Did you really drive *that* quickly 'back in the day'?
Discussion
Fatball said:
I drove way too quickly for the conditions/certain roads back then.
Me too..... I hit 180 mph down a dual carriageway after getting flashed by an AMG who wanted to play. I wouldn’t dream of such a thing these days - the two little people that often sit behind me are a sobering reminder that it’s not just me that could have got hurt had i ran out of talent.ironically, in almost 30 years of driving i’ve never had any any points and the only time i’ve bent a car is when i drove into a bollard after a very pretty girl distracted me.
PomBstard said:
Yep. Big power wasn’t necessary to maintain high average speeds as there were more overtaking opportunities and fewer cameras. Get to a decent lick and, if you knew the road, it could be maintained. Of course, bellend driving would help, and in my late teens, I was pretty good at that too
Even with the same traffic density, the probability of one of them being a 40 everywhere driver, or worse a limit limpet is much higher these days. Justin Case said:
When did 5 speed gearboxes and ohc engines become more common? I remember that in the 70s and possibly early 80s, 4 speed gearboxes and engines that ran out of steam at comparatively low revs were the norm and ruled out high speed for most small or family sized cars. Both of those tended to fade away when motorways became more widespread, but I wonder if this was when more 'spirited ' driving became more possible for us mere mortals?
Autos were frequently 3 speed with some 2 speed with Overdrive. Edited by Justin Case on Wednesday 20th May 16:24
In the early 1980s, this was the fastest 3 Litre Capri, in East London. We never did find out just who had “ tweaked “ its engine ( Broadspeed possibly as it was first registered not far from them ) or Uren or Lumo maybe, but it would pull 128 @ 5,800 rpm and was still pulling, but was diabolically unstable @ high speeds, it needed a spoiler.
I’ve lost count of just how many, tear ups I had in this car....the epic dice, with an immaculate 69 Shelby GT500 Mustang, through Chingford, in April 82, must be the highlight.
I ran a series of 3 Litre Capris and TR-6s, through the 80s and was a total hooligan.
Edited by neutral 3 on Thursday 21st May 01:13
Yes, I was a naughty boy in the 90's Esp when I had my Rover 220 Coupe. I got it off the clock on the A12 from Ipswich > Colchester and Managed to do Central London > Chelmsford in about 25 mins.
Might explain why I got an SP60 in '96 and a bit of a ban when trying to race a Vauxhall Senator (who turned out to be an unmarked car) on the A12 near Margaretting. He did me for 102 which was lucky as before that I was well north of 120. He was a sound guy, didn't go off on one just said ' nice car but you drive like a cock' which was absolutely true, lesson learned. Never had a speeding fine since then.
Might explain why I got an SP60 in '96 and a bit of a ban when trying to race a Vauxhall Senator (who turned out to be an unmarked car) on the A12 near Margaretting. He did me for 102 which was lucky as before that I was well north of 120. He was a sound guy, didn't go off on one just said ' nice car but you drive like a cock' which was absolutely true, lesson learned. Never had a speeding fine since then.
Yep i lived in Wakefield and my girlfriend (now wife) lived in Doncaster, when leaving hers at 9pm on a night it used to take me 28 mins to get home this was all Single carriageways, no coppers no hassle just foot down all the way! Immense fun
These days I don’t even try or care
These days I don’t even try or care
Edited by ghost83 on Thursday 21st May 17:31
neutral 3 said:
In the early 1980s, this was the fastest 3 Litre Capri, in East London. We never did find out just who had “ tweaked “ its engine ( Broadspeed possibly as it was first registered not far from them ) or Uren or Lumo maybe, but it would pull 128 @ 5,800 rpm and was still pulling, but was diabolically unstable @ high speeds, it needed a spoiler. But I’ve lost count of just how many tear ups I had in this car....
I ran a series of 3 Litre Capris and TR-6s, through the 80s and was a total hooligan.
For:
Yes. The WAY I drove is night and day. Some of the situations I got myself in and out of, the speed travelled at was limited by the ability of the car, not my discretion, which it is now.
Against:
No. The actual speed I travelled is about the same if not lower than I manage now.
Sum-Up:
95 mph in a Capri 2.0 Laser is much more exciting than 130mph in a new BMW 530d.
Yes. The WAY I drove is night and day. Some of the situations I got myself in and out of, the speed travelled at was limited by the ability of the car, not my discretion, which it is now.
Against:
No. The actual speed I travelled is about the same if not lower than I manage now.
Sum-Up:
95 mph in a Capri 2.0 Laser is much more exciting than 130mph in a new BMW 530d.
In the late 70's, early 80's, I seriously used to fold the door mirrors back on my 1.6 Astra to see if I could get another couple of MPH out of it at top speed when driving up and down the M1.
One time I also put the electric aerial down too, but discovered this had no effect on terminal speed and meant I couldn't listen to the radio, so didn't bother again.
One time I also put the electric aerial down too, but discovered this had no effect on terminal speed and meant I couldn't listen to the radio, so didn't bother again.
I do remember regularly driving the length of the M4, never under 100mph. I wonder how many points one trip like that would result in now?
The A303 too. I was a little too late to cotton on there and had a couple of chats with nice policemen.
I used to be flat out in my Renault 5 GTL, always with an eye on beating my best time.
As I had faster cars, the habit continued and the results were expensive and inconvenient
The A303 too. I was a little too late to cotton on there and had a couple of chats with nice policemen.
I used to be flat out in my Renault 5 GTL, always with an eye on beating my best time.
As I had faster cars, the habit continued and the results were expensive and inconvenient
did I drive faster back in the day?
yup.
I got an article published in these very pages - My first car - Metro stating the japes I got up to, but a couple stand out,
Going back to Uni halls one Saturday early evening in 1993, in a 1.1 Citroen AX, Harrogate to Hull, via York and the A64/1079. 62 miles completed in 50 mins. That's an average of 74.4 mph, in a 1.1. There was no traffic, no lorries or tractors, so flat out all the way around. But top speed was 96mph! Felt fast.
Edinburgh to Harrogate, NYD 1995, 3hours 15 mins, 216 miles, that's an average of 66.5 mph
Stirling to Harrogate, 1998, 3hrs 30, 252 miles, an average of 72 mph. Although I did eventually get nicked doing 107 doing that run. Cars were a 106 Rallye.
Don't drive fast now, mostly because I do 30k miles pa for work, and I drive a Qashqai which isn't that fast, and I also have an outlet via racing to fulfil my need for speed.
yup.
I got an article published in these very pages - My first car - Metro stating the japes I got up to, but a couple stand out,
Going back to Uni halls one Saturday early evening in 1993, in a 1.1 Citroen AX, Harrogate to Hull, via York and the A64/1079. 62 miles completed in 50 mins. That's an average of 74.4 mph, in a 1.1. There was no traffic, no lorries or tractors, so flat out all the way around. But top speed was 96mph! Felt fast.
Edinburgh to Harrogate, NYD 1995, 3hours 15 mins, 216 miles, that's an average of 66.5 mph
Stirling to Harrogate, 1998, 3hrs 30, 252 miles, an average of 72 mph. Although I did eventually get nicked doing 107 doing that run. Cars were a 106 Rallye.
Don't drive fast now, mostly because I do 30k miles pa for work, and I drive a Qashqai which isn't that fast, and I also have an outlet via racing to fulfil my need for speed.
At the ripe old age of 40 (ok, 42) I was chatting to a mate about this the other day. In my my mind I used to make progress but not excessively. His assessment was somewhat different.
I was never a massive fan of my E46 320d company car, but apparently in 2005 it could transport me from Twickenham to a village in Berkshire in 32 minutes when at 8pm during lockdown google is suggesting 55 minutes. They’ve also built a bypass since then which removes a few traffic lights.
That said there www very little speed monitoring on motorways back then and losing my licence wouldn’t have been the end of the world.
All of that said, moving on to high performance cars probably slowed me down - an M3 isn’t massively different between 80 and 160 in a straight line
These days it’s more about handling, character and noise than getting places quickly.
I was never a massive fan of my E46 320d company car, but apparently in 2005 it could transport me from Twickenham to a village in Berkshire in 32 minutes when at 8pm during lockdown google is suggesting 55 minutes. They’ve also built a bypass since then which removes a few traffic lights.
That said there www very little speed monitoring on motorways back then and losing my licence wouldn’t have been the end of the world.
All of that said, moving on to high performance cars probably slowed me down - an M3 isn’t massively different between 80 and 160 in a straight line
These days it’s more about handling, character and noise than getting places quickly.
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