KM to the Tank

[voodoo22]

Originally Posted by dybbuk

I'm all for fuel economy. I would question the safety of driving 20-30kph below the posted speed limit let alone the average flow of traffic. If the posted speed limit is 110kph I'm surprised you haven't got a ticket for driving too slow actually. It is great economy though, I top out around 625/ or so. I'm 95% city driving; short trips, usually just to work and home (10km each way) or out to my parents (25km each way).

I never drive more than 20 km/h under the speed limit unless traffic is jammed or something else is causing people to slow down. I try to stay just over 80 km/h, but I will go down to 80 as a basement speed. I always stay in the right lane. There are usually 2 and sometimes 4 or 5 other lanes for people to pass me on when I'm on the 401.

There are no posted speed limits of 110 where I drive. Only 100, and many people don't seem to understand that is the suggested maximum, no the minimum. There are no signs here like I've seen in Quebec where they say 100 maximum 80 minimum. I think those types of signs should be mandatory to help people understand that 100 is supposed to be the maximum.

I've had police drive by me slowly while I'm going 80, but unless I give them reasons to think I'm intoxicated they have no reason to pull me over and I will never get a ticket. I am a courteous, defensive driver who chooses to not drive the posted maximum speed.

From what I've read it's not considered safe to go 25% slower than other traffic. I'm going less than 20% slower and believe it or not I have far less people flashing their brights, cutting me off and gesturing, honking their horn etc when I started driving 80-90 vs any other speed range. 100-110 was the worst for agitating these ragers for some reason. 90-100 wasn't far off.

People who argue I should drive flow of traffic 100% of the time, don't hold water in my book. Why should I engage in a practice which is held by speeders, unsafe drivers and people who care more about being able to leave late and arrive on time than the safety of people around them? Going less than the flow of traffic when needed to increase the gap between me and the vehicle in front of me is the only way I'm able to control my safety while I'm tailgated. I do my best to keep a space between me and the car in front of me to make up for the fact that I'm most likely getting tailgated by someone who will be unable to stop in time if something happens. Knowing the space in front of me will do no good with the tailgater is something happens to my vehicle I vigilantly maintain the Yaris to do my best to prevent a failure of any sort on the highway.

I would have thought my behaviour was surprising a few years ago as well, but you'd probably be surprised at how practicing this behaviour plays out in the real world... in my driving situation anyways.