After my friend Lydia tuned in to a Saturday evening TV news discussion about highway speed limits (“Headline Saturday” on WRAL), she left me a phone message that chilled me when I heard it this morning.
I recently had discovered for myself that it isn't safe to drive 55 mph amid all the 70-plus-mph speeders on I-40. So I was alarmed to hear Lydia say she has been driving even more slowly on I-40 -- all in the name of fuel economy.
I’ve been driving 45 mph on the interstate. I only go maybe 10 miles up the interstate -- it is quite dangerous to do that, so you have to pick your time. I’m not out there in rush hour, out there when the crazies are out.
I do get a few that get upset with me. They honk and they show expletives. But nevertheless I get 39 to 40 miles per gallon doing that, and I like that.
Yikes! I called her back and urged her to find a safer route for going 45 mph -- or a safer, higher speed for driving on I-40.
I told Lydia she risks getting a ticket for driving so much slower than the speed limit. But, more important, she risks getting herself and other drivers killed.
Kevin Lacy, the state traffic engineer, explains this risk succinctly: On an interstate highway where the speed limit is 65 or 70 mph and the actual average speed is usually higher, drivers expect other drivers to behave in a certain way and to drive at a certain speed.
They don't expect and they're not prepared to come upon somebody driving much more slowly than everybody else. When you go against their expectations, you're more likely to cause a crash.
Bruce Siceloff reports on traffic and transportation. A News & Observer reporter, editor and blogger since 1976, he took over the
Comments
So what?
Sat, 08/30/2008 - 10:43 — raindogSo you are driving slower tan everyone else and they are passing you? Unless you are incapable of driving in a straight line so that passing you is dangerous,so what? Let them pass you, and get over in the right lane where you belong. You're not going to get them to slow diown and they're obviously not gong to get you to speed up.
what about school buses?
Mon, 08/04/2008 - 14:47 — Anonymous (not verified)Have you ever driven down I-440 and passed a school bus going no more than 45 mph? I believe speed limit governors are added to all school buses to force bus drivers to drive no faster than a certain speed - for child safety. Problem is, all the other cars are either flying by the bus at 20 mph and faster, or all the cars are piled up behind the bus unable to safely pass it. It is a total hazard for school children and other drivers. School bus speed limit devises were required by our government so that government can save us from ourselves!
To go a bit further on this
Mon, 08/04/2008 - 13:23 — Anonymous (not verified)To go a bit further on this topic, drivers who drive at the speed limit or under in the left lane and don't get over to let faster traffic pass. There are signs that read "Slower Traffic Keep Right" - why do alot of drivers not understand this? These drivers just putt putt along in the left hand lane causing congestion behind them and increases the chances for accidents. These drivers also act like you are the problem, not them. It is simple, just merge right to let the faster traffic pass, and if you must get back over in the left hand lane. This takes just a matter of seconds; instead of wasting more time staring back at the driver behind you, who simply wants to go on down the road.