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Freeway speeds

my view is that the "danger" of interstates is mostly (a) drivers going waaayyy over posted speed, and (b) construction or other abrupt changes in lane structure (which combined with (a) is a recipe for disaster). I generally go about 8-9 mph over posted on good interstate with normal traffic (my view being influenced by the state trooper trope of "nine you're fine, ten you're mine). Most of the time that puts me in the right lane as others are doing 20-40+ over posted go past.

The vast, vast majority of drivers (of any vehicle) cannot react quickly enough at 80 or 90 mph -- at 90 mph you'll cover 132 feet in 1 second. If I'm on the interstate and the traffic starts getting jinky, I just get in the right lane, breath, and take it easy -- I'll get where I'm going eventually.
 
GregC said:
my view is that the "danger" of interstates is mostly (a) drivers going waaayyy over posted speed, and (b) construction or other abrupt changes in lane structure (which combined with (a) is a recipe for disaster). I generally go about 8-9 mph over posted on good interstate with normal traffic (my view being influenced by the state trooper trope of "nine you're fine, ten you're mine). Most of the time that puts me in the right lane as others are doing 20-40+ over posted go past.

The vast, vast majority of drivers (of any vehicle) cannot react quickly enough at 80 or 90 mph -- at 90 mph you'll cover 132 feet in 1 second. If I'm on the interstate and the traffic starts getting jinky, I just get in the right lane, breath, and take it easy -- I'll get where I'm going eventually.
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I find it amusing sometimes that a driver or rider can arbitrarily decide that a certain illegal speed is OK, but that another driver/rider’s arbitrarily chosen illegal speed is too fast.

I just ride the speed limit or less. If the highway has too many other drivers going too fast for my comfort, I get off that highway and take a different route. 100% of my motorcycle riding is for recreational pleasure, so fortunately I can decide to go where I want, on the route I want to go on.
 
I also prefer, in terms of safety, to ride on multi-lane, divided, limited-access roadways rather than city surface streets, arterials, and 'country roads.' There is no question that accident and fatality rates are much lower there (on the freeways and divided highways). I've talked with many fellow riders here, and most express moderate to severe fear and loathing for freeways, and without exception they cite the speed of traffic (which is generally not more than 10-over in the west half of the metro, but often more like 15 over in the east half).

There are certainly dangers on the freeways, but those dangers do NOT include:
Intersections,
Blind alleys and driveways,
Pedestrians (including children playing nearby),
Red-light-runners (and stop-sign-runners),
Head-on traffic in an adjacent lane,
On-coming traffic turning across your lane of travel.

I respect all riders' choice to not push into a situation they're uncomfortable with. Nevertheless, the data is clear on this point.
 
670cc said:
I find it amusing sometimes that a driver or rider can arbitrarily decide that a certain illegal speed is OK, but that another driver/rider’s arbitrarily chosen illegal speed is too fast.

I just ride the speed limit or less. If the highway has too many other drivers going too fast for my comfort, I get off that highway and take a different route. 100% of my motorcycle riding is for recreational pleasure, so fortunately I can decide to go where I want, on the route I want to go on.
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My speed on the interstate is usually guided by traffic flow ... I don't want to be the guy blocking everyone, nor the guy blasting past everyone. If traffic flow is going too fast for my comfort, I get off. Most places the flow is the posted limit with 5 or so over, maybe a tad more - I've always gone a bit over, and I'm not saying 8 or 9 over is ok, but it's still generally with the flow. 20-40 over is a bad crash waiting to happen.
 
GregC said:
My speed on the interstate is usually guided by traffic flow ... I don't want to be the guy blocking everyone, nor the guy blasting past everyone. If traffic flow is going too fast for my comfort, I get off. Most places the flow is the posted limit with 5 or so over, maybe a tad more - I've always gone a bit over, and I'm not saying 8 or 9 over is ok, but it's still generally with the flow. 20-40 over is a bad crash waiting to happen.
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I control my overtake and being overtaken situations so I'm riding at or slightly faster than left lane traffic whether it's the at posted limit or 20+ over. It's rarely faster than 80-85 mph even on the interstates I've been on that are posted at 80 mph.
 
We have nothing like an interstate in western Canada. The best we can do is double lane separated highway on the trans Canada highway in some places, but it still has uncontrolled access. Our speed limits are generally 110 km/hr on this hjghway, and they can be heavily patrolled at times. Going 10 km/hr or more over the limit will guarantee a ticket. We drive way more conservatively and safely than the crap I’ve seen in and around major US cities. However, our highways around the greater Toronto area do resemble those of Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, etc in terms of volumes and craziness, but not quite in high speeds.
 
bigbird said:
We have nothing like an interstate in western Canada. The best we can do is double lane separated highway on the trans Canada highway in some places, but it still has uncontrolled access. Our speed limits are generally 110 km/hr on this hjghway, and they can be heavily patrolled at times. Going 10 km/hr or more over the limit will guarantee a ticket. We drive way more conservatively and safely than the crap I’ve seen in and around major US cities. However, our highways around the greater Toronto area do resemble those of Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, etc in terms of volumes and craziness, but not quite in high speeds.
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You seem to generalize a lot about the United States but maybe you've been to all major US cities.
 
Driven in: Los Angeles, Seattle, Minneapolis, Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Nashville, Atlanta, Tampa, Miami, Detroit, Dallas, New Orleans
 
Last edited:
I'd have to say from the list of cities I've been to L.A. would be my vote for worst in terms of traffic volume and Chicagoland the worst in terms of crazy drivers.
I have read that the Beltway area around DC is crazy too.
Never been to New York city; no desire to go there whatsoever.
My favourites in terms of where I would want to live in the US would be Montana or the UP of Michigan.
 
dduelin said:
Only 87 or 187 more to go depending on your definition of major US city.

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I edited my post.
I think you misunderstood me.
I never meant to say I had driven in all major US cities, only the ones I listed.
I think from those I listed I have a pretty good idea of bad traffic and crazy drivers.
 
bigbird said:
I'd have to say from the list of cities I've been to L.A. would be my vote for worst in terms of traffic volume and Chicagoland the worst in terms of crazy drivers.
I have read that the Beltway area around DC is crazy too.
Never been to New York city; no desire to go there whatsoever.
My favourites in terms of where I would want to live in the US would be Montana or the UP of Michigan.
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Yup.

394, 94 from Gary, IN to downtown Chicago, and 290 are pretty much lawless roadways full of crazy drivers. I65, leading into 94 transitions from busy to crazy north of US30 as one approaches the suburban sprawl.
 
melensdad said:
Yup.

394, 94 from Gary, IN to downtown Chicago, and 290 are pretty much lawless roadways full of crazy drivers. I65, leading into 94 transitions from busy to crazy north of US30 as one approaches the suburban sprawl.
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I remember when I was in my early 20's going down to Steger IL to see a girl I had met in Florida.
She picked me up at O'Hare, and she asked me to drive down to Steger, going through downtown and then up Lake Shore Dr.and back through the South side on the Dan Ryan.
I couldn't believe the attitude of a lot of drivers on the south side.
They owned the road, and thought nothing of cutting off other drivers at traffic lights, weaving in and out of traffic with no thought as to what a turn signal was or represented, and at night, who needs headlights?
I sure had my eyes opened.
 
bigbird said:
We have nothing like an interstate in western Canada. The best we can do is double lane separated highway on the trans Canada highway in some places, but it still has uncontrolled access. Our speed limits are generally 110 km/hr on this hjghway, and they can be heavily patrolled at times. Going 10 km/hr or more over the limit will guarantee a ticket. We drive way more conservatively and safely than the crap I’ve seen in and around major US cities. However, our highways around the greater Toronto area do resemble those of Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, etc in terms of volumes and craziness, but not quite in high speeds.
Click to expand...
I’m hoping to head to Canada soon, if they’ll let me in. I look forward to riding your country’s mild mannered highways.

A couple years ago, on an Alaska trip, I very much enjoyed traveling in the laid back, sparsely populated areas of western Canada.
 
The only time I had problems was running West bound on Hwy 84 between Mountain Home and Boise in Idaho - nasty headwinds - I couldn't get much over 75, and I'm under 190lbs and wasn't packed heavy, either. Other than that, the same winds made riding North from Wells, Nevada to Twin Falls, ID a major pain, as the force was pushing me sideways and even got sand inside my (stock) panniers.
 
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