Driving speed. (1 Viewer)

Otis

Well-Known Member
Just gauging how people drive.

So, what speed to you drive at in the following speed limits

20 mph zone ?

30 mph?

40 mph?

50 mph?

60 mph?

70 mph?

Might sound odd, but I drive differently and adhere to the speeds differently based on the zone.

In a 20 mph zone I will only drive at 20. I just assume it is for a very genuine safety reason (school, elderly residents, hospital, retail park car park etc.)

I wouldn't speed in that circumstance at all.

In a 30 zone I will drive up to about 35 dependant on the road. Usually between 30-33.

Find that hardly anyone drives at exactly 30 anyway.

In a 40 zone I will not exceed 40. Why I treat it differently to 40 I am not quite sure, but maybe think it may be because I am more likely to get done for speeding.

I am exactly the same at 50 and 60 limits and stick to them pretty rigidly, but on a motorway I will go up to about 76. Find on the motorway it is impossible to just stick to 70 with having to overtake and change lanes etc.

I am the norm? Too cautious?

Do find so many people breaking the speed limits these days, especially in 40 or 50 zones, where people will happily go 70.

Just wonder if people go 10% over anyway with the supposed 'allowance' (not always adhered to by police).
 

Nick

Administrator
It's hard to say without knowing road, conditions and time. Ie a 30 by a school at 3.40 :)

Do like a blast on certain roads every so often. That's when safe.

Ie from the toll booth on toll road!
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
It's hard to say without knowing road, conditions and time. Ie a 30 by a school at 3.40 :)

Do like a blast on certain roads every so often. That's when safe.

Ie from the toll booth on toll road!
Yeah, just just meant generally.

I sometimes drive at 4.30 am, but will never go past 33 in a 30 zone then.

Normal time of day I will do up to 35. Won't go past that.

Do you have your sat nav set to warn you when you exceed limits? I do. Little alarm bell goes off when I go over the limit.
 

ccfc92

Well-Known Member
Outside schooles and 20 zones, normally stick to 20.

30-35 depending on the road.

Normally sit on the 10% leeway. Motorway, normally 80 on motorway, so only have to drop 1 to be at 79 ;)

*Disclaimer: To quote Ed Sheeran, I'm talking in KM/H ;) :angelic:*
 

clint van damme

Well-Known Member
Got told a story a few years ago, mate of a mate hit a young lad who ran out in front of him. Kid was taken to hospital a bit battered and bruised but was OK.
Police turned up breathalysed te lad driving, did what they have to do to establish what speed he was going at, measuring skid marks (insert own joke) etc.
They established he was going at 27mph so everything was OK and he was exonerated. But the copper told him if he had been going 29mph, still with in the speed limit), the kid would have been a lot more seriously hurt and potentially a fatality.

Now I don't know that this story is 100% true but it's stuck with me that a couple of miles an hour could make that much difference and now try to keep within the speed limits.
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
Got told a story a few years ago, mate of a mate hit a young lad who ran out in front of him. Kid was taken to hospital a bit battered and bruised but was OK.
Police turned up breathalysed te lad driving, did what they have to do to establish what speed he was going at, measuring ski marks (insert own joke) etc.
They established he was going at 27mph so everything was OK and he was exonerated. But the copper told him if he had been going 29mph, still with in the speed limit), the kid would have been a lot more seriously hurt and potentially a fatality.

Now I don't know that this story is 100% true but it's stuck with me that a couple of miles an hour could make that much difference and now try to keep within the speed limits.
Tis true. The likelihood of injury and death increases substantially with just a 5 a mile per hour increment.
 

ccfc92

Well-Known Member
Got told a story a few years ago, mate of a mate hit a young lad who ran out in front of him. Kid was taken to hospital a bit battered and bruised but was OK.
Police turned up breathalysed te lad driving, did what they have to do to establish what speed he was going at, measuring skid marks (insert own joke) etc.
They established he was going at 27mph so everything was OK and he was exonerated. But the copper told him if he had been going 29mph, still with in the speed limit), the kid would have been a lot more seriously hurt and potentially a fatality.

Now I don't know that this story is 100% true but it's stuck with me that a couple of miles an hour could make that much difference and now try to keep within the speed limits.

But then you could argue 2mph faster, the lad may have ran into the side of the car etc or had his foot run over etc. All ifs and buts.

(I'm not saying the impact wouldn't have been greater)
 

rob9872

Well-Known Member
Generally try to stick to limits but do occasionally drive like a complete tool on the motorways. Stupid I know but almost always leave late and play catch up on long journeys.
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
Whatever seems safe at the time. The speed limits were set arbitrarily in the 1920/30s and should be adjusted to take account of the capabilities of modern cars.

Very fair point.

I do think though that for them it is much easier to just leave nearly all residential roads at 30.
 

Gazolba

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure if they have school zones in the UK now, but where I live if you go 1mph over the limit in a school zone, it's a massive fine. I know, they got me once, I was doing 2mph over the 20mph limit, It was a fairly steep downhill and I was actually braking when they got me.
 

Gazolba

Well-Known Member
Whatever seems safe at the time. The speed limits were set arbitrarily in the 1920/30s and should be adjusted to take account of the capabilities of modern cars.
It's not just cars that are involved, it's also pedestrians. And the last time I checked, they still have the same number of legs and muscles they had back in the 20's.
 

Astute

Well-Known Member
It's not just cars that are involved, it's also pedestrians. And the last time I checked, they still have the same number of legs and muscles they had back in the 20's.
You have to remember false information to pass your driving test. Check what stopping distances are. If you can't stop in half of what they quote you need to get your brakes sorted.
 

skyblue1991

Well-Known Member
Depends on the width of the road, how busy the road is and if there are any speed cameras about!

On a motorway I drive at 80 moat of the time. I think it's a 20th century speed limit; not saying what I'm doing is right but order cars nowadays can do above 100 quite easily.

I would raise the motorway speed limit up to 80. It'll never happen though.

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk
 

wingy

Well-Known Member
Driving 5mph below the recommended isn't a bad maxim in residential streets.
Time of day, visibility, road width in less urban areas, I may exceed by 10-20 mph.
Motorway 90mph as 70 leaves you trapped in the Middle laners, 60 with the truckers and their overtakers, something to do with vibration at that speed I find sleep inducing,.
90 focuses the mind, reactions and consciousness IMO, something our continental cousins seem to recognise.
 

Nick

Administrator
Driving 5mph below the recommended isn't a bad maxim in residential streets.
Time of day, visibility, road width in less urban areas, I may exceed by 10-20 mph.
Motorway 90mph as 70 leaves you trapped in the Middle laners, 60 with the truckers and their overtakers, something to do with vibration at that speed I find sleep inducing,.
90 focuses the mind, reactions and consciousness IMO, something our continental cousins seem to recognise.
I remember after I did speed awareness i was doing it because they gave the speil about saving fuel.

I tried sticking to 70 on the motorway and it felt dangerous, I had lorries wanting to overtake me and it did make me tired.

Didn't make much difference with fuel than if I was doing 85 - 90 either.

I asked at the course about stopping distances and different cars and brakes / tyres and what it was based on but they just looked at me funny. The shame of doing 47 in a 40 on an empty dual carriage way.

Years ago I got done at 2am on the m6 by a camera, it was down to 50 but all 3 lanes open and no workmen. Caught me at 63 on an empty 3 laned motorway.
 

Ccfcsj

Well-Known Member
I'm a boring driver. Always stick to the speed limit by using the car's speed limiter or cruise control
 

Astute

Well-Known Member
It is all down to driving to the conditions.

I drive faster than most. But not all the time. I have had my licence for over 30 years. I have towed caravans. I have driven vans and larger vehicles like the grand voyager I now have. I have had all types of sports cars. I now drive a motorhome. And I have driven up to over 50,000 miles a year. In all this time I have never had any points on my licence or had an accident. I am on full concentration at all times when driving.

I have been on a speed awareness course. It was when they first came out. I was living in Lincolnshire. It was only £50 then....less than the fine. I also got stopped after doing 125 in a 60 :smuggrin:
 

Astute

Well-Known Member
The one type of driver that pisses me off is the one that does 45 in a 60 then continues at 45 in a 30
 

skybluesam66

Well-Known Member
driving materially below the speedlimit can be much more dangerous than driving above it by a small amount
1) the driver who does 25 in a 30 to be careful
2) the driver doing 50 in a 40 but hits a speed camera, and who has no idea of speedlimit, so hits breaks down to below 30
3) the driver in the middle or outside lane on a motorway doing 68-70 who refuses to move left, even though he is not overtaking

I could be racist/ sexist/ ageist and describe the above 3 in more detail, but will keep that to myself
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
driving materially below the speedlimit can be much more dangerous than driving above it by a small amount
1) the driver who does 25 in a 30 to be careful
2) the driver doing 50 in a 40 but hits a speed camera, and who has no idea of speedlimit, so hits breaks down to below 30
3) the driver in the middle or outside lane on a motorway doing 68-70 who refuses to move left, even though he is not overtaking

I could be racist/ sexist/ ageist and describe the above 3 in more detail, but will keep that to myself

Okay, I'm black, a woman and 92 years old.
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
Faster than I used to since I bought a nice car. New car is so smooth I often find myself going far faster than I meant to especially on motorways.

Generally whatever feels safe. 35 ish on 30s, 20 in 20s, but will creep up to 50 in a 40 and 60 in a 50. Motorways between 80 and 90.
 

skybluejelly

Well-Known Member
driving materially below the speedlimit can be much more dangerous than driving above it by a small amount
1) the driver who does 25 in a 30 to be careful
2) the driver doing 50 in a 40 but hits a speed camera, and who has no idea of speedlimit, so hits breaks down to below 30
3) the driver in the middle or outside lane on a motorway doing 68-70 who refuses to move left, even though he is not overtaking

I could be racist/ sexist/ ageist and describe the above 3 in more detail, but will keep that to myself
you also missed out any driver wearing a hat..
 

Astute

Well-Known Member
Faster than I used to since I bought a nice car. New car is so smooth I often find myself going far faster than I meant to especially on motorways.

Generally whatever feels safe. 35 ish on 30s, 20 in 20s, but will creep up to 50 in a 40 and 60 in a 50. Motorways between 80 and 90.
I know the feeling. The smallest engine I have ever had in a car was a tuned up 1.8ltr. Whenever I get into a small engine car it seems that you are going faster than you are.

New car time for me it looks like. Will have to get rid of my track car as well :shy: My left wrist isn't getting better. So it looks like automatics for me. And have had enough of driving a people carrier as my main car. But every cloud......

Need a big car. Know what I want but they are rare. It has a W12 6 ltr engine. If I can't get a decent one I will have to settle for a 5 ltr V10. The good thing is that the newer ones have only a V6 3ltr engine. So as I need an older one they will have lost close to 50k since new :smuggrin: So yes have to get used to looking at the speedo again.
 

skybluejelly

Well-Known Member
I know the feeling. The smallest engine I have ever had in a car was a tuned up 1.8ltr. Whenever I get into a small engine car it seems that you are going faster than you are.

New car time for me it looks like. Will have to get rid of my track car as well :shy: My left wrist isn't getting better. So it looks like automatics for me. And have had enough of driving a people carrier as my main car. But every cloud......

Need a big car. Know what I want but they are rare. It has a W12 6 ltr engine. If I can't get a decent one I will have to settle for a 5 ltr V10. The good thing is that the newer ones have only a V6 3ltr engine. So as I need an older one they will have lost close to 50k since new :smuggrin: So yes have to get used to looking at the speedo again.
so is that a phaeton or an a8
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
I know the feeling. The smallest engine I have ever had in a car was a tuned up 1.8ltr. Whenever I get into a small engine car it seems that you are going faster than you are.

New car time for me it looks like. Will have to get rid of my track car as well :shy: My left wrist isn't getting better. So it looks like automatics for me. And have had enough of driving a people carrier as my main car. But every cloud......

Need a big car. Know what I want but they are rare. It has a W12 6 ltr engine. If I can't get a decent one I will have to settle for a 5 ltr V10. The good thing is that the newer ones have only a V6 3ltr engine. So as I need an older one they will have lost close to 50k since new :smuggrin: So yes have to get used to looking at the speedo again.

The wife drives one of these:

topaz-mist-nissan-figaro-side.jpg


Anything above 30 feels like light speed,
 

Astute

Well-Known Member
so is that a phaeton or an a8
Phaeton. I do like my Audis. Had many over the years. But they are common now. I like something a little bit different. And I'm not a badge snob.

There are only about 100 W12's in the UK. And most are up in the milage. But when someone pays nearly 60k for a VW they normally look after it :smuggrin:
 

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