Which is safer on the freeway: Merging into a cluster of tightly packed cars at the cluster's speed of 60 MPH? Or going around the entire cluster at 80 MPH and then pulling into a clear spot?

Most experienced drivers and most highway safety experts would say that going 80 MPH around a cluster is much safer.

So how come so many people just blindly accept the “speed is bad” meme?

Answer either the main question or the sub-question or whatever you want