Why do Bronco owners drive so slow?

[Obeh4ve]

All of the "if I want to drive fast, I drive my Porsche 911" comments are laughable and pretentious as if driving 65-75 in a Bronco is an act of lunacy. Might not make sense to those of you that have the benefit of navigating free-flowing highways and country roads, but that's definitely not California, especially Los Angeles County.

In California, I would guess that the average speed on the freeway is around 70, and that's a conservative guess. Any slower, you're impeding the flow of traffic, you're an obstacle on the road, and you have frustrated drivers riding your bumper until they can get around you, which is nerve-racking. Any faster, you might be just ahead of the flow.

Last time I checked, California is the most populous state in the Country, has more vehicles than any state in the Country, and Los Angeles is ranked 5 or 6 in terms of worst traffic in the Country. Allowing yourself to be swallowed into gridlock by puttering along below the flow of traffic increases the chances of being hit by distracted drivers, drunk drivers, etc., and to do that deliberately under the guise of enjoying your Bronco makes little sense, but to each his own.

For me, the safest thing to do out here is safely navigate through traffic, and get ahead of it. More often than not, Highway Patrol won't bother you unless you're clocked at more than 80. Personally, I have never been ticketed for speeding.

The comments about big wheels, small brakes, weight, aerodynamics and gas mileage makes me wonder how some of you ended up with a Bronco. The brakes are perfectly fine, the weight is proportionate to the vehicles size, the lack of aerodynamics is indicative of an off-road vehicle, and maybe it's just me, but anyone that claims to be enjoying the ride while simultaneously trying to nurse better mileage out of it doesn't sound like they're actually enjoying their Bronco.

Between the honest answers (I'm old), funny answers (afraid to break a tie rod), and pretentious answers (my other car is a Ferrari), I guess I understand why some of you are out there puttering down the road in California.

Whatever the case is, always happy to see Bronco's out there. IMO, one of the best looking vehicles on the road right now.

Agreed 99%. I actually enjoy ultra mileing sometimes to see how good I can get it. It's also good for trending. I was getting a steady 25 now it's 23 under the same conditions. Issue? Maybe, maybe not. I'm old and my parents lived through the Great Depression . Other times? I bomb around like gas is still $.25/gallon

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[LarryZiegler]

All of the "if I want to drive fast, I drive my Porsche 911" comments are laughable and pretentious as if driving 65-75 in a Bronco is an act of lunacy. Might not make sense to those of you that have the benefit of navigating free-flowing highways and country roads, but that's definitely not California, especially Los Angeles County.

In California, I would guess that the average speed on the freeway is around 70, and that's a conservative guess. Any slower, you're impeding the flow of traffic, you're an obstacle on the road, and you have frustrated drivers riding your bumper until they can get around you, which is nerve-racking. Any faster, you might be just ahead of the flow.

Last time I checked, California is the most populous state in the Country, has more vehicles than any state in the Country, and Los Angeles is ranked 5 or 6 in terms of worst traffic in the Country. Allowing yourself to be swallowed into gridlock by puttering along below the flow of traffic increases the chances of being hit by distracted drivers, drunk drivers, etc., and to do that deliberately under the guise of enjoying your Bronco makes little sense, but to each his own.

For me, the safest thing to do out here is safely navigate through traffic, and get ahead of it. More often than not, Highway Patrol won't bother you unless you're clocked at more than 80. Personally, I have never been ticketed for speeding.

The comments about big wheels, small brakes, weight, aerodynamics and gas mileage makes me wonder how some of you ended up with a Bronco. The brakes are perfectly fine, the weight is proportionate to the vehicles size, the lack of aerodynamics is indicative of an off-road vehicle, and maybe it's just me, but anyone that claims to be enjoying the ride while simultaneously trying to nurse better mileage out of it doesn't sound like they're actually enjoying their Bronco.

Between the honest answers (I'm old), funny answers (afraid to break a tie rod), and pretentious answers (my other car is a Ferrari), I guess I understand why some of you are out there puttering down the road in California.

Whatever the case is, always happy to see Bronco's out there. IMO, one of the best looking vehicles on the road right now.

Your assumption of vehicle speed in Calif is totally inaccurate. I drive from Central Calif to So Cal every 1 or 2 months on CA 99/I5/I405 and the average speed on I5 over the Grapevine and in the Central Valley is 80-85mph. I have my cruise set at 72-75 and am constantly passed as if I’m the slowpoke

 

[broncobase1]

25 -> 23 is definitely not anything to worry about. Conditions are never exactly the same, and that difference is within the margin of error.

 

[Obeh4ve]

Damn. Sorry that happened. As Motorcyclist we are taught the most dangerous place on the road are intersections.

As a driver of anything that's true.

 

[OVRLNDR]

Your assumption of vehicle speed in Calif is totally inaccurate. I drive from Central Calif to So Cal every 1 or 2 months on CA 99/I5/I405 and the average speed on I5 over the Grapevine and in the Central Valley is 80-85mph. I have my cruise set at 72-75 and am constantly passed as if I’m the slowpoke

Hey, Slowpoke.

Assumption and inaccurate? You're comparing your travels to SoCal from Central Cali every 1 to 2 months to my everyday travels on Los Angeles freeways? Regardless, I did say that I would guess the average is 70, and I did say that was a conservative guess.

Between the day of the week, the time of day, and accidents, there are far too many variables to be "accurate" about anything related to a freeway.

Today, like most days, the flow of traffic on my 14-mile trip from the West to the East end of the Valley was roughly 70-75 on the 101 freeway. As for the 5 and 405, there are patches where you can carry that kind of speed for a minute, but once you hit the Northern Valley, headed towards Los Angeles, not so much.

 

[broncobase1]

No driving 20 under the rest of traffic is what is dangerous. Keep up with traffic. Or stay off the freeway.

Pretty stupid thing to say. Almost all accidents on the freeway are caused by fast and speeding drivers rear ending the car in front of them during a stoppage or slowdown because they don't allow enough following distance for speed. On the freeway every 18 wheeler is going slow uphill and most don't exceeding the speed limit anytime. I would love to hear you tell the judge the guy you plowed into shouldn't have been on the road -- see how that works out.

 

[Arrowbear Rider]

Enforcement has been cut way back with the defund the police movement,

The policy I wrote about has been the CHP's policy for decades, since I was a kid and before that, it's nothing new.

I do agree that tinted windows are bad.

 

[Arrowbear Rider]

Many are writing about speeders causing accidents and speed kills and you're right!

Going faster than everyone else, or constantly changing lanes to pass people, just to end up behind me again when they make the wrong lane choice... I love that happens to them! Is dangerous and they make stupid & dangerous lane changes. BAD!

Others are writing about people keeping up with the pace of traffic, two different things.

"Safe & Prudent" is the actual speed law on streets and hwys under 55/65 posted (depending on where) is the Safe & prudent law; that law includes residential, school & hospital zones, uncontrolled intersections and etc.. You can't go 45 in a 45 posted if it's foggy, rainy, snowing, construction and etc. Point being is there are times when going with the flow of traffic is perfectly fine... If nobody is being an asshat.

Apples & Oranges.

There are times and places where it's ok to speed, Utah has 80 MPH posted and I don't need to speed there, 78 on cruise control; that's fast enough for the long distance to cut two hours off the drive.

But a comment above about modern cars was correct too. Think about it: a four banger Camry is faster 0-60 than the Ferrari 308 and will cruise easily at 90 and out brake it too. Roll both cars at hwy speed and you have a better chance of surviving in the modern Camry.

 

[FreddieLee]

Pretty stupid thing to say. Almost all accidents on the freeway are caused by fast and speeding drivers rear ending the car in front of them during a stoppage or slowdown because they don't allow enough following distance for speed. On the freeway every 18 wheeler is going slow uphill and most don't exceeding the speed limit anytime. I would love to hear you tell the judge the guy you plowed into shouldn't have been on the road -- see how that works out.

The number one cause of fatal collisions is speeding, but according to sources, and depending on where you live, the number one cause of collisions nowadays is distracted driving. Then you have impaired driving, which includes being intoxicated or fatigued. You also have inexperienced drivers, elderly drivers, aggressive drivers, and reckless drivers, not to mention inclement weather conditions, poor road conditions, and the list goes on.

 

[BigJim1957]

I drive my Badland like I drive my Mustang, too fast, even when I'm in Eco Mode.

 

[BROCK-O]

I live in the city of Atlanta. I will gladly be the "slow" one (a.k.a. still doing 10mph over) when everyone else drives like a drunk NASCAR driver 30mph over the limit and running out of talent. Defensive driving here is a necessity if you give a damn about your personal vehicle. Always on the lookout for Hellcat or 392 or Altima without insurance trying to go for those gaps that don't exist trying to get to the hookah lounge or Magic City.

OP, where you in a hurry to be, anyways?

 

[HBTFD]

Wind noise is exponential above 50.

 

[Tdifonzo]

I don't drive slow but I would assume it's because the gas mileage is pitiful over 75 mph.

 

[DougF]

I don’t drive fast…I fly low.

 

[userdude]

Because they're scrolling through 12 pages of responses to "why do Bronco drivers drive so slow". lol

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