# Question for non-Americans - Speed limits **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 20, 2014, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135 "2014-11-20T06:31:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/1 "2014-11-20T06:31:10Z")
In your country what is the fastest one can drive? ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/2 "2014-11-20T06:42:38Z")
In Australia, the general speed limit in rural areas is either 100 km/h or 110 km/h, depending on the state or territory. The only exception is the sparsely-populated Northern Territory, where a number of major highways have a 130 km/h limit, and one 200 km/h stretch of the Stuart Highway has no speed limit at all. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/3 "2014-11-20T07:56:15Z")
In the UK it is 70mph on motorways and other dual-carriageways (but you’ll never get ticketed for anything up to 80mph) In France where I also drive a lot it is 130kmh in dry weather (so about 85mph) but they are somewhat stricter, especially on toll roads. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/4 "2014-11-20T08:31:17Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > In Australia, the general speed limit in rural areas is either 100 km/h or 110 km/h, depending on the state or territory. The only exception is the sparsely-populated Northern Territory, where a number of major highways have a 130 km/h limit, and one 200 km/h stretch of the Stuart Highway has no speed limit at all. I was curious about where there is no speed limit. From [Wikipedia’s page of Stuart Highway speed limits](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Highway#Speed_limits): > [@](#): > > In October 2013 the NT Government announced a trial period of reverting to an open speed limit on the 200 km (120 mi) stretch between Alice Springs and Barrow Creek, beginning 1 February 2014. ETA: removed my commentary. Don’t want to derail the thread and the OP’s intent. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/5 "2014-11-20T08:52:51Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > I was curious about where there is no speed limit . . . For the record, until comparatively recently - five years ago? - there was generally no set speed limit in the Northern Territory, except in built-up areas. The territory is largely desert with a population density, outside of the capital, Darwin, of considerably less than 0.1 persons per square kilometre. In this circumstance speed limits are basically unenforceable; police could wait for hours before a single car would pass. ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/6 "2014-11-20T08:54:46Z")
90km/h is the highest speed limit, or 55 mph. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/7 "2014-11-20T09:10:33Z")
In the Netherlands the limit is 130 km an hour. Our neighbours, the Germans, are one of the few modern countries that have no upper speed limit on highways. None. Fast German cars easily pass you at 210 km an hour. The Germans in general are remarkably safe and disciplined drivers. But I feel their highways are dangerous because there is such a big difference in speed. You have the 210 km an hour cars, but they are in the same car lane as the grandma’s driving 90 in their tiny Japanese cars. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/8 "2014-11-20T09:21:14Z")
In Norway 110 km/h on a few motorways, 100 or 90 on the rest. 80 on regular roads if sparsely populated area. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/9 "2014-11-20T09:33:31Z")
> [@Tabby\_Cat](#): > > 90km/h is the highest speed limit, or 55 mph. In what country? ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/10 "2014-11-20T09:34:00Z")
Singapore here. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/11 "2014-11-20T09:44:08Z")
No Gum There. OK. And, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/12 "2014-11-20T09:56:06Z")
Is it common to have different speed limits for different vehicles on the same road? Here in the UK, a single carriageway road can have three different limits. If there is a white circular sign with a black diagonal bar (National Speed Limit) the limit for cars is 60mph, for cars with trailers, RVs and most busses, 50mph and for trucks, 40mph. On a motorway, the same sign denotes 70mph for cars and 60mph for everyone else. Trucks and busses however, are electronically limited to 55mph. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/13 "2014-11-20T10:04:09Z")
Here in Israel, it’s 120 km/h - but that’s only on one road, Route 6 (the Trans-Israel Highway - also Israel’s only toll road). The speed limit on other freeways is 110 km/h. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/14 "2014-11-20T10:22:34Z")
In…well, the eastern end of Canada, I can’t speak for anything west of Ontario…110km/h is the highest speed limit (a little under 70mph), with most places topping out at 100 (around 60). 110 used to be an ‘unofficial’ limit on Ontario highways…the official limit was 100, but nobody would bother ticketing anything under 110…now 110 is the official limit. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/15 "2014-11-20T11:01:51Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > For the record, until comparatively recently - five years ago? - there was generally no set speed limit in the Northern Territory, except in built-up areas. The territory is largely desert with a population density, outside of the capital, Darwin, of considerably less than 0.1 persons per square kilometre. In this circumstance speed limits are basically unenforceable; police could wait for hours before a single car would pass. One of my friends, some time ago, was in a light plane in NT, watching a car overtake a truck, with all 3 – plane, car, truck – being steadily overtaken by a fast car. And my Dutch friend told me that, although the speed limit in the Low Country is 130, you still have to go out on a Sunday night after midnight if you want to hoon around in your car – because the roads are all full at any other time. ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/16 "2014-11-20T11:03:42Z")
120 km/h in Finland for a few big roads in the south, though 100 km/h is far more common. That’s only during the summer though, in the winter they lower it to 100 km/h. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/17 "2014-11-20T11:35:34Z")
Do the 100km/h roads get lowered, too, or just the 120s? ---
**Author:** ![Ken001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@Ken001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken001)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/18 "2014-11-20T11:42:21Z")
100k in New Zealand (60 mph) and 50k (30mph) in cities. Trucks and cars towing trailers are restricted to 90k (54 mph). ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/19 "2014-11-20T13:29:13Z")
The Cayman Islands tops out at 50mph. Our [road signs are UK style](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:UK_50_mph_speed_limit_sign.jpg), but unfortunately a lot of our tourist seem to think the limit is kph. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135/20 "2014-11-20T14:03:07Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > Is it common to have different speed limits for different vehicles on the same road? It’s not non-American, but until last year, Ohio had a lower speed limit for trucks on freeways. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-non-americans-speed-limits/705135.md?page=2)