Going sloooowwwww...

[plee4139]

I decided to bring my Sky Hawk with the newly rebuilt engine back from its home in the Hamptons to the year-round house about sixty mile west. I want to put some more miles on it so that if there are any issues with the engine they can be taken care of sooner than later. this trip involved driving on a limited-access, high speed highway called Sunrise Highway. Normal speeds on it are typically 65-80mph. I'm limited to 50mph for the first thousand miles. Plus, as you're supposed to vary the speed, and also gun it going uphill, I had to drop the speed to around 40! It felt like I was riding an old one-speed bicycle, watching paint dry, or attending a sloth race. By the time I got to my exit I felt like I had just done an all-nighter driving to Florida, or driven, at rush hour, via the LIE to Manhattan, then crosstown to the Holland tunnel to New Jersey. Young people have been known to reach, and even surpass their life expectancy on this shlep of shlepps. By the time I got home I was certain that is was already Sunday, and that I'd been on the road for two days including an overnight stay at the Rodeway Inn. From now on it's all local roads which means I can cruise comfortably at 20-25 and enjoy the passing scenery of strip malls, gas stations and condos at my leisure. Care to join me?

[mbstude]

For a guy that’s always complaining about the costs involved in maintaining and repairing his Studebaker, it must be nice to have a vacation house “in the Hamptons”.

Just curious, but why are you limiting your speed to 50 mph? If it’s a fresh rebuild, it should be able to keep up with highway traffic.

[BobWaitz]

Old car owners are lucky. One time I was picking up a new mattress and box-spring with my brand-x pickup. I had them strapped to the top of the bed but having seen plenty of mattresses bent over backwards at speed I felt it would be prudent NOT to go the limit. So I'm going 40-45 in a 55 in the right lane, traffic isn't heavy but people are honking (the you're an a-hole honk) and flipping me off like there's no tomorrow. When I drive the M5 it's all pleasant beeps of the horn and thumbs up all around. Next time I buy a mattress I'm taking the Stude.

[rockinhawk]

For a guy that’s always complaining about the costs involved in maintaining and repairing his Studebaker, it must be nice to have a vacation house “in the Hamptons”.

Just curious, but why are you limiting your speed to 50 mph? If it’s a fresh rebuild, it should be able to keep up with highway traffic.

It's called "Breaking it in" It's an OLD mechanic's thing.

[TWChamp]

I've had the same experience as Bob around the Twin Cities. There was one exception though when some jerk in a newer Ford pickup raced around me in my 1928 Model A going 45 on the entrance ramp to the freeway. Even driving modern, I limit my speed to 60, as going faster wastes gas and doesn't save that much time. I limit my 1950 Champion with overdrive to 55, as the engine still sounds pretty busy at that speed.

[rockinhawk]

The older I get, the slower I go. At my age, and the fact that half of my siblings have already gone on,I realize the end is not so far away for me. Although I am prepared, I am not in a big hurry to get there. So I have slowed down quite a bit. A champion 6 is plenty fast enough for me most of the time. Although, I do have a Hemi Ram just in case I have a relapse.

[JoeHall]

Holly cow! If driving on the interstate at 40-50 MPH you are taking your life into your own hands. You shoulda been in the emergency lane, with flashers on, and one of those huge fluorescent orange triangular signs mounted on the rear, like the Amish mount on their buggies.

[bezhawk]

My philosophy is you're more likely to end up meeting your maker driving too slow as you are driving too fast on a freeway where the prevailing speed is 20mph faster than you.
If you are not brave enough to keep up with the prevailing flow then stay off those roads. Not only will your blood pressure go down, but so will everyones around you. This is not to put anyone down, but if you are bragging about slowing up traffic then YOU are the danger, not the others.
Rant over.

[Commander Eddie]

I live in Oregon wine country and just love to take it slow on the back roads. The scenery is wonderful and traffic is generally light. But when I get on I-5 it's just as much fun to keep up with traffic and watch people in other vehicles watching me. I can't tell if they are admiring the car or can't believe I am keeping up with them.
But, there is nothing wrong with going slooooowww.

[JoeHall]

I live in Oregon wine country and just love to take it slow on the back roads. The scenery is wonderful and traffic is generally light. But when I get on I-5 it's just as much fun to keep up with traffic and watch people in other vehicles watching me. I can't tell if they are admiring the car or can't believe I am keeping up with them.
But, there is nothing wrong with going slooooowww.

Agree, nothing wrong with going slow, the Amish do it all the time. But they do not take their buggies on the interstate. LOL

[oilnsteel]

The law of 100 states that if you subtract your age from 100, that is how fast you will drive. Some are exceptions to that law.

[studegary]

The law of 100 states that if you subtract your age from 100, that is how fast you will drive. Some are exceptions to that law.

I guess that my father was an exception to that. When he was near 100 he drove faster on roads than I routinely did (and I am not known to be a slow driver).

[bezhawk]

Going slow has it's place. Back roads ....sure if they are un-crowded. Not the interstate as posted, and certainly not 1/2 the prevailing speed . EVER. ANY VEHICLE.

[Jerry Forrester]

It's called "Breaking it in" It's an OLD mechanic's thing.

Go easy on your grandson Neil. You know he's just a young whippersnapper. <G>

[jclary]

Then there's Atlanta...where you can drive to within 30 miles on the open interstate doing 70mph. However, once you get that close, the speed limit drops to 55mph, and the locals charge ahead at 80mph between pile-ups. Six lanes of demolition derby terror for country folks like me.

I hate to admit how many extra miles I will drive to avoid such environments.