Buy a powerful car with a not huge tank and you soon get fed up of going to the petrol station.
How to drive slowly?
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Buy a powerful car with a not huge tank and you soon get fed up of going to the petrol station.
I drive slow, always.
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Pretty much this! In the 318 I used to make ample use of the higher revs as that's what the N42 liked and the power band was up there too. In the M3 I find I'm much more relaxed because I know the power is there low down and when the road opens up I can remain in 4th or 5th and just have one long run of power and noise which feels and sounds great.
On the motorway I often let other speedsters overtake, whatever the vehicle may be. I just sit there at 65 to 70 until the need to overtake a lorry crops up or something. I know I can speed up or past the speedsters easily but don't, I just don't see the value in doing that, it's not satisfying? I much rather enjoy an open road and a long stretch of the rev needle from left to right, every now and then
Edit*
Pretty much this! In the 318 I used to make ample use of the higher revs as that's what the N42 liked and the power band was up there too. In the M3 I find I'm much more relaxed because I know the power is there low down and when the road opens up I can remain in 4th or 5th and just have one long run of power and noise which feels and sounds great.
On the motorway I often let other speedsters overtake, whatever the vehicle may be. I just sit there at 65 to 70 until the need to overtake a lorry crops up or something. I know I can speed up or past the speedsters easily but don't, I just don't see the value in doing that, it's not satisfying? I much rather enjoy an open road and a long stretch of the rev needle from left to right, every now and then
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Soldato
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Another perfectly accurate and spot on statement...
Once he gets a ticket he will learn self control.
I like to use cruise control when I can, it can bring it's own annoyances though, like people overtaking you ridiculously slowly forcing you to slow if there's a lorry ahead and no gap for me to overtake the lorry because someone's been crawling past me for 5 mins.
There's plenty of efficiency techniques you can learn as well, looking ahead and not needlessly accelerating when you know you going to have to brake, and various other progressive driving things.
Also listen to radio 4 instead of Jungle FM
There's plenty of efficiency techniques you can learn as well, looking ahead and not needlessly accelerating when you know you going to have to brake, and various other progressive driving things.
Also listen to radio 4 instead of Jungle FM
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Soldato
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I have a small city car, I just don't have the power (Scotty).I tend to sit in left lane doing 60ish, most of my commute is on dual carriageway and if I try to overtake I just end up blocking other people, I tend to choose to slow down rather than overtake when there is someone in front until I get a good clear section behind where I can overtake safely.
Also I like to focus on completely smooth driving, I find that can be good fun, for example getting your gear shifts/clutch so smooth that any passenger won't be able to feel that you've shifted unless they are looking at the gear stick, and smooth cornering, looking at the corner ahead of time, and take a smooth line, entry and exit (if your passenger has their face pressed against the window you're doing it wrong!).
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Soldato
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Soldato
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Mum has a Fusion, when I'm behind the wheel, that thing is the fastest car ever on the country lanes near her house. It actually handles well and has some poke despite it being an old person's car.
OP how old are you and how long have you been driving?
It may just be something you "grow up" from - I used to "hoon" about a bit, 85 on motorways, flooring it away from lights, at the limit of "safety" on twisty NSL roads.
Now I've been driving for ~10 years, and I've experienced how many idiots there are on the road and had a few close calls.
I've also got more responsibilities; I need my car for work, and can't really afford the fines/increased insurance premiums (and couldn't justify it for the sake of getting to my destination 5 minutes quicker
).
I also want to minimise the risk of my son growing up without a dad (although obviously this could happen anyway).
I think having a more powerful car actually helps too - rather than having to rag the hell out of tiny little thing to actually get anywhere, knowing I have the power there if I want/need it means I no longer feel the need to drive like I stole it.
Also, I can almost double my fuel economy by cruising at 65-70 rather than 75-80 (~600 from a tank instead of 350)
Must be a different model Fusion to the one I had for a few months from the work's car pool! 1.4 tdci - the slowest thing ever and handled like a tractor - I swear I had it on 2 wheels a few times!!
It may just be something you "grow up" from - I used to "hoon" about a bit, 85 on motorways, flooring it away from lights, at the limit of "safety" on twisty NSL roads.
Now I've been driving for ~10 years, and I've experienced how many idiots there are on the road and had a few close calls.
I've also got more responsibilities; I need my car for work, and can't really afford the fines/increased insurance premiums (and couldn't justify it for the sake of getting to my destination 5 minutes quicker
). I also want to minimise the risk of my son growing up without a dad (although obviously this could happen anyway).
I think having a more powerful car actually helps too - rather than having to rag the hell out of tiny little thing to actually get anywhere, knowing I have the power there if I want/need it means I no longer feel the need to drive like I stole it.
Also, I can almost double my fuel economy by cruising at 65-70 rather than 75-80 (~600 from a tank instead of 350
)Mum has a Fusion, when I'm behind the wheel, that thing is the fastest car ever on the country lanes near her house. It actually handles well and has some poke despite it being an old person's car.
Must be a different model Fusion to the one I had for a few months from the work's car pool! 1.4 tdci - the slowest thing ever and handled like a tractor - I swear I had it on 2 wheels a few times!!
Soldato
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Ahhh, yeah her's is a 1.6 petrol. It's not quick off the line and probably doesn't have a high top end but it can carry speed through corners better than I'd expected. A couple of times I've been driving it, glanced down mid corner and realised I'm carrying much more speed than I thought and it just gripped and took the corner fine.
Never mean to drive it quickly though as it isn't my car, just seems to hide it's speed well compared to some other cars / the rattly old cars I drive.
Never mean to drive it quickly though as it isn't my car, just seems to hide it's speed well compared to some other cars / the rattly old cars I drive.
Associate
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Since changing to a Discovery in Oct I've slowed and really enjoying it, sit at 55-60 on the motorway, tootle around roads at 50, well under the speed limit on all roads. Find it a lot more relaxing for long drives and it has surprised me how much more enjoyable it is.
And then sods law kicked in, after 20 years of driving, 4 years of 18k miles a year, I get caught speeding by a mobile van when I thought I was dawdling. Pulled out onto a road with no houses just fields, thought it was a 40 given cars flying past while waiting, so did my usual 34-35, but no, it was a 30 (a sign further back up the road before the junction I'd pulled out of typical!), and it turns out my speedo is under reading by 5 at 34 so was actually doing 39
Given I'd had the car for 4 months going past all the speed cameras on the M62 and through Bradford/Hudds/Halifax daily and not being caught even with under reading shows how slow I normally drive lol
And then sods law kicked in, after 20 years of driving, 4 years of 18k miles a year, I get caught speeding by a mobile van when I thought I was dawdling. Pulled out onto a road with no houses just fields, thought it was a 40 given cars flying past while waiting, so did my usual 34-35, but no, it was a 30 (a sign further back up the road before the junction I'd pulled out of typical!), and it turns out my speedo is under reading by 5 at 34 so was actually doing 39
Given I'd had the car for 4 months going past all the speed cameras on the M62 and through Bradford/Hudds/Halifax daily and not being caught even with under reading shows how slow I normally drive lol
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I've been a fast confident driver since the get go. I do take for granted that I am a cyclist, horse rider, car driver and I used to ride a motorbike so see the roads from all perspectives but I really do struggle going slow.
When I have someone else i nthe car I am sensible, depending who it is. I don't thinnk my girlfriend would cope with a back road run.
I don't have a quick or special car at the moment and I am coming to realising that slow and steady wins the race. My main worry is fuel consumtion at the moment. Gone from a 10 mile to a 40 mile round trip commute and my lead foot is costing me a fortune even in my pokey 1.8 Type-S. Living in a hilly area doesn't help in a slow 6 geaed car with no toque I tend to rev it a lot to get anywhere. I am learning to drive to my route and use the cruise control where necessary. I sit in a lot of traffic in parts and have open fast roads for other parts so tend to take my traffic frustration out on the fast roads.
I am a very courteous driver that's always aware of what's going on around me but that is no excuse to treat the roads as a track day anymore. Engrossing music, cruise control on and just relax. I find my journey times don't differ too much between having a lead foot or chilling out. Hopefully I'll start visiting the petrol station less too.
When I have someone else i nthe car I am sensible, depending who it is. I don't thinnk my girlfriend would cope with a back road run.
I don't have a quick or special car at the moment and I am coming to realising that slow and steady wins the race. My main worry is fuel consumtion at the moment. Gone from a 10 mile to a 40 mile round trip commute and my lead foot is costing me a fortune even in my pokey 1.8 Type-S. Living in a hilly area doesn't help in a slow 6 geaed car with no toque I tend to rev it a lot to get anywhere. I am learning to drive to my route and use the cruise control where necessary. I sit in a lot of traffic in parts and have open fast roads for other parts so tend to take my traffic frustration out on the fast roads.
I am a very courteous driver that's always aware of what's going on around me but that is no excuse to treat the roads as a track day anymore. Engrossing music, cruise control on and just relax. I find my journey times don't differ too much between having a lead foot or chilling out. Hopefully I'll start visiting the petrol station less too.
Another user of Cruise control, without it I would no doubt speed more. I find cruising at 66 on A roads and 72 motorways to be the sweet spot.
If your late you didn't set out in time. The only time I get reckless is when I'm behind somebody doing 30 in a 60 for a prolonged period of time.
If your late you didn't set out in time. The only time I get reckless is when I'm behind somebody doing 30 in a 60 for a prolonged period of time.
I have several methods of speed reduction In my impreza (beyond any moments of common sense failures)
A. 3" turbo back non resonated system...wakes the dead anything over 2-2.5k revs. This is a good incentive around built up areas as police etc can hear it a mile off.
B. A boost gauge, while at cruising speeds, keeping the needle beneath -10 vac means no acceleration but maintains speed in 5th just beneath boost at 3k Rpm.
C. Fit a bigger turbo etc and run the stage 1 clutch until it's time to switch. Great round town but slips like a biatch on any sort of harsh acceleration.. sad times. Time for a new one Has arrived.
D. Simply keeping the needle under 3000 Rpm is a pretty good method though.
A. 3" turbo back non resonated system...wakes the dead anything over 2-2.5k revs. This is a good incentive around built up areas as police etc can hear it a mile off.
B. A boost gauge, while at cruising speeds, keeping the needle beneath -10 vac means no acceleration but maintains speed in 5th just beneath boost at 3k Rpm.
C. Fit a bigger turbo etc and run the stage 1 clutch until it's time to switch. Great round town but slips like a biatch on any sort of harsh acceleration.. sad times. Time for a new one Has arrived.
D. Simply keeping the needle under 3000 Rpm is a pretty good method though.
Soldato
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Never had a speeding ticket and never intend to (dont we all! ), all the roads are dual carriageways round here so there plenty of fun getting to the speed limit.
I do sit at 80 on the motorway but that's manly due to to much variance in peoples speeds if you sit at ~70 constantly chopping and changing lanes, least at 80 your pretty much constantly going with the flow in the 3rd lane.
Though i find myself sitting at 65-70 on a quiet motorway.
), all the roads are dual carriageways round here so there plenty of fun getting to the speed limit.I do sit at 80 on the motorway but that's manly due to to much variance in peoples speeds if you sit at ~70 constantly chopping and changing lanes, least at 80 your pretty much constantly going with the flow in the 3rd lane.
Though i find myself sitting at 65-70 on a quiet motorway.