Driving the boring sameness of the Interstate system from NY to Colorado, I decided to do some sociological observations. At 64mph, I’m being passed by a steady stream of vehicles. I began observing the sex of the occupants. The results have been interesting. Lots of the vehicles contain 1 person. Of these vehicles on the inter-city sections of the highway, about 90 percent are male and 10 percent female. Perhaps even a higher percentage of males. I’m not counting tractor trailers in that statistic. How is this oddity explained? If there were a sign at every city limit stating, “All females must exit here or find a male escort to continue” it would make little difference in current practice. Most of the female drivers are young. I’ve only seen one middle aged woman driving by herself this morning out of a couple of hundred cars.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

A lot of women don't like driving on the highway. That might have something to do with it.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I've actually noticed the same thing during my travels, especially in "fly over" county. You tend to see single guys of all ages, families, older couples, carloads of college students, and very few single women.

Possibly the ladies don't like to drive fast on the highway so few are passing you. When I cross into NY from Conn I find the driving different (not on the highway though).

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1985 300D Turbo
"Evolution is God's way of giving upgrades" Francis Collins

They must save their fast driving for the 2 lanes. I know than when I am being tailgated at 50mph in a 40, it is more often a woman than a man.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

Interesting!

As I consider you one of the peculiar intellectuals on OD, I am pleased to be alerted to your observation.

As you may know - I travel A LOT over-the-road, so I'll keep my eyes open for this difference - so to speak.

Perhaps females work/travel closer to their nests - so to speak?

I dunno.

I think a lot of it has to do with the mentality of the sexes- Out there in the middle of nowhere, men are looking for adventure, something new, rugged mountains, etc. Women tend to gravitate towards the familiar, so they don't stray that far out alone typically.

Women are flying and taking trains

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-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

Adam,
You have made an interesting point !!
Over the past year I have needed to travel to the capital city here every month, a 200mile trip each way.
Its easy to drive about 50miles & then take the train.
On the highway, Kerry's stats are about right. On the train its the opposite, easily 90% female. Not many between say 30~45 years though.
I wish I had known that so many nice looking young ladies were on the train when I was a young lad!!

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Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Only a fool drives hundreds or thousands of miles across the country for days on end. The smart people take the airplane...........

This might offer an insight into the more intelligent gender............

Hey, I resemble that remark.

You know that there must be something not quite right upstairs...........who in their right mind drives a W123 thousands of miles over days on end..........when the aircraft can get them to the destination in 6-8 hours.............

...........no woman would do it..........

Probably true, but they won't let me drive the airplane.

The GF is in the identical situation..........cannot fly or ride on a train or a ship..........because she can't get off if/when she desires.

Some people are meant to drive themselves...........most of those folks are male.

Yup, I'm a control freak.