Acceptable amount of time to get up to speed?

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ls1mike

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I just read two separate studies of where the worst drivers are and Washington state came out near the top.

One of the complaints was people leaving on a green or pulling out in front of you too slow.
I have noticed it and it annoys me.

So lets take, for example a light near me.
Speed limit is 55. you stop at this light it takes some people more than 1/2 a mile just to get up to 50 which causes a back up.
I don't expect every one to get up to 50 in 5 seconds, but it really shouldn't take more than 10. Even lugging the trailer I can just about do that.

What is acceptable?
 
It's discourteous beyond belief to accelerate at a snails pace.

Of interest, time spent in lower gears wastes fuel, as a certain distance must be covered, and doing so efficiently requires maximizing time at efficient cruise speed.

Energy consumed accelerating is the same, regardless of rate of acceleration. EV's don't use more power going 0-60 in 3 seconds or 20. Note: there are some token additional resistive losses in the conductors under maximum load.
 
This urks me to no end! Especially on interstate entrance ramps!!! It is called an ACCELERATION lane for a reason people! And if you are going to be an A$$ and pull out in front of me, you had better get up to speed quick or I'm going to be all over your tail layin on the horn!
 
That and they put a darn S curve in the ramp even if you're wanting to give it the John Force hole shot …
I can only assume it's so the driver can get a look at oncoming.
Texas has now made it law that the left lane is for passing only. While that helps keep folks like me out of the way of Vettes and RAM diesels … it means the ramp lane is jammed with traffic as you try to merge.
 
If you are turning onto a highway, if the car that you are turning in front of has to brake at any point, you are a jerk. You get double jerk points if there isn't a second car behind the one you pulled in front of (because you could have just waited).

I find this also to be a very dangerous scenario on highway on ramps. Certain popular hybrid vehicle owners love watching the high MPG readout instead of getting up to a similar speed of the road you are entering.

The pedal is on the right. Press it.
 
I can't remember the last time I heard a horn in passive aggressive land...ur umm Washington state.
 
Originally Posted by racin4ds
This urks me to no end! Especially on interstate entrance ramps!!! It is called an ACCELERATION lane for a reason people! And if you are going to be an A$$ and pull out in front of me, you had better get up to speed quick or I'm going to be all over your tail layin on the horn!



Maybe in Ocala Florida you can try that but in my neck of the woods which is where the OP lives as well, the traffic isn't moving on the freeway so acceleration is useless.

People's attention spans are flitty these days. They are too busy fiddling around with other things to notice that the light has turned green. Many have no sense of distance either. They will be at a corner and see you coming and at the right moment decide to pull out into traffic which caused everyone to brake.

Driving requires a lot of patience these days.
 
1974 Datsun B-210 coupe: 0-60 mph in 22.5 seconds
grin.gif
 
Originally Posted by PimTac

Driving requires a lot of patience these days.

Truth.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by ls1mike
Originally Posted by PimTac

Driving requires a lot of patience these days.

Truth.




Yep. Yesterday coming back from shopping I took a two lane highway with a 50mph speed limit. The fastest I went was 12. My turnoff was seven miles up.

This is the new normal.
 
Originally Posted by PimTac
Originally Posted by ls1mike
Originally Posted by PimTac

Driving requires a lot of patience these days.

Truth.




Yep. Yesterday coming back from shopping I took a two lane highway with a 50mph speed limit. The fastest I went was 12. My turnoff was seven miles up.

This is the new normal.


Same stuff here in Kitsap. I am not asking everyone to put it on the floor, I am just asking them to be considerate.
 
I hate to admit this, but my old supervisor at my college job (we will call him Craig) used to take the company ladder truck and actually "push" slowpokes. He was the boss, and always drove. Anyway, I don't think I've ever laughed so hard. He'd push some self righteous left lane camper by creeping up on them, touching bumpers, then flooring it. The company truck had a big block V8 and would push them without problem.

The situation would go like this: He'd tailgate them, flash the lights, and blow the horn. In his mind, one minute was all the time they would get. They'd refuse to move over, instead they'd tap the brakes or sit adjacent to another car, refusing to move over. The speed limit at the time was 55 and most of these people were in the 40 something MPH range. Once the brake tap happened, he'd ease up on their bumper and floor it. They'd put on the brakes hard and it mattered not. Once they were forward of traffic, he'd back off a little and give them a chance to pull over.

Then they would take down the phone number on the side of the truck and call it. Guess who they got when they called!


I laughed so hard, and hid below the window. But inside I knew these people were being inconsiderate beyond belief and probably thought it was funny to hold up others.
 
Originally Posted by ls1mike
I just read two separate studies of where the worst drivers are and Washington state came out near the top.

One of the complaints was people leaving on a green or pulling out in front of you too slow.
I have noticed it and it annoys me.

So lets take, for example a light near me.
Speed limit is 55. you stop at this light it takes some people more than 1/2 a mile just to get up to 50 which causes a back up.
I don't expect every one to get up to 50 in 5 seconds, but it really shouldn't take more than 10. Even lugging the trailer I can just about do that.

What is acceptable?


Sometimes nothing short of 0 to 60 in 2.5 seconds is acceptable.
 
Seems to be an issue of traffic congestion. While I understand your pain think of it like this. If you have almost zero chances of getting by the next light, why would you burn a lot of fuel getting up to speed as quickly as possible and then waste that energy braking?

I know that I annoy drivers in the morning on my typical route because I drive at 50-55 mph rather than the 65+ mph (posted 45) because there's a 95 percent chance that all of us will have to stop at the traffic light 1/2 mile down the road.
 
Originally Posted by ls1mike
Originally Posted by PimTac
Originally Posted by ls1mike
Originally Posted by PimTac

Driving requires a lot of patience these days.

Truth.




Yep. Yesterday coming back from shopping I took a two lane highway with a 50mph speed limit. The fastest I went was 12. My turnoff was seven miles up.

This is the new normal.


Same stuff here in Kitsap. I am not asking everyone to put it on the floor, I am just asking them to be considerate.




That's the key. I think most drivers these days stare at the cars right in front of them and don't look ahead far enough.

As an example if I see cars coming down the on-ramp and I'm in the right lane I will move over if possible to give them a clear entrance.

Another type I don't care for are these fast and furious wannabes. They cut in and out through traffic in a big hurry to go nowhere. They are far worse than someone driving over the speed limit imo.
 
Frankly, it makes no difference to me. If I think there's a little traffic then I'll just leave for my destination a couple minutes earlier. It ain't worth getting all hot and bothered about.
 
Originally Posted by Cujet
I hate to admit this, but my old supervisor at my college job (we will call him Craig) used to take the company ladder truck and actually "push" slowpokes. He was the boss, and always drove. Anyway, I don't think I've ever laughed so hard. He'd push some self righteous left lane camper by creeping up on them, touching bumpers, then flooring it. The company truck had a big block V8 and would push them without problem.

The situation would go like this: He'd tailgate them, flash the lights, and blow the horn. In his mind, one minute was all the time they would get. They'd refuse to move over, instead they'd tap the brakes or sit adjacent to another car, refusing to move over. The speed limit at the time was 55 and most of these people were in the 40 something MPH range. Once the brake tap happened, he'd ease up on their bumper and floor it. They'd put on the brakes hard and it mattered not. Once they were forward of traffic, he'd back off a little and give them a chance to pull over.

Then they would take down the phone number on the side of the truck and call it. Guess who they got when they called!


I laughed so hard, and hid below the window. But inside I knew these people were being inconsiderate beyond belief and probably thought it was funny to hold up others.




lol...My first post-college job involved a lot of seat time in company pickups and whenever someone called to complain about the driving of one of the technicians, my boss would let the technician who was driving take the call.
 
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