BS: How fast do you drive ?

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 08 Jun 07 - 08:15 AM

I aim to keep five miles an our below whatever speed limit is in force, unless it's a narrow country road, when I'll probably go down to 40 or so.

What's the hurry?

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: InOBU
Date: 08 Jun 07 - 07:57 AM

This seems like a good moment for an advertisement. If you get a ticket in NY email me, my wife is a lawyer and does a good bit of traffic court. Stay safe, but when you get caught... call me wife!

=)
lor

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: kendall
Date: 08 Jun 07 - 07:44 AM

I've been driving for 57 years. Never caused a serious accident, and only one speeding ticket in that time. I usually set the cruise control on 5 mph over the speed limit, but that time, I was coming home from a dear friend's funeral, and not paying attention.

I also leave a safety zone because I know how much distance it takes to make a panic stop. However, the idiots who just hate to see a gap ahead must think the saying that "Nature hates a vacuum" applies to the road.

If I'm going the limit or 5 mph over, I'm not intimidated by some cowboy who tries to give me grief by riding my bumper. I start by giving him/her a squirt of my windshield washer fluid. That stuff really flies at 60 mph.

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: Mooh
Date: 08 Jun 07 - 06:38 AM

Most of my driving is in rural and small town Ontario. I rarely speed, mostly only to safely pass slow moving vehicles. Lots of reasons not to speed. Safety, gas consumption, cost, environment, stress, reaction time...If I'm gonna hit a deer, cow, black ice, turning vehicle, or person, I'd rather have a chance of missing or surviving. Speed kills.

I get passed a lot and I so often catch up to those passers at lights, or see them sitting at gas stations and Tim Hortons as I tour by. They can pass me again for all I care.

Chronic speeders are morons, and a risk to themselves and others.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: GUEST,Crystal
Date: 08 Jun 07 - 05:39 AM

I got my provisional licence and had lessons, but never took my test. I am just too nervous. My first lesson and some guy in a huge white van came screaming out of a side road, no signal and nearly hit us. If he had then my driving insturctors little car would have been totalled and both of us probably killed or seriously injured. That rather knocked my confidence. The annoying thing was that I was doing OK up until that point, going at the speed limit, getting the hang of checking my mirrors etc.
Serves me right for learning to drive in Essex I guess!
I have NO tolerence for people who speed, my friends father was killed by someone speeding. On a moterway on a clear, dry day when the rest of the traffic is doing 90ish then yes doing 80 rather than 70 is probably safer, but anything more is seriously stupid.
People forget that statistically cars are more dangerous than guns.

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: JennyO
Date: 08 Jun 07 - 05:26 AM

Oh yes - I forgot to mention. I know the location of all the red light cameras in Sydney - one of the street directories, the UBD, has them all marked.

I also know where most of the fixed speed cameras are in the places I go to regularly. They are marked with several signs on the road leading up to them. There was talk about changing that, so that people didn't know where they were, but that idea was knocked on the head - the idea being that at least people slow down on the road when they see them. It's quite funny to see what looks like a funeral procession going past those cameras, with the cars suddenly speeding up again as soon as they are past them. I don't think they help much, because many drivers, like me, know where they are, and only get slowed down for a while.

They probably manage to raise more revenue with the hand-held radar cameras because there is an element of surprise, but we often get a warning, because cars coming the other way who have seen the camera often flash their headlights to warn us. I think that is illegal, but I doubt whether they have actually charged anyone for doing that. As far as I can see, it's mostly a revenue raising exercise anyway, so I'm kinda cynical about it all.

I know I'm driving safely, but I can't do much about the idiots, and there's never a policeman around when you really need one. We get boy racer types around here who chuck wheelies around our roundabout and scream up and down the road in their hotted up cars every weekend, but try to get a policeman here in time to catch them? you must be joking! They'll take a report and then nothing happens. The yahoos are back again the next day or the next weekend, because they know nobody is going to catch them.

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 08 Jun 07 - 05:25 AM

Usualy under the speed limit + 10% + 2mph. Someone once gave me that formula and it seems to have worked up to now:-) Funny thing is now I have got a SatNav as well I can often get 2 readings - With the SatNav always showing lower than the speedo.

Here's an intersting thing. A couple of years back a TV documentary sampled about 100 cars and every one had speedometer errors. Funny thing was each one showd less than they were doing at the bottom end and more than they were doing at the top end. Ie if it showed 20 they were doing 25 - If it showed 80 they were doing 75!

I would seriously ask you all to remember a fact that they have shown on UK roadside posters for years.

If you hit a pedestrian at 30mph there is an 80% chance of survival. At 40mph there is a 90% chance killing a pedestrian

Be careful out there!

Cheers

Dave

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: The PA
Date: 08 Jun 07 - 05:04 AM

I try really hard to keep to the speed limits.

The limit through our village is 30 but this is usually completely ignored by drivers passing through. Nipping along as fast as you like on a open clear road maybe OK, but tearing along on a single track lane you have no idea who or what you're likely to meet round the next bend, children on ponies, stock being moved from one field to another - or my husband and the tractor.

If some of these drivers realised in car versus tractor there is only one winner (and no its not the car no matter how good a driver you think you are) !

However, at 3am on the M5 I can do Bromsgrove to Padstow in 3hrs 20mins, so I'm not preaching just asking drivers to have a little more consideration in the countryside.

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 08 Jun 07 - 03:02 AM

I am so good at keeping to the speed limits.......but only where I know there is a camera. Don't really have to rush anywhere these days so I rarely speed.......but have to admit that I enjoy speed and do occasionally let the leadfoot down.

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: JennyO
Date: 08 Jun 07 - 12:51 AM

I must confess to being a bit of a leadfoot. It doesn't help that I have a powerful car that glides along really easily - I have to keep my eye on the speedo and keep reining it in, cos it likes to just roll along. As well as that, I really enjoy driving.

However I am a very careful driver. I judge the safety of a situation and drive accordingly. I slow down drastically in bad weather, and wonder at the fools who are still ploughing ahead through the rain and wind. I keep up with the mob on a fast road. They are usually going 10 -15 kms faster than the speed limit, and it's true that it is safer to go at the same speed as the general flow. If a couple of slow road hogs are in the way, I'll go round them. If I see a way to get ahead I will take it, as long as it can be done safely. I also try to merge smoothly, not cut people off, not get in anybody's way, and generally be courteous on the road. Drivers who don't do this often cause road rage and accidents.

Although I tend to be one of the faster ones, there are certain situations where I will stick to the speed limit religiously. We have a 40 km speed limit near schools for a couple of hours in the morning and in the afternoon when the kids are coming out. I always stick to 40 in those.

I thought it was interesting that when I had an old white Holden with a pretty rough looking body and lots of stickers on the window, I seemed to be targeted by speed cops and cameras, and at one stage I accumulated almost too many points against my licence. Those points are gone now, because as soon as I got the nice respectable-looking burgundy coloured Fairmont nearly 3 years ago, they seemed to ignore me - without me changing my driving habits. In fact, if anything I drive a bit faster now because the Fairmont is such a pleasure to drive.

With all that, I've never had a serious accident, or caused one that I know of, and I don't expect to. I concentrate when I'm driving, don't try to multitask by chatting on the phone, eating hamburgers etc, and try to leave a reasonable space between my car and the one in front. Works for me!

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 08 Jun 07 - 12:16 AM

Speed limits here are in kilometres per hour.

Smaller country 2-lane road: 80 km/hr. I usually go just under 90.

Larger expressways: 90 km/hr. I usually average around 100.

Really big highways: 100 km/hr. I average around 110 to 120, depending on what the rest of the traffic is doing.

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: Rapparee
Date: 08 Jun 07 - 12:07 AM

The sound hasn't yet caught up with me, and it's two weeks behind.

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: Rog Peek
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 07:06 PM

I drive very slowly to work, and somewhat faster going home. Really can't understand those fools who fly past me in the mornings at 100 mph.

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: Ebbie
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 06:55 PM

I'm with you on the safety cushion, Little Hawk. I've heard people say they don't do that because "other drivers will just pass you and fill that gap"; they don't seem to understand that's why it's there.

I used to have a friend who was a trafffic cop and he explained why so often it is the last car in a line of speeding cars that gets nailed.

He said, Inside a line of speeding cars it is safer to pretty much stay with them. However, the *last* car in the line is not being pushed. That car has the option of going the speed limit.

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: Bill D
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 06:50 PM

(Carole...shhhhh!!!)

Well, I am not a slow, pokey driver who impedes traffic, but I seriously DESPISE drivers, especially big trucks, who think I am not going fast enough, even if I am 5-15 MPH over the posted speed, and decide to try to intimidate me to move over by zooming up on my bumper...even when there is too much traffic to do so safely....and I have had them do this in the rain, when it was hard to see WHAT to do!

I am sick & tired of people who think sane, reasonable speeds are for wimps and codgers.....and who cut in & out of traffic IN ORDER to maintain some speed, no matter what the conditions.

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 06:43 PM

1. With the flow of traffic
2. Not more than 9 mph over the posted limit (cop advice)
3. The occasional full-out on a straight expressway if I am in good shape
4. Adjusting for road, visibility, and brain function conditions
5. Cruise control when feasible
6. Love re-shaping line of travel on the curves to use centrifugal and centripetal force to zoon through them

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: artbrooks
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 06:42 PM

On the open highway, I set the cruise control at 5 miles an hour over the limit and let everyone else go around me.

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: Wolfgang
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 06:38 PM

140 is the speed I feel comfortable with.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 06:34 PM

I usually signal fairly well in advance of making my move, gnu. I want the people around me to know what I'm going to do before I do it...

I'm driving on Ontario highways. Yeah, 10 or 15 over is pretty standard around here from what I've seen. Everybody is in a friggin' hurry for some reason...

Going by what you said, I'm glad I don't have to drive in New Brunswick, because the average person can't drive half as well when their thumb is up their ass. And it's dangerous. Not to mention uncomfortable. ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 06:28 PM

Oh, here's something I do which seems to bug most other drivers around here...

I leave a safe distance between me and the car I am following! I do not tailgate.

This pisses off at least 75% of the people around me on the highway who feel that they may arrive at their destination a fraction of a second later if they are not a mere three or four feet behind the vehicle directly ahead of them. (And they may not be able to read the little tiny letters on the guy's bumper that say "If you can read this you're too fucking close!") So they give me a frustrated look, pull into the left lane, surge ahead, and whip in to the safety zone I have left between me and the car ahead of me...whereupon I ease up on the throttle ever so slightly, and let them draw ahead...so as to regain my safety zone.

Within 20 seconds or less, someone else behind me is irritated by the very same thing, and reacts in the very same way.

And so it goes.

If anything unexpected happens, these people can expect to be peeled off the vehicle ahead of them like a fly off a windshield, because they will have no time to react, and no space left to react in. They clearly do not expect anything unexpected is ever going to happen. Not to them. Maybe someone else, but not them.

I try to avoid clumps of these compulsive tailgaters and find an empty space on the road where I am alone. I derive no sense of security from being part of a multi-lane pack, but I must assume that many other drivers do, from what I have seen. Perhaps they feel that they can best get where they are going by letting the person directly ahead lead the way for them, and staying right close to his bumper at all times so they don't lose sight of him?

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: Phot
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 06:27 PM

Given the price of fuel in the UK, my Discovery rarely sees the other side of 60!(3.5 V8) Mind you, she was holding 95-100 last year all the way up the M40 to get PoD to a conference in Birmingham on time!..................8MPG anyone?!

Wassail!! Chris.

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: gnu
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 06:15 PM

Um...er.... 10 to 15 over the limit as a rule of thumb? Here in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, most drivers have their thumb up their ass and really should be driving that much under the limit.

They think that their driver's license qualifies them to drive but most have even no idea what a signal light is for.

How many of you.... be honest... put your signal light on BEFORE you ease off the gas pedal?

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 06:05 PM

Well, I see it this way...

90% of the drivers on the road around here want to go at least 10 over the posted speed limit, if not 20.

The cops are somewhat likely to ticket people if they go 20 or more over the posted limit. Basically, they tend to ticket people who are going unusually fast in comparison to most of the other drivers.

It's unsafe to drive at the posted speed if everyone around you wants to go at least 10 or 15 over it. Quite unsafe. It also results in other people getting frustrated because you are driving "so slowly", and then they do stupid reckless things which endanger you and them.

So I normally drive about 10 to 15 over the limit like most of the other cars on the road. This is on the highway. In town is a bit different.

I would be happy to drive the posted limit on highways if it wasn't for the fact that hardly anyone around me seems to be happy doing so.

What they are hurrying for, I don't know. I doubt that they do either. There isn't a lot of self-observation going on out there most of the time....

So I drive 10 to 15 above the limit a good deal of the time when on the highway, but sometimes adhere quite closely to the limit. Either way is fine with me. I adjust my driving to what's going on around me. Whichever way seems safe and sensible, that's what I do.

I don't generally care when I get there. If you leave early enough, there should be plenty of time to get where you're going. If not, well, it doesn't matter much anyway. The world won't stop turning if you're a bit late, will it?

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: Sorcha
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 06:04 PM

I never drive more than 70. Usually at the posted speed of 65. I'm just not comfortable doing much more than that. In town, yea.....car wants to go 40/45 instead of 30. Oh well.

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: gnu
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 06:04 PM

Good on you, Bill. GOOD drivers are hard to find these days.

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: SussexCarole
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 06:03 PM

Cornering is a **** though eh Bill?

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: gnu
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 06:03 PM

Oh.... those left lane cops... I repeat.... I have a big hulking truck. If you ever see NB CHC 160 comin up on yer ass, I would suggest you get back where you belong.

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: Bill D
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 06:01 PM

I make sure that cars are passing me. I am NEVER one of the faster cars on the road....but if 98% of everyone is going 70, I do not insist on staying at 55.....I may go 60-65. I have not had a ticket in 40 years.

Subject: RE: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: gnu
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 05:59 PM

I can run my big hulking truck through the eye of a neddle at 100 miles per hour.

However, I can't get to the needle because the ignorant no mind fuck at the traffic lights in front of me is on his cell, eating his hamburger, drinking his coffee and arguing with his girlfriend.

Subject: BS: How fast do you drive ?
From: Wesley S
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 05:50 PM

Fess up. Do you have a leadfoot? Do you drive too fast? Do you have rules on how fast you'll drive over the speed limit { it's posted 55 so I can do 65 }? Or do you never exceed the limit? Are you a left lane cop and block drivers that want to go faster than you? How would you rate yourself on the road?