Driving on the highway seems like I'm stressing the car

[ern-diz]

i'm pretty sure, at least in california, that one of the laws IS to keep up with the flow of traffic...posted 65mph signs are for ideal conditions but, if the flow is 80mph, than in order to avoid being an obstruction, u should be going 80mph...on the flip side, if conditions are hard rain and everyone is moving at 50mph, then at that moment, the speed limit is 50mph...i drive an average of 80mph on all highways i use in my area and have been passed by highway patrol many times at those speeds...faster than the flow (and slower than the flow) disrupt the flow and in my humble opinion, is more dangerous than keeping pace...i honestly can't stand it when people feel like they're in their own bubble on the road...i don't agree with getting into wolf packs, proper spacing is crucial but, in my experience driving in your own bubble leads to decision making that can negatively affect the larger body of traffic...we need to be aware of each other, even if that means losing a few mpg, so i myself can totally understand what sniper is saying...need i even mention the 'person going 55 in the carpool' scenario?...we all know what kinds of problems that creates...

as for stress on the yaris, i must admit that i would prefer a bit less sound from the engine at 80mph (which makes the thought of a 6th gear, as mentioned in another thread, a nice idea) but, i understand that these engines are built for high revs so, i know i'm not doing any damage at a sustained 3500 rpm...

[BailOut]

Originally Posted by ern-diz

i'm pretty sure, at least in california, that one of the laws IS to keep up with the flow of traffic

Like most States, California has laws dealing with impeding the flow of traffic. However, it is entirely subjective both from enforcement and conviction standpoints, and the only definitive laws deal with the left-most lane. In other words, doing the speed limit, or even a bit below the speed limit (meaning 55 MPH), in the right-hand lane, is perfectly legal and defensible.

Here's an article from the California Chronicle that explains it all:

http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/view/105497