I often drive 75 on our 65 limit freeways under safe conditions (little traffic, no curves, etc.). I really can’t stand it when a slow driver is in the left lane. It’s OK if you want to drive at or below the limit but the freeway has 4 lanes–move over! Same with merging onto the freeway…merge on at the speed the lane you’re merging into is going; don’t make a whole line of cars slow down for you!
Of course, if things are congested, I always leave adequate space.
And when teaching my kids to drive on the narrow residential streets in our area, I’d say, 'drive slowly enough that if a child came running out between those cars, you could stop in time." Our community is filled with kids, people walking pets, deer, bikers, etc. I’m very cautious in residential neighborhoods.
Warning to anyone driving through Virginia. Above will get you a “reckless driving” citation which is a Class 1 Misdemeanor, on par with DUI plus hefty fines and legal fees and possible jail time. There is a whole money making racket built on this law in some parts of the state.
If someone tailgates me, and I’m going at a reasonable speed, I don’t care. They hit me from behind, they owe me a new car.
The only time I ever got scared was on a state route here. I had a car full of girls going to a dance recital, and a semi was on me. I was going 60 in a 55, which was reasonable for that road. I could see the whites of his eyes the whole way. It wasn’t even safe to pull over, because any decrease in speed would have had him in my lap. That was harrowing, for sure.
If someone is tailing you, or just behind you and wants to go faster, and it is a multi-lane highway, why not just change lanes and let them pass? I don’t get why some drivers want to own a lane.
@privatebanker My Ninja motorcycle was so smooth and fast that it was easy to find myself driving much faster than planned. I did discover one tell, though - around 100 the air would start finding its way in under the helmet and my helmet would feel like it was starting to lift off my head. So when the helmet started to feel weightless, time to consider slowing down…
After riding that for years driving fast in cars has never been that appealing because the cars don’t approach the same level of performance. So it did cure me of dumb driving in sports cars at least. Little surprised I never got a ticket.
My husband likes driving in Europe to get his need for speed fix. Many times well over 100mph. Of course, the roads highways tend to be better built over there.
My recent issue was with tailgaters on a rural two-lane road (one lane in each direction). No shoulder, trees right to the asphalt, dips and twists and turns, very few passing zones. I’d have happily pulled over in a safe spot, but there weren’t many. I was concerned about getting hit if I slowed down with my signal on because the vehicles behind me were so close. Not many connecting streets to turn down, though I did that once to get a pickup off my rear end.
I do understand the concept of going with the flow of traffic on multi-lane roads, though it’s interesting to me that many of those folks seem to hit their brakes when they spot a state trooper lying in wait.
One of my kids slowed down because he was being tailgated. He also pulled as far to the right as possible to allow this person to pass him. The tailgater didn’t notice, hit him and totaled his car.
I typically go with the flow of traffic. I don’t want to be the slowest on the road or the fastest. Driving between Dallas and Houston on Interstate 45 the speed limit is 75 mph for part of the trip. Its not uncommon to be driving 85 mph and that’s with the flow of traffic.
I was also told by a trooper acquaintance that in driving over the limit “8 you’re great, 9 you’re mine”.
I got stopped on I-35 between Austin and Dallas. The young woman police officer told me I was in “Itlee.” I couldn’t figure out what she was saying. Turns out it was Italy, Texas. Even growing up in Austin, I’d never heard of it. I couldn’t figure out why she’d stopped me since other people were going faster (I was in a car with Texas plates). Maybe she was an Aggie and didn’t like the Longhorn insignia?
Does anyone admit to being a tailgater? Although it’s unsafe, I can understand the goal in tailgating a lone slowpoke in the left lane. But what’s the point in it when there are lots of vehicles stacked up in the left lane? Seems as though the tailgating driver won’t be satisfied until everyone is within one car length of the car in front. No matter the speed. I can’t figure out if those drivers are doing it out of habit or if they are out of control aggressive.
I usually feel like 5 or so mph above the limit is OK and I try to keep up with traffic. But I wish it were more clear when it’s OK and when you’ll get a ticket!
I hate when people want to speed in places where it seems unsafe. For example, yesterday I was tailgated in a place where the speed limit goes down to 20 mph on a narrow twisty road where I see deer all the time, as well as frequent bicycle traffic. It’s only a short stretch of road but some people seem infuriated by it.
I have had a few uncomfortable drives lately with tailgaters and speeders in construction zones with flashing, lighted signs telling people of a reduced speed limit (55), increased fines and enforcement, and everyone still going 70 +.
Same thing on a Colorado highway during snow when the speed limit was reduced–just seemed like everyone was saying no, I’m not slowing down!
To me that seems different from clear days with no issues.
I live on a road like that. The speeds are much too high for the road, and I think they’re safely attainable only for people who know the road really well, not for random people using them infrequently. It took me a month of living here before I could go 45 on my road. In your situation, I would have pulled over, too. It’s hard to pass on a road like that, even if you’ve got the dotted line. Just because they were jerks didn’t mean you did something wrong. Their anger was on them.
I’m fine with going 5-10 over the limit on interstates (and/or keeping up with traffic), but I have a big problem with speeding on residential streets. The lower the limit, the bigger the problem I have with it. One part of my commute to/from work goes through a neighborhood with a 25-mph limit (with walkers, runners, school-bus-waiters, etc. ) and it make my blood boil when people blast past me (mind you on a two-lane street). Especially when I’m about to make a left turn! (and yes I’m signalling).
