# Speed limit question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speed-limit-question/166645>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 5, 2003, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speed-limit-question/166645 "2003-04-05T06:07:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speed-limit-question/166645/21 "2003-04-08T12:08:57Z")

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Can we extend the question beyond the U.S.? What are the high/low speed limits in your country?

U.K. = 70mph/20mph (that I’ve seen)  
South Africa = 120kph/30kph (roughly 75 and 19 mph)

Grim

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**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speed-limit-question/166645/22 "2003-04-08T15:03:07Z")

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Wow! My freakin NEON, _non-turbo_, went 120! WOOOHOOO! I BEAT MUSCLE CARS! ('course, i’d never try it with my new car, a Kia Rio, and the wacking my Neon took made me sell it at 75K.)

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**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speed-limit-question/166645/23 "2003-04-08T17:27:10Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by pkbites \*  
> \*\*I don’t remember where but I also saw a speed limit of 12. I also saw a posted speed limit of 7. Who the heck came up with such oddball numbers? Have you ever tried to drive 7?😛 \*\*

[WAG]  
I think the reason for these “oddball” numbers is that when people see a sign that says “speed limit 10” they are apt to fudge a little and think “ah hell, I can probably go 15 through here and nobody will care.” When an exact number is used, however, people are more likely to pay attention to it and obey it. The other day I saw a posted speed limit of 11 mph in a park.  
[/WAG]

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**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speed-limit-question/166645/24 "2003-04-08T18:22:50Z")

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In Idaho for regular cars the speed limit on Interstate highways is 75 mph except for urbanized areas where the speed drops to 65. Of course a lot of people still drive 75 anyway. On non-Interstate highways the highest limit is 65.

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**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speed-limit-question/166645/25 "2003-04-08T19:06:03Z")

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On the 405 (San Diego Freeway), near Carson, there is a weigh station for trucks which sports a sign bearing “Trucks 3 mph”. I don’t know if that would really count as the lowest limit, though.

The parking lot I often frequent in Toronto has the oddball limit of 11 kph.

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