Does Anyone Drive the Speed Limit Anymore??

Yes I do the speed limit and if anyone remembers most MIN. Speed is 40 mph on a highway maybe we should drop down to that and really get under their skin....
now as for as the left lane which most call the passing lane anyone can use that they pay road tax when buying tires gas etc... it is just common courtisy to go to the right lane if slower unless marked by a true PASSING lane

 

I've stated this before here on PC: if you drive the speed limit (especially on a highway) in most of northern NJ (more familiar with this area as it encompasses 90% of the total miles I've driven in 30+ years), you will be tailgated, blown by, will be holding up traffic, etc.

Again, I'm not saying this is right, I'm saying it's the way it is around here.

 

How about a box hooked to your GPS that will only let you drive as fast as the specific road limit is? That way you can’t speed ever!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ZenCruiser @ Jun 1 2007, 05:31 PM) [snapback]453545[/snapback]</div>

Amen to that...

I was going 75 the other day in the left lane and keeping pace with traffic. I do not tailgate, and left some space between the car in front of me and myself. This was, apparently, too much wasted space for one Lexus driver who proceeded to zip from behind me, around me, and then cut me off.

After I flipped him the state bird, he slammed on his brakes and almost caused a nice pileup.

I speed like everyone else, I'm just not a jerk about it. There's a difference between responsible speeding and being a moron speeder.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priussoris @ Jun 1 2007, 05:26 PM) [snapback]453544[/snapback]</div>

Take a deep breath and repeat after me, "Drive on the right, pass on the left."

You and drivers like you are the cause of most road rage. Rather than being part of the problem, be part of the solution. If someone comes up behind you, move over. I don't care if you are going 60 MPH or 160 MPH -- move to the right. Illinois and Colorado both have laws on the books that prohibit highway motorists from driving in the left-hand lane unless they are passing. Motorists can be ticketed for obeying the speed limit.

 

:mellow: Recent trip for a grandson's wedding - ~600 miles roundtrip mostly on Texas Interstates and Tollroads.

NO WAY on the Texas Interstates I could drive the speed limit without getting CRUSHED by 18-wheelers, pickup trucks, SUVs, sedans, etc. etc. etc. - even motorcycles. I would have been happier, safer and much more comfortable if I could have driven within 8 MPG OVER the posted limits, but the 'pace' was 10 to 15 MPH over.

 

I have recently become quite fond of driving the speed limit. It is much more relaxing than trying to speed and watch out for cops -- and it doesn't really cost a significant amount of time to get to your destination. The Prius itself is also a much more relaxing car to drive, in general, than my previous car, a manual transmission Subaru WRX. And I'm getting 2.5 times the gas mileage and paying about $.30 less per gallon.

Of course, in Nevada, nobody really understands the speed limit. Many, many people drive dangerously under the speed limit, some drive dangerously over the speed limit (but they often get snagged by highway patrol b/c those guys have nothing better to do than clock speeders), and about 80% of the drivers on the road here DO NOT know how to safely merge onto and off of a freeway. (80% is a very conservative estimate, due to the large population of California drivers we have here too, who often DO know how to merge, therefore bringing down my percentage of people who don't know what they're doing out there.)

 

I do. I can't believe how many speeders there are though. There is a 50mph stretch I take to work, one lane each direction, and so many people whiz by at 70-80mph. I never understand it, maybe they should get up earlier to get to work on time. Or do they just love their jobs so much that they can't wait to get there?

I called 911 on someone driving under the limit yesterday. He was doing 15-20mph in a 45 zone, which was bad enough. But to add to it, he wasn't staying in a lane. He was straddling two lanes and causing a serious hazard. It was an elderly man who probably shouldn't be driving. I don't know if the cops got him or not, but I could really see an accident being caused by him.

It doesn't scare me so much when people are JUST speeding. What really scares me is that they drive 10-20 over the limit, plus eat their breakfast, fiddle with the radio, talk on the cellphone, etc. You may be a great driver, but nobody can do all of those things safely at the same time! Well, except for the French guy from Talladega Nights. And maybe Jack Bauer.

 

it's a rare occasion that i'm not speeding. it's just the way things are around here.

 

What is the common view on the HOV lane? A lot of people in Arizona view the HOV as their own personal speeding lane. I drive at or slightly over the limit in the HOV and routinely get the stink eye. I have an HOV plate and intend to use it.

 

Other than driving too fast for conditions, I think it's the speed differential that's the problem.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swanny1172 @ Jun 1 2007, 04:17 PM) [snapback]453587[/snapback]</div>

I dont think that is correct , a ticket for doing the posted limit, I dont think it would hold up in court.
maybe a trip to Germany would be in order for you and drivers like you to get the speeding out of your system and not cause so many accidents and fatalities The Autobahn is the pinnacle of the German driving experience

your turn now "Take a deep breath and repeat after me" I will learn to drive properly and obey the law

 

When driving on city streets, I remind myself that the posted limit is not only the fastest speed legally permitted, it is also the speed used to synchronize traffic signals. I see vehicles pass me doing 40 or 45 in a 35 zone and think to myself, "I'll see you later, waiting at an intersection for the light to change."

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priussoris @ Jun 1 2007, 04:28 PM) [snapback]453624[/snapback]</div>

You'll get a ticket for obstructing traffic in those jurisdictions, and in many others. Doesn't matter WHAT the limit is- if you're in the left and going significantly slowly than the rest of the traffic, YOU are a hazard.

 

Another thought, How about in a WORK Zone do you still speed past because the jackA$$ in front of you did.

How stupid is that keep up with the flow I know lets all hit a worker and lose our license.. and 10k fine plus a guilty conscenice for manslaughter

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priussoris @ Jun 1 2007, 07:28 PM) [snapback]453624[/snapback]</div>

You are incorrect. The law in Colorado states that the left lane is for passing only. If you are driving in the left lane and are not passing another car, you can be ticketed even if you are doing the speed limit.

Drive right. Pass left. Simple, isn't it?

 

I know the laws were meant for everybody but you or who ever thinks the highway is their own .

I guess that first dig about you saying "drivers like me " struck a nerve and I can almost bettcha I got more miles under the belt unless you too are Professional driver.

do the limit then theres no problem simple isn't it.

I agree the left is generally used for passing I have driven many miles of coast to coast highways as rv driver and professional driver motorcoach. and usually do 5 over the posted gotta keep that CDL

now with the prius I drive the limit or 5 under for mpg.
and I use the left lane as a passing lane but in most states I have never seen a ticket or heard of one given for 5 miles under now if grossly under by 20 plus then it is a hazzard.

as for as CO. goes I don't know the exact law but I will tell you this I have never seen but a handful to pass and then come back to the right lane it is more like ok lets stay here till someone rides my a$$ then either go faster or get over.

oh it must be a perfect world there I guess

 

Nope, I am not a professional driver. I do put about 30,000 miles on average in any given year, and have done so for the past 20 years, so I am not an inexperienced driver myself.

In terms of driver behavior, I stick to my original statement and that is that you should move with the flow of traffic reglardless of the speed limit. Going slower creates a hazard, because it causes other drivers to swerve to get around you. It is surprising how fast you come up on someone doing 55 MPH when the traffic is moving at 75 MPH. That is why slower drivers cause more accidents.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hyo silver @ Jun 1 2007, 07:18 PM) [snapback]453617[/snapback]</div>

No doubt.

As for the left lane, I know in NJ it is definitely a passing lane (i.e., you can ticketed even if you're doing the speed limit if you ride it long enough and they're looking for it), but most highways are too crowded for it not to be as full as the others. I was taught that if the traffic on your right is passing you, you are in the wrong lane. That simple.

 

I try to abide by Road Trip America's Rule # 4 for defensive driving : "Don't Speed".

A defensive driver chooses a speed matching traffic as closely as possible without exceeding speed limits. If traffic is moving at higher speed than you should go, keep to the right and out of the way. This is often a legal requirement as well, if you are traveling at a speed less than the flow of traffic. Also, don't neglect to maintain the correct following distance.

The key here is defensive driving. Watch out for the other guy and don't assume anything.