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Re: Speed Kills?




What I have to say has no statistical evidence, it is purely my opinion
based on my experiences.

Speed kills? Well, no. If it did people would be dying on airplanes all
the time, what are they doing?, 600, 700 mph? But higher speed does
increase the possibility that you will hit something going significantly
slower than you are and that does unfortunately kill people.

I have heard, "the differential in speed kills people", meaning that
if everybody traveled at the same speed there would be less deaths. I
would agree with this only with the assumption that everybody on the
highway is comfortable driving at that chosen speed. Of course, that
could never happen.

My experiences tell me that the dangers on the highway are the people
who are inconsistent. I drive on the freeway with cruise control. I
find it irritating when I will consistently gain on somebody, pull out
to pass and they increase their speed to match mine. I won't put
up with this for long, I hit the gas pedal, complete the pass, move
back to the right, and resume the cruise control. I also find it
irritating when somebody will gain on me, pull out to pass me, and
then match my speed riding alongside. This is a little harder to deal
with, sometimes I will let off so that they are forced to complete the
pass, sometimes I will hit the gas pedal and pull back ahead of them.
It is really difficult when people do this and leave a whole string of
cars behind them in the left lane.

My opinion is that the highways would be safer if everybody used cruise
control on the freeways and used it correctly. Know when to back off of
the cruise to let somebody merge, know when to hit the gas to make a pass
go quicker. Don't ride for miles upon miles in the left lane passing
somebody who is going 0.01 mph slower. If you are in the right lane
coming up on a slower car, shut off the cruise and wait for the traffic
to clear in the lane to your left, don't pull out in front of somebody
and make the slow pass at your cruise control speed.

Just my opinions on making the highways safer.

-Dean



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