Are cagers speeding less nationally in this time of high gas prices?

[kindofblue]

Hi all,
I had an interesting experience last Sunday and I'd like your thoughts. I was riding from Elephant Butte NM back to Albuquerque NM (~150 mi) on Sunday afternoon. The speed limit's 75 and my speed was around 80 (GPS). Throughout the course of the entire ride until I got to Abq., only 4 cars passed me!

I used to race sailboats down at the Butte and would drive home on Sun. afternoons but haven't done that for about 8-9 years. Back then if I drove 80 I'd nearly be run over even in the slow lane!

My experience got me to wondering if car and truck drivers nationally are speeding less these days. That would be a good thing if it were true. Thanks in advance for your replies.

[STingray]

Not sure if it's true, but I'd sure like to see it happen here in the SF Bay Area!

Ray (ex-Los Alamos resident)

[Gonzo]

Actually, I have the impression that the general speeds around here in the L.A. area have slowed about 5 MPH. On the other hand, I seem to see more BDC's weaving through traffic at high speed than I used to see.

[John Anthony]

My guess is that speeds aren't that much affected. Everyone is still in too much of a hurry these days.

John

[Voodooridr]

I was just commenting the other day to a co-worker that it seemed like the traffic on the way into work had actually slowed down and seemed to be in less of a hurry, most of it's actually going the speed limit now days.

Dan

[Spacecom]

If I'm in my Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, I keep it under 60 mph... Over 60 and the mpg goes down and down and down...

I've also found that many people on my commute seem more content to just stay put and not pass...

I think the gas prices are making some folks change...

[BigTom]

It seems to me that the speeds here in the 'urban' area have slowed, with more MCs in the mix. However, on the freeway east or west, looks to me like the percentage of high speed goes on....

[Mark]

Chris and I are with you BT,

Chris says she has noticed people driving slower while driving the school bus in the morning and afternoons.

I *really* didn't notice anyone driving slower on I10 going to and from Tucson...
Road race the whole way... with speedracer wannabees weaving through and getting tickets (Yea!!!).

Mark

[EJ's 97ST]

I commute between Belen,NM. and Alb. at around 6 every morning, back home at 4 and get the idea that quite a few folk are slowing down a tad.:rolleyes: I run the ST around 80 maybe a tad less and the LX at 70 and don't get past as much as I use to. We still have a few of the little gals with a Lexus or the like go around rather quickly and still have some of the younger fella's with the rolling bricks on wheels like the F350 & the big Dodge and diesel no less that go by but even they are slower than they use to be. I guess what chaps me a bit is the state gov. cars & trucks, think they'll run the speed limit?????? :mad: Na... we're all paying for that and most don't give a flip! :nuts1:
Off rant....:D

[tdeboeser]

I haven't slowed down ( I'm a bit of squid ). And I'm still amazed at the SUV's and pickups that travel at 75mph. Had an Honda Pilot try and pace with me this morning... at 85mph.

I will say I've slowed down when drive one of my cars tho.

Tom de

[Viggo]

I hadn't thought about it until I started to read this thread, but now that you mention it, I think the urban freeway traffic here in the Twin Cities has slowed a little. Maybe 5mph or so? It's inconsistent though.

[bcst1300]

There are going to be some small towns going broke if it is true.

[leveredge]

I think the small cars are going slower. The SUV's and pickups are not. An Escalade dashing thru the neighborhood last night. I wish they would slow down in the development. I got kids on bicycles out there.

[lorenzell]

Seems like all the Texas Cadillacs (SUV's) here have slowed down in town, especially when it comes to starting from stop lights. They accelerate pretty slow. However on the highway, they still push the speed limit and more.

[Raven]

Haven't noticed folks really slowing down but have noticed more folks "drafting" the big trucks.....

[Gonzo]

Trying to draft a big truck is soooooo stupid. For it to work, you have to be about 5 feet back or less. Can you spell reaction time?

[BikemanKZ]

I don't think anything has changed between SFE and ABQ. Everybody still drives fast. Seems like most of them drive in the left lane, and I pass them in the right lane when they bunch up behind a slow car not paying attention. They seem be reluctant to pass on the right even if there is room.

I had occasion to go down to ABQ in a plain white Tahoe with Govt plates and a two way radio antenna. Amazing how a few would zoom up behind me, notice the light bar inside the back window, and then not pass me.

I used to make that trip daily on my ST1100, when I could, but now I think I would definitely use the RailRunner.
KZ

[Mr Bill]

I live in southern NJ. I have not noticed any change in habits from any of our drivers. There still seems to be then same number of 'crazies' on the Interstates during the commute.

On the back roads, there seems to be the same amount of traffic and the same speeds at least on the weekends when I am out there with them.

[Jefro]

I'm on the 405 fwy in SoCal twice a day, and have noticed an overall drop in speeds of maybe 5mph. And traffic is slightly lighter.
However, the young mothers in the giant SUVs are still speeding through the neighborhoods and school zones. Too big of a hurry!
Jefro.

[PJRNM]

I believe there has been some slowing, but it is very sporadic. I can still issue citations to my hearts content, tho. Maybe as the summer wears on, the gas prices will accomplish what I have been trying to do for years, slow cars down. I just hope that our injury and fatality rates don't increase as more motorists turn to motorcycles as a viable form of transportation.

[Blrfl]

I just hope that our injury and fatality rates don't increase as more motorists turn to motorcycles as a viable form of transportation.

I don't think n00bs on motorcycles are going to be the problem.

You're going to have people who continue to drive as fast as they always did mixing with a larger-than-usual percentage of people who are driving slower. Even if the mean speed is down, the wider gap between the highest and lowest speeds is a recipe for an increase in the accident rate.

--Mark

[PJRNM]

I appreciate your remarks and they are true. However, I do believe that the extra effort required by motorcyclists when first learning to ride will be lost on most. They will not get endorsements on their license, they will do without. Case in point, the last fatal we investigated was a rider who had a suspended license, no m/c endorsement, and expired registration on the bike. It's hard to be in a crash if your at home like he should have been........

[Gonzo]

Well, IMHO, the noobies themselves won't be so much of a problem as the fact that their inexperience can invite disaster on them.

They haven't learned the survival skills they will need. Even the experienced get nerfed, sideswiped, rearended, etc. Not to mention the dreaded left turn in front of the motorcyclist the BDC couldn't see.

If there is ANYBODY out there that has not taken a safety course, what are you waiting for? The accident?

[kindofblue]

I appreciate your remarks and they are true. However, I do believe that the extra effort required by motorcyclists when first learning to ride will be lost on most. They will not get endorsements on their license, they will do without. Case in point, the last fatal we investigated was a rider who had a suspended license, no m/c endorsement, and expired registration on the bike. It's hard to be in a crash if your at home like he should have been........

Hi Paul,

A belated welcome to the forum.

I took an experienced rider course last month from MSF and the instructors said that ~80% of all m/c riders in NM don't have a m/c endorsement and only a fraction of those who do ever took the MSF course. I've also heard the MVD m/c test is a joke compared to the MSF course test. If true there's a lot of really inexperienced riders out there.

Looking at your sig. line, I didn't know that APD had STs in its fleet.

[PJRNM]

Actually Rio Rancho. Listed Albuquerque because it's a better known city......... I can verify those numbers after stopping bikes for 21+ years.

[FL-STRIDER]

I'm still amazed at the number of SUV's in the left lane just hammering down the highway with just a driver in the car.

I also had a customer come to my office the other day and we got to talking about gas prices. She said she tried to trade in her Nissan Amada and the dealer told her they were not allowed to take the car in trade at this time.

[LeeWonnacott]

There are going to be some small towns going broke if it is true.

Last night it hit the news that a bunch of college kids are seriously asking the NC legislature to amend the laws on red light cameras in order to turn them back on here in NC.... seems THEY know that revenue is the major product of the cameras, not safety. Of course, they want that revenue spent to help them with tuition expenses.

[Geoff]

On a recent trip to NY from Florida I was driving a friend's Hummer..the right speed for that vehicle towing a boat was about 71 so I had time to observe a lot of drivers and here is what I perceived doing 1250 miles on I 95

People in general are obeying the speed limits in rural areas, just cruising along 70-75 when allowed..yes they have slowed down. The problem is as you get near a populated area like Jacksonville, Florence, Richmond etc the locals use the road to get around town and man are they speeding...almost all the speeders had local state plates and dealer stickers where the car was bought from so you can get a fairly good judgment. The two worst areas were the Richmond- Washington corridor and the Washington- Baltimore corridor...unbelievable.

But by far and away America's race track is the stretch of I -95 from Fort Lauderdale to Miami Beach..6 to 8 lanes in each direction with no shoulders..no place hardly for cops to sit and radar you. Last time I was over there a little Suzuki station wagon with 4 girls past me doing about 100. If your doing 80 your in jeapordy of being run over. For bikers this road REQUIRES extreme attention to detail...there are no mistakes allowed. I keep away from it at all costs on the bike.:06biker: :06biker:

[st11ray]

On a recent trip to NY from Florida I was driving a friend's Hummer..the right speed for that vehicle towing a boat was about 71 so I had time to observe a lot of drivers and here is what I perceived doing 1250 miles on I 95

People in general are obeying the speed limits in rural areas, just cruising along 70-75 when allowed..yes they have slowed down. The problem is as you get near a populated area like Jacksonville, Florence, Richmond etc the locals use the road to get around town and man are they speeding...almost all the speeders had local state plates and dealer stickers where the car was bought from so you can get a fairly good judgment. The two worst areas were the Richmond- Washington corridor and the Washington- Baltimore corridor...unbelievable.

But by far and away America's race track is the stretch of I -95 from Fort Lauderdale to Miami Beach..6 to 8 lanes in each direction with no shoulders..no place hardly for cops to sit and radar you. Last time I was over there a little Suzuki station wagon with 4 girls past me doing about 100. If your doing 80 your in jeapordy of being run over. For bikers this road REQUIRES extreme attention to detail...there are no mistakes allowed. I keep away from it at all costs on the bike.:06biker: :06biker:

How much gas did the Hummer use in 1,250 miles at 71 mph? I used 39 gallons in 1,700 miles at 85 mph on the ST. That was loaded 2 up to Moonshine and back.

[kindofblue]

Actually Rio Rancho. Listed Albuquerque because it's a better known city......... I can verify those numbers after stopping bikes for 21+ years.

Hi Paul,
Thanks for the reply and corroboration of the MSF instructor's report. Hopefully they get a nasty fine if they lack a m/c endorsement.

Do many RRPD riders have STs?

[Geoff]

The Hummer got about 10.8 mpg pulling a 15 foot jetboat...aint the most economical thing going...hey but it had 24 inch chrome wheels...

[PJRNM]

Hi Paul,
Hopefully they get a nasty fine if they lack a m/c endorsement.

Do many RRPD riders have STs?

Fine is a whole $88......
We have five ST's on duty. We are still running four BMW's. (I am the only one with work and civilian ST's)

[Tourin']

This DFW driver and emergency responder PROMISES that I ain't seen any people slowing down! If anything (IMHO) many are driving worse. I think it's a stress induced madness or some kinda attitude I often see in human critters. I use the "autobahn" (my name for a local tollway), and it's ridiculous there as well.

Have seen more Bikes and economical vehicles, yes, but even the green cars are going too fast.

Like an old WWII Vet once said: "I know one thing, common sense ain't very common".