Cagers' refusal to change consumption practices...

jared3377

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Mar 26, 2008
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St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA
I was just thinking about this tonight as I drove my truck to a weekly job 30 miles away and decided save some gas:

In a zone of 65 (double lane, mind you, and in the right lane) I decided to drive at 55 to save some gas. I figured that it was slow enough to save some gas and not too slow that it would be a real danger to other drivers.

Well, there was this shiny black car that came right up my arse and finally passed me when an RV did, but as I saw her she was shaking her head like we were all just stupid. It was at this time I saw the BMW logo on the back of her car. Other drivers passed me, masking discontent, and I thought, "Where's the fire, man...?"

That's just it. Really, where is the fire???
 
I had to drive my Subaru a couple of times this last week. I found that instead of cruising at 55, I felt comfortable going 40 - 45. I think that's due to getting used to the slower speeds when I'm using my bikes. I don't have much traffic to deal with (one or two cars in the 32 mile run), so no problems with other drivers.
 
I'm guilty of that too. I used to be a lead footer. Now on the rare occasions you see me driving I'm hypermiling.
 
Amen, bros. I've learned a little from the hyper-milers, but I think it's also a little bit dangerous, too, unfortunately... Also, Large, I'm not sure we should have to call ourselves "guilty," you know what I mean?

I've heard about a 55 mph limit being imposed on the US lately to save on energy, but I'm sure most are against it... :???:
 
As long as you don't do it in the left lane, then you are ok as far as I'm concerned. For many, the time they say by driving faster is worth the marginal return on driving slower.
 
As long as you don't do it in the left lane, then you are ok as far as I'm concerned. For many, the time they say by driving faster is worth the marginal return on driving slower.


Yeah, I'm one of them. I don't care HOW slow someone wants to drive as long as they aren't stopping people who want to go faster from doing so. In fact, there is a relatively new law in Illinois that makes it ILLEGAL to do so - even if you are going the speed limit in the left lane you can be ticketed for not letting someone pass you. Driving and living the way that you want to is fine, until/unless you want everyone else to live by the same rules that you deem proper. Live and let live, right?

Warner
 
Yeah, I'm one of them. I don't care HOW slow someone wants to drive as long as they aren't stopping people who want to go faster from doing so. In fact, there is a relatively new law in Illinois that makes it ILLEGAL to do so - even if you are going the speed limit in the left lane you can be ticketed for not letting someone pass you. Driving and living the way that you want to is fine, until/unless you want everyone else to live by the same rules that you deem proper. Live and let live, right?

Warner

I think that law is from either 2004 or 2005. It's the Drive Right / Pass Left law. I like it. Funny story, I had to take a road test when I renewed my license back then. It was literally a month after the law was passed. I knew about it. The tester didn't. She had me pull on to a two lane highway, so I immediately moved over to the right. She got mad and told me to stay in the left lane. When I explained the new law to her, she acted like she knew about it, but said it was "okay".

Jared: On most highways, the minimum speed is something like 45 or 50, so driving 55 isn't against the law or anything. But I did just learn in a driver's safety class (got caught at a speed trap. 45mph zone dropped to 30mph with essentially no warning) that driving slower than the prevailing speed of traffic is actually dangerous. It's because all those people behind you, that want to keep up with traffic, become frustrated and anxious to switch lanes. Anytime you've got a lot of people switching lanes, it increases the chances of a collision occurring. All it takes is for one of those people to not check their blindspots, and BAM! Game over.

So while I wholeheartedly agree with you that driving at 55 saves more gas than 65, I don't think it's worth the risk of inadvertently causing a collision, or aggravating others on the road. The amount of gas it saves is pretty marginal anyway, and at 65, you're still getting better mileage than you are in city traffic.
 
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Driving above 60 mph really cuts your mpg esp. in SUV's with their large frontal area.I find it difficult now to go much faster than 45 mph on my motor bike,feels like doing something like 60+.
 
Yeah, I'm one of them. I don't care HOW slow someone wants to drive as long as they aren't stopping people who want to go faster from doing so. In fact, there is a relatively new law in Illinois that makes it ILLEGAL to do so - even if you are going the speed limit in the left lane you can be ticketed for not letting someone pass you. Driving and living the way that you want to is fine, until/unless you want everyone else to live by the same rules that you deem proper. Live and let live, right?

Warner

Hear hear. That would be my attitude I guess. If it isn't hurting me, it ain't non o my business. Might chuckle to myself at your stupidity, :eek: but that's my right. Old timer (older than me even) once said the rights of my knuckles ends where your face starts. Some of them old timers had a way with words.
 
People in this country just seem like they've mostly over scheduled their time and they're always running around with massive stress. Eventually they'll kill themselves from their fast driving or their self induced stress will give them a nice heart attack. Either way s*rew 'em/ As long as they stay the **** away from me.
And yes I wish people would allow others to pass if they're traveling under the speed limit. The problem is that if you're driving the speed limit here you have cars right up your arse because apparently following the traffic laws isn't acceptable to some people.
 
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