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

I'd like to get some advice, tips and personal experience from those that drive 55mph or slower on the 65mph highways. Here in the Northeast, the interstate highways have a 65mph speed limit. I used to go 65, then got comfortable doing 62, then 60, and now i like to target 58mph max cruising speed.

I know some hypermilers and members here do 55mph, and even far below. I did 55mph behind a truck on the less populated Intestate in NY once, and the mpg gain was fantastic! Please help me and other Americans slow... down...

Draft the truck at the speed he is driving. Around here going 55 on the Interstate is an invitation to road rage. I hop behind a drafting partner or get on the older US routes and go 55 where there is no traffic.

regards
Mech

What can I say? I usually go about 52; if there's a nice tailwind I'll take advantage and go 55-58. I've not had negative consequences. Just do it.

Many years ago I broke my speedy ways by wondering what it would be like to only have a moped or EV that could only go 45... would it drive me nuts? I decided I didn't have to actually have a moped or EV to test that theory; all I had to do was drive/ride at that speed. Voila, the change occurred. I'm much more relaxed while driving and I don't care if there are any cops hiding anywhere anymore. Yes, I could handle having a vehicle that only has 45-55 mph cruise capability.

I drive 55-60 mph on about 50 miles of interstate where the speed limit is 70 mph. I am always the slowest thing on the road. I can't draft semi's because they go too fast for me. I don't remember the last time I had to overtake another car.

My situation now is far different from a few years ago. I had a Honda Del Sol and I drove it 10 mph over the limit everywhere. 80 on the highway. Passing people left and right. I enjoyed the speed. But when I started my job and had to drive 500+ miles a week, while paying student loans, my situation changed. I realized that driving 70 vs 60 only saved me ~10 minutes. The fuel savings are far worth the hassle of leaving home 10 minutes earlier.

I hear comments like "You can't drive that slow here, you will get run off the road". Around Kansas City, MO that is not the case. In the couple years I have been driving slow on the interstate, only one time has anyone honked or directed any kind of negative reaction to me. A trucker didn't like that I made him slow down up a hill, and he gave me a nice honk as he passed me down the other side of the hill. So for me, I take those comments with a grain of salt. Going slow (legally) is not an excuse for someone to have a fit. I don't care who I offend, who I make slow down, or who I "inconvenience" while driving. The fact is, everyone is responsible for themselves out there. If you don't want to be caught up behind me on the freeway, pay better attention and merge sooner before you are trapped. There is no reason that a slow driver would cause problems, unless the other drivers are not paying attention. As drivers we all have an obligation to follow traffic laws and drive responsibly. Going slower than the speed limit doesn't violate those obligations. If other drivers have a problem, they can deal with it on their own. Other peoples' issues are not going to influence how I drive my car.

I drive about 60 on a local 4 lane state road where the posted speed is 65 and most people are driving 70+.
When I get to the interstate i go about 62-63 on the flats and let it run on the hills up to the posted 70 mph speed.
I do see that some people are angry when they get stuck behind me but am happy when I get to the off-ramp stoplight and they are there waiting for me.
The nice thing though is I am not the only one doing it.
The sad thing is that I am constantly being passed by Insights, Echos, Prius, and other "high efficiency" cars.

Went to a Doctors appointment (routine physical) today. At the top of my driveway I was showing 3.6MPG. 3/10 mile at the stop sign at the end of my neighborhood I was at 21.5MPG. 2.5 miles down the road after my left turn I was pushing 50 MPG, from a dead cold start. At 20 miles when I made the u-turn to get to the Doc's I was showing 55.6 MPG indicated. By the time I got home after filling up a Wally World ($3.419 @ gal) I was showing 52 MPG indicated in my AT (6 speed dual clutch) Fiesta. 60% of that was interstate, in the right lane at just under 65 MPH. I coasted down the overpasses and every downhill section where I would not obstruct the flow of traffic.

I might have passed 1 car, had a gal all over my arse on the exit ramp but when I never touched the brakes, her SUV dropped back about 100 yards by the time I got to the merge coasting at the 45 MPH speed limit.

We are talking about an Interstate where at certain points, close to 100,000 cars pass over the same spot on two lanes every day (less than 2 seconds between each vehicle). It's a location thing with a lot of traffic density. Mix in some PTSD GIs coming home from combat zones as well as the rest of the idiots and I just don't see any benefit from becoming the hated rolling roadblock.

I especially don't like someone climbing up my arse on my bike. Generally I will stay off the Interstate, but there are times when it's the best of several choices. Other times you can get stuck and not move 1 mile in an hour. I get off on the frontage road where I64 goes from 4 lanes to 2 which is an almost perpetual 6 mile crawl even without an accident. Today it was a breeze but I have seen it in time to get off on Jefferson Ave and try to hit the light timing to get home through 15 lights in 7 miles.

Its a completely different story when I get outside my metropolitan area (only west), where you won't have any car within a mile of you on a 4 lane divided highway with a speed limit of 60 MPH, which is probably more like the rural areas some here enjoy daily. On I 64 the idiots will speed up to 75-80 to block you from moving to the left to let traffic merge at cloverleafs.

I guess it's just the difference between annoying the idiots or pushing them beyond their breaking point, which in some cases, is a real hair trigger around here, literally.

regards
Mech

You won't be harassed or run off the road as long as you do your slow(er) driving in the rightmost lane. It comes down to having common sense and using common courtesy.

Here is Utah the interstate speed limits are 60, 65, 70, 75 and most roads in the south of the state are 80 MPH.

I have found my mileage drops dramatically over 65 MPH. I usually shoot for 60 MPH, but sometimes this creates a rolling roadblock of sorts, which does not bother me much, but the folks here carry guns.

Maybe we need another president to roll back the nation to 55, as the famous "I am not a crook" POTUS did in the 70's.

I average about the same speed as Frank. There's no point in worrying about what other people think. That's their problem, not yours. When I used to drive 7 mph over the PSL, slow drivers were of no concern, since I passed them so quickly. Now that I'm a slow driver, I'm in my own comfort zone, and out of the dangerous high speed conga line.

I'm much safer in the slow lane than any of those tailgaters kissing each other's butts at 75+ mph are.
Video

When I travel with others, I tend to do 5 over the posted speed limit since the time wasted traveling is compounded by each additional occupant.

When traveling solo, I'll draft a semi. In Oregon, that means doing about 60mph in a 65.

I see no point in traveling slower than the slowest of trucks. It causes more lane changes, more potential for accidents to occur, and drafting a truck at a safe distance can make up for the additional speed penalty.

There's no better way to test it out in your area than to try it once, or twice, or for an entire tank. As long as you keep to the right, don't cut people off when you have to get out of a lane, etc, you'll be fine. I drive 55mph now and if my lane is ending I always wait for those coming up on my left to pass before I get over. I keep an eye on the mirror to keep track of who's around me.

It's really easy; the more visible you make your car, the less people tailgate, but then I'm going to start talking about "urban camouflage". From what I can surmise, people don't want to follow "official" looking vehicles for the same reason they don't want to drive next to cop cars.

http://u1.ipernity.com/34/96/29/2434...dd0.240.jpg?r1
Reflectors par Tyler Linner, on ipernity

Only semis seem to tailgate my dad's F-150, but I still try to drive Bacon where I can.

The only way to do it is to do it and ignore the one-finger insults given to those who aren't speeding. Some people may honk at you because you're obeying the speed limit (And are under it) and they're not, But you're not breaking the speed limit like they might be even if it's not enforced and you'll have more reaction time if there is a problem such as a blowout. And do be prepared in case someone does yell at you over it; Yelling insults back isn't going to put water on that fire.

And do consider my location; I'm in rural Pennsylvania and I have driven on I-80 and Rt. 28 and near Pittsburgh and around town. I've actually never driven out-of-state as the driver as of this post.

I don't like obstructing traffic. I don't count doing the PSL in the rightmost available lane as obstruction, but I try to be reasonable.

Of course, with the horrible aero of the dodgeball victim that I'm driving right now, my speeds are a lot lower than they were in the Bobsled. Tough.

Depends. If I have to go out during rush hour I travel at the speed the other drivers are going in the slow lane. Usually from 60-70 in the slow lane in a 65 psl. The highway is densely packed enough that if I were to drive 50-55 I would be causing an impediment and anyone wanting to travel any faster would have to merge into a lane where the speed is well over 70 without much room for it. I could shrug my shoulders and say it's my right to go slower and too bad for them who did not merge soon enough but that line of thought causes frustration, increased risks by other drivers and makes theirs as well as my drive less pleasant there is enough frustration in this world without me adding to it.

When off peak times I drive at about 55 or slower or faster depending on how I am valuing my time and what else I need to get done that day. When the highway is not packed it is pretty easy for someone to merge and I cause no back up.

shame on you!
 

For imposing you will upon others that way. If you are capable of going the speed limit and take pride in obstructing traffic you are just as bad as the 100 mph driver in congested traffic. And just as dangerous! When I am towing and traffic builds up behind me I pull off temporarily letting it go.
I see no joy in frustrating other drivers or forcing them to do things on the road that causes road rage.
No thanks Ill maintain speed and wave as the normal traffic goes bye every day.

If they can pass it's not really an obstruction.

And if they can't, tough noogie.

I feel like if drivers can't observe whats going on ahead of them and they get "stuck behind you" then its their fault for not being an attentive driver.

+1 to pretty much everybody.

If I can steel my nerves to hold an ironclad 55, I can push my truck to nearly 40mpg. 40! If I could do that with my Honda, God only knows what I could achieve.

The cruise control helps a lot when it comes to resisting peer pressure, but it never gets the kind of mileage I do. I can gain a little by hitting cruise and holding a moderate speed, or gain more by controlling speed myself and planning ahead, but don't enjoy the ride as much.

Slow down, people! If you're running late, whose fault is that? Not mine - so get off my butt!

No one here is driving 55mph out of spite.

What's most dangerous is that many drivers exceed their driving skill and do not give themselves enough time to react. Yes, this can be a problem for those of us who choose to drive at slower, legal speeds, but it is not caused by the slower speeds. It's caused by those who don't know their limits.

And yes, if you are driving below the speed limit and people can't pass you, as in a two lane road or heavy traffic, you should either pull off to let them by, or speed up to the de facto speed limit. Be aware of their driving conditions as they try to pass you.

Fast, inattentive drivers can be a problem. The solution: be courteous, defensive and predictable.

1. Driving below the speed limit is not imposing my will upon others. The idea that drivers need to "go with the flow" IS imposing YOUR will on me. Every driver is obligated to follow traffic laws and drive responsibly. There is nothing wrong with going a slower speed than the limit, especially because it is SAFER and more ECONOMICAL for me and everyone else.

2. Driving slow is not dangerous. The morons that eat, chat on the cell phone, and text are dangerous. People that can't look ahead down the road and anticipate traffic flow are dangerous. Those that follow other cars too closely are dangerous. Going below the speed limit is just about the safest thing you can do on the highway. Accidents and traffic jams are not caused by slow drivers. The accidents are caused by the fast drivers that fail to properly navigate the freeway at the speeds they choose to drive. Next time you believe an accident was caused by the slow guy, make sure and tell the cop that you merged into another car at the last minute and it's not your fault because of the slow guy in front of you. Let me know what he says.

3. Everyone has a right to the road, providing they are following the law. You need to respect someones choice to go 55, just as I need to respect people that feel the need to go the speed limit. There shouldn't be an attitude of spite towards people who chose to drive economically.

"Speed limit" is a limit. Period. Not a speed suggestion nor a minimum. It is the posted maximum limit to be lawful. The careful and safe respectful driving part is up to the individual drivers.
There should never be any peer pressure "to speed up" or worse, to break the law, in doing things as dangerous and complex as driving.

Well it's not that sad in a way since those vehicles are probably still getting great mileage while passing you. The sad thing is when a 1ton chevy big block passes you at 80mph. You know they're getting single digit mpg.

edit: I drive 50-60mph on the freeway unless I have a chance at a nice pulse and glide ;)

Yes.

No.

I somewhat agree with that, Just replace "Can't" with "Don't" and take this in mind; If people choose not to be attentive out of only thinking of their own selves (And their own selves only) instead of others then that's what they choose, And if I were to go and warned someone to not exceed the speed limit and he/she ignored me, Then that's what would've happened and I can't truly say I didn't indirectly warn him/her against a specific accident if he/she got into one.

+1. And need I say that driving has killed more people in a year than airplane crashes? If anyone doesn't believe me, Look it up!

I don't hate the people who did this to me, But I hate that truck drivers tried to play "DUEL" With me; I did succumb to that pressure on at least one occasion before I started hypermiling but that doesn't mean it's right to bully others into doing dangerous things, Go pass me if it's safe!

And I haven't always been the most courteous driver nor the safest driver when I had the choice. So I may have to speed up a bit on occasion, To not be inconsiderate (Though I still feel better going 37ish than 55 on non-highway roads)

Highways are not single-lane roads, You can pass me on them (Traffic permitting) and I might even slow down for you to pass me faster if traffic allows.

Thanks for the advice everyone!

I like the idea of the buddy system when i can find one. Going 58mph, i pass at least 5 people doing 55mph or less in two hours, so there are people who make a conscious to drive slow. For me it's better to drive in front of them and have them be the "blocker" directing traffic around me. Then there's zero anxiety till i get used too it. So far at 58mph, i have a lot more reaction time, i'm more relaxed, and i have time to be aware of my surroundings and plan ahead.

Here's a good thread on why driving aware and slower helps ease congestion. Spoiler alert: It's the speeders and tailgators causing stop and go!
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ves-11992.html

Lets be clear that in practice going 55mph will not cause a traffic jam, unless your driving in an innercity highway during rush hour, or just a really congested city. And often driving slower in those conditions is safer. But i don't want any arguments in this thread, (i can get plenty of them on the open road!). The problems people new to the concept like me face are anxiety, peer pressure, judgement etc.

I've found that seasoned hypermilers have a real Zen mentality and are very courteous waving people around them. It's almost the complete opposite of road rage and something to aspire to. When i first got my Insight i would drive fast cause i didn't want people to think my car was slow and underpowered. Now i drive slow because i choose to and it's OK.

The most frustrating thing about slow drivers is when they ruin opportunity for fuel efficiency. When I'm headed down a mountain pass, I want to allow gravity to pull me down at a rate that approaches, or even slightly exceeds the speed limit. Timid drivers that put their brakes on and drive well below the limit ruin the opportunity to maximize efficiency. I have the same complaint about those that drive curvy roads and are too timid to take the corners at a reasonably quick speed. Why brake hard just to accelerate hard after the corner?

...and that's why I prefer to drive at 2 o'clock in the morning.

Those signs certainly should include a minimum!

Traveling fast during rush hour is not possible in Portland. I've noticed that when I employ the method of allowing a gap to form and canceling out the waves, people behind me tend to adopt the more relaxed method of driving. Perhaps they figure there is no point in tailgating if I'm creating a huge gap ahead of me that anybody could jump into if they wanted. I've found that not all that many people do jump in to fill the gap, and often times they move right back out of the lane in the never-ending quest to find the one that moves the fastest.

In Michigan allot of the signs read:

70mph maximum speed limit
45mph minimum speed limit

edit: I make a concerted effort not to break the minimum speed laws.

My signature sums up this whole thread.

You can cancel out traffic waves by not being a moving roadblock. Sometimes going faster than your optimum speed is best overall.

Best in what way?

Slow freeway traffic is caused by accidents, construction, or idiots. Mostly idiots. Most drivers just press on the gas and hit the brake only when they are going to hit something. For most people it's GO GO GO until they reach the destination. Most drivers don't care about truly "flowing" with traffic or conserving momentum. If they did, traffic jams would probably not exist.

If you want to learn how to drive, watch semi trucks. They hate stopping, they hate slowing down (losing momentum). If you ever get a chance, watch one in bumper to bumper traffic. They take off slowly, giving ample room ahead. They react before they actually need to, maintaining lots of space ahead. They use the engine as a break and control the throttle to avoid the stop and go that most people do in traffic. This is to even out the ripple effect of traffic jams. It is much better to maintain a slow, steady speed, than speed up and then slam on your brakes when traffic jams up again. Semi's do exactly that. If everyone learned to give everyone lots of room on the highway, instead of being as close as possible, you would see a major reduction in traffic on the roadways.

When people drive bumper to bumper without buffering and anticipating the traffic flow, minor slow downs are amplified. I have seen a traffic jam form. It was one guy, who needed to exit. He slams on his brakes in the middle of the freeway trying to merge over. The car behind him (too close) also brakes. This causes a chain reaction because everyone is following too close and needs to hit the brakes. The effect is amplified so that everyone almost comes to a dead stop, even though the road ahead is clear and flowing nicely.

Slow drivers in the right lane won't cause this effect. The idiot in my previous example made an unexpected move. Slow drivers like me go at a constant, predictable speed. Other drivers can easily react to a constant speed. It is the people coming up behind them, not looking ahead, not calculating, not anticipating, and not preparing before they actually reach your car. As I mentioned earlier, they are GO GO GO until you are in their way and then they slam the brakes. If they would leave a buffer zone open they could have gradually decelerated and merged over before reaching the slower car. If they can't merge, they can match the slower speed (gradually, not slamming the brakes) and everyone else behind should follow until they can merge. There is no reason that speed should go well below the slow drivers speed. If it does, it is because of an over reaction or late reaction that causes one car to decelerate rapidly, starting a ripple. Given a large buffer zone the ripple can be minimal with planning and calculating a gradual deceleration or merge.

It's a state law here that slower moving traffic needs to stay in the right lane except to pass. I always follow this rule. Drivers should expect this, and they should anticipate having to pass the slower traffic if they chose to drive near or over the limit. What happens to me on a daily basis is that someone is barreling in the right lane, not paying attention to me ahead. They wait until the last minute and usually they are blocked due to another car in the left passing lane. Then they have to slam on the brakes and wait. It's complete stupidity. And completely avoidable.

I'll stand by my opinion, slow drivers don't cause traffic jams or accidents. It's the faster drivers who are not paying attention to others on the road!

It CAN be. It depends upon the situation.

It CAN be dangerous. It depends upon the situation.

Just don't do it in the left lane, invoking citation of the written law as an invitation to slow traffic by being a wannabe, unofficial, traffic patrol officer. Those who seek to impose their will upon others by deliberately forcing them to drive as slowly as they want to can also be acting as spitefully as those who drive faster than the posted limit.

Those who go looking for trouble by imposing their will upon others through force or imposition often incite trouble, and bring it upon themselves.

Again, observing common sense and common courtesy will keep you out of trouble more than any laws or written rules of the road might.

Depending on the situation... ;)

^This. I always marvel at the morons that come blasting up behind then slam on the brakes and/or whip that steering wheel at the last possible moment to swerve into the passing lane. Hello? You've been behind me for how many miles now? For how many minutes? Did you not notice me getting bigger and bigger in front of you? Did I surprise you? Do you have a brain?

Unfortunately, the morons aren't reading your complaints. :)

As long as there are public highways we will forever be sharing our road space with morons.

That's life.
Get used to it. ;)

Yep, it happens to me all the time. Again, if you want to teach someone how to drive, watch the truckers. I have seen semi drivers merge to the left lane a couple hundred yards behind me, just to get into the passing line. They have calculated that their current speed and distance from me is not going to allow them to merge if they wait any longer (because of faster cars behind them). They hate slowing down and getting blocked in behind a slower car, so they plan the pass well before most other drivers even see me!

And still people don't understand what they are doing. I see people already in the left passing line actually merge back into the right lane because a semi moved over, only to be blocked in by me as they try to pass the semi on the right. I just sit back and chuckle as they have to wait for the entire line of cars to pass on the left before getting over again.

Yeah, the best is when they get momentarily boxed in behind me, when they had eons to prepare and get in the passing lane. :rolleyes:

Exactly. Many times when I've been tempted to write a Letter To The Editor of the local paper about something, I realize that the morons that need to see it probably can't or don't read.

Back during the gas shortages of the 1970's some police forces came up with the brilliant idea of having three police cars drive side by side along a three lane interstate highway at 55 MPH, to impede the flow of traffic and enforce the then national 55 MPH AKA "double nickles" speed limit.

They had to abandon the idea of doing a moving roadblock. Why? Because they discovered that it was causing too many accidents.

The reason the did the "Rolling Roadblocks" was the Federal govt had threatened to withhold their highway maintenance and improvement funds unless they got people to obey the then new 55 MPH national speed limit. I remember especially in Maryland they did them quite a lot. Funny how they had trouble getting the DC crowd to obey their own laws.

regards
Mech

A freind of mine told me that his father was so blind he drove by looking at the taillights of the car in front of him. He could not see the traffic lights. When you understand that circumstance you will also understand why defensive driving is so important.

While 30 years ago I was much less the defensive driver, I still managed to avoid collisions by using extreme situational awareness. Today after driving since 1966 I have refined my situational awareness to include the assumption that many drivers are simply incapable of contemplating the concept of situational awareness or defensive driving. Watching one idiot weaving through bumper to bumper traffic, on the Interstate at 65 MPH, missing a hundred cars by only a couple of feet is one example of supreme stupidity.

Maybe that's why I try to NOT stand out as the exception when on an Interstate, but more likely it's the sum of decades of cumulative memories.

regards
Mech