Does anyone really drive 55 MPH on interstates?

[Ed Hackenbruch]

In California if you are towing anything, the speed limit is 55.  If i want or need to go faster i stay out of CA. 

[TomC]

In California, 55mph applies to any vehicle pulling a trailer or any truck with 3 or more axles.  A housecar with up to 3 axles is exempt and can go the same speed limit as cars-just as a two axle truck can also go the same speed as cars in any lane.  Good Luck, TomC

[artvonne]

  On two lane roads that mostly have 55 or 60 MPH limits that seems perfectly reasonable.  You'll probably have folks latched to your rear bumper, but you just have to learn to ignore them.

  I never have, and never will understand that kind of reasoning. You drive slow, so everyone else behind you can just stick it?  My Dad didnt teach me to drive that way, I learned that if people were backing up behind me to pull the heck over and let them go past. Even if im doing the speed limit, or even if im over, if someone wants to go I generally try to let them get past.

  All forcing someone to stay behind you does is make them irritated and more likely to take greater risks trying to pass, possibly putting lives in danger.

[happycamperbrat]

In Cally there is a law about cars behind you, as I recall it is 5. If they are stacked up you have to pull over or get a ticket.

[artvonne]

In Cally there is a law about cars behind you, as I recall it is 5. If they are stacked up you have to pull over or get a ticket.

  Its amazing they even need a law, but there's little common sense left in the world, or consideration, either one. Or both.

[John316]

LOL, we don't touch 55 unless we have to. Otherwise it is hammer down, and roll the max possible.

John
Hammer Down and roll the max possible??? In your coach, I'd guess thats about 95MPH give or take a MPH.

Jimmy

Actually, Jimmy, that would only be down hill. We don't have our S60 hopped up as much as we could.

I should also put another qualifier on my statement. We drive the max possible (which is really close to the speed limit, because we don't want to endanger our CDL's) given the weather conditions are good and favorable.

[belfert]

  On two lane roads that mostly have 55 or 60 MPH limits that seems perfectly reasonable.  You'll probably have folks latched to your rear bumper, but you just have to learn to ignore them.

  I never have, and never will understand that kind of reasoning. You drive slow, so everyone else behind you can just stick it?  My Dad didnt teach me to drive that way, I learned that if people were backing up behind me to pull the heck over and let them go past. Even if im doing the speed limit, or even if im over, if someone wants to go I generally try to let them get past.

  All forcing someone to stay behind you does is make them irritated and more likely to take greater risks trying to pass, possibly putting lives in danger.

If someone wants to drive well over the speed limit why should I make special accommodations for them?  I very rarely drive my bus on two lane roads, but I do drive my car on two lane roads.  I generally drive at least 62 MPH on 55 MPH roads yet I still get people driving two inches from my bumper from time to time. 

Does California law require one to pull over if they going at or above the speed limit?  I can understand pulling off if one was going under the limit.  On many two lane roads it would difficult to find a place to easily pull off in an RV.

[luvrbus]

States in the west that have the pull over law when backing up traffic have pull over lanes for that reason Idaho has the lanes in the mountains and along the rivers fwiw no way will I drive 55 on a highway with a 70 to 80 mph limit not safe in my opinion if 55 is the case for me I am off the interstate system period 


good luck

[Nusa]

To answer the California law question, it was easy to find in the vehicle code:
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21656.htm

Turning Out of Slow-Moving Vehicles

21656.  On a two-lane highway where passing is unsafe because of traffic in the opposite direction or other conditions, a slow-moving vehicle, including a passenger vehicle, behind which five or more vehicles are formed in line, shall turn off the roadway at the nearest place designated as a turnout by signs erected by the authority having jurisdiction over the highway, or wherever sufficient area for a safe turnout exists, in order to permit the vehicles following it to proceed. As used in this section a slow-moving vehicle is one which is proceeding at a rate of speed less than the normal flow of traffic at the particular time and place.

Amended Ch. 448, Stats. 1965. Effective September 17, 1965.

So, this law only applies on two-lane highways, when passing is unsafe, when 5+ vehicles are behind you, and even then only if it's practical and safe to pull over. Nothing about actual speed limits, but it does define slow-moving vehicle. That definition could easily include someone going faster than the speed limit, but slower than traffic. From a cops point of view, having too many cars stacked up behind you would be the visual definition of "slow-moving vehicle".

[Len Silva]

I agree with that except that there should be no need for it to be a law.  It's just common courtesy, that if there is no one in front of you and multiple vehicles behind you, then you are going too slow and should pull over when you can to let the faster traffic by.  It doesn't matter what the speed limit or what your speed is.

I try to do that when I can.  The exception is when someone is right on my bumper, especially if it is a big truck.  Then I just go slower and slower until they figure it out.

Courtesy begets courtesy and arrogance begets arrogance.  Tailgaters do bring out the a-hole in me.

[Lin]

Yes, I know of cases that people have been ticket for not allowing traffic to pass even though they were going the speed limit.  They should ticket for that more often.  When my father taught me to drive, he made a point of saying it was not my job to enforce the speed limit on others.  Each driver makes their own decision.  If necessary get out of people's way as they should get out of yours.  

That said, I am not going to drive the bus over a cliff because someone wants to go faster.  When I see cars behind me, I feel that I have a "slow vehicle" credit from all the times I have been stuck behind one.  Another thing is the codger factor.  When young, I tried to be very tolerant of the driving idiosyncrasies of elderly drivers.  My logic was that one day I would be one of them.  Now that I am, I feel I have something coming.  It's sort of like a handicapped parking permit for the road.

[belfert]

Why should I have to speed up and risk a speeding ticket just because the vehicle behind me wants to go well over the speed limit?  Remember, I'm already traveling at least 7 MPH above the posted limit if the speed limit is 55 MPH.

I will take a four lane road over a two lane road any day of the week because of issues like this.

[luvrbus]

You want find many 4 lane highways in the mountains or along the river in Idaho suggest you stay on the interstate there and look at desert 

good luck

[Len Silva]

Why should I have to speed up and risk a speeding ticket just because the vehicle behind me wants to go well over the speed limit?  Remember, I'm already traveling at least 7 MPH above the posted limit if the speed limit is 55 MPH.

I will take a four lane road over a two lane road any day of the week because of issues like this.

I would never drive faster than I was comfortable with just because traffic is behind me.  I will  however, pull over when the opportunity is there even if it slows me down a bit more.

[belfert]

For me the destination is usually far more important than the journey.  If I'm driving 2,000 miles each way to an event I would rather spend an extra day at the event than take the scenic route.  I'm not anywhere close to retirement and don't have the time to wander the countryside.  I do usually spend at least a week of vacation time doing repairs at a Scout camp which cuts into my other vacation time.

My original question about driving 55 MPH was related to interstates.  Obviously, there are some stretches of interstate that are signed at 55 MPH.  As for me I'll continue to drive 65 MPH on interstates unless there is a lower speed limit.  Two lane roads with lower speed limits are a whole different subject.