Anyhoo... that driver turned off in the area where the speed limit changed to 55 mph, just outside of town, nearing the prison. However... that maroon SUV, no longer impeded by that slow-driving truck and trailer, only accelerated to 40 mph! So we were STILL going 15 mph below the speed limit. It continued past the prison, around a sharp curve, and down a hill nearing my turn-off on the county blacktop road.
But wait! Around the curve, we came upon a TRACTOR! A green tractor, with an old man driving, flashing lights on, going a LITERAL 15 mph!
I can understand why a tractor is slow. I know it has to be transported occasionally on the public roadways. I just worry that some inattentive driver will slam into the back of T-Hoe, not paying attention.
Anyhoo... as we neared the long high bridge before my turnoff, the maroon SUV passed the tractor. Then there was ample room for me to pass. And the white sedan behind me. I made my left turn without incident, and proceeded home at the regular speed limit. Well... perhaps a little bit over. It's not like police patrol that county blacktop road.
It's unusual to encounter three such obstacles in one day, on a two-mile stretch of road.
I once heard of a policeman pulling over a car on the freeway for going too slow! Apparently he was in the middle lane with a long line of cars behind him, the policeman on his motorbike came up alongside and nudged him into the left (slow) lane and then made him pull over to explain the reasons why.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
DeleteYes, we DO have a minimum as well as a maximum speed on the interstate highways. The minimum is 40 mph there. That's because it's dangerous for other drivers who may be going 55 or 70, depending on the highway, to come up on slower cars.
Also, the slow cars cause traffic backups like you described. Anybody who drives that slow on a highway might be impaired in some way, whether drunk or having a medical emergency. So it was a good thing to get that driver out of traffic.
I hate it when a car will hang in the left lane and go slow, usually matching the slow progress of a car in the right lane. I call them self appointed speed monitors. I will not get too close or blow my horn and raise my fist at them, though. HeWho does that.
ReplyDeleteKathy,
DeleteFarmer H is THAT DRIVER! He puts on the cruise control, then gets in the fast lane, and refuses to back off and fall in behind a driver if someone faster is behind him, or speed up and get in front. It's not like re-setting the cruise control is hard. It's just a push of a button on the steering wheel!