Do you drive fast?

[Henro]

Probably 20 years ago now, but seeing an article in a local newspaper on line, reminded my of a trip the wife and I took to Europe for several weeks, where we rented a car in Germany. It was a small station wagon. Nothing special, but it would cruse at 110 MPH as long as I wanted. Granted the speedometer was in KM, but I knew how to convert to MPH. Above 110 MPH ( about 180 KPH) there was a slight shutter in the front end, and that was how I arrived at the max 110 MPH speed.

Anyway, I see a local guy was arrested after a police chase, but the article headline gives the impression that it was because he was clocked at 110 MPH during the chase. I am not sure but suspect he was arrested for not stopping and trying to run.

Wondering if one would normally get arrested, rather than a normal ticket, for going 110 mph on a highway here? Of course, it would be absolutely crazy to drive that fast, since no one in this country expects it, and too many people block the fast lane, unlike on the autobahn in Germany, where legend has it if you are rear ended in the fast lane it is YOUR fault for being there.

I have noticed locally on the interstate that people here are now comfortable driving 75 to 80 MPH , in a 55 MPH zone. Guess we must be cutting costs on enforcement. I am not complaining, as 55 is really too slow on today's interstates for the most part. BUT I do fear driving at the speed limit, as I keep thinking I will get rear ended. So I drive at about average speed compared to other cars.

Anyway, do you, or others, drive fast where you are? I understand there are some rural states that actually do not have speed limits on some roads. Probably makes good sense in those cases...Not sure what goes on in other countries.

I do remember that in England several years ago, they had an interesting speed measuring system. Must have used AI. They took pictures of car license plates at one point on the expressway, and did the same thing a mile or two down the road, and calculated your average speed over the distance...with speeding tickets to follow the car registration if the speed limit was exceeded.

 

[aaluck]

With the new vehicles today its really hard to sense speed, for me at least. They are so smooth and quiet Ill be going and realize I'm going 80-85.

Just my observation

 

[PaulR]

With the new vehicles today its really hard to sense speed, for me at least. They are so smooth and quiet Ill be going and realize I'm going 80-85.

Just my observation

Yea my truck hum's right along at 80-85. I'll only do that on the longest loneliest stretches though. I normally cruise at 73-75 in a 65.

I'm 50 years old now, my best score ever was 84 in a 40 when I was 18 years old.
I used to get tons of tickets when I was younger.
Now I haven't got one in at about 20 years.

 

[RCW]

I drive like an old fart now. Have for years.

Never gotten a speeding ticket.

There was a time, 120 mph on 4 wheels, 140+ on two……90+ was a regular thing.

Guess I quit while I was ahead, and before something really bad happened.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

drive like an idiot in Ontario and you'll lose your ride and license for a week. Most don't care about that...THEN, when their car insurance is due, LOOK OUT !!!
I drive 5km less than posted on local highway, anyone not happy, too bad, go ahead pass me, odds are real good radar cops 1km before the light....hehehe

 

[Daren Todd]

I'll find myself cruising down the interstate between 80 and 85 Trucks so smooth, I don't feel the speed.

In my work truck, I set the cruise control at 3mph over the speed limit.

The only exception is if I'm in Texas. One of the toll roads has a speed limit of 85mph. Cruise control in that truck will only allow up to 83mph.

 

[Old_Paint]

I do remember that in England several years ago, they had an interesting speed measuring system. Must have used AI. They took pictures of car license plates at one point on the expressway, and did the same thing a mile or two down the road, and calculated your average speed over the distance...with speeding tickets to follow the car registration if the speed limit was exceeded.

The same is done right here in the US. No magic or virtual science to it. On the Florida Turnpike, your entry ticket is time-stamped. When you give that ticket to the exit booth for the toll, they calculate the distance traveled, time, and bingo, average MPH. They issue the ticket on the spot if you get to your exit too soon. No need for troopers patrolling other than for general safety. No need for expensive radar equipment. The clock don't lie. It's a good idea to make sure you have an accurate speedometer, or at least know how much it's off. It's hard not to get caught speeding when you get on at Wildwood, and get back off at Fort Lauderdale/Miami. That's nearly 360 miles, non-stop. It's hard to stay below 70 MPH average unless you bring a lunch and just pull over somewhere to eat it. But, if you pull over, it won't be long and a trooper will be checking on you. Guess what the first thing is that he asks for. Yup, your entry ticket. They seem to assume that if you get on the Pike, you're at least smart enough to have minimally a fake DL. He'll write you up on the spot, send you down the road, and then, if you still average more than 70 MPH, you get a second ticket at the toll booth. Ouch. They don't dally when writing the tickets, either. It's electronic using current GPS location, time stamp from the toll ticket, and distance traveled. No getting out of it.

IIRC, the same is done on the New York Thruway. Never got a ticket up there, but I've always avoided toll roads unless it was stupid to go a different way. Never got one up there or on the FlaPike. Usually used either I95 or US 27 on my trips from Birmingham to Ft. Lauderdale. A big open road that I can't do 80 on gives me no advantage on one I can do 80 on, at least part of the time.

 

[Daren Todd]

The same is done right here in the US. No magic or virtual science to it. On the Florida Turnpike, your entry ticket is time-stamped. When you give that ticket to the exit booth for the toll, they calculate the distance traveled, time, and bingo, average MPH. They issue the ticket on the spot if you get to your exit too soon. No need for troopers patrolling other than for general safety. No need for expensive radar equipment. The clock don't lie. It's a good idea to make sure you have an accurate speedometer, or at least know how much it's off. It's hard not to get caught speeding when you get on at Wildwood, and get back off at Fort Lauderdale/Miami. That's nearly 360 miles, non-stop. It's hard to stay below 70 MPH average unless you bring a lunch and just pull over somewhere to eat it. But, if you pull over, it won't be long and a trooper will be checking on you. Guess what the first thing is that he asks for. Yup, your entry ticket. They seem to assume that if you get on the Pike, you're at least smart enough to have minimally a fake DL. He'll write you up on the spot, send you down the road, and then, if you still average more than 70 MPH, you get a second ticket at the toll booth. Ouch. They don't dally when writing the tickets, either. It's electronic using current GPS location, time stamp from the toll ticket, and distance traveled. No getting out of it.

IIRC, the same is done on the New York Thruway. Never got a ticket up there, but I've always avoided toll roads unless it was stupid to go a different way. Never got one up there or on the FlaPike. Usually used either I95 or US 27 on my trips from Birmingham to Ft. Lauderdale. A big open road that I can't do 80 on gives me no advantage on one I can do 80 on, at least part of the time.

They must have changed it. My average speed 2 years ago on the turnpike was around 85mph Granted we did make a couple bathroom stops, and one for fuel and to stretch the legs.

 

[motionclone]

75-85 on the highway here in Maine. When I go to Boston I go 90-100 on the 495 loop and cut people off , tailgate, stay in the passing lane etc.. Its a matter of survival there.

 

[58Ford]

I had a habit of hitting triple digits on any decent on ramps with a couple cars I owned. Challenger Scatpack and a Range Rover sport with the supercharged 5.0. Neither were quiet at that speed! Just drive a Ram now and do a lot of moseying!

 

[RCW]

Yeah, you guys are driving major highways now.

Back in my days, I was driving 2-lane roads in the boonies. Nobody’s around to catch you going real fast…..

 

[Botamon]

Wondering if one would normally get arrested, rather than a normal ticket, for going 110 mph on a highway here? Of course, it would be absolutely crazy to drive that fast, since no one in this country expects it, and too many people block the fast lane, unlike on the autobahn in Germany, where legend has it if you are rear ended in the fast lane it is YOUR fault for being there.

Here in Nevada, speed limit on state roads is 70 mph. Most places on the Interstate it is 80 mph (in Utah also). Traffic is usually moving a bit faster than the speed limit. Periodically I see articles in the newspaper with quotes from the Highway Patrol asking people to slow down - then they tell of all the people they have ticketed at over 100 mph and how hefty the fines are for going 20+ over the speed limit. From that, I assume they merely ticket and don't arrest.

But meeting a Highway Patrol rig on a Nevada secondary road is pretty rare. Indeed, it is possible to drive for many miles before seeing another car. So people drive whatever speed they want.

When I first moved to Nevada back in the 60s the speed limit was "reasonable and proper" so as long as you weren't doing something crazy you could drive as fast as you wanted. That all ended when the National 55 mph speed limit came into being in the 70s - and after that was rescinded the speed limits remained though they were relaxed. Being much younger then, I bought the best radar detector on the market and continued to drive whatever speed I wanted. No tickets.

But that was in the days of Mustang GTs and BMW motorcycles. These days I'm perfectly satisfied to cruise around the speed limit in my old pickup trucks!

 

[lugbolt]

Ya know why states increased the interstate speed limits?

The faster ya go the more fuel you use. The more fuel you use the more taxes you pay. The more tax you pay, the more the government gets.

I don't speed. Well not on public roads. I'm usually 5 under, yeah "that guy". Get over it, go around. You want to race meet me at the drag strip. If you think you want to and don't show up, you're a wuss. If you do show up, be prepared.

Every single day, I have a commute of about 20 minutes, 12 of it on highway (55) and the rest freeway. On the freeway, I can go as fast as I want and will still get passed as if I were in reverse. Never fails. 5 fatal wrecks on that 10 mile freeway stretch. 7 days a week I drive that stretch. In one year, I have never once seen a police officer unless there was a wreck.

 

[NHSleddog]

There are just way to many defensive drivers out there. I switched to the offense years ago.

When the question is "who wants to go fast"? My hand is always up. Still after all these years I just want to go fast. Car/Truck, Motorcycle, ATV, Snowmobile, Lawnmower, Skis, worn out sneekers, it just doesn't matter, I'll race on anything.

 

[Old_Paint]

They must have changed it. My average speed 2 years ago on the turnpike was around 85mph Granted we did make a couple bathroom stops, and one for fuel and to stretch the legs.

Maybe. I haven't been down that way since the mid 90's. I got fair warning the first time I was going to drive it from someone that lives down there. Pretty sure the speed limit was 65 on the pike at that time. But I've slept twice since then, so maybe I've got the wrong Turnpike.

 

[lynnmor]

Ya know why states increased the interstate speed limits?

The faster ya go the more fuel you use. The more fuel you use the more taxes you pay. The more tax you pay, the more the government gets.

I don't speed. Well not on public roads. I'm usually 5 under, yeah "that guy". Get over it, go around.

In addition to that, the ethanol scam adds to the take by reducing MPG.

I have driven in 48 states driving at or about the speed limit. When towing, I am under 65 regardless. My license, my fuel, my safety and my vehicle, get over it.

 

[Magicman]

Botamon, I have driven that stretch of highway actually both ways, but I was in a motorhome and not speeding.

 

[ctfjr]

I have to admit I have been known to push the speedometer some, especially in my youth. We all grow up - those of us that make it anyway. Since that point I leave that urge to the track.

The fastest I driven a car was 145mph. That was at Pocono Raceway during a NASA (National Auto Sport Association) driving event. They cut the track in half and bring you into the infield for a 'road course' type of experience. That high banked oval is just way too inviting to really get into it. Frankly the infield twists and turns at 50-60mph were a lot more fun. I've driven at VIR and Summit Point road courses also.

If you ever get the opportunity take one of NASA's HPDE (high performance driving event). You can bring any (safe) car, even your family sedan. You go out with an instructor who definitely won't let you kill yourself. If you never driven on a road course its a phenomenal experience. It's the most fun you can have with your pants on.

 

[Daren Todd]

Maybe. I haven't been down that way since the mid 90's. I got fair warning the first time I was going to drive it from someone that lives down there. Pretty sure the speed limit was 65 on the pike at that time. But I've slept twice since then, so maybe I've got the wrong Turnpike.

Once you get close to west palm headed south, if your driving less the 80mph you'll get run over.

 

[RCW]

Henro - - - not looking to highjack your thread..........

Maybe add the question "how fast have you driven on a public road.....maybe qualify 2-lane ground level/controlled access/divided highway?!?!?"

145mph - - 2 lane ground level road. Motorcycle - - '85 Yamaha Fazer.

120+mph (I think I pegged it..(?)) - - 2 lane ground level road. 1967 Chevy Caprice...4-door, no less...

70 mph - - 1 lane seasonal road. Going to/from school. Not in my Jeep. A KX125 Kawasaki dirt bike. 6th gear wide open….That piece of road went through our farm on my way to school…..that was on our property.

Did I say we lived in the boonies?!?!!

Notice the wool sock windshield wiper on right side....fell off in the dark. Had a boot sock in the Jeep. Got me by a few days.....