Gas prices, Traffic, and Speeding
 

What do they have to do with each other?

We went on a river fishing trip up to Manistee MI over the weekend. As we were driving we were paying attention to gas prices. Our discussion turned to gas prices and how it relates to traffic volume and speed.

The last time gas prices really took off the way they have recently, it seemed to reduce the amount of traffic on the road. It also seemed like people were driving at or slightly below posted speed limits on the interstate. This time around, the roads were plenty busy and most, including myself, were going at least five over the posted speed limit. My brother and I were both a little surprised at how much traffic there was on the road.

Maybe we're just early in this but the prices didn't seem to change how people drive much. Anyone else noticing that traffic volume and speed seem less effected than the last time gas prices made a big jump?

I drove to CT and back yesterday, mostly at 75 to 85, 300+ mile trip. Normal traffic, normal speeds.

That was pretty much what we saw as well. We take this trip a few times each year and the traffic volume and speed seemed pretty much unchanged. My car was averaging about 21 MPG running pretty much 75-80 mph. I know that slowing down to 65-70 I could have improved my mileage but I'd have probably been flipped off countless numbers of times around Ft Wayne, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids.

It would be interesting to see the accident rate since covid started.
In MI, on this side of the state anyway, the Police patrols have been almost non-existent. (as far as pulling people over)

I don't think I saw one patrol car parked in the median of the x-way in the last year or more....and I drive a lot.

Around Grand Rapids, going up and coming back, we noticed a lot of police in the median. You'd have the traffic rolling 80 mph or better and then suddenly they're slowing to below the posted speed limit. Yep! Cop ahead. Didn't see a lot of people getting stopped going either direction. Did see a lot of vehicles with flat tires though!

Yeah..my experience above is more from the long open stretches of highway north of GR.

Yeah things above GR thinned out.

Also watch to see if big SUV and truck sales will slow down now. They usually take a dive when fuel prices go up. How about dumbazzs "burning coal" ?

Had to get to the SF Bay Area last night about a 120 mile trip. It’s hard to drive 65 when everyone is going 75-80 mph. Gas here is 5.49 and traffic is still heavy. I must say that most vehicles coming back from skiing were Teslas.

I wasn't paying attention to the Diesel price. I think it was $5.45/gal. Sadly that probably won't be enough to put a damper on rollin coal.

My Gladiator is about the worst a vehicle can possibly be when it comes to aerodynamics. When doing around town driving I’m lucky to get 13mpg. I started using the start/stop feature recently and I’ve noticed a 2mpg increase. I’m now averaging just over 15mpg. https://media4.giphy.com/media/1QhmD...LpvK/giphy.gif

The local Ford lot is filling up with new and used pickups including 2 new and 2 used Raptors. The new Raptors have been there about a month and had their window stickers removed before hitting the lot. They also were not listed on the dealer website. Not sure how Ford saw dealer markups but could see that being an issue resulting in non-listing and no window stickers.

Maybe Ford is starting to worry about their heavy shift to pick-up and SUV production?

Charlotte to Akron last Friday. 77 North was almost combat driving with me driving a packed mini van with stuff also strapped on the roof. 65-70 was my speed and I was barked at several times even when in the right lane. Just not fast enough and the other peeps that were entitled to 85-90, well I just ruined it for them.

A new F350 with dual rear wheels passed me at 95-100 mph. It was strange seeing something that big going that fast.

Cops are no longer interested in cars going 70-75. They can easily find someone going 90+ now.

Most of the miles on MI X-way are 75 mph now. They upped it a few years back.

I noticed that! I know somewhere I was doing 80mph but I don't recall what stretch it was. I told my brother "It's probably killing my fuel mileage but we're makin time baby!"

I was on M55 which is 2 lane for the most part. I think the speed limit was 65 there. That or that's just how fast I chose to go .

They are when I'm in a 55mph zone!!

My right foot doesn't know about the increased gas prices.
We need to talk.

People are tired of being denied.

I do think the shutdowns we experienced do come into play. "F it I'm gonna do my thing"

My brain and my right foot are having a massive battle right now. I think my right foot is winning. My left foot is trying to play the middle. Its sayin "hey fella, pump the brakes a little there."

Normal traffic...and reg. gas is over $5/gal. around here.

And I still see quite a few folks just sitting in their parked SUVs with the motor running while they eat lunch, play with their phones, or look out over the ocean. And this is in very mild weather, with no need to be running the heat or A/C.

Gas prices don't seem to be of much concern...

Traffic has become almost nonexistent where I live (but no nearby interstate, so that may be different) over the last week. Covid had no effect that I could tell, so I assume it is either gas prices or inflation in general.

That's kind of my point of this thread. I know in years past when prices increased the way they have, people made some changes in how they drive. I also remember taking a trip with my family and all of us discussing how light the traffic was. My brother and I were talking about this as we drove up to Manistee. It seemed odd how heavy traffic was.

Maybe some still believe that inflation is temporary. A recession is on the way.

Last week I did a trip up into the badlands. Noooo, no one is slowing down around here.

I like it when someone else is driving at 160km/h so I can follow a kilometre behind knowing the cop will pull up the first guy.

We call that "bear bait" here.

I see a major improvement in driving 65mph vs 75mph. Fuel consumption goes down and I see all the craziness in front of me. It’s even better in the big rig at 55mph.

My Fit will get 40 mpg all day at 60mph.
Bump it up to 75mph and it drops to 38 mpg.

I hate losing those 2 mpg. :D

See! That reads like something my oldest brother would say!

Price dropped again this am. SmileWavy
$4.09 for reg.

^^^
$4.07...down again

When it gets back to 3.46 I'll let you know. But I doubt it'll get back to 3.46 as fast as it climbed to $4.25

Murphy in VW was the "cheapest" at $3.96

down another penny today....$4.06

Traffic is down, and so is my right foot ! I was going to post yesterday. I rolled by the locals hiding in their favorite little revenue trap yesterday am, just a tick under 90. Speed limit is 50. I was passing a long line of cars, and I thought, maybe they did not get a good fix on me, or there was too much traffic for him to pull out . I got to work and parked behind the building just in case .
Im sure they knew who it was, because they followed me almost the whole way to work this morning . He picked me up about a mile from my house, almost like they were waiting for me . I kept it one mph below the speed limit whole way .
. The shop seems to be slowing some also . Last few weeks have been softer, and I notice my competitions parking lots are pretty empty .
It is almost like they are trying to put the screws to guys like me .

Once we have a rain or two to wash the salt off the roads....the cops will be out watching for the stored cars coming out from the winter naps.

$4.01 here today for reg.

There's talk of suspending the 27 cent state gas tax in Michigan.
I hope they don't. The roads need fixing.

They spend the gas tax revenue on fixing the roads in Michigan, do they?

Not how they roll in Cali

^^^
That's what they tell us.

Van Wert is oddly the cheapest around at $3.83
Delphos and Lima are still in the $4.05-$4.09 range.

I did a double take today, our Shell station dropped the price of regular from $4.09 to $3.89 overnight. I hope this trend continues.