Caught doing 120mph on the motorway
Discussion
I'm afraid I'm with popeyewhite on this one and it takes experience of an uber-barge to 'get it'. Of course any competent driver can 'tell the difference' between 70 and 120 but in a very fast *and* very comfortable car 120 can feel positively sedate and can be reached effortlessly with little perception of actual speed.
Example - I drove to Berlin and back in my F10 M5 three weeks ago and there were certainly periods of sustained running at 120-130mph during which I lost perception of speed and may have easily assumed I was doing 90-odd because it became second nature. I could do the same just as easily on an empty UK motorway if I were not constantly thinking police/ban/jail. If you notice the speed because you're 'flying' past loads of other traffic then clearly you're doing 120 in the wrong place. Even in Germany I - and most others - tended to wait for traffic to thin out before doing much in excess of 100mph.
Anyway I'm off for a curry with a bunch of trafpol so I'll ask them what they think.
Example - I drove to Berlin and back in my F10 M5 three weeks ago and there were certainly periods of sustained running at 120-130mph during which I lost perception of speed and may have easily assumed I was doing 90-odd because it became second nature. I could do the same just as easily on an empty UK motorway if I were not constantly thinking police/ban/jail. If you notice the speed because you're 'flying' past loads of other traffic then clearly you're doing 120 in the wrong place. Even in Germany I - and most others - tended to wait for traffic to thin out before doing much in excess of 100mph.
Anyway I'm off for a curry with a bunch of trafpol so I'll ask them what they think.
Edited by theboss on Thursday 2nd July 18:18
LoonR1 said:
popeyewhite said:
LoonR1 said:
I recognise my posts, but I struggle with your responses. You've done it again here and used "masterpiece FFS" as part of your comment, as if I said it. I didn't, LaLiga did IIRC.
Sorry if the reference confused you, I thought you'd manage the link.
LoonR1 said:
Where I'm confused is that you're telling us so clearly about a new M5 and with such an air of authority that I thought I'd see in practice what could be done in my car and then a car that is a lot quicker than an M5 and you've now said you don't own an M5.
Both your M3 and your bezzie mates GTR are not luxo-barges designed to waft along the autobahn at 150 mph keeping the occupants in serene comfort. Further to run a test with your mates car and then extrapolate that to cover the rest of the population of car drivers is naive. The fact you did the test yourself and we already know you have a negative opinion on the subject under debate is laughable.
LoonR1 said:
So what car do you own, or is your opinion coming straight out of a car magazine?
A fast German luxo-barge.I'll maintain a number of people have been surprised by the power of a new car, not as a result of bad driving, but as a result of the huge power/torque of the M5/AMG marque. You say this can't happen. O.K.
1. It didn't confuse me. If you beleive that the M3 isn't worthy of being in this discussion, then feel free to say it. I just assumed that it being 400bhp+, as per the earlier comments meant it would qualify.
2. Isn't that making my point for me? You said cars get from "80-120 in the blink of an eye", or words to that effect. That has already been proven on the thread, no matter how many times you deny it. Your point seems to be that a luxury barge will be quicker at it, than a sports car, I'm struggling with that. However, if your point is that you can do 120 without realising it, because it's so comfy in your barge, then I'd agree you can do 120. I'd disagree on the rest, any competent driver would know they are doing that speed, due to reference points, other traffic, the reaction of the car to road surface imperfections and the like. My question is this. Which are you now arguing? Doing it in the blink of an eye, doing it without realising it, as it can't be both.
3. You are being deliberately vague in your replies. Firstly it's an MB, which could be anything from a small engined A Class to an AmG Black E63 or whatever the top, top end is. It could even be a van! Then you declare it to be a "fast German luxo-barge". Why so vague? Do you think I'm going to come and steal it? Just be explicit. It won't make your argument for you either way.
4. Of course people can be surprised by the power of a car. Human reaction is to lift at that point. If they've just found out it's mega powerful, then they'll know they're doing 120. They won't go "Blimey this car is bloody fast, I'll just keep pushing the accelerator without thinking and then be taken by surprise when I'm doing 120".
theboss said:
I'm afraid I'm with popeyewhite on this one and it takes experience of an uber-barge to 'get it'. Of course any competent driver can 'tell the difference' between 70 and 120 but in a very fast *and* very comfortable car 120 can feel positively sedate and can be reached effortlessly with little perception of actual speed.
Example - I drove to Berlin and back in my F10 M5 three weeks ago and there were certainly periods of sustained running at 120-130mph during which I lost perception of speed and may have easily assumed I was doing 90-odd because it became second nature. I could do the same just as easily on an empty UK motorway if I were not constantly thinking police/ban/jail. If you notice the speed because you're 'flying' past loads of other traffic then clearly you're doing 120 in the wrong place. Even in Germany I - and most others - tended to wait for traffic to thin out before doing much in excess of 100mph.
Anyway I'm off for a curry with a bunch of trafpol so I'll ask them what they think.
...so you own a German "uber-barge" and still admit you wouldn't accidentally do 120 mph in it in the UK, isn't that disagreeing with Poppywhateverhisnameis?Example - I drove to Berlin and back in my F10 M5 three weeks ago and there were certainly periods of sustained running at 120-130mph during which I lost perception of speed and may have easily assumed I was doing 90-odd because it became second nature. I could do the same just as easily on an empty UK motorway if I were not constantly thinking police/ban/jail. If you notice the speed because you're 'flying' past loads of other traffic then clearly you're doing 120 in the wrong place. Even in Germany I - and most others - tended to wait for traffic to thin out before doing much in excess of 100mph.
Anyway I'm off for a curry with a bunch of trafpol so I'll ask them what they think.
Edited by theboss on Thursday 2nd July 18:18
youngsyr said:
...so you own a German "uber-barge" and still admit you wouldn't accidentally do 120 mph in it in the UK, isn't that disagreeing with Poppywhateverhisnameis?
On a few occasions I've done that sort of speed on a UK road unintentionally. Not because I thought that I've been doing 70, but because I've consciously decided to speed and have "overshot the mark" slightly, glanced at the dash and thought "s
t, shouldn't really be doing that". It's quite easily done. Accidently-deliberately.If it pisses you off all the more then I've done that with my wife and kids in the car too. The fact that she has meanwhile sustained an unbroken conversation with Radio 3 playing gently in the background makes my point. You can do it in the right car without really noticing.
theboss said:
On a few occasions I've done that sort of speed on a UK road unintentionally. Not because I thought that I've been doing 70, but because I've consciously decided to speed and have "overshot the mark" slightly, glanced at the dash and thought "st, shouldn't really be doing that". It's quite easily done. Accidently-deliberately.
If it pisses you off all the more then I've done that with my wife and kids in the car too. The fact that she has meanwhile sustained an unbroken conversation with Radio 3 playing gently in the background makes my point. You can do it in the right car without really noticing.
Your wife wasn't driving the car. You were and really should be able to tell the difference between 'a bit fast' and 120mph, not least as it will make a massive difference to (a) how quickly reference points seem to approach the car and (b) the feel from the suspension (especially when you change the steering angle). A nice squidgy luxo-barge will tell you that you're going fast by leaning a bit, amongst other things.t, shouldn't really be doing that". It's quite easily done. Accidently-deliberately.If it pisses you off all the more then I've done that with my wife and kids in the car too. The fact that she has meanwhile sustained an unbroken conversation with Radio 3 playing gently in the background makes my point. You can do it in the right car without really noticing.
theboss said:
On a few occasions I've done that sort of speed on a UK road unintentionally. Not because I thought that I've been doing 70, but because I've consciously decided to speed and have "overshot the mark" slightly, glanced at the dash and thought "st, shouldn't really be doing that". It's quite easily done. Accidently-deliberately.
If it pisses you off all the more then I've done that with my wife and kids in the car too. The fact that she has meanwhile sustained an unbroken conversation with Radio 3 playing gently in the background makes my point. You can do it in the right car without really noticing.
Your wife wasn't driving the car. You were and really should be able to tell the difference between 'a bit fast' and 120mph, not least as it will make a massive difference to (a) how quickly reference points seem to approach the car and (b) the feel from the suspension (especially when you change the steering angle). A nice squidgy luxo-barge will tell you that you're going fast by leaning a bit, amongst other things.t, shouldn't really be doing that". It's quite easily done. Accidently-deliberately.If it pisses you off all the more then I've done that with my wife and kids in the car too. The fact that she has meanwhile sustained an unbroken conversation with Radio 3 playing gently in the background makes my point. You can do it in the right car without really noticing.
theboss said:
youngsyr said:
...so you own a German "uber-barge" and still admit you wouldn't accidentally do 120 mph in it in the UK, isn't that disagreeing with Poppywhateverhisnameis?
On a few occasions I've done that sort of speed on a UK road unintentionally. Not because I thought that I've been doing 70, but because I've consciously decided to speed and have "overshot the mark" slightly, glanced at the dash and thought "st, shouldn't really be doing that". It's quite easily done. Accidently-deliberately.If it pisses you off all the more then I've done that with my wife and kids in the car too. The fact that she has meanwhile sustained an unbroken conversation with Radio 3 playing gently in the background makes my point. You can do it in the right car without really noticing.
Did you, or did you not, reach 120 mph whilst attempting to cruise at a normal and legal speed?
ORD said:
Your wife wasn't driving the car. You were and really should be able to tell the difference between 'a bit fast' and 120mph, not least as it will make a massive difference to (a) how quickly reference points seem to approach the car and (b) the feel from the suspension (especially when you change the steering angle). A nice squidgy luxo-barge will tell you that you're going fast by leaning a bit, amongst other things.
But thats my point - the general perception of "a bit fast" might be 80 in one car 120 in another. Wife isn't driving but its still a relevant acid test that she'd moan at me for doing 80 in a Golf but not bat an eyelid at 110-120 my M5 unless she looks at speedo. M5 at 120-140 is utterly composed, it's not squidgy and if I were feeling the car leaning to any extent I'd be pushing it excessively. We're generally talking momentary speeds as I don't generally seek to land in the OP's shoes.Speaking of whom, I came here originally to wish him well but got sidetracked by all the b
ks.Edited by theboss on Thursday 2nd July 19:09
theboss said:
But thats my point - the general perception of "a bit fast" might be 80 in one car 120 in another. Wife isn't driving but its still a relevant acid test that she'd moan at me for doing 80 in a Golf but not bat an eyelid at 110-120 my M5 unless she looks at speedo. M5 at 120-140 is utterly composed, it's not squidgy and if I were feeling the car leaning to any extent I'd be pushing it excessively. We're generally talking momentary speeds as I don't generally seek to land in the OP's shoes.
Speaking of whom, I came here originally to wish him well but got sidetracked by all the bks.
Nobody has suggested that the car can't do it easily. The discussion is whether you would get to that speed without realising at all and making no conscious input and do so in the blink of an eye. So did you? Could you?Speaking of whom, I came here originally to wish him well but got sidetracked by all the b
ks.Edited by theboss on Thursday 2nd July 19:09
WinstonWolf said:
When did "the blink of an eye" get added to the list of terms and conditions?
I think poppy said you can go from 70-120 in a blink of an eye without realising.I called him up on the without realising bit and it was detuned to something else.
People are mixing up a barge doing 120 can feel like you're doing 70 and goinng from 70-120 without realising at all that you've done it.
Sump said:
WinstonWolf said:
When did "the blink of an eye" get added to the list of terms and conditions?
I think poppy said you can go from 70-120 in a blink of an eye without realising.I called him up on the without realising bit and it was detuned to something else.
People are mixing up a barge doing 120 can feel like you're doing 70 and goinng from 70-120 without realising at all that you've done it.
from a contented barge owner 
WinstonWolf said:
When did "the blink of an eye" get added to the list of terms and conditions?
From Tuesday:Durzel said:
When you think about it in certain cars it only takes a fraction of a second to be doing these sorts of speeds. Not excusing it of course, but as crimes go a quick squirt on an empty road leading to not being allowed to drive for 28+ days is quite scary. 
From yesterday at 14:13popeyewhite said:
youngsyr said:
I've driven some pretty powerful cars (400 bhp+) over the years and I can assure you it takes a deliberate and sustained effort to hit 120 mph. It's certainly not something you do accidentally after leaning on the loud pedal a little too hard for a couple of seconds, even with that kind of power.
An E63 AMG or M5 both have in excess of 550bhp. Trust me there's no 'deliberate or sustained effort' involved in hitting 130-140+ in one of those. 70-120? Blink of an eye.WinstonWolf said:
Sump said:
WinstonWolf said:
When did "the blink of an eye" get added to the list of terms and conditions?
I think poppy said you can go from 70-120 in a blink of an eye without realising.I called him up on the without realising bit and it was detuned to something else.
People are mixing up a barge doing 120 can feel like you're doing 70 and goinng from 70-120 without realising at all that you've done it.
from a contented barge owner Guys I think the "blink of an eye" comment needs to be interpreted relatively rather than literally.
I'm currently spreading my somewhat considerable mileage between a Golf R and M5 and thr difference in accelerative potential at motorway speeds is staggering to the point where the Golf might as well be a Mk4 SDI.
I think thats the sort of context in which the "blink of an eye" comment was made. In some cars its vey very easily done, maybe even subconsciously, but NOT whilst one genuinely believes he is doing 70mph. I don't believe anyone made that assertion.
I'm currently spreading my somewhat considerable mileage between a Golf R and M5 and thr difference in accelerative potential at motorway speeds is staggering to the point where the Golf might as well be a Mk4 SDI.
I think thats the sort of context in which the "blink of an eye" comment was made. In some cars its vey very easily done, maybe even subconsciously, but NOT whilst one genuinely believes he is doing 70mph. I don't believe anyone made that assertion.
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