How does a type A driver learn to slow down?

[osofine]

Both my dh and I are type "A" drivers. Always have to be first - passing all the time. Of course we are both working until 1/1/08 - so we are always rushing to get someplace. In January we are hitting the road for 4-5 months. I want to drive 55-65 max. How do you train yourself to s-l-o-w down? How do you get used to cars and trucks passing you? How do you slow down your lifestyle after you have the afterburners running full blast for years? The old joke about it's wasn't the speed that killed him - it was the sudden stopis what worries us.

[richfaa]

You will be retired....No schedules, no time lines,you have all the time in the world to get to where ever you are going. You don't even need to know where you are going. I lived by the watch...I now do not wear one. Time is meaningless. Set the CC at 65 and enjoy.

[H. John Kohl]

It is a transition event. Easy for some and longer and slower for others. I do use the cruise control to help control the speed. My harder transition is the irritation of "but-in-ski" drivers who have to take my following distance space. Taking the on-line defensive driving course helped me in attitude as well as the pocket book.
Because you are asking the question I think you will find it easier.
Best of luck on the retirement and remember it is not quiting just changing jobs. Now I am a truck driver driving the boss and house around.
Cheers,

[Emmel]

osofine, first of all, let me give you an early welcome to the life of retirement!
Now, as Rich and John have pointed out, start using the cruise control and learn to plant BOTH feet flat on the floor boards so they are not on the accelerator!
Another way is to not plan vacations with weekenders since that is where the tendency comes to gotta get there and gotta get home! When we do go with weekenders, we get there a day or two ahead and leave after they all had to go back to work!
But remember, work was an addiction, you have to do it and don't expect to just set back idleing, that won't happen. You just start going at a different speed and what you work on now is for the d/w!
Just keep the thought in mind, "We have time" !!!!!!

[ole dude]

Yep what the others said plus-- look at that, lets stop and get a closer look, or at the camp grounds visiting with others and are asked did y'all see such and such ? Seem to miss a lot roaring down the road from point A to point B in a hurry. Enjoy

[exav8tr]

Cruise control seems to be the answer. You can't control other driver's habits. I also hate it when someone takes my safety distance away, especially knowing that if I hit them I am at fault. When this happens I just tap the brake to disengage auto pilot and hit resume right away to get my distance back. The ones that really bug me are the ones that pass me like a bat out of hell on the right side as I am trying to get back over there.

It takes awhile to come to the realization that you no longer have to be somewhere RIGHT NOW. But, as soon as you do, that's when the habits will change.

Good luck with retirement and Happy Motoring!!!!!!!

[BB_TX]

Admitting that you have the problem is a first major step. Not having to be anywhere at any given time or schedule is the next. I also tend to drive a little over what ever the limit is in my daily commute. But I do move over into a slower lane and let the even faster ones go by instead of trying to stay ahead. When on vacation and towing, there just doesn't seem to be the same need to rush and I drive at a more casual pace. Retiring end of March '08 and am looking forward to slowing down even more.

[stiles watson]

I have slowed even when in city traffic such as Houston (densely populated freeways) when not towing because it is actually safer and more pleasant. Being able to stop is one very important function of towing. Remembering that I have 11 tons worth between $60,000 and $120,000 that I a want to protect, makes me slow and leave space in front.

The second part of slowing down is getting rid of the competitive mentality and the aggressive anger that goes with it. Driving is not a competition. It is a from point "A" to point "B" transition. If you get there safely without endangering yourself or others, you have had a successful trip regardless of the time-in-route factor.

When (not if) someone cuts you off or pulls in front of you because you have left space, making your adrenalin flow, the action to take is none, other than whatever name you want to call the other driver in the security of your cab.

Rather than being driven, start driving.

[Pete Hanson]

I agree with the other posts. We set the GPS to beep at us when we go over 65 mph towing. It is irrtating enough to teach me the feel of 65mph so I don't have to hear the thig beeping at me.

[deadeye]

In my back window of the Monty, I have a sign that says "RETIRED". Then on the corners of it, it says NO JOB, NO BOSS, NO PAYMENTS, and NO PAY CHECK. When they see that from behind, they all slow down. I agree with the others that it takes a little bit to re-program your body. Like fighting with the clock over time changes or time zones. Pretty soon you won't even care. You could put a govenor on an under horsepowered rig and that will slow you down........JB

[crandallbradley]

Stay in the slow lane take the time to see the things passing by your window you just might find something wonderful.

[Trailer Trash 2]

Yep! set the CC to 62mph, put some slow long hair misic on, not that (rock n roll long hair) and watch the other type A drivers talking to them selves, getting upset because they are locked in a spot and cant pass to get out. there is a lot to watch what goes on behind that winshield of others, it can be quite intertaining.

[osofine]

Trailer Trash,
That would be us trying to get around you Cussin'a blue streak.- tee hee. I will take all of your words to heart. I still want an air-horn for the guys that cut in front of me. I would to see them spill their coffee when I honk. I tried on our maiden voyage to go 55-60 and I was okay for a while - then I slowly sped up til I was going 70. But that was a 3-day outing. I was in a hurry to get there before dark.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

All of the above is excellent advise and so I only have 2 things to say...

#1- Get a speeding ticket in a hiway construction zone. They ain't kidding when they say the fines are doubled. OUCH!!

#2- When every one of us Retirees worked we all had a "SCHEDULE" for everyday of the week. YES even on our days off we had a "schedule". Because we worked all week on our weekends we had to get the chores around the house completed. Mow the lawn, weed the garden, wash the cars, etc.
Being retired I have now learned to eliminate 95% of "schedule"s and yet so many folks just won't give "schedule"s up. Without thanking, we are forever putting ourselves on a "schedule". You are thinking "not you"? No "schedule" for me. WRONG!!
Something Lorraine and I don't do and that is to travel with reservations. Didn't think about reservations as a "schedule" did ya? Well they are. Having made reservations puts you in a position to be in a certain place on a certain day at a certain time and that my friend is a "schedule".
Having reservations at a particular campground severely limits you in seeing some of the lesser attractions or an event you weren't aware of along the way. Taking unallotted time to stop anyway puts you behind "schedule" and now you will have the tendency to speed to get back on "schedule".
Forget those reservations, take your good old time, stop earlier than "schedule"d, do what you want to do when you want to do it. You are [s]retarded[/s] err retired and there ain't no place ya gots to be. In other words, "Stop Often and Smell the Roses".

[TLightning]

If you have ST rated tires, the max speed for them is 65. I think of that as the speed limit, regardless of what the speed limit sign says.

[Imp]

Max speed towing in CA is 55. Good place to start. You actually enjoy the scenery and the bad roads aren't quite so bad!!!

[gpats]

Check your fuel mileage a couple of times at 70mph and check it a couple of times 65mph and 60mph--then figure your dollar savings--it should be a good learning experiance--

[mtpocket2]

Cruise Control is the only way to do it. Even thats hard. I still catch myself stepping on the accelerator. The only thing that slows me down is the trailer tires. With tow vehicles the way they are today it's easy to forget you are even towing. Just do go out in the fast lane and forget your there. Slow drivers don't irritate me but slow drivers in the fast lane should have their drivers license revoked permanently. I am not retired and have a ways to go if I make it that long but Glenn's advice is the best. NO RESERVATIONS. My wife is a planner and will plan you to death if you let her.

[Longwell]

It's a good question!
My wife and I are both type A. We finally hit on a solution that works for us.
Neither of us likes to be told "how to drive." So, we made a pact that neither of us would drive over the speed limit unless it was an emergency need to get out of the way.
It became easy to stay at or under the speed limit when every time one of us sped up the other was allowed to say, "You promised!"
A few times of that and it became second nature to slow down.
Also, after a while we found it enjoyable to not "have to" pass anyone; rather, just watch them "go go go."
Larry

[Steve and Brenda]

The TomTom 720 has a speed warning for lead foot drivers!!!