Why 70 Miles Per Hour is the New 55

I call shenanigans on the "average highway speed of drivers" chart. I'd say the average speed in *northern* Virginia - where all the speed limits are 55 MPH - is close to 70, and elsewhere it's higher. New Jersey one of the "slowest" states? I think not. Or did they factor in rush hour traffic?

Certainly that can't be an "average in free flowing traffic" chart, otherwise the numbers would be much higher.

nate

I'll agree with Nate.

Also, some years ago I drove through Wyoming, where the speed limit is

1. Unfortunately, there was a massive headwind, and the best I could do by myself was about 47mph, getting about 17mpg instead of the usual
2. This was 4th gear, almost full throttle. If I put it in 5th gear I would just slow down.

When I was lucky, I could catch the back of a tractor trailer and draft along at about 60. But sometimes, a gust of wind would hit the trailer from the side, and it would swing out into the next lane over. This exposed the front of my truck to the headwind, and it was just like slamming on the brakes. It only took about half a second before I was out of the draft (never to return), and I'd have to meander along at 47mph and wait, sometimes an hour, for another tractor trailer to come by.

fun fun.

-J

Nowadays, high speed traffic makes me nervous.That is why I stick to the slow poke back roads.There are a few talk radio shows I like to listen to.I don't turn on my radio when I am driving though. cuhulin, the nervous

Massachusetts one of the "slowest"?

Not where I live. If it is one of the slowest it's a good thing, because half the people in Mass can't drive they're way out of a paper bag, and the other half

rides the "T"...

I'd rather drive through Boston over DC any day. The Boston drivers seem much more purposeful, clueful, and skillful.

nate

I've only driven in Boston once. My recollection of Rush hour was that they have off ramps that are invisible until you are only 100 feet from them. Then they take off to the right in a very sharp curve requiring you to slow down very quickly. That, and there's a Dunkin Donuts on every corner, sometimes two.