🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <7aR4Fc3w165w@c-cat.UUCP> david@c-cat.UUCP (Dave) writes:
>
>from a truck driving point of view ( and thats how I think they set
>the speed limits)  they seem fair,  for your little honda can
>do a safe 45 MPH down the back roads surely a 19 ft cargo truck (e.g.
>the rentables) should no way be doing 45 down back roads.  open reoads
>open roads are a different story, when a highway is designed to handle
>traffic at 75mph to make the traffic drive at 55 MPH
>

I would almost believe that...except for my trip to New Mexico last
month. 

On my way to Carlsbad I turned off I-25 about 90 miles south of Albuq.
onto this minor two lane road.  It was a great road (don't remember
the number anymore)...very desolate, with incredible little "towns" on
it and NO SHOULDER (boy, I almost thought I was back driving in India
:-).  If I went slower than 70 mph the trucks overtook me!  True for
all three which I went past in those 100 odd miles! And these were the
huge, 18(?) wheeled trucks that are what I love so much about US
highways.

Okay...I agree this is an exceptional case, but speed limits here are
often set *way* too low. 

IMHO I think its not just the trucks that are the problem anyway. In
other (European) countries I have driven in trucks don't move too fast
(<70mph) while other traffic does. You go past trucks almost like they
are standing (typically at a 30 mph differential or more)....just 
strict lane discipline is all that is required.

But, getting back, I think the real problem in the USA is that too
many people drive, and most don't really care about "good" driving.
They just want to get to work (or the mall) and back, drink that coke,
get on the phone and let the kids jump around in tbe back seat.
Nothing wrong with this kind of driving culture (its wonderful
actually), but I doubt it would allows 70mph+ speed limits unless
there is stronger drivers ed or something. But 55 is plain stupid.

And then finally, there is your local insurance company and city dying
to rake in the bucks anyway :-(

On the side, I was really impressed with New Mexico drivers. They
actually use the left lane as a passing lane *only*, even the very
significant fraction that goes 80 mph or more. I saw only one car in
the 1700 miles I drove there that did not do this. A real pleasure to
watch and drive.....and you can go as fast as you want, everyone gets
the hell out of your way (except the cops I guess).

Just my 2 cents,
Shyamal
-- 
Shyamal Prasad, Department of Computer Science
Southern Methodist University, Dallas TX 75275, USA