Why is the speed limit 55 on I-81? (law, dangerous)

[Trucker7]

Originally Posted by Pretzelogik

SAMMY HAGAR - I can't driveAutobahns forever!

Classic!!!

Check what happens when everyone drives at 55. Some college kids decided to do 55 simultaneously on all 4 lanes of a Georgia Interstate. Skip to 2:00 to see what happened.


YouTube - ‪55: A Meditation on the Speed Limit‬‎

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

I can't speak on all of those regulations, but so far I've had one speeding ticket here (68 in a 55), and the fine was about $150. Not exactly a small chunk of change, but it wasn't life-altering for me. I just wish the cop hadn't been so rude. Yes, I was in the wrong. Yes, I should have known better. Even so if I'm polite to you why be so nasty towards me? I know they don't allow radar detectors.

ResonRunner86,
I’m sorry if it appeared I was “nasty”. I did not mean to be. This is a discussion on speed limits and law enforcement. Yes; we need all points of view.
I used to spend many hours driving the 324 miles of Route 81. I ran to Nashville out of Carlisle PA. I always liked driving 81. However; you had to watch your step - your State Police would go out in force. I remember one trip that I think they had radar every mile of the 324 miles - I think they gave dog catchers radar guns. They hammered trucker if they went to the bathroom on the side of the road. They also hate hitchhikers and broken down vehicles. They did mellow out in the last ten years.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by FlyerNation

I don't drive an SUV. And I don't care who the President is, fuel prices are out of whack. The fact of the matter is you get better fuel economy at 55-60 MPH versus 70+, so let off the accelerator.

Complicated question especially in this area, my understanding is your assessment would only be correct on flat ground. As you go faster the wind resistance increases which is primary factor.

As far as this area goes you could easily exceed the speed limit going down a lot a of hills especially in larger truck without even touching the gas. When you're on the flats approaching a hill accelerating before the hill will save you gas. There is a lot of variables.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by JamMan

And, if we all kept the posted speed limit and drove with our brains engaged, there would be a lot fewer accidents.

But if you're paying attention to how fast you are driving you aren't watching the road are you?

I don't even look at speedometer when I'm Interstate.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

P.S. I've driven roughly 100,000 miles on two vehicles since turning 16. I'm now 23.

Another 900,000 and you'll catch me.

[fisheye]

thecoalman,
I probably have about two million under my belt. Driving sleeper team (of course only half that mileage counted); we averaged over 5800 miles each week. About one and a half, of my total was driving truck. But that is not anything compared to some drivers that I have know. We had one man at the old “local” Big R that had four million safe driving miles.
That was an interesting video. However; the idea of some little hotshots holding up traffic for their amusement does not sit well with me. There are all kinds on our roads. We have been told not to make eye contact if you can help it. About fifteen years ago I pointed to a restaurant and asked my partner if he had ever eaten there. There was a young man that was merging onto the highway and he thought that I gave him the finger. He pulled in front of our set of doubles and slammed on the brakes. We were overloaded (at that time it was standard CF procedure). We came within inches of wiping him and his family (that was in his car) out! People do stupid things!

[fisheye]

thecoalman,
Sorry, that was Trucker7's video.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by fisheye

thecoalman,
I probably have about two million under my belt. Driving sleeper team (of course only half that mileage counted); we averaged over 5800 miles each week. About one and a half, of my total was driving truck. But that is not anything compared to some drivers that I have know. We had one man at the old “local” Big R that had four million safe driving miles.

My only cross country driving was in a car for pleasure, took 3 trips out west that were probably 20K themselves. You can you really rack them up driving on the Interstate. Most of my miles were from secondary and back country roads, averaged about 200 miles day. I probably have 20K going backwards because of the job. LOL I had to back up really long distances many places. I had a lot of customers north of Wilkes Barre up to the state line but well west of 81. I rarely got on the Interstate. The breaker was just outside of Pittston so I's shoot up 92 along the river to Tunkhannock, take about 45 minutes to get to Rt. 6.

The only accident I recall other than the one I had in a parking lot when I was about 17 happened on the Turnpike. Some nitwit zigzagging through traffic passed me on the right and took up my safety zone, traffic came to complete stop and I hit him. Surprisingly I haven't had more considering all the driving in town but I've avoided plenty of them too. My favorite one was going towards 309 on Blackman St., I was coming down that little hill right before Hazle and the light turned green. Another nitwit driving on Hazle on his cell phone stopped right in the middle of the street, guess he didn't realize how far out in the lane he was. He turns around sees this giant grill coming at him. His eyes got like saucers and there was no way I could stop it before hitting him. Luckily for him there was no one coming in the opposite direction of me and I was able to swerve around him.

[fisheye]

thecoalman, Trucker7,

Take a good look at the interstate in the second video clip Trucker7 posted. During the late 1990’s and early 2000’s Georgia was busy redoing their interstate system. We were twiddling our thumbs and waiting for Santa Clause. If you look good at the video; you will see wide lanes and wide shoulders. Most of their bridges have a 15 to 18 foot clearance. Most of their road work was very proficient and we should have been taking notes.

PA loves to talk about following distance. We never talk about side to side distance. The closer a vehicle is to us; the greater the chance of an accident. I used to love the Cross Bronx Expressway when it was under construction - we were lucky if we had an inch in between mirrors of other passing trucks. We all got a bum rap in 1988 when the feds allowed wider vehicles on our roads. They implied that they would make the lanes wider to accommodate us - they never did.

PS thecoalman,
We would love to take another vacation out west. Perhaps next year.

[sues1]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

There are signs along the PA Turnpike that state "Keep Right Except to Pass." I DO tailgate people who are traveling slower in the left lane than the prevailing speed in the right lane because it is just inconsiderate. Let me get my speeding ticket. I've already had three (two in PA, one in VA). I don't need people playing "vigilante."

Tailgateing is dangerous and the left lane isn't a ticket to got 80 miles an hour, but most people think it is. If the speed limit is 65, then i would think you shouldn't go much faster than that in the left lane, so why do people think they can drive 80 miles an hour in that lane?? They are the people that cause most of the accidents, where do you have to go that is so important you feel the need to tailgate someone?