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How speeding can waste a year or so of gas in a morning

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by Chuck., Sep 7, 2010.

  1. eagle33199

    eagle33199 Platinum Member

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    Of course Chuck, it should be noted that whether the guy had been going 60 or 90, hitting a stopped car would have caused a serious, most likely fatal in both cases, accident. That wreck wasn't caused because he was speeding. It was caused because he failed to notice her stopped car in time, and she was partially in the lane (which, depending on location, may have been unavoidable).

    900 feet warning isn't much time. At 60 MPH, that's about 10 seconds. Average human reaction time is somewhere around 2 seconds (thus the 2 second rule when following another car). That leaves 8 seconds... being distracted by changing the radio station, dialing a phone, or talking to a passenger could easily account for that.

    Going 90 mph (severe speeding) reduces that to 7 seconds. Yeah that's less... but still plenty of time for someone paying attention to the road to move over.

    Even going 120 mph (ridiculously fast for anything but an actual raceway) still leaves you with over 5 seconds of warning, more than enough time for a driver to react to.

    This wreck wasn't caused by speeding. It was caused by someone not paying attention to the road while driving.
     
  2. Chuck.

    Chuck. Former Honda Enzyte Driver

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    Agreed on the need for attention while driving.

    One of the precepts of defensive driving is thinking ahead so bad situations can be avoided.

    The six miles of North Central near downtown is sunken - an urban canyon...it's a freeway with too many exits and traffic to be unalert....the part father north is not a place to mentally be on autopilot either.

    I know since I've slowed down I've avoided a number of accidents, including a pile up drivers ignored black ice.
     
  3. Chuck.

    Chuck. Former Honda Enzyte Driver

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    Remember the Hummer greener than Prius "study?"

    That was intellectually dishonest from haters that let the Prius get to them.

    This is a variation of that.


    In response to several online hypermiling articles, I describe myself as being in the rightmost of four lanes, letting others pass, going 50 in a 60, while a few wanting to go at least 75 tailgate me anyway, pre-rush hour....then gearheads troll: "GET out of MY WAY!!!"

    Why is three lanes to the left of me enough for them? Obviously they are no more reasoning than someone stoned drunk.



    I just pointed out at the start of this thread speeding and inattention causes most of the wrecks, etc. - not the hypermilers.

    Speed addicts that blame hypermilers for accidents are not reasoning - they need therapy, - they can't get it on the net, but I'm more than happy to make it obvious they need it. :p
     
  4. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Not just causing accidents, but also blaming a slower driver for causing them to waste more fuel is a sign of a faulty mentality. The vast majority of a driver's attention should be to the road ahead of them, not watching the rearview. What are they doing that makes them exempt from that? I know it is no where in the same league, don't it is the same reasoning process behind a sexy dressed lady deserves to be raped.