# How fast do you drive on the highway?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [November 16, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804 "2009-11-16T18:18:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/1 "2009-11-16T18:18:04Z")
Assume limited access highways-few to no traffic lights or stop signs, minimum posted speed of 55 MPH. Speeds posted presume a +/- uncertainty-so if you chose “+5”, that means you might tend to average +/- 2-3 MPH either way.
Poll is private to protect the guilty.
---
### Author:  [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/2 "2009-11-16T18:24:01Z")
Left to my own devices, I pretty much stick to the speed limit or a tad above. If the flow of traffic is appreciably faster, I’ll speed up and travel with the pack.
---
### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/3 "2009-11-16T18:26:32Z")
I usually conform to the flow, which on the highways I typically travel is around 10 mph over the limit. My tickets (and there have been a few) have all been for going faster than 10 over.
---
### Author:  [@Peg\_Leg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peg_Leg)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/4 "2009-11-16T18:33:34Z")
I’m not in a hurry to get anywhere. I usually drive about 5 under.
Had three tickets when I was 18, one of them for driving 60+mph over the speed limit. Since then I’ve slowed down tremendously, and I just haven’t gotten around to driving like an imbecile anymore.
---
### Author:  [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/5 "2009-11-16T18:55:33Z")
I usually just go with the traffic flow, which 'round here equals 5-10mph above the speed limit. The last time I got a speeding ticket, I was in my teens.
---
### Author:  [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/6 "2009-11-16T20:05:44Z")
I go with 5 over or 10% but which one I follow changes based on how I’m feeling.
---
### Author:  [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/7 "2009-11-16T20:20:50Z")
Last night, driving from Pittsburgh back to DC, I averaged 60 mph. And that counts traffic that slowed me down to 5 mph for 3 or 4 miles. I usually drive 80 mph when I can.
I usually drive around 70-75 mph if I’m just heading a few miles away.
---
### Author:  [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/8 "2009-11-16T20:24:00Z")
20+, I like to go fast. I just drove Orlando, FL to Reading, PA, my trip computer said I averaged 69 for the whole trip. A tad slow, but I had to eat.
---
### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/9 "2009-11-16T20:46:31Z")
It all depends on the use level. If others are around I’ll either do the posted speed or, if light, maybe up to 5 mph over. I’ll try to minimize the relative difference between myself and anyone else.
If, however, we’re talking extremely remote areas like West Texas and the Big Bend where you have the road entirely to yourself then, well, I’d rather not say.
---
### Author:  [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/10 "2009-11-16T20:47:48Z")
I set my cruise control for about 5-9 mph over, except for in town driving. Speeding tickets are expensive and a hassle. Plus, my mpg improves when I keep my speed down.
---
### Author:  [@Redwing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redwing)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/11 "2009-11-16T20:58:22Z")
My speed on the highway does not vary with the speed limit of the highway. I find that the limit is either unobtainable due to weather or traffic, or silly, due to the lack of the same.
---
### Author:  [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/12 "2009-11-16T21:01:02Z")
I love to drive fast. It is probably my worst vice. On the highway, I pass everyone in sight, despite driving a 10 year old VW bug.
---
### Author:  [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/13 "2009-11-16T21:34:57Z")
Well, currently my speeds are in km/h, meaning that it’s a lot easier to do +20 over. Still, the marked speed is 90, and I usually do 150 to 160 when it’s safe to do so. And yes, I’m sure that it’s safe to do so when I do so.
---
### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/14 "2009-11-16T21:36:30Z")
Get out of my way, slowpokes!
---
### Author:  [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/15 "2009-11-16T21:39:47Z")
If I’m by myself or at the lead of a bunch of cars, I try not to go more than 5MPH over the limit. I don’t want to be the first one the cop hits with his radar.
If I can find somebody going 10 or 20 over the limit I’ll match their speed and follow them some distance back. Ideally I like to follow about 1/4 mile behind somebody going 15 or 20 over the limit, and have somebody else follow me a 1/4 mile behind.
I like to tell the story about how I had my cruise control set on 95 MPH on I-95 through South Carolina or Georgia, and stayed at that speed for 45 min or more.
---
### Author:  [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/16 "2009-11-16T21:51:02Z")
I try not to be the fastest thing on the freeway, and normally just maintain with flow.
Yesterday morning, I was doing 80-85 in a 65 and getting passed.
Those people that pass me? I call them CHP Bait. 😃
---
### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/17 "2009-11-16T21:52:52Z")
Speed limit or thereabouts, unless I’m not paying attention to the speedometer. In which case: :eek:. To my knowlege, that’s only happened once, but I was up over 80 when I noticed. I was learning to drive a stick and Dad, in the passenger seat, hadn’t said a word the whole time.
---
### Author:  [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/18 "2009-11-16T21:54:45Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> Get out of my way, slowpokes!
I’m with you. Bat out of hell checking in here. No speeding tickets.
---
### Author:  [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/19 "2009-11-16T21:55:44Z")
Our freeways are posted for 100 km/h. I drive 115ish.
But that’s normal. _Everyone_ drives 115ish, except for the ones that go faster. Years ago, I once got my mom’s Chevette up to 135 for a few minutes, and I was still being overtaken.
Driving slowly on the freeway is not a Southern Ontario characteristic.
---
### Author:  [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2009, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804/20 "2009-11-16T21:56:01Z")
Usually, 5 mph over…in my car. My wife’s car (Infiniti G37) though, I easily find myself driving 15-20 mph over without realizing it, until I fly by another car in the fast lane.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive-on-the-highway/517804.md?page=2)