Why does everyone in this city drive so slow? (Sheridan: vs, vehicle)

[froggin4colorado]

As the emergency service field likes to say, "Job security...a big thanks to those who insist on speeding, driving recklessly, those who don't wear helmets, etc...". <- you all pay my bills by breaking the rules, THANK YOU! (DH is a ff.)
(That is my sarcasm talking. I prefer safe drivers. However, that is a common phrase that comes out of ems/fire/police but in a nicer way.)

[AUNTIEMinCOLORADO]

When we had a rain storm out here in Peyton a couple of weeks ago, it was coming down so fast that I couldn't see squat. I was on Falcon HWY coming back from the market and it was just sprinkling. I was thinking to myself, what nice weather, I can handle this. Then the sky opened up and it rained GIANT drops of water faster than my high speed wipers could keep up with. It was only a matter of seconds it seemed before the road was so high with water that I couldn't see the divider.
I was driving on a two lane road posted 55 and I was going 40/45. Two cars passed me and they must have been going at least 60. I was kinda feeling embarrassed with my lack of skills compared to theirs.
I have no idea how they could see.
Maybe because one was in a truck and another was in a Jeep. Better vision maybe? Who knows? I'm just glad they were nice enough to pass me without running me off into the ditch. Then again, I might have been driving in the ditch.
One thing is for sure, it's way to unpredictable what is going to come down from the Colorado clouds.

[SouthAfrica75]

Originally Posted by AUNTIEMinCOLORADO

When we had a rain storm out here in Peyton a couple of weeks ago, it was coming down so fast that I couldn't see squat. I was on Falcon HWY coming back from the market and it was just sprinkling. I was thinking to myself, what nice weather, I can handle this. Then the sky opened up and it rained GIANT drops of water faster than my high speed wipers could keep up with. It was only a matter of seconds it seemed before the road was so high with water that I couldn't see the divider.
I was driving on a two lane road posted 55 and I was going 40/45. Two cars passed me and they must have been going at least 60. I was kinda feeling embarrassed with my lack of skills compared to theirs.
I have no idea how they could see.
Maybe because one was in a truck and another was in a Jeep. Better vision maybe? Who knows? I'm just glad they were nice enough to pass me without running me off into the ditch. Then again, I might have been driving in the ditch.
One thing is for sure, it's way to unpredictable what is going to come down from the Colorado clouds.

I live in South Florida and get about 4 months of very heavy thunderstorms probably 3 times a week. Much worse than any rainstorm I've driven through in Colorado and I've been through a few there.

I use Rain-X on all my windows on my car and my wifes car and boy does it help when it rains. Even when I rent a car and I know it's either going to rain or snow I bring along Rain-X wipes.

More than likely thats what these guys had on their windsheild when they passed you up.....

Hate to say it but I do the same..... People slow because they can't see through the sheet of water on the windsheild... but with Rain-X water beads like a little ball

[ryanek9freak]

Originally Posted by SheridanL

" I may be slow but, I'm ahead of you!!"....my favorite bumper sticker!!

To the original poster......maybe, just maybe,....they like their insurance rates...I know I DO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bring it on..........I know I am going to get BLASTED on this one!!Hahahaha!!
Just remember that I am a "former" school bus driver and, follow the law completely!!!!!!!!!!! In case my insurance agent is on this forum!!

Hey you, i'm the OP, and i'll have you know my driving record is spotless. I've never had so much as a parking ticket, and i've been driving for the better part of 15 years now.

I don't speed or drive recklessly. I just always do at least the speed limit, and i'm curteous enough to move the hell over for someone behind me that insists on speeding.

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by ryanek9freak

Hey you, i'm the OP, and i'll have you know my driving record is spotless. I've never had so much as a parking ticket, and i've been driving for the better part of 15 years now.

I don't speed or drive recklessly. I just always do at least the speed limit, and i'm curteous enough to move the hell over for someone behind me that insists on speeding.

That's good for you. A spotless driving record truly is something to be proud of, but if you're habitually speeding (driving over the speed limit is speeding) or just generally impatient on the road, then your clean driving record is likely more a product of luck than of skill. Fifteen years of driving is really not all that long.

[ryanek9freak]

True, but I wouldn't consider myself lucky. I'm just a good driver. I rarely speed, and if I do, it's never more than 5 mph over. I just usually go with the flow of traffic.

Even as a kid, I never felt the need to do reckless things with my car. Maybe because I had to buy my own car, it made me appreciate it more.

[treedonkey]

It sounds like the main complaint in this thread is not so much about speed or speed limits, but just about expressing irritation over drivers that lurk in the left lane for no apparent reason other than to 'teach a lesson' to faster drivers. Which, I agree, is annoying. Especially if you're going at, or just above, the speed limit.

However, to me it seems like the majority of drivers in the Pikes Peak region usually are traveling at reasonable speeds, even though some may be going a little too slow. Still, I'd rather have that than have it how it is in the SF bay area, where you can often be doing 75 mph in a 65 and practically get run off the road by drivers who think you're in their way.

I've been visiting a lot of the other state forums lately and it's funny how just about every one has a thread just like this one, saying... 'Everyone here drives too... (slow) or (fast)'. The use of, 'everyone' or 'always' usually makes just about any complaint erroneous right off the bat. Percentages could be more accurate, but there's no way of truly knowing such percentages.

In general, I've found driving to be a lot less stressful, for me and others, if I'm going at or near the speed limit in the right or center lanes.

[Fullback32]

People here can be aggressive or stressed out or something. Several times I've been flipped off by people because they thought I was yelling at them or something...I was just singing (OK yelling as I listen to heavy metal) along with the radio. And no, they couldn't hear me so it wasn't my singing.

[lizmyer]

I've lived here for about a month, but I come from Iowa, so I can't fairly compare the driving. I can't complain, most people in Iowa (Des Moines) drove just fine. Of course there was the occasional soccer mom who was positive her Tahoe was smaller and shorter than it really was, the little old man/ lady who needed their prescription checked, and the ridiculous high schooler who firmly believes their 1999 forest green Pontiac Grand Am is the fastest car EVER.

But for the most part, we never had the traffic volume that you all do here. I think that is what makes 75% of the problem; you all have so many cars in one place at any given time! That and the lights are ridiculously long. I can honestly say I have never encountered such long traffic lights! (however, I have only driven in a few states, but good Lord they are long!) The other 23% comes from frustration that A.) there are too many cars, and B.) the lights are too long. The other 2% comes from the sheer idiocy that you will find in varying degrees in all parts of the country.
It seems we are a very excitable and impatient people here in the US. If the light is too long, we morph into Indy car racers as soon as the light turns green. If the light turns yellow, all bets are off. People max out the RPMs to make sure they get to go before it turns red. Or worse, "the car in front of me got through the yellow light, so even though it is now red and cars are starting to come at me, I should be able to go too." And if we need to turn right, but the other lanes have a green arrow, we get all bent out of shape and think it should really be our turn. So we turn right, even thought the sign says we shouldn't, and we cut people off, maybe cause a small collision in our hasty wake, not to mention 5 people giving us the finger. All that nonsense to shave 47 seconds off our commute. Doesn't it make more sense to start out early and get there alive?

PS.... Kudos to all you who make it a point to drive safely! It makes everyone else's life easier. (Even though they might not recognize it and flip you off for NOT driving like a lunatic.)

PSS.... Please no one get excited about the percentages I have listed here. They are not listed in any book, just a product of my own imagination and observation. they exist simply to make a point

[McGowdog]

I don't ever recall seeing an issue on the road of just pure "slow" drivers vs "fast" drivers. It's a little more complicated than that.

Here's one of my pet peeves about the slow driver; You're toolin' down the highway in the fast lane as you see that you're about to pass a vehicle in the slow lane. Now the slow lane driver looks up and sees that there's a vehicle ahead that's going even slower. So without regard to his rearview mirror, he proceeds to pull out somewhat in front of you to pass the slowest vehicle, thus getting around it himself while selfishly impeding traffic in the fast lane as well. Solution: plan ahead. The slower driver could have

A) Waited for the fastest driver to pass first, then proceed to pass the slowest driver; everybody happy.

B) Planned a bit ahead and sped up just a bit so as to pass the slowest vehicle AND got back into the slow lane in time to not impede the traffic in the fast lane; everybody happy.

Here's one of my pet peeves about the fast driver: We're all in the fast lane and passing an 18-wheeler while ascending a pretty good sized hill, then this bozo comes by everybody in the slow lane and tries to cut in at the last minute-thus endangering everybody else, impeding traffic, and being a selfish blatter-skite.