Why the need for speed?

[phil57]

Most RV and truck tires are rated for 75MPH

[bokobird]

Originally Posted by phil57

Most RV and truck tires are rated for 75MPH
Attachment 111671

Don't confuse us with facts! I'm sure those who insist on high speed driving 15+ tons are more than capable of compensating for that constraint with their skills.

[Vaflatlander]

The circumstance quoted 75 in a 65 slick roads is a wreckless driving offense those comenting on it are justified in condeming his action the legislation was already there, furthermore drivers like that are the ones creating the increased legislation that encumbers the rest of us. Think about it.

[Coma]

Originally Posted by Rich-n-Linda

I run about 20,000 per year...and enjoy every mile.


2006 Mandalay 40E, Cummins ISL 400 HP

Cool! Currency in the equipment, for sure.

[NCWanderer]

I tend to drive 5 mph below the speed limit because of my limitations. As one poster said, even without a toad, the brakes are not what I would wish. Exception is if I'm on a two lane I try to at least do the speed limit so that I'm not holding up traffic. Interstates, I'm the jerk that likes to try to stay in the middle lane where there are a lot of exit/entrances so I don't have to deal with merges and still leave the left open for someone wanting to go by me. When I see the yellow caution speeds, I obey them. In my car, not so much.
Bottom line is, as at least one poster said, I drive however I feel safe and in control. If someone behind me has a problem with it, I won't cry about it.

[Mike_Harriet]

If tires are rated as 75mph max, why risk driving faster? Most drivers expect me to drive slower (old f$&t in RV), and I truly hate disappointing people.😆

[jrocker]

So, I’m gonna throw a little bit of math into the discussion. The numbers and formulas used are common use among insurance, and government agencies, with one caveat: the weight of a rig (coach, or truck and trailer setup), has an impact on the calculations. This modifier varies, so for brevities sake, I will say it takes 1.4 times the distance to bring a rig to a stop than it does a car (that number can be much, much larger according to some entities).

Keep in mind, the formulae used by these agencies does not take into account the actual braking capabilities for specific models/makes, the numbers are more of a generality. But, I believe they work well enough for illustration purposes.

In addition to the weight variant, driver reaction time varies. A complacent driver will take 1.5 seconds to react to a situation (132ft. @ 60mph), an aware driver will take 1.25 seconds to react (110 ft.), and that guy that claims he is ALWAYS alert, well he can react in .5 seconds (44 ft.).

Since the ALWAYS alert guy is a myth (though many will strongly deny this), and I tend to believe most of us glampers make an effort to not drift off into complacency, I will use the aware driver for the calculations.

I’ll use the OP’s example (65 speed limit, superman doing 75), only for simplicities sake we’ll assume the conditions are at a premium (pleasant day, flat road, good road surface). Assuming all things are equivalent (driver ability, rig weight, etc.) here is what that evil goddess math has to say:

At 65 MPH, it will take the rig 496ft. to come to a stop, roughly 31 car lengths.
At 75 MPH, it will take the rig 625ft. to come to a stop, roughly 39 car lengths.

So, the question is more of, what difference does 129ft. make? If you still think that distance is of no consequence, then party on Garth. I honestly hope you remain well ahead of me, because the alternative is me cruising past the wreckage later down the road.

[jrocker]

And for those of you who like to blame slower drivers for wrecks:

The speed limit on a highway is 70mph. Gustov, being the conscientious citizen is travelling at the speed limit. Shultz is going to the lake with family and has the fifth wheel in tow. Shultz believes that for safeties sake, traveling at 60mph is the prudent thing to do.

Gustov, keeping aware of traffic and conditions up to a quarter mile ahead, as suggested by his local DOT, sees his slow going cousin. If both maintain their current speeds, Gustov has 88 seconds to consider his choices before impact with the $40k camper occurs. Of course, Gustov takes very little of the minute and 28 seconds to merge safely into the passing lane. Life is good, carry on.

Does Shultz’s decision to err to the side of caution have the propensity to cause congestion? Yes. Does his decision cause accidents? No. Inattentive, or aggressive, driving causes accidents in that situation.

[FormerBoater]

Just drove 12 hours plus in our car from Jacksonville NC to Fort Lauderdale on Sunday.

Rain most of the way, many Class A's heading to Florida....all were in the right hand lane and doing 60-65 mph down I-95.

We passed the same rigs several times as we stopped for lunch, rest stops etc.

None of the Class A's held up any traffic from what I could see....all were driving responsibly.

[Coma]

Originally Posted by jrocker

And for those of you who like to blame slower drivers for wrecks:

The speed limit on a highway is 70mph. Gustov, being the conscientious citizen is travelling at the speed limit. Shultz is going to the lake with family and has the fifth wheel in tow. Shultz believes that for safeties sake, traveling at 60mph is the prudent thing to do.

Gustov, keeping aware of traffic and conditions up to a quarter mile ahead, as suggested by his local DOT, sees his slow going cousin. If both maintain their current speeds, Gustov has 88 seconds to consider his choices before impact with the $40k camper occurs. Of course, Gustov takes very little of the minute and 28 seconds to merge safely into the passing lane. Life is good, carry on.

Does Shultz’s decision to err to the side of caution have the propensity to cause congestion? Yes. Does his decision cause accidents? No. Inattentive, or aggressive, driving causes accidents in that situation.

You were almost there.

Every vehicle that you pass or passes you is an opportunity for a collision. If everyone is at the same speed how many opportunities are there? If you are slower how many pass you. If you are faster? The math says the opportunities should be even for both scenarios, but the research doesn't support that. The research says you have fewer opportunities if you are slightly faster than the average speed.

[Possum]

Originally Posted by Coma

You were almost there.

Every vehicle that you pass or passes you is an opportunity for a collision. If everyone is at the same speed how many opportunities are there? If you are slower how many pass you. If you are faster? The math says the opportunities should be even for both scenarios, but the research doesn't support that. The research says you have fewer opportunities if you are slightly faster than the average speed.

If everyone did this slightly faster than everyone else, how long before the Warp Drive kicks in?

[wa8yxm]

Originally Posted by Waiter21

Or maybe heading to an ER at the next exit...

On the list of reasons you need to drive fast. This is #1 on the STUPID side..

If you need an ER that fast you dial 9-1-1, They send a mobile ER called an Ambulance with EMT's or and EMS unit and they use their flashing lights and noise maker (Siren) to clear a path and get to you far faster than you can get to hospital. .And as for the level of care.. Odds are the care they give you RIGHT THERE on the side of the road is as good as the ER, and Faster and in some cases.

Well If I ever have the need (on the side of the road) I would much rather have an EMT than a Doctor.. Doctors are great when surrounded by milliions of dollars of Medical Equipment, assistants and labs.. EMT's are better in the field where that stuff is not. I've doctors who basically looked at a situtation and said "Call EMS" (yes live and with my own eyes, but then I'd already called EMS... And the victim was his patient too).

(Actually there were 3 victims. The lady, who recovered, Her husband who basically needed help getting out of the car, and the Doctor's office (They were going to the doctor when he lost control) it was totaled. (As was their car but it was the perpertrator, it failed to hold the road properly thus crashing).

[jacwjames]

I use to hate riding in a car with my father in law, and he always made me ride in the back seat. He was the epitome of the "cautious" driver. He would drive 45-55 on the interstate, where the speed was 70-75. In town it was proportional. As he approached a stop light that was green he would almost come to a complete stop before crossing the intersection even though it was green. It drove me nuts and scared the heck out me. I was always looking behind us.

Guess what, one day on the interstate a semi didn't judge (probably couldn't rationalize) that my FIL was going ~45 MPH and he rear ended him pushing him off the interstate. My FIL had his granddaughter in the car with him but fortunately no one was seriously injured.

Now tell me this type of driving behavior is not unsafe.

[bokobird]

Originally Posted by jacwjames

I use to hate riding in a car with my father in law, and he always made me ride in the back seat. He was the epitome of the "cautious" driver. He would drive 45-55 on the interstate, where the speed was 70-75. In town it was proportional. As he approached a stop light that was green he would almost come to a complete stop before crossing the intersection even though it was green. It drove me nuts and scared the heck out me. I was always looking behind us.

Guess what, one day on the interstate a semi didn't judge (probably couldn't rationalize) that my FIL was going ~45 MPH and he rear ended him pushing him off the interstate. My FIL had his granddaughter in the car with him but fortunately no one was seriously injured.

Now tell me this type of driving behavior is not unsafe.

That scenario - some vehicle going ~45 MPH vs others doing 70 MPH - must happen hundreds if not thousands of times a day, whenever a tractor trailer/heavy vehicle cannot maintain speed up a steep incline. Not paying attention to traffic you are coming up on is no excuse for smashing into said traffic and blaming the slower driver doesn't work with insurance either.