Move With Flow Of Traffic? Drive Only At The Posted Speed? Drive Only As Fast As Conditions Permit?

General Discussion
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A couple weeks ago on a vacation while sharing Interstate driving responsibilities with my wife and daughter, my daughter and I had a discussion on this topic.

Now I learn that following a 193 vehicle Interstate pile-up in inclement weather, recently in Michigan, shutting down the road and taking 2 days to clear, a rather careful investigation of the collisions was performed. Authorities wanted to learn from this in order not to have a replay.

Police then issued 63 citations for speeding to some of the drivers involved in the pile-up. The speeding tickets were not necessarily for exceeding the speed limit, but for breaking Michigan’s law pertaining to driving too fast for conditions. (Sometimes conditions do not allow travel at speed as high as the posted limit.)

I tell my wife and daughter to always check conditions before and during traveling and if conditions are not good to change plans. I have been known to leave Interstates and drive surface roads that allow for slower speeds until conditions improve (more danger because 2 direction traffic, less danger because slower speeds).

We’ve all been there, caught in fog, driving rain, ice, snow, etcetera. It’s tough because going with the flow keeps people from flying past at a mismatched speed or flying up to your rear-end and locking up the brakes… and going with the flow is too fast.

Let’s hear some tips and advice. What should one do when traveling in less than ideal conditions?

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When traction and/or visibility are compromised by the weather, I think that it only makes sense to reduce your speed. Even if traffic is flying past me, that doesn’t mean that I should “go with the flow” just because some other folks think that they are immune to the laws of physics.

I think back to my drive across Ohio, circa 1982, in my stick-shift Chevy Citation, equipped with snow tires on the drive wheels. I stuck to the right lane and maintained ~30-35 mph during an incredibly heavy snow storm that the Ohio Turnpike staff seemed to be unaware of.

Traffic–including 18-wheelers–sometimes passed me at high speed, and inevitably I wound up passing many of them (spun out on either the grass median or the right side of the road) a few miles later. I began to count the spun-out vehicles just to pass the time, and I quit when I got to more than 50.

The bottom line is that I arrived at my destination safely, while I would estimate that more than 100 other vehicles did not.

More recently, in the era of 4WD, I have seen a similar phenomenon. I drive at a reduced speed, only to be passed at a much higher speed by people in their Jeeps, Explorers. Blazers, etc. and–guess what?–a few miles down the road these folks are frequently sitting in the ditch while I motor past them at a much more sane speed.

Is my approach worthwhile?
Well, since I have not had a MV accident of even the most minor type for 44 years, I have to think that I must be doing something right.

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No matter how bad the conditions a large number of motorists are going to be breaking the legal limit or going too fast for the conditions. Common sense is out to lunch.

If I’m on the Interstate with a posted 70 and the conditions are bad enough I’ll do 45 if that’s what it takes to remain on the roadway and in a straight line. If someone doesn’t like it; fine, go around me and kill yourself.

Sometimes an accident will occur no matter how much care is used. I left Ponca City, OK one night during a sudden and severe ice storm which caught me there. No one was out and I had my Subaru at a roughly 10-12 MPH crawl in a posted 65. Eventually it went sideways and slid for a full city block sideways before going off in the ditch. Luckily Old Blue got me out of the ditch and back onto the roadway where it took another 2 hours to make the 30 miles home.

4

VDCdriver
More recently, in the era of 4WD, I have seen a similar phenomenon. I drive at a reduced speed, only to be passed at a much higher speed by people in their Jeeps, Explorers. Blazers, etc. and–guess what?–a few miles down the road these folks are frequently sitting in the ditch while I motor past them at a much more sane speed.

Maybe it should be illegal to drive an AWD/4WD before writing a sentence or two demonstrating that you know what it actually means.

5

“Maybe it should be illegal to drive an AWD/4WD before writing a sentence or two demonstrating that you know what it actually means.”

I like your thinking auto-owner since I’ve seen this many times in bad weather. In truth, AWD/4WD is only good for one thing: getting you going. After that…AWD and 4WD vehicles are subject to the same basic physics as FWD and RWD vehicles.

6

In bad conditions, I drive at the speed that I think is safe. Usually this makes me one of the slower cars on the road (unlike in good conditions), so I just stay to the right. I might occasionally pull over if I seem to be holding up other cars on a two-lane road.

I know that ideally traffic should move at the same speed for safety, but I won’t drive faster just for that reason. If someone driving faster hits me, at least I know it wasn’t my fault.

7

I tend to drive slower in bad weather and faster in good weather. I try to keep a good following distance but even so on icy roads, stopping in time would be a challenge is there is a problem up ahead. One thing I dislike is people hitting their brake lights up ahead when they really aren’t stopping. This can cause an unnecessary panic for those of us in the rear watching for any situations up ahead that might be a problem. Especially at night. I try the two lanes too sometimes just to avoid the heavy traffic but they are usually a lot worse since they are the last to get plowed or sanded. If really bad I’ll take a breather from exit to exit. One problem is the white out conditions caused by semi’s going by in the left lane. If you aren’t prepared and know where you are heading, you absolutely can’t see a thing for 10-15 seconds in a snow storm. I’m happy now to just be able to stay home but still there are times you have to drive in bad weather to get home.

Incidentally, South Dakota is raising the interstate limit to 80 come 1 April. Still too slow on that endless stretch from east to west.

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Oregon doesn’t believe in personal responsibility:

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'‘for conditions’'
THERE’S the kicker…everyone’s assement and definition is different.
Heck , even traffic FLOW is ‘‘conditions’’ worthy of adjustment.

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Seatbelts? I remember one time I had my car towed 50 miles home from work. The tow truck driver/owner who I had come to know wasn’t wearing his seat belt as we bounced along. I asked him why and he said because in his Ford (I believe) if he got hit, the whole steering shaft (again I believe) would be pushed right into him. So his plan would be just before the crash to lay himself down on the seat so he didn’t get speared to death. He said Chevy or Dodge again didn’t have the same problem but in the 2 1/2 ton Ford wrecker it would be instant death by spear. I wear my belt all the time but just sayin’ there might be a legit reason for that one person not to have his on.

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  <b>drive across Ohio, circa 1982</b>

@VDCdriver, dang! I think I was IN that same storm with you driving south on I-75 at 30 mph because it was as fast as my tires would allow me to go in my '75 Olds Starfire V6 4-speed. I kept slogging along while the 4WDs whizzed past and ended up stuck in the median.

The moral of the story, don’t go too fast for conditions, don’t go so slow that people pile into you and if you can’t handle it, get off the road and find a motel. The time saved isn’t worth your death.

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When the weather turns off rotten here I think that I see more AWD and 4WD vehicles in the ditch than anything else.

A salvage I deal with has the bulk of their business based on wrecked, usually 4WD, pickup trucks; no doubt many of them ending up there due to the driver’s 10 feet tall and bulletproof attitude about having 4WD.

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Bing
…if he got hit, the whole steering shaft (again I believe) would be pushed right into him. So his plan would be just before the crash to lay himself down on the seat so he didn’t get speared to death.

Foolproof! What could possibly go wrong?

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In interstate driving I am always aware of having a way out, so I am either in the left lane or the right lane. Missed a pileup, the guy in front had to slam on his brakes, could not stop in time and bailed out to the shoulder. Sure I know the stupid suv drivers end up in the ditch, they forget being able to take off and go faster does not mean you have any advantage in steering or stopping.

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Bing, you mean he felt he['d have time to lay on the floor but not to stop? And he believe that laying on the floor was a better plan than pressing on the brakes and steering? I guess he must have really missed his prior job as a physicist… {:smiley:

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Not the floor, the seat. He’d just bend over on the seat away from the steering wheel.

In addition to SUV’s, I’ve got to mention pick up trucks. They are so light in the rear end that even with big wheels and 4WD, they can lose control in a hurry. A couple months ago it started to mist and the temp went to 30 or 31. So within a couple miles it went from a wet road to a very slick road. I pulled off for a little bit until they could salt the road but sure enough a pick up in the center median on its top a few miles down.

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Bing, I think he was giving you a line of BS. The belt should allow him enough movement to get out of the way of the wheel. The inertia reels only lock up on impact. In any event, the collumn on all vehicles today have the crush sleeve on the steering collumn, including heavy trucks.

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“I think I was IN that same storm with you driving south on I-75 at 30 mph because it was as fast as my tires would allow me to go in my '75 Olds Starfire V6 4-speed. I kept slogging along while the 4WDs whizzed past and ended up stuck in the median.”

It sounds like it may well have been the same storm, Mustangman.
IIRC, it took place a few days prior to Christmas, as I was driving to see some friends in Michigan.

Even though I was shocked to see how insanely fast many drivers were continuing to go as the snow piled up, I was even more shocked to see the almost-non-existent plowing of The Ohio Turnpike.

I am used to NJ Turnpike style road clearing, that features convoys of three to four plows traveling in a diagonal formation from left to right, clearing all lanes simultaneously, and progressively pushing the snow to the side of the road. By contrast, I saw only a couple of lone plow trucks as I crossed the state of Ohio on its turnpike. After an hour or so, only the right lane was passable, and even that one lane was in really bad condition.

Does the state of Ohio still do such a crappy job of plowing its turnpike?

19

About a year ago I was driving N on I95 above Boston and ran into heavy fog. I slowed down, and then pulled off onto the breakdown lane, inching ahead at about 5 MPH. Meanwhile, traffic was zooming by at 70 MPH, visible only as blobs in the fog. In a few minutes I was clear of the fog. The other drivers must have all been lucky that day, there were no accidents.

The answer to your question must be obvious. Do NOT try to keep up with traffic, slow down!

b

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Bear in mind, this is assuming a reasonably competent car and that the driver has some common sense.

I’m for: Drive as fast as you are comfortable with, not exceeding what is reasonable for conditions/circumstances. If you are whizzing by literally everyone, you may want to reassess if you are being reasonable and safe, especially if you don’t own a supercar. Expect an occasional ticket.

If you are going slower than traffic, stay in the far right lane and only move to the left lane for passing if you encounter a vehicle going slower than you, a disabled vehicle, an emergency vehicle, or other potential hazard to you or others. When passing, move out, pass, move back. Don’t make it the world’s slowest drag race lasting minutes just to pass a car or semi. In highly populated residential areas, school zones, etc., don’t exceed the posted speed limit.

Enjoy your car if you enjoy driving. If you don’t enjoy driving, try not to be an impediment to anyone that does. If there’s a road that overly stresses you, find an alternate route if one exists–it will do wonders for your overall enjoyment of life, even if you are a few minutes later arriving at your destination. (I do this myself and will vouch for it.) Don’t tailgate. Don’t cut in front of people then slow down or immediately turn. Use your turn signals to signal your intention, not as an afterthought when you’re already stopped in a turn lane or halfway through your turn. If your car can double as a mosquito fogger, have some consideration and get it fixed or replaced if you can afford it. No one enjoys having to suck down oil mist, especially stuck in traffic. We all have bad days, but basically, just don’t be a d— to others.

As a final thought, if you are going through a drive-through, tollbooth, etc., here is a situation where you want to tailgate. You don’t need an assured clear distance of one or more car lengths between you and the person in front-- it just holds everything up and makes the line longer. When in those drive-throughs that have two lanes, wait your turn. Cutting in front of the next person in line just confuses the heck out of the staff and throws everything off. [/rant]