Is driving slower better?

[bravekozak]

Cops nab Porsche Cayenne doing 233 km/h on Hwy 401

They finally got him just outside of Toronto. Speed limit is 100 kph or 60mph.

They never ever give the address of the party he was at.

[Onree]

I remember the 1973 oil embargo very well. At the time I had a nearly new 1973 Datsun 1200 notchback, which got mileage in the same league as a Festy. My wife's family farmed near Hatch, NM which was almost exactly 1000 miles from Lincoln. Interstates I-25, I-40, and I-70 were not yet completed, and still had a lot of two lane segments. Gas prices jumped from about $.30 to about $.45 in the space of a few months. Seems like a bargain now, but back then the brand new Datsun cost about $2300. That's 23 HUNDRED not thousand. In late 1973 in some small towns, there just was no gas available on weekends, which was when we usually traveled. We traveled with a 5 gallon jerry can in the trunk to add to the Datsun's ten gallon tank.
Out West where the distances are huge, nobody follows the speed limit, no matter what it is. The difference between 50mph and 75mph on our trip was something over a half day of travel time, which meant a night in a motel (Motel 6 was $6.00/night, that's how the got their name)and a couple of more meals. So we just drove as fast as we thought we could get away with, but I do remember there being a big difference in the mileage, like maybe 35mpg or so at 75 vs. 42mpg at constant 55mph.
But we thought it was worth it to make the trip in one day instead of two. At 50mph it takes half again as long to travel any distance as it does at 75mph.

[GenevaDirt]

I had a 5 speed Festy a few years back that I tried to see what driving slower versus beating the crap out of it and speeding all the time would be. I had a 33 mile trip to and from work. Foe one week I drove the speed limit or under...took off nice and easy...slowed down to rolling stops when possible. Got 45 mpg. The following week I was always at least 5 to 10 over the speed limit. Slammed to stops and took off almost always spinning tires...just really flying around without a care. Got 45 mpg.

So I would rather get there a little quicker and enjoy my drive instead of being bored out of my skull putzing down the road.

[TominMO]

You should always drive as fast as possible, obviously. The less time you spend driving is less time you have a chance of getting into accidents, and the less time using fuel. We all need to get rally-car training and drive like that all the time.

[Damkid]

You should always drive as fast as possible, obviously. The less time you spend driving is less time you have a chance of getting into accidents, and the less time using fuel. We all need to get rally-car training and drive like that all the time.

This only applies when driving through school zones or highly populated areas

[TominMO]

This only applies when driving through school zones or highly populated areas

He who dies with the most points on his license wins!

[bravekozak]

They did a study in Germany once. Some drivers were told to obey all the stop signs, speed limits and traffic lights. The others, to drive as fast as they could without getting in an accident or pulled over. Identical courses, all types of traffic and weather conditions. The faster drivers arrived at the finish line about 10 to 12 minutes sooner, but were all stressed out. Higher heartbeats, blood pressure, etc.
They needed more time to calm down.

[sketchman]

And being Germany, they didn't just throw back a few to uhh, expedite the calming?

So that's more time for drinking and faster travel times. All good.

[defprun]

Some places in europe they've removed signs and tightened the lanes, people drove alot slower on their own. At intersections they had to pay attention to other drivers, not the signs and accidents went away on their own.

[mikeyjd]

Dude, the feeling I got when I saw that same person at the stop sign, in front of blue and red lights.... Oh yeah... I smiled. I wish it everytime, especially if I'm already doing 5 over... People just don't compensate with leaving a bit early for cushion.


Sent from my rooted HTC Supersonic using Tapatalk 2 Pro

Not to mention how much more relaxed it can be for the driver to drive slower. You have to be much more alert and careful to attempt driving at higher speeds.

[TominMO]

If you're drunk, you should drive as fast as possible, so that you get to your destination sooner. That way you spend less time on the road, so there's less chance of an accident.

[mikeyjd]

If you're drunk, you should drive as fast as possible, so that you get to your destination sooner. That way you spend less time on the road, so there's less chance of an accident.

Good plan. :fofd:

[88festivasam]

Haha. My first festiva I bought had a 5 gallon homemade fuel cell in place of the back seat. You had to fill it from the inside. 88 Carby

[cburkett65]

Its a little more complicated because fuel use does not equal HP in an auto. You have the static drag of the engine and there is accessory load on the engine as well. So while in most cars you will probably get better MPHs at 55 than 65 its not always at the ratio you described. I drove about 700 miles in one day this summer that was hard to do at 70.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

As a result of the 1973 oil embargo, the U.S. national speed limit was initially set at 50, not 55mph. People objected so much that it was soon raised to 55.