# Speed Up Or Stay Home...



## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

OK ... yes I know that fuel is expensive... I have already told my daughter that I had to cash in her 409 College Education Money so I could continue to pay the Shell Oil card off once a month ...

and I told my son that if it doesn't get better soon then he will need to:

a. Join the Army like I did for a free college Education
b. Get a lot smarter and go for one of those Engineering scholarships
c. Realize that a two year associate degree from a third rate community college is really all you need anyway
d. Declare himself an illegal alien with no SSN so he can get a free education from any State of Texas school

but I digress....

What this rant is about is the idiots that have decided that they can beat the price of fuel by driving 40 (forty) &*#! MPH on the Interstate to try to save a few miles per gallon...

From San Antonio to Dallas (300 miles) it is basically a two lane interstate (two lanes in each direction) that normally everyone sets their cruysie control on about 80mph and we all get where we need to get to -- quickly --

But now some idiots have decided that instead of getting to where they need to quickly -- they instead try to save a few bucks -- so with idiot number ONE going 40 mph being passed by idiot number TWO going 50 -- well it stops us idiots going 75 (posted speed limit) from ever getting up to that speed at all...

I passed an Audi A4 today in my truck towing my trailer -- now there is something wrong with that picture...

I mean -- come on -- driving 40 MPH on an Interstate !!!! What are they thinking --

Its getting to the point where I am doing all my driving after midnight -- at least then they all seem to keep it right above 90 mph -- in all the lanes --


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

I hear you. Being caught behind someone poking along can get frustrating. (And a lot of them are so busy yakking on their cell phones, they are oblivious to the fact that a 50-foot long truck and trailer just passed them.)

But it's always been tough to drive on Illinois Interstates with the cruise control set to 65 mph (max speed limit), because semi-trailers, trailers, busses, and motorhomes are limited to 55 mph. When we travel, we try to ride behind a trucker doing 65, because those guys know where the police sit.

We can drive 65 in Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kentucky, and 70 in Missouri - but cross the Mississippi River (or the Indiana border) and ya gotta slow down to 55. Gripes me to no end. It's been a hot political ping-pong topic for a number of years - but it remains.

Now mind you, I usually tow around 65 mph. If it gets real hot, I slow down to 60 (for the tire's and the truck's sake). But 55 mph for my 3/4-ton truck pulling a 7000# trailer - or my previous Suburban towing a pop-up - or a Greyhound bus - or motorhomes - seems a bit rediculous. They were built to travel those speeds and do, everywhere but here.

(Hope you don't mind me venting with you!)

Mike


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## Airboss (Jul 14, 2007)

Funny (but not so funny) post.







I'm smiling because I can feel your pain.

Maybe this will make you feel a little better - We live in Ft. Irwin, CA. Look it up sometime or just Google it. Notice something? IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE!!! The closest town, Barstow, is a miserable hole and I wouldn't recommend stopping there unless you were well armed. So, the next closest city is Victorville. Not a bad town really. There's shopping and a few restaurants and whatever. Here's the kicker - it's 75 miles away!

Say we wanted to go to the mall, watch a movie, or go out to eat. That's 150 miles round trip. My truck (our only vehicle at the moment) gets 17 MPG on the highway. With the price of diesel in The People's Republic of California at $4.90, that's $45 just to get to a restaurant. Never mind that the cost of eating out is going up due to the rising fuel costs.

Anyway, I guess I don't really have a point except to try to make you feel a little better.


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## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

Airboss said:


> We live in Ft. Irwin, CA. Look it up sometime or just Google it. Notice something? IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE!!! The closest town, Barstow, is a miserable hole and I wouldn't recommend stopping there unless you were well armed. So, the next closest city is Victorville. Not a bad town really. There's shopping and a few restaurants and whatever. Here's the kicker - it's 75 miles away!


Actually i was just out at Fort Irwin last week for four days -- had to visit the Post on some contracting issues that arose ... even spent a few hours in WADI JABEL (Four Corners)...

Since we were running back and forth from NTC to Los Angeles we decided to stay in Hesperia (MARRIOT) ... man thats a 84 mile drive each way -- but most folks were doing 85 plus uit seems --until you turn off of Barstow and head toward IRWIN... then weslowed down -- especially when you see all those white crosses where folks have died previously...


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## campntn (Feb 20, 2005)

I drive the speed limit unless I'm towing. And when I tow, I drive 60..tops. To save diesel AND to prevent this: 





I was told once, that when you leave your driveway...the vacation started. So, vacations are not meant to be hurried. 
So, that's my own personal rationale to back down and enjoy the drive and enjoy the feeling of pulling that trailer.


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## W Podboy (Jan 4, 2007)

Just replaced my fuel tank with a 48 gal tank. Granted it takes a second mortgage to fill it but I figure it will save a few dollars if I can avoid filling up in the out of the way places that charge almost a dollar over the going rate.

Anyway this last weekend I was up in the eastern sierra and had a little less that ¾ of a tank when I pulled into the camp site on Sat eve. On Sunday afternoon I started the truck to take some friends to one of the nearby lakes when I noticed that I had less than a quarter tank.

I looked and found no evidence of a leak and the gauge was working correctly. It seems someone drained some fuel from my tank during the night as well as a few others campers tanks. I drove the 25 miles to the nearest station and put 24 gals of Diesel in the tank to the tune of $5.19 per gal.

You know, if someone said they needed some fuel to get to a gas station I would have given them some fuel, but to steal it and in the qty that they took, they were stealing plain and simple.

Guess I need to pack the German Sheppard's ( 100lbs ea) and not feed them at dinner to watch the truck.

FYI

I will be at FT Irwin for some work related stuff in about 2 weeks. Small world huh ?

Wes


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## cgs500 (Jun 18, 2008)

What timing! I was having this conversation with my brother (Doctor) who drove in from Cherry Hill NJ yesterday. His wife is somewhat of a greeny (not that there's anything wrong with that







) and she wanted him to keep the cruise at 55 the whole way across the PA turnpike.  She stated she didn't care about saving the money or if others had to slow down as well, she was doing it to help the environment.

I actually had success explaining to her that she was doing more harm than good. I explained truckers lose momentum for climbing hills, causing others to accelerate hard to pass and that some folks towing get better mileage at speeds higher than 55. Not to mention the risk of someone rear ending them (as well as their kids).

Has anyone done a scientific study on this? I would have to think I should be able to find hard numbers to share with my "analytical" brother.


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

My best gas mileage comes at 62 mph - which I have documented in pulling my Outback over 5000 miles. Anything less, and the transmission must downshift to a lower gear on an incline (not a steep grade). That's just where my vehicle (engine/trans./axle ratio) runs best. Just like the trucks, momentum on grades makesa lot of difference (plus the "sweet spot" for my setup). If I drive faster, the fuel economy drops off.

Mike


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## Lady Di (Oct 28, 2005)

There are greenies, Sunday drivers all week long, people who deem to not know where they are going - they slow down at EVERY intersection, even on a highway, and then when we get 1/2 inch of snow in the winter, everyone still drives, they are just scared. I prefer 6" of snow, the scared ones park it.


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## Paul (May 14, 2008)

I have a 2002 2500HD 6.0L with only 57K miles. I am not a happy camper these days. I Just picked up my 23RS this week and the truck has been working / acting like a dog. I know that this truck is not new but it seems to work way too hard to pull a small camper. I am getting 9 miles a gallon doing 60 MPH (maybe). Going across MO on I44 today I had to drop it into 3rd and leave it there. How do you guys pull the big campers and save fuel with the 6.0? I am one of those guys in the way getting run over by everyone else and I hate it. Do you guys with the newer trucks have the same problem?


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Paul,

The missing link in your equation may be your rear axle ratio. It sounds to me like you may have more of a highway gearing, than a towing setup. Do you know what your rear end ratio might be?

Happy Trails,
Doug

P.S.: Welcome to Outbackers. We're glad to have you aboard!


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Bout all you can do is go to the state and have them up the minimum speed limit. If someone is driving under the minimum, just call the state patrol.. They will be happy to write em a ticket.

I heard we as a country drove 30 billion less miles last quarter.. If we drove slower, then we could save even more fuel... Then we could create a surplus of fuel... Then lets see if the price goes down... This could screw up all those speculators and teach them a lesson... We as a people have the power to conserve another 30-40% of fuel if we all think about it.. We can change things just by driving less and slowing down..

Instead of a trucker strike, they could simply so down to 50 mph.. This would add 1 day or more to a coast to coast run.. If every truck would do it, it would disrupt things as much as a strike.

Many trucks out here have slowed to 55-62mph.. Many companies are now governing there trucks to 62mph..

I have found if I run 55-58 mph I can save myself 100 bucks on a 2000 mile run. That pays my food bill. Since the speed limits are mostly 70-75 I log like I am running 75, but just do 55.. Takes me longer.

For instance I left Sioux City, Ia. This morn at 930 am.. I ran up 29 to 90 then west on 34 to 212, back to 90.. I parked it just west of Billings, Mt. I drove 772 miles today.. Its now 1230am.. So it took me 15 hours to do that.. Logged it the at the max allowable of 11 hours, for an average of 70mph...

Many truckers are doing the same now.. Yes you gotta fudge the log book here and there, but in reality there is nothing that can be said.

Yes 40 is slow, but if that is the minimum there is nothing that can be done about.. We are gonna see more of it.. Just be more aware out there.. If lots of wrecks begin to happen the states will lower the speed limits I bet.

Carey


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## Sluggo54 (Jun 15, 2005)

Colorado~DirtBikers said:


> Bout all you can do is go to the state and have them up the minimum speed limit. If someone is driving under the minimum, just call the state patrol.. They will be happy to write em a ticket.
> 
> I heard we as a country drove 30 billion less miles last quarter.. If we drove slower, then we could save even more fuel... Then we could create a surplus of fuel... Then lets see if the price goes down... This could screw up all those speculators and teach them a lesson... We as a people have the power to conserve another 30-40% of fuel if we all think about it.. We can change things just by driving less and slowing down..
> 
> ...


Carey - get some sleep!

Sluggo


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## bradnbecca (Feb 12, 2007)

Ghosty-

I don't envy you having to drive IH35- to me, it is like being waterboarded. That is one of the few things that I DON'T miss about San Antonio ( when I lived there, I have been known to take 281 to get to Austin just to avoid that friggin' highway, and when I went to Dallas, I almost always went on Southwest-kinda hard to do with the rv, though). Unfortunately, they have done away with the minimum speed limits here, so the pokies can lumber along at 35-40 on the freeways with relative impunity. Of course, a slowly moving target is easier to hit, so they stand a better chance of getting shot when they finally push someone behind them completely over the edge- Dennis Leary sang a song about those folks, but I won't quote it here because this is a family site.

That being said, I have become something of a codger when pulling the Everest, especially since it costs me about $400 to fill up the old Mopar now. I have experimented, and the "sweet spot" for my truck is at 62 mph, so I set the cruise for 62 and stay to the right and just wave at the guys in their Hummers that give me the old one-finger salute as they blow by. I can eke out 11-11.5 mpg if I stay at 62, and it drops dramatically if I venture over 65. I got passed by a guy pulling a brand new Wildcat fiver with shiney new F-350 yeterday, and all I coudl think was- boy, you'll learn when you get the gas cc bill . . . . .

I guess next I will let my nose hairs grown out and get some pants that I can pull up under my armpits . . . . . . . . . .


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## raynardo (Jun 8, 2007)

I believe that there are minimum speed limits on the Interstates. Plus there are laws against "impeding the flow of traffic". These just need to be enforced.


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## bradnbecca (Feb 12, 2007)

raynardo said:


> I believe that there are minimum speed limits on the Interstates. Plus there are laws against "impeding the flow of traffic". These just need to be enforced.


Actually, they removed the minimum speed limits here. There are laws pertaining to impeding traffic, but they are almost impossible to enforce without the minimum speed limits. There is also no law in Texas to force slower vehicles from the left or "fast" lane. There are some places where there are signs posted that say "left lane for passing only", but again, enforcement is almost impossible because the law does not state what is meant by "passing".


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## Sluggo54 (Jun 15, 2005)

bradnbecca said:


> Ghosty-
> 
> I don't envy you having to drive IH35- to me, it is like being waterboarded. That is one of the few things that I DON'T miss about San Antonio ( when I lived there, I have been known to take 281 to get to Austin just to avoid that friggin' highway, and when I went to Dallas, I almost always went on Southwest-kinda hard to do with the rv, though). Unfortunately, they have done away with the minimum speed limits here, so the pokies can lumber along at 35-40 on the freeways with relative impunity. Of course, a slowly moving target is easier to hit, so they stand a better chance of getting shot when they finally push someone behind them completely over the edge- Dennis Leary sang a song about those folks, but I won't quote it here because this is a family site.
> 
> ...


Whoo! Don't forget the velcro-strap shoes!

Sluggo


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## Acadia Hiker (May 29, 2007)

Sluggo54 said:


> Ghosty-
> 
> I don't envy you having to drive IH35- to me, it is like being waterboarded. That is one of the few things that I DON'T miss about San Antonio ( when I lived there, I have been known to take 281 to get to Austin just to avoid that friggin' highway, and when I went to Dallas, I almost always went on Southwest-kinda hard to do with the rv, though). Unfortunately, they have done away with the minimum speed limits here, so the pokies can lumber along at 35-40 on the freeways with relative impunity. Of course, a slowly moving target is easier to hit, so they stand a better chance of getting shot when they finally push someone behind them completely over the edge- Dennis Leary sang a song about those folks, but I won't quote it here because this is a family site.
> 
> ...


Whoo! Don't forget the velcro-strap shoes!

Sluggo
[/quote]

...and white faux-leather belt...


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## Paul (May 14, 2008)

PDX_Doug said:


> Paul,
> 
> The missing link in your equation may be your rear axle ratio. It sounds to me like you may have more of a highway gearing, than a towing setup. Do you know what your rear end ratio might be?
> 
> ...


93 octane is the missing link, I have a 4.11 rearend, so it should pull stumps. Ford F350 is in the future.


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Sluggo54 said:


> Bout all you can do is go to the state and have them up the minimum speed limit. If someone is driving under the minimum, just call the state patrol.. They will be happy to write em a ticket.
> 
> I heard we as a country drove 30 billion less miles last quarter.. If we drove slower, then we could save even more fuel... Then we could create a surplus of fuel... Then lets see if the price goes down... This could screw up all those speculators and teach them a lesson... We as a people have the power to conserve another 30-40% of fuel if we all think about it.. We can change things just by driving less and slowing down..
> 
> ...


Carey - get some sleep!

Sluggo
[/quote]

Well now its the next day.........

Still feel the same... lol

Carey


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