We all know about sticking to the speed limit. You can easily get pulled over for going over the speed limit anywhere in the country, and this makes perfect sense. After all, these limits have been put in place in order to ensure the safety of motorists and pedestrians alike.

But have you ever thought about being ticketed for driving too slowly? Let us say that you are on the freeway with a speed limit of 60 mph. You find yourself driving at 45 mph. Is this something that you can be pulled over for legally?

The answer is not that simple. For one, it really depends on where you are – different states have different laws. For those in Seattle, I found useful information from Casey McNerthney:

Drivers cannot be ticketed specifically for driving too slowly unless there are minimum speed limit signs, he said. But drivers going too slowly can be cited for other violations – and the type of violation depends on speed in specific circumstances.

For example, if someone is driving 40 to 45 mph on the right lane of the freeway and not holding up traffic, he said they likely won’t be ticketed. But if a driver is going that slow on in the left passing lane, they can be cited for failing to stay right except to pass, which is a $124 ticket.

The bottom line? Know the law and stick to it as much as possible. Hope that helps in case you find yourself in such a situation in the future.

Written by Marcel on April 25, 2009 | Leave a Comment

These days are the days of environmental awareness. We really just cannot close our eyes and ears to what is happening to our planet. Otherwise, we might have really bad environmental conditions in the next several years. This is the rationale behind a recent move in Scotland, which encourages motorists to become “green drivers.” While this initiative is in effect in Scotland, I believe that even those of us who are based in other parts of the world can benefit from following their program.

BBC has a report on this:

The Energy Saving Trust said “greener” driving habits could save motorists in Glasgow £24.5m a year and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 64,000 tonnes.

It will bring a driving simulator to Braehead Shopping Centre later to demonstrate eco-friendly techniques. Advisers will also visit Cumbernauld Shopping Centre.

The campaign offers four key pieces of advice for motorists:

• Shift to as high a gear as possible
• Anticipate road conditions and drive more smoothly
• Maintain a steady speed in as high a gear as possible
• Drive a little slower than your normal speed

Look at those key pieces of advice. If you think about it, it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that these tips would help you save fuel, and contribute to the conservation of the environment as well. I suppose it is a matter of initiative and motivation. This, we cannot force. We have to find it in ourselves and do it of our own accord.

Photo courtesy of j_avonni

Written by Marcel on April 12, 2009 | Leave a Comment