Be Alert for SLOW-MOVING Vehicles on Texas Highways ...

The TEXAS Highway Speed-Limits are typically 75-MPH ... ( so you might get away with driving 80 ).


A friend of mine just called me to report that he had just passed a SLOW-MOVING itty-bitty (unknown sub-compact?) vehicle heading west several miles from New Mexico.

He said that he had come up from behind MUCH faster than expecting and had to swerve-around to miss it.

Upon passing, he noticed it had MEXICO license plates.


I told him that I SUSPECTED the (MEXICAN?) Driver probably doesn't understand our "SPEED LIMIT"s and that the "Driver" was most likely traveling EXACTLY 75-KPH.

NOTE: 75-KPH converts to 46-MPH

I wonder what the other driver was thinking after seeing a Fairly-New-White-Full-Size-Crewcab-Pickup passing at near double his speed?


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a reply to: FarleyWayne

As a driver, you shouldn't be doing 80 in a 75. You should also be paying enough attention ahead of you to avoid any obstacles including bogged down or slow moving vehicles.

It's defensive driving and thousands of truck drivers do it every day by avoiding the poor choices of four wheel vehicles.

Slow down within five miles of the speed limit and check in front of you at all times, then we won't have to hear about the license plates of vehicles on the highway.

If one was driving correctly, you probably wouldn't have been able to make them out anyway because you would have been keeping the proper distance and/or went around them.

I dont think sneaking over the speed limit is bad, yes technically its breaking the law - but those limits were introduced WELL before the advent of things like ABS, high grip tires, very good hydraulic brakes on disks front and rear.

5 or 10 miles an hour over on a clear road is no big deal, 'they' even review the limits every few years and consider increasing on certain highways.

I think a slow vehicle is more dangerous on a single lane road than another going 5mph over for sure.

a reply to: Biigs

Well the vehicle wasn't moving "that" slowly otherwise after swerving to avoid it the driver would not have been able to make out the license plates as he/she would have been too far in front.

More than likely what happened(of course this is all fantastical conjecture) was the driver was doing well over 90 and the vehicle was probably lagging around 55 mph. It was probably a beetle since those are still popular in Mexico and slow as hell.

Both vehicles are in the wrong but it is always the vehicle coming up from behind's job and legal responsibility to stay within the posted limits and avoid a collision(limits which are created for stopping distances not based on obstructions such as idiots and slow moving vehicles).

originally posted by: OrphanApology
a reply to: Biigs

More than likely what happened(of course this is all fantastical conjecture) was the driver was doing well over 90 ...

100

( shhhh, no names )

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NOTE:

It is "VERY" unusual for anyone to drive below 70 on that highway.


NOTE to OrphanApology:

Texans know what Volkswagon Beetles look like. It wasn't. Also, West-Texans used them for Dune-Buggys.
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a reply to: FarleyWayne

Ha!

I knew it!

Tell me it wasn't a Beetle!

Thats the thing though, slow moving vehicles usually have hazzards/flashing lights. Because usually a stopped car would have brake lights on or be to the side of the road etc

When you cruise up behind a car like that i could see the last 50 meters coming up very fast, where because while its small and in the distance and since its moving you assume its going 70% of the speed limit (as a rough guess).

Sounds like its about time all the Americans get with the program and convert to what? wait for it?

THE METRIC SYSTEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But first make sure to get the contract for the posted speed limit signage.

a reply to: Biigs

a reply to: Biigs

If you hit a vehicle from behind you are liable.

The end of story.

So pay attention and learn how fast something moves past you based on a given speed.

You can practice by noticing how fast signs move past you when approaching them. Pretend that's a car and note it in your head.

originally posted by: Biigs
I dont think sneaking over the speed limit is bad, yes technically its breaking the law - but those limits were introduced WELL before the advent of things like ABS, high grip tires, very good hydraulic brakes on disks front and rear.

5 or 10 miles an hour over on a clear road is no big deal, 'they' even review the limits every few years and consider increasing on certain highways.

I think a slow vehicle is more dangerous on a single lane road than another going 5mph over for sure.

Oh by this i do not mean heavy trucks should be cracking along at 80 mph either ha!

Perhaps special limits for certain vehicles?

Maybe somthing like: If you have a car manufactured in the last 10 years you are allowed 10 more miles an hour on large roads - i dont know

a reply to: Biigs

Over 70% of collisions involving tractor-trailers are the four wheeler's fault.

With that said, the rules should be the same across the road. The reason for that is that when you are at fault as a four wheeler in an accident involving 80,000 lbs...you will probably die.

The only place that "different" rules should apply is roads where trucks cannot drive and only cars play stupid with each other.

a reply to: FarleyWayne

Now I'm curious as to what the car was. I haven't been over to Mexico but twice in my life and they were both in Cancun and barely saw any cars much less tiny ones.

Oh Gawd don't get me started...I live in El Paso and I have to deal with this every damn time I leave my house. Yes, Mexico drivers drive ssslllloowwww. To top it off they get on the interstate going 30mph to 45mph..then they get in the fast lane and continue their top speed of 45mph and stay there!..ugh..or they pull out in front of you no matter how freaking fast you're going and they never really speed up..they do not wear seat belts nor do they put children in car seats..when they hit you they most often leave the scene of the accident...I see one of these scenarios every single time I leave my house. They get to use the toll road for free and the red light tickets never get issued to them.. not cool

a reply to: Cootie

Remember that not every Mexican visitor is an illegal alien.

If I told you my personal story of embarrassment of non-safety and idiocy from when I visited Europe, I am sure it would match up.

There are some very wealthy Mexicans that visit the U.S. simply for shopping purposes(especially around the valley and Mcallen in Texas).

For them, their tax money is much welcomed.

I am not saying that is who you are referring to but I have dealt with many a wealthy Mexican through the years. They do exist. Not all of them are illegal smoochers or what else and what not.

a reply to: Cootie
I didn't say anything about Illegals..I said cars with drivers from Mexico..

I don't think the speed limit should be seventy five miles an hour in the first place. What if a person is a little sick and can't safely drive over fifty five. The faster the speed, the more alert our mind has to be to process things. The speed limit used to be sixty five, that was fast enough. Blame it on the person who goes slow, wait till you get seventy and want to drive around. I have the answer, anyone over fifty five or anyone taking antidepressants should not be able to drive. Anyone drinking energy drinks should also lose their license.

I like sticking up for the underdog. I can still probably handle a hundred forty or so, but most people who go faster would try to keep up and they would lose it. I got my share of tickets too. I even got pulled over for doing fifty backwards. The cop said nobody would believe him though and he didn't write me a ticket.

a reply to: Cootie

THANK YOU for confirming the 45-MPH with:

Mexico drivers drive ssslllloowwww. To top it off they get on the interstate going 30mph to 45mph..then they get in the fast lane and continue their top speed of 45mph and stay there!

WE being WEST of Lubbock, Texas, WE "RARELY" see MEXICO-Plated vehicles.

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STRONG-OPINION: This "Alert" is ... Honest-n-Valid.
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originally posted by: OrphanApology
a reply to: Cootie

Remember that not every Mexican visitor is an illegal alien.

I am not saying that is who you are referring to but I have dealt with many a wealthy Mexican through the years. They do exist. Not all of them are illegal smoochers or what else and what not.

Agreed, but the majority of them are.

The speed limit is not a target, it is a limit.