the end of their work day and other
responsibilities, picking up kids at day care, caring for
someone who is sick, working a second job to survive, etc.
So the hyper miler, bicycler, jogger can enjoy their hobby,
if your mileage is that important, wait till later to leave work
and drive after the commuter crowd has made it home,
after all an open road is likely to help the numbers!

Soapbox mode off....

Dave