Does anyone still drive at 70MPH?
Discussion
I went to Gatwick yesterday and as usual I was flying on the M25. Because I hadn't got a call from my buddy to let me know he had cleared customs, I decided to take it really slow on the M23. I activated the cruise control at 60 MPH and it felt like I was walking with everything flying past me, up to 65 MPH and everything was still whizzing past.
I then decided to go up by 5 to the national speed limit of 70MPH and everyone including OAPs, MPVs, white vans, pizza delivery bikes (okay, I lie) whizzed past me and soon disappeared.
Does anyone still drive at 70 MPH? I saw so many people not adhering to the recommended speed. Doesnt this just show that the speeds we are asked to travel at, are inappropriate?
I then decided to go up by 5 to the national speed limit of 70MPH and everyone including OAPs, MPVs, white vans, pizza delivery bikes (okay, I lie) whizzed past me and soon disappeared.
Does anyone still drive at 70 MPH? I saw so many people not adhering to the recommended speed. Doesnt this just show that the speeds we are asked to travel at, are inappropriate?
Edited by FunkDokta on Sunday 9th September 19:38
I'm finding the opposite to be honest... the average speed of traffic does seem to have slowed down a bit on the motorway but I will confess I don't have to do a lot of motorway driving. I've had no problem sticking my cruise control on at 70MPH and keeping up with the flow of traffic on most of my recent journeys. I don't think people outside of London can afford the fuel, to be hooning it everywhere 
It depends whereabouts in the country, and on what type of road you are on. My trip to work is 36 miles, of which about 28 is DC. I have found that around 65mph is the happy medium between fuel economy and journey time. Any faster and you seem to catch up with the traffic ahead, forcing you to slow down. There's also the problem of everyone being in the outside lane because they think it's the 'fast lane', despite lane 1 being clear. I often take advantage of this.
Variable ime. Plenty of times I might stick to a speedo indicated 70 and have to overtake lot of traffic. Last night on a late run down the M11, 70 made me one of the slowest cars on the motorway.
People do (imo) generally seem to be driving slower. Unfortunately they have a tendency to do this in Lane 2 and 3 which causes a road block.
People do (imo) generally seem to be driving slower. Unfortunately they have a tendency to do this in Lane 2 and 3 which causes a road block.
I think speeds have dropped on motorways, certainly since the late 80s - I commuted up the M5 for a spell back then, and you felt like you were keeping with the flow at 90-95 mph. Certainly wouldn't be the case these days.
Cost of fuel, energy saving and speed enforcement have all had an effect, even though the huge majority of modern cars are more than capable of cruising at well over 70.
Cost of fuel, energy saving and speed enforcement have all had an effect, even though the huge majority of modern cars are more than capable of cruising at well over 70.
Bonefish Blues said:
This, exactly.
Interestingly, GPS tells me it's a true 69mph - typical Prius exaggeration, eh!
Thats where I think part of the problem is, every car reads differently. My car reads 70on the speedo at a gps 70. So for me to sit 'at the limit' I seem to overtake everyone. Its especially noticeable (and annoying) in average speed camera zonesInterestingly, GPS tells me it's a true 69mph - typical Prius exaggeration, eh!
Ari said:
Used to have a fully expensed company car. Now self employed, own car claim a fixed mileage allowance.
So I've slowed down a lot and often sit on cruise at 70.
And amazingly, I still get there!
Same here, used to tear about pretty much flat out in the work vans, now I'm working for myself I tend to cruise at 65-70, plus my van only has 64bhp so anything over 70 is a struggle.So I've slowed down a lot and often sit on cruise at 70.
And amazingly, I still get there!
FunkDokta said:
I went to Gatwick yesterday and as usual I was flying on the M25. Because I hadnt got a call from my buddy to let me know he had cleared customs, I decided to take it really slow on the M23. I activated the cruise control at 60 MPH and it felt like I was walking with everything flying past me, up to 65 MPH and everything was still whizzing past.
I then decided to go up by 5 to the national speed limit of 70MPH and everyone icluding OAPs, MPVs, white vans, pizza delivery bikes (okay, I lie) whizzed past me and soon disappered.
Does anyone still drive at 70 MPH? I saw so many people not adhering to the recommended speed. Doesnt this just show that the speed we are asked to travel at, is inappropriate?
I'm surprised Vonhosen hasn't pitched up to tell you that you are completely mistaken. I find the vehicles that can drive at these speeds seem to cruise around 80, but I agree with others who say that it used to be higher. MPG is far more of a deterrent than speed cameras these daysI then decided to go up by 5 to the national speed limit of 70MPH and everyone icluding OAPs, MPVs, white vans, pizza delivery bikes (okay, I lie) whizzed past me and soon disappered.
Does anyone still drive at 70 MPH? I saw so many people not adhering to the recommended speed. Doesnt this just show that the speed we are asked to travel at, is inappropriate?
I reckon a lot more people are in the 80-85 (indicated) bracket these days, as a combination of those who would have been going slower a few years ago have sped up thanks to cars being generally better than they were and those who would have been doing ~100 have slowed down a bit to conserve fuel.
It is very variable these days what speeds will be like though - I had cause to take a trip down to London departing on a friday afternoon recently and even 90 indicated would have had most of the traffic passing me, whereas on the way back on the sunday the flow of traffic was a good 10-15mph slower
It is very variable these days what speeds will be like though - I had cause to take a trip down to London departing on a friday afternoon recently and even 90 indicated would have had most of the traffic passing me, whereas on the way back on the sunday the flow of traffic was a good 10-15mph slower
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