The majority of people drive above the speed limit. Discuss!
The majority of people drive above the speed limit. Discuss!
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vrsmxtb

Original Poster:

2,003 posts

187 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
quotequote all
This is by no means a BRAKE-style "please think of the children" style comment, but it really seems to me that no matter what the posted speed limit, more people than not drive faster than it. Not necessarily by a large margin, but often 5-10mph quicker.

I usually am very content to travel at the posted limit, and on motorways often slightly under if I am in no rush, but really notice that I am in a fairly obvious minority with only a few cars content to abide by the rules of the road to the exact figure. Oh, and before you roll out the speedo under-reads ole chestnut, assume this is all reasonably accurate GPS figures.

This isn't a rant as it doesn't necessarily bother me, unless another road user's speed is an obvious danger to those around them, and in the right frame of mind on the right road I will enjoy myself *wink* but I'm interested to hear people's opinions on either abiding to speed limits, especially as here on PH we are obviously "above average" in driving skill, or not.

Not sure how to post a survey but, largely which sort of category is closest to the way you drive? What factors have played into it? Have you slowed down due to convictions? Do you speed because you have a fast car? Are an impatient person? Think the limits are just speed camera money traps for Government? Do you consider not speeding an element of good driving to set standards and are proud to exercise self-control?

a) I take the legal limit strictly as a limit and never exceed it and often drive below it.
b) I'm generally content to fully abide by posted limits, even if they seem much lower than I believe can be safe.
c) I don't drastically break any speed limits, especially 20s and 30s, but often creep up to 5-10mph over if I feel road conditions are safe.
d) I take all speed limits with a pinch of salt, but just focus on a safe and suitable speed for the road in question and keep vigilant for cameras and police cars.
e) I pretty much ignore speed limits, and just brake for obvious cameras before accelerating back up again. I have multiple powerful businesses to CEO you know. Get out of my way.
f) Edited for the city dwellers and southerners: Roads have speed limits? I thought they were nose to tail 30mph car-train processions. I wish I could even drive to them!



Edited by vrsmxtb on Sunday 15th February 18:35


Edited by vrsmxtb on Sunday 15th February 18:40

Troubleatmill

10,210 posts

190 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
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f/ So many of the roads I drive on have SPECS, GATSO etc etc etc - that it just isn't worth it.

SteveSteveson

3,209 posts

194 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
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I would say most people drive at, or under the limit.

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

229 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
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Its totally untrue for anyone commuting on he M4/M25/M40 you are lucky to sustain average 30mph speeds.

Terminator X

20,927 posts

235 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
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Mostly 5-10mph over the posted limit unless it doesn't feel safe to do so. No children have died yet as a result of this.

TX.

DanGPR

991 posts

202 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
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SteveSteveson said:
I would say most people drive at, or under the limit.
QFT. A large number of people will also flash you for overtaking on a single carriageway road for wanting to do the speed limit.
I generally stick to all limits other than NSL, which are the roads I ride/drive for pleasure.

danjama

5,728 posts

173 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
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I'm a mix of C/D to be completely honest. There's too many variables to say I am only one of those.

The fact is, it's more distracting watching a speedo than it is to speed a little bit. The government are wkers.

TheInsanity1234

740 posts

150 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
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I'm still only a learner, so as a result, I only contend myself to exceeding the limit by no more than 2/3 mph over.

I will drive around with the needle either on, or slightly over the speed limit, but this is because I know about our car's speedometer having a tendency to show the speed as higher than it actually is.

In any other car, I'll just stick to keeping the needle under the appropriate legal number.

Ahimoth

230 posts

144 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
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Pretty strict with speed limits less than 50mph.

Does occasionally cause some conflict with other drivers.

sticks090460

1,125 posts

189 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
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Buy a car with cruise control. Job jobbed.

JordanTurbo

937 posts

172 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
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I'm somewhere between "C" and "D" personally.

I will vary rarely break a red ringed limit by more than a few MPH, mainly because they are policed more and it's not worth the risk. NSLs are treated with more flexibility and I'll drive to the conditions.

In my opinion most posted limits have dropped so much that they have begun to lose their credibility. They define the point where you risk points, not lives.

Edited by JordanTurbo on Sunday 15th February 18:52

Johnnytheboy

24,499 posts

217 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
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I drive as fast as I reckon I'm likely to get away with without being unsafe, d probably describes me pretty well.

If there was no enforcement I would drive quicker, but probably not by a lot.

swakelin91

118 posts

188 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
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I would say somewhere between b and c. I don't feel the need to drive excessively fast, nor do I have the car to do so.

There are a few speed limits near me that have recently been reduced, however they shouldn't have been as the old limit was more than safe.

The one thing I don't understand is people speeding in a 20/30 mph zone through town.

eldar

25,328 posts

227 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
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Mostly speed limit +10% indicated where possible and safe. I only exceed that when I *know* the road is free from risk to people or prosecution. IE slower than 10 years ago.

glasgowrob

3,349 posts

152 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
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D with occasional lapses into E

For the record I did 110k miles last year 100 the year before and a clean licence

chrisb92

1,051 posts

155 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
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For me it totally depends on the time of day. Any time I drive in a 30 I generally have to stick to the speed limit due to everyone else doing so. At night however, when the roads are clear, I do tend to drive to whatever speed I deem to be 'safe'! Probably somewhere in between D and E. Although, I do try and make a concious effort to stick to speed limits where there are likely to be children knocking about.

budfox

1,510 posts

160 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
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I'd say that I almost always drive below the speed limit. I don't like wasting fuel in the Aygo and I don't like to compromise the range on the Leaf

It's certainly the case that I never exceed the limit deliberately, though I do allow for the fact that the speedo in the Leaf reads at least 10% high.

All that jazz

7,632 posts

177 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
quotequote all
Johnnytheboy said:
I drive as fast as I reckon I'm likely to get away with without being unsafe, d probably describes me pretty well.

If there was no enforcement I would drive quicker, but probably not by a lot.
Same here on all points. yes

98elise

32,801 posts

192 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
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I drive based on the road, conditions, visibility, time of day, traffic etc.

Ther are roads I'd happily speed on all day knowing its safe, and there are roads (or sections) that I'll not exceed 50% of the limit because its just not safe.

CarAbuser

712 posts

155 months

Sunday 15th February 2015
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I think I fit well into the D category.