I know exactly what you have experienced. Keep to the right and give your car just a little more gas at times when it appears appropriate. As was said, some areas have drivers in a larger hurry than others. I have had no problem to my surprise in central Florida as long as I keep to the right.
Yes it is surprising how many hare brained squirrels will pass me with foot on the accelerator while I am slowing for a red light in view a half block ahead.
Never mind a little road rage; just avoid eye contact to keep it from escalating; works for me. Keep a tire iron in the trunk, pepper spray or a cell phone to avoid being completely defenseless. I can say that so far, I have needed none of these.
Your car, old or rusty may generate more contempt from small minded people who would not display such anger if you had an expensive car. I believe this to be true as we have a very old compact car and also a very expensive car.
Stay with your thoughtful way of driving. The others will eventually see the light as gas prices continue to rise.
Yes. First, I will reiterate that moderate acceleration is not a big gas waster. However, I would like to defend 2ndtiming from some of those making assumptions about what is going on. I do it. Typical: I am doing about 30-35 in a 45 zone, coasting toward a red traffic light. This induces rage amongst the ones who want to approach it at 50 and slam on the brakes. I don’t intend to change.
Everyone here has been polite, I’ll be direct. You’re holding up traffic. Do this and you have only yourself to blame. Others on the road have schedules to keep and depend on the regular flow of traffic in keeping them.
On my commute to work today, on route 101 south from Bedford to Milford, there was a new VW Beetle driving with the same style you’re describing. By the time we got to Milford there was a line that must have been 30 cars long, bumper to bumper. This becomes dangerous.
Please move with the normal traffic flow. You can do that and still drive conservatively, still get good gas mileage. Gas mileage should not take precedence over common sense.
Along those same lines, yesterday I was the third car in line behind someone who was driving ~23 mph in a 45 mph zone, with no passing allowed. The jerk who was driving more than 20 mph under the speed limit probably thought that he/she was saving gas, but since they were undoubtedly driving their Buick in third gear, rather than in overdrive, that inconsiderate tactic probably resulted in fewer mpg than if they had driven at the speed limit.
The honking from the line of cars (eventually, something like 8 or so cars–just in a stretch of ~ 2 miles, in the middle of the day, on a rural road) did not cause this inconsiderate fool to alter his accident-inducing driving style, and nothing changed until he/she finally decided to turn onto another road.
Saving gas is good. Driving like an inconsiderate fool is very bad.
We lived in Amish Mennonite country for 7 years and got used to the “Beware of Horse Drawn Vehicles” signs all over the place. We learned to drive very carefully.
In the 60s and 70s we spent much time camping in the mountains. To this day my wife hates underpowered Volswagen Microbuses which held up traffic for miles on narrow mountain roads.
Most people would (or at least, should) be very tolerant of the speed at which horse-drawn vehicles are driven. Where many people will lose their tolerance is when a car or truck is driven below the speed limit on a rural road with no passing allowed, and when weather conditions do not dictate a very low speed.
If you want to drive very slowly, be prepared to pull over every mile or so in order to let others pass you. Of course, this will pretty much eliminate the mpg advantage that you were getting (or that you THINK you were getting), but since we all share the road, those who drive slowly must be prepared to accomodate the majority who drive faster.
When you have a line of cars behind you, twenty deep or so in a no-passing zone it’s not society’s fault. It’s the sloth that can’t be bothered with the fact that other people have places they need to be and perhaps if they kept up with prevailing speed they wouldn’t be getting honked at and gawked at. We had to take the keys away from my grandmother because she couldn’t/wouldn’t keep up with traffic when driving.
2ndTiming, there is a time to drive economically and there is a time to be a courteous driver. I suspect you know which is which and just don’t care. I hope you are blessed with a neighbor who blasts his stereo after midnight. You two are birds of a feather.
No, but there are rules of the road that EVERYONE has to follow. Not just the so-called “followers”. Everyone else so far has made good suggestions that are reasonable and moderate…labeling “this is how i drive so go pound salt” behaviour as leadership is rediculous.
If you’re being tailgated, don’t slow down even further and exacerbate the situation. Pull over, let the car pass, and move on with life.
Mr. Docnick, please refrain from fearmongering. Some day, indeed. We get enough of that from the presidential candidates. If you will crash because I might not be going above the speed limit or can’t handle an unusual driving situation, then perhaps you should not be driving. Some speed limits in heavy traffic are very condusive to good gas mileage. I have noted at times that my driving has a calming effect on traffic near me. You might be surprised about how many people don’t want to drive in a harried manner but are caught up in the competetive moment.
A lot of responders are putting words into 2ndtiming’s mouth, and voicing motives for him, which he hasn’t voiced. Read 2ndtiming’s post again. Do you see where he says he drove slower than the average traffic speed? Does he say he is trying to impede traffic in any way? Does he say that there are a lot of aggressive drivers out there?
2ndtiming does say that he moderates his acceleration and deceleration. How many people have said that those rates are excessively slow, with NO evidence, of 2ndtiming’s driving behavior, to support those convictions?
Yeah, condemn 2ndtiming’s concern of his fuel mileage, and concern with all the aggressive drivers who don’t give a damn for anyone but themselves! Yeah, he is so-o-o-o-o wrong, you say.
I’ll be direct, too. Anyone who chooses to drive the speed limit is welcome to do so, even if it slows someone down. I do it in the right lane because it’s the courteous thing to do. If I and people if my ilk are too slow, pass us. Don’t waste our time with your sad story of how we slowed your important day to a crawl. We really didn’t slow it more than a couple on minutes anyway.
I saw this dangerous practise first hand on the highway a few weeks ago. Two lane highway, and in the right lane a little Geo Metro or some other garbage was driving at approx 70 or 80 km/h in a 100 km/h posted zone. I saw first a transport truck almost rear end this vehicle and have to swerve into the next lane, and then a car. It’s one thing to drive a bit slower in the right lane than the rest of traffic, but people do not expect such a disparity in speeds, especially on the highway!! It WILL cause an accident. I’m surprised I didn’t witness a crash that day. There was a lot of honking and people trying to get away from this dangerous vehicle. I know I did. No calming effect here.
As as I passed, I looked over to see a female driver smirking…made me wish the transport had just run her off the road. What an idiot, endangering a huge number of people because they “want to drive the way I want to drive - I’m a leader!”.
I don’t think anyone is arguing against your style of driving, the problem lies with those who drive at dangerously slow speeds, or are slow when there is no opportunity for others to pass.
If someone held you up on a sidewalk because they like to walk slow, and you had no way to pass them, you’d take offense. It’s no different.
Some like to drive slow, and that’s ok within reason. Some like to drive fast, and that’s also ok within reason. Let the cops worry about stopping the speeders.
You’re right, but I think a lot of us are just ranting about those who really are irresponsible with their slow driving. 2ndtiming may not be one of those, but if “people get nasty” due to his/her driving, then maybe 2ndtiming needs to change!
There are thousands of people out there who drive conservatively and save gas and don’t receive nasty behaviour from other drivers, because they are reasonable and courteous about it.
A lot of people are missing a main point. If there is a red light ahead, there is no point maintaining full speed right up to it. Coasting (1) saves gas (2) saves brake wear (3) often gets you there sooner. I enjoy it a great deal with I hit the gas and go thru the green light, passing the people who just roared past me to get to the red light. Note: this is not the same thing as driving at a slow constant speed. Try to understand this.