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for those of you that really know me…up close and personal…you are aware that my driving habits have taken on legendary status.
i drive slow.
(i wrote all about it back in 2009, if you want to check it out. you’ll be smarter, if you do.)
here’s the synopsis: i consistently drive 5-7 mph slower than the speed limit. i drive 50-55 on the highway. i seldom pass 20 in a 25. main street, all the way to flower mound, is a steady 30-35. i stay in the slow lane. sometimes, i speed up if there’s lots of traffic. if there is only one lane, and somebody wants to go the limit, i will usually be kind and speed up some. i’m a good guy.
it’s a speed limit. not a speed minimum. just because the law says you can go that fast, doesn’t mean it’s safe.
i have my inconsistencies. if i’m running late, i will probably go the speed limit (though, it seldom gets me there any faster.) i’ve learned that being in a hurry is not a good thing…for your health…for your safety…for your attitude…for your relationships…for your perspective.
now i have a confirmation of what i thought i knew, but now know for sure.
check this out…
Driving gently will help reduce the wear and tear on your car. This means slowing down for bumps or potholes, taking corners at a reasonable speed and avoiding putting your foot to the floor. Driving hard puts more stress and strain on your car’s components. According to the US Department of Energy, it takes 73 percent more horsepower to cruise at 60 mph, and a whopping 159 percent more at 70 mph, than it does at 50 mph. This means your engine is working that much harder and wearing down that much more quickly if you continue to speed. Also, slowing down will keep your repair costs lower. Increasing your average speed from 50 mph to 60 mph increases maintenance costs by 38 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Increase your speed to 70 mph, and you’ve added 80 percent more in repair costs. There are also fuel consumption implications: each mile per hour you travel over 50 mph will cause a 1.5 percent increase on fuel consumption, the Department of Energy says. Speed just 10 mph over 50 and you’re wasting 15 percent more gas. That’s several dollars more each time you have to fill up! (from the allstate blog)
so now, to all my lead-footed, stressed-out, need-for-speed, i-can’t-drive-55, dale earnhardt jr. wannabe friends…i’m not only safer than you are. and have less stress than you have. and enjoy the journey more than you do. i’m now smarter than you.
so anytime you’re ready to follow my lead, just let me know.
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