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Post by silverdragon on Jan 26, 2013 12:21:47 GMT
Experience doesn't let you drive faster ....
It Makes you drive slower.
Born of a discussion I had last night....
Forget race tracks, this is on the road stuff, legal road driving.
In a discussion I had with some fellow drivers of all abilities in our local club, most of us recognised the fact that as we get older, we DO drive slower.... or more gently?...
(Especially now in Winter...)
We anticipate problems better and recognise potential hazards earlier.....
This is beyond the first two years after you pass your test, and this is beyond the pre-25 yrs of age "Boy Races" amongst us all, this is the after 30, 40, 50 yrs old drivers.
So, do we get there in the same amount of time, do we spend longer on journeys?...
Many of those discussing this last night, truly believed that its all down to how the lights change, and on a (for instance) three hour journey, the boy racer who keeps within the legal speed limits doesnt get there in a remarkably quicker amount of time...?....
Maybe 10 mins?... is that worth the extra rush, stress, and pizza-ing off all the other drivers on the road.......
So, in that we drive slower, does experience actually allow us to get there faster anyway, not that much behind, or significantly slower?...
My estimate is not that much of a difference ...
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Post by c64 on Jan 26, 2013 16:07:25 GMT
Well, when it comes to traffic circles, an experienced driver is more able to time the gaps instead of being forced to stop and wait.
It happens very rarely that I need to go lower than 3th gear - unless I am in Bonn, the driving habits and design of the roads confuse me a lot!
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Post by ironhold on Jan 26, 2013 16:46:32 GMT
I don't think it's so much as "raw speed" as it is "experience means you know the road and what to anticipate, allowing you to run more efficiently".
I deliver newspapers for a living; once I'm done helping to prep the main load for mail delivery, I then go around and drop bundles.
I'm so familiar with my route that I even know most of the bumps in the road by memory; if I feel a bump that I don't recall, then if possible I turn around to check it out. Not only do I know the main route, I know several detours that I can take along the way in the event that something happens; there's only one section where I'm locked into taking a single road, and so I'm not as flustered by road construction, traffic jams, or anything else that might frustrate a normal driver.
For example, a few weeks back we had a train stall out on the tracks. The BNSF line cuts the town in half north / south, leaving one road crossing blocked and two others backed up with diverted traffic. While most people were lining up for those two jammed crossings, I knew that if I went about two miles out I could find *another* crossing that was largely unused. It meant a detour, but I more than made up for it by not having to wait in line.
From there, the question of "riding the gas pedal" and "riding the brake" comes down to individual road conditions. If it's clear out and there's not a lot of traffic, I'm pushing the speed limit the entire way through so that I can get back to bed that much faster. But if visibility is limited and/or there's a lot of traffic, I go as slow as legally allowed. I know far too well the dangers I'm up against, and would rather take a little while longer to get things done than risk a collision.
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Post by the light works on Jan 26, 2013 17:24:16 GMT
It's not so much that experience makes you faster or slower; it lets you set your speed more efficiently to conditions; which lets you achieve a higher average speed than an inexperienced driver.
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Post by c64 on Jan 26, 2013 21:26:12 GMT
Experience doesn't let you drive faster ....
Correct, but a stronger engine sure does  |
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Post by the light works on Jan 27, 2013 5:59:29 GMT
Experience doesn't let you drive faster ....
Correct, but a stronger engine sure does there's a point where it's not what's under the hood that makes the difference; it's what's on top of the throttle. |
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Post by silverdragon on Jan 27, 2013 7:27:06 GMT
... The most important nut on any vehicle is the loose one holding the steering wheel?....
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Post by c64 on Jan 28, 2013 2:14:54 GMT
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Post by rory on Jan 28, 2013 17:11:13 GMT
Driving quick saves me about a hour on my long journey as it's a 350 mile motorway trip.
My weekly short journey has several very long traffic light junctions (2:30 minutes). So I can get to work in 10 or 20 minutes independent of going 5 below or over.
C64 for your info it's;
1st - First
2nd - Second
3rd - Third
then you go to the 'th'
4th - Fourth etc.
English loves to mess you about a little.
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Post by silverdragon on Jan 29, 2013 7:26:21 GMT
Rory, are you being a "Little enthusiastic" about the 70mph limit there?....
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Post by rory on Jan 29, 2013 14:05:50 GMT
Most of the way is 65, the cops outside of citys on motorways let you go upto 80 but if you hit it, they have you. I'm typically around 77. The 80 rule is the same for the 70 I drive on. I still get overtaken quite a bit though and rando, drag races break out on certain long straights. I've even been overtaken by a triple trailor Lorry.
5 over is treated as the minimum speed here as there ist't a fine for it.
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Post by c64 on Jan 29, 2013 15:06:36 GMT
Most of the way is 65, the cops outside of citys on motorways let you go upto 80 but if you hit it, they have you. I'm typically around 77. The 80 rule is the same for the 70 I drive on. I still get overtaken quite a bit though and rando, drag races break out on certain long straights. I've even been overtaken by a triple trailor Lorry. 5 over is treated as the minimum speed here as there ist't a fine for it. My speedometer is +5kph +4.7%. So I always drive 10kph faster than the limit, 20kph when in a hurry. The 10 won't give me a ticket, the 20 can give me a ticket but if, it's not all that expensive. |
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Post by the light works on Jan 29, 2013 15:14:27 GMT
in the great state of Montana, the daytime speed limit is 75 MPH outside city limits. it's the only place I have driven where I have seen signs that said "Road construction: speed limit 45MPH"
there experience lets you know that despite the speed limit being 75 MPH, the corner ahead can only be taken at 40 in the average passenger vehicle, and there may be a moose in the road around the bend.
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Post by alabastersandman on Feb 6, 2013 8:10:15 GMT
I still find myself driving more according to traffic and roads/road conditions than I do by any other measure. I have learned to better pace myself when dealing with traffic lights and such but my freeway speeds seem to have crept upwards, not down. I really have to try to be conscience of my speed as I would otherwise be driving 90mph way too often for the police to ignore. So far I have been lucky and avoided them whilst not paying attention to my speedometer. I've encountered plenty though whilst pushing 12-15mph over and got away with it. There could be a connection there. The police have backed off, so I take advantage? Ehh, could be rabbit, could be. Its really easy to drive 90mph whenever I get around Detroit in-between rush hours. Nice wide open 4-5 lanes wide and other traffic is driving 80-85mph anyway.
It is true though that I have not gone out in the middle of the night running machine against the road just for my own self gratification, used to do that a lot, like 6-7 nights a week, sometimes until morning traffic bored me and I went home. Went through a few Pirelli tires that way but never scratched paint. I do however, on occasion still nail a corner just because its there and I can. My favorite is taking the ramp from eastbound on 196 to southbound 131, the posted speed is 30mph, I'll hit it 65mph and push the throttle to the floorboard at the apex. I suppose that's my favorite because I commonly take that ramp. The ole Accord doesn't even groan or squeak a tire but I am content with that, perhaps I am getting old.
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