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Old 08-10-2013, 09:05 PM   #21
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If I go 70 I am the slowest vehicle on the road. Everybody else passes me.
Our company has a mandatory 65 mph speed limit.
If I go 65 I am the slowest vehicle on the road and everybody passes me.
Slower is always safer. You have more time to identify a danger and avoid it by evasive maneuvers or braking..
I tow the trailer at 55 because I get 12 mpg at 55 mpg.
If I go 70 towing I get 7-8.
Don't worry about all those people going 80. They will go around you.
You will find that driving is a lot less stressful when you are the slowest vehicle on the road. You hardly ever have to change lanes or pass anyone.
Slow vehicles do not pose a danger on the highways. It is the speeders that bring the danger. All dangerous or stressfull situations on the road are brought about by people speeding or improper lane usage or not paying attention and crossing over the line.
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Old 08-10-2013, 09:23 PM   #22
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I think 60 will be right for me - I'm very conservative about driving believe me!!

My personal debate was 55 vs 65 - 60 is middle ground so there

I'll be watching mileage to indeed find a sweet spot

Good point switz
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Old 08-10-2013, 11:29 PM   #23
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Towing, we usually go 55-60 mph. The gas milage is so much better than if we go faster. On the Interstate, we just stay in the right lane. On two-lane highways, we stay right when there's a passing lane or occasionally just pull over if we are blocking a line of cars.

There have been a couple of threads about people towing at 70 mph when something went wrong. One bad accident and one near-miss.

Have a safe trip!
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Old 08-10-2013, 11:35 PM   #24
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Do this before you drive with your flashers on:
Parked, with the flashers on, turn on a turn signal and get out and see what you've got.
If the flashers override the turn signals, you are unsafe. This means that with your flashers on when you signal a turn or lane change all the guy behind you will see is an idiot with his flashers on.
I can't tell you how many times I've come upon a slow-moving vehicle with its 4-way flashers going (apparently this makes the driver feel "safe") and as I go to pass, the guy changes lanes thinking he's signaled a lane change (obviously unaware that he has defeated his turn signals). He might just as well have taken a hammer and smashed them out. There is a law against driving a vehicle without operational brake lights and turn signals.
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Old 08-11-2013, 06:14 AM   #25
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I usually try to drive 65-68 on the open highway as that's the sweet spot for my truck between managing my EGTs and maintaining overdrive on the rolling hills. On more congested roads, I'll stick pretty close to the posted limit. On steep inclines, I will use flashers, but do not change lanes with them on. No one should be changing lanes with flashers on regardless of whether they defeat the turn signals or not.

I do believe there is a "too slow" speed on the highway which cause people to pass you aggressively. I believe this can be just as dangerous as driving too fast.

Just drive as cautiously as possible, while not becoming a nuisance, rely on your experience, and just use plain old common sense to adjust your speed accordingly.
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Old 08-11-2013, 06:53 AM   #26
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It is illegal to drive with your 4 ways on in the state of Florida. Period. Jim
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Old 08-11-2013, 07:11 AM   #27
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of course, all y'alls responses are fine and dandy, but you have to remember......he lives in NASCAR country !!!
Every time I've been in the greater Birmingham area, all them there rednecks drive the freeways like they believe they are the next Richard Petty and I-65 is really Talladega.....

Pharm, once you get away from that part of the world.....things will calm down some, then you can run at 60 and it won't seem like you are just standing still.
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Old 08-11-2013, 07:16 AM   #28
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Slower drivers in the right lane are not the problem... slow drivers that refuse to get out of the left lane are.

I am completely baffled by the mentality of people that think they can occupy the left lane for hours on end. I may be old school but I was taught that you move left to pass then back to the right. I have to drive I-95 between Philly, PA and Jacksonville, FL on a regular basis. It is very common to come up on someone riding the left lane at the posted speed limit or even below it, THAT is dangerous, it isn't very long before people start passing on the right and whipping in and out trying to get around the rolling road blocks. Unfortunately it seems to not be an issue to LEO.

I can see using 4-way flashers for a brief period of time if moving well below the posted speed limit while getting up to speed, or on steep grades. I use mine when traffic slows suddenly to warn vehicles behind me that speeds are reducing rapidly, once the vehicles behind me have obviously gotten the message I turn them off.

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Old 08-11-2013, 07:42 AM   #29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PharmGeek View Post
At the drive in
I remember those days ... In South Louisiana. We went when our Grandmother could keep us. Some great memories. Would be nice to have one nearby. I am glad you guys have that opportunity!

Speed.... Ahhhh the invoker of adrenaline...

Stop. Where are we going? To relax! I have found in my brief life of 59years, it is about the journey.

While I have been nuisanced by "slow drivers" when my job required all my driving on 2 lane roads, schedule driven, I realized, I abused my vehicles and peace of mind beyond necessary. This carried on into my personal life for years...

It all hit me one very rainy day... I was stuck behind slowpokes. "They are sure driving carefully." When arriving, a bit late, folks were upset, I said, "I am truly sorry! But, everyone was driving so safely!" They stopped. Then laughed, so I laughed, too. They said, glad you are here "safe".

What I hope I am saying, "life is a journey.." Drive within the your and your equipment envelope.

Upper limit travel is hard in everyone and everything.

On the toll road here there are 85mph speed limits... No way I am pulling our AS that hard. I ride in right lane about 60-65 on great roads. On some I do good to hit 50.

I also watch for chances to move out of way to give folks behind a way around. One way is to slow down as people pass to help them get by.. It's a Texas thing.
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Old 08-11-2013, 08:02 AM   #30
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I'm of the opinion if I'm driving as fast as I feel comfortable and everyone else is flying past me, I'm on the wrong road.

I do feel its common courtesy to stay with the flow of traffic, just because I CAN legally drive 45 in a 70, doesn't mean I should, I'll exit and find a 50 mph 2 lane.

You milage may vary.
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Old 08-11-2013, 08:42 AM   #31
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Lane discipline is non existent in the US. In the UK, where I drive a lot, on the motorways no one squats out in the fast lane. You might move all the way back across the three lanes if there is no traffic while maintaining speed.

The same concept applies on the German autobahns as well. Those two light dots turn into a vehicle quickly when they are running nearly 100 mph faster then your are driving....
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Old 08-11-2013, 09:16 AM   #32
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Here in Alabama we have often the left lane slow pokes - probably the most irritating thing to me.

Slower traffic
Keep right!!

Mostly they are oblivious - I admit to occasionally nonchalantly getting in front of them and slowing to their speed and once they get over (of they do) - I resume usual speed - most times they don't notice
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Old 08-11-2013, 09:49 AM   #33
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I try to stay between 55 and 65. My truck is set to remind me when I go over 65, which I find to be a great assist. Unfortuately not all vehicles travel as fast or as slow as me. For the faster vehichles this is not a problem as they can always pass me on the interstate. I will pass the slower ones and speed up to 70 but only if I consider it safe and then back down to my travelling speed. On single lane roads I will pull to the side if need me to allow otherfaster vehicles to pass.
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Old 08-11-2013, 10:02 AM   #34
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Our self imposed speed limit is 70. Where the speed limit is lower like in California, we aim for the speed limit to five above, except sometimes to pass. We do not have ST tires on the trailer, so their 65 mph max is not a factor. The 65 mph limit on the tires is the reason the trailer is restricted to a 65 mph max.

Yes, traveling significantly below the speed limit on an interstate or other limited access freeway is tempting fate. The ensuing accident may not be your fault, but it is still a big inconvenience.

Ken
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Old 08-11-2013, 10:09 AM   #35
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Generally, my max speed is 65 when required to pass a slow poke who is running less than my standard interstate speed of 62-63 which is the sweet spot for my Ram 2500HD. I've tracked diesel use over 18K of towing and found my average hovers around 13 in the sweet spot and actually drops to +/- 12.5 at 59-60 mph on the flats or running at 65. Cruise control helps tremendously on long straight stretches with a view ahead.

Out West, grades can grind me down to 11.5 mpg so I drop back to 55-58 and manage to sip close to 12 mpg. Of course the really steep and/or windy sections suck fuel with minimal give back once ascended. Alabama piedmont areas should be a fuel treat.
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Old 08-11-2013, 10:13 AM   #36
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Simple answer for me. When towing never over 60 and when not towing seldom over 65. The increase in speed usually does not result in faster travel times. Slow traffic, coffee breaks, food breaks, rest stops all negate driving too fast. Safety and road comfort is priority for me.
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Old 08-11-2013, 10:35 AM   #37
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Pretty much the same thing here. We avoid interstates like the plague whenever we can, in good measure because interstates seem to be the best way to avoid seeing the country.

Lynn

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Simple answer for me. When towing never over 60 and when not towing seldom over 65. The increase in speed usually does not result in faster travel times. Slow traffic, coffee breaks, food breaks, rest stops all negate driving too fast. Safety and road comfort is priority for me.
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Old 08-11-2013, 10:53 AM   #38
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My average interstate trip is about 3500 miles and I do this twice a year. I usually drive 62 MPH which I find minimizes the amount of lane changes I have to do. I get passed a lot but I am feeling safe and usually have plenty of room ahead of me to whoa down.

Some other observations

Cars behind you will pass you not because they want to go fast , but because they can't see around you. I can't count how many times somebody has passed me, only to slow down.

If someone has their cruise control set 1mph (or less) faster than you the last thing they would ever do while passing you is put their foot on the gas to get by. I frequently have to slow down for them so that we do not create the eternal rolling roadblock.

Your signals mean nothing, unless someone was acknowledged them. Never pull to the left lane until you know it is going to be clear. By the way, sometimes the acknowledgement you get is for the guy behind you to see what you are about to do and zip into the left lane to take away that opportunity.

Jf you got in the left lane to overtake slower traffic and now want to go back into the right lane and have signaled your intention, don't count on anyone letting you in if it is crowded. (See observation number one).

Do not drive Washington DC freeways in the rush hour or downtown San Francisco at any time while pulling a trailer.
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Old 08-11-2013, 10:55 AM   #39
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Generally 62 indicated which is an even 60 according to the GPS. I find that more and more 18-wheelers are now running no more than 65 and I actually pass one now and then. That did not always be the case.

I actually speed up on urban freeways to 65 to be more in sync with traffic. I may pull for hours at 60 and then get on MOPAC in Austin and speed up to 65.

With no more St tires to worry about, I am a bit more flexible on speed.
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Old 08-11-2013, 10:55 AM   #40
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I agree, slow down and enjoy the ride. Your on vacation, not a scheduled run!

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Pretty much the same thing here. We avoid interstates like the plague whenever we can, in good measure because interstates seem to be the best way to avoid seeing the country.

Lynn
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