Am I Getting Old? | TheaterFire

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JThalheimer@reddit

I set it 9 over and cruise. Seems optimal for flow at highway. Maybe I'll drop it to 5 over after several hours.

Adaptive cruise control is so nice on long road trips! (I feel spoiled, first ACC a year ago)

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BlueEyes_VelvetSkies@reddit

I wouldn't call that "old" I call that WISE

Old is someone driving you on a trip and you're falling asleep thinking the trip seems a lot shorter than you remembered. Everything seems shorter except the trips to the bathroom. 😆

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EnjoyingTheRide-0606@reddit

Experience plus knowledge equals wisdom.

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Ok-Literature7782@reddit

That's not a sign of getting old That's a sign of having learned lessons in life

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BMXTammi@reddit

Nope. Economic driving can be temporary. If you become a billionaire, the lead foot will return in a heartbeat

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neurophen@reddit

Had a bit of a near fatal crash when I was pretty young. Then lost a bunch of friends in car crashes early on. So I have always been a 5 over kinda guy.

But when I installed a dashcam front and back about 10 years back. I tell you what! Tootling along nowadays is almost a care free experience. The security of having video proof that I wasn't driving like an asshole is very pleasant.

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WinnerAwkward480@reddit

I've got Places to go , Ppl to see and Things to do . Please keep your lolly-gagging self in the right lane .

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MistrBiggie@reddit

Interesting I've got places to go people to do and things to see a little bit different

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1967TinSoldier@reddit

After driving trucks in the army that couldn't get much above the speed limit, I got used to watching the idiots tailgating and having accidents. I still comment on how those in the left trying their best to get 1 more car ahead. Whole they're hopping around thinking they're in "Need for Speed", I cruise by mostly getting to my exit before them.

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GMF4000@reddit

This is wisdom kicking in not old age!

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Shoddy_Woodpecker_81@reddit

No, this is what safe driving feels like.

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Hexonxonx14@reddit

What I've found also helps on highways:

Stopped thinking "The speed limit is 100km/hr - why are we going so damn slow!" when there's traffic. Instead, I think of it as a variable speed road. Sometimes it's 100km/hr, sometimes 80, sometimes 30.
I try not to look at the mile markers or signs showing the distance to my destination. Whenever I see how much more I have to go, I speed up or get agitated.

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Mysterious-Maize307@reddit

Yup. Embrace the chill, hang out in the right lane, let all the crazies tailgate each other in the left lane as they constantly brake and accelerate and weave in and out.

Not only will you feel better when you arrive, you haven’t lost anything, in fact the few seconds to maybe a few minutes that you arrive after the hurried class gets there are a gift.

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Able_Software6066@reddit (OP)

Sit back and enjoy the entertainment as the left lane hogs struggle to pass each other.

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drowninginidiots@reddit

I’ve always been a limit +4-6mph driver since I was in my 20s and discovered just how little time you save. On a 50 mile drive, if you drive 80 vs 70 the entire way, you save about 5 minutes. Hardly seems worth the stress or worrying about getting a ticket.

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Wild_Read9062@reddit

what’s the rush?

When you realize you’re rushing to something lame or that you wouldn’t be rushing if you just left a few insignificant minutes earlier, you tend to not drive like a maniac.

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pinktwigz@reddit

Podcasts did that for me. Unless I am starving or urgently need to pee, I don’t care when I get there. Traffic is no longer an aggravation.

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PigInZen67@reddit

Seven mph over is my freeway/internet speed, set by cruise control. Now I find that I'm seriously annoyed by poor drivers who cannot maintain a steady speed to save their lives.

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robertwadehall@reddit

I use the adaptive cruise on road trips, mostly stay in one lane. I speed up to pass slow moving trucks (especially in the mountains)… I just relax and listen to my tunes. My car has a great sound system and whether it’s Rush, Pearl Jam, The Cure, U2, Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin it sounds great (34 speaker Bose Panaray). I work out of my house so no stressful work commutes—did 20 years of those.

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Educational_Panic78@reddit

I was in a horrible rollover accident in 2022 which completely changed my driving habits. I get jumpy and nauseous if I’m caught in a cluster of vehicles, especially if someone’s tailgating or making sudden maneuvers. I can ALMOST relax and enjoy driving again if I go slightly slower than the flow so the clusters of traffic pass by me. Nothing is so important that it’s worth risking the safety of yourself or others.

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OldLifeguard-00@reddit

Yikes … a rollover

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hapster85@reddit

If that's the criteria for being old, I've been old for a very long time. I'm 59, so I've been driving for more than 43 years. In that time I've had exactly one speeding ticket. That was about 15 years ago. Coincidentally, my dad got his first speeding ticket that same year. Lol

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rayray1927@reddit

I have been a speed limit +2 driver for a while. Less stressful and better gas mileage.

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MusicalMerlin1973@reddit

I’ve mostly been a limit +5. Back in high school our police chief told us when asked they don’t pull over for that or less. The local judge at the time handling those cases regularly dismissed 5mph and under tickets.

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MusicalMerlin1973@reddit

Back when I was commuting 40-45 miles one way for my previous job I took to being paranoid about mileage. I’d get 600-620 miles per tank in my 14 fusion. 38-40 mpg. Non hybrid.

Which meant every other tank I got an extra round trip. 🤷‍♂️

I also drove to my in-laws once on one tank. 540 miles. Fully loaded wife,two kids, a weeks worth of clothing. With some hilly passes to go through.

I don’t know that it’s a product of getting old. Just a feeling of I don’t have to rush. Besides there’s lots of idiots flying around now. I’ll stay in my fuddy duddy lane and let them chase mortality.

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AcesAnd08s@reddit

Since getting a hybrid, I’m always trying to see how I can keep the battery charged for as long as possible. It has changed my driving style completely. Coasting whenever possible. Never gunning it, etc.

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No_Rain_1543@reddit

The best thing I found when I bought a car with adaptive cruise. Just sit behind the car in front and chill out. Very relaxing

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BigRefrigerator9783@reddit

Yes

We all are

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Dentarthurdent73@reddit

This is what being a normal human being who actually considers the safety and wellbeing of others feels like.

Speeding is selfish arsehole behaviour.

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PicoDog153@reddit

👆🏻💯

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Fair-Wishbone-1190@reddit

I always used to give my dad crap going so slow and I always used to go so fast. Now that he's passed, I've noticed how slow I drive just like he did. It's really an odd feeling but I have no desire to go fast anymore.

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TravelerMSY@reddit

Well, yes. If you’re enjoying driving, you’re probably doing it wrong.

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Mobile-Boss-8566@reddit

We all are. However I like to think that we all also, getting wiser with age.

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thehoagieboy@reddit

Looks at subreddit name, "Yes, we all are"

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whineybubbles@reddit

You started aging the moment you were born. Whether or not you're old is for you to decide

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ahutapoo@reddit

It almost cost me $90 to fill up, so you better your ass I'm going 65.

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Phobos1982@reddit

I've been using cruise control since the late 80s. Depending on how fast people are going, I'll set it to 5 or 10 over the max I'm willing to go and just literally cruise.

I have adaptive cruise control now, which is amazing! It speeds up and slows down on its own. I just set the fastest I'm willing to go.

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Reasonable_Bid3311@reddit

my city went down to 25 mph. I find myself going even slower because trying to stay at 25 is tough. so I probably look old, but I don’t want a ticket.

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AlterNate@reddit

It's amazing how stress-free it can be if you stop doing battle with every vehicle. I often find myself on completely empty stretches of highway, because I tend to drive faster than the locals and slower than the maniacs.

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gingerthetrailpup@reddit

I was in UT … put cc at 85 (speed limit was 80) and got pulled over. 🤦🏻‍♀️

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Gavin_Tremlor@reddit

Yep, I'm from Utah. they mean 80 when they say 80. You can do about 5 over every other speed limit, but 80 is 80.

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irving47@reddit

Well, when you turn 28-30 ish your brain also starts recognizing danger/mortal peril a lot better than it used to. So that may be part of it as well. Though, for most gen x-ers, I suppose that happened a while ago! :)

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Useful_Major_5797@reddit

Sort of, we are all fragile meat sacks and driving a ton of plastic, metal, and rubber at high speeds can end us super quick.

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cmdr1337@reddit

This is so true. Some people have a vastly underdeveloped sense of self preservation.

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Brilliant-Ad8607@reddit

Ive been a cruise control whore for 10 yrs now, Im 48. 35 or higher, CC it is!

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hells_cowbells@reddit

Yeah, you're getting old.

I have around a 75 mile round trip commute, mostly on open rural-ish interstate. The speed limit is theoretically 70, but I usually set the cruise around 76-78 and still get passed, sometimes by semis. I've gone past cops sitting on the side of the road going that speed, and they don't even give a flash of the lights. Occasionally, I do see people pulled over, and I wonder just how fast you have to be going to get pulled over.

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grumpynetgeekintexas@reddit

I would say growing up, not getting older, I lost my lead foot in my thirties and now I’m the guy saying to the empty car:

“Where’s the fire!”

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techie1980@reddit

Getting a GPS changed it for me. I began to understand that I wasn't saving very much time. I was just cutting my mileage in half and making for a more stressful drive. Even on longer drives (3+ hours) I was losing time gassing up and constantly slowing down.

That said, I was back in the northeast a few months ago and I forgot how they treat their traffic enforcement as fundraising for the local municipality. Out here in California it seems like traffic cops don't bother too much with minor issues.

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FJ-creek-7381@reddit

This is soooo true

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BradleyFerdBerfel@reddit

You've cracked the code, my friend.

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IRingTwyce@reddit

Between getting old and buying an EV, my driving habits have changed considerably. I'm the EV I will drive at, or down to 5 under, the speed limit to conserve range. It ended up transferring over to my gas cars too. Now I drive at the speed limit, generally, or no more than 2 to 3 over. Saves gas, plus I'm old now and in absolutely no hurry to get anywhere.

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WarExciting@reddit

No, it’s what maturity and wisdom feel like. Enjoy it.

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m149@reddit

Man, I wish I could find a speed that I could do this. On the roads I drive, my comfort speed is too slow for the left lane and too fast for the right. Always wind up driving a few mph faster than I'd prefer to.

On the rare occasions that I get a traffic free drive, I love the chill speeds.

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drtyhppi@reddit

An old State Trooper once told me "9 you're fine, 10 you're mine". I live by that and try to always stay between 5-8 over in the right lane. Pass when you need to, then go back to cruising. What's gonna get everyone is those bullshit flock cameras that are starting to pop up everywhere.

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No-Country6348@reddit

Alternatively, get an EV, they are so effing fast, faster than my stick shift sports cars were, even my porsche 911. Of course, speeding is still dangerous and all that.

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mfigroid@reddit

I get shoved back into the seat in an EV a lot more than on a jet during takeoff.

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Battle_Intense@reddit

I'm not tired of speeding but I'm tired of the tickets...

Somehow went 25 years without a speeding ticket and got 2 in 9 months. I've always been most ccomfortable in the left lane outpacing the pack of traffic by 2-4 mph.

When most people were driving 8 to 12 mph over the speed limit you are fast but not insane with 2-4 mph faster. When most people are now 15 to 20 mph over, it gets a bit sporty.

I have had to train myself to stay out of the far two left lanes. Even so on the freeway near Scottsdale, I look down and I'm doing 88mph in the middle lane of 5 lanes surrounded by a pack of cars... guess it's time to be the far right slow lane.

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NoFanksYou@reddit

Just don’t be the pace car

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ContributionDapper84@reddit

That's what not driving like a 20yo feels like. Welcome to adulthood.

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Alovingcynic@reddit

I'm never able to cruise. I have to drive defensively all of the time, between too many big rigs and speed freaks or people driving too slow, or hanging in the passing lane, and being on their phones and splitting lanes. It's wild and woolly out there at any speed.

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aupunter@reddit

No, it is what smart feels like!

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kentuckywildcats1986@reddit

I have a 2003 Ford Ranger, work from home, and pretty much only drive that old truck on Friday evenings taking the dogs to the park and picking up some beer after for the weekend.

I take my time. I am courteous and keep it in the right lane, but yep - I am proudly an old fart and reserve the option to keep it just under the speed limit.

It's nice. I let the younger folks in a hurry use the left lane.

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roadbikemadman@reddit

Sorta. If I have a long day (600+ miles, in Texas) to cover, I'll typically do 80ish (posted 75) and put up with 28-30 MPG (2025 hybrid Sienna). However....if I'm tooling about running errands in town (Houston), I will try to keep the mpg above 40 avg on the tank. Best run so far in Houston (flat, very flat) was 54 mpg covering 6 miles.

I find that enjoyable.

To your point, yes, there are also times I will set the cruise on 75 and call it a day instead of driving "like I stole her" at 85-90 on US 287 in the Panhandle. If gas hits $5/gal I may slow down to 65 mph.

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shredstore@reddit

I recently did a road trip and was driving 5-8 mph slower than normal and it was much more relaxing

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Brkthom@reddit

Congrats! You’ve found one of the sweet spots 🙂

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81FXB@reddit

Here in Europe the limits on the highway are typically 100 or 120kmh. I always set my car to 97 kmh and just enjoy hanging out in the right lane. Did a 2500km 4 day roadtrip a month back, only did 97kmh…

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HorseyDung@reddit

So you are the slow bugger...

Set it at 103, in reality you'll be driving 100, stop being a moving roadblock.

;)

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81FXB@reddit

Did I mention I’m cheap too and that my car did better than 50mpg on that roadtrip ?

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HorseyDung@reddit

Tyres at 45 Psi?

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81FXB@reddit

No, 35 ?

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HorseyDung@reddit

You can at least try 40.

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Able_Software6066@reddit (OP)

I still want to go faster than the transport trucks so I'm not pinched between them at a sudden stop or have people riding my bumper trying to get past.

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Panthera_014@reddit

I used to do 10-15mph over on the highway

now I set the cruise to 5-9mph over

no tickets for awhile now - and less stressful driving for sure

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Able_Software6066@reddit (OP)

Driving fast used to be fun. Now it's just exhausting.

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TheOriginal_858-3403@reddit

Did you stop at the Cracker Barrell for dinner.... at 3:30P?

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Able_Software6066@reddit (OP)

My only stop was to pee and buy gas and windshield washing fluid.

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scbalazs@reddit

Yeah I’m getting into my upper 50s, still an aggressive lead-foot, but with an aging car that I can’t afford to do much with and with the price of gas here in California, I’m trying to go gentle. I find an audiobook helps because then my attention is not focused on all the idiots around me that I need to pass and flip off.

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SunshineandBullshit@reddit

My moment was during the pandemic, when I was driving all over the country in an RV. Tires were rated for 55, I drove 55 everywhere. Even Texas and Wyoming. It was SO relaxing!

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Fluid_Anywhere_7015@reddit

Some days, when I'm feeling especially cantankerous, I will spend the entire day...driving exactly at the speed limit.

Because.

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UnGatito@reddit

Not old, just more sensible of costs

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speed_of_chill@reddit

Yes. We all are.

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Nearby_Translator_55@reddit

My car gets 40 plus miles per gallon if I let it cruise at 65. Gas isn't getting any cheaper and my commute isn't getting any shorter.

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LollipopGirl923@reddit

Nope! You have finally become a RESPONSIBLE driver instead of a dangerous one. As my sweet Momma would say, "What do you want!? A Dewey button?" 🦃

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bzee77@reddit

I’ve honestly never felt the need to drive more than the 10 mph over the speed limit (or less). Granted, my car is almost 20 years old, so I’m not sure how much faster I go. But that is beside the point.

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someguythatiknow@reddit

Well it’s certainly what not being a giant dick who endangers other people for their own convenience feels like…

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Strange_Scientist703@reddit

This is the way. On the way home from work I am Mr. Right Lane only a couple over. No stress and puts in the right frame of mind coming home to the Wife.

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Kodiak01@reddit

My commute, there is one section of 3 exits that I deliberately move to the far left lane and stay in the traffic flow; it's a section where people typically drive like idiots getting on and off the ramps, a lot of squeezing in everywhere. That section at least, the far left lane (which always slows down about 10mph in that area in any case) is by far the safest to be in, staying out of the way so the idiots can do their thing.

Of course, this is also a State (CT) with more left-hand exits (74) than any other.

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Columbia_Guy001@reddit

I'm a big fan of the radar cruise control, especially on single lane highways. If I come up on a slower moving vehicle and I can't pass right away, it's just fantastic that I don't have to adjust the cruise down or turn it off and use the accelerator while following the guy.

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Neolamprologus99@reddit

I'm 50 years old and I've been driving like an old man since I was 30. I used to speed and drive like a maniac until I had a very bad accident. All defensive driving after that. My car got Tboned and almost ripped in half. I was lucky to walk away.

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Kodiak01@reddit

Also 50, I drive like a gramp.

I also average nearly 42mpg out of vehicle rated 28/31 without any tailgating or hypermiling on a 28mi commute that is half highway, half 40-45mph roads. It's almost like a game sometimes... This is my current high score!

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Moklonus@reddit

Every passing second…

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djSush@reddit

I've def become much more of a chill right lane driver post pandemic. I'm aware that it's largely due to my privilege of working from home so I'm just not in a huge rush to get places. Combine that with some major construction on the hwy near me that caused close to 20 FATALITIES in one year and I'm just not rushing enough to die on the road anytime soon.

I also can feel my reaction time and awareness ever so slightly different. I feel less comfortable driving at night, it's too dark and the headlights are too bright. I'm more aware of how aggressively and dangerously a lot of other drivers are behaving.

I like it tbh. A car accident isn't just about the injury but it's the months of admin headache afterwards with insurance, repair etc. No thank you.

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l0st1nP4r4d1ce@reddit

Trading my sports car for a suv for family reasons did it for me.

And idiocy is easy without kids.

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notevenapro@reddit

I stopped speeding long ago.

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Chance-Night3198@reddit

My knee has been messed up since college. The first car I got with cruise control was amazing--I would never be able to drive much of a distance without it. If I'm familiar with the route I usually set it about 8 above the speed limit (unless I'm nearing a known speed trap). For unfamiliar places, it's usually about 5 over. I don't understand why everyone doesn't use it. It sucks passing someone only to have them speed up and pass you, and then slow down so you pass them over and over and over again.

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Vandilbg@reddit

I usually drive about 71 and only pass the swift trucks or others limited at 65. If I can I will tuck in behind a semi driving the same speed and block for him to pass in exchange for the 2-5% gas savings. My second place is a 4hr drive up in lake country so I drive way to much to have it be stressful.

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Canaduck1@reddit

"Am I Getting Old?"

You're in a genX subreddit. So the answer is yes.

Doesn't mean you're there yet. But time is ticking, for all of us. Hell, it will hit GenZ before they know it, too. While we're all in our 80s.

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balthisar@reddit

Depends what I drive. Expedition with travel trailer? I'm happy to set the adaptive cruise and stay behind a semi-tractor. Perfectly relaxed.

In the Mach E, with no one else on the road, and no one else in the car? The same behavior as above is extremely stressful, so I have fun with the car.

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Chance-Night3198@reddit

I appreciate this. I always get irrationally angry at people in fast cars who don't drive fast. Like the guy in a Lamborghini I kept overtaking in my Ford Escape. Why? Why own that car if you're gonna go exactly the speed limit?

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notanyimbecile@reddit

Not old, you're experienced.

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MidwestAbe@reddit

No having to suddenly slow down when I passed the cops.

Given the speed everyone passes the police on my interstates I feel zero need to slow down from I'm doing.

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ConclusionFlat1843@reddit

I had the same discovery as you back around 1995. I had a meeting six hours away and there were no major highways between me and the destination. I thought it was going to suck. So I decided I would leave earlier, drive the speed limit, and relax. It was a revelation. It was so much better. That's how I have driven since.

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tired-middle-ager@reddit

Yes metaphorically, this is what getting old feels like. The younger ones speed and pass by you on the road of life. They may not notice you too much. You are kind of invisible on the road of life and it is kind of nice.

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sharp-calculation@reddit

I learned this same lesson very late. I don't consider it to be an "old person thing". It's more of a "wise person thing". The tradeoffs between a slightly faster arrival time, vastly increased stress, and increased probability for accidents make this an obvious choice for me. Drive near the speed limit, be relaxed, and arrive only slightly after those that are in a big hurry.

Old and wise go together. But one does not equal the other. Then again, I've been old since I was about 10.

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SirkutBored@reddit

I've always thought you really need to be driving more than 4 hours for there to be any appreciable difference in arrival times. Any less than that and you can wipe out the savings with a pit stop. I have used cruise control in every car that had it and enjoy the sights.

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sharp-calculation@reddit

As an example:

300 miles at 65 mph = 4.61 hours

300 miles at 75 mph = 4 hours

difference 0.61 hours x 60 minutes = 37 minutes

So I can arrive a half an hour earlier with constant attention and stress, or a I can chill for 37 minutes longer. I'll take the stress free version. Also, I'll do the same number of pit stops either way. My stomach and my bladder both need attention at regular intervals. Plus it breaks up the trip, let's your body move (walking), and is good for your brain.

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ancientastronaut2@reddit

The only reason I've slowed down is because they installed some speed cams around me and I got a ticket in dec and jan. I'm honestly just keeping up w traffic on both roads, so now I feel like I'm crawling when I slow down.

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NaughtyLittleDogs@reddit

No. "Old" is when you buy a full-sized Buick sedan (in beige, of course) and set the cruise for 5 under the speed limit and then you camp in the passing lane.

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63crabby@reddit

It would have to be used, Buick hasn’t made sedans since the 2020 model year.

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NaughtyLittleDogs@reddit

Yes. You will need to buy one that has been sitting in someone's grampa's garage for at least a decade, driven only to doctor's appointments, church, and the grocery store.

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kent_eh@reddit

I got in the habit of slowing down years ago when I was driving a company vehicle.

It occurred to me that they weren't going to pay me any extra if I got where I was going 2 minutes sooner, and they certainly weren't going to pay any speeding fines.

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sane-asylum@reddit

I’m 55, got my first ticket last year. Driving solo I like 80, it’s super comfy but if there is a line of cars doing 100 my car is very much a fan of that.

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7toedcat@reddit

I've also very recently found the joys of cruise-control. After 4 speeding tickets in less than 3 years, the consequent rise in the cost of insurance, and a letter from the DMV threatening to suspend my driver's license, I finally and begrudgingly started to set my cruise-control. A few drives later and having found the right podcasts, I've found a new groove. I always enjoyed driving fast but strategically. But now I'm chill and I love knowing I don't have to be hyper-vigilant for the cops.

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Milly1974@reddit

You think that's relaxing, try out a newer car or SUV with adaptive cruise control and active lane departure. I've taken naps on long stretches of highway while we're on vacation. Our GMC will wake me up with a hands on steering wheel alarm if I don't hold it tight enough.

My wife is too impatient for cruise control. She woke me up yelling at a tractor trailer between Nashville and Knoxville going down one of those long grades around 110 mph. She mentioned that we might get the truck looked at because the engine was cutting out when she wanted to go over 110. I had to tell her 4X4 trucks are usually governed to only 110 or lower. LOL

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Flat_6_Theory@reddit

I dunno. Except for places like Hwy 380 in eastern NM where the speed limit is fiction and traffic non existent (topped 120 somewhere east of Tatum once), I tend to settle somewhere around 75/80 on the highway. 85 if the traffic will bear it.

Closer to home is a different story.

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cosmoboy@reddit

I'm 51, but I was 30 when I got my last speeding ticket and decided that the right lane and cruise control are for me.

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phoenixdiceflow@reddit

There was a study done with a driver doing 55mph and another doing 75. The driver doing 75 arrived only a couple of minutes earlier especially when it’s on a busy highway. It’s decreased even further on city driving.

There is really no advantage to driving faster in busy cities yet dumb people risk their safety to arrive five minutes earlier.

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therocketn00b@reddit

I've always been a sensible driver. It feels better. And gets you there around the same time more often than you'd think. Tortoise v. Hare.

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Admirable-Cobbler319@reddit

I started using cruise control a few years ago and it is wonderful.

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Able_Software6066@reddit (OP)

It's especially helpful when I hear AC/DC on the radio and the car pretty much speeds itself up.

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systemfrown@reddit

Adaptive Cruise Control is such a game changer.

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Admirable-Cobbler319@reddit

Yes! That's what my car has. I have to drive on the highway every day and it's made it so much more pleasant

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foodweneedfood@reddit

Mm. Not so much old age as maturity.

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Epicassion@reddit

9 over, faster if the traffic flow is breezing by me. No speeding tickets since I was age 20 or so. My insurance got stupid and was warned only Lloyds of London would insure me if I got one more ticket. I'd also had multiple other tickets. A single extra ticket would have resulted in a suspended license as well.

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1poconosmax@reddit

Once you realize your only saving a few minutes. It's nice to set that cruise to 5 over the limit and enjoy some peace and quiet..

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Able_Software6066@reddit (OP)

A few more minutes on the road and a few less with the in-laws is always a win.

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El_Peregrine@reddit

Yeah, if you do the math on a 3 hour trip, it's barely a few minutes to be saved. If you want to get there so badly at such an such a time, just leave 10 minutes earlier and relax. Most people on the road really, really, need to learn to chill the fuck out.

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ApprehensiveWash7969@reddit

Honesty, I learned this lesson while driving in Hawaii. They have a strict 55 mph on most roads. After a few days I learned to just sit back and enjoy the ride while trying to safely enjoy the sites on the road. Huge difference versus driving in LA where 80 mph + is the norm.

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craftygardening@reddit

No, it’s what basic human decency feels like. Driving safely isn’t something just “old people” do. I’ve never had a speeding ticket because I don’t value my time more than other people’s safety.

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AstroStrat89@reddit

For some it's not about the time, it's that they still have the mindset of a 12 year old.

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Xyzzydude@reddit

For those of us who came of driving age during the national 55 mph speed limit, cruising at 70 in a 65 zone or 75 in a 70 zone still feels like getting away with something big, and it’s well within law enforcement tolerance almost everywhere.

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Xyzzydude@reddit

My grandfather used to say “I set the cruise for 2 mph under the limit and stay in the right lane and it’s like I own the road”.

I don’t find that works perfectly because of traffic merging from the right. But now with adaptive cruise control it’s much easier to set to a reasonable speed and chill in the right lane. I usually set it to 5 over and do that.

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SpicyRitas@reddit

If that’s old then I was hella old at 27 (not including the standard GenX being born old cuz we latchkey kids raised ourselves and siblings). I had a purse I really wanted but the price tag was steep so I passed. Kept my eye on the purse though. Anyhow some time later I was caught speeding and got a warning. The cop asked me if I had any idea how much he just saved me? Then he pointed at the back of the warning ticket. It was wayyyy more than the cost of the purse. Yeah I thought of the purse. I’d be out a ton of money and would have nothing to show for it. Still didn’t buy the purse but I sure did learn to drive the speed limit. Somehow my love of speeding went away. Ugh 😑

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nate8088@reddit

I used to be a lead foot driver, as well, until I drove back and forth across the country 5 years in a row in an RV, and found that just setting the cruise and letting people do whatever freakouts they have to do around you while you just continue on your merry way is far preferable to being the one doing the freaking out.

Ever since then, I'm generally just setting it for 8 or so over the speed limit and cruising.

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jeon2595@reddit

Welcome to the world of responsible driving.

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airckarc@reddit

I normally drive pretty relaxed. In Wyoming there’s a big ticket step up after 6+ mph so I tend to set the cruise control at 5 over and enjoy the ride. I haven’t received a ticket in 30 years but I did get pulled over for 23 in a 20 zone, but let off with a warning.

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303FPSguy@reddit

I mainly drive in my neighborhood and around town, so I rarely get above 40 mph. It’s definitely changed for me, but I’ll still cruise on the hwy when I’m able.

Might be because I drive a brick with wheels too. Wranglers aren’t known for being fast

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chasingjulian@reddit

Best way to never get a ticket is to just not be in a hurry. Saves on gas too.

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Exotic-Travel-270@reddit

That doesn’t make you old, just responsible. I love it when people fly by me and I catch up to them at the red light with a great big grin on my face.

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Independent-Fall-893@reddit

My friends always called me "Grandpa" bc I would only just drive above the posted speed limit. To make it worse (in their eyes) I have had pretty fast cars, a Corvette then a Cadillac CTS-V which had 556HP.

Me & a bunch of my buddies drove about 4 hours for a beach vacation in separate cars, they sped & drove like assholes while I cruised about 5-10mph over speed limit. Yes, they made the trip quicker than I did, but only by about 15-20 mins.

They ran the risk of speeding tickets & higher chance of accidents just to get to the Beach a few mins quicker. They had to wait outside until I arrived bc it was my family's house & I had the keys.

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Robbudge@reddit

We regularly drive 15hr and with adaptive cruise and lane assist, we now sit back and enjoy an audio book. MPG is also so much better.

It must be an old thing.

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MassCasualty@reddit

I can save 3mpg or get there 3 minutes early.

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CodenameZoya@reddit

There’s a happy medium between running people off the road because you’re driving so fast and being unable to go above the speed limit. 75 is a perfectly acceptable speed limit.

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JSTootell@reddit

I was passing huge swaths of people while my cruise was set for the speed limit coming home from Vegas this weekend.

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El_Peregrine@reddit

There's a George Carlin bit where everyone who drives faster than me is a fucking maniac, and everyone who drives slower is a fucking idiot

And he was right 😂

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HighSeasArchivist@reddit

I'm 10 over everywhere I go for over 500k miles. Every cop I've ever known says they give 10mph, but at 11mph they gotta at least pull you over to have a chat. Since I've had two tickets (last one about 27 years ago) at 11mph over I have to say this adds up since I've passed literally thousands of cops at 10mph and never so much as had a glance my way in 45 out of 50 states.

I do use cruise control almost religiously, especially on highway runs. I'm stick shift until I die, and cars have always been a big part of who I am.

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GeneralBobby@reddit

Fellow recovering lead foot here. I used cruise control to get myself out of the habit of speeding. It's been more than a decade since my last speeding ticket and I'm at a point where 10mph over the limit can feel excessive. Paying tickets sucks more than leaving 5 minutes earlier.

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itstrueitellyou@reddit

Mature not old. I no longer speed and it's a nice feeling

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wyohman@reddit

I don't slow down when I see a cop. It's a dead giveaway that you knew you were speeding.

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JSTootell@reddit

I started driving this way a LONG time ago. Mostly to save gas money.

Also, I have been riding track on my motorcycle for 20 years. The "thrill" of going "fast" on the freeway is absolutely nothing like being in a racetrack at even a moderate pace, let alone really hauling.

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systemfrown@reddit

Definitely slowed my driving down in recent years...and if I'm honest that's largely due to do an awareness that my reaction time isn't what it used to be, and partly becuase I realize I'm just not in any fucking hurry anymore.

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ONROSREPUS@reddit

If you are posting in GenX you are old. That being said I don't think age has anything to do with the speed you are driving. I like to drag race from time to time but I hardly ever speed on the highways. 90-95%. of the people pass me. I will get there eventually.

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tandem_kayak@reddit

Same, I've done all kinds of motorsports and owned some fast cars, but on the road I try not to go more than 5 over unless I'm getting around something, and I've never had a ticket yet.

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buckynugget@reddit

I stopped racing anyone when I realized they weren't going to the same place I was

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BrooksRoss@reddit

This is peace brother. Embrace it you will live longer and happier.

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blueboatmich66@reddit

Excellent description

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GigabitISDN@reddit

I'm with you. Once Costco gets over $4 / gallon, I'm setting cruise at the speed limit instead of +5, gently accelerating, doing long coasts to a stop (within safety reason of course).

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UncleLeo30@reddit

56, driving much slower AND yelling at speeders in my neighborhood now.

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DPax_23@reddit

I have always driven like a little old lady. 😆

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w3woody@reddit

If that’s old, Los Angeles traffic made me prematurely elderly, cause that shit beats the lead foot out of anyone…

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Sensitive-Reality-73@reddit

Bad thing is that I leave work and feel like I'm late for home 😆

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KDFree16@reddit

Yes!

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when_music_hits@reddit

Having only a few months ago got my license back from totting up speeding tickets...I'd say no, it's not age that does it, it's the realisation of knock on effects/wisdom.

Losing my license absolutely fucked me dry and hard, I'm still recovering months later and insurance is still going to be higher than when I was 17...until I'm 50

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Agent7619@reddit

I outgrew my lead foot around age 30

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17175RC7@reddit

Same here. Haven't been stopped and zero tickets since. That was almost 30 years ago.

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HerNameIsVesper@reddit

Yes, and this part of getting old feels good. One of my friends says that I drive like an old lady but I don't really care. I got plenty of tickets in days gone by, but it's honestly quite liberating to simply cruise in the slow lane and enjoy my favourite tunes on a 12-speaker Bose audio system. It's ironic that I bought a sporty new car last fall (a Mazda3 Sport GT Turbo with 320 lb-ft of torque) but I rarely push it hard enough to exceed 3,000 RPM, lol

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Iron_Chic@reddit

Most of us started driving safely around our 30s. That's the time we realized speeding was stupid and dangerous.

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modi123_1@reddit

I would say that sounds more like relief from being unburdened by your own created baggage.

Instead of worrying about: time saved, police, tickets, navigating a route to be faster than everyone else, and engaging in your own mental race against people that didn't know they were playing - you let it all go and embraced the flow.

Kudos for getting out under your own stressor!

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