How Many MPH Over the Speed Limit?

[Onomea]

Coming across Wyoming into Colorado today, with a speed limit of 80, and few cars/trucks, I felt comfortable setting the cruise control at 85, for the most part. I hit 90 a coupla times passing. But I noticed when I got closer to Denver, and the highway grew congested, I preferred to run below the 75 limit, and in the middle or right hand lanes. I think congestion and an unfamiliar highway/area lead me to run below the speed limit.

 

[jaguargolf]

I try to obey the law in all aspects of my life.

I pitchpoled a ‘72 Chevy Nova doing 110 going to see my girlfriend when my ship got in after midnight one rainy snowy New England night.

Looking back, she wasn’t worth it

 

[LVSteve]

From observations, most likely 80 some % of driver today could not pass the driving test in Germany. Not saying they are better, but vehicles there are for DRIVING not drinking, eating, smoking, using some electronic device or shooting the breeze with passengers, not pay attention to the road and traffic. Best way to observe this is simply watch most entering the interstate from an onramp, nuf sed.

I'll go further. I'd hazard that nearly 80% of the vehicles owned by the members here wouldn't pass the annual German roadworthiness check, either. I was reminded that I live in a a "smog check only" state just today by the late model Chevy sedan in front of me with no functioning brake lights.

 

[dasnake]

I gotta ask......?

I was wondering how you feel about three lane or four lane roads, if I'm loaded, truck, camper and toad (flat wheel jeep) I'm usually going faster than the right lane (slow), and a lot of times I'm faster than the left lane (fast), but because I dont want to move back and forth i keep it between the two in the middle or the two middle lanes and lock on cruise to keep from changing lanes, now I've got the power 500 hp one ton dually, so if I need a quick change I can but to keep going without lane change I moderate my speed to the varies of the traffic, where do you guys feel is a place for yourselves.

 

[Donn]

Here in Michigan, the locals and MSP will usually, (not always), let you slide up to 5mph over the posted limit. Holidays, like the upcoming July 4th weekend, are the exception. They will crack you for 1mph over.

 

[stu1ritter]

I'll go further. I'd hazard that nearly 80% of the vehicles owned by the members here wouldn't pass the annual German roadworthiness check, either. I was reminded that I live in a a "smog check only" state just today by the late model Chevy sedan in front of me with no functioning brake lights.

Just having P-Metric tires on your car will flunk TÜV in Germany. The speed rating for all P-Metric tires is not valid in Germany. Most cars here have P-Metric tires mounted. Say the tire size is 215/55/16. If it reads P215/55/16 that's P-Metric and will not pass.

Stu

 

[AJ]

Just having P-Metric tires on your car will flunk TUV in Germany. The speed rating for all P-Metric tires is not valid in Germany. Most cars here have P-Metric tires mounted. Say the tire size is 215/55/16. If it reads P215/55/16 that's P-Metric and will not pass.

Stu

Since I do not plan on driving in Germany with my Volkswagen any time soon I guess it really does not matter.

 

[pmanton]

When I was young--catch me it you can. I used to be a Porsche nut.

Today I just try to fit in, Find a place and stay with traffic.

 

[S&WIowegan]

The older i get..

the less of a speed freak I am. I am a regular competitor in speed target shooting and it is abundantly clear that my hand/eye coordination is slower. In recognition of this fact, my driving habits are a bit more careful. In city or town I scrupulously observe speed limits(most don't). I have learned people who pass me in town are usually waiting for me at the next stoplight(NYC cab drivers are the worst about this)!

On open highways, freeways, interstates, etc. I like to set my cruise control at 5mph over.

My cardinal rule is ALWAYS pay attention to my driving and nothing else. My truck was totaled 3 mos. ago by a 17 year old girl who T-boned me on an open highway. We were uninjured, she has an insurance problem.

 

[rockquarry]

the less of a speed freak I am. I am a regular competitor in speed target shooting and it is abundantly clear that my hand/eye coordination is slower. In recognition of this fact, my driving habits are a bit more careful. In city or town I scrupulously observe speed limits(most don't). I have learned people who pass me in town are usually waiting for me at the next stoplight(NYC cab drivers are the worst about this)!

On open highways, freeways, interstates, etc. I like to set my cruise control at 5mph over.

My cardinal rule is ALWAYS pay attention to my driving and nothing else. My truck was totaled 3 mos. ago by a 17 year old girl who T-boned me on an open highway. We were uninjured, she has an insurance problem.

You're very right about those that pass you in town are usually waiting for you at the next stoplight. You're a step ahead by easily figuring this out, but they never will...

 

[Greyman50]

Yesterday left buddies shop in JAX, went a back way to get to Rt. 17. Got behind a pickup and some small car between truck and me. Right away noticed pickup “ drifting” to the right, on phone or??? Anyway he made it about 1 more block until he “ drifted” into a storm drain opening shredding right rear tire. Kept going on the rim and finally pulled in some apartment, tire in shreds and probably bent rim. Typical.
As for vehicle inspections, all Va. residents respond, LOL.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

When on a trip I set the cruise control at 68. That's where my Ranger gets the best mileage. Never been bothered but passed a lot.

 

[zeke]

In truck drive 5 mph under speed limit. This make it easy to spot when the Feds, State, County, wardens, City or Village officers are following me. And the tin hat reflects radar.

On motorcycle drive fast enough to be overtaking/staying even with traffic, as a matter of safety.

 

[Nevada Ed]

8 over. 9 over and you're asking for a ticket.

Wait a minute......................

Where do you find the big "Fuzz" out of the big cities writing tickets?

Those "cow towns" south of Salt Lake are generally "Open range" and you can go as fast as you can in order to stop quick enough
to prevent elk or deer damage to your car !!

You got to be really messing up big time to get a ticket in Utah.

Slow down and get a ice cream cone from any town !!

 

[BC38]

Depends on the road.
On the highways, 10% over the posted limit (60 in a 55, 66 in a 60, 77 in a 70)
Neighborhood streets I pretty much try to stay at the 25 mph limit
Arterials in the 30-50 mph ranges I'll keep it to a max of 5 mph over

 

[Chukar60]

Speed limit here on the interstate is 80.
I drive 80. What in the world do you have going that you need to drive faster than that for?
In a hurry? Leave earlier
A lot of folks just have to push the envelope. If getting away with driving 5 mph over the speed limit give you a thrill, you live a very boring life.

 

[BB57]

Speed limit here on the interstate is 80.
I drive 80. What in the world do you have going that you need to drive faster than that for?
In a hurry? Leave earlier
A lot of folks just have to push the envelope. If getting away with driving 5 mph over the speed limit give you a thrill, you live a very boring life.

I agree with you at 80 mph. However I also recall when the speedlimit on interstates designed for 75 mph and to 55 mph after the 1973 oil crisis. Living in SD a 400 mile 5 hour and 30 minute trip was now a 7 hour and 20 minute trip.

Increasing the speed to 60 mph reduced that to 6 hours and 40 minutes. Increasing it to 64 mph reduced it to 6 hours and 15 minutes. That 40 to 65 minute time saving was often significant when you start considering things like getting up an on ungodly hour to keep a schedule, or an encroaching weather front.

Or things like a call in the middle of the night informing you that if you want to see your dying father alive, you need to get here as soon as possible. Speeding to get 40 minutes with a dying relative you otherwise might not get. That’s a no brained decision. Yet people in that situation end up stuck behind someone in the passing lane doing 65 along side someone in the left lane doing 64.9.

You never know what someone else is going through, so try not to be a dick tying up the passing lane.

 

[NYlakesider]

I know a lot of people say higher speeds waste gas. Well that is not a 100% true, it depends on what you are driving. My last 4 Vettes were some of the best gas mileage cars I ever owned.

We did a bunch of driving visiting relatives and hitting large car shows for many years and I proved out that speeds up to 80 the mileage was just as good there than the lower speed limit. The aerodynamics of the car allowed that. Of course if your driving a box car your putting a lot of gas through your engine!

I cleaned out my desk and lost a bunch of paper I had, but remember getting close to 30MPH on a long trip with my 98 Vette and getting better than 25 with 3 more Vettes even one being a 427CI 505HP 07 Z06.

So its not always a higher speed uses more gas, its what you are driving and how your driving it.(not talking legal here)

 

[mmb617]

I used to have a job that required a lot of driving, often on the turnpike or interstates. On those roads I routinely set my cruise control to 5-8 mph over the posted limits in good weather. The exception was when I got in the morning rush hour traffic around Harrisburg. In that case you just go with the flow which is usually way over the limit, but you're a hazard going slower in that very heavy 80 mph traffic.

On smaller roads you have to know that some places are just notorious speed traps where you will be stopped for 36 in a 35. But most places 5 over is not going to get you stopped.

I drove about 45k miles a year for 12 years and never got one speeding ticket. One thing that gets people in trouble is just not paying attention. We have I99 looping around the small city where I live and for those couple miles the speed limit drops from 70 to 55. It's all the same road but if you aren't paying attention and blow through that reduced speed zone at 70+ you are highly at risk for a ticket as the state troopers set up radar right at the beginning of that zone.

 

[pantannojack]

I drive slow enough to cause the tailgattor behind me to pass. If he don't want to pass I come to complete stop where passing is legal. If he still don't pass, I begin to move slowly in reverse. I've had it with high pressure A H types.