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New speed limit in California

Discussion in 'Off Topic Hot Rods & Customs' started by 1946caddy, Jan 1, 2026 at 10:31 PM.

  1. 1946caddy
    Joined: Dec 18, 2013
    Posts: 2,372

    1946caddy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from washington

    I hate the drive from Washington to Nevada when I cut the corner of California. Speed limit is 55 mph when towing and 65 mph when not. California just lowered the speed limit to 60 mph state wide unless posted. Won't need OD ******'s in California any more.
     
  2. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 17,142

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    On “certain” highways determined by Cal Trans.
     
  3. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 60,028

    squirrel
    Member

    with a top speed limit of 70, we never did need OD in CA....

    Texas, however.
     
    Moriarity likes this.
  4. ALLDONE
    Joined: May 16, 2023
    Posts: 3,928

    ALLDONE
    Member

    just got back from cal.... 60 is still too fast for the way they drive...
     
    ottersea, Deuces and vtx1800 like this.
  5. RMR&C
    Joined: Dec 26, 2009
    Posts: 4,960

    RMR&C
    Member
    from NW Montana

    Do people really drive the speed limit where you live?
     
    Rich796 likes this.
  6. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 60,028

    squirrel
    Member

    A lot of them do in Oregon, other than that, it's rare :)
     
    down-the-road likes this.
  7. down-the-road likes this.
  8. finn
    Joined: Jan 25, 2006
    Posts: 1,512

    finn
    Member

    I drive back and forth between Tucson and Michigan seasonally, and usually from Michigan to Virginia in the summer. It seems that traffic travels in packs. If you’re in a pack going ten or more over, it seems that everyone is going that speed. If you slow down to the speed limit, though, you realize not many cars are p***ing you, and you’re still p***ing a lot of cars.

    Plus, I go from 11 mpg to 15 or 16 in my Sprinter if I run below 70. That’s a big difference when Diesel is a dollar per gallon more expensive than unleaded.

    The old “you’ll get run over” argument is total bogus ********. Just practice lane discipline like they do in Germany.
     
    Bill's Auto Works likes this.
  9. ekimneirbo
    Joined: Apr 29, 2017
    Posts: 5,419

    ekimneirbo
    Member
    from Brooks Ky

    Michigan Brake 002.jpg
    No.....its not. Get in the slow lane and drive 60 mph (the speed limit on I-65 in Ky is 70) and I guarantee that you will have cars and semis constantly catching you from behind............then going around.

    Move over to the center lane and drive 70 mph (the speed limit) and you will have cars going around you on both sides. I did a little experiment about a month ago. I got in the center lane on a 35 mile drive home and stayed as close to 70 as possible (no cruise control). I did not p*** one other vehicle in the center lane and very few in the slow lane........but plenty went around me.

    When I drive in the Fast lane I go 80-85 and I p*** a lot of people.........AND I get p***ed pretty often too. When I see cars approaching me from behind (I'm going 80), I move over and let them p***.


    I had a "harrowing experience" years ago when the speed limits were slower (65). I had a 20' trailer on the back of my Blazer and had driven to Michigan to pick up a 14' Sheetmetal brake. The brake would not go any further forward on the trailer and it wanted to fishtail if I exceeded 55mph. I turned on my emergency flashers and got in the slow lane driving 50-55. Any faster and it began to wag. It started raining pretty hard. Semis p***ed me one after another and every one thru up so much water it became difficult to see. Suddenly I heard a semis horn........looked to my left and could see the front wheel of the semi coming at my Blazer. I felt I could almost touch it. Whipped to the right and into the emergency lane next to the highway and the semi cleared another semi as it roared into the slow lane. I couldn't see s**t in front of me since I was being drowned in water from the semi as well as the rain. Prayed that there wasn't anything or anyone in the emergency lane ahead of me. After about a 1,000 ft he had cleared me and I came back onto the highway........puckered!

    There was a semi in the center lane p***ing me and dousing me with water. I think the second semi had approached him from behind too fast and had to whip into my lane to avoid hitting the back of the first semi.

    Please don't tell me that getting over run is a bogus argument.
     
    Last edited: Jan 2, 2026 at 2:24 PM
  10. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 60,028

    squirrel
    Member

    most of us don't go to that much effort to create a dangerous situation
     
  11. leon bee
    Joined: Mar 15, 2017
    Posts: 1,292

    leon bee
    Member

    Sounds like a long strange trip.
     
  12. finn
    Joined: Jan 25, 2006
    Posts: 1,512

    finn
    Member

    I stand by my statement and experience.

    And I have driven a lot of miles in Kentucky over the years.
     
    Bill's Auto Works likes this.
  13. Mike Lawless
    Joined: Sep 20, 2021
    Posts: 744

    Mike Lawless

    On my last two big road trips, one across country, (2012 Dodge pickup) west to east from central California, then south to north and back west again, the other road trip, (1965 Ford F100) south to north up 395, then east through Montana, into Yellowstone and back, on those occasions we were on the interstate, there were several areas with speed limits at 80mph. I don't like driving that fast, mostly for fuel economy.
    I stayed pretty much in the right lane doing 65 to 70mph and let faster drivers go around. I was even warned that I would get run over. But,no one ran me over. No one even tried.
    Well maybe once. Another semi truck incident somewhat similar to the story in a previous post. On I-95 going through the New York area. A semi wanted my lane. He just started moving over. I had another semi in the other lane. Three vehicles occupying two lanes. I had to punch it to squirt out from between 'em. So I almost became a Dodge Puckup sandwich with semi truck bread.
    Other'n that no close calls.
     
  14. Dave G in Gansevoort
    Joined: Mar 28, 2019
    Posts: 3,796

    Dave G in Gansevoort
    Member
    from Upstate NY

    By chance did you see the plates on those two trucks? What state OR country were they from?
     
  15. 1946caddy
    Joined: Dec 18, 2013
    Posts: 2,372

    1946caddy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from washington

    The new law allows the state department to set up a Work Zone Speed Safety System that uses fixed or mobile radar or laser technology to spot speeding vehicles.

    The system will also capture a clear photo of the vehicle's license plate.

    "Citations will be issued to the vehicle's registered owner with specified requirements and procedures for program implementation, citation issuance, review, and appeal," the CHP said.
     
  16. Mike Lawless
    Joined: Sep 20, 2021
    Posts: 744

    Mike Lawless

    I did not. I was broadside to both. Then glad to be able to get out of the situation.
    I would not be surprised if they were not English speakers or US citizens. A lot of that in the news lately.
     
  17. If you are within 100 miles of LA, people are consistently going 80 plus in the fast lane if traffic allows. No law is going to change that.
     
  18. ekimneirbo
    Joined: Apr 29, 2017
    Posts: 5,419

    ekimneirbo
    Member
    from Brooks Ky

    Anyone who has driven on an expressway during a high traffic period has had vehicles in front of them begin to slow quickly, and suddenly all the peace and harmony of keeping up with traffic quickly goes right out the window. You have to brake a little, but not too much because there are a lot of people behind you that may not brake enough. It quickly becomes a situation that grabs your attention.
    Look for a place you can swerve to if necessary.......check the rear view mirror to see whats happening behind you, just try to stay away from other cars and hope on hope that no one near you collides and starts a chain reaction.

    We have all had that experience.

    If we are lucky and no one wrecks, we check out the road as we move forward and by the time we go a mile or so we realize that there was no roadwork ,no wreck ,or any other emergency that caused this near catastrophy. The road is perfectly clear and everyone is driving normally again.

    So what causes this phenomenon? Cars traveling faster than other cars and running up behind them with nowhere to go.......... Stacking Up ...so to speak. Sometimes it does not turn out well and we have m***ive wrecks involving lots of cars........other times we just get lucky.

     
    Last edited: Jan 3, 2026 at 11:48 AM

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