We’ve all exceeded the speed limit at some point in our driving career – most of us have probably done it a few times today. It’s part of our hustling and bustling culture: Do it fast, do it well, be efficient, and be on time. This has led us to regard speed limits as mere suggestions, rather than limits. Few individuals dare go the exact posted speed for fear of being blown off the road by angry horn-blowing travelers.
Why Speed?
For some it’s habitual – going the speed limit just feels too slow. For enthusiasts, speeding is partially what they purchased a car to do, but we think the most common reason people speed, is because they’re running late.
We get it, no one likes to be late, and if you can shave some time off your tardiness, then that’s better, right? In the moment, it really can seem like the right decision. It fits our cultural narrative, and being late once puts you behind all day. But maybe it’s time to think a little differently.
Slowing our Roll
Speeding decreases your engines efficiency, can get you into legal trouble, and increases the severity of any accident. It’s not an effective method of recovering lost time, and unless you’re experiencing an emergency, there’s no need to arrive just a few minutes quicker – and we do mean a few.
Don’t believe us? Let’s do some math.
You’re traveling down Capital Boulevard (45mph speed limit) at 60mph. Your destination is 12 miles away, it’s 7:00 o’clock, and you’re late for family dinner night. In this case the math is easy. The formula goes: Distance divided by speed, multiplied by 60 (for seconds). In this case, it will take you 12 minutes to get to your dinner.
Now, you’re traveling down Capital Boulevard doing 45mph (the speed limit). Your destination is still 12 miles away, it’s 7:00 o’clock, and you’re late for family dinner night. Distance, divided by speed, multipled by 60 (seconds). (12/45) x 60 = 16
Comparison
Driving 15 miles over the speed limit (fast enough that any cop will pull you over) will only get you to your destination four minutes earlier. Four. You know, like what two plus two equals.
That extra four minutes is seldom worth the risk involved. Imagine one, how much later you’ll be now that the police are involved, and two, what that speeding ticket is going to do to your bank account. It’s better to just avoid it, stay calm, and placate your driving experience.
The Truth
Alright, so we know for a fact that you’re not about to slow down to 45mph in a 45mph zone, but be reasonable. Speeding is just an inefficient method of recovering time that is putting stress on you, your car, and putting you in danger. The consequences of speeding just don’t outweigh the rewards, and because of that, we at Autopark Honda think slower traveling would benefit us all. Use cruise control if you’ve got a lead foot, and bring your car to Autopark Honda if you feel it’s just not running right after years of speeding. We’ll take a look and have you safely on the road in no time.