On July 3rd my brother and his girlfriend came down to meet us on Lake Shelbyville. He said he counted 16 IL patrol cars on I57 beteen I-80 & I-74.

As for fuel economy, If I set the cruise at 65 on the Expe I'll get around 19mpg. Computer will say 20 but it's usually a bit optimistic.

I too was at Shelbyville over the weekend- I noticed a lot more folks in the right lane on 57 doing 65-70 versus the normal 85 MPH in the left lane.

I've noticed the same thing here in CA. People have slowed down significantly on Interstates and Highways. I passed quite a few people today on a 50 mile trip going 3-4 mph over the limit. In the past, everybody (except possibly Prius drivers who are the VW Bus of the new millennium i.e. the vehicle you don't choose to get behind at a multi lane stoplight) would have been passing me at that speed.

I sure hope 55 never becomes law again. The cost in wasted time is huge. Driving even a law breaking 60 mph was just downright painful.

I've noticed more people driving 35 on city streets with 45 speed limits, with good conditions and long distances to the next light. Just makes me burn more gas as I speed up to get around them. Some things can be taken a bit too far.

I didn't give it much thought but I can see a slow down on some of the freeways. Fastlanes that used to do 80 are down to 70.

I drive the truck slower because I pick up much better mileage at 63-65 in comparison to doing 68-70.

THe Subaru doesn't make a whole lot of difference.

Sadly, I have seen this too. They'd get better mileage at 45 since most cars can get into top gear at that speed. If you are not in top gear, your mileage can improve. Reminds me of the folks I see plowing along at just below planing speed in boats, a common sight lately. If they only knew they were using double the fuel to do that intstead of planing...

The difference in 35 and 45 is probably about nothing. City speeds have a small wind resistance in today's cars (alright, you guys with the larger trucks and such will see a little benefit). The big saver in town is the rate of acceleration. The egg on the gas pedal is a good way to think. Personally, I never take the truck over 2000 rpms in town, and it will get 2mpg better than driving like you want to.

I'd argue differently. Most cities I have driven in, the 45mph is not substainable for a period of time long enough to make up the extra gas it takes to get to that speed, verses maintain 30mph. Furthermore, most modern transmission lock down in 3rd gear (or 4th or 5th depending on how many gears) anyways, so the net savings is a shaving a best. That shaving is easily overcome by the fuel it takes to get to that speed.

I'll see what speeds traffic moves at in Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee, as I am driving to Memphis tomorrow and returning on Sunday. 950 miles round trip. I plan to drive at my usual 72mph on I55 in Illinois and somewhere around 70mph in MO and AR. I will only have to get gas twice, so in order to do a mileage comparison, I'll consider driving slower on the way home.

If they really want to save fuel, they need to force communities to have signal lights that can 'see' the traffic. Nothing is more a waste of money than having to stop at a light where there is no cross traffic. Most signal systems are dumb units where they either are on a timer, or they are on a loop sensor. The loop sensors cannot tell when a car makes a right turn and no longer needs a light change. And they cannot see the difference between one car and twenty getting to the intersection. An AI system could reduce the amount of stop and go traffic tremendously.

I agree Seadog. There is a new I74 on ramp where the light timing is so dumb, that to make the left to get on it, you end up sitting through a traffic light just to get the honor of pulling up 70 feet to sit at a red turn arrow, for no less than 60 seconds, sometimes as long as 3 minutes. All while there is little or No approaching traffic, and no from-the-side traffic. My wife makes a left on red as standard practice!

I hadn't really considered the sustainability. I was thinking more of a steady-state speed.

If you can drive at 40 - 45, and not hit any lights, then that's the way to go. However, if you make the lights better at 35, then that would be the better alternative as far as mileage is concerned (safety aside).

My truck never runs over 2K rpm's in town - the speeds I'm trying to maintain are reasonable. And I'm not 100% fixated on how much mileage I'm getting, although it's a consideration. Trying to get where I'm going on time is just as important, sometimes more. Cruising along at 30 in a 45 with good conditions and half a mile to the next light is just stupid.

Depends on what the speed limit is Mike. I agree that if the speed limit is above 45 or above that one shouild not impede traffic. I was speaking strictly about thos areas of town where the speed limit is not above 45. And, I wouldn't be driving at 35 mph whre the limit is 45. I mught go 40 if I make the lights better and traffic is heavier.