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Sorry, bub, but the fact that one may be permitted to go as fast as 55, does not mean that one is required to go as fast as 55. The attitude that everyone *must* drive *at* the [upper] limit is ignorant. All manner of vehicles (as well as pedestrians) are entitled to use the roadway at whatever speed they are comfortable with (at or under the limit) or at whatever speed their mode of transportation is capable of [that may be less than the limit].
It does not matter if the other person(s) are traveling in a car, a horse and buggy, a bicycle, or walking. If you wish to go faster, you must wait until you come to a place where it is safe to pass and then do so with care and without endangering the person(s) you are passing or traffic traveling in the opposite direction. In many places there are actually markings on the road which indicate where this action is permitted. (In fact, in the case of horses or other animals being ridden or driven, if you fail to pass with care and scare the animal(s) you can be cited for violating the law.)
AFAIK, only limited access interstate highways (which specifically forbid pedestrian, animal, and vehicular traffic where the vehicle is not capable of at least 45mph) have a minimum speed limit, which is typically 45mph. Even if the upper limit on such a highway is 75mph, a vehicle traveling at 45mph is operating within the law and you not only have no right to [attempt] to compel the driver to operate faster by tailgating and horn-blaring etc., but to do so is a violation of the law on your part. You must wait until it is safe to pass and then do so with care.
Your desire to travel at the limit does not compel others to do so, and you have no right to [attempt to] compel them to do so. There are a number of reasons why someone may be traveling at less than the posted [upper] limit, from not feeling comfortable for the conditions to simply enjoying a leisurely drive and they have the right to do so. Deal with it and move on (when it is safe to do so).
Stop reading after the first two sentences. Driving below the speed limit or average speed of a given roadway is dangerous.
Edit: read the rest of post. Who gave you your license? No one has the "right" to drive 40mph on a freeway with a posted speed limit of 70mph. That's a ticketable offense and is dangerous. If you don't feel comfortable, get off the road. We don't need any more idiots on the road endangering lives
Last edited by CrossCountryTrip; 02-03-2013 at 05:43 PM..
...Driving below the speed limit or average speed of a given roadway is dangerous...
Driving over the speed at which you feel you have adequate control of your vehicle is even more dangerous. Driving 50MPH in a 55MPH zone is perfectly acceptable AND safe. I am teaching a new driver and I tell this driver to drive at the speed at which they are comfortable. We are not driving on Interstate highways and we are not driving 15MPH below the speed limit (impeding traffic flow is 15MPH below speed limit).
Learn the "rules-of-the-road" yourself before you criticize how others drive.
Driving over the speed at which you feel you have adequate control of your vehicle is even more dangerous. Driving 50MPH in a 55MPH zone is perfectly acceptable AND safe. I am teaching a new driver and I tell this driver to drive at the speed at which they are comfortable. We are not driving on Interstate highways and we are not driving 15MPH below the speed limit (impeding traffic flow is 15MPH below speed limit).
Learn the "rules-of-the-road" yourself before you criticize how others drive.
Every car is different. I feel comfortable at 80mph in some vehicles and 65mph in others. I dont drive at a speed where I become reckless but I do drive at a speed I feel comfortable at. I rarely look down at my speedometer on the highway. Modern cars are designed and built to be able to achieve much higher speeds in a much safer manner whereas the speed limits currently in place seem rather out dated in certain places. So for those where 55mph is comfortable..stay in the right lane. For those like me where 80mph is comfortable stay in the left lane. I would never get in the right lane and complain how slow everyone is driving because I am in the slow lane.... just as slow drivers in the fast lane should not wonder why they have a line of cars behind them and the finger getting flashed at them by everyone that passes them.. KNow your limits and the correct lane to be in and you should be ok.
Stop reading after the first two sentences. Driving below the speed limit or average speed of a given roadway is dangerous.
Edit: read the rest of post. Who gave you your license? No one has the "right" to drive 40mph on a freeway with a posted speed limit of 70mph. That's a ticketable offense and is dangerous. If you don't feel comfortable, get off the road. We don't need any more idiots on the road endangering lives
Don't waste your time. Plenty of CD Posters think it's okay to drive 40 or less in a 70 mph zone.
^^^And there are even more who think it's perfectly OK to go 90MPH in 55MPH zone. And even worse is they think drivers who are going at speed limit or even 5 above are impeding the flow of traffic!!
Driving over the speed at which you feel you have adequate control of your vehicle is even more dangerous. Driving 50MPH in a 55MPH zone is perfectly acceptable AND safe. I am teaching a new driver and I tell this driver to drive at the speed at which they are comfortable. We are not driving on Interstate highways and we are not driving 15MPH below the speed limit (impeding traffic flow is 15MPH below speed limit).
Learn the "rules-of-the-road" yourself before you criticize how others drive.
I know the rules of the road very well. I'm always 10-15mph over the speed limit. Speed on my bike keeps me safe, better to have 2 wheels moving faster than riding along with 4 wheelers who aren't paying attention. That's the way they teach you in motorcycle safety courses run by the highway patrol. And you know why I've never been in an accident? Because I put 100% focus and attention to the task at hand. When I was being taught how to drive at 16 by a professional instructor they always told me to keep up with traffic regardless of how fast it was going. I'll take speeders vs. distracted drivers anyday. If you want to mug along 5-10mph below the speed limit fine by me... just make sure you only do so when people are allowed to pass.
Totally irrelevant... but the world would be a better place if all vehicles were manual transmission. Maybe that'll get rid of the texters.
^^^And there are even more who think it's perfectly OK to go 90MPH in 55MPH zone. And even worse is they think drivers who are going at speed limit or even 5 above are impeding the flow of traffic!!
One a one way roadway (highway, freeway, interstate) what's wrong with going 90mph? Besides the risk of a ticket... what exactly is wrong with that? Speed is not dangerous. Eyes on the road, two hands on the wheel, and the slightest bit of focus and you'll be okay. Speeding becomes dangerous when combined with reckless activity (texting, weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating).
One a one way roadway (highway, freeway, interstate) what's wrong with going 90mph? Besides the risk of a ticket... what exactly is wrong with that? Speed is not dangerous. Eyes on the road, two hands on the wheel, and the slightest bit of focus and you'll be okay. Speeding becomes dangerous when combined with reckless activity (texting, weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating).
Read this report and you will know what is wrong with speeding.
Sorry, bub, but the fact that one may be permitted to go as fast as 55, does not mean that one is required to go as fast as 55. The attitude that everyone *must* drive *at* the [upper] limit is ignorant. All manner of vehicles (as well as pedestrians) are entitled to use the roadway at whatever speed they are comfortable with (at or under the limit) or at whatever speed their mode of transportation is capable of [that may be less than the limit].
It does not matter if the other person(s) are traveling in a car, a horse and buggy, a bicycle, or walking. If you wish to go faster, you must wait until you come to a place where it is safe to pass and then do so with care and without endangering the person(s) you are passing or traffic traveling in the opposite direction. In many places there are actually markings on the road which indicate where this action is permitted. (In fact, in the case of horses or other animals being ridden or driven, if you fail to pass with care and scare the animal(s) you can be cited for violating the law.)
AFAIK, only limited access interstate highways (which specifically forbid pedestrian, animal, and vehicular traffic where the vehicle is not capable of at least 45mph) have a minimum speed limit, which is typically 45mph. Even if the upper limit on such a highway is 75mph, a vehicle traveling at 45mph is operating within the law and you not only have no right to [attempt] to compel the driver to operate faster by tailgating and horn-blaring etc., but to do so is a violation of the law on your part. You must wait until it is safe to pass and then do so with care.
Your desire to travel at the limit does not compel others to do so, and you have no right to [attempt to] compel them to do so. There are a number of reasons why someone may be traveling at less than the posted [upper] limit, from not feeling comfortable for the conditions to simply enjoying a leisurely drive and they have the right to do so. Deal with it and move on (when it is safe to do so).
Skimmed. That gives zero study to what people are doing while speeding. Like I said, speed is not dangerous. Speed coupled with reckless activity is dangerous.
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