5 Powerful Reasons to Drive Slower, and How to Do It

tellos Says:

June 15th, 2007, 5:56 am

Hello I tend to drive too fast, and do stupid things. which I regret afterward. Hopefully nothing bad happened to me.

The thing is that in Switzerland Highway are quite narrow, and when it’s really crowded, I speed to get out… because I don’t feel safe when many cars are around me. So I end up driving only on the left lane.

Driving slowly is one thing I must do… Because stress is a reason why I hate driving!

p.s. Thanks for the great blog! And good advise!!

thedharmablues Says:

June 15th, 2007, 6:05 am

Here are an additional three reasons, for your whole community, why better driving is slower driving :

1) Better Environment

Slower, steadier speeds reduce the emission levels of your car including the release of Carbon Dioxide. It may be a minor contribution to reducing global warming but it is an easy and effective one.

2) Less Noise

Again looking at the bigger picture, the more you reduce your speed, the less noise your car gives off, indirectly, leading to a happier neighbourhood.

3) Improve the health of your nation

So you have to drive somewhere, that’s fine. Driving at a lower speed encourages other folks to use alternatives to the car. How so? Parents are more likely to allow their children to walk or bike to school if they feel the roads are safer.

For more information: See the Slower Speeds Initiative in the UK (http://www.slower-speeds.org.uk)

Andrew Says:

June 15th, 2007, 6:30 am

Wise, wise words.

“I don’t worry about what they’re doing or how dumb they are.”

This is the hard bit for me. It’s so frustrating to see people driving badly or without any consideration for others. This is how the majority of people where I live drive, unfortunately.

I guess I need to learn to ignore these people, somehow!

Peter Says:

June 15th, 2007, 7:00 am

A couple of years ago I went from a 5 mile commute to a 38 mile commute. The new job also entails a lot of visiting customers on the road, some as much as 100 miles each way. At first, I was routinely driving 80 in a 65 to try to shave off a few minutes.

I honestly don’t know what triggered the change. Maybe it was fuel efficiency, maybe it was the number of police cars on the road, maybe it was just getting older, but whatever the reason, I now put the cruise control on about 66 mph and just enjoy the time. I download a lot of podcasts and listen to them in the car. Often the time passes so quickly that I’m amazed.

I keep a notepad in the car (mobile desk from duluth trading company) and as I think of things that I need to do that day, I jot them down. Sometimes I spend the time making phone calls to my parents or friends, just catching up. Yes, I know that there are studies that show that driving while on a headset is dangerous, I believe that the kind of highway driving that I do, with the low level of stress from driving slowly makes it no different than a casual conversation with a passenger in the car.

I will admit that I still lose my temper with other drivers sometimes. My pet peeve is when traffic is stopped on the highway and some moron decides to use the slow vehicle lane to pick up a few car lengths on the rest of us. Does he really think that he is the only one clever enough to do that and that the rest of us are idiots? Selfishness such as that will always irk me.

Peter

Lodewijkvdb Says:

June 15th, 2007, 7:30 am

I used to drive too fast as well. And I developed all kinds of reasons to sustain that behavior, none of them made real sense by the way.

I’ve changed in my driving habits since a couple of months before I became a father. It wasn’t a conscious choice, but rather a subconscious habit change. In retrospect I think it was because my mind was looking further and further ahead, because I was growing aware of the change in responsibilities ahead of me.

The result was that I was late all the time, but well, I have always been the guy that was late. Driving slower didn’t change it really.

To this date I’m still a slow driver, well keeping within speed limits that is. I’m working on being on time all the time (and keeping score in Joe’s goals). Being late is mainly the result of bad planning, and the inability to end meetings or conversations in my case. I notice that by being on time for a meeting, I find it easier to end it on time, no more guilt ;) And that helps me in getting on time for the next one. But I’m drifting off topic…

Good article Leo :)

TesTeq Says:

June 15th, 2007, 7:55 am

Leo wrote: Keep to the right.

Dn’t do this in Great Britain and some other countries! :-)

Maggie Says:

June 15th, 2007, 8:05 am

Great post, as usual! I learned to drive in San Antonio, where you must pass a test certifying that you are a homicidal maniac before they give you a driver’s license. I’m surprised my parents have any hair left, watching me drive the way I did.

However, then we moved to a small town, and I had a baby, and ever since then I’ve been about as calm as it’s possible to be. Other people sometimes get annoyed with my “defensive driving,” but the truth is, I’m always completely relaxed, I never tense up when I see a cop, and I’ve never been in an accident or even been pulled over. I completely agree with you that this is a huge way to reduce stress in your life.

Also, great tip about the music - I have noticed that the kind of music I listen to does affect the way I drive. Now I only listen to jazz music when I’m driving.

Sam Says:

June 15th, 2007, 8:09 am

I started driving slow a few years back when I bought my first luxury/performance car. The car was a nice place to be, and it encouraged me to relax. Even though this car was far faster than anything I had ever driven, I rarely stepped on the gas. I no longer have that car (simplify!), but I still drive slow. It’s relaxing not to worry about cops or other drivers, and that extra reaction time you have is extra-reassuring.

When I started driving slow, I started driving with a smile and arriving calm, cool, and collected, rather than frazzled.

Pam Says:

June 15th, 2007, 9:00 am

For many of the same reasons, I’ve been driving slower myself recently. I’ve noticed that rather than zoom mindlessly along with the prevailing traffic, I need to pay more attention to keeping a constant speed.

Rather than ignore other drivers, I suggest offering them a favor: keep enough space in front of you to let someone change lanes, if they need to.

Michael Says:

June 15th, 2007, 9:35 am

I’ve recently adopted a slow driving mentality, too.

It’s funny how when I ease off to the right hand lanes as watch the folks go hurrying by, I can sense, I can see, the tension in the drivers faces and the tension is even expressed in the motion of the cars. All that you said about being able to think about things other than slicing and dicing in traffic are so true.

I have also found, however, that I have to listen to “talk” rather than music when I drive to soothe my savage inner beast. I’m a fan of comedy and the bbc. Any kind of music, even classical, tends to put me on edge.

Shannon Says:

June 15th, 2007, 9:51 am

I recently bought a hybrid. Watching your gas mileage go way up because you are driving a little slower (like the speed limit) is a real motivation.

Sometimes I get stressed out when I watch people come up very fast from behind, tailgate me and wait to the last minute to swing around me (and I do stay to the right as much as possible). I try not to keep my eyes glued to the rearview anymore. I have found that if someone is tailgating me and the way is clear to the left, the best way to deal with it is to slowly ease up on the gas (not hit the brake) to encourage them to pass. I would rather have someone like that in front of me than behind me.

Grigor Says:

June 15th, 2007, 9:59 am

My wife taught me that, when we are on hollidays, driving is also part of a holiday and has to be used to enjoy scenery, listening to a music or talking. I used to drive fast, but don’t do that anymore. It makes me more relaxed when we arrive.
Also, slower driving, without agressive accelerating and braking prevents motion sickness, especialy for children.

Joel Says:

June 15th, 2007, 10:44 am

I hope by “drive slow” you mean “drive the speed limit”. Or even better, “drive at the speed of traffic, so long as this speed is sane and safe.”

My concern is that slow driving that while slow driving — truly slow, under-the-speed-limit driving — may make you feel calmer and more zen-like, it’s really going to aggravate anyone who gets stuck behind you and may encourage them to try to pass unsafely. And sure, driving five clicks slower may only save you five or ten minutes, but for some people, like doctors, those may be a very significant five or ten minutes.

I’m with you in principle, understand. I’ve adopted the largely universal standard in the Midwestern United States of driving five mph over the speed limit. This keeps most of the other cars on the road happy while at the same time rendering me entirely uninteresting to the traffic cops. But I think it’s important not to enforce your slow-living on people who haven’t yet seen the light and who may have very good reasons for living fast, just this once.

andrew Says:

June 15th, 2007, 11:21 am

this reminds me of a drive home i had recently. i was stuck behind this slow driver on a two way road, and he was the only obstacle between me and the open road. I passed him on a double line and sped off to the next red light. before the light turned green, he caught up to me.

when it turned green, i sped off and watched him disappear in the rear view- until the next red light, when he appeared slowly and then pulled up right behind me. i took off faster this time, and even blew through a yellow light just to get away from him. 5 minutes later, there he was again, right behind me at a red light.

i learned that it is just as fast to drive slowly on this route, because the stop lights will get you. now i just take it easy.

lower stress, less risk of accident, less fuel consumed.

SLOW DOWN!

Calamor Says:

June 15th, 2007, 11:30 am

It’s funny to meet the same Drivers at the highway-exit, who passed you with 30% overspeed some minutes ago.

riomx Says:

June 15th, 2007, 11:54 am

Joel: Thanks a lot for writing a post full of realism and not blind idealism.

For those of you that think you’re better than everyone else because you’re driving slower - please stay to the right.

People like myself, who are responsible and drive at reasonable, constant speeds, albeit faster than you, do not need to deal with the aggravation of you camping in the left lane.

Driving slower doesn’t necessarily make you more “relaxed.” People like myself are careful, fully relaxed and enjoying their drive to the fullest extent.

One of the main causes of frustration for me is the lack of awareness and disregard for the safety of others displayed by people who stubbornly drive slow and can’t bring themselves to move out of the way for others, almost as if it’s more important to cause an accident just to prove a point.

HopefulGirl Says:

June 15th, 2007, 12:35 pm

Thanks for the advice. I consistantly get angry in my car at others. I think a combination of things needs to happen in order to fix a lot of problems on the road…
First people like me need to calm down and slow down, and secondly, a lot of people need to be courteous and aware of the rules of the road. Some people just seem to drive unaware of what is happening around them. People like that strike me as more dangerous than those going quickly.

Debbie Says:

June 15th, 2007, 13:06 pm

I was hoping the “how to” part would be about how to deal with other drivers. How do you safely drive the speed limit, which is the maximum speed allowed by law, when drivers act as though it is the minimum speed allowed?

Whenever I’m in a defensive driving class, I always ask about this, and of course the instructor has to say that one must never exceed the speed limit, regardless.

I’m going to take issue with the phrase “ignore other drivers.” I assume you meant to not let other drivers stress you out. My favorite way to do this is to try to think of some good reason they might have for doing whatever idiotic looking thing they might be doing. Are they late for their own wedding? Did someone just spill hot coffee on the driver? Did the highly allergic driver just notice a bee in the car?

But you absolutely positively cannot ignore the other drivers. Instead I prefer to do everything I can reasonably do to make things easy for everyone. For example, if another car is going my speed, but they’re in the middle lane, I’ll get behind them rather than block the right lane as well. I wait to pass until even faster cars in the fast lane have passed me. I look ahead and let off the gas if it looks like there might be a slow down so I don’t have to slam on your brakes later.

And I let people in. This so so rare that people get so thankful that you start to think you might have made their whole day. And it’s so easy!

But what about tailgaters? Tailgaters in the slow lane when all the other lanes are empty and there’s no exit coming up any time soon? I do reverse passing–get in the next lane and slow down, which forces them to pass me, then I get back in the slow lane. Those guys still piss me off.

What if it’s a two-lane road or a neighborhood road and people want to get by but I don’t feel safe speeding up? I pull over frequently onto the shoulder of the highway or as if I am parking in a neighborhood and let them go by.

Also, I try different routes. For example, if I’m driving during rush hour traffic, I stay off the freeways. It takes me a tiny bit longer to get home because of traffic lights, but there is so much less traffic that it’s much more pleasant. I don’t feel like I’m surrounded by people who are thinking “If only she were dead, I could have gotten where I’m going a half-second sooner.”

Debbie Says:

June 15th, 2007, 13:08 pm

Oh, if traffic’s heavy, I stay in the slow lane, but I go whatever speed everyone else is going in the slow lane, even if it’s over the speed limit. It just feels a lot safer that way.

Shiraz Says:

June 15th, 2007, 13:15 pm

I absolutely agree with the message of this post. I started cooling off about two years ago and it really makes a difference in one’s day.

There was a report on CBC a while back on road rage. They pitted a speed demon vs. a regular person. They both had to complete a 1.5 hour trek around Toronto, during rush hour. In the end, the speed demon won by about 4 minutes. So speed and all that stress, the tailgating, the bumper tag, the swearing, etc. is not even worth it. 4 minutes over a 90 minute drive!

Ed Says:

June 15th, 2007, 13:34 pm

I win no prizes for being really slow, but becoming more zen-like is a huge help. My rules for driving have always been safety, then courtesy followed by being “lawful.” Driving is no place for being tense or angry and any pressure of competing is a big detraction. My only caveat is that being in a personal zone to the detriment of others (in any dimension) is not safe and to be avoided. Relax and let’s all get there together.

Tyler Gillies Says:

June 15th, 2007, 13:37 pm

I live on Maui Hawaii, so the traffic is normally pretty slow (we take it easy here) I drive even slower than the rest of them though. The other day, I was driving and this cop turns on his lights. I think he wants to pull me over so I pull over to the shoulder of the road. Turns out, he just wanted to get by me.

Christopher Kijowski Says:

June 15th, 2007, 14:25 pm

I read this post with great interest as I have noticed a change in my driving style over the past several years. I drive a lot for my job, about 3000 miles a month. There are frequent opportunities for me to drive down the thruway where the speed limit is 55. I set my cruise just under 60 and am amazed at the number of cars that pass me doing an average of 70. If other drivers don’t like the speed at which I drive, let them pass me. I get to my destination with less stress, more gas and relaxed. I agree that music makes a huge difference. I put the ipod on and listen to some Pat Metheny and I’m set to go.

John Says:

June 15th, 2007, 14:41 pm

I drive 65 mi each way. This has made me into a faster, more aggravated driver. Reasons:

1) People in CA do not stay to the right. They will drive under the speed limit on the left lane.

2) I work in Los Angeles. The sheer amount of traffic and cars wears on you psychologically. You get to a point where you just can’t be in that one minute longer.

3) Because of #2, oftentimes the average speed is around 20 mph. So you tend to want to make up for that when possible.

4) Because I commute, my time is very limited, when added onto a 9-hour workday. Saving 10 minutes means more to me than most, I believe.

I really think being in LA causes one to hate driving and traffic to the point where just thinking about it makes you upset and/or frustrated before you even get behind the wheel. This does not bode well for calm driving.

Just my two cents of analysis.

Marc Says:

June 15th, 2007, 15:38 pm

I agree that we all need to slow down, especially when it comes to driving.

[start of rant]

However I would rather have seen a post regarding good driving habits rather than restricting it to just speed.

Yes, speed kills, but so does stupidity. I see too many drivers doing stupid things; my biggest pet peeve now is drivers entering intersections on a newly turned red light to turn left, causing the drivers on the cross street to have to wait for them to turn. (west coast of Canada so we drive on the right)

I think the biggest cause of accidents is that many drivers don’t pay attention. So sorry Leo, but I disagree with your brainstorming tip and other comments made about what people should do to mellow out behind the wheel. Your full attention should be on driving, not thinking about what you will do later in the day or the argument you had with your friend. I see too many drivers “zoned” out while driving and the stupid mistakes they make as a result.

And please, please, please don’t “ignore” other drivers. Here we are taught to drive defensively and part of that is to watch every driver’s move to make sure they are not doing something stupid that will get you in trouble. I even watch drivers behind me because I have had several times where they have passed me illegally (ie. double-yellow line) and I’ve had to drastically slow down so that they don’t hit the car coming towards us on the other side of the road because they couldn’t gauge the distance properly. I simply don’t want any surprises. Getting back to the previous point, if you are brainstorming your attention is not fully on the other drivers, so you may miss the car backing out onto the street or the driver not stopping at a stop sign.

Driving is a serious responsibility, so please treat it that way!

[end of rant] ;)

One thing that I can suggest as a good driving habit is to time your trips and route better. If for instance I need to go shopping on the weekend I go as early as I can because later in the afternoon (especially on Saturday) traffic is just crazy. I also try to pick a route whenever possible that has less traffic, especially transit buses, and less busy intersections and dangerous left turns, so that my drive is less stressful. :) But don’t everyone follow my advice, otherwise my preferred times and routes will become too busy. ;)

Joel M Says:

June 15th, 2007, 15:59 pm

Hey, I’m a regular reader, but this is the first comment I’ve made. Great job with the blog, by the way.

I used to get very, very stressed about traffic, but I’ve since gotten much better about it. One must simply accept that they won’t be able to go as fast as possible, and move on with it. I agree with most things in your post, except the implied assumption that driving slower implies driving safer. In my experience, driving slowly typically causes drivers to lose focus on the road, and in turn do crazy, stupid things.

Whenever I try my best to just relax while driving, invariably I focus less on driving. The only time that I’ve done genuinely, kick-yourself-for-an-hour stupid stuff while driving is while I was striving to be calm while driving.

I also notice that the calmest, slowest drivers always do the stupid things. In Pittsburgh (where I live) we have a number of tunnels. Twice I’ve followed very slow drivers through the tunnels, only to have them block the right turn lane (lane? ramp?) at the end of the tunnel. Why? because they didn’t pull up to the stoplight. They simply stopped wayyy back into the tunnel. In both cases, neither driver was paying attention to the traffic markers, like the white lines indicating where to stop, or the stop-here-on-red sign. Or, heck, even the position of the damn red lights themselves. This right turn lane is rather well used, and in both cases it took these drivers upwards of 20 seconds to realize that people were honking at them, and that they should actually pay attention to what they’re doing.

There is a bizarre intersection in Pittsburgh with semi-confusing traffic lights. You may have witnessed people who aren’t paying attention during a traffic light, and then TAKE THE F OFF once they nice that the light has turned green, without giving it a second thought. Well, this gentleman was looking around, and saw the green out of the corner of his eye, and took off… right into a car coming in from another lane. See, the thing is, this light wasn’t our light.

I can go on and on, but the point is that my practical experience has shown that people who drive pretty slowly don’t pay attention, hold up traffic and cause accidents. ( I have seen a few aggressive drivers that are just SCARY on the road, though… and I’m not advocating that)

One last thing: my Spanish teacher from high school told us that in Spain, the people there drive very quickly on all of their highways, about 80 miles per hour, but aren’t allowed to drive until they’re 18, don’t talk on their cell phones and don’t listen to the radio while they’re driving, and Spain has very, very few accidents compared to here.

Joel

Pril Says:

June 15th, 2007, 16:14 pm

Funny I have the tix to prove i drove fast.. i still do but it’s not on purpose.. when i get up in my thoughts I end up putting more presure on the gas petel at least thats when i get the tix!

I enjoy going fast on the express way! yet i don’t get mad when someone slows me down unless it’ on the onramp to the express way! my car takes a while to get to 70 so if i have to hit my break while accelration it ticks me off! nothing i won’t get over!

I hear every mph you drive adds 1-5 lb’s of pressure if were in an accident!

I’m not so scare for that I just think more people need to pay attention to the road! i like to drive fast it’s a rush but i don’t like it to consume me!
but your right with the gas and the lifes.. and the amount of time! HA you really not saving but at tops 30 sec and no ones life is worth that!
only if i could tell my self that at times!

Tony Says:

June 15th, 2007, 16:18 pm

I think the site is great, and this was a thought-provoking post for me. I think I will try to stay within the speed limit, just to see if it changes my feelings towards driving. But like some others have mentioned, fellow drivers can be troublesome, and can cause some serious problems on the road, so it is difficult to let the aggravation roll off my back. When another driver’s bad manuever is literally threatening my life, my reaction is to become angry. If someone randomly threw a knife at me during the day, I’d have a hard time just accepting it too. Some drivers have no regard for safety, and will come within inches of hitting my car when changing lanes on a highway. Others will pull into traffic as if they are alone on the road. If I drive slower, I might have a better chance of braking in enough time, but it doesn’t change the aggressively bad behavior of others on the road. I’m not suggesting that the solution is to keep driving faster, or to cling to the anger, but I question the wisdom of just accepting it.

Joe Says:

June 15th, 2007, 16:30 pm

No thanks. I think I’d kill myself if I followed that advice. Listen to boring music and piddle along at some mind-numbingly slow speed? Its people like you that make my aneurysm throb.

Meghan Says:

June 15th, 2007, 17:24 pm

Dudes…PUBLIC TRANSIT!

Jason Says:

June 15th, 2007, 17:52 pm

Another reason is to save money. Driving fast increases the chance that you get into an accident or receive a ticket for a traffic violation. These events immediately cost money as well as increasing your insurance costs for years to come. Driving fast also increases the wear and tear on your automobile increasing your maintenance costs.

The expected value and utility of driving fast is clearly less than the expected value and utility of driving as you suggest.

Kevin Robinson Says:

June 15th, 2007, 17:57 pm

1.) Move to the city

2.) Sell your car

3.) Take public transit

4.) Buy a bike and comfortable shoes

5.) Rediscover other people, your neighbors, and your life. Relax at last….

Rick Says:

June 15th, 2007, 18:10 pm

The idea of pacing yourself through life and not being bothered by others is wise advice for all circumstances. That said, I don’t believe this has changed my driving habits.

Currently, I drive very rarely and when I do, it is always in town (I have dumped the commute for a ten block walk to the office). It is wise to drive in areas of heavy volume at a reasonable rate of speed for the circumstances, and as the speed limit decreases, so should one’s tolerance for speeding (i.e. 30 in a 20 is much, much worse then even 90 in a 70).

However, I do tend to ignore the speed limit when I am on an expressway that has the state maximum speed limit. This often occurs on road trips, where it is common for me to cruse ten to fifteen over the rural limit. Take for example, a drive from Seattle to Minneapolis. With no significant traffic in between it is plausible for one to average the speed limit for the duration of the drive. At 70 mph, it would take 23.5 hours to make the trip. At 80 mph, it reduces the trip by three hours to 20.5 hours. 3 hours on a road trip can often be enough of a savings to cut out a night of lodging or spend more time at your destination.

Also, different people perform best behind the wheel at different speeds. Some of us are far better drivers at 85 mph then others are at 65 mph. However, those of us speeding need to be courteous and share the road. Don’t get upset by the guy going five over slowly overtaking the semi traveling at the speed limit. They have just as much right on the road as you, (maybe more, since they are actually observing the law). The way I see it, traveling over the limit is a risk I take on personally, and should do so in a manner that has as little effect on the other travelers as possible.

Matt Says:

June 15th, 2007, 18:13 pm

Thanks for the post!

I just wanted to add a little something. Driving slow is great when it is purposeful. ‘Zoning out’ while driving is bad period, but ‘zoning out’ and driving slow are not intrinsically connected. Often times people who make mistakes while driving slow are zoning out, too old to be driving fast, looking for something in their car, or finding their way for the first time. Paying attention to faster vehicles while driving slow can be very stressful, and can take a lot of focus, but I think that the point is that your perspective changes when you take *things* slower. Fast driving is a symptom of a “what’s next” mentality.

Smriti Says:

June 15th, 2007, 18:19 pm

An excellent post and it also sums up my feelings regarding driving! I completely share your view.

spwn Says:

June 15th, 2007, 19:05 pm

I definitely agree that driving fast is an endless source of stress. Not only does it make you angry at all the slower drivers that are in your way, it also makes you angry every time you have to stop at a red light, or worse, when you just miss getting through a light and then all the people you’ve passed catches back up to you.

But I also must say that driving slow is fine, as long as you’re doing at least speed limit, and that you’re not driving in the fast lane. I truly believe that people who drive slowly in the fast lane are every bit as selfish and dangerous as those that drive fast.

Cascadia Girl Says:

June 15th, 2007, 19:17 pm

Two words: Audio Books!

From classic literature to the latest book on business theory to “The Teaching Company’s” collecion of lectures, I use drive time to multitask with self-directed learning. The library has a large inventory of audio book CDs.

Sometimes I will even get home and sit in the car for an extra few minutes as I am so engaged with the book.

jared Says:

June 15th, 2007, 19:51 pm

i got a bike. a 20 mile round trip from home to work is a great way to burn off stress. you want zen: get comfortable on a bike. once you get a feel for the handling it’s incredible how much it feels as if the machine is an extension of yourself.

that said, whenever i get in the car i drive rather fast. i do so because i enjoy it. i used to get really upset when people would prevent me from doing so but in the last year or so i’ve calmed down quite a bit (huh, that’s about when i started biking to work). i’ve made a point to realize when it’s ok to go faster and when it’s pointless. that was the key to taking back driving as a pleasure for me. i guess it wasn’t slowing down that did it for me, but rather realizing when it was prudent to choose to drive faster.

Adam Snider Says:

June 15th, 2007, 21:11 pm

I find that, often, speeding doesn’t get you there faster. Sure, you might beat the slower drivers to the next red light, but eventually, they catch up to you.

Unless you’re on the highway, or another situation where you have long stretches of road without traffic lights, speeding doesn’t usually get you where you’re going much faster than the people who drive at the speed limit.

klarck Says:

June 15th, 2007, 21:33 pm

I did this about 4 years ago. I only dropped my speed 5mph. It was enough to ensure I’d never have have to pass anyone while still keeping up with the general flow of traffic. No speeding up, no slowing down - I just cruise the right lane home.

Jeff Says:

June 15th, 2007, 22:14 pm

I used to make a “30 minute” trip to college and back a few years ago. I would normally drive 5-10 mph over the speed limit and could get there in 30-35 minutes. It may seem strange, but when I actually started driving the speed limit, I would get there faster. 20-25 minutes.

After a little research, I found out that the traffic lights on any given road were timed by the speed limit. (Who knew my tax dollars were actually going to good use by funding the DOT engineers to simulate traffic conditions; therefore saving me time)? Instead of speeding up and waiting at a traffic light, I would pass other drivers at the lights.

Why not try it out next time you’re on the road? You may be surprised.

Nathan Says:

June 15th, 2007, 22:24 pm

I started doing this two weeks ago. I haven’t been this calm and collected in a long time. I too worried way too much about other drivers. I would speed to spite them (terrible, I know :)

The way I finally accepted the fate was by using cruise control at the speed limit.

What other people are saying is true, I end up passing people going twice my speed because of the way lights are timed. It’s calm, I think about other things which increases my daily me time, and I worry much less about accidents.

Very happy decision. The lack of competitiveness just to get to the office and back is also a wonderful break.

AgentSully Says:

June 15th, 2007, 22:44 pm

may every speeder read this and take it to heart! excellent!

trm Says:

June 15th, 2007, 23:44 pm

What should you do if you meet Buddha on the road driving slow?

Jim from BC Says:

June 16th, 2007, 3:37 am

Driving with more calmness and avoiding stress, speed and aggressive driving is all really good.

My tips:

Drive as little as you possibly can. Leave your car at home, take your bike, walk or use transit, if possible.

Don’t ever use a cell phone when driving. Hands free units are no safer, because it isn’t the one-handed driving that makes it so dangerous, it’s the loss of focus.

Many here comment that slow drivers don’t seem to be paying attention. Always pay attention to your driving when you are driving, it is your number 1 priority. Listening to the radio is OK, as long as you are still focusing on your 1st priority. Taking notes, brainstorming — not a good idea.

I second the suggestion of leaving a space in front for those addicted to aggressive fast driving to cut in to. Then they don’t have to cut you off and you don’t have to slam on your brakes.

Extend politeness to all other drivers, even if you don’t think they deserve it. Wave that guy into the space in front of you, maybe you’ll help calm him down too.

When being tail-gated, lift your foot off the gas and open up that space in front of you. The tail gater may not realize it but you are saving his front bumper as well as your rear. If you have more space to react, there is a better chance that you will be able to stop less suddenly, in case you have to, and the tail gater won’t ram into you. If necessary and doable, pull over for him and be thankful you aren’t living inside Mr. Angry Tailgaters head.

Try to plan your route, as was said earlier, to avoid traffic. Staying to the right also means that you won’t get caught behind people making left turns. If you know your route, try and think ahead about when to be in what lane to avoid typical obstructions or usual congestion.

Change lanes only when necessary. Weaving in and out adds an exponential amount of risk, as every change is a place where you or other drivers might miscalculate and cause an accident. Also for that reason plan your route to avoid as many left turns as possible. Figure out where the safest intersection to make them is and go around the block making rights rather than make a left turn in a dangerous place.

It’s rare that anyone ever drives slower than the speed limit, at least in British Columbia cities that I’ve seen. Driving at only the max speed limit, even in a huge downpour at night, or when it is snowing will earn you the wrath of the aggressive drivers. The law here states that the legal speed limit can be lower than the posted maximum based on road and weather conditions. It doesn’t seem like many even know this.

I was recently driving down a busy city street at night in a massive rain storm. It was coming down so hard that the visibility was reduced as if there was a thick fog. I could barely see the lines on the road. I was doing slightly less than the max speed limit of 50 km/h (approx 30 mph). No one around me seemed to be doing less than 70 km/h (43 mph). Although I guess many of the habitual speeders, who often hit that particular street at far greater speeds, thought I was going too slow, there was no way I was going to speed up to “keep up with traffic”. Sometimes you just have to accept that a lot of drivers are going to hate you for being sane.

It seems like almost every day I hear on the traffic report, “A pedestrian has been struck” on that particular street. What if that pedestrian was your mother, father or child, Mr. Aggressive, Speeding, Smarter-than-all-those-slow-drivers guy? Our responsibility when driving, besides not getting killed ourselves or killing our passengers, is to not harm anyone else. Please don’t.

Driving is the single most dangerous and risky thing that most of us ever do in our lives. Is saving a couple of minutes in traffic really worth all that is at stake?

Drive like you are actually a grown-up. :-)

gameguy Says:

June 16th, 2007, 3:55 am

Considering how we describe driving. We “fight” traffic. It drive “offensively” or “defensively” depending on our style. It’s like we had combat training instead of driver’s training.

I choose to drive in a sane and safe manner. I wish others would do the same.

Randolph Carter Says:

June 16th, 2007, 14:02 pm

Although driving slowly is nice, I have to admit that I have a soft spot for blasting Finntroll or Dragonforce while driving. I think that on an open road (read: in a desert or way up in the middle of nowhere Vermont) driving fast can be just as relaxing as driving slow.

Pranilm Says:

June 16th, 2007, 15:36 pm

Jared good comment man. I think people have said over and over in there comments. Loss of Focus, inattention, selfishness and stubborness are the problems on the road. The article is suggesting a change of of pace ( pun intended) that are annoyed by people who exhibit said problems. Because the fact of the matter is we can only hope that people would focus on them selves rather than others to correct social problems. And as few of the comments have tried to make clear. Not everyone that drives fast drives fast cuz they are late and consequently don’t get annoyed if things slow down. Final words: Ask you self this question, “Am I leaving enough room for people to whizz by me?” the answer is yes, even if it means having to wait to pass someone up.

Katie Says:

June 16th, 2007, 18:29 pm

I used to drive an hour commute both ways along I-15 in Utah. Due to the way the valley here is shaped - mountains on one side and lake on the other - there is only ONE road for commuters to take. As a result, the road gets very crowded, and as a result of that there a lot of very aggressive drivers in Utah.

After driving that for a few months my daily commute became an hour of frustration. I’m definitely not a slow driver, but I am a safe driver. It was so frustrating to have people driving so aggressively and dangerously. After a couple of very near misses it also became a very scary drive. I would do what I could to drive safely, but ultimately I could not keep the other drivers from doing stupid stuff for the illusion of getting home a few seconds faster (i.e. cutting me off, not letting me merge over, whipping around me because i actually left some space in front of me to stop in, etc.)

I don’t commute anymore but I still can get very angry at other drivers. I now realize that I could have helped myself back then by not stressing the drive so much. Maybe if I had taken this approach earlier I wouldn’t have such a problem now. Like I pointed out, I was already trying my best to drive safely and by getting so emotionally involved in the traffic mayhem I just stressed myself out. So, yeah, I probably will never take a job where I have to commute again but I will definitely try to calm down more when I drive.

H. Says:

June 16th, 2007, 19:18 pm

Someone please post a t=d/v graph: the higher the speed, the less time is won by further increasing the speed.

J Says:

June 17th, 2007, 8:12 am

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet; there are so many posts, and so little time.

—

I found that if I drive just a bit slower than everyone else on the road, I never ever hit any traffic!

I can cruise along at whatever speed (and yes, I stay to the right), and I almost never use the breaks. Well, no breaks until the speeder cuts me off, or it is truly bumper-to-bumper.

Mike Says:

June 17th, 2007, 8:24 am

Ever since I sold my Subaru WRX and bought a full sized pickup I have embraced this driving philosophy. I have also found unexpected peace and stress reduction in driving more calmly. At times it has been difficult to sublimate my competitive instincts, but as time goes by I find that I remember the stress reduction and it becomes easier to just move aside and let the high stress high pressure drivers go their way.

One interesting side note on the fuel economy point. There’s a growing community of drivers that pursue fuel economy as a passion - See http://hypermilers.com and http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18923454. Me, I’m no hyper miler - I drive a Ford F150 with a 5.4l V8. But I folllow some of their practices - anticipate stops and slow down early, maintain as steady a throttle as possible and use cruise control except when there are a lot of elevation changes.

God Says:

June 17th, 2007, 14:40 pm

Slow driving pussies.

Mike Anderson Says:

June 17th, 2007, 22:14 pm

ignore other drivers.

Au contraire! City driving is essentially a social activity, and a little courtesy and consideration goes a long way. Move over for that speed demon so he can pass, yield the right of way, leave room for folks to merge into traffic, and DON’T TAILGATE. As Maggie notes, there are a goodly number of apparently homicidal drivers in San Antonio, and I’ve learned a couple of extra survival tricks here:

(1) don’t follow pickup trucks laden with tools and construction materials–that stuff occasionally hops out of the truck onto the road;

(2) stay well back from someone who is frequently braking on the interstate, he’s almost certainly tailgating the guy ahead of him, often so closely you can’t see the guy up front; and

(3) watch for the genuine maniacal speeder coming up fast behind you–and stay absolutely rock steady, speed and direction, in your lane. This idiot is relying on your stodgy, plodding driving to keep him safe as he weaves through traffic at 100mph, so don’t let him down. (Do get his plate number and call 911, he needs the tender counseling that only the police can give.)

Fast? Slow? Go with what you’re comfortable with.

Duane Says:

June 18th, 2007, 23:53 pm

If you look around, you’d be surprised at how fast you’re trying to move even when you’re not driving. Every morning I watch people walk off the curb and in front of oncoming cars because they can’t wait for the red light. Or they get up from their comfortable train seat to stand in the aisles so that they’ll be the first one to get off the train. It takes a serious mental shift to realize just how much you’re rushing and to consciously slow i down.

http://commutesmarter.blogspot.com

EclecticMunk Says:

June 21st, 2007, 3:29 am

I tend to agree with driving slower personally, because I feel more comfortable at the speed limits of my city, or perhaps a maximum of 10km per hour above them.

But I also find that most people who choose to drive slower DO end up being contemplative. They are the ones singing along to their radios, or blissfully zoning out to whatever thoughts they may be having. I’ve caught myself doing it when I’m driving particularly slowly. As they consciously choose to start ignoring other traffic that bothers them, they become less and less focussed on the roads and their surroundings, and therefore just as dangerous as the aggro guy in the beemer shooting up the fast lane, waving his middle finger!

When driving slowly, there is less need to focus on passing cars, changing lanes, keeping an eye on the rear view mirror, changing gears and speeds, and the mind naturally turns to other things. This is just as dangerous as driving at a faster speed, but staying focussed and driving well.

I agree that people shouldn’t drive aggressively, but I for one believe that speed limits should be abolished altogether in certain areas, like multi-lane freeways / highways. People walk at their own speeds, run at their own speeds and would drive safely at their own speeds too, as long there is space for them to do so.

Traffic policing should focus on any person driving dangerously. Whether it’s because they’re going too fast or too slow, whether they’re too drunk or too strung out on caffeine - too old, too young - whatever.

UkendtBruger Says:

June 22nd, 2007, 23:28 pm

I often set the cruise control (to the speed limit) when driving through construction zones - avoids the doubled speeding fines - and also on the faster roads because then I can’t accidentally speed. All I have to do is pay attention and drive. Don’t get me wrong, I do like to drive fast, but to keep my sanity I look at driving in the city as a ‘game of co-operation’. There’s no point endangering or enraging other drivers by insisting on ‘me first’. And it is easier to get somewhere when a driver is courteous and leaves you room to merge easily. Both for you and me.

As for slow drivers or fast drivers, it’s the difference in speed that can make either driver dangerous.

Aah, to be on a race track where all the drivers are paying attention :-))

My 2 cents.

Jerry Says:

June 24th, 2007, 8:55 am

I’ve been driving slow since 2002 now and with the increasing rates of fines, I’m happy. I have never had a fine since then. Neven.

Gillian Says:

July 5th, 2007, 2:39 am

I bought a Prius… the display shows fuel consumption moment by moment. This instant feedback loop encourages me to avoid both the accelerator and the brake.

I ease away at a green light and coast down to red lights. Smooth and e-a-s-y.

Slower is definitely a better experience.

nayajhen Says:

July 6th, 2007, 13:03 pm

40+ in a gas/petrol based corolla… Take that Prius! Thanks for the tips. My 2007 Corolla is giving me insane mileage all of sudden when I incorporated these tips into my driving. Amazing. Just amazing!

matt Says:

July 12th, 2007, 13:26 pm

there is increasing evidence that it is not the just-over-speed-limit drivers that are the danger, but the slower drivers.
they greatly contribute to the cluster of traffic behind them and increase the danger of rear-ending chain reactions, or swerving into other cars to avoid the slow driver. i have seen too much of this around atlanta.

please be mindful of this.

brp Says:

July 19th, 2007, 13:25 pm

Like many that have posted, the main reason I get tense while driving (except for traffic, obviously) is slow drivers blocking the left lane on a highway. It is called the passing lane for a reason. If you have a large stretch in front of you and a line of cars behind you, then you need to get over to the right hand lane. Don’t ignore other drivers in this respect, just have common courtesy and stay to the right as much as possible.

I currently drive 30 highway miles twice a day. This works out to 60 miles a day, 300 miles a week, and 15600 miles a year (not including weekend or nightly trips in excess to work or the 10 miles of non-highway driving daily). Driving at 80 mph, my usual highway speed, would take a total of 195 hours. Driving at 65 mph (speed limit) would take a total of 240 hours. That’s a difference of 45 hours, or just under two days every year.

In my book that amount of time justifies driving 15 mph faster, especially since to me, there is no difference cruising with the cruise control on at 80 mph vs. the cruise control on at 65 mph. There would be much less stress, traffic, and accidents on the road if people would simply pay attention more to their surroundings and stay to the right. I cannot count how many times I needlessly had to slow down, cut over to the right, and pass someone, just to maintain my speed in the left hand lane. This causes me not only avoidable stress, but also increases the risk of an accident due to the unnecessary lane changes.

I don’t mind if you drive slow so long as you stay out of my way and let me drive faster. Share the highway and be considerate of other drivers, and we will all get to where we all want to go with as minimal stress and aggravation as possible.

Samantha Says:

February 15th, 2008, 10:07 am

As a teenager and a rather inexperienced driver I tend to drive entirely too fast because I am so impatient. I also find myself late in the morning and rushing to get to school, another reason why I’m a speed demon. I’ve damaged my tires unnecessarily because of my speed. I was already aware of the environmental impact of speeding (i.e. wasted gas) and now because of this article I am actually going to work on slowing down and just enjoying the drive to school. I also think I’m really pushing my luck, I’ve yet to receive a ticket but I am surely one step away from one. Besides, I love having the extra time to listen to music in my car.
Thanks!

Caroline Says:

February 15th, 2008, 17:14 pm

The most important reason for me is to avoid the stress of worrying about getting a ticket, especially since NY law is so harsh - $300 surcharge on top of the usual fines plus huge points with absolutely no opportunity to reduce it in court. Not worth it.

Christoph Dollis Says:

February 27th, 2008, 17:06 pm

I love to listen to my favourite learning audios while driving — if it wasn’t for this (new) habit, I’m sure I wouldn’t have learned how to reduce stress by “Getting Things Done”.

Otherwise, I so agree with this article. Love it!

Yes, I drive slower too, for many of the same reasons, less eloquently expressed, and it has been a boon.

Iris M. Gross Says:

March 7th, 2008, 4:08 am

Faster car = higher RPMs in engine = more fuel burnt.
Slower car = lower RPMs = less fuel burnt.
Driving slowly = gas/petrol is burnt more slowly = more miles per tank.

Makes cents.

Web Design Lincolnshire Says:

April 3rd, 2008, 10:17 am

Driving slower with in reason is fine. If people do something wrong on the road, I don’t get upset, usually it is the passengers that do that. Getting angry and upset at others only makes you feel worse, so I don’t do it.