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

[wdb]

Originally Posted by Daekar

I have been experimenting with driving lower than the PSL on the homeward leg of my commute because I work second-shift, and am on 65-70mph roads from around 12:10 to 12:40am every weeknight. Since there is minimal traffic, the only thing I have to worry about is being pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving.

I got some fabulous MPGs when I worked second shift. I also got a lot of P&G practice in. All due, as you said, to the lower volume of traffic on the roads.

I also worried about being pulled over by police, and in fact I was pulled over more than once, during the late night portion of my commute. It didn't matter what *speed* I drove; what mattered far more was what *car* I drove. (Vehicular profiling?!?) It also seemed to me to simply be a matter of changing odds. In the daytime, there are 1,000 or 10,000 'civilian' vehicles to every police cruiser; at night the number seemed to me to be more like to 100 to 1. I saw police cars everywhere, all the time, at night.

[Daekar]

Originally Posted by wdb

I got some fabulous MPGs when I worked second shift. I also got a lot of P&G practice in. All due, as you said, to the lower volume of traffic on the roads.

I also worried about being pulled over by police, and in fact I was pulled over more than once, during the late night portion of my commute. It didn't matter what *speed* I drove; what mattered far more was what *car* I drove. (Vehicular profiling?!?) It also seemed to me to simply be a matter of changing odds. In the daytime, there are 1,000 or 10,000 'civilian' vehicles to every police cruiser; at night the number seemed to me to be more like to 100 to 1. I saw police cars everywhere, all the time, at night.

May I ask what car it was that you were driving that subjected you to vehicular profiling? I'm not surprised you had it happen, I see police out as well. As my car does the opposite of attract attention, I haven't yet been pulled, but I have had the delicious experience of watching cars fly by at high speed, only to see them pulled over 2 miles later. I do love that.

[Fat Charlie]

Vehicular profiling is based on the visual condition of the car, using a simple rule: $#*+heads drive $#*+boxes. Visible damage or deterioration will make the cops wonder what else is wrong and pick a pretext to stop you.

Your car may not even be that bad, but at 2:00 am you're the oddest car out there (as well as the fastest, the slowest, the whateverest all at the same time) and the cops have nothing else going on.

[wdb]

Originally Posted by Daekar

May I ask what car it was that you were driving that subjected you to vehicular profiling? I'm not surprised you had it happen, I see police out as well.

Subaru WRX STi. I removed the huge wing to reduce the 'profile' a bit, but at night it's still an easy item to pick out. I eventually replaced it with a Honda Fit, a car that is driven by quite a few young people around here (which I decidedly am not), so it still pushes some of the same constabulary buttons. Plus a couple of the towns I drove through had particularly aggressive police forces.

Originally Posted by Fat Charlie

Vehicular profiling is based on the visual condition of the car, using a simple rule: $#*+heads drive $#*+boxes. Visible damage or deterioration will make the cops wonder what else is wrong and pick a pretext to stop you.

At night it doesn't matter how well you take care of your car.

[...] and the cops have nothing else going on.

I think that's the biggest part of it. They're bored. A thousand cars can go by during the day, all of which are traveling above the speed limit, and the cop doesn't budge until he sees one really ripping along. At night, all of that goes out the window. Exceeding the speed limit -- even the stupid ones designed to generate revenue -- simply isn't an option.

[Sven7]

Must be the boy racer thing with the Subie. I've only been pulled over five times and gotten one ticket since I started driving in 2006. Despite the Probe being the most conspicuous piece of sh*t ever, and despite being pulled over 3 out of those 5 times in it, the car scored me zero tickets. Maybe I'm just a lucky guy?

Maybe it's all about driving predictably and consistently. I guess speed traps are a whole different animal, but if a cop's trailing you, play it cool and maintain your speed. If he's going to pull you over he'll do it anyway. Made that mistake once. Never again.

[XYZ]

Originally Posted by wdb

Subaru WRX STi. I removed the huge wing to reduce the 'profile' a bit, but at night it's still an easy item to pick out. I eventually replaced it with a Honda Fit, a car that is driven by quite a few young people around here (which I decidedly am not), so it still pushes some of the same constabulary buttons. Plus a couple of the towns I drove through had particularly aggressive police forces.
At night it doesn't matter how well you take care of your car.
I think that's the biggest part of it. They're bored. A thousand cars can go by during the day, all of which are traveling above the speed limit, and the cop doesn't budge until he sees one really ripping along. At night, all of that goes out the window. Exceeding the speed limit -- even the stupid ones designed to generate revenue -- simply isn't an option.

For what reason were you stopped? Cops usually have a reason for stopping someone. Let's hear the details...

[wdb]

Originally Posted by XYZ

For what reason were you stopped? Cops usually have a reason for stopping someone. Let's hear the details...

• "Distracted driving" (I wasn't) (no citation)
• "Headlight out" (it wasn't) (no citation)
• "Looked like you were speeding" (ridiculous low speed limit) (I was over it) (no citation)

What they really wanted to do was shine their flashlight into all the windows, hoping to get lucky.

[Fat Charlie]

Originally Posted by XYZ

For what reason were you stopped? Cops usually have a pretext for stopping someone. Let's hear the details...

Fixed.

[elhigh]

Originally Posted by Daekar

This is what I love about living away from the city... the average driver around here, unless they have been imported from the NoVa/DC area, is relatively courteous.

I grew up and learned to drive in the DC/NoVa area, and my parents still live there. And that informed a lot of my earlier driving habits. I won't lie to you, while I still lived in the DC area and drove like that, I was kind of an ass behind the wheel.

Moved away, slowed right down, gave people the benefit of the doubt, the wave and the blinked light to tell them to come on in, I'm making room. And my drive got ever so much easier.

And now whenever I go up that way to visit, I'm one of the slowest drivers around, but I always have plenty of room in front of me and when other drivers are stomping their brakes, I ease off gas and let the gap close up...and then open up again.

Life is better in the slow lane.

[kaiba]

Didn't read the whole thread. But I get better mpg driving at 60-65mph then 55mph.