Do you think that a minimum speed of 40 mph is too low for a highway where the speed limit is 70 or 75?

In my opinion 50 sounds like a reasonable minimum if it is three lanes in one direction.

Most states have a mandatory “flashers on” and stay in the right lane rule if you are going slowly enough to disrupt traffic flow. If you can pass the slow driver (at least two lanes going in one direction) and are paying attention (duh) I see no reason to raise the minimum speed.

I’d say 50% of the people (or more) don’t pay attention. I was on I35 in Wichita during rush hour the other day. It was a mad house. The speed limit at that stretch was 60, but there were people doing 80, easy. Plus There are twice as many cars as there were 20 years ago. Some lady merged into all the pandemonium talking on her cell phone.
Came flying around a turn at 60….and there was a line of cars stopped dead in front of me. Fortunately the far left lane was clear and I had the opportunity to move into it. A few seconds of inattention on my part and it would have been bad.

The cars were stopped dead because of a wreck.

I consider 40 as needing flashers, but apparently that’s the minimum by law, so they don’t require them

You seem to be saying that because 50% of the people don’t follow the rules, you think that the rules should be changed to accommodate them.

Well, that’s quite a leap you made there! I don’t even know what you’re talking about.

I didn’t say 50% of the people don’t follow the rules. I said 50% of the people don’t pay attention.

And what rules are you referring to?

I don’t remember a flashers rule for that. I thought the rule for flashers is they are supposed to be used when a car is stopped. However, I do see cars use their flashers when driving slowly or in bad weather. I’ve done it myself, but I thought the traffic law was for stopped cars.

Now I am curious and have to look it up. It probably varies by state.

Flashers if you’re driving slowly because you are disabled, or carrying a load that extends past the edge of a trailer or something.

I use my flashers when I find myself to be the last person stopped on the highway by a long line of cars. After others come in behind me I turn them off.

I agree with you @Dutchess_III, about the speed.

The minimum should be at least 55mph when the max is 75mph.
And anyone going slower than that should have their four way flashers on, to alert others of their speed.

I agree that 50, is a reasonable minimum if the limit is 75.

Although I know of highways in rural areas that have a limit of 70, yet it’s nearly unavoidable that some farm equipment use the highway.

It looks like I’m right about the hazard light law in the state I live in anyway. Page 64 second to last bullet.. I’m not sure how I remembered something like that. Even so, I personally think it makes sense to put hazard lights on if a car is traveling very slowly on a highway.

Of course it makes sense. But if 40 mph is the legal lower limit people aren’t going to think of putting on their hazard lights.
My daughter was with me when we came upon that stopped cars-mess on I35. I stopped and put on my hazard lights.
My daughter said, “Why did you put on your hazard lights?”
I said, “This is a hazard if I ever saw one!”

That’s exactly how I think of it. If it’s a hazard, the lights go on.

I’m paranoid about getting rear ended. Not long after I got my license we were on a family road trip. Dad had me driving. We were heading out of some small town, the speed limit had gone from 30 to 60. However, there were a line of cars stopped because some one was waiting to turn left off the highway. I was stopped, but checking my rear view mirror. Suddenly I realized that a Cadillac was flying up on me without slowing down. I started pumping my brakes to flash my headlights saying, “Daddy? Daddy?” Oh, it scared the shit out of me and there was nothing I could do. Suddenly the Caddy slammed on his brakes. He came to a stop just inches behind me, tires screeching, smoking…...I will never forget that. My family’s life was in my hands and there was nothing I could do.
My dad said, “If you ever find your self in a situation like that again, you just throw your car into the ditch! Just get off the road, any way you can!”
To that end, to this day, when I stop behind cars, I make sure there is enough room between me and the car in front of me so I can throw myself off the road in a heart beat.

I agree 50–55 should be the MINIMUM. I also just LOVE these weenies that freaking MERGE at like 40mph. Seriously….ramp it up or get off the flippin’ road. haha

Differences in speed is much more dangerous that high speed on a proper road. Seems like only 10 to 20 mph differences were allowed for in the past.