What About Driving Slower Than the Posted Speed Limit?

I am used to driving four or five miles an hour over the posted speed limit.  But, in my recent introspection relative to my driving habits I made a decision to pull it down a little. Now I set my cruise control at two mph over the posted limit, and try my best to stay there.  Of course there are situations that arise and I have to go a little faster for the sake of safety (I will write more about the kinds of situations I am referring to in a later post).  However, I don’t always actually see the posted limit.  When I am driving on a highway that I drive often I don’t actually pay particular attention to the speed limit signs, because I am sure I know what it is.

 

The other day as I was on my way back to Staunton from Harrisonburg I was doing a really good job of keeping my vehicle at 67 miles an hour.  I was thinking how nice it was to not be caught up in the rush of traffic in the passing lane, jockeying for position, changing lanes when an advantage can be grasped, and driving much faster than I should. I also was aware, at least subconsciously, that a lot of people were driving much faster than I was, and that made me feel even better.  I was doing fine, making good time, and they were rushing and stressing while I was chilling.

Just a few miles from Staunton I happened to notice something that changed my entire understanding of what was happening.  I saw a speed limit sign on Interstate 81 that read “Speed Limit 70.”  What?  Oh… then I remembered a news report of a week or so ago that mentioned that the speed limit on many of the interstate highways in Virginia was being increased from 65 mph to 70 mph.  No wonder so many people were driving so much faster than I was.  Instead of driving two mph over the limit I had been driving three mph under the posted speed. 

I would never have done that intentionally.  But it was a learning experience for me.  I saw so clearly how relatively unimportant it was how fast I drove.  Also, while it is not a good idea to drive too slowly (that can be dangerous also), it didn’t actually hurt me or anyone else, and it didn’t result in my arriving home inordinately later than planned.

I did hate the thought, however, that some of those who were zooming past me might have looked over at me driving below the speed limit and thought, “Oh, no wonder, it’s just another old geezer.”  Hahahaha…  Perhaps I am beginning to embrace the “Old Geezer” in me!