On a good-quality limited access road in dry weather and traffic not a problem, I tend to go about 75 mph.
So if the limit’s 55 mph, I’m doing +20; if the limit’s 70 mph, I’m doing +5.
I wish I could say the difference in speed limits seemed to reflect meaningful differences in terms of what speeds were actually safe, but that rarely seems to be the case, IME. One limited-access parkway I frequently drive (but don’t do 75 on, but still do well over the limit) used to have a section where the limit dropped from 50 mph to 35 mph for no apparent reason, then went back to 50. Serious speed trap, until they made the limit 50 throughout.
I voted “other” because it depends on the posted limit.
If the limit is 55, I’ll typically go 65. If it’s 65, I’ll go 70+. If it’s 75, I’ll probably keep it mostly under 80 unless prevailing traffic is going faster.
If you get off the interstate highways here in Oregon and onto the State routes, the posted speed limit is 55 mph. If you actually try to drive 55 you are likely to get pulled over and checked out to see if you are impared. If a cop pulls up behind you on the open road and you are doing 55, count to about 10 and the party lights will come on. Normal traffic will be moving about 65.
Most highway traffic on the non-interstate roads move at 62-67 mph, posted at 55. You can drive all day at 67 and see police and you will not be bothered until you get over 70. The ‘implied’ speed limit seems to be about 65 on a posted 55 road.
On the interstates the margin that you can go over is smaller. On I-5 posted 70 mph you can safely do about 75. 80 will get you stopped.
For all the little towns on the state and county roads that post reduced speed as you enter, well you damn sure had better slow to that posted speed. Many a police budget in a small town depends upon the ‘enforcement’ revenue. It’s the difference between having to lay off a patrolman or not sometimes.
I am a muscle car driver with an absolutely clean driving record back 15 years.
+9 most of the time. +10 is usually real points and a new class of fine. +9 is almost always ignored even if you are seen, and not that bad if the cop decides to bust your balls.
I generally drive above average speeds but avoid being the fastest car on the road. In the DC area that means I drive 70 in a 55 (Beltway, I-270) and 75 in a 65 (I-95 heading to Baltimore). And I can still get my doors blown off by people doing 5-10 more than me. I have lived in the DC area for 25 years and the only speeding ticket I’ve had was from a camera in DC for 56 in a 45.
Between +5 and +9, unless the flow of traffic dictates otherwise. According to some of my friends, that makes me a bit of a fuddy-duddy. However, until said friends start paying for my car insurance, they can bite me. Normally, I’m closer to +5 than +9.
I had a suspension when I was 18 (statuatory suspension–two tickets under 21. One for missing a stop sign, one for speeding). That jacked my rates up until I was twenty-flipping-five. I have no desire to pay that much for my insurance again. Also, I haven’t had a single violation since I was 18.
I try match my speed to the prevailing traffic. IMO, what causes traffic jams is cars and trucks going different speeds, up to a point where the road is too saturated.
Road capacities greatly increase when everyone goes the same speed. Slowpokes driving 50 when everyone else is going 70 are every bit as much as a hazard as the maniacs driving 90 when everyone else is driving 70.
That being said, I usually cruise at about 15 mph above the speed limit, but that is about what everyone else seems to do in my location.
I used to make 100 miles trips every weekend, and on the way I would devise equations to figure out how much time driving faster would save me. I figured out that going 10 mph faster was only going to save me a few minutes even at that distance and was definitely not worth the risk and stress. So I usually go around the speed limit, maybe 5+. In places I know to be heavily patrolled by police I go the speed limit or +3, because some consider driving too slowly to be suspicious in its own right, or so they say.
I drive at the speed limit. Didn’t used to. In L.A. I’d do ten over, traffic permitting. (I was usually on a motorcycle.) Up here, there are a few things that slow me down. The State Patrol actually pulls over speeders. In L.A. it seemed the CHP concentrated on aggressive speeders. Drivers up here tend to drive five mph under the speed limit; so even driving the limit, you’re passing people. Also, they often don’t get the hell out of your way. Finally, I don’t get to ride the bike much because the lack of lane-splitting makes a tedious ride to Seattle, not to mention that it often rains.
Amen. You don’t get tickets for speeding, you get them for poor situational awareness. That said, slow drivers don’t bother me, provided that they stay the $@#%&(# out of the passing lane :mad:
I usually go around 80 out of town and 65-75 in town or on non-Interstate highways. I put “+15” but it depends on the road.
Depends on a lot of things - if the angry co-pilot is not with me, and traffic is light it would normally be about 50 - 60km over limit (about 140km in 90 km highway limit) - if wifey with me is about 10-15km over limit, except for when hit Malaysia, there its normally about 20-30 km over limit with my copilot, haven’t done the trip alone yet.
Worst ever is caught at 160km in 60 km zone - lucky the copper didn’t get radar lock…but eyeballing it he knew I was speeding and got a scolding from him.
Fastest trip is average speed of 103km/h - max limit the whole was 100km, but this also included 60 and 70 km zones and about 40 km of mountain roads (most people lucky to average 60km/h on this part)
When gas was $4.00 a gallon, I’d set the cruise at 60 and leave it there. I’d stay in the right lane so people could pass. The speed limit is 70 on most of the Interstates around here.
Now that gas has come down a bit, I set the cruise right at the speed limit, which means I’m actually going a few MPH slower than the limit since my speedometer reads high.
If I had a fuel-efficient vehicle, I’d probably be going a lot faster, but I’ve never been one to cruise higher than 80 or 85 (with the occasional short burst up to 120+ depending on the situation).
Let me tell you something, Jonathan Los Angeles, moving from LA to Minneapolis caused for a major adjustment in driving habits. People out here just don’t get driving. “Move quickly, but don’t be a dick about it” is supposed to be the Official Driving Rule. Out here it’s “Hey, everybody be a dumb ass, and drive 5 mph below the speed limit in the carpool lane, and let’s never move out of the way because we have shit for brains.” Goddamn, I’m glad I at least live downtown.
Yes sir. Driving fast doesn’t even feel fast or draw much attention if you’re not zipping in and out of lanes, tailgating people, and the like. And once more, people, get the fuck out of the way with your 50 mph in the fast lane BS. Why do you need to be in the fast lane if you refuse to drive fast? Does it hurt you to move over so that other people can move quickly?
I chose +10, but the accurate answer is +8 or +9. In Georgia the local cops cannot bust you for speeding if you are doing less than 10mph over the limit.
Generally I try to stay no more then 5-10 km/h over the speed limit. I don’t care if you’re cursing me out in a lineup behind me. If you want me to go faster, I’m sure you’ll have no problem paying my ticket.
I got one ticket for doing 113 in a 90 zone. Cost me a hundred and eleven (and twenty-five cents).
If you were going sixty miles per hour OVER the speed limit I am horrified you were not thrown in jail.
Having said that, I like to drive fast but really don’t do it. Don’t want a ticket. Highways I usually go 9 mph over or less. Normal roads about 5 over. Will go a bit over 10+ when passing. When I was a bit younger I’d be up to 20 over when I wasn’t paying attention on uncrowded highways. Hit 100mph once before but only long enough to see my speedometer hit it then back down. And it scared me and I felt stupid.
I usually drive 5 above, but never any more. This is partly because where I’m from, Michigan, the speed limit is 70, but in New Jersey the limit is 65 and I’m just not used to it. I don’t understand why people speed excessively. Don’t they leave on time? I have never had a speeding ticket and now that they’re $300 a pop I have no intention of getting one any time soon.
