Speed limits ...

[gasmiser1]

I'd be curious if Gudy or the other two new Leaf drivers experience any road rage against the Leaf.

IMHO-

I think it's time we re-visit changing the speed limit in CA back to 55mph to save fuel and make life less stressful on the roads for up and coming EV drivers. On a typical 30 minute trip, the cost would only be a few minutes more travel time. I notice an increase in road ragers tail gating my Prius even when driving 70mph :twisted: Hopefully, we'll get some courtesy when driving our Leafs :mrgreen:

 

[TomT]

Conversely, I think people who are holding up everyone in the car pool lane by going 10 under the limit should have all their tires shot out. There is absolutely NO reason to be IN the HOV lane if you want to go slower than prevailing traffic in the other lanes...

It's even more ironic when you consider that hybrids get better gas mileage in city driving than they do in highway driving. Thus, purely from an efficiency standpoint, they should never be in the (hopefully) faster moving HOV lanes...

 

[gudy]

I'd be curious if Gudy or the other two new Leaf drivers experience any road rage against the Leaf.

IMHO-

I think it's time we re-visit changing the speed limit in CA back to 55mph to save fuel and make life less stressful on the roads for up and coming EV drivers. On a typical 30 minute trip, the cost would only be a few minutes more travel time. I notice an increase in road ragers tail gating my Prius even when driving 70mph :twisted: Hopefully, we'll get some courtesy when driving our Leafs :mrgreen:

forget it ... yesterday while doing the 75mph range test, I had to get on the left lane at some point, and I got tail gaited really really close by some kind of maniac.
Usually, I would have let him pass, by either accelerating or slowing down to change lanes, but I didn't want to screw up the test, and there was a car right next to me which was going just a few mph slower than me ...

 

[Coffee_Slurry]

I think it's time we re-visit changing the speed limit in CA back to 55mph to save fuel and make life less stressful on the roads for up and coming EV drivers

Hah! I want to find out which politician was finally responsible for ridding our highways of that ludicrous 55mph limit and send him a gift pack. There are huge swaths of highway where 55 made no sense at all, and I don't think you'll find a lot of popular support (outside the insurance/citation profiteers) for bringing it back.

Next up: Get rid of the mandated disparity between truck and car speeds that causes all kinds of snarls in the right lane.

 

[DarkStar]

I'd be curious if Gudy or the other two new Leaf drivers experience any road rage against the Leaf.

We have a local guy that has a converted VW Bug. He commented that he's had a couple of "rage" issues on the road, even though he has no issues keeping up (and passing) traffic.

It will be interesting to see what the "Leaf's Status" becomes in the eyes of others!

 

[garygid]

Driving safely and not being a hazard to other traffic is more important to officers here than just "fast" traffic. Sure, they ticket people going faster than the "pack", but primarily they are trying to prevent accidents and the huge traffic tie-ups that follow.

Generally they have a very difficult job, and put their lives at risk anytime they stop a car. For that reason, they "less frequently" stop cars with heavily tinted windows, it seems.

 

[gasmiser1]

I think it's time we re-visit changing the speed limit in CA back to 55mph to save fuel and make life less stressful on the roads for up and coming EV drivers

Hah! I want to find out which politician was finally responsible for ridding our highways of that ludicrous 55mph limit and send him a gift pack. There are huge swaths of highway where 55 made no sense at all, and I don't think you'll find a lot of popular support (outside the insurance/citation profiteers) for bringing it back.

Next up: Get rid of the mandated disparity between truck and car speeds that causes all kinds of snarls in the right lane.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Personally, politics aside, I found the 55 mph a bit more relaxing to drive, rather than the 65 we currently have as a speed limit.

Let's face it, people are going to drive at least 5-15 over the posted freeway limit (which is really unsafe).

We have cell phones to call ahead if we're going to be late to an event or meeting. So, I don't see the need for speed, except on a raceway or closed track :mrgreen:

 

[TomT]

Agreed! However, there is a sound reason for the truck speed limits being lower: Even at 55, a truck takes more than twice as far to stop as a car going 65.

I want to find out which politician was finally responsible for ridding our highways of that ludicrous 55mph limit and send him a gift pack.

Next up: Get rid of the mandated disparity between truck and car speeds that causes all kinds of snarls in the right lane.

 

[evnow]

We have veered off too much from the topic.

I suggest open a new topic about max/min speeds etc. I'll move bunch of the offtopic posts from here later.

 

[planet4ever]

frequently there will be people in the left lanes traveling at or below the posted speed limit. they are usually...well i will forgo the categorization here as we all have seen what i speak of.

There is a daily column in the San Jose Mercury News called "Mr. Roadshow", written (and written well) by Gary Richards. His wife created a most appropriate term for those people - she calls them "road boulders".

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

1) it is not illegal to travel 55 mph in a 60 mph zone....

2)IT IS ILLEGAL to travel 61 mph in a 60 mph zone

 

[prberg]

1) it is not illegal to travel 55 mph in a 60 mph zone....

2)IT IS ILLEGAL to travel 61 mph in a 60 mph zone

+1

Some people act like you HAVE to drive over the speed limit. You can choose to (and risk getting a ticket), but you can stick to the limit, or even go a little under and it should not be a cause for road rage. People get too angry over someone driving the speed limit. Where's the fire?

 

[TomT]

Actually, it is not, per se, at least in California. There is the posted speed limit and then there is the prima facia speed limit.

For example, if you are in a posted 45mph zone and it is the middle of the night, it is clear, and there is not another car on the road, you can be driving above the posted limit but below the prima facia limit and be perfectly legal. Ask any cop, traffic judge or CHP about this.

Also, again in California, if you are driving the limit in the left lane and there are cars behind you that you are blocking, you WILL get a ticket even though you are doing the posted speed limit. You need to move right.

IT IS ILLEGAL to travel 61 mph in a 60 mph zone

 

[IBELEAF]

1) it is not illegal to travel 55 mph in a 60 mph zone....

2)IT IS ILLEGAL to travel 61 mph in a 60 mph zone

+1

Some people act like you HAVE to drive over the speed limit. You can choose to (and risk getting a ticket), but you can stick to the limit, or even go a little under and it should not be a cause for road rage. People get too angry over someone driving the speed limit. Where's the fire?

You will get a ticket if you go under the speed limit in the left (passing lane), plus you'll get some angry drivers on your tail

 

[cdub]

In LA you seem to get angry drivers behind you if you're not driving 5-10 miles OVER the speed limit.

 

[derkraut]

Mogur said:
Actually, it is not, per se, at least in California. There is the posted speed limit and then there is the prima facia speed limit.

For example, if you are in a posted 45mph zone and it is the middle of the night, it is clear, and there is not another car on the road, you can be driving above the posted limit but below the prima facia limit and be perfectly legal. Ask any cop, traffic judge or CHP about this.

Also, again in California, if you are driving the limit in the left lane and there are cars behind you that you are blocking, you WILL get a ticket even though you are doing the posted speed limit. You need to move right.

Uh Mogur :? ...could you please reference the CA vehicle code paragraph that supports your statement above? I've been driving in CA off & on for over 50yrs; and I've never heard of the "prima Facia" speed limit> :?

 

[DaveEV]

Uh Mogur :? ...could you please reference the CA vehicle code paragraph that supports your statement above? I've been driving in CA off & on for over 50yrs; and I've never heard of the "prima Facia" speed limit> :?

Yeah - I've heard of the argument before - but can't find the laws to back it up.

The only way you can successfully fight a speeding ticket where you are over the speed limit is on a surface road (sign says maximum speed = XX not speed limit = XX) and a traffic survey hasn't been done recently. Otherwise the indicated speed limit already indicates the maximum safe speed in ideal conditions.

http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/speed_limits.htm

From the above site: "You may never legally drive faster than the posted speed limit, even if you think it is safe to do so."

 

[prberg]

1) it is not illegal to travel 55 mph in a 60 mph zone....

2)IT IS ILLEGAL to travel 61 mph in a 60 mph zone

+1

Some people act like you HAVE to drive over the speed limit. You can choose to (and risk getting a ticket), but you can stick to the limit, or even go a little under and it should not be a cause for road rage. People get too angry over someone driving the speed limit. Where's the fire?

You will get a ticket if you go under the speed limit in the left (passing lane), plus you'll get some angry drivers on your tail

I think there are 2 different things we are talking about here (and going off of gudy's original topic). Choosing to drive under the speed limit in general, and choosing to drive under the speed limit in the left lane. I think those two things are very different. I also get very annoyed with drivers who hang out in the left lane and will not move over when someone comes up behind them. (Do they not see me? Do they not know about common rules of the road? Do they just not care?)

I also think that it's perfectly acceptable to drive under the maximum speed limit in the center or right lanes. Do you not agree?

 

[Coffee_Slurry]

Would I be rude to ask that the speed limit debate go make its own thread?

I enthusiastically visit this thread to find out what gudy has "found about the car so far".

It seems there is interest in discussing speed limits, driving behavior, and kids-these-days, but perhaps you could find another room? I'm sure the whole "road boulder" thing has been beat to death in hypermiler forums the world over, so it's likely grist for its own threads here too. Just... over there, please?

 

[IBELEAF]

(Do they not see me? Do they not know about common rules of the road? Do they just not care?)

I am sure they perfectly see you and probably thinking they are better then you to let you pass...