How Would You ever Know?

[unclebilly]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

A few years back we were on I-35 northbound and it was raining HARD. We were in my wife's Macan, and it has automatic wipers. They were in max speed mode. The speed limit is 75 but I slowed to 60 to avoid hydroplaning. Most traffic had slowed as well but some fool in a HUGE SUV came roaring up the left lane at 75 MPH I would guess. I shook my head and said to my wife, he will be in a ditch soon.

Sure enough about 15 minutes later we cam up on a wreck. He had rolled at least once, and there were many people laying on the ground, and several cars already stopping to help. His passengers did not deserve that crash, but the idiot driver sure did. It was obvious he started spinning and went right off into the ditch and stopped against the center cable barrier. Just to fast for conditions.

How do you know some moron didn’t do something stupid that caused him to crash?

I drive fast in wintery conditions that most people wouldn’t drive in. Just because conditions have you driving slow doesn’t mean that others with better tires and ability can’t handle the conditions at higher speeds.

Should F1 racers slow to 60 in the rain too?

[911 Rod]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

I drive fast in wintery conditions that most people wouldn’t drive in. Just because conditions have you driving slow doesn’t mean that others with better tires and ability can’t handle the conditions at higher speeds.

A few years ago I passed a cop crawling along in a snow storm.
He immediately lit me up and then went into a rant about how you need to drive to the conditions. My reply back was "yes, we should not drive beyond out capabilities".
Now he was pissed!
Lucky for me he got a 911 call for a car in the ditch not too far in front of us. Before he left he said he was about to throw the book at me and was up to 5 infractions. I guess he had a small weenie and was trying to make up for it.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

How do you know some moron didn’t do something stupid that caused him to crash?

I drive fast in wintery conditions that most people wouldn’t drive in. Just because conditions have you driving slow doesn’t mean that others with better tires and ability can’t handle the conditions at higher speeds.

Should F1 racers slow to 60 in the rain too?

F1 cars have huge wings and aerodynamics pushing them down, very special rain tires.
And they do red flag races in heavy rain.

The old "rule of thumb" for street cars is take the square root of the tire pressure, and multiply by 10. So 36 PIS tires, square root is 6, xa 10 is 60 MPH is the max safe speed.

He went by me going 75 or more. The speed limit is 75 but that is for dry conditions and clear visibility. He was driving too fast for conditions, and he paid the price.

[john70t]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

He immediately lit me up and then went into a rant about how you need to drive to the conditions. My reply back was "yes, we should not drive beyond out capabilities".

That is one level below "Know why I stopped you?" "Yes because I let you".

[Jeff Higgins]

Anyone traveling at a significantly different speed than "the flow of traffic", and anyone traveling in the wrong lane relative to their pace in the flow of traffic poses a threat to those around them. It all works better, it's all much safer, if we all go about the same speed, with the generally faster staying left and the slower staying right.

We've all seen the self appointed traffic cop holding up traffic by going below the pace of others in the passing lane. Traffic engineers refer to this as the "boulder in the stream affect". Traffic starts backing up behind them further and further as frustrated drivers change lanes further and further back in an effort to get around the slowing traffic. These self righteous twists will most often never even see the wreck caused by some impatient driver well behind them.

We have all likewise seen the "highly skilled" driver who would never let anything like a blinding snowstorm and/or icy roads slow them down. They are just that much better at driving than the rest of us mere mortals. The fact that everyone else has slowed down to about the same pace, and are doing their best to cooperate with one another, while being predictable and safe, means nothing to our budding F1 jockeys. Their superior skill and judgement will save the day when they startle some lesser driver into an unpredictable reaction, some schmuck who has the audacity to get in their way. These heroes are often every bit as oblivious to the problems they cause for others through their self centered driving habits.

*Sigh* It really is just safer if we all do about the same thing. Outliers at either end of the spectrum just cause problems for others.

[911 Rod]

^^^ Well said Jeff.
I make a point of never "blowing by" other cars.
If I feel like "playing" a little, it's always catching up to the next group of cars.

[VINMAN]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

We have all likewise seen the "highly skilled" driver who would never let anything like a blinding snowstorm and/or icy roads slow them down. They are just that much better at driving than the rest of us mere mortals. The fact that everyone else has slowed down to about the same pace, and are doing their best to cooperate with one another, while being predictable and safe, means nothing to our budding F1 jockeys. Their superior skill and judgement will save the day when they startle some lesser driver into an unpredictable reaction, some schmuck who has the audacity to get in their way. These heroes are often every bit as oblivious to the problems they cause for others through their self centered driving habits.

Very well said Jeff.

Iv'e spent the past 35 yrs cutting these a-holes out of and pulling their dead bodies out of their "well equipped" vehicles including the innocent victims of their superiority and entitlement.
I will say it has gotten increasingly worse the past decade.
.