Drive slow, homie.

I saw a similar post a while back (right after getting a $198 speeding ticket, ouch) and have been trying to slow down. It's harder than I thought it would be, but it seems to be a habit thing - once I break the speed habit and start a slow(er) habit, my guess is it'll be natural.

People don't speed just to save time. It is not uncommon for me to go > 10 mph over the limit because I am having fun doing it. Its almost as if you feel more a part of your car rather than an inverse feeling.

I started to drive slower recently, because I have a longer commute now, and it burns less gas to go the speed limit on the highway. I'm glad I did, too, because now I drive past some pedal-to-the-metal idiot every other day. Apparently there's a speed trap on my commute.

I've also noticed that I'm very often catching up with the impatient cars who had to dart past me, because the traffic up ahead is stopped for a turning car or a red light. It's made me realize that those five car lengths just aren't worth it.

My vehicles are a time warp. I set the clock 10 minutes fast. Even though I know that they are fast, they help me get to where I'm going on time. If I'm there by the time it says I should be there, I'm early. Always better to be early than late.

those bastards at Geo sold themselves to Chevy before i could buy my Metro. so i ended up with the lame "Chevy" Metro... but man did that car get good mileage. only downside was that i had to turn off the AC whenever i would go up a hill.

@logie-al: This goes back to one of the Zen points - if you're there early, you're wasting whatever time it is that you're early.

When you're travelling cross-country, it can make sense to speed. (And it's probably the only time it's safe to exceed a speed limit which was set for any purpose but revenue generation)

Anyplace with stop signs and stop lights though?

@snazz:

They didn't "sell themselves to Chevy," and Geo was never an automaker. Geo was just another GM division, which sold rebadged Suzukis, Isuzus and Toyotas. GM decided to do away with it, and just rebadged the Geo models as Chevys until they were done with them.

@logie-al: I used to do that, then I got used to the clock being fast when I went to work. So I fixed it, so I'd quit being so early everywhere else.

Now they changed my work clock, so it's ten minutes faster. :/

There's a point of diminishing returns on this one. Isn't 56 mph supposed to be the "optimum" speed for best fuel efficiency, hence the EPA choosing to do their MPG ratings at this speed all those years ago?

Slow is for losers.
Winston Churchill once said...
"Yes Madam, you may have driven here slower, but you're ugly. Tomorrow morning you will still be ugly, but I'll be long gone out of here... tish tish" (or something like that)

Pshaw. Driving slow is boring. I drive fast and I enjoy doing it.

I've never driven over the speed limit since I first got my license 3 and a half years ago, and it's great. In city driving, it definitely doesn't matter who goes fastest because of all the lights, and even on the freeway, I'm only losing a few minutes tops (but retaining my sanity). I just hold a constant speed since everyone else is always moving faster, and I can generally maintain that from when I get on to when I get off the freeway, and the drivers who have to pass will pass and then they're gone. It's also a good way to avoid the groups of cars that tend to form on the freeway, so I'm not always in the middle of a bunch of cars. In addition, I get 30-32+ MPG (actual, not estimated) on my 15-year old Escort (with about 50% city driving), so either me driving at the speed limit is helping or it's just one fine car. Or both. :-)

The key is knowing when to speed to pass up a slow person who is impeding the flow of traffic (either because of a child in the car, cell phone yakking, or just plain slow, etc.). This also includes becoming familiar with traffic behavior in your commute.

While driving on roads with active traffic controls (stop signs and such) it doesn't pay to speed. But on long trips on teh Interstate, I can make up a lot of time. When I drive 400+ miles, there can be a very big difference on arrival times depending on my speed. 50MPH would take 8 hours, but 80MPG would only take 5 hours Right? Now if you go too fast and get busted, you lose the benefits. Just keep it reasonable.

I don't know. I normally spend at least half of my commute (in Washington, DC Suburbs, MD). Going about 5-10 mph in traffic. I'm Certainly not speeding then, and it's pretty damn stressful

I've been saying this for years. It's the APPEARANCE and FEELING that you are going faster. You aren't really getting there faster.

IF you have the need for speed, join NASCAR. :P

When I bike to work, cars will do the dumbest things to make sure they get past me at top speed. Then I catch up to them as they speed from red light to red light.

It really is just the illusion of getting there faster.

I've read all over the place that going the speed limit will increase your mileage, I tried it on my commute which is 90% highway, to see how hard it would be and how much benefit it would have to my fuel economy.

I just set the cruise at 65, and loved it. my mpg went from 33-36ish (for all my driving) to 41mpg for the most recent tank. I drive a '99 civic. Pretty good eh?.

I also love driving now, there's always a lane in front of me, no need to stress about cops, or about getting around slow cars. The only downside is the increased obscene gestures I get from fellow highway-ers. Oh well, let them throw a temper tantrum.

From my experience, it's been 'slow' drivers that have impeded the flow of traffic, thus causing more obstructions/accidents. When you're going 55 on the highway & everyone's on your ass trying to get around you, do 'em a favor & go 60, would you?

@bambino: Or, even better, don't drive on the expressway, find one of those old state highways where the speed limit is closer to your liking and the scenery is much nicer.

I'll obey the speed limit when the speed limit starts making sense. 55mph on a 5 lane interstate with light traffic isn't "going with the flow". It's ridiculous.

Do I weave in and out of traffic, constantly changing lanes in a never ending pursuit to get where I'm going before that guy? and that guy? and that guy?

No.

But do I speed?

Almost constantly. And I refuse to admit it's my fault.

"While you think you're saving time by driving faster, it's not a lot of time. And that small amount of time you're saving isn't worth it, considering the other factors on this list. Better yet, start out a few minutes early and you'll arrive at the same time as someone who drove faster but started later, and you'll arrive much happier than that person to boot."

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that some of the people who speed are actually late to something, and every minute saved is a valuable minute, i.e. "worth it." These would be the same people who forgot to "start out a few minutes early."

And I'll reiterate the point already made that going a few MPH faster on long highway trips does, in fact, save time. I generally set my cruise control at 9 MPH over the speed limit.

On a 100-mile trip:
65 MPH = approx. 92 minutes
74 MPH = approx 81 minutes

That 11 minutes I don't have to spend sitting behind soccer moms on their cell phones, and according to my trip computer the gas mileage difference is very slim. It's worth it on long trips, IMHO.

Then again, sometimes I drive fast simply 'cause I like to.

speaking of "excellent spelling" ....
(one the cheap)

You know, if slower traffic would keep to the right and people would only pass on the left our roadways would be a MUCH safer place.

When you see that guy on your ass in the fast lane, and you are doing the speed limit, do everyone a favor - hit your turn signal and move one lane over.

I don't care about saving time or fuel but I do care when a slow driver in a passing lane is blocking the road - It's just plain dangerous.

I can also understand a 55 or 65mph speed limit considering the average level of intelligence of drivers on the road, but my sub 3000lb sports car with HUGE brakes will stop much more quickly than "your" 6000lb SUV on 24 inch, 30+lb wheels with stock brakes.....so you know what? I think I get to drive faster.

How To: Get the Hell Out of My Way When You Drive Slower

put your hazards on, maintain your slow-ass speed & move your car to the side of the road so i can get around you.

thank you.

speeding doesn't save time? ok. sure. your opinion. do me a favor & just pull over, b/c my commute fluctuates between 25 - 50 minutes depending on whether i get in front of the d-bags going 25 in a 45 or behind them.

& it gives me great satisfaction to get there in 25 minutes. we'll call it 'zen & the art of race car driving.'

My 96 Buick Century used to get ~19 miles to the gallon in a combination of highway and street driving. I started accelerating much slower and going 55-60 on the interstate. I am now getting 27 mpg using the same typical routes as before. I'm also much less stressed out in traffic as I'm not constantly jockeying around trying to get ahead. It amuses me when people try to run me off the road just to hurtle as fast as they can into a red light.

The way I look at it, if I just ignore tail gaiters, they're just stressing themselves out while increasing the chances that they're going to crash into my back bumper - very little chance I will be injured and 100% their fault.

If you're going slow, just stay in the right lane and you'll be fine.

@mac-phisto:

"zen & the art of race car driving."

I love it!

I drive from WV to DC several times a month. Half of it is on two lane roads, the other half is interstate. it's a 4 hour drive one way. I speed through the WV part passing people because I can make them go away by moving at a safe speed for me. I rarely see them again once I pass them. Once I hit I-81, I put the cruise on 55 and kick back.

I drive back roads as much as possible in my older vechicles as they dont' go fast.

Cruise control. I used to hate using it, but I got over that. And I love to drive fast.

But I haven't had a ticket in 2+ years (well, a radar detector helps too) and my mileage has definitely improved too. Doing 80 on the interstate does have its charms, but it's a lot more stressful because you have to watch out for the morons sharing the road with you. I do 5-7 over the posted limit, stay in the centre or right lane, and enjoy the scenery and the music. I always get where I'm going on time, and I feel a lot more relaxed at the end of the trip too.

The problem with the roads is that too many people want to drive at 80 who either a) aren't really capable, b) are in an inappropriate vehicle (hello Suburban on 22s) or c) both.

The best large stick I ever saw on a car was on a Geo Tracker and it said:

"It's a Geo thing, even I don't get it."

The first as last time I laughed instead of rolled my eyes at something stuck to a car.

@amyjay: That's priceless.

If only everyone understood that law of the universe. It never ceases to make me laugh when I pull up behind/beside the person that needed to pass me recklessly.

Another problem though, as stated earlier, is people driving too damn slow in the left lane. >:(

Well, the main problem in america is the people DONT know how to drive.

On a multi-lane highway, the center lanes are used for passing. So if your hogging the center lane, people speeding do have a right to flash their light s....and if you dont even check your rear-view mirrors, then they will honk.

For gods sake, if your gonna drive 55, done use the center lane, unless you can do 255.

Also, I wasnt aware that highways have stoplights....

Oh yeah....for those that dont know, if there is a zebra-type crosswalk, then pedestrians have the right of way, always......J-walking rules do not apply.

For example, if it was crowded traffic, and people were not slowing down at this crosswalk, and lets say a pedestrian walked into the moving traffic, then it is always the vehicle/drivers fault, no matter what...

There is no....he jumped into traffic...
You are automatically at fault....

The optimum speed for fuel efficiency depends on the engine, the aerodynamics of the car, the type of tires, and the transmission.

My vehicle is less aerodynamic than a parachute, so anything above 60mph really really really eats into my fuel mileage.

However, a Corvette at 65mph is an extremely efficient vehicle. Almost no air resistance and engine almost at idle.

But then again if you are driving a Corvette 65mph you are 75 years old and probably should not be wasting any more lifetime driving slow...

:)

But I always love when some arsehole comes up right on my tail all fast and pissed off. At teh first chance they floor it and haul around me in a huff. Then a few minutes later I pull up next to them at the light.

I look over and smile.

:)

Unless you are driving 200 miles or more in rural areas, you are better off just taking it easy...

It only took me to 30 years old to figure it out...

@shdwsclan: Re: left lanes

Absolutely. Nothing irritates me more than someone in the left lane who never gets over, even if they are speeding. I have no problem with highway speeding, so long as it's not accompanied with tailgating and recklessness. I was tailgated in a construction zone with heavy rush hour traffic while I was going 10 over the limit recently, and I've never been so angry in the car. I missed my exit due to it and my steadfast refusal to move over for such a dick move on their part.

I've been in the situation of heavy traffic with people in front of me hitting their brakes hard and nearly having a pile up of fender benders too much to tolerate tailgating in rush hour. On my current commute home, there's a construction zone where part of it has two highways joining. Everyday it's slow and comes to a near stop, yet people ride 5 feet from other's bumpers, constantly slamming the brakes and then the gas. I keep a couple car lengths and just let off the gas, and I usually just have to slow down and not stop. Wish more people would adopt a similar strategy, would definitely make merging a lot easier.

I'll second (third?) the notion that driving fast in the city does little good, and can be dangerous given the density of traffic and pedestrians.

There's a street I take often while coming back home from downtown where if you get stopped by one light, you'll be able to hit all the lights just as they turn green if you only go 35-40. Every time though, there's people who just floor it from light to light, and I always end up beating them to the end of the one-way.

@Yozzie: I too do the 5-7 over and many times I go 30+ minutes w/o letting off the cruise. It amazes me that (anecdotally) the cars I see flying past me most often are the ones that are most aerodynamically challenged. I can't imagine Suburbans and Escalades get very good gas mileage at 85 mph.

@mac-phisto:
I couldn't agree more. My philosiphy is that if you are in the left lane, can look out your passenger side window, and NOT see another car, that's the lane you need to be in. No matter if you're doing 55 or 155.

And if you do get into the left lane to pass, do it like you are passing on a two lane road. Speed up, merge safely into the left lane and keep accellerating until you pass and then merge back into the slow lane.

This applies to 4 lane and larger highways as well. If people drove like this the roads would be a lot safer and there'd be fewer cases of road rage.

Where are the police to give you people tickets? If you think you're allowed to speed, then I should be allowed to carry a gun with blank rounds and fire it at you whenever you fly by me at eighty miles per hour.

Get used to the people who are driving slow; they are OBEYING THE LAW!

ThyGuy, people in Washington state that are going the speed limit on a highway are most likely disobeying the law. Washington has a law that if more than 5 cars are following (stuck) behind you then you are legally required to pull over to let them pass and it does not matter if those cars stuck behind you are speeding or not. It's a law that forces people to "go with the flow" which is the safest and quickest method of travel. I speed on the highway, about 10 over the "limit", it makes sense when trying to go in excess of 800 miles a day.

Try driving across the country at 65 mph and then at 85 mph.
For 1000 miles you can cut over 3 and a half hours off your trip, just for 20mph faster.
Just think how much time you would save if you went 40mph faster.

Also, from my college to my house it takes about an hour and half, but I once made the drive on I65 driving between 105 and 120 mph. Believe me, it felt good to cut my travel time almost in half.

Would you rather drive for 1h 30min or for 50min?

For all those who say that you'll always catch up to the speeder, look at it this way - I often speed to hopefully catch the green light, and shave those couple of minutes off my commute. If speeding between all the lights pays off once in a while, yet driving the speed limit NEVER does, then the choice is fairly obvious, assuming you can dodge the fuzz.

I often trade gasoline for time. I am all zen too.

I put about 100-200 miles on my car a day, if I drove at the speed limit constantly, I would end up losing hours upon hours a week. There's a big difference from driving 65mph on a highway and driving 75+. There are no lights so that whole "you'll catch up" theory goes right out the window.

Also, on my local driving, everytime I end up passing someone cause they are going under the speed limit or on the speed limit, I never see them again. The only time they catch back up is when I get stuck behind another ass who doesn't know that you should go AT LEAST the speed limit.

BTW, I don't take stupid risks, if it's dangerous to drive fast, I won't. I also don't go so much faster than the flow of traffic that it creates a problem. I'm not one of those people who ride someone's bumper if they're going slow, I keep my distance and wait for a safe time to pass. The people that irrationally speed or pass dangerously usually end up the ones that get no where.

It seems I'm the only one who has dealt with 85mph bumper to bumper (SoCal). I "speed" to avoid accidents, and don't burn up much gas doing so.

The real gas burner for me is when I'm stuck behind idiots going below the speed limit and clogging traffic. I'm looking at you, OJ!

Uh, whatever, indeed. Driving more slowly certainly has its virtues. So does a diet of bran and unfiltered cranberry juice. I'll continue to drive fast without taking stupid risks, and I'll keep eating fries and ice cream.

On my commute to Chicago from the burbs, I'm mostly highway. The traffic goes from congested to wide open to congested again. I stick in the right lane doing 10 above (55 is the limit, I do 65). I get people tailgating me and flashing my lights. The only times I stray from the right lane is when I'm passing a slower vehicle or when everyone is going before 60.
It's my road as much as your road. I leave 20 min early for work and get in 15 min early to work. Maybe you should try the same instead of beeing a jerk.

When you've spent about $3K on aftermarket kit and your Subaru wagon will hit 140 mph without any trouble, it would be a sin against God to drive the speed limit.

@mac-phisto
I literally laughed out loud at the proposed title for the next article. Classic.

I am the only one who finds it dangerous to drive slow? I got a couple tickets and was trying to drive the speed limit. I would constantly find myself bored and daydreaming off rather than paying attention to the road. When I'm doing 80-90, I'm watching the road very closely, trying to keep track of all the other drivers.. watch for cops. Because of that, I think I'm actually a safer driver going fast.