Acceptable amount of time to get up to speed?

[SwampSurvivor]

I'm usually a pokey driver, but I don't left lane camp. I do get people upset with my F350, I don't like having to use as much clutch as I need to take off in 2nd gear, so I always take off in 1st gear. Then have to shift in like 10 feet. It's even worse towing, the tired old triton 5.4 just doesn't get up to speed all that quick towing 7000 pounds and I don't want to push it too hard.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted by AZjeff
Everyone is hypermiling?

You've got a Caprice PPV. They make a push bar. Problem solved.

Hahahahah. I did my best to not make it look like a cop car. It has worked thus far. I don't want to put holes in my bumper.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted by BMWTurboDzl
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.


But this early AM no traffic congestion, the next light is 5 miles away. It is two lane road with a speed limit of 55.
Even so, if you poke away less people get through the light. I see it everyday.

 

[Touring5]

There was a time in the 80's when you had a mix of cars on the road that were actually slow with newer ones that could perform, and sometimes a slow accelerating car was just that. Today, pretty much every car can accelerate comfortably. Nothing more annoying that someone lollygagging on an entry ramp to a busy highway, creating a backup of cars that will have to merge going 15 mph slower than traffic.

The other thing mentioned is a pet peave of mine: it seems like the longer a line of cars waits for the light to turn green (particularly turn arrows), the longer it takes the first car to move. I don't know if they just can't pay attention for longer than 15 seconds or what, but I've seen to many times when their delay causes cars in line behind them to have to stop and wait out another red light.

 

[MRtv]

Boise Idaho has the way slow to start drivers. Light goes green and people seem to have a routine that they just take thier time to get moving. Each successive driver moves at a snails pace getting individually started. As a result instead of getting 15 cars through the green light you may only get 7 because they are all to slow to get moving and won't move until the car in front has moved 5 car lengths then they begin moving too. SO ANNOYING! Then there is the ghost driving. Look at you phone and wait for the guy next to you to start moving to signal that the light is green and everyone is moving. That slows down the traffic like nothing else when you didn't notice the traffic was moving again.

 

[spavel6]

I love annoying people that fly up behind me as I'm accelerating. If you're honking, I'm even more pleased

 

[ZZman]

I tend to get up to speed on the easy side. When people in a hurry blow by me I wonder what their hurry is.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted by ZZman
I tend to get up to speed on the easy side. When people in a hurry blow by me I wonder what their hurry is.

That is fine, but really none of your business. As long as they are not being dangerous. You never know what someone else has going on in there life.
5 mins maybe a huge difference for them .

I am just asking about reasonable acceleration. Lets say from a stop to get up to 55? I think 10 seconds is a good goal.

Actually matching the speed of traffic when merging is a good goal.

 

[HemiHawk]

I don't mind people getting up to speed at a normal or average pace, but the turtles need to get moving. If I'm not first at a light its not like I expect everyone in front of me to launch their car so I'm just relaxed and going with the flow. But on on-ramps people need to learn to use the gas pedal more. At that point its just dangerous to go super slowly.

 

[jeepman3071]

"Slow responders" as I call them actually create lots of congestion in the area where I work. They drive extremely slowly through intersections allowing not as many cars to get through, resulting in more backup.

Slowing down to a complete stop before turning off onto a side road is also completely unnecessary. Even in a Jeep Wrangler with bigger than stock tires and a lift I never have to come to a complete stop before turning right onto a road.

 

[zorobabel]

Originally Posted by ls1mike

I am just asking about reasonable acceleration. Lets say from a stop to get up to 55? I think 10 seconds is a good goal.


Sorry, that's not reasonable. Quite a few older cars can't do that even flooring it. As for myself, I consciously accelerate slower on a cold engine; unless I have to merge.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted by zorobabel
Originally Posted by ls1mike

I am just asking about reasonable acceleration. Lets say from a stop to get up to 55? I think 10 seconds is a good goal.


Sorry, that's not reasonable. Quite a few older cars can't do that even flooring it. As for myself, I consciously accelerate slower on a cold engine; unless I have to merge.



How old? the slowest car to 60 in 2015 was 12.5 seconds. That was a Transit van. For your average everyday car 10 seconds is a good goal. I said goal. If it you takes you 15 seconds ok, but it should not take 20 seconds to 1/2 a mile to get up to 55 or even 45 as is the case around here. With adequate traffic flow, that is unnecessary.

 

[dogememe]

Originally Posted by AZjeff
Everyone is hypermiling?

You've got a Caprice PPV. They make a push bar. Problem solved.

Yup. Most left lane campers would immediately move over when they saw my Crown Vic in their rearview mirror. I miss that!

But as for the question, I always accelerate to the posted speed limit promptly. Even in my slow 4 cylinder Escape I do that because 1. I'm impatient and 2. I'm impatient.

I'd rather get where I'm going 1 minute quicker even if it means I get 1MPG less.

 

[zorobabel]

Originally Posted by ls1mike
Originally Posted by zorobabel
Originally Posted by ls1mike

I am just asking about reasonable acceleration. Lets say from a stop to get up to 55? I think 10 seconds is a good goal.


Sorry, that's not reasonable. Quite a few older cars can't do that even flooring it. As for myself, I consciously accelerate slower on a cold engine; unless I have to merge.



How old? the slowest car to 60 in 2015 was 12.5 seconds. That was a Transit van. For your average everyday car 10 seconds is good goal. I said goal. If you takes you 15 seconds ok, but it should be taking 20 seconds to 1/2 a mile. That is unnecessary.


I understand the goal. 2015 is not old. 1990 is old, let's say a Honda Accord which may generate some smoke as well - it's everywhere on the West Coast.
I get more annoyed by the "lost" drivers that are increasing in numbers; they brake on green lights awaken from their slumber by arriving at the intersection and can't decide which way to go.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted by zorobabel
Originally Posted by ls1mike
Originally Posted by zorobabel
Originally Posted by ls1mike

I am just asking about reasonable acceleration. Lets say from a stop to get up to 55? I think 10 seconds is a good goal.


Sorry, that's not reasonable. Quite a few older cars can't do that even flooring it. As for myself, I consciously accelerate slower on a cold engine; unless I have to merge.



How old? the slowest car to 60 in 2015 was 12.5 seconds. That was a Transit van. For your average everyday car 10 seconds is good goal. I said goal. If you takes you 15 seconds ok, but it should be taking 20 seconds to 1/2 a mile. That is unnecessary.


I understand the goal. 2015 is not old. 1990 is old, let's say a Honda Accord which may generate some smoke as well - it's everywhere on the West Coast.
I get more annoyed by the "lost" drivers that are increasing in numbers; they brake on green lights awaken from their slumber by arriving at the intersection and can't decide which way to go.


Fair enough but the average age of a car on the road in the US is 11.4 years old. Not a lot of 1990 anythings left in sufficient quantity that it should affect what I am talking about. I just got rid of 2002 2500HD that could do that in under 15 seconds not on the floor.

 

[khittner]

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.




A lot of folks on this string, if they're doing more than smack-talking, need to relax a bit and reconsider realities beyond their own. There are all kinds of folks, driving all sorts of vehicles, with differing levels of skill, ability, and taste for risk. The real highway isn't a movie, or a computer game, intended for anyone's entertainment. Cujet's old supervisor, if he had been caught doing what's been described in the jurisdiction I've prosecuted, would've, after considerable and expensive-to--him due process, gotten some significant time in a small space, to reconsider his priorities, probably along with a roommate or two who weren't "supervisor material". Everyone needs to get where they're going. Slow down, live and let live, smell the roses you already have.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Originally Posted by ls1mike
Originally Posted by BMWTurboDzl
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.


But this early AM no traffic congestion, the next light is 5 miles away. It is two lane road with a speed limit of 55.
Even so, if you poke away less people get through the light. I see it everyday.



Ahh...ye well, then tell them to "mov-ur-arse"

 

[brages]

The onramps in the Seattle area are pretty short. I remember a few that were controlled with a stoplight in some kind of congestion-metering scheme. Anyway, it takes more acceleration there.

I've driven in St. Louis traffic in a Mk2 Jetta Diesel (normally aspirated, 52 hp) and had no issues with merging onto freeways. Our ramps are longer here.

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted by ls1mike
Originally Posted by zorobabel
Originally Posted by ls1mike

I am just asking about reasonable acceleration. Lets say from a stop to get up to 55? I think 10 seconds is a good goal.


Sorry, that's not reasonable. Quite a few older cars can't do that even flooring it. As for myself, I consciously accelerate slower on a cold engine; unless I have to merge.



How old? the slowest car to 60 in 2015 was 12.5 seconds. That was a Transit van. For your average everyday car 10 seconds is a good goal. I said goal. If it you takes you 15 seconds ok, but it should not take 20 seconds to 1/2 a mile to get up to 55 or even 45 as is the case around here. With adequate traffic flow, that is unnecessary.

MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH,
You're kiddin' right?

Don't you know it takes them the 15-20 seconds to realize the light is green? Nobody uses the honk-honk in my area...
Also, it is their moral civil patriotic dooty to keep everybody 10+ under the posted speed.
And for no circumstance it is wise to use the little thingy called blinker.
Legal turn on red? pfffui


You know what I don't get?
My cars are not sporty, and they bearly see 3k RPM.
So I leave the light, get to posted speed (+0-7MPH), and look behind me and some people didnt' even start moving????

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Being proactive in how you drive can "hide" shortcomings of slower cars, but that takes effort. Considering most people don't give an F about anybody else anyways, topped with the fact that most of them are either on their phones or poking radio buttons reduces this even further. I started riding motorcycles during "A" school down in Orlando (long since demolished), and learned early on you need to drive so that: you're never in anybody's blind spot; nobody has to speed up or slow down, or change lanes because you've spaced out; never follow the jackwagon in front of you closer than 2 seconds, even if it means dropping back some; and always, ALWAYS expect any car within killing distance to do their best to make that happen. When you're driving this way, nothing is very surprising, and almost always means you're never going to need a panic stop. Where on-ramps are concerned, if the lane is open my foot is on the floor 95% of the time so that I control exactly where my car is going to end up between the vehicles already in the slow lane. It's not hard, but it does require focus. And that's something that 95% of people on the roads today don't want to be bothered with having to do.

Here's a quick vid from Mike Rowe about safety. It's flabbergasting to today's culture but 100% true. Remember, only you are going to watch out for your safety and do everything you can to make it home in one piece today.