jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I drove to PA this weekend - over 400 miles round trip, and Google followed me the entire way. Not only does Timeline show my route for all three days, it shows starting and stopping times and mileages, using my cell phone to track me. If you're concerned about your privacy, this is not the app for you, but I don't care if Google knows that I drove to PA. It took 3:25 to drive the 187 miles home, which is good to know for future reference.

I was surprised by the density and high speed of the traffic. I guess those speed limit signs are just for highway decoration. Eighty MPH isn't unusual in a 65 MPH zone. One tip about highway PA 100. The left lane apparently makes your car magnetic, so the car (usually a pickup truck) behind you will be practically touching your rear bumper. It doesn't matter how fast you drive in the 55 MPH left lane, that truck will be fixed to your rear bumper. What's ironic about this is that there is a red light about every two miles, so cars in the left lane race to the red light, wait, and take off again. During the entire 400+ mile trip, I didn't see one cop.

Another tip: plan on construction. My GPS said this trip would take 3:15. Going there took 4:30 - lots of traffic and lots of construction and lanes merging.

If you want to get more fun out of life, buy a ukulele, find a group, and add enjoyment to your life. Fun, fun, fun.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Traffic in most urban areas is a zoo anymore.
Then there are the "animals" in the zoo.....

And yes, there is always someone wanting to go faster than you,
even if you are doing 10 over.

SkyKing Loc: Thompson Ridge, NY

…Jerry…in Pennsylvania you keep right except to pass…

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I think that's the law throughout the country, but if you're making a left turn at the next light, the left lane is a necessity. Yes, life is nicer out of the left lane. : )

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Riiiiight.....

80-90% of the people are passing,
continuously.

BigDaddy Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

The left lane in PA (again) is for passing. For a number of years they (big bro) changed the law and you could pass on left or right, but they changed it back so you can only legally pass on the left. Lots of folks get pissed if you ride in the left lane and are not passing, and it doesn't matter much if you are going the speed limit or not.

As for Police, many use WAZE, an awesome phone app that provides LIVE updates for traffic, wrecks, COP locations and so on. It's interactive so if you see a cop, or a wreck, or traffic, you click on a button and it is recorded somewhere and EVERYONE using WAZE in that area is notified. If it changes, you click and notify of the change, so it's very accurate.

From PGH to Nashville it was 100% accurate. People get points for reporting this stuff and it really works. If there is traffic, it gives you alternate routes. We hit one large traffic jam on the way. Called my son who turned us on to WAZE and he said do what waze tells you, it is always right (it was.)

For cops, particularly on highways, it's WAY better than the old CB radio, which were seldom accurate. Waze if better than any car GPS unless you Bluetooth it to your car GPS screen. Waze is completely free, and is so good, GOOGLE (the map people) bought it and recommend it for your GPS guidance. I imagine all by itself, it's done a number on the speed cop tax collector, and unlike the radar detectors, there's nothing the cops can do about it. If you get a speeding ticket with WAZE, you were not paying attention.

The other issue I think is most speed limits now are around 70. Most people seem to like that and few go much over that. 55 was totally stupid, and 95% of everyone went over that by a lot and the mobile tax collector was getting rich. 70 mph is what people think is a safe speed, so that's what they do. You will always have a maniac flying at supersonic speeds, but that is not common.
Between reasonable speed limits and WAZE, speed cops are not as productive, and probably why you didn't see any.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

70 is great on the open highway, but
50-65 is better (safer) in city central on the interstates.
Exits on top of each other, and visitors & "through" people who are not familiar with the exits.

And people still do 70 through these areas.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

My cruise control was set at 68, and that was fine until the traffic got too tight. I figure if I'm doing more than 5 MPH over the limit, I could be pulled over. I get better gas mileage below 80 MPH, too. I averaged 43.5 for over 400 miles.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I use TracFone, which is almost free - avg $12/mo for the past six years. Since I have to pre-pay for minutes and data, WAZE would be too expensive for a long trip.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Yup, go too fast and the car has to work harder to push through the air.
In a 70 zone I set the cruise at 73.

Busbum Loc: 85367

A police officer once told me they do not chase or stop people unless they are more than 7 mph over the speed limit... I always set my cruise control to that wherever I am and have been through speed traps at that speed and have never been stopped...
YMMV
Larry

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

A friend got a ticket in a town for going 3 mph over the limit.

Thanks for the 7 mph tip.

Busbum Loc: 85367

Trouble is small towns is the only way they make the police payroll, by ticketing everything they can...

Dannj

Another anachronism😂

tcthome Loc: NJ

Oil companies like the race to the red light/slam on your brakes thing. Here in NJ on the Garden State Parkway I use to drive North about 47 miles each dat to work. 85 in 55 was pretty common. The the State Troopers would start giving a few tickets. Down to 60 & in a few days to a week 70, etc. Then the ticket & speed changes would start all over again.
Everything is tracked & listened to. Call me paranoia!