[VBprogrammer]

Averaging 10-20mph faster is very difficult on anything but the least congested roads. We often set the cruise control to 75-80mph but find that the average for a journey is closer to 58-60mph (not including stops).

It's a heck of a lot easier to make up half an hour by making quicker stops than it is to make it up on the road IMHO.

[siftrics]

You have no idea what you're talking about. Most major roads west of the Mississippi and outside of Southern California are not congested at all. They only get congested around major cities, but a 6-hour trip means you have to be away from a major city for the majority of the trip.

[VBprogrammer]

"You have no idea what you're talking about" as an opening line doesn't exactly encourage polite discourse. Fucknugget.

[siftrics]

Parent Poster: "For example, when you’re driving more than 6 hours in a day, which is not uncommon for Americans, especially ones living west of Mississippi, extra 10 mph of average speed means you’re getting to your destination 1+ hour faster, which most definitely is a significant difference."

You: "Averaging 10-20mph faster is very difficult on anything but the least congested roads."

Either you're blatantly ignoring what the parent said ("west of the Mississippi"), which does not exactly amount to polite discourse, or you're commenting authoritatively on a set of roads which you clearly know nothing about.

[VBprogrammer]

I didn't say anything about those roads. The parent poster gave that as an example. They didn't place a magic hex upon the thread preventing anyone who hasn't specifically driven on those roads from commenting.

I'd be surprised though if those roads didn't have roadworks, slower vehicles overtaking one another, accidents, bends, reduced speed sections etc. Certainly the roads I've driven in 10 or so other countries had these things in common.