Blazing down the interstate?

[Lawns25]

We are new to the motor home experience and taking our first 500 mile trip in our 2020 Thor Windsport 29M. What kind of highway speed should I realistically expect on the interstate towing and not towing?

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

65 is my target freeway cruise speed. I've found many semis do the same... not all, but many.

I vary somewhat... I'll encounter a slower truck and eventually go around.. in the process I may approach 70, but as I clear traffic I resume 65.

There's some crazy dangerous driving on freeways, mostly cars around populated areas. I try to avoid those areas if at all possible. I also NEVER get in a hurry. We get there when we get there.

Many guys never grow up and drive like a teenager with no fear of killing themselves OR worse other innocent people.

Unfortunately a few of these mentally immature males bought RVs and still think towing a 45' 5th wheel 80+ mph in traffic is a smart idea.

 

[ghnl]

I agree. 65 mph on clear, open highways is fine, if I increase the speed I feel the tension also increase. Arrive alive and reasonably rested.

 

[The Rookie]

I drive the same as chateau above. Tow or no tow. I’ve been passed doing 65 by all kinds of RVs. The dangers of driving excessive speeds are greatly magnified in an rv and more so with a towed vehicle. Enjoy the drive, learn your rig, and have fun getting there!

 

[SGilbert]

I try to attain 70 when practical. Anything more, which I CAN do, is just wasting gas to gain a few minutes.

 

[ducksface]

I'd expect posted speed limits or flow of traffic..
Anything less is a detriment to those around you.

If you can't
Don't

 

[16ACE27]

I'd expect posted speed limits or flow of traffic..
Anything less is a detriment to those around you.

If you can't
Don't

Nope, not doing 80+ MPH in my MH. That's faster than the tires are rated for and faster than the speed limiter. There's a reason for two or three lanes on the highways.
Slower traffic keep right.
Stay right except to pass.

I'm with the sane people at 65 MPH on cruise. I will slow if needed and push up to the limiter at 75 MPH to shorten passing time for short periods. Towing or not is the same. Make sure you don't exceed your TOAD's max towed speed for cruising.

 

[GrandRover]

I try to stay 1MPH below the posted speed limits. Anything above 70 MPH seems unsafe in a 12,000 pound vehicle, not to mention the gas mileage hit.

 

[ducksface]

I'm OK with slow lane drivers as long as they remember their limits and stay there as a plan.

When you impede traffic in the name of mpg gains it seems you're being selfish beyond belief.

I'm not meant to be mandated/hindered by someone's need to hit 10mpg in some head-game of theirs.

There is no defense for anyone playing mpg games to the detriment of all those thousands of folks who will encounter them.

If you can't hang with the flow of traffic,
Find an alternate route.
How much of you-all's inability or fear or mpg should we have to be bothered with?

If my considerably sized butt parked itself in the doorway of your favorite dollar store so you couldn't get by while I stood there on my phone, trying for a high score on Angry Birds, and I casually told you of my right to stand anywhere I please...I hope you'd see me as I see you on the freeway.

 

[The Rookie]

Honestly, I don’t even think about MPG. It’s a V10 pushing an 18K lb cracker box. .

 

[lwmcguire]

We usually cruise at 65 mph on most interstate type roads. Speed up to pass and occasionally for traffic flow. Safety with our w>45k and over 70 feet long. Many trucks now have slowed down to the 65 range, and we still have the 80-mph group as well. Most of the cars on the interstate run near 80 se we get passed along with many trucks. Two lane roads we tend to stay with posted limits which are usually 65 or lower.

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

I'd expect posted speed limits or flow of traffic..
Anything less is a detriment to those around you.

If you can't
Don't

North Dakota just joined 80 mph club for interstates. Good for them. I feel it's absolutely safe if certain boxes are checked...
Experienced driver
Properly maintained appropriate vehicle

As for "getting the **** outta my way"... shame on the state that doesn't provide highways to accommodate traffic driving at an appropriately slower speed. Then enforcing laws which prevent left-lane bandits. It's not necessarily speed that's dangerous, but the DIFFERENCE in speed.

Statistics show that unenforced speeds result in about a 10% increase in average speed. 55 becomes 60, 70 becomes 77, 80 becomes 88. My drive across Ohio yesterday on Interstate 70 proves this out. Speed limit 70. I averaged 65 -67, but consistently passed by traffic traveling 75+. I saw NO state troopers my entire trip.

Fortunately I could cruise in the right lane safely... along with MANY professional semi drivers.

This is the main reason I prefer to travel less busy two lane highways where speeds are typically 65 and usually 55 - 60. Allowing that 10% buffer, average speeds tend to be in the more appropriate 60 - 65 mph range. Manners dictate slowing a little in longer passing zones if there's an inpatient driver behind me. Again... I'm in no hurry because I have a plan.

 

[ducksface]

We pull over to let people pass us even if it means just a pull off on a winding road, no matter what we're driving or what the speed limit is.
Why?
Because in a minute or less they're gone and I don't even remember the color or type of car they were.

Even one car.

I live off of that miserable two lane road to the grand canyon. Many to most of you have been on it.
65mph speed limit.
Daily I see some jack-wad doing 52mph with 20 to 50 cars behind him.

I assume he's singing
I love a parade

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www.google.com

And is so proud that for once in his life he's a leader.

What percentage of us is that guy?
By written admissions on the forum...I'll say 30% of us are just awfully selfish.

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

We pull over to let people pass us even if it means just a pull off on a winding road, no matter what we're driving or what the speed limit is.
Why?
Because in three minutes they're gone and I don't even remember the color or type of car they were.

Even one car.

I live off of that miserable two lane road to the grand canyon. Many to most of you have been on it.
65mph speed limit.
Daily I see someone jack-wad doing 52mph with 20 to 50 cars behind him.

I assume he's singing
I love a parade
And is so proud that for once in his life he's a leader.

What percentage of us is that guy?
By written admissions on the forum...I'll say 30% of us are just awfully selfish.

Which begs for enforcing both minimum AND maximum speeds... or any other driving habits deemed unsafe by the general public.

I'm guessing you have NO law enforcement regularly patrolling that stretch of highway. It takes groups of citizens voicing displeasure of public actions to make changes. Unfortunately the trend is to bypass this route and do vigilante justice... various forms of road rage... usually involving firearms.

Lack of public involvement is the cause. The new age of mob violence seems to be the answer.

 

[ducksface]

Arizona has a law about how many cars you hold up behind you.

a new bill about slow vehicles in traffic is trying to pass(ha!).

I know of a forum member who got a ticket for such on the i40 between (I think) Winslow and Flagstaff.

Maybe they'll post here with details.

 

[Lt Keefer]

75 mph is my maximum on rural interstates being that's the speed rating of my tires. On our local 85 mph toll road down to Sequin, I'll do 70. Most of the time, the cruise is set for 65 and I'm in the right lane. This gives me plenty of pedal to get around a company truck with a governor set to 65 or an RVer having trouble filling his gas tank.

 

[lwmcguire]

I owned a fleet of trucks hauling LTL and truck load freight in the 55 mph years. Now that was interesting and quite an experience. We had access to fuel which many had to wait a bit. The extra time and a few tickets impacted our bottom line significantly requiring more man hours and equipment. It would be very interesting to see that again instead of the 75-80 mph limits. Life did speed up.

 

[Mark54]

60-65 gets me the best mpgs on the highways. On side roads, I go speed limit or just under.
I can get about 20mpg, if I hypermile. Better than a lot of pickup trucks! Another buddy who has a Promaster RV gets 22mpg!
"Klingons" might get my 4-way flashers...
If I get more than 2-3, I pull off...

 

[dkoldman]

In simplicity, I say lead, follow or get the **** out of my way

When I replaced my Goodyear RV tires, my replacement tires had a hire ratings across the board including a 81 mpg speed limit at 1/3rd the price of the Goodyear's'.

I find that the painfully slow RV drivers that the Duck speaks about also plays a roll in the perception of many other regular drivers, they see an RV and instinctually will speed up just to pass and get in front, only to slow down when in reality it is a just a normal RV driver that is driving the speed limit. So when you have to pull over because of their slow down to retake them they look up and say, I am not gonna let that RV pass me so they speed up again. 90% of the time that happens, it may take 40 - 50 miles or so, the car in question will finally back off and allow me to past because I may be averaging 70mph, but they really may on average 65 mph.

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

For you guys in a hurry, if the speed limit sign says 65, how much do you feel you can safely exceed that and not get a speeding ticket?