Well that didnt work
Discussion
I drove from Cannes to Brussels yesterday (coming back from Monaco GP). 730 miles non-stop (except for fuel and comfort breaks). Ive done this journey many times but normally I cruise at about 90-100 mph. On a clear dry road 9 hours is a good time.
Yesterday I decided to do whole the journey cruising at 60 mph. The theory I wanted to test was 12 hours driving at 60 mph would be less tiring and stressful than 9 hours driving at 90-100 mph. Its not. It took 13 hours and I was pretty knackered by the end of it.
The driving is easier but the boredom sets in sooner and makes you more tired. Its not really any less stressful either. The amount of times I got very aggressively tailgated in the middle lane (whilst overtaking trucks) was ridiculous even when the outside lane was empty.
So the moral to the story is put your foot down and cover ground as quickly as you can which I what I assumed anyway but it was an interesting exercise in self-discipline
I did save about a tank of fuel in the process but I would have quite happily paid the extra fuel to get to bed 4 hours earlier!
Yesterday I decided to do whole the journey cruising at 60 mph. The theory I wanted to test was 12 hours driving at 60 mph would be less tiring and stressful than 9 hours driving at 90-100 mph. Its not. It took 13 hours and I was pretty knackered by the end of it.
The driving is easier but the boredom sets in sooner and makes you more tired. Its not really any less stressful either. The amount of times I got very aggressively tailgated in the middle lane (whilst overtaking trucks) was ridiculous even when the outside lane was empty.
So the moral to the story is put your foot down and cover ground as quickly as you can which I what I assumed anyway but it was an interesting exercise in self-discipline
I did save about a tank of fuel in the process but I would have quite happily paid the extra fuel to get to bed 4 hours earlier!I'm amazed that you think trying to maintain 90-100 is stress free. That puts you in lane 3 with the tailgaters and constantly slowing for people pulling out on you.
My formula for stress free distance covering is to sit in lane 1 and just match speed with whatever you're behind. The lorries all cruise at 65 ish, which near enough to 70 as to make no real difference.
My formula for stress free distance covering is to sit in lane 1 and just match speed with whatever you're behind. The lorries all cruise at 65 ish, which near enough to 70 as to make no real difference.
Bennet said:
I'm amazed that you think trying to maintain 90-100 is stress free. That puts you in lane 3 with the tailgaters and constantly slowing for people pulling out on you.
My formula for stress free distance covering is to sit in lane 1 and just match speed with whatever you're behind. The lorries all cruise at 65 ish, which near enough to 70 as to make no real difference.
Agreed My formula for stress free distance covering is to sit in lane 1 and just match speed with whatever you're behind. The lorries all cruise at 65 ish, which near enough to 70 as to make no real difference.
maintaining 90-100 requires constant concentration. Not stress free at all. That's why I tried something different. I basically did what you do but with the occasional middle lane overtake of a truck. I just found the boredom offset any reduction in stress. Plus some of the overtakes got a bit hairy!I find driving slowly very fatiguing. I don't like having to watch something in front like a hawk whilst constantly watching the mirrors calculating whether there's a gap or not.
I prefer to cruise a smidge faster than most traffic which lets me monitor the mirrors but the situation is less dynamic and I can focus most of my attention on where I'm going.
Driving significantly faster than everyone else is also hard work because the situation changes regularly and rapidly requiring significant adjustments to speed and lane choice.
Slightly faster is where it's at...
I prefer to cruise a smidge faster than most traffic which lets me monitor the mirrors but the situation is less dynamic and I can focus most of my attention on where I'm going.
Driving significantly faster than everyone else is also hard work because the situation changes regularly and rapidly requiring significant adjustments to speed and lane choice.
Slightly faster is where it's at...
Bennet said:
I'm amazed that you think trying to maintain 90-100 is stress free. That puts you in lane 3 with the tailgaters and constantly slowing for people pulling out on you.
My formula for stress free distance covering is to sit in lane 1 and just match speed with whatever you're behind. The lorries all cruise at 65 ish, which near enough to 70 as to make no real difference.
cos truckers are all so chilled out My formula for stress free distance covering is to sit in lane 1 and just match speed with whatever you're behind. The lorries all cruise at 65 ish, which near enough to 70 as to make no real difference.
Ren Esis said:
Interesting. Did the 60mph run save you a significant amount of fuel or was it negligible?
Almost 50% fuel saving but it's a small car. I did two and a quarter tanks on the way down and one and a quarter on the way up. Car was a Citroen C3 diesel rental car. Tank was about 60 EUR a fill. So I would say 135 EUR on the way down and 75 EUR on the way up. Next time I will just shell out the extra 60 EUR and get home earlier 
I can imagine on a bigger car the savings might be more significant.
Censorious said:
I have to speed up when I'm tired, a slower speed just makes me want to close my eyes and snooze.
Going faster keeps me much more alert.
Yes, I think this is the philosophy I will be adopting in future. Driving fast gives you something to think about. Your mind wanders off when you are pootling along.Going faster keeps me much more alert.
t1grm said:
Censorious said:
I have to speed up when I'm tired, a slower speed just makes me want to close my eyes and snooze.
Going faster keeps me much more alert.
Yes, I think this is the philosophy I will be adopting in future. Driving fast gives you something to think about. Your mind wanders off when you are pootling along.Going faster keeps me much more alert.
I often find in France a few (usually bigish german saloons) cruising @ a sensible speed in an informal convoy. If I can I try to tag on to these, sometimes the leader swaps to relieve the boredom.
Bennet said:
I'm amazed that you think trying to maintain 90-100 is stress free. That puts you in lane 3 with the tailgaters and constantly slowing for people pulling out on you.
My formula for stress free distance covering is to sit in lane 1 and just match speed with whatever you're behind. The lorries all cruise at 65 ish, which near enough to 70 as to make no real difference.
I used to be the 100mph type on long long journeys , now im more of a 75-80 type now there are no stress type head aches at the end of the drive My formula for stress free distance covering is to sit in lane 1 and just match speed with whatever you're behind. The lorries all cruise at 65 ish, which near enough to 70 as to make no real difference.
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