"I drive 55mph" on the 65mph interstate.

[Vman455]

Originally Posted by sendler

A group of vehicles is a consensus. Get in line and do not continually force a long duration pass by the next slowest, and very clumsy vehicles. 63 mph and following at 2 seconds will give better economy and safety than leading out on your own at 55. A lone vehicle that far outside the norm is an aberration. Other drivers are not expecting this on a super highway. Which increases risk to all. This cannot be denied. When I want to ride the scooter to work at 50 mph, I stay off of the interstate. Running that speed on a 65 mph interstate would completely rude and unsafe.

The state of Illinois disagrees with you, and has deemed a 20 mph spread between maximum and minimum speed limits sufficiently safe for all interstates outside the Chicago area, where maximum speed limits are lower. Interstate 72 pictured.

[XYZ]

Originally Posted by Vman455

The state of Illinois disagrees with you, and has deemed a 20 mph spread between maximum and minimum speed limits sufficiently safe for all interstates outside the Chicago area, where maximum speed limits are lower. Interstate 72 pictured.

This simply means that you are legally permitted to drive as slow as 45 MPH on an interstate highway.

Just don't do your slow jam 45 in the left lane, as it is neither safe nor courteous.

Nobody likes a road hog - legal or not.

[Sven7]

Originally Posted by sendler

A group of vehicles is a consensus. Get in line and do not continually force a long duration pass by the next slowest, and very clumsy vehicles. 63 mph and following at 2 seconds will give better economy and safety than leading out on your own at 55. A lone vehicle that far outside the norm is an aberration. Other drivers are not expecting this on a super highway. Which increases risk to all. This cannot be denied. When I want to ride the scooter to work at 50 mph, I stay off of the interstate. Running that speed on a 65 mph interstate would completely rude and unsafe.

The same could be said for someone driving 68mph in the middle lane, and having to pass someone going 65mph. Should the slower middle lane driver speed up to 68mph so the one behind him doesn't have to pass? Maybe he should go 70, and be in the left lane. But what about the guy doing 73mph in the left lane? Those guys driving 70mph are just the bane of his existence.

No matter what lane you're in, you'll have to pass other cars. That's just how it goes. If you were driving 65mph (under the limit) in the right lane, you would have to pass people doing 60mph and 63mph anyway. If you're driving safely, someone doing 10mph below your speed is no different than someone driving 3mph below your speed. You're going to pass them either way. Let them drive their speed and you can drive yours.

Everyone's starving at a different level. Imagine the Autobahn drivers having to pass those pesky slowpokes only driving 95mph in the middle lane! Why, they should speed it up and go 110 already.

What increases risk to all are the people who choose to drive outside their skill level or personal limits, and who do not give themselves enough time to change lanes safely. Someone driving within their skill level will be able to either safely and predictably change lanes to overtake the slow driver, or they will have time and space to slow down gradually behind them until an opening in the passing lane appears.

[Sven7]

I'm not driving fast enough for you? Move left. AMFP

(Exception: two lane roads)

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by XYZ

This simply means that you are legally permitted to drive as slow as 45 MPH on an interstate highway.

Just don't do your slow jam 45 in the left lane, as it is neither safe nor courteous.

Nobody likes a road hog - legal or not.

NOBODY here is talking about being the Civilian Speed Cop Corp by parking in the left lane.

[Jasen]

I think ultimately it comes down to a free for all to the average person on the road, it's me me me. I'm to lazy to get up 10 mins earlier, to shave "before" I leave the house, I need to get over right now/need that exit 100 ft. ahead 3 lanes over, your not getting in front of me. One of my favorite is when they hammer the throttle to close a 10 car gap because you over took or were ahead of them in the merging lane.
I tend sit back and shaking my head at all the stupid unfolding all around me and do what I can to not become a victim of their stupidity.
I think at least 1/2 of them drive outside their skill level.
I tend to drive 5 over when theres open road ahead. On the freeway I'm usually in the #2 lane trying to leave the left lanes open for Speed Racer and not get caught up in the entry/exit people entering at 38 mph or using the freeway as the off ramp deceleration lane for a 1/2 mile.


There's no such as common sense, because it's not that common

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by sendler

A group of vehicles is a consensus.

Good one. So if I get a few like-minded motorists to join me in a Cannonball Run down the road at WOT I have a consensus? What constitutes a group- two vehicles? Three? Is that what I should tell the occifer and the judge?

[doviatt]

A group of vehicles is NOT a consensus. They are individuals going different places for different reasons. They only thing they share is their coincidental proximity on the road at one point in time and none of them ever drive the same speed. A group is always changing, expanding, collapsing. If you choose to not be part of a group or individual you come upon you safely and politely pass and be on you way. If you do want to be part of it you slow and follow at a similar dynamic but not the same speed.

[cbaber]

Originally Posted by sendler

A group of vehicles is a consensus. Get in line and do not continually force a long duration pass by the next slowest, and very clumsy vehicles. 63 mph and following at 2 seconds will give better economy and safety than leading out on your own at 55. A lone vehicle that far outside the norm is an aberration. Other drivers are not expecting this on a super highway. Which increases risk to all. This cannot be denied. When I want to ride the scooter to work at 50 mph, I stay off of the interstate. Running that speed on a 65 mph interstate would completely rude and unsafe.

Again, I refuse to believe that I must conform to what everyone else is doing on the highway. This kind of thinking is dangerous, and it's exactly what leads to accidents in the first place. Every driver is different. Different skills, experience, vehicles, etc. We all have our comfort zones. If grandma in her Buick only feels safe at 60 mph in a 70 mph zone, who are you or anyone else to tell her she needs to speed up to be safe? Your "flow" idea means you believe grandma should be pushed out of her comfort zone, only to satisfy the "wants" of other drivers. Other drivers don't need to drive the speed limit or above. It isn't in our best interest to see that they do, either. It's in our best interest to respect everyone on the road. In grandma's case, let her drive at a speed she feels comfortable. I think we can all agree that is safer for everyone.

I know we have differing opinions about acceptable speeds on the highway, but what isn't debatable is that:

- As long as I am driving legally and safely, I can go as slow as the minimum speed limit and not be a danger to others (It's actually safer for myself. Any danger to other drivers will be caused by thier own mistakes!)
- Everyone has a right to the road so long as they are driving responsibly and legally
- We should respect everyone else on the road. Respect the faster drivers by staying right. Faster drivers need to respect slower drivers by safely merging and navigating the highway.
-

[Jasen]

cbaber,
I think you summed it up with one word, respect. But it seems these day's too many think respect is a one way street and everyone else needs to get off their road.