Driving speed, yours

[BadPigg]

I have a question for anyone interested.

If you could , would you make everyone drive "your " speed? That is if you were that all-powerful or had the authority.

I'm just being curious as to why some people drive the way they do.

[sarges46]

I would prefer a nice sedate speed of no more than 65 on the highway. I will keep up with the pack if neccessary though and in some cases you have to in order not to get run over by big rigs and such.

 

For me its supposed to be about the journey and not how fast you can get to the end.

[BadPigg]

...well let me clarify that question a bit. And ya, I do have bias to a particular answer.

Really what I dont understand is why some drivers seem to have control over traffic like on secondary 2 lane roads or even two "controllers" on an interstate. I cant help but think that a few of them get some sick satisfaction for regulating the law or forcing people to drive at their speed.

I am a commuter and see this happen too often. I feel that it safer to go with the flow at a safe distance rather than be an obsticle.

[sarges46]

In group rides we often hold up traffic. Now we do have the right to the road...but good sense says that we should move over before some cager back there decides to attempt a group pass and then things can get ugly fast.

 

I know what you mean about the "blue hairs" that poke along and wont get out of the way.

 

Holding up traffic on purpose is asking for trouble and serious cases of road rage have probably occured because of that behaviour!

[Ferrantelli]

I do not believe that speed is the main problem, although it increases the adds and injuries. Improper training is a greater danger. My daughter just got her drivers license, the instructor taught her how to pass the road test not how to have total control of the vehicle. But instead of me going out and buying her a car I am enrolling her in defensive driving course at a closed race track. So she car learn to operate a motor vehicle correctly.

[Sailor]

Studies have shown that it is not speed that causes accidents but relative speed. When speed limits are removed most people are comfortable driving somewhat higher than the current speed limits. The problem is when people drive much faster or much slower than than the norm. Their speed relative to the majority is what causes accidents.

I am comfortable driving fast enough to stay awake and slow enough not to scare myself. Too fast is exciting but not enjoyable, too slow is coma inducing which is dangerous.

[hig4s]

I just wish people would pick a speed and stick with it!! At least on the freeway..

I constantly see people here in newer, nice cars, ones I know have cruise control, going down the freeway, with no one holding them up, speeding up and slowing down. I will set my cruise and come up on someone going slower, pull over to pass, and they speed up so I'm sitting out in the left and have to either speed up or slow down to get back over.

If I slow down and pull back in behind them, they will slow down, and it starts all over again.

Or I will be cruising in the middle lane of three, going a little faster than the people in the right and some one will pass me, pull over to the middle lane, then slow down so I have to kick off my cruise even when there is no one in front of them.

 

If people would stay at a constant speed (unless of course traffic gets too heavy) and keep out of the left lane except to pass, things would flow much smoother.

[dynodon]

I prefer to find a spot for myself and leave everyone else alone. It IS safer if everyone is going about the same speed though.

 

Best behaved drivers I have seen was several years ago (it could be different now) in Toronto Canada. They seemed to understand the proper use of the fast and slow lanes and traffic pretty much moved like it was designed. Then it started raining and like magic everyone slowed down! I discovered they had a "rain" speed limit, and darned if they didn't obey it!

 

I can't understand those that block the left lane (LLB"S) or those that insist on pacing beside another car, no matter the speed. When that happens, I try to take an exit, take a break and get to heck away from them.

[bongobobny]

Absolutely not!!! There ae a lot of drivers out there that are dangerous at 3 mph much less high speeds. Of course, I would never break the speed limit

[BadPigg]

In group rides we often hold up traffic. Now we do have the right to the road...but good sense says that we should move over before some cager back there decides to attempt a group pass and then things can get ugly fast.

 

I know what you mean about the "blue hairs" that poke along and wont get out of the way.

 

Holding up traffic on purpose is asking for trouble and serious cases of road rage have probably occured because of that behaviour!

 

I know what you mean about group riding in heavy traffic. I'm the road captain and with the tail gunner we should be able to hold our own in traffic. But when on a ride to Longmont CO a couple of years agowith a small group, we entered on to Denver Rush hour traffic heading south. Before we got on the interstate I tried to encourage the group to merge as though we were 1 block. I said we needed to "get up to speed" on the on ramp so we could tie into the fast traffic which was doing around 75-80. But some of the riders absolutely refused to go faster than their "norm "which was well under the current flow.Well as you can expect we got scattered over a mile and half. The CO. drivers I've found are pretty good at letting merging traffic in so there was no problem other than spooking the slow riders. But used to live In Vegas for 10 years (not with bike)and I've seen some nasty turf wars over personal driving space which led to nasty accidents. I would never think of taking an inexperienced group into that traffic.

Lesson learned.

[MikeM8560]

(LLB"S) or those that insist on pacing beside another car, no matter the speed. .

that just kills me too i get that alot on 41 around here.

[Snarley Bill]

i follow the speed limit. speeders don't bother me as long as they don't invade my space. can't stand tailgators and people who run red lights. these two things are an obsession with me. i can't think of anything that gets to me more than those two things. when it comes to tailgating and running red lights i am the ultimate road rager. not even going to say what i would do if i would'nt go to jail for it.

[ahoutzer]

No one has a right to ask me to violate the law. Speed limits can be frustratingly slow, and I often disagree with them -- I want to go faster, but they are the law. I won't break the law for another person who has made his/her own choice to break the law.

 

Running red lights? I don't see that around here, but I read about it. This is the same as standing in an intersection blindfolded and randomly firing an automatic weapon. No one should be ticketed for running a red light. They should be locked up for the public safety, immediately. How could anyone dream up an excuse for ever doing this?

[Rich99]

Not that I want to be, but I'll just bring up the thing I've been saying all along, and this is the main reason that they started putting out metering lights to get on the freeway, sooooo; 80% of the people that drive, don't know how! As far as 8 lane freeways, (4 lanes each way), if everybody were to use the lanes like they were suppose to, I think commute traffic would improve itself at least 20 to 30%. So I'll bring it to a close right now by saying, after being a truck driver for the better part of 43 years, I've gotten use to driving in the slow lane, and it's safer there anyway, you only have to watch out for traffic on your left. Yes you have to watch for traffic coming on and off the freeway, but I'm just talking about in general going down the road. I'll have to admit though that when the company I drive for gives me a 1 or 2 o'clock start in the morning, I LOVE IT, because nobody else is on the road. :rotf:

[Snarley Bill]

No one has a right to ask me to violate the law. Speed limits can be frustratingly slow, and I often disagree with them -- I want to go faster, but they are the law. I won't break the law for another person who has made his/her own choice to break the law.

 

Running red lights? I don't see that around here, but I read about it. This is the same as standing in an intersection blindfolded and randomly firing an automatic weapon. No one should be ticketed for running a red light. They should be locked up for the public safety, immediately. How could anyone dream up an excuse for ever doing this?

running red lights is rampant around here. many people killed in my area do to people running red lights. ive seen people hit passing gear and run a red light many times. it's funny when the lights are not working do to a storm and no electric, people stop like clockwork. go figure.

[hipshot]

running red lights is rampant around here. many people killed in my area do to people running red lights. ive seen people hit passing gear and run a red light many times. it's funny when the lights are not working do to a storm and no electric, people stop like clockwork. go figure.

 

you can't fool me any longer, bill.

your profile says "MISSOURI, but i now know, that you live in Victoria , Texas!!!!!!

i swear, a red light , down here, means little more, than "watch out",or "don't slow down"!!!

just jt

[wild hair 39]

i'm a traffic flow rider,and a line rider,like to see whats ahead me,try not to stop in the middle of lane at traffic lites,and never behind a truck driver,that can't see me,group rides [two or more]thru town,cities,try to make a meeting place,on the other side,then everone,can do the traffic as the please,don't like tailgaters,will move over,to let them pass,even on two lane roads,love modulating head lites,have had more veh move over to let me pass,try to ride agressively,but not stupid,there is only a few interstates i don't like,i 25 so of denver,is a race way,75 mph with a 100 mph flow,i would reather ride i 70 east of st louis than i 25

 

i learned to drive a 2 1/2 ton truck with vaccuum brakes,now they had stopping power,WRIGHT

now thats my story and i'm sticking to it:grandma:

[Snarley Bill]

you can't fool me any longer, bill.

your profile says "MISSOURI, but i now know, that you live in Victoria , Texas!!!!!!

i swear, a red light , down here, means little more, than "watch out",or "don't slow down"!!!

just jt

just got back from my morning coffee and was at a major intersection.my light turns green and some clown drives right through the red light and almost nailed the guy in the opposing lane. i don't think he even new he was going through an intersection. wish there would have been a camera. they could have mailed him the photos with a big fine.i won't even take off on a green light anymore it's to dangerous.

[WilCruise]

If I could just have heavy weapons mounted on the front and rear of my vehicle and the authority to use them at will to do away with idiot drivers, that'd be fine. Everyone cold go whatever speed they liked then

[SilvrT]

When I'm on a 2 lane highway, and find I am following one or more vehicles, I almost always pass because I'd rather drive at my own pace than be constantly adjusting to the pace of those in front of me.

 

Our freeways around here are mostly 4 lane (not 6 or 8)... There are many signs that say "slower traffic keep right" ... I almost always ride in the left lane but what's crazy about many of them in the left lane is that they seem to think the right lane is for going the speed limit and the left lane is not restricted... DUH!