"Hypermiler" (i.e. dick) ticketed for driving too slow

[tommys67]

Once again, one of my fellow citizens feels they are ENTITLED to be on the road and thus drive any way they want.  I'm sorry, but posted speed limits are just that - the state mandated maximum speed to travel on a certain road - it is certainly not a "challenge" as these hyper-milers like to think they are.

This dude sounds pretty damned smug to me!  Wasn't there a cloud of "smug" that threatened South Park?

Just sayin'

[Duc Stamp]

I have a few thoughts on this. 

I thought "hypermiling" was staying under 40 to use only electric?

He has no business driving 50 on the interstate, but I thought the minimum was 40 (maybe not in MD).

I think if he weren't on the interstate, then he's well within his right to drive a bit under the speed limit.

We could all benefit from everyone slowing down a bit, but not this slow.


I experienced something FAR worse than this on 95 in NC a month ago.  A lady was in the left lane doing 35!  Why she ever got into the left lane in the first place is beyond me.

[ducatiz]

I have a few thoughts on this. 

He has no business driving 50 on the interstate, but I thought the minimum was 40 (maybe not in MD).

I think if he weren't on the interstate, then he's well within his right to drive a bit under the speed limit.

We could all benefit from everyone slowing down a bit, but not this slow.


I experienced something FAR worse than this on 95 in NC a month ago.  A lady was in the left lane doing 35!  Why she ever got into the left lane in the first place is beyond me.

some states have a posted minimum.  if there is no minimum posted, then you are expected to go with the flow of traffic, except where it is over the speed limit.

if you are going 35 in the left lane on I95, you should be run into a ditch.

[Pakhan]

some states have a posted minimum.  if there is no minimum posted, then you are expected to go with the flow of traffic, except where it is over the speed limit.

if you are going 35 in the left lane on I95, you should be run into a ditch.

NJ doesn't post a minimum but it does have one.  I got my "too slow ticket" because I was on route 1/9 near Princeton.  Mr gestapo cop followed parallel to me staring me down for 3 traffic lights, which is about 2 miles over there.  I guess having light candy apple green hair past your shoulders is justification for harassment. 

Well, the speed limit on that stretch changes from 45mph to 55 mph frequently, I think just to catch people.  So I thought it was a 45mph zone and was going 40 out of cop fear, but it was a 55mph zone and he pulled me over gave me a ticket for going too slow.  15 miles under the limit in NJ is against the law, I fought and got a reduction from the judge cause I was from out of state.

yay jersey 

[NAKID]

I think if he weren't on the interstate, then he's well within his right to drive a bit under the speed limit.

So you would be OK with it if he was driving 30 in a posted 45 on surface streets? Same thing as going 50 in 65 on the highway...

[Kaveh]

some states have a posted minimum.  if there is no minimum posted, then you are expected to go with the flow of traffic, except where it is over the speed limit.

if you are going 35 in the left lane on I95, you should WILL be run into a ditch.

make the beast with two backsing safety hazard.  

Here in the SF Bay Area we get stoopid idiots that go the speed limit or slightly below it in the left lane!  They do this because they know that they won't ever run into someone going slower than them in the fast lane therefore never needing to take their retarded heads outta their enormous asses to heaven forbid, tap the brake or change lanes.  Lazy inconsiderate pricks that are responsible for creating the disaster waiting to happen of cars going 80 and 60 in the slow lane.  

[Duc Stamp]

So you would be OK with it if he was driving 30 in a posted 45 on surface streets? Same thing as going 50 in 65 on the highway...

I wouldn't like it, but that is different than 50 in a 65.  30 in a 45 is 2/3 of the limit.  As long as someone isn't going ridiculously slow and they aren't in the left lane, I could care less how they want to drive.   95 in the area this guy was is 4 or 5 lanes wide on each side, and it's common for most of the traffic to be going 50-55 just due to volume.  In fact, I was going 70 this past weekend on that stretch and was passing people left and right like they were standing still.  I had TWO people pass me during the 20 miles I was on there.

My main point is, there are much worse things drivers do than go slower than the speed limit.

What I experienced on 95 was far worse than this story as it was in the left lane and it was half the speed limit (35 in a 70)

[nllm_oo_mlln]

it was a highway with a passing lane and if he was  in the right lane going 50 and everyone else could blow by him going 70 or better then what's the problem? 

I got a bunch of speeding tickets right now so I hypermile kinda unintentionally.  I always go the psl and everyone is 10- 15 miles faster than me (not getting caught like I did).  people get angry, tailgate pass improperly out of frustration-- like I'm gonna risk my license so this guy can get to work on time? make the beast with two backs that.  Or quit being a pussy and pass me and risk your own license.  shoulda left sooner.  My 50 mile commute is now 2 minutes longer .

now they do some stupid shit like drafting semis, shutting off the car going down hill (no stearing/brakes) then poping the clutch to get it going.  but there's a lot of smart things I picked up at cleanmpg.com like timing lights, not using cruise, not using the brakes.  I'm not pregnant doging about $4 gas because my tacoma is getting 25-28 mpg and the monster is around 52 (I used to get low 40's).

everyone is jumping to the conclusion this guy is like that bastard at the extreme.  just like when a fatal bike accident happens people across the internet label the rider a moron and assume he's a squid because all bikers are squids.   He was doing 50 where everyone else was expected to do 65.  if motorists pay attention that shouldn't cause an accident.  But they don't and someone going that much slower is illegal because our roadways are populated with inattentive, road rage'n drivers doing 5-10 over.  why should he pay* and get labeled a dick?

*duno if a warning in MD has a fine or if it goes on his record-- here they just give verbal warnings and it costs nothing (so I've heard)

[triangleforge]

I experienced something FAR worse than this on 95 in NC a month ago.  A lady was in the left lane doing 35!  Why she ever got into the left lane in the first place is beyond me.

Even better question is HOW she got into the left lane!  A couple of times I drove that old '73 Land Cruiser up the same section of road where the hypermiler in the original post got nabbed. If it's where I'm thinking, the main opportunities for gas are LEFT HAND exits into what Maryland calls "Welcome Stations" or some damn thing.  One of the most hair-raising things I ever did in any motor vehicle was to frogger that Cruiser at 60 mph (11 mpg. + 13 gallon gas tank = frequent gas stops) across three or four lanes of hard-charging traffic with the gas needle on the Empty peg. Good times...

[Ducatiloo]

Why do you consider people that drive 5-10 over bad but the this guy is ok at 5-15 under?
Same logic people should have been able to zoom past the lady in the left lane going 35 mph

[ducatiz]

good points.

he got a citation, which means a ticket.  prob 1-2 pts and i bet he'll fight it and get it dismissed.

everyone is jumping to the conclusion this guy is like that bastard at the extreme.  just like when a fatal bike accident happens people across the internet label the rider a moron and assume he's a squid because all bikers are squids.   He was doing 50 where everyone else was expected to do 65.  if motorists pay attention that shouldn't cause an accident.  But they don't and someone going that much slower is illegal because our roadways are populated with inattentive, road rage'n drivers doing 5-10 over.  why should he pay* and get labeled a dick?

*duno if a warning in MD has a fine or if it goes on his record-- here they just give verbal warnings and it costs nothing (so I've heard)

[duccarlos]

Slow make the beast with two backsers deserve to be shot.

[Ducatiloo]

Slow make the beast with two backsers deserve to be shot.

But you would have to slow down to get along side of them to do so, there in lies the paradox. 

[nllm_oo_mlln]

Why do you consider people that drive 5-10 over bad but the this guy is ok at 5-15 under?

I don't, but they are illegal all the same.  your damned if you do and damned don't.  and all the money he saved is up in smoke so all the people in the system can keep their assinine job of checking for crossed t's and dotted i's. 

[duccarlos]

Ok, I spoke to harshly. They deserve to be crashed into by a semi going the posted speed limit, 15 miles per hour faster than them on their make the beast with two backsing little ass cars.