Okay, so I've been thinking about this a bit. Is it a good idea to drive well under the speed limit in order to maximize your MPG? Say, 50 or 55 in a 65 miles per hour zone, or 35 in a 45 MPH zone.

I don't want to start a slugfest or flamewar here, I'm just wondering what other people think. It seems like there should be room here for civil discussion and presentation of reasons why you think whichever way you do, without temperatures rising.

As long as it is not causing an unsafe condition, I don't see it as too much of an issue. They do post minimum speeds for areas that need it. As long as you stay in the right lane and use hazards if necessary, it should be fine.

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I can't image the incremental mileage would warrant unsafe driving habits. In Phoenix, people are driving 10 and 20 miles above the limit. I am not condoning this but there could exist a 30 to 40 mile per hour difference in speed. It's your rear end.

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If there's no one else on the road, you can get away with this but I believe that it's safest to be at least *close* to the speed of the rest of the traffic.

There should be no questions on this one. As long as one is going over the posted minimum speed & doing their business in the right lane, then all is good.

Many states already have speed limits posted for semis that are 10 miles per hour under the speed limit for other vehicles, so there are already other vehicles going that speed.

Bottom line, I understand defensive driving & all, but I should never feel forced to go faster. That's simply perpetuating the awful habits that so many in this country have & why we're in a world of hurt when it comes to our dependance on foreign oil.

"Speed doesn't have anything to do with mileage. My truck has an overdrive gear for a reason." - Credited to an unnamed Freeper reguarding changing the speed limit back to 55MPH.

Ok as long as the subject is close, i have a question. I live in a northern sub of chicagao alot of my driving is hyway, if your not going 75mph (when lack of road construction will allow it ) you better have a ramp on the back of your car so others can jump you. Now for my question, I am finally picking up my new prius today 9-12-05 (super white pkg 4). What in everyones experience is best, cruising at 70 miles per hour (my favorite speed) with the cruise control on, or not using the cruise control? I know with conventional cars it is best for milage to use it. thanks for the help. Dean

Hi Clubford00:

___Since you and I commute on the same Interstates (I-94/I-294/I-90/I-290/I-55/I-355/I-88) here in IL., try this one on your morning and afternoon commute tomorrow. Get into the right hand lane and set your cruise not at 75 like you mentioned everyone is traveling but at a much lower 63 miles per hour. I can guarantee you will have hit your brakes at least once every ½ mile for as long as you drive because most 18-wheeler’s do not travel over that limit in the right hand lane. You are spreading a perpetual myth and it is costing you a huge amount in terms of your FE today as well as tomorrow. If you prefer to travel in the left lanes at 70 +, by all means but you aren’t doing that in the right lanes or you would have been scraped off the under-ride guard of ~ 75% of the 18-wheelers traveling through the Chicago area.

___In regards to the thread, 45 - 55 posted speeds, 50 and above is good. In the 45 - 65 posted speeds w/ truck limits at 55 posted speeds, 58 is good imho. In the Accord, a little faster. In the Ranger and Corolla, a little slower but always in the right hand lanes.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

Thanks Wayne i appreciate the info. Unfortuanatly i dont have just an afternoon and eve commute i drive 150-200 miles a day on my car and im on the hyways at any given time. Im pretty good about what lane to be in at what part of the road to get where im going the quickest (traveling the same route so many times) i havent picked up the new car yet (Mon after work) i just wasnt sure about the cruise control when im alone on the hyway, alot of my driving is at 12am and i have the road to myself. Dean

I agree. It is very frustrating however that some try to whip around you, even using the median on the right side. This is when I wish for laser-guided guns under the bumper that could take out the tires of drivers that do it.....

61.5mpg lifetime - 82mpg in recent months

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"fanatic" is what the lazy call the dedicated

Gave this a little thought. You might actually LOWER the collective MPG (of all the cars on the road near you) by doing this, because you would force others to slow down (without capturing the wasted energy) and regain original speed if you drive a lot slower than permitted.

I do notice that Prius drivers keep to the limit, as in EXACTLY the limit (due to the digital reading ?)