Why do Americans drive so fast?

[meisterjohnny]

Oh yea, gotta love American drivers. (although compared to Indian and Chinese drivers, they're like kittens to lions).

Commuting in Irvine California is such a *wonderful* experience. Never fails to crack me up when I am coasting to a red light, and impatient people behind me shoot me dirty looks, floor it, change lanes to WHIZ past me, and sometimes end up behind me because they changed into a longer lane. WOW.

Or speed at 60 toward a 25 turn, brake to 25 and turn, while I coast toward it at 45, enter and exit at 45 as well.

If someone flips the bird I laugh heartily and give him/her a thumbs up.

[gone-ot]

Uh, maybe the question should be rephrased to: Why does everybody else drive so slow (wink,wink)?

[justme1969]

The post is based on very little world knowledge for sure.
We used to bet on taxi cab races when we pulled into port in other countries.
It was just something we did and most scariest trips were in the Med and France "who for the most part are relaxed people" and we were both in the cab so we diddnt coax or bribe them. scariest was in tel aviv I had a death grip in that one thought for sure he was going to smush pedestrians and nobody really acted surprised by his driving.
I can go on and on but to put it simply you must not drive interstate in Canadian Metropolitan areas very much. Ive been all over there too and they have no true respect for foul weather. see I can generalize about yall also!

[Occasionally6]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

Cultural norms are apart of the 3 step process to learning.
1. Ignorance
2. Violent Opposition
3. General acceptance

my general thought is that if they are tailgating on a 4 lane rd they obviously have a very underpowered vehicle incapable of passing me at the current speed so my only choice is to reduce speed until they can pass.

On a 4 lane road there is no (well, much less) social pressure to comply with the norm. If there is an alternative lane, you are not holding anyone up.

[Joggernot]

The western USA is big and open. Going across Texas at 55 is a 2-day trip; at the speed limit it is a 1-day trip. I made the "commute" from Corpus Christi, TX to Carlsbad, NM many times and I went the speed limit with as much safe drafting as possible. The speed limit in TX and AZ is often 80 mph. The travel time at 55 mph vs. 80 mph is considerably different over 600+ miles. Now that I no longer make that commute, I don't go over 55 mph and my mileage is way up.

I did this commute by motorcycle (Yamaha 1100), too. Gpm at 90 mph was 28 mpg; at 55 mph it was 46 mpg. I switched to the car because it got better mpg than the M/C at speed.

Joggernot

[Frank Lee]

Google Maps: 595 miles.
595/55=10.8hrs, or 10hrs 49min.
595/80=7.4hrs, or 7hrs 24min; difference 3hrs 25min if these are the trip average speeds- highly influenced by number and duration of stops.

Both look like one day trips to me.

[justme1969]

Driving directions to Carlsbad, NM
Distance: 607.78 miles— Time: 8:19 h

This one is my monthly trip without being lost in dark country roads w/o GPS part. After 4 hrs every minute counts double lol.
Friends and family think im a free mechanic but as you can tell this trip is far far from free I dont think they really understand the favors Im doing for them.

Driving directions to Cartersville, GA
Distance: 402.57 miles— Time: 6:04 h
And thus the reason Im not rolling less than 70 on the hiway.
Yall can sit in a car for as long as ya want not me!

[Joggernot]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Google Maps: 595 miles.
595/55=10.8hrs, or 10hrs 49min.
595/80=7.4hrs, or 7hrs 24min; difference 3hrs 25min if these are the trip average speeds- highly influenced by number and duration of stops.

Both look like one day trips to me.

I assume you don't stop for gas or food or restroom? I'm somewhat handicapped and sitting hurts after a couple hours, so I have to get out and walk around. That's what I left out of the previous post. I have to stop for gas on the M/C every 120 miles for gas, etc. so it was actually easier on me than the car, but took the full 10 hours, even at speed.

Joggernot

[101Volts]

Originally Posted by justme1969

Driving directions to Carlsbad, NM
Distance: 607.78 miles— Time: 8:19 h

This one is my monthly trip without being lost in dark country roads w/o GPS part. After 4 hrs every minute counts double lol.
Friends and family think im a free mechanic but as you can tell this trip is far far from free I dont think they really understand the favors Im doing for them.

Driving directions to Cartersville, GA
Distance: 402.57 miles— Time: 6:04 h
And thus the reason Im not rolling less than 70 on the hiway.
Yall can sit in a car for as long as ya want not me!

I like having more reaction time in case of emergencies. However, I've only gone on a 250+ mile (One way) trip once (Update, 2013-09-14 - And I was the passenger for that 500+ mile two way trip) so perhaps my opinion would change if I went on such trips more often.

But for now, "Turtle"!

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by Joggernot

I assume you don't stop for gas or food or restroom? I'm somewhat handicapped and sitting hurts after a couple hours, so I have to get out and walk around. That's what I left out of the previous post. I have to stop for gas on the M/C every 120 miles for gas, etc. so it was actually easier on me than the car, but took the full 10 hours, even at speed.

Joggernot

That was just straight math. As noted the stops heavily influence trip times.

How much faster do you have to go to make up for, say, two 45-minute meal breaks?
595/80= 7hrs 24min; -90min= 6hrs 14min; you'd have to go 95.5mph
595/55= 10hrs 49min; -90min= 9hrs 19min; you'd have to go 63.8mph

Also slowing for towns or construction zones or any such thing means you'd have to otherwise go faster to maintain that average.

I usually have food and drink in the car, and when I fill with gas I FILL and then don't gas up again until near empty- except if there's a screaming deal on fuel I can't pass up- so my fuel/potty stops are much fewer and much quicker than that of the average bear's, as evidenced by me seeing certain vehicles pass me multiple times on the same trip. I get there at about the same time as the Speedy Gonzalez' do.