What’s the deal

[TK4]

On 400 series highways and the 115 I try to stay in the slow lane (OG) but get pushed into the middle lane when the trucks can't climb the hills.
People get bent - I try to get back over asap - then they go smoking past like I'm the problem.
Same with zippering with the on ramps - let the guy in for cryin' out loud, what are you saving - 10 seconds ?

 

[PrivatePilot]

On 400 series highways and the 115 I try to stay in the slow lane (OG) but get pushed into the middle lane when the trucks can't climb the hills.
People get bent - I try to get back over asap - then they go smoking past like I'm the problem.

When I'm in my work truck or towing our camper I'm always a 100kph on the dot driver - out of necessity in the truck, out of fuel savings with the camper. I absolutely try to stay in the right lane all the time of course, but when I need to pass or open up the right lane for the same situation as you mention, I might speed up a little to complete a pass quickly, but then get back over.

But the bottom section of the 35/115 is a good example of an artificially low speed limit (90kph, WTF? I guess it's the fact it's not a limited access highway as there's businesses that open straight up to it) where people absolutely go insane if you dare get in their way.

Same with zippering with the on ramps - let the guy in for cryin' out loud, what are you saving - 10 seconds ?

It's a mentality now, everyones more important and that 3 seconds is absolutely essential to them.

 

[timtune]

Are you guys seriously more concerned about a clerical error than the idea that it seems to be overshadowing? Also ignoring the fact that I've already acknowledged it. Geez.

Post above edited.

Great, so the limit is almost where it was 60 years ago (70mph/112km/h) when cars had: crappy headlights, terrible suspensions, 4 wheel drum brakes, crap tires, no ABS, no TCS, no power steering, no drunk driving laws, no seat belts, no airbags, no crumple zones and were all around just $#!+ cars. I don't care what any old timer thinks, the biggest piece of crap new Kia handles better than probably anything out of the 60's outside of maybe a Shelby Cobra.

But we were DRIVING the cars, not staring at our crotch.

 

[timtune]

Two summers ago I took the Roadtrek to NL. All the way east I was doing 95kph, even the 401. I was most surprised. People calmly went around me and I never so much as heard a horn honk.

 

[matthew]

I see lots of plates on cars from Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, New York,.Florida, British Columbia on my commute along the 410.

 

[Renboy]

Two summers ago I took the Roadtrek to NL. All the way east I was doing 95kph, even the 401. I was most surprised. People calmly went around me and I never so much as heard a horn honk.

Assuming you're in the correct lane, why would anyone honk?

 

[PrivatePilot]

Assuming you're in the correct lane, why would anyone honk?

On a 4+ lane road, you can drive the speed limit all day and pretty much nobody will care if you're poking along as they'll just go around you.

Things get more interesting when you get onto 2 lane secondaries. I've used Highway 7 between Peterborough and Ottawa as an example here a few times where it's 2 lanes in many stretches, and if you drive the 80kph speed limit strictly, well yeah, people do start losing their minds behind you. Horns, no, not that I've ever experienced, but incipient road rage followed by dangerous passes to get around you, absolutely.

 

[Mad Mike]

On a 4+ lane road, you can drive the speed limit all day and pretty much nobody will care if you're poking along as they'll just go around you.

Things get more interesting when you get onto 2 lane secondaries. I've used Highway 7 between Peterborough and Ottawa as an example here a few times where it's 2 lanes in many stretches, and if you drive the 80kph speed limit strictly, well yeah, people do start losing their minds behind you. Horns, no, not that I've ever experienced, but incipient road rage followed by dangerous passes to get around you, absolutely.

I get that. Along rural highways the norm is about 100kmh, and a lot of the local population get used to that.

Sightseer plodding along are impacting their day.

 

[PrivatePilot]

I get that. Along rural highways the norm is about 100kmh, and a lot of the local population get used to that.

Sightseer plodding along are impacting their day.

Well, like it or not, if I'm in my work truck on a long stretch of 80kph road, I'm stuck doing 80, otherwise the tattlebox on the dash will reward me with a visit to the safety department if I drive over the limit for too long.

When I'm towing the camper, well, same.... I do the limit. Sorry, not sorry. I saw a funny decal on the back of a RV one day in a parking lot, it said "I'll go faster when you send me money for gas!" and then had a QR code that led to the "send money" feature of PayPal with their account.

I'm never in a rush. I'm not at the "fedora with a feather in it" stage of life yet, but I'm typically never in a panic to get anywhere. I don't get the mentality of losing your mind behind the wheel to get somewhere 60 or 90 second faster than the guy just chilling out behind the wheel. I've seen it time and time again where people will lose their mind to pass someone only to end up 2 or 3 car lengths ahead at every subsequent traffic light, etc.

 

[Mad Mike]

Well, like it or not, if I'm in my work truck on a long stretch of 80kph road, I'm stuck doing 80, otherwise the tattlebox on the dash will reward me with a visit to the safety department if I drive over the limit for too long.

When I'm towing the camper, well, same.... I do the limit. Sorry, not sorry. I saw a funny decal on the back of a RV one day in a parking lot, it said "I'll go faster when you send me money for gas!" and then had a QR code that led to the "send money" feature of PayPal with their account.

I'm never in a rush. I'm not at the "fedora with a feather in it" stage of life yet, but I'm typically never in a panic to get anywhere. I don't get the mentality of losing your mind behind the wheel to get somewhere 60 or 90 second faster than the guy just chilling out behind the wheel. I've seen it time and time again where people will lose their mind to pass someone only to end up 2 or 3 car lengths ahead at every subsequent traffic light, etc.

I never get worked up about large vehicles holding the speed limit. I spend over a couple hundred hours a year rolling on Ontario's rural highways - truckers are not my biggest concern. There are a few annoying behaviors I see frequently, particularly on Hwy 11 and 1.

1) Truckers drafting the truck ahead, leaving no space for passing vehicles. No biggie on most motorcycles, but having to pass 2 or 3 semis at a time instead of one at a time is annoying and dangerous for most cars.

2) Watching Semi races at passing lanes on 2 lane highways. There is nothing like watching a governed semi try to pass another governed semi on a 2 lane highway at a passing area.

Both of these seem to get a lot worse if it's raining and when it's dark.

 

[PrivatePilot]

2) Watching Semi races at passing lanes on 2 lane highways. There is nothing like watching a governed semi try to pass another governed semi on a 2 lane highway at a passing area.

This is a result of professionalism draining out other industry. When I started it I was considered commmon courtesy for the slightly slower truck to back out or it to let the slightly faster truck pass. Contrary to popular belief speed limiters were still quite common in the industry even before they became mandated by law. There was still exceptions even in the 90s, they will always be jerks behind the wheel in all sorts of vehicles, however it was much less of an issue as there was still some pride and professionalism.

Now unfortunately the "every man for themselves" mentality is also taking over in the trucking industry and common courtesy isn't so common anymore. When the day comes I won't be sad to leave this industry behind.