How fast do you drive on the motorway?

[londonmidland]

Ok, I was doing 100mph on the M69 in the first lane! Nothing to be proud of though, I was travelling at this speed because the cars infront where going this fast (not racers, normal drivers) and I don't like getting "left behind". Also a lorry must have been doing about 90mph! I'm surprised the motorway doesn't have more cameras. Does anyone think 70mph should be raised for the speed limit on the motorway?

I want to ask you how fast/slow you drive on the motorway.
Thanks
londonmidland

 

[WestCoast]

MODS: I think this thread needs to be moved to "General Discussion".

 

[ainsworth74]

When I'm on the motorway I will drive at 70mph as long as it is safe to do so otherwise less.

 

[Lampshade]

I believe it's being raised to 80mph on the M5 this summer.

And I agree with the need for this thread to be moved

 

[TGV]

I find between 80-85 works well to make good progress but not so fast that it attracts attention from the rozzers.

As for the speed limit, 80 would be fine for modern cars.

 

[anthony263]

Ok, I was doing 100mph on the M69 in the first lane! Nothing to be proud of though, I was travelling at this speed because the cars infront where going this fast (not racers, normal drivers) and I don't like getting "left behind". Also a lorry must have been doing about 90mph! I'm surprised the motorway doesn't have more cameras. Does anyone think 70mph should be raised for the speed limit on the motorway?

I want to ask you how fast/slow you drive on the motorway.
Thanks
londonmidland

Pity VOSA were not about as saw that lorry, sounds like the speed limiter wasnt working or had been switched off.

As for how fast i driver on the motorway, 70mph in a car or in a coach about 60 before the limiter kicks in. ( I am sure that i could get it up to 85 mph if there were no limiters.)

speed limit on motorways should be raised in parts to at least 80mph and coaches/lorries should be allowed to do at least 65mph rather than 56mph

 

[dfishw]

i think raising the limit is a good idea but i think it has to be done sensibly. There are a lot of stretches where 80mph is safe and the motorway is quiet and in good weather in the daytime..but there are also alot of places where it isnt! There would have to be a variable speed limit. I know most drivers would be sensible and adjust their speed but the trouble is some wont. How you get around that would be the tricky bit!

 

[klewer]

I normally just keep in line with the flow of the traffic unless it's getting too quick... If I'm the only one on the road (normally at 3am) then I keep it under 90 at all times. An indicated 80-85 is fast enough, normally means about 75 as most speedometers read slightly fast.

 

[trentside]

When I'm on the motorway I will drive at 70mph as long as it is safe to do so otherwise less.

I would agree with this. When I've been travelling in other people's cars and realised they were exceeding 80mph I've never felt completely comfortable. If the speed limit is 70mph, that's what I'll stick to - regardless of anyone else travelling faster than me. I can't afford the fines, and I don't want to lose my licence for the sake of shaving a few minutes (if that) off my journey.

 

[90019]

Ok, I was doing 100mph on the M69 in the first lane! Nothing to be proud of though.

Having started a thread because of it, clearly you think it is.

I was travelling at this speed because the cars infront where going this fast (not racers, normal drivers) and I don't like getting "left behind".

I'd love to see the reaction of the police officer to that one.

I want to ask you how fast/slow you drive on the motorway.

Not everyone goes at least 70. I regularly just sit in lane one at 60 when I'm not in a hurry.

 

[scotsman]

I don't like this thread. It appears to be someone's attempt to justify their blatant disregard for life - sorry, but speed kills. While there could be some good debate about speed limits - opening with "Ok, I was doing 100mph on the M69 in the first lane! Nothing to be proud of though..." doesn't really set a good tone. Although, it does seem as though the OP feels some guilt about what they have done.

 

[londonmidland]

Having started a thread because of it, clearly you think it is.


I'd love to see the reaction of the police officer to that one.

I've never seen a police car on the M69 for some reason. I see an awful amount of people in a hurry getting back to Leicester, you'd be surprised how many people force there way through just as the M69 ends at Leicester.

 

[90019]

sorry, but speed kills.

That's such a tacky phrase.
Anyway, speed alone doesn't kill, it's only when added to other factors.

Bad driving kills.

 

[starrymarkb]

My fastest was on the A38 - 105mph (I only have a small car) east of Kassel
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

That's such a tacky phrase.
Anyway, speed alone doesn't kill, it's only when added to other factors.

Bad driving kills.

What is the accident rate in the UK compared to the Autobahns were speeds are high (most is doing 120mphish*) but driving standards are rigorously enforced?


*The suggested max is 130km/h - doing more may give problems with your insurance and police in the event of an accident.

 

[GB]

With fuel prices the way they are I usually sit at around 55-60 on the way to work (stick behind a lorry or something) and 70 on the way home.

 

[starrymarkb]

With fuel prices the way they are I usually sit at around 55-60 on the way to work (stick behind a lorry or something) and 70 on the way home.

as long as you don't try tailgating like some people are trying. Apparently there is a myth driving 2 feet behind a truck will save fuel dramatically (in turbulent air, can't see it myself...)

 

[londonmidland]

That's such a tacky phrase.
Anyway, speed alone doesn't kill, it's only when added to other factors.

Bad driving kills.

I know, the max speed I go on the motorway now is 80mph as I have experienced a car collision about a third of a mile in front of me on the motorway
You could just see two cars swerve out of control and the next thing I did was slow right down. Horrible experience!

 

[90019]

My fastest was on the A38 - 105mph (I only have a small car) east of Kassel

I've been to 90mph in my Ka - any faster and I think it'll fall apart

as long as you don't try tailgating like some people are trying. Apparently there is a myth driving 2 feet behind a truck will save fuel dramatically (in turbulent air, can't see it myself...)

It does save quite a substantial amount of fuel (can't remember exactly how much), but it's far too risky to be worth it.
I'll quite often find a truck and sit a bit behind it, but not too close. By doing so, I've managed to exceed the official figures for my car

 

[The Barlow Boy]

I don't like this thread. It appears to be someone's attempt to justify their blatant disregard for life - sorry, but speed kills. While there could be some good debate about speed limits - opening with "Ok, I was doing 100mph on the M69 in the first lane! Nothing to be proud of though..." doesn't really set a good tone. Although, it does seem as though the OP feels some guilt about what they have done.

"Speed kills" is one of the greatest myths ever put about. Travelling at 100mph on a clear motorway in a modern car is statistically safer than doing 50mph through a town centre.
It's a combination of a driver writing driving cheques that their driving experience can't cash plus an inappropriate speed that kills.
Now, you may think that you're tooling along at 70 mph as that is what your car speedometer is indicating. I've got news for you. You're actually doing 65-67 mph. All speedometers under-read. It's an agreement between the DFT and the SMMT. A speedometer will under-read more if the tyres are brand new as the wheels are turning more slowly for a given final drive speed. It's why a vehicle's speedometer should be re-callibrated if larger diameter wheels are fitted to the vehicles. A good test of this is if you have a satelite navigation device that will show speed. Get on to a level - it must be level - bit of road and drive at an indicated speed on the speedometer. The sat-nav will show the true and very accurate speed. You may well be surprised at the difference.
The Association of Chief Police Officers has a guidline for speeding. That guidline is road speed + 2 mph + 10% of the road speed. So, the next time that you're approaching a camera don't cause an accident by suddenly braking. Just ensure that you aren't doing more than +10%. On the A3 into London there are three 50 mph cameras, one at Malden, and two just past Shannon Corner. I've never passed those cameras at under 55 indicated and I've still got a clean licence. On a motorway you will not be bothered up to and including 79mph. Overhead gantry cameras are generally set at 80, some are a little more.
Finally, I'm glad that the OP stated that they were in lane 1. Always drive on the left unless overtaking or turning right. There is no slow lane/fastlane on a multiple lane road. A multiple carriageway road should be treated as a single carriageway with a multiplicity (I like that word!) of overtaking lanes.
Oh, one more thing. Belting along is fine but if you really knew how much more fuel a vehicle uses at 80 rather than 60 you'd be horrified.

 

[OxtedL]

Oh crap, now my name's on that poll....

You DO NOT want to try 80 on the M25 other than between the hours of 23 and 5.

 

[strange6]

With fuel prices the way they are I usually sit at around 55-60 on the way to work (stick behind a lorry or something) and 70 on the way home.

Me too! I get 65mpg at 60 mph and 47mpg at 80mph. It just doesn't make sense.

 

[scotsman]

"Speed kills" is one of the greatest myths ever put about. Travelling at 100mph on a clear motorway in a modern car is statistically safer than doing 50mph through a town centre.

The two are incompatible. In a town centre there are hazards such as poor condition of the road, pedestrians stepping out, parked vehicles and narrow lanes.

Now, you may think that you're tooling along at 70 mph as that is what your car speedometer is indicating. I've got news for you. You're actually doing 65-67 mph. All speedometers under-read. It's an agreement between the DFT and the SMMT.

Sorry to state the obvious, but if the purpose of the speedometer is to tell me what speed I am travelling at and the speedometer tells me I'm doing 70 - I think I might back off the throttle. (As it happens, I've only got a provisional, so that's some way off)

 

[Yew]

I go at 70, I dont do much on motorways, However at my age points on my liscence may as well be a driving ban due to insurance

Personally I think motorway speed limits could be raised to about 90, after all the national speed limit was only temporary, and put in place because people where driving too fast for their cars to handle. Modern cars are much better, I think my KA could get over 100

 

[strange6]

as long as you don't try tailgating like some people are trying. Apparently there is a myth driving 2 feet behind a truck will save fuel dramatically (in turbulent air, can't see it myself...)

If you're only two foot behind it, then yes, you will save fuel. If you're that close you'll be in its slipstream with no turbulent air (that will be moving around the sides of you). You'll find F1 racers getting really close up to a car in front before popping out to overtake it. That's because the car in front will be creating a slipstream (a pocket of empty air if you like) so the car behind will go a lot faster due to less drag (air resistance if you like). Hence the last second move to overtake

 

[90019]

Sorry to state the obvious, but if the purpose of the speedometer is to tell me what speed I am travelling at and the speedometer tells me I'm doing 70

The speedometer lies.
It deliberately tells you that you're going faster than you actually are.

The speedo in EVERY* car overreads, unless you've had it calibrated to read the correct speed, or you've changed the overall wheel size without having it calibrated.
When I'm doing an indicated 80mph in my Ka, the realtime speed is approximately 72mph.

When you have your licence, and at a time when the nearest motorway is empty, drive at a constant indicated 70mph between 2 points you know the exact distance between and time it accurately. Work out your actual speed and I bet it will be approx. 63-64ish.


*All newer cars overread. The majority, if not all, will overread by about 10%.
Older cars tend to vary, depending how they were set up. I have a friend who had an old 80s Fiesta that was accurate up to about 40mph, where it started to overread.

 

[OxtedL]

You may have just let everyone who ticked the wrong box up there off the hook! I thought I would need a new pair of trousers for a while there...

 

[flymo]

I'm another one in the 70mph max class. Even then 60 mph is plenty fast and as my religion is orthodox tightwad the fuel burn is infinitely more important than getting there a bit faster. As an example I did Heathrow airport to Newcastle at about 60 mph and less than half a tank of fuel. It still only took about 4½hours. If I went at 70 - 80 it would have taken around 4 hours but used a huge amount more fuel, maybe ¾ of a tank. Not worth the extra £££ to me. I'll stick to 60 ta very much.

 

[Ferret]

I don't like this thread. It appears to be someone's attempt to justify their blatant disregard for life - sorry, but speed kills. While there could be some good debate about speed limits - opening with "Ok, I was doing 100mph on the M69 in the first lane! Nothing to be proud of though..." doesn't really set a good tone. Although, it does seem as though the OP feels some guilt about what they have done.

*Inappropriate* speed is what kills. Doing 90 down an empty M69 or M45 will not harm anyone, but 95 down the M1 when there's lots of other cars is stupid and dangerous. As is driving at 50 mph on a motorway, but then we never hear the anti-speeding zealots mention that one......

 

[ralphchadkirk]

*Inappropriate* speed is what kills. Doing 90 down an empty M69 or M45 will not harm anyone, but 95 down the M1 when there's lots of other cars is stupid and dangerous. As is driving at 50 mph on a motorway, but then we never hear the anti-speeding zealots mention that one......

It may not, but the law is the law, and it is there for a reason. If it was unreasonable, then it would have been challenged. If it was dangerous, then it would have been challenged. People with a much higher IQ than me have decided that 70mph is the maximum limit for a motorway. Therefore nobody should be driving above that speed until the law is changed. Going too far either way of the speed limit is dangerous.

 

[Ferret]

I think that the fact that most drivers including the Police themselves don't stick to 70 tells its own story Ralph