I26 traffic speeds

[Silversides]

A couple weeks ago I had to drive 77 between Charlotte and Columbia. There were more state patrol on that road than I have ever seen anywhere. All unmarked, both directions, all with stopped vehicles.
After Columbia, nothing.

[lizardspock]

Between Columbia and Summerville on 26 there are rarely cops. And if you do see them they are passing you going 85+ mph along with everyone else. Between Summerville and Ashley Phosphate it is 65, and there are some cops patrolling there sometimes. But after that it goes down to 60 and you need to be careful.

[sparklingstars]

Well I just got to read all the posts.
One thing I want to clear: N I don't drive at 68 mph usually in the left lane. I do 73 or 75 usually shifting between the two...sometimes increasing to 76 or 78 if there is not much traffic. Never over 73-75 in the right lane.
My original post was about the speed during heavy traffic. There has been much traffic, heavy mergng of big trucks especially at 169 making it harder on teh right lane and so much traffic that a reasonable speed without being too close to someone was 68. Then someone comes in zooming behind me flashing lights and tailgating and taking over erratically and end up tailgating the next car and bullying their way around to get a few minutes earlier.
The point is when in so much traffic, tailgating or lights flashing distracts attention to wards the vehicle at the back rather than the front where the attention must be!!! Especially if one has to be at 68 or 65 to keep juts about safe distance. Its dangerous. Also the tailgater at the back is not aware of the situation at front, so how can they simply check speed limits and push for speed? There is no place to go!!! I have had situations of being chased around and then having to be very careful to not get too close to the car ahead...
Especially this is so when cars go in pack. So I may behind a wolf-pack of vehicles that brake suddenly...so if I'm being tailgated the person obviously wants to join the wolfpack or does not see it and the erratic braking/slowing entailed.

I don't think being in a left lane implies right of the might and cars going in packs...they come in waves after waves!
Fortunately trafic has reduced lately so its better.I believe people who go too fast are not aware of the fact that at higher speeds the chances for damage in accident can be very high. Maybe there is someone who is unable to see clearly, someone disturbed by a spouse, someone sleepy behind the wheel...one can do defensive driving instead of assuming that everything will have to go perfectly and they must drive at 75 or 80 or even 70 mph if traffic or rain makes it harder.

I see people rushing at 80mph in heavy rain! It seems the idea of sped limit takes precedence over being aware of the conditions.
Vehicles squirt water, slide through in the low visibility, squirting water reduced visibility for others, rods can slip...it more dangerous and people rush though with danger to themselves and others...maybe there is a baby on board for someone. Is it worth it wanting to be fast beyond what the circumstances ask for in such situations?

Also, I don't think one can be legally ticketed for driving at 68mph in conditions of slow and heavy traffic. Also in my understanding a speed limit is the Limit. The minimum and lower limit is 45 and higher limit is 70. It means one must not be below 45 and above 70mph and the actual speed may vary depending upon conditions but these are the limits!
If its an empty stretch, hey maybe a couple of miles above the actual limit may be ignored and OK. and if its country road maybe a few mph below the limit will be OK too. But its not cool to impose 10mph ABOVE the speed limit under conditions that are not conducive.
And mind you not everyone drives huge vehicles with state of the art braking so one can be at 80mph and stop at will. One must have enough distance with the other car such that slowing down without brakes suffices...One must not have to constantly brake. Thats unsafe.
So its important to remember there are other vehicles and older cars and cars that may have some issues...cars are so expensive maybe someone has slower brakes..maybe there are very old trucks, maybe there are old people or people with kids driving, new drivers, drivers who are new in the area and figuring out the right exit...one has to be mindful of so many factors and not just drive with a high speed and expect everything to work out allowing it for them alone.


Also, when someone does not change the lane immediately for a tailgater, its because there is an inherent danger that the tailgater will erratically pver take, get into the right lane and then get in front...a tailgater comes across as hurried and erratice..many who take over do not put on the right and left blinkers and even pass by very close to my car. It would be dangerous to try any other move until they are away; since in case I decided to get out of the lane and they decide to do soin their enraged adrenaline rush, it would be a clash! Sometimes occasionally if the road feels clear I do get into the right line, but usually avoid it if the tailgater is so close to my car that a small slowing down to change lanes may lead to clash@ and also sometimes they speed up even before I have completed the lane change increasing the chances of being able to hit the car.
So I stay put and let the tailgaters pass then find a safe spot to get into the right lane.


Also during exits, there are some steep exits and the recommendend speed limit is 25mpg like near the 78-52...yet there are vehicles tahtw ant to exit and tail me and want to go fast at the urvy stretch above the ground. A bunch of teenagers barely reached the ground then over took me dangerously IN THE SAME LANE when I honked they showed a finger.
There are many who just want to rush in a hurry.

And don't get me strated on entering the highway...there are sometime strucks in the right lane or other cars...some cars pick up speed well others don't ...either ways its not safe to just drive at 60 and just get onto the highway without looking. Often when I am about to enter, there is a speeding car that is so fast they wont be able to slow down or stop based on highway conditions and they often try to take over me on the entry even though they were behind me and now the chances of collision with THEM gets higher. Its normally safer to let the first car get on the highway then get on oneself.
Safety is not such a shameful thing or something to be embarrassed about. Everyday so many accidnets happen. One assumes it just wont happen to us. But some one rushing or distracted on phone or text or gps or fighting with spouse in the car can put others lives in jeopardy.
And yes I get into the left lane near 169 exit where there is a huge influx of vehicles. I don't think I have to be in the right lane if I am driving at 70-73mph. According to the speed limit thats the maximum anyway and those who decided and demand that only they driving wayyy over the speed limit get to be in the left lane are simply not justified. They don't have the right to hoard the left lane and bully others to THEIR rule when the speed limit clearly states 70 is the maximum. If they want to be faster, do so by all means, but I have every right to avoid the constant influx of vehicles on the ramp and stay in the left lane at the legally accepted 70-73 speed limit.

One final note: this applies to even city driving. When I put on a right or a left blinker to get in another lane, the car in that lane either suddenly speeds up to be next to me or wants to pass...they don't allow space to get into the lane...why so? is not not OK to stay safe and to be courteous if somenone wants to get out of the road or get into the next lane...maybe they have an exit coming...cars just don't let up.
Once I had little gas left after long travel and I wanted to fill gas in the busy 52 area...people just don't let me get into the right lane to go get gas! yesterday I had to get out from an 'only left lane' and get into the right lane to go ahead and there were two cars waiting to turn and totally stopped. I tried to get into the right lane for a decent distance before I had to put on the brakes and stay in the left lane...I had enough distance before that but somehow the cars and trucks wont let me in...its obvious that there were cars in full stop in my lane and I was trying hard to get into the right lane. But somehow people don't slow down or go past staying in a weird spot not letting me get in.
I have seen this several times before. Why don't people alllow others to take turns or change the lanes?