Some hypermiling techniques illegal in my state!

[mustngr]

This won't make me popular in here, BUT.....

Hypermiling falls into the caregory of a "sport" in my mind at least under current circumstances. I've been driving for a living for over 30 years and have seen multiple fatalities resulting from violations of each of the laws that some of you refer to as "stupid."

There's a smugness that men get when they're behind the wheel. I had it as a young man, when I thought all the laws regarding driving too FAST were unfair and shouldn't apply to me. I thought at the time I was more mechanically in tune with my machines than the next guy, had better reactions than anyone on earth and as long as the law left me alone to weave my way around the mere mortals.....

Hypermiling is as dangerous as street racing, and if yer gonna do it at least recognize that and take responsibilty.

In the L.A. area we have carpool lanes. All hybrid cars were, for a few years issued stickers which allowed hybrids to use these lanes with only a single occupant. I commute on a motorcycle whenever I'm forced to go down there, and I can't tell you the number of times I've been cut off by a hybrid entering the carpool lane, then slowing down to 45, flipping me off, then maintaining 45 mph or less for miles.

What the hell is that? "I'm greener than you!"? Tell me how that differs from Riceboy Racer sitting 3" from your rear bumper for 5 miles, as acts of aggression go.

Just like Riceboy, there's a time and place for our activities and if you wanna stay alive you'd better cultivate "the wisdom to know the difference" instead of bemoaning the rules of the road and human nature.

Do it when it's safe, abandon it temporarily when it's not. Simple.

[GasSavers_Colin]

Originally Posted by theclencher

169.15 IMPEDING TRAFFIC.
No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede or block the normal
and reasonable movement of traffic

... can't go too slow if others are piling up behind me I guess!

No, you can't. Is this a surprise?

Slower traffic move right!

[omgwtfbyobbq]

Originally Posted by mustngr

Hypermiling is as dangerous as street racing, and if yer gonna do it at least recognize that and take responsibilty..

That's why imo, most people on this site don't "Hypermile". They just drive efficiently. Although I will say, for the driver, going 10mph below the speed limit is way less dangerous than going 10mph above. Just because everyone else is breaking the law (Everyone, including semis, speeds in CA, usually ~10-25mph over) doesn't make it right or safe. For instance, lets say I'm going through on the 55 and I can either go 10mph over in the #2 or #3 lane, or go 10mph under on the far right. By going 45mph in the far right, I can stop in half the distance someone going 65mph can. That's huge in terms of accident avoidance, and the car can take more evasive action w/o rolling or spinning out as the speed decrease. Realistically, it's more like 50-55mph compared to 65-80mph ime, but it's still a huge difference. I don't drive for everyone else's convenience, I drive for my own health.

[diamondlarry]

Originally Posted by theclencher
169.15 IMPEDING TRAFFIC.
No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede or block the normal
and reasonable movement of traffic

Does this mean that you could actually be breaking the law by obeying the law if you were driving the speed LIMIT? Could "normal and reasonable" be interpreted as driving 70 in a 55? If all of the lemmings were jumping off the cliff does that mean that all of them have to?

[psyshack]

Originally Posted by diamondlarry

Does this mean that you could actually be breaking the law by obeying the law if you were driving the speed LIMIT? Could "normal and reasonable" be interpreted as driving 70 in a 55? If all of the lemmings were jumping off the cliff does that mean that all of them have to?

Thats what it means larry.

Well unless your in Oklahoma where we have a lot of posted min. and max speed limits. All the lemmings have to jump off the cliff! Thats the stupid human trick.

[diamondlarry]

That means that someone could coneivably get 2 tickets for driving 65 mph; one for going 10 over and the second for not going 70-75 and holding up the "(ab)normal" flow of traffic. That's screwed up.

[skewbe]

Larry, unless the judge just plain didn't like him, that someone you describe would DEFINATELY need a new lawyer.

[caprice]

Originally Posted by theclencher

I've heard of Cali Highway Patrols ticketing motorists for going the speed limit because it obstructed the flow of traffic. But for all I know, that could be urban legend.

yes it is true in the Phoenix metro area. With 7 lanes of traffic it is safer and more courteous for slower traffic to be right. Even of you are going 70 MPH in a 65 zone, with 4 cars on your back, you can get ticketed.

Drive the same speed as everyone else and people just want to get in front of you. It is like the whole sea of cars is fighting and competing. Thats why I ovoid the freeways during the daytime on my motorcycle. Many people could go on and on *****ing about other peoples' driving habits, I try to keep my cool. I almost never honk, flip a finger, or try to get revenge. Let them do what they want to do. Not expressing anger makes me feel good.

From a libertarian point of view, the government shouldn't control our moves so much. It is up to the driver to identify and respond to hazards.

[psyshack]

Originally Posted by theclencher

I've heard of Cali Highway Patrols ticketing motorists for going the speed limit because it obstructed the flow of traffic. But for all I know, that could be urban legend.

Ive seen them do it to folks in the hammer lane that insist on being slow...

[psyshack]

Originally Posted by caprice

yes it is true in the Phoenix metro area. With 7 lanes of traffic it is safer and more courteous for slower traffic to be right. Even of you are going 70 MPH in a 65 zone, with 4 cars on your back, you can get ticketed.

Drive the same speed as everyone else and people just want to get in front of you. It is like the whole sea of cars is fighting and competing. Thats why I ovoid the freeways during the daytime on my motorcycle. Many people could go on and on *****ing about other peoples' driving habits, I try to keep my cool. I almost never honk, flip a finger, or try to get revenge. Let them do what they want to do. Not expressing anger makes me feel good.

From a libertarian point of view, the government shouldn't control our moves so much. It is up to the driver to identify and respond to hazards.

Lets see,, PHX has the stack, cable guard rails that saw cars, trucks and people into little pieces. HOV appears to be a lane for high speed runs at night. Folks drive thru accident scenes there. I don't know how many times we saw drivers honk at fireman and almost hit them and there fellow crazy citzens on gurneys. Running red lights and setting thru green ones I believe is a Az. birth right or something. A speed limit sign means X2. Mexicans like to leap out into traffic on foot like deer. And if you see a tag with Sonora on it. You can bet they will drive on top of any lines on the road and not between them. The police in PHX are a burden to the tax payer. Ive been to PHX once and I will never go back. The sun scrapes the valley floor daily. And Im sure the heat cooks a lot of brain material. Its the only place Ive ever been that has no soul. Truly HELL ON EARTH!!!!