I maintain that people driving much faster would not distract themselves with cell phones, doing their makeup, shaving, and/or other idiotic activities you should not be doing while driving. I constantly notice that slow drivers impeding traffic are often the one's who are on their cell phones in some manner.
Driving 100 can be relaxing if there was no traffic was my point. With real world traffic conditions where I live, it wouldn't be as relaxing, but it would be a good challenge that would heighten your awareness and senses. Your full attention would be required for driving, so you wouldn't be spending energy on the other districations.
I don't believe that people driving slow while multitasking doing whatever they do on their cell phones while driving relaxes them any. If they got off of the distractions; perhaps they could relax. I wouldn't be relaxed at 60 MPH while texting (because I know it's dangerous) and neither should anyone else relax if they engage in that kind of activity. I'm okay with a driver relaxing at 100 MPH if they are not distracted by anything else and there's little to no traffic around.
I don't want drivers to get "TOO" relaxed, however.
Too much relaxation while driving might make your senses react slower.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
So don't try to say "it's too boring" driving 65mph vs 75mph...either speed is boring My point is that going 60 vs 75 mph saves me money, so if I'm going to be bored on a straight, flat, boring interstate, then I might as well drive in such a way as to save money.
Going in a straight line is exponentially less boring at 85 MPH than it is at 60 or 65 MPH in any car. Further more, that exponentially increasing factor is further multiplied by the fact the slower you go the more bored you will be for more time. Why torture yourself and increase the boredom for a greater portion of your lifetime; when it's very easy and very efficient to reduce that time spent in boredom?
To paraphrase your words exactly:
So if I'm going to be bored in a straight, flat, boring interstate, then I might as well drive in such a way as to save time."
That way to do that is to drive faster and get there sooner; thereby reducing the amount of time I'm bored in life.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
Sounds like the taxman was more dangerous than the speeders.
I've known that all along. Around 18 years old after a few years experience driving, I came the the epiphany and conclusion that the cops on the road issuing tickets were causing more danger and hazard than they were helping by writing and enforcing tickets.
I'd of bet my life savings including social security benefits on a cop causing an at fault accident before I ever did when I hit that magical age of 18.
Several years ago, I'd of collected on that bet as a La Mesa PD officer on a big Harley rear-ended me while chasing some supposed red-light runner on the freeway (starting from the light at the intersection prior to entering the freeway I suppose??
So the scoreboard reads likes this:
I get a ticket written every other year or so, so that'd be about 10 tickets now (from age 16).
Accidents causing any damage that were my fault =0 Accidents that were my fault from age 18 on = 0 Tickets written = 10 At-Fault Accidents that are the fault of officers driving on our roads = 1
Accidents prevented from my having received 10 tickets = 0. Although speeding tickets do tend to slow you down a tad bit for a period of time immediately following the fine, it is short lived.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
Best "fun" drive i ever had in Texas was creeping along a dirt back road at 15 miles an hour, occasionally scrapping the oil pan on the odd rock, and serendipitously running into a hot spring campground operation in the middle of nowhere, somewhere between Big Bend NP and Marfa.
You'll get no argument from me regarding off-roading- you may recall that I have a Wrangler TJ. Still, using "fun" and "Prius" in the same sentence belies a basic lack of enthusiasm for good automobiles...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
It's not like there's some restriction preventing drivers going fast to be distracted by phones (maybe of the Bluetooth kind?), music, etc. I've observed and ridden in vehicles going way over the limit with the drivers on phones, yakking away with passengers or doing other distracting things. Kudos to you for never doing anything that distracts you while driving at super-legal speeds.
Driving at 100 simply cannot be as relaxing as driving the same road at 55, as you maintain, even w/o traffic. At 100 you MUST be paying more attention to the road as you travel almost twice as far every second and take much much longer to stop (there's other things you may need to stop for in West Texas besides traffic).
There is a man in my town that drives a scooter and chronically stays in the left lane and hangs his left leg down instead of having it on the peg. He's just cruising along at 25 in a 35 with a whole string of cars behind him in the left lane. This particular road is a very narrow 4 lane with lots of trucks so it is very maddening to get behind him having a "slow contest" with a truck. :mad:
From almost any measure one can probably name, what you are saying is true. It is especially true from an officers point of view. An easy example is the procedure where officers, the majoirty of the time approach stopped cars from the rear and from the right or the passengers side. It is also well known that stopped vehicles are also "graphic" magnets that for whatever reasons beckon folks to hit or narrow miss them.
OK. Cite some links that have evidence of your claims. Seems like the high speed drivers will try any argument to discredit Al Gore's call for conservation of energy.
Not a link, but here's one personal experience, although a bit outdated for most drivers. On my PA trip that I mentioned earlier, occasionally I'll take my '79 New Yorker. It always goes up once a year for the Mopar show in Carlisle, but every once in awhile I'll drive it up for shows where I'm just going in as a spectator, just to give the car a run. Oh, and one year my Intrepid kept dying on me (camshaft or crankshaft position sensor), so I had no choice but to take the New Yorker.
Well, that one year, coming back it rained something fierce, and it was night time. The windshield wipers on that car aren't so hot, and I won't mention the condition of the tires. So, I was driving VERY slow. Fortunately, the rain was so bad that everybody was going slow, so I didn't hold up traffic. Anyway, I probably averaged about 50 mph. I filled up in PA, and filled up the next morning on my way to work. Driving at those slow speeds, I managed to eke 18.2 mpg out of that car.
A few years later, I drove the car up again one nice day in October. This time I was going my more usual 65-75, doing more or less the flow of traffic. MPG this time came out to 17.9.
In the case of this car, I think the axle ratio and lack of extra gears (compared to today's cars) might have actually helped. It's a 3-speed automatic, with a 2.45:1 axle. At 50 mph, there are going to be plenty of times where 3rd gear just isn't going to cut it, so the transmission will downshift. But at 65 it has plenty of power in third, to the point you almost have to bury the pedal to make it downshift. And at 75, I don't think it's even capable of downshifting, unless I do it manually.
The carburetor might help the car a bit, as well. It has a 360 V-8, but only a 2-bbl carb. If it had a 4-bbl, I'm sure that the secondaries would be open at 70-75, and it would be guzzling a bit needlessly.
Of course, the experience is going to vary from car to car. And road conditions. On a nice, flat level road, once you get into top gear and the torque converter locks up, you're probably at optimal efficiency and any gain in speed above that is going to take its toll on mileage. But throw in a few hills and valleys, and sometimes a higher speed can help out. For one thing, if you hit the upgrade at a higher speed, you'll have more momentum, and might be able to get up that hill without downshifting or losing as much speed. But at a lower speed, you may have to give it more gas, and have to downshift. And, on the downgrades, the faster you start at, the further you'll coast, so you can go longer without having to hit the gas pedal again.
Idling in city traffic is not a siren call for conservation of energy, nor a design of and for conservation !!! Almost every EPA rating for city/highway are rated LESS mpg for city traffic. This is so obvious as to defy logic that you can come to the above quoted conclusion.
OK, so yesterday driving home, actually waiting at a light, in a car coming the other way, I see lots of ... fabric. Tussling back and forth, I'm like, HUH? No face.
It was a guy taking his shirt off, while moving. No kidding!
Audi A4 that didn't look damaged, so must have a guardian angel or just be lucky.
Well, tech is a lot of fun for me; more fun than the twisties. I can immerse myself for hours playing pinball on my wife's iPad or tweaking my PCs, but I'd rather run whitewater than slide around corners risking my life on a car wreck. Just a better skill set than my driving ability (or interest).
And the minivan off-road is more fun (and more challenging) than my '74 CJ-5 was.
i could see myself thinking about doing all sorts of mods on a Prius - but maybe after warranty. Be nice to rig up a 120 outlet for our electric kettle or a fan for the tent when camping and not worry about running the battery down.
I always felt that GM was missing an opportunity to market their hybrid pickups as generators. Seriously - contractors can charge cordless drills, stuff like that.
"I've had a Mazda RX-7 and Prius and in 99% of driving situations either car is just as "fun" to drive." "OK, the above comment completely obliterated what little credibility you might have had... "
Hmmm...let's see: Which category should I place these items:
Boring Driving: All interstate driving, driving kids to activities, commute to work, driving in suburbs, driving downtown, weekend trips with car fully loaded with family, etc...this is my 99% of driving :P (and driving 10mph over the speed limit in any of these situations doesn't all of a sudden constitute "fun" in my books!)
Fun Driving: driving by myself on the pacific coast highway with no traffic...this is my 1% of driving.
Bottom line for me is that the vast majority of driving is just a way of going from point A to B, and going 10mph over the speed limit doesn't change the excitement factor for me. If it does for you then great, but it takes a lot more than that for driving to go from boring to fun :P Anyone who finds driving 65mph down the interstate "boring" but finds going 85mph down the same interstate "not boring" has a pretty limited sense of what is exciting :P
RX-7 needs space to open up and become enjoyable. The limits are fairly high and the engine lacks torque, so you need space to let that sweet rotary rev and enjoy it.
They're fun in the right environment. In traffic on a straight road it's just a cramped car, like many sports coupes.
Bottom line for me is that the vast majority of driving is just a way of going from point A to B, and going 10mph over the speed limit doesn't change the excitement factor for me. If it does for you then great, but it takes a lot more than that for driving to go from boring to fun Anyone who finds driving 65mph down the interstate "boring" but finds going 85mph down the same interstate "not boring" has a pretty limited sense of what is exciting
Please show me where I said driving 10-20 mph over the speed limit is exciting. That's right; I didn't.
In my case, I find that driving an entertaining car even makes the "point A to B" driving more enjoyable. If operating a Prius is your idea of fun, more power to you. Me, I'll stick with my modest fleet- any of which bring a smile to my face when I slide behind the wheel. And if you can find anyone else who thinks that a Prius is as much fun to drive as an RX7, please let me know...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Anyone who finds driving 65mph down the interstate "boring" but finds going 85mph down the same interstate "not boring"
I think it is that 65 MPH on a straight interstate is insanely boring, whereas going 85 MPH on that straight interstate is only mildly boring. Not only is it Less boring (I won't go so far as to say "not boring," as you suggest), but it is boring for less time since you'll travel 20 miles further every hour of driving.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
At 100 you MUST be paying more attention to the road as you travel almost twice as far every second and take much much longer to stop
Not sure that being able to stop is a factor when there is no traffic on the road. In 18 years of driving, I can't think of a single situation where I could have been safely going 100 MPH (in light to no traffic) and then had to come to a complete stop!
I'm very capable of executing an emergency lane change manuever or using the steering wheel to swerve and steer around any object I choose not to run over (say a piece of tire carcass on the road).
If it's a road where a lane change isn't possible, then most likely 100 MPH wasn't safe and reasonable in the first place for conditions :P
I'm thinking 4 or 5 lane interstates here. If there's no traffic, I can't imagine any situation in the real world where I'd have to come to a complete stop, so my stopping distance is almost irrelevant.
I think you are imagining a lonely 2 lane highway where some cows decide to block the road? Even if I was going 100 MPH, I would think I could see them in plenty of time where even a runaway Prius could stop in time; without losing my relaxed state of mind.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
We just saw an example of suicidal drivers here today: guy changing his shirt while driving. So they exist. No reason they can't be suicidal at 100 as well as at 55.
And I bet there's idiots who drive at 100 just as there are idiots who drive at 55.
Fun Driving: driving by myself on the pacific coast highway with no traffic...
I don't think there's a driver on the planet that could argue with you on that point! The only problem is making good on the "no traffic" caveat!
I love driving that highway, as well as the majority of roads that slip through the (Oregon) Cascades to access it. Five years ago, I drove 101 in northern CA for the first time. What a blast, even with the traffic.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
OK, so it's clear now you have NEVER driven in West Texas, although you love using its speed limits on a few highways as an example here.
An emergency lane change maneuver at 100 mph? What were you just saying about "suicidal"?
There are no 4-5 lane interstates stretching across West Texas. Stop thinking only about your big CA interstates--they don't exist everywhere. Two lanes each direction at best out in West Texas. And a lot of 2-lane roads.
You seem to think that traffic on the road is the only thing you might have to stop for. Think again. Ever see wildlife on the road? (specifically, have you ever seen an armadillo? no, probably not) Ever see debris on the road? Ever see someone stopped on the side of the road?
Could you see these things in time? Maybe, maybe not. An armadillo is pretty small, but it'll flip your car if you hit it (esp. at 100). And if the obstruction is just over a rise, God help you stop in time.
>r hybrid pickups as generators. Seriously - contractors can charge cordless drills, stuff like that.
That's a really useful idea. I recall how Pontiac owners liked the idea that the car's builtin compessor for the level ride struts/shocks doubled as an air pump for other uses pumping up equipment and things.
Considerate of you to say we can be credible even if some of us would take the Prius over the RX-7. Make mine a V though please. A Miata could get my interest though.
Drove all over Port Huron today and didn't have anyone cut me off, flip me off or tailgate me, even though I was loafing along and obviously looking for stores now and then. Must the sunny weather keeping everyone in a good mood.
Why is "relaxing" a good thing? I don't want to be around so-called drivers who are too relaxed.
I don't know, ask andres3, he's the one who made a big deal out of it, i.e. being as relaxed at 100 as at 55. I sure don't want to be around anyone who's driving "relaxed" at 100 mph!
..."so maybe the CVT phase will be relatively short lived too. "...
Another reason why I am curious about the MB ML350 Blue Tec with 455# ft of torque. It has a 7 speed A/T "hybrid" CVT. So far no real word, no real world mileage to speak of.
I equate relaxed with partially inattentive, it is bad at any speed. A better way to put it might be "calm" or a lack of constant panic (which seems to overtake some at anything over 60). One can be comfortable at high speeds.
Today's drive didn't see anything too remarkable...did see a young woman applying mascara while slowly creeping along in an Escort.
In Detroit if looking for drivers doing odd things, I'd recommend Ford Rd. between Westtown and Canton (I-275 area).
If the drivers don't do strange things, the various colors of flashing stoplights for left turns will do it. Flashing yellows, solid yellows, flashing reds IIRC: what do they mean? Grin.
Those Michigan left turns take some getting used to too. Going in from the east side and I guess I don't need to go out of the way to do any "research". It'll find me. :-)
People often get into the gear more than the actual activity. I know tons of guys with fancy kayaks and bikes and stuff that are just garage queens. But if you want to get out, you can telemark on 2x4s and do Moab on a Schwin Varsity.
What did Lance say - it's not about the bike?
(I blew off Detroit and sent the girls in by themselves.)
But, what road and driver can make a Prius truly exciting or fun (in a driving sense, not in a hypermiling LLCer greenie weenie sense)? The car simply lacks the handling dynamics to be enjoyable on a twisty road. Few drivers will say plodding down an interstate at 59mph is fun.
I think that the hypermiling scenarios are pretty much THE ultimate ! Another might be that running it 80-95 mph might be the second drill, in that mpg while not good for a Prius is on par with a slower driven Corolla.
A fun way to use a Prius might be like what they did on Top Gear - drove it hard to see how low the mpg could go. I have to imagine 90mph in one will keep you on your toes, too.
I am beginning to understand that might also be true. The ones that try or pass any of my TDI's seem to be slighty to on EDGE. Prius'es seriously peter out when they have to climb longer grades or altitudes that are common in CA. All I really have to do is keep the same speed and it normally shoots way past on the upgrades.
Let me know when you find a place you can legally drive a supercar on a public road without violating the speed limit. And get out of second gear, lol. Can barely wind out to 3rd in a Vette without getting Smokey's attention.
My idea of a twisty fun drive is the Dempster Highway or the Cassiar or the Trans-Labrador or the Alcan or Idaho's Highway 12 or the Magruder Corridor or a dozen others.
Just try going "fast" on Highway One, especially around Big Sur. Too many rubberneckers and too good of scenery to try to bomb down it anyway.
And don't forget the Old Priest Grade near Yosemite. That's a cult classic. :shades:
Comments
Driving 100 can be relaxing if there was no traffic was my point. With real world traffic conditions where I live, it wouldn't be as relaxing, but it would be a good challenge that would heighten your awareness and senses. Your full attention would be required for driving, so you wouldn't be spending energy on the other districations.
I don't believe that people driving slow while multitasking doing whatever they do on their cell phones while driving relaxes them any. If they got off of the distractions; perhaps they could relax. I wouldn't be relaxed at 60 MPH while texting (because I know it's dangerous) and neither should anyone else relax if they engage in that kind of activity. I'm okay with a driver relaxing at 100 MPH if they are not distracted by anything else and there's little to no traffic around.
I don't want drivers to get "TOO" relaxed, however.
Too much relaxation while driving might make your senses react slower.
Going in a straight line is exponentially less boring at 85 MPH than it is at 60 or 65 MPH in any car. Further more, that exponentially increasing factor is further multiplied by the fact the slower you go the more bored you will be for more time. Why torture yourself and increase the boredom for a greater portion of your lifetime; when it's very easy and very efficient to reduce that time spent in boredom?
To paraphrase your words exactly:
So if I'm going to be bored in a straight, flat, boring interstate, then I might as well drive in such a way as to save time."
That way to do that is to drive faster and get there sooner; thereby reducing the amount of time I'm bored in life.
I've known that all along. Around 18 years old after a few years experience driving, I came the the epiphany and conclusion that the cops on the road issuing tickets were causing more danger and hazard than they were helping by writing and enforcing tickets.
I'd of bet my life savings including social security benefits on a cop causing an at fault accident before I ever did when I hit that magical age of 18.
Several years ago, I'd of collected on that bet as a La Mesa PD officer on a big Harley rear-ended me while chasing some supposed red-light runner on the freeway (starting from the light at the intersection prior to entering the freeway I suppose??
So the scoreboard reads likes this:
I get a ticket written every other year or so, so that'd be about 10 tickets now (from age 16).
Accidents causing any damage that were my fault =0
Accidents that were my fault from age 18 on = 0
Tickets written = 10
At-Fault Accidents that are the fault of officers driving on our roads = 1
Accidents prevented from my having received 10 tickets = 0. Although speeding tickets do tend to slow you down a tad bit for a period of time immediately following the fine, it is short lived.
You'll get no argument from me regarding off-roading- you may recall that I have a Wrangler TJ.
Still, using "fun" and "Prius" in the same sentence belies a basic lack of enthusiasm for good automobiles...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Driving at 100 simply cannot be as relaxing as driving the same road at 55, as you maintain, even w/o traffic. At 100 you MUST be paying more attention to the road as you travel almost twice as far every second and take much much longer to stop (there's other things you may need to stop for in West Texas besides traffic).
Not a link, but here's one personal experience, although a bit outdated for most drivers. On my PA trip that I mentioned earlier, occasionally I'll take my '79 New Yorker. It always goes up once a year for the Mopar show in Carlisle, but every once in awhile I'll drive it up for shows where I'm just going in as a spectator, just to give the car a run. Oh, and one year my Intrepid kept dying on me (camshaft or crankshaft position sensor), so I had no choice but to take the New Yorker.
Well, that one year, coming back it rained something fierce, and it was night time. The windshield wipers on that car aren't so hot, and I won't mention the condition of the tires.
A few years later, I drove the car up again one nice day in October. This time I was going my more usual 65-75, doing more or less the flow of traffic. MPG this time came out to 17.9.
In the case of this car, I think the axle ratio and lack of extra gears (compared to today's cars) might have actually helped. It's a 3-speed automatic, with a 2.45:1 axle. At 50 mph, there are going to be plenty of times where 3rd gear just isn't going to cut it, so the transmission will downshift. But at 65 it has plenty of power in third, to the point you almost have to bury the pedal to make it downshift. And at 75, I don't think it's even capable of downshifting, unless I do it manually.
The carburetor might help the car a bit, as well. It has a 360 V-8, but only a 2-bbl carb. If it had a 4-bbl, I'm sure that the secondaries would be open at 70-75, and it would be guzzling a bit needlessly.
Of course, the experience is going to vary from car to car. And road conditions. On a nice, flat level road, once you get into top gear and the torque converter locks up, you're probably at optimal efficiency and any gain in speed above that is going to take its toll on mileage. But throw in a few hills and valleys, and sometimes a higher speed can help out. For one thing, if you hit the upgrade at a higher speed, you'll have more momentum, and might be able to get up that hill without downshifting or losing as much speed. But at a lower speed, you may have to give it more gas, and have to downshift. And, on the downgrades, the faster you start at, the further you'll coast, so you can go longer without having to hit the gas pedal again.
Take a peek at the Ford Fusion, it's a virtual video game with leaves you have to earn.
You do have to wonder how distracting that stuff is.
I liked that Saab let you turn everything OFF except the speedo.
It was a guy taking his shirt off, while moving. No kidding!
Audi A4 that didn't look damaged, so must have a guardian angel or just be lucky.
Audi...maybe Clarkson is right about them :shades:
Well, tech is a lot of fun for me; more fun than the twisties. I can immerse myself for hours playing pinball on my wife's iPad or tweaking my PCs, but I'd rather run whitewater than slide around corners risking my life on a car wreck. Just a better skill set than my driving ability (or interest).
And the minivan off-road is more fun (and more challenging) than my '74 CJ-5 was.
i could see myself thinking about doing all sorts of mods on a Prius - but maybe after warranty. Be nice to rig up a 120 outlet for our electric kettle or a fan for the tent when camping and not worry about running the battery down.
"OK, the above comment completely obliterated what little credibility you might have had... "
Hmmm...let's see: Which category should I place these items:
Boring Driving: All interstate driving, driving kids to activities, commute to work, driving in suburbs, driving downtown, weekend trips with car fully loaded with family, etc...this is my 99% of driving :P (and driving 10mph over the speed limit in any of these situations doesn't all of a sudden constitute "fun" in my books!)
Fun Driving: driving by myself on the pacific coast highway with no traffic...this is my 1% of driving.
Bottom line for me is that the vast majority of driving is just a way of going from point A to B, and going 10mph over the speed limit doesn't change the excitement factor for me. If it does for you then great, but it takes a lot more than that for driving to go from boring to fun :P Anyone who finds driving 65mph down the interstate "boring" but finds going 85mph down the same interstate "not boring" has a pretty limited sense of what is exciting :P
They're fun in the right environment. In traffic on a straight road it's just a cramped car, like many sports coupes.
Please show me where I said driving 10-20 mph over the speed limit is exciting. That's right; I didn't.
In my case, I find that driving an entertaining car even makes the "point A to B" driving more enjoyable. If operating a Prius is your idea of fun, more power to you. Me, I'll stick with my modest fleet- any of which bring a smile to my face when I slide behind the wheel.
And if you can find anyone else who thinks that a Prius is as much fun to drive as an RX7, please let me know...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I think it is that 65 MPH on a straight interstate is insanely boring, whereas going 85 MPH on that straight interstate is only mildly boring. Not only is it Less boring (I won't go so far as to say "not boring," as you suggest), but it is boring for less time since you'll travel 20 miles further every hour of driving.
Not sure that being able to stop is a factor when there is no traffic on the road. In 18 years of driving, I can't think of a single situation where I could have been safely going 100 MPH (in light to no traffic) and then had to come to a complete stop!
I'm very capable of executing an emergency lane change manuever or using the steering wheel to swerve and steer around any object I choose not to run over (say a piece of tire carcass on the road).
If it's a road where a lane change isn't possible, then most likely 100 MPH wasn't safe and reasonable in the first place for conditions :P
I'm thinking 4 or 5 lane interstates here. If there's no traffic, I can't imagine any situation in the real world where I'd have to come to a complete stop, so my stopping distance is almost irrelevant.
I think you are imagining a lonely 2 lane highway where some cows decide to block the road? Even if I was going 100 MPH, I would think I could see them in plenty of time where even a runaway Prius could stop in time; without losing my relaxed state of mind.
The restriction is in self-interest and self-preservation.
Suicidal people might make dangerous drivers :P
Perhaps Darwinism is working well, as long as they don't take out others on their way to a fatal accident.
And I bet there's idiots who drive at 100 just as there are idiots who drive at 55.
I don't think there's a driver on the planet that could argue with you on that point! The only problem is making good on the "no traffic" caveat!
I love driving that highway, as well as the majority of roads that slip through the (Oregon) Cascades to access it. Five years ago, I drove 101 in northern CA for the first time. What a blast, even with the traffic.
It's all this lane departure warning tech. It gets in the way of natural selection.
An emergency lane change maneuver at 100 mph? What were you just saying about "suicidal"?
There are no 4-5 lane interstates stretching across West Texas. Stop thinking only about your big CA interstates--they don't exist everywhere. Two lanes each direction at best out in West Texas. And a lot of 2-lane roads.
You seem to think that traffic on the road is the only thing you might have to stop for. Think again. Ever see wildlife on the road? (specifically, have you ever seen an armadillo? no, probably not) Ever see debris on the road? Ever see someone stopped on the side of the road?
Could you see these things in time? Maybe, maybe not. An armadillo is pretty small, but it'll flip your car if you hit it (esp. at 100). And if the obstruction is just over a rise, God help you stop in time.
That's a really useful idea. I recall how Pontiac owners liked the idea that the car's builtin compessor for the level ride struts/shocks doubled as an air pump for other uses pumping up equipment and things.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Drove all over Port Huron today and didn't have anyone cut me off, flip me off or tailgate me, even though I was loafing along and obviously looking for stores now and then. Must the sunny weather keeping everyone in a good mood.
No 'ifs', no 'ands', and no 'buts'!!!
:shades:
Driving at 100+ is pretty fun, in Germany anyway. You have to actually pay attention and do things right. Maybe not relaxing, but still better.
Then again the rotary wankled to the junkyard, burning oil the whole way, so maybe the CVT phase will be relatively short lived too. :P
Going to Detroit tomorrow; maybe someone will give me cause to be topical.
I don't know, ask andres3, he's the one who made a big deal out of it, i.e. being as relaxed at 100 as at 55. I sure don't want to be around anyone who's driving "relaxed" at 100 mph!
Another reason why I am curious about the MB ML350 Blue Tec with 455# ft of torque. It has a 7 speed A/T "hybrid" CVT. So far no real word, no real world mileage to speak of.
Today's drive didn't see anything too remarkable...did see a young woman applying mascara while slowly creeping along in an Escort.
If the drivers don't do strange things, the various colors of flashing stoplights for left turns will do it. Flashing yellows, solid yellows, flashing reds IIRC: what do they mean? Grin.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
A real driver knows that it's the driver and the road, not the car, that makes a driving experience really exciting.
Maybe a drunk driver aiming the Prius into oncoming traffic on a twisty road? Exciting! :shades:
What did Lance say - it's not about the bike?
(I blew off Detroit and sent the girls in by themselves.)
But, what road and driver can make a Prius truly exciting or fun (in a driving sense, not in a hypermiling LLCer greenie weenie sense)? The car simply lacks the handling dynamics to be enjoyable on a twisty road. Few drivers will say plodding down an interstate at 59mph is fun.
Or maybe you're assuming your idea of fun driving is actually driving at all
My idea of a twisty fun drive is the Dempster Highway or the Cassiar or the Trans-Labrador or the Alcan or Idaho's Highway 12 or the Magruder Corridor or a dozen others.
Just try going "fast" on Highway One, especially around Big Sur. Too many rubberneckers and too good of scenery to try to bomb down it anyway.
And don't forget the Old Priest Grade near Yosemite. That's a cult classic. :shades:
Just go early in the morning and it's pretty clear of traffic.
Today's inconsiderate driving example. Apparently got clipped by someone speeding behind her. (mirror.co.uk)