🚀 go-pugleaf

E. Faubion wrote:

> DPH <rally2xs@pop.site1.csi.com> wrote:
>
> >Sure - and if you _did_ nail everybody at 78 in a 70, you'd be busy writing along the side
> >of the road when the guy you're _really_ looking for whizzes past at +30,
>
> There's always the chance something bigger will come along.... then
> again there's they won't.   Either way that has no bearing on the
> citation being written.

Right.  The citation being written is still a good citation.  However, as an overall strategy,
this will make the road "safer" (in terms of not getting a ticket) for the guy in the car at
+30.  I assume that is not the situation you want to promote! <G>

> >down the road that A) you gotta do 130+ mph to catch him
>
> Nope.  I have a radio.  This is not a one horse town.

Yeah, that usually works.

> >We actually had some politicians whine about the loss in revenue if Indiana's Interstates
> >were put up to 65 mph when that was under consideration.  I'm not so sure that it is false
> >at all...
>
> What percentage of Indiana state revenue is generated through traffic
> fines?  I'll bet you'll find it to be quite tiny.

Whatever it is, those particular politicos didn't seem to want to lose it.

> >I think I am safer at limit plius 8, because that way most people are not catching me from
> >behind.
>
> Then you've done your research and know how much extra distance it'll
> take you to stop from 78 mph versus 70 mph as per the example you've
> been using.  Since you consider this a safer speed I'm curious how you
> offset that extra distance.

I'm talking about interstate driving here.  Stopping?  For what?  OK, maybe idiots standing in
the right lanes of interstates at night waving their shirts.  But otherwise, I don't recall a
situation where I've had a sudden reason to stop on an interstate for years.  The reasons to
stop on interstates are backed up traffic, and due to the design of interstates, visibility is
generally _waaaaaaaaaayyyyy_ better than is necessary for even ordinary cars to stop.  Once we
get past ordinary cars, we can talk about my Mitsubishi Eclipse with the 4 wheel disk brakes
and the $700 a set, 25,000 mile grippy Goodrich Comp ZR's.

> >I know I can avoid driving into things in front of me,
>
> Lots of people who thought the same thing found out otherwise.

35 years, Earl.  Its been true for 35 years of my driving experience.

> >but I don't trust
> >everybody catching me from behind to not drive into me.
>
> I hate to say this but if you're that paranoid about driving I suggest
> you find an alternate method of transportation.

1) There is no alternative and... 2) You aren't paranoid if they really are out to get you!!!
Seriously, you have to assume that the other guy is going to make a mistake.  I think that's
part of defensive driving.  That mistake may be criminal in nature, such as drinking and
driving, or it may be simply failing at the safe driving task.  I don't want either of them
running into me from behind.  If I'm +8, I have a longer time to notice them coming at +15 or
+20 than I would if I were +0.

> >You have a very high threshold for safe.  The first time you pull the trigger, you have a
> >1 in 6 chance of dying.
>
> I also wrote that I can run a stop sign or signal light safely.  If
> it's okay for you to speed safely then why is it not okay for someone
> else to do those things?

_I_ don't run _any_ stop signs deliberately, EVER.  Two reasons - 1) There may be something
about the intersection that I don't know, like a hidden approach to it,and 2) If one starts
doing that, it gets to be a _habit_.  That would be a very, very dangerous habit that I
personally don't want.

> >The second time you have 1 - (5/6) squared chance.  The next time
> >is 1 - (5/6) cubed.  etc.  That's if the cylinder is spun each time.  Those are way too
> >poor odds for me to consider something safe.
>
> Since you seem to be into the math may I suggest you do the numbers as
> suggested above on the stopping distances.  Be sure you also take into
> account the distance traveled during the time it takes you to perceive
> and react.  A good starting point for that is 1.6 seconds based on
> some serious research into the topic.  If you don't know how to go
> about doing this *and* if you're real nice I'll tell you where you can
> pick up a free program that will do this for you.

I know how to do it, I just don't believe I have to.  Why?  Because I'm not concerned with
stopping distances on Interstates, as noted above.

> >>  Stop signs and signal lights can be run safely.
>
> >Not by me.
>
> No one is coming on the cross street and you can't run the stop sign
> or signal light safely?... but you *can* speed safely?  That's a
> contradiction.

No its not.  See explanation above.

> >There's a point where it is soooooo dang easy that it's sooooo dang boring that one loses
> >focus on what one is doing, thereby making it _less_ safe.
>
> That's about the worst excuse I've ever heard.   A reasonable driver
> will get off the road and take a break when fatigue or boredom sets
> in.  Why don't you?

Earl, I went to sleep on a simple 2-way radio service call back when the 55 was first
introduced, after a good night's sleep and only about 15 miles out from my starting point while
attempting to do exactly 55 mph.  It was just too boring.  I decided that it just wasn't
adviseable for me to attempt it, so I got a lot of tickets during the 55 mph NMSL nonsense.

> >They don't know me.  I've had those that _ride_ with me tell me that they believe I'm the
> >safest driver they know.
>
> Don't listen to them.  They obviously have no idea what they are
> talking about.

35 years.  No major accidents.  I think they have great perception, myself! <GGG>

DPH