# What's the fastest you've ever driven on public roads? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 3, 2009, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822 "2009-12-03T06:04:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822/81 "2009-12-06T20:56:51Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Come now. Of course he was talking about his hat size. That would make him a pinhead! šŸ˜› ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822/82 "2009-12-07T22:53:34Z")
Since I donā€™t drive much, Iā€™m not comfortable at higher speeds at all. I pretty much stick with the speed limit, and I drive mostly in town (or back and forth from town to my house). So I took the top choice. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822/83 "2009-12-08T00:38:20Z")
I drive back and forth between Reno and Las Vegas pretty frequently. Know whatā€™s between Reno and Vegas? 400 miles of nothing. On one recent trip, I drew a car from the fleet that had a governor at 95 mph. That was a frustrating drive. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822/84 "2009-12-08T03:20:39Z")
I went over 145 in my XKE in about 1964. I was in a restaurant eating breakfast when a cop pulled in. he had been following me and lost me. I denied it and was eating breakfast. He did not believe me but could not write me up. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822/85 "2009-12-08T03:36:57Z")
The ~1994 Honda Accord only showed 110 mph on the speedo, but we pegged that blasting through Arizona in the middle of the night. Iā€™m convinced we did 115 plus. That we got away with. Years later, we got warrent-fished (ā€œHey, you boys got any warrents or other incriminatinā€™ thangz?ā€) in both New Mexico and Texas. The Texas ā€œreasonā€ for pulling me over was 5mph over the stated speed, and ā€œnot driving in the right lane when not passingā€ on a four lane highway (two lanes each direction.) Iā€™d almost never heard of this in California, but apparently in Texas, where they donā€™t have many real highways/freeways, they take this pretty seriously. But after explaining to the cop how we were both teachers, and one (the other one) was a special needs teacher (all true; thatā€™s how I had on my Honest Face), he let us go. ---
**Author:** ![Eeyore\_sgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@Eeyore\_sgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eeyore_sgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822/86 "2009-12-08T03:41:17Z")
About 130 mph, in the middle of Nevada, no one else around. I had just gotten my new Dodge Charger with a Hemiā€¦needed to try it out! It was a blast! ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822/87 "2009-12-08T04:13:36Z")
> [@Olentzero](#): > > Barely topped 120 for a few seconds in a Chevette heading down the Mass Turnpike towards Springfield. I thought all the Chevettes had 85 MPH speedometers. I also thought top speed in a Chevette was about 65. Personally, '97 Dodge Avenger, I-310 just outside of Kenner, LA between I-10 and the Hale Boggs Bridge. Somewhere between 125 and 135 but by that time I was really getting nervous and took my foot off the gas before I looked down at the speedometer which was moving down past 120. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822/88 "2009-12-08T04:44:40Z")
95, but I havenā€™t really had a good car or opportunity until recently. But the next time I drive south and the weatherā€™s good, Iā€™ll go through [here](http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=43.060861,-121.932793&spn=0.161291,0.445976&z=12)- the longest stretch of straight road in Oregon. Something like 15 miles, dead straight, no turn-offs at all. No where for a cop to hide, no driveways for unexpected cars to come from. Iā€™ll find out what a '94 Acura Integra can do and report back. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822/89 "2009-12-08T05:42:17Z")
Iā€™ve taken all of my cars up over 100mph/160kph - though usually only once. So, thatā€™s been a 1984 Chevy Cavalier (which took a while), a 1988 Olds Firenza (ditto), a 1992 Saturn SL2 (not quite so long), and a 2008 Mazda 2. The first two felt a bit nervous about it; the last two tracked along nicely, though I knew I wouldnā€™t get much more speed out of them. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822/90 "2009-12-08T09:46:56Z")
> [@jasonh300](#): > > I thought all the Chevettes had 85 MPH speedometers. I also thought top speed in a Chevette was about 65. It is entirely possible that my memory is playing tricks on me, but I do remember for a fact doing well over 65 on the Mass Pike because that was the speed limit. Will you take 90? ---
**Author:** ![Cullain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cullain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cullain)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822/91 "2009-12-08T09:53:24Z")
My old car would shake uncontrollably around 70, so that definitely limited my speeding. When I got my Mazda I realized I could go 100 on the highway without even noticing it, since the car barely made a noise. Even when I had it up to 140 I thought it was safer then driving my Taurus at 65. Doubt a cop would feel the same way if I had been pulled over, though. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822/92 "2009-12-08T11:45:08Z")
117 on the New York State Thruway in 1971 in my fatherā€™s 1967 Ford Station wagon with four buddies, camping equipment and several cases of beer (which we were NOT drinking). Nowadays I rarely exceed 55. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822/93 "2009-12-08T14:18:38Z")
105 or so, briefly, in the early 70s in my uncleā€™s '71 Mustang Mach 1. 110 or so in my '81 Audi 4000 5 + 5, in few locations, most notably on the private road accessing the Department of Transportationā€™s railroad test facility near Pueblo, CO. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822/94 "2009-12-08T16:42:40Z")
95 in a 55 zone. Thatā€™s the speed I clocked the speeder I was chasing when I was a deputy sheriff. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822/95 "2009-12-08T18:22:13Z")
About 110 MPH in a 1986 Toyota pickup truck on Interstate 72 between Springfield, IL and Decatur, IL. I just wanted to see how fast I could go before I got nervous. I got nervous when the truck starting shaking. ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822/96 "2009-12-08T18:26:50Z")
Once when I was a teenager I was on my way to work early one morning on a wide open three-lane stretch of highway and opened up for the first and only time. I finally got scared and slowed down after hitting around 120 in my - believe it or not - Nissan Altima. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822/97 "2009-12-08T22:06:35Z")
My first Crown Victoria, a 2000, had an aftermarket engine and customized suspension, NOT the cop package. That thing was a true joy to open up, although 99.9 percent of the time I stayed within 10 of the speed limit. The speedometer stopped at 120, but I buried the needle on it several times late at night on I-17. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2009, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822/98 "2009-12-08T22:32:30Z")
Stock 98 vette, Nevada, automatic w/o the performance gears: drag limited at 162. Iā€™m slowing down through 150 when a guy in our caravan passed us doin 172. Looked like I was in reverse, towinā€™ a boat. The 98 has another 70 HP, now. No clue what itā€™ll do. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-fastest-youve-ever-driven-on-public-roads/519822.md?page=4)