Average highway speeds?

[Terzo]

Clarification: I'm using MPH, so for kilometers lets put the second poll choice at 20 (kph) over.

Just wondering about this after reading about the thread with ticket and insurance jump for 12 over.
Where you live, do people obey the speed limit? Or is it a limit in name only?

Where I live no one stays under the speed limit. I have a friend who used to obey it, but he gave that up after a few years. Honestly, I imagine anyone driving the speed limit would only piss off other drivers for going too slow. Bad enough when it happens in the right lanes, but even worse to be stuck behind someone like that in the passing lane.

 

[mizzou]

normal 5mph
risky 10 mph
dangerous XX over

going speed limit = you are drunk or doing somethign else illegal

 

[BassBomb]

In Canada on our main highways

100-120 is pretty normal
the fast drivers clock in at 120-140

Dont see that many around 150 anymore since the "racing" law

 

[MotF Bane]

The speed limits are ignored, and people drive how they want. For the elderly, the cellphone users, many of the women, that tends to mean somewhere around the speed limit or below. Most others are faster than the limit, and a good day on the highway cruises at +15 when there are no retards in the fourth lane.

 

[Terzo]

In Canada on our main highways

100-120 is pretty normal
the fast drivers clock in at 120-140

Dont see that many around 150 anymore since the "racing" law

What's the speed limit generally?

I find 15 (mph) over is pretty common where I am. When the speed limit is 55, people will go around 70. When it's 65, I'll see 70-80+, varying with traffic and lane.

 

[RocksteadyDotNet]

In Canada on our main highways

100-120 is pretty normal
the fast drivers clock in at 120-140

Dont see that many around 150 anymore since the "racing" law

Same here. Under our hoon laws if you get busted doing more than 40 over they take your car for a week.

 

[Wyndru]

From what I have noticed, most people on highways in NY (upstate), people usually do 15 over in the 55 areas (70), 10 over in the 65 (75) areas.

City driving, people usually do 5-10 over.

My last 3 tickets were:
82 in a 65 (17 over)
73 in a 55 (18 over)
41 in a 30 (11 over)

 

[Chaotic42]

I'd break it down about like this. The speed limit on my drive to work on Interstate 10 is 70:

County residents: 85-90
Regional residents: 80-85
Rednecks: 65-70
Old people and Northerners: 60-65
Mexicans/Floridians: 50
Mexicans pulling one or more vehicles: 40

 

[BassBomb]

What's the speed limit generally?

I find 15 (mph) over is pretty common where I am. When the speed limit is 55, people will go around 70. When it's 65, I'll see 70-80+, varying with traffic and lane.

Sorry 100km/h (62mph) is our speed limit

 

[MJinZ]

85mph is average speed here on left lane
Speed limit is around 55-65mph - and that's only seen on the right lane

 

[Wyndru]

85mph is average speed here on left lane
Speed limit is around 55-65mph - and that's only seen on the right lane

Woah, 85 being the AVERAGE in a 65? Damn, people must be flying all day there.

 

[Terzo]

I'd break it down about like this. The speed limit on my drive to work on Interstate 10 is 70:

County residents: 85-90
Regional residents: 80-85
Rednecks: 65-70
Old people and Northerners: 60-65
Mexicans/Floridians: 50
Mexicans pulling one or more vehicles: 40

I've found that my highest comfortable speed is 80. I don't mind going a bit higher to pass or what not, but I would feel uneasy cruising at 90. I'll generally get out of the way (if possible) if I see someone hauling ass behind me.

Sorry 100km/h (62mph) is our speed limit

I'm guessing that's a national limit? Or can the provinces set their own limits?

Woah, 85 being the AVERAGE in a 65? Damn, people must be flying all day there.

Average in left lane.

 

[InflatableBuddha]

There are few highways within city limits where I live; most are set at 90 km/h (55mph). Most people seem to drive 90-100 km/h; I usually drive 110 km/h.

The Trans-Canada highway, where it passes through Burnaby, Coquitlam, Surrey, Langley, etc., is posted at 100 km/h. Most people drive 100-110; I usually do 110-120km/h. I have been passed by the odd nutter going 140+.

 

[Wyndru]

Average in left lane.

That is still pretty fast, I always get annoyed trying to do 15 over in NY, people are always in the left doing the standard cop safety 11 over.

 

[InflatableBuddha]

I'm guessing that's a national limit? Or can the provinces set their own limits?

There are no national limits; it varies by highway.

Our main national highway (Trans-Canada Highway) is 90-110 km/h (55-70 mph), depending on the section.

 

[Chaotic42]

I've found that my highest comfortable speed is 80. I don't mind going a bit higher to pass or what not, but I would feel uneasy cruising at 90. I'll generally get out of the way (if possible) if I see someone hauling ass behind me.

Well, the large majority of my drive is through the completely empty NASA buffer zone, so it's mostly just straight driving with a few large, sweeping turns. It *should* be a model for mathematically perfect traffic flow. It is not.

 

[Nik]

intrastates here are 55
interstates are 65

cops will NAIL you for 11 over, most people cruise at speed or +5

 

[sdifox]

What's the speed limit generally?

I find 15 (mph) over is pretty common where I am. When the speed limit is 55, people will go around 70. When it's 65, I'll see 70-80+, varying with traffic and lane.

90km/h with the rare 100km/h segments

usually 120-130 for me.

 

[OCNewbie]

How do they determine a safe speed for a given stretch of highway/interstate anyway? I live in the Orlando, FL area. Our major Interstate through town is I-4. There are MANY parts of I-4 with a speed limit of 50 MPH, on an interstate. This is even on long stretches of 3-4 lanes (in the same direction) with on-ramps spaced at reasonable intervals. I have no clue how they determined that the average vehicle on the road today is unsafe at speeds greater than 50 MPH.

They also have these new LED or some sort of lighted speed limit signs. They will change depending on traffic conditions, or time of day, not sure which determines it. But I have seen as low as 30 MPH on these signs, on THE major Orlando interstate. I don't buy that 10 MPH over is automatically dangerous. There are so many interstate/road laws that seem so antiquated or pointless to me.

 

[Wyndru]

They also have these new LED or some sort of lighted speed limit signs. They will change depending on traffic conditions, or time of day, not sure which determines it. But I have seen as low as 30 MPH on these signs, on THE major Orlando interstate. I don't buy that 10 MPH over is automatically dangerous. There are so many interstate/road laws that seem so antiquated or pointless to me.

Hmm, convenient cash grab? They just lower the speed limit and start pulling people over lol.

Reminds me of the traffic cameras and the yellow light timing people keep talking about.

 

[JulesMaximus]

It depends...if traffic is relatively light, as in only tens of thousands of cars on the road vs hundreds of thousands during rush hour and on the weekends, then people generally travel along at around 80mph. If traffic is really heavy then speeds vary anywhere between zero and 35mph typically.

All the major freeways here are 5-6 lanes each direction and the only time you can really expect light traffic is probably between 10PM and 5AM.

 

[JulesMaximus]

From what I have noticed, most people on highways in NY (upstate), people usually do 15 over in the 55 areas (70), 10 over in the 65 (75) areas.

City driving, people usually do 5-10 over.

My last 3 tickets were:
82 in a 65 (17 over)
73 in a 55 (18 over)
41 in a 30 (11 over)

Congrats...have they taken your license away yet?

 

[Kreon]

If the speed limit is 55
And you're going 75
And you get passed by a cop cruising along at about 85
You know you're in New Hampshire.

So it might not be exactly like that. But the interstate (not to be confused with highways) speeds are usually much higher than the posted limit. On highways, the speed limit is pretty much enforced.
EDIT: For the record, I usually cruise at the speed limit (65), and am almost always the one being passed.

 

[Jumpem]

I usually stay within 1-2 mph of the speed limit.

 

[Wyndru]

Congrats...have they taken your license away yet?

3 tickets over the period of 15 years, I would hope not D:

They never even registered on my insurance.