Fuel Efficiency or Common Courtesy?

I think "impeding traffic" would occur if you were driving way below the speed limit AND there were no alternate lane, i.e., a two-lane highway, or town streets. If there is room to safely pass you (like multi-lane highways, larger city streets, etc.), then you going a little slower than the mob is not impeding traffic.

 

Not on Michigan limited access highways. The speed limits on Michigan highways are 70 mph for autos, 65 mph for trucks, 45 mph minimum. Driving 10 to 15 below the speed limit is legal, even if not the most sensible thing to do. The law in Michigan also says to stay right, except to pass. In practice the left lane is used for high speed cruising.

From a practical standpoint, it comes down to the amount of traffic and the number of open lanes. When all of the lanes are full of traffic, you better pick the one that suites you the best and stay with the speed of that lane. On the other hand, if there is plenty of open space for passing, poking along in the right lane shouldn't cause any problems, as long as you stay within the posted limits.

Tom

 

This is exactly how I feel about it. If there's only one lane going in your direction you should be considerate of other drivers and adhere to the posted speed limit and even pull over when need be (i.e., when there's a conga line of cars forming behind you).

Otherwise, when I'm in the right hand lane, and there's more than one lane to the left, people can either follow me or pass me. I won't P&G during rush hour, but I will if given the opportunity (no on behind me). The only exception I make is on surface streets and approaching a red light from a distance (I'm still (always) in the right hand lane), I'll coast and brake as much as I need to to try and "catch" the light. People can, and do, zoom around me, then cut in front of me, and then have to stop anyway. I don't like it because it reduces my stopping distance and reduces my inertia.

 

Slow drivers are often more dangerous than fast drivers. The important thing is to stay with the flow of the traffic. Good drivers have a sense of the traffic flow.
In this country, the traffic flow is not that fast--you can stay with it and still get good gas mileage. It isn't wise to be overly obsessed with squeezing out every last mpg from your car--at the expense of safety. The same holds for tire pressures beyond the safe limits. Don't compromise safety.

 

Simple only if you like flat tires from debris in the breakdown lane.

... Brad

 

You are wrong, and many have pointed to laws that show this. If you are so sure of yourself, please point to a law that shows, for example, driving 55mph in a 65mph (which btw, I never do) zone is illegal? Please?

Thought so.

... Brad

 

In Florida....

Interstate highways are posted at 70 mph for rural areas, 65 mph in some semi-rural areas, and 55 mph in major cities (For example in Jacksonville, it's 70 mph @ I-295 overpass north to the state line, 65 from the Trout River Bridge to I-295 and 55 from the center of Jacksonville to the Trout River Bridge.) In all cases the minimum speed limit is 45 mph (any slower than that, you'd have more than enough cars trailing you in any of the three lanes.

On state highways, county roads, and city streets there are no minimum limits on most of them (at least in the Jacksonville area, there are not minimums, but there are maximums)

As for southeast Georgia where I travel infrequently, the same applies pretty much where I've driven.

I've passed slow vehicles on the right lane (when I was in my Camry) due to the fact they were driving below the speed limit, but I suspect the police / sheriff's officer / state trooper, would be on the lookout for speeders versus those that are driving below the speed limit. This doesn't mean that they aren't pulling over those that are impeding traffic, I just haven't seen it even when I'm the last car in a 10 car line where the lead vehicle is driving 5 to 10 mph slower than limit.

Now, back to the original poster, I rarely pulse and glide since I'm driving on mostly a 4-lane divided state highway and an interstate highway which never allows for this.

 

Ya know, there's something about this conversation that we all seem to be dancing around. Maybe it's just the how or where of my driver's ed experience. Honestly, there's one phrase that keeps coming up, it's "impeding traffic", but what we all seem to be forgetting is that you can do that at almost any speed. Invariably, it seems that there's always going to be some yahoo back there that wants to go faster than you.

When I learned to drive, we were taught to use our mirrors and keep an eye on what was going on behind us. The idea was that if you had more than five cars stacked up behind you, regardless of your speed, you needed to get over as far to the right as you could. There was no requirement to leave the road, just to drive to the right and provide the opportunity to for people to pass. Whether they do pass or not is up to them; that's a big part of "impeding traffic" or not, e.g., whether or not the traffic can go around you.

However, I never cease to be amazed at how many people seem to forget this basic principle and at the number who can't seem to deal with situations where the only choices are patience and tolerance. I'm thinking specifically of the stretch of US 1 between Florida City and Key Largo (aka around my house as "Terror Alley".) This is basically two-lane, undivided highway, speed limit is 65 (I think it's been at least a couple of years since I've been down there.)

As you enter this stretch of road, there's a sign that displays the number of traffic fatalities in the current year. People just can't seem to get it into their heads that there are passing lanes every few miles along this road and that if they just wait, the slower traffic should pull into those. But no, you actually see people passing by pulling into the on-coming traffic's lane. Similarly, you often see folks driving trucks pulling boats, RVs, or folks who are driving pretty much anything but who don't have lead feet NOT pulling into the passing turnouts.

What gives?

This argument about absolute minimum and maximum speeds is really sort of pointless unless one is set by statute (in which case it's not really negotiable, and yes for whomever asked, at least hear a min speed is usually posted on the freeways.) The point is that any driver can create an unsafe condition at pretty much any speed, if what they're doing is inappropriate for the situation. It's that last bit that's really key, being appropriate for the situation. That's not necessarily a number written in a book or posted on a sign. It is about using the brain that whatever creator you believe in gave you to figure out what's going on and then to behave in a way that both meets your needs and is respectful of the other human beings around you.

Why do we always forget that? This thread started with a question about courtesy, aka another form of respect and fairly rapidly turned into something else entirely, maybe it's time to quit hiding behind the law books and just go back to common sense and first principles. That, after all, is the place that quite a few of our laws come from.

 

In fact, around here the freeways are almost all marked 65 for auto and 55 for trucks and autos with trailers. So when I'm pulling my trailer (which when I DO drive is a somewhat regular occurance) I am required by law to drive slower than the flow of traffic. As are all the big trucks.

Mr. Antlers says it is illegal and unsafe to drive below the "flow of traffic" speed. Yet the law clearly shows otherwise in this case.

But this is all moot, really. The freeways that I'm talking about are three lanes. Nobody is "impeded" by me going 55 in the right lane. Hell, I often pass people at that speed.

 

I find even when I drive the speed limit or even a bit over people still tailgate me. So I say screw em! Have fun laughing as you fill your gas tank and notice the great mileage. Life is too short to worry bout the pissed off mini van driver. you think they would care about you?

 

I spent most of my life in Michigan and Tom is right. On most limited highways the signs say, "Keep Right Except to Pass". In a lot of places you will see sings saying, "Slower Traffic Keep Right".

If you are driving significantly slower than the majority of traffic, and another driver comes up behind you at 70+, it may too late for them to take corrective action before they hit you. At that point it doesn't really matter what the law says and who is at fault. It is a bad day for everyone. I believe that is part of the reason for minimum speed limits on highways.

Most of what I have read here regarding "going with the flow" involves common sense regarding safety. Never a bad thing.

Bob

 

Don't waste your time, most states have now posted legislation on the internet.
Here is where I look for South Australian road laws.
South Australian Legislation

 

When following a Prius utilizing pulse and glide, most standard vehicle respond poorly in terms of gas consumption. In a standard vehicle I try to accelerate downhill to minimize the power required to make it up the next hill, similiar to a semi with a trailer. If I am caught behnd someone generally maintaining minimum speed it greatly reduces my gas mileage and if there are several cars in line (like on a country two way road) the savings to the single prius may well be offset by the increased fuel consumption of standard vehicles caught behind.

Also... A great many vehicle get better economy at higher speeds, depending on hills, body shape, and traffic factors.

There is no one size fits all when it comes to maximizing the efficiency of all vehicles ina line of traffic.

 

Absolutely, it's Delta-V or difference in speed. IMO it is the only reason.

It's also the reason why passing on the right (and weaving aggressively) is usually illegal on the highway. If there are 4 lanes, in theory they could be: 80 MPH, 75, 70, 65. You don't want an impatient 80+ MPH driver weaving into the 70 or 65 lanes.

I had some "driving challenged" person pass someone on the right behind me. I saw in rear view clearly that he was speeding up behind me to cut the other guy off. I pulled to the right to give him more "idiot room" and honked as he cut the other guy.

I think that's only the 2nd time in 29 years and half a mega-mile of driving that I honked at someone who was behind me and about to pass...:fear:

Hmmm, last time was when I was a poor student and driving slow to save on gas...

I've been driving slower (but at the speed limit) for 2 weeks and 1000 miles now. I have yet to see any aggressive action due to my speed; the story above was the only "stupid thing" I've experienced. Yes, some people hit the gas and pass me, but I don't consider that alone aggressive.

 

Same here. Pre-Prius it was 75-80 on the FL Turnpike. Now it's just 70 and cruse control.

A couple of years ago I saw a show, by one of the news stations, about Aggressive Driving. The conclusion was, although not stated, that anytime you pass another car it was an act of aggression. At the time I thought: rubbish! Their definition of aggression was ridiculesly low, IMHO.

Bob

 

I'm wrong? Again... Flag down a traffic enforcement officer (in your state) and ask them if they give out tickets for travelling below the speed limit and impeding the flow of traffic.

 

Unless you're on a one lane road and driving below the speed limit, the drivers behind you have the option to go around you. Keep your pulse and glide on and let them speed past you wasting their gas.

 

My wife thinks raising my voice is an act of aggression.

Some people think gunning your engine, especially with a loud exhaust, is aggression.

Some consider using the horn aggression. Perhaps if it's multiple times, but one "friendly" beep to wakeup some snoozer is not, IMO.

Heck, a slightly wrong accidental "look" will get you punched in some places...



....

 

Fortunately I don't have to drive but a few miles every morning, but I've got 3 major traffic lights to contend with. Since the gas run up I've noticed its taking 2-3 cycles of the light for me to get through the intersections which used to only take one. People are definitely accelerating slower. I'm not sure if any good is coming from it either, as it leaves twice as many cars behind to idle through another light or 2.

 

There is a 2 mile downhill parkway on my way to work. Driving non-peak hours I regularly get more than 99.9mpg. Overall P&G 16 miles to and from work during the summer gets me about 64 mpg largely because of that parkway.

On the contrary, driving on the I-95 corridor I set my car on cruise control choosing courtesy and safety over anything else.