The big speeding debate

[hedgee]

Okay, so I'm opening a can of worms here, but what the hell, this journal needs a bit of excitement.

I've been reading the thread on speed radar detectors, and there's a debate going on about whether speeders are killers, or simply cash generators. Definite food for thought.

I dare say that slow drivers cause as many hazards than speeders. I'm

Comments

[angelofstrange]

:laughs: i've done 120 before...and that is in mph :p but here if the speed limit is 55 and there's no one there, i can be found going 70, if there are other cars, i normally go about 5 to 10 over and i don't hesitate to pass if there is the chance. i have this paranoia i think of having cars directly in front of me...so i make it to where i can keep up speed, but have a nice coushin in front of me. but on long trips where i am doing 100 or so and people are speeding up behind me, i get in the right lane so they can pass, it's only the nice thing to do, but when people get in front of me and then SLOW DOWN is what pisses me off the most, you couldn't wait until i passed you? since there are no cars behind me and you could go as slow as you damn well please. another thing about driving long distances, i have cruise control on my little car, so when i set it at whatever speed i do, i don't like having to reset it over and over and over, so if you get infront of me and are going slower than my cruise control there's a good chance i

Join the cruise control club

[hedgee]

I have cruise control on the car I drive too, and I don't enjoy having to reset it either!

On a kind day, I set my speed at between 104 and 108 on my cruise control, and I usually don't have to slow down for others too much. On my snarky days, I usually peg it at 110 or more. (I hesitate to go more, though, because it's a matter of personal pride that I've never been busted for speeding. I have been busted for other things, however.)

Some pricks get on the motorway and decide to go straight to the right-hand lane, even though they haven't picked up enough speed for it yet. When I spot such things, I immediately think of ways to flick over to the second-right lane so I can overtake them straight away. On a good day. On a bad day, bird-flipping accompanies. :-P

Re: Join the cruise control club

[angelofstrange]

:laughs: i'm one of those people but i CAN pick up that kinda speed very quickly, i'm lucky nissan makes awesome engines...i can over take a V6 pretty quickly even though i only have a 4-cylinder. i've never been pulled over period (knock on wood), but i'm also pretty aware of my suroudings that i can see a cop coming up and slow down to the speed limit, but here they legally can't give you a ticket unless you're going 10 or more over, so i normally go 5 over...but there are some asses that will write you a ticket for going two or three over...aerseholes ;)

[cathi_eirye]

Um, yes and no because I work for a government agency that deals with plane, train, automobile and ship wrecks and it isn't pleasant at all. 90% easily is human error. Me, I drive over the limit too most days but I never ever tailgate. Why? You have absolutely no idea what the person in front of you (a) is driving, (b) has been smoking, drinking or popping lately, (c) isn't crazy, (d) sees an imaginary squirrel and slams on the brakes. Tailgating in this instance means that the tailgater is a very pretty splotch of a hood ornament ON THE OTHER GUY'S CAR. You also have to be careful of slowpokes - they are doing it because they are uncertain of something - far better to just pass them safely and go on your way. (that and the fact that anger breeds anger and 15 years of Toronto driving taught me that nobody wants that kind of road atmosphere, you really don't).

Just a thought.

Cathi

Not really a fan of tailgating either

[hedgee]

I actually don't like to tailgate. I think the main reason, quite apart from the safety factor (we have this campaign here about the two-second rule, and most of the time I'm very diligent about following this), is that tailgating means you have to brake a lot and that's very wasteful.

The main reason I occasionally stick close to someone's tail is because I don't want to brake so hard, hoping that I'll get to move to another lane soon enough and be able to maintain most of my speed when I do. Again, less use of the accelerator that way.

It's true, I can be fairly short with other drivers, but there's no hard feeling at the end of it, I mean, out of sight, out of mind. :-)

I agree, I pass the first safe moment I can. I get far less pissed-off that way, if only because I get to fuel up less often. :-P

[mazool]

Why drive... when you can walk down the main highway playing a guitar and singing loudly and boistrosly (sp?) to the pleasant grass, trees, birds and sky.

Life is to be enjoyed slowly,