# How Fast Do You Drive?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [October 25, 2002, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891 "2002-10-25T20:42:12Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2002, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/1 "2002-10-25T20:42:12Z")
In general that is.
For me, I’m pretty good around residential areas and for the most part obey the posted speed limit.
Once on the freeway I let loose a little.
I would say my preferred rate of travel is at 70 mph or so, on what are mainly 55 mph speed limits.
This allows me to pass the perennial slow pokes and doesn’t put me in the class of unrestrained speed demons.
O.K., next.
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### Author:  [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2002, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/2 "2002-10-25T21:01:34Z")
I’m almost afraid to post…
I will say that I’m always dead on the speed limit in residential zones.
When I hit the highway, however, all bets are off. On major highways I probably average around 190kmh. I guess that’s what, about 115mph?
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### Author:  [@Shera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shera)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2002, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/3 "2002-10-25T21:07:26Z")
I usually drive the speed limit. Sometimes I will go five above if the road is straight and long. My sister says I drive like an old lady, but who’s gotten a speeding ticket and who hasn’t? I ask you that Miss Speed Demon.
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### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2002, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/4 "2002-10-25T21:10:58Z")
Usually just over the speed limit. Around 5 miles over. I am a very conservative driver.
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### Author:  [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2002, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/5 "2002-10-25T21:13:01Z")
open road - limit + 10mph[sup]\*[/sup]
in city - usually below posted - too many blind intersections
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- recommended ticket-proof in virtually all areas of the contig. US except the western half of the Penn. Tunpike, and the entire state of GA.
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### Author:  [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2002, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/6 "2002-10-25T21:28:22Z")
Car & Driver magazine surveyed cops nationwide. Almost all said they never ticketed anyone up to 10mph over the posted limit. That’s roughly where I put it. On holiday weekends, I’ll back off to 5mph over. I never use CB’s or radar detectors, and I never get speeding tickets, knock wood (raps head with knuckles.)
The exception is Chesterfield, IN, where the local cops take pride in close enforcement. In Chesterfield, I do not exceed the limit by more than 2mph.
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### Author:  [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2002, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/7 "2002-10-25T21:43:53Z")
When I was young and foolish I was insane. On the highways I would regularly cruise at 180-190km/h, sometimes more (I had my 300ZX Turbo at the time).
Now, that I am quickly approaching 30 and drive a Jeep, I set my cruise at 10-15km/h over the speed limit at most.
In town, I am almost always on the speedlimit. If over, only slightly.
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### Author:  [@Stccrd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stccrd)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2002, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/8 "2002-10-25T23:06:01Z")
It once took my about an hour to get from the east side of cincinnati to Broad street in Columbus…muwhahah!
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2002, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/9 "2002-10-25T23:20:26Z")
At the maximum the conditions allow. Seeing as how nice it is round these parts, my usual work-and-back speed is around 70-80 mph. In town, I keep up with traffic, but always leave space between me and the idiot I’m following, so I can try to keep the idiot behind me from hitting me.
When it snows, sometimes you just gotta crawl.
* * *
I’m not as stupid as you look!
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### Author:  [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2002, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/10 "2002-10-26T00:38:57Z")
I generally do the speed limit. What is interesting is that many people can’t drive and think at the same time. So on straight roads with good weather I’m constantly being passed. But on curvy roads or in light rain I tend to outrun many people (while still doing the speed limit).
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### Author:  [@suziek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suziek)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2002, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/11 "2002-10-26T01:48:42Z")
I’m usually about 5 miles under the speed limit when it’s 55mph, and at the speed limit under that. I’m usually being passed; but where I live it’s strictly two-lane winding roads (no highway for about120 miles), so I think it’s too dangerous to go very fast. People are always getting killed up here because of people pulling out in front of them from side-roads. No thanks. Plus, the scenery in northern Maine is gorgeous any time of year and I like to be able to look somewhere besides staring straight ahead, which is required if driving fast.
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### Author:  [@Jessity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jessity)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2002, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/12 "2002-10-26T04:05:00Z")
Around town and residential areas, I do the speed limit. This is where I do 90% of my driving, which is why when I’m on the freeway, I drive like a bat out of hell. Usually speed limit +15mph.
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### Author:  [@Grelby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grelby)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2002, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/13 "2002-10-26T04:13:22Z")
Around moderately spread out to sparsely populated areas where I live, usually 5 miles over, 10 over on the wider/longer/straighter roads. Thickly settled areas, speed limited, maybe five over.
Highways? Depends. 15-20 over on Route 2, and 10 over on everything else, max.
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### Author:  [@typhoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typhoon)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2002, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/14 "2002-10-26T04:13:40Z")
Five miles above the speed limit. If they raised every speed limit five miles per hour, I’d go five miles above that.
I don’t have a good reason why.
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### Author:  [@MamaHen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MamaHen)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2002, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/15 "2002-10-26T04:28:05Z")
I drive 5 miles over the speed limit unless I am on an interstate. On the interstate I am anywhere between 5-15 miles over the speed limit.
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### Author:  [@Lorenzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorenzo)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2002, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/16 "2002-10-26T04:44:57Z")
In town, pretty darn slow. Too many unpredicatable pedestrians, cyclists, joggers, etc.
On the highway I try to be faster than about 90% of the traffic while still getting passed by the other 10%, whatever that speed is. This way I can usually exceed the posted speed limit and not get ticketed.
On the way to work that usually translates into 70-80 mph during ideal conditions. One drop of rain, however, and it can drop below 55 mph.
On long trips on the interstate in downstate Illinois, in my extensive experience, 75-80 mph will generally not grab the attention of the state constabulatory unless you are driving a Porsche or Corvette in which case 64 mph in the slow lane is recommended.
The riskiest of all is when no one else is out and you cannot hide. Despite my never having used a radar detector, I’ve been pretty lucky. I can’t say how many times I’ve maintained speeds of 100-130 mph over great distances and yet was never ticketed.
I’m out of that game now, though. In Illinois if you are ticketed for a speed in excess of 100 mph they take you straight to jail where you will languish until you see the judge the next weekday morning. The fine is a minimum of $500, the ticket is on your “permanent record” and your license will be suspended, guaranteed. Auto insurance becomes pricey. FYI.
There are just so many variables that a fixed speed limit cannot account for that I feel most highway speed limits are almost irrelevant. What if it’s dark? What if it’s raining or snowing? Fog? Deer crossing? Hellacious traffic? New Year’s Eve?
What about perfectly straight highway for miles, ideal driving conditions and no one on the road but me? Montana had no fixed speed limit until recently, just “reasonable and prudent.” Porsche on a straight empty stretch at 150 mph = no problem. But wouldn’t you know it, someone had to challenge “reasonable and prudent” in court as too vague. Everyone lost and now Montana has a fixed speed limit.
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### Author:  [@j\_kat\_251](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j_kat_251)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2002, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/17 "2002-10-26T05:31:34Z")
Bernse, you are truly insane! I have only ever reached 130 kmh, tops, in my car, i.e. speeding by 20 k’s. 190+ is just death defying. Unless you’re crossing the Simpson Desert… good God, man.
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### Author:  [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2002, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/18 "2002-10-26T06:05:51Z")
In town, I always do the limit.
On the interstate, 10 over.
On an interstate highway that is deserted, straight, and free of visual obstructions, 50-60 over.
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### Author:  [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2002, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/19 "2002-10-26T08:13:44Z")
In town? I do the limit. Anything over is just asking for a ticket.
On the highway? 10-15 over, depending on the speed of the traffic around me and the driving conditions. Usually, on the highways I drive on, 10-15 over puts me faster than most of the cars, but leaves a few who pass me. They’re the ones who’ll get tickets is what I figure.
This is, of course, not in effect when I’m in Boone County, IL. I go exactly the limit on that stretch of I-90–I’ve heard too many stories about people getting pulled over for going 5 over that I’ve decided to be careful.
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### Author:  [@dead0man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dead0man)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2002, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-fast-do-you-drive/133891/20 "2002-10-26T09:36:48Z")
Highway, usually 19 mph over the limit. Them 20mph and over tickets are expensive. Arround town I go a little faster than traffic.
I’ve been pulled over a lot and yet I’ve only gotten 4 speeding tickets, 1 failure to yield and 1 running a stop sign in ~12 years of driving. Thats a ticket every other year. I can live with that.
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