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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!seismo!hao!hplabs!piety
From: piety@hplabs.UUCP (Bob Piety)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: 55mph & common courtesy
Message-ID: <1660@hplabs.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 1-Aug-83 14:06:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: hplabs.1660
Posted: Mon Aug  1 14:06:33 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 2-Aug-83 11:50:42 EDT
Organization: Hewlett Packard Labs, Palo Alto CA
Lines: 40

What's with this "unsafe @ >55"? The speed limits on many of our freeways here
in California USED TO BE 70!!! The roads were certainly designed for that 
speed (or greater).  Sure, trying to drive at a speed that departs from the
flow of traffic can be unsafe.....and that goes for you 55mph drivers when
the flow is actually moving at 65 - 70.  Even our Highway Patrol Officers will
agree with that.
    As to the rights of the 55mph driver to pass a 45mph car:
        Sure, pass the car at that speed, but GET OUT OF THE WAY as soon as 
you can. DON'T TRY TO ENFORCE THE LAW!!!!!!!
     On a road with a single lane in each direction, our State Law says to
pull over and let cars pass when there are 5 or more cars behind you....
regardless of what speed you are driving.  What's wrong with common courtesy?
Why impede ANY drivers?  Why not pull over (when its safe) and let even ONE
car pass?
     I drive a winding mountain road daily and have found this courtesy quite
refreshing as most of the drivers follow it. Of course, there are the times
that a tourist or "sunday driver", who doesn't know the road, seriously
impedes the flow of commuters. Its OK for them to not know the road or to
simply drive slowly, BUT when they refuse to pull over (at turnouts) and
have absolutely no consideration for anyone else....THEY ought to be fined
(or worse!!!)!
     The bottom line is:  What's wrong with exercising common (perhaps not-
so-common anymore) courtesy and let drivers who wish to go faster, for
whatever reasons, do so?

     Next time, try it. Try going out of your way slightly, just to be nice
to the other person and let them do their thing.  Maybe, they'll return the
favor some day when YOU need to be somewhere in a hurry....such as driving
your pregnant wife, or injured child to the hospital. (an ambulance is not
always appropriate or available.)

     By the way, I tend to get drowsy at 55, but am QUITE awake and alert at
65 or 70. I firmly believe that my reflex reactions are much quicker at the
higher speed and more than compensate for the quicker reaction times needed.
But, what's best for me may not be for you. You do your trip & I'll do mine!

SIZZLE-FUME-SMOKE!!!