On Topic? Cars, anyway: 55 MPH speed limit...

Totally against it. We went through that crap 25 years ago, and it was a joke then, and it would be a joke if they tried it again. I don't need to drive 55 mph to get good mpg. I get better mpg at 70 than the majority of the vehicles on the road if they were doing 55. If some piker wants to do 55 in his SUV, more power to them, but don't force that crap on me. That's why I paid for and am driving a 2500 lb deathtrap on wheels. I've already done my part to save gas.

55 mph? They can bite me. I have long trips I drive, and 55 mph will add appx 4 hours to every 1000 miles I drive vs 70 mph. I don't need silly crap like that in my life. We tried it in the 80's. It sucked then, and it will still suck now. BTW, to those that want to do 55, fine with me, but keep your silly asses in the right lane when I come whooshing by at 65-70. Actually, *everyone* should be in the right lane on the interstates unless passing a slowpoke. Or at least this is the usual case in the states where people actually know how to drive. :/

I think you should come out and tell us how you really feel, instead of holding back... ;)

BTW, I agree with what you said. Yeah, I was there too, and it SUCKED!

Gee Charles, you forgot to mention the brilliant left hand, downhill, entrance ramps, pushing downtown traffic, into the FAST lane; how come? ;)

It's been 25 years but I still remember those stupid, stupid ramps.

Most likely designed by the moron who originally put the two consecutive 90 degree turns in Lake Shore Drive, (since repaired, I understand).

dennis in nca

You are correct. Even if you are going over the speed limit in the center lane, if cars are forced to routinely pass on the right then you can get a ticket for impeding the flow of traffic.

The fact merge impaired drivers exist does not justify poor lane usage.

2 lanes, a stream of cars on my left, and an idiot charging up the lane full bore: who's supposed to do what?

One finger salute?

*sigh* if only that were true... it's a beautiful dream world where it's always 70 degrees and gas is cheap and V-8 powered convertibles are available at every used car lot...

nate

The fact that merge impaired drivers exist does not mean you can cruise in the left lane. I drive in the right lane, I deal with all sorts of merge impaired drivers and guess what? I deal with it. The thing is, people who don't know how to merge properly are rarely coming down the ramp fast. Usually they are crawling and then pull out at a low speed. Those who actually come down the ramp fast at 'full bore' usually know how to merge. It is generally advisible to come down the ramp such that one is going *FASTER* than the speed of traffic in the right lane to merge. The reason for this is that a car's brakes are more powerful than its engine. It's easier to slow down to match a gap than to speed up to match one. My guess is that you're mostly panicing needlessly or stretching for an excuse for left-lane-crusing.

Yep, I've seen the same thing time after time. Leadfoot in the on-ramp? Chances are he pulls in as smooth as if he's the only thing on the road

- not a brake light to be seen, or honk to be heard. Timid Tilly? Oh crap... Cover the brake and change lanes as soon as reasonably possible, and look out for brake lights - She's about to jam up the lane.

Agreed again. It's generally *MUCH* more precise to tap the brakes to slow down and "fall into" a gap than try to mash the throttle through the floor to catch up with one that's getting away.

Unless, of course, you have a car that has as much power as the tires can handle... at highway speeds.

nate

(still working on that. Not there yet. Sad.)

Ain't that little "at highway speeds" qualifier a pain in the arse? :)

Ah, but when you achieve it, it's quite the kick in the arse.

nate

(thinking fondly of a car a friend used to have... '70s Avanti II, built 'vette 350, Paxton SN blower...)

In all of the states that I've been licensed in, it is illegal to pass on the right. In those same states, it is illegal to drive in the left lane. Passing only.

Jack

PAssing on the right is legal most states, likely a concession to the idiots. Not keeping right except when passing is illegal in many states, but it's nearly universally ignored.

nate

The public WASN"T obeying it. Supposedly the maximum speed in Crook County is 55 on all the expressways. I've seen I-294 hitting 90.

Just like Prohibition, observed mostly in the breach. And our banning of marijuana, done only to keep the Mexicans out. (Lot of good that did.)

Charles the Curmudgeon

Gee Charles, you forgot to mention the brilliant left hand, downhill, entrance ramps, pushing downtown traffic, into the FAST lane; how come? ;)

It's been 25 years but I still remember those stupid, stupid ramps.

Most likely designed by the moron who originally put the two consecutive 90 degree turns in Lake Shore Drive, (since repaired, I understand).

dennis in nca

You mean the Austin and Harlem ramps on the I-290 that causes the 'Hillside Strangler'? Been on them many times. They're still there.

They still have 2 90 degree curves in the Outer Drive south of North Ave. But they're not right turns, they're curves, and people still go through them too fast. And lately of a late night we've been having motorcycles using the Outer Drive for 100+mph racing.

Charles the Curmudgeon

The Edens speed used to commonly be 85-90 outbound in medium traffic. Fastest overall traffic I've seen is through Atlanta. I swear I've done 95 for good stretches and had cars passing me.

--Vic

Thought my speedometer had gone crazy on my old KE30 driving down the I-75 toward Macon from Fatlanta. I'm showing 75 and I'm getting passed like I'm standing still. (75 is all she'd do with a 1.2 57 hp engine and only 4 forward gears.)

Charles the Curmudgeon.