What speed do you usually do on the motorway?

[StuntNun]

When driving on the motorway I drive at 70 mph when traffic conditions allow. I'm frequently overtaken by cars going faster than me. So who are all these people driving at 80 or 90 miles an hour and why don't they worry about getting a speeding ticket or being pulled over?

I think people on here get too hung up on the legality rather than the safety.

Well it has been put in place for a reason. That reason being safety!

can guarantee that me driving at 85 on a deserted motorway at 22:00 is safer than a harassed parent doing the school run at 08:30 with a car full of boisterous kids....

School run is irrelevant.

The argument for driving at 85mph needs to be balanced against driving at 70mph. The biggest single thing that comes up time and time again with speeding drivers is arrogance. You have it in bucketloads. You can't 'guarantee' anything. The motorway may be deserted, it also may not stay deserted. The reactions and the carnage of an 85mph v 70mph drive are staggering.

too hung up on the legality????? entitled at its best.

if you think the law needs changing, we have mechanisms. or just get your arse out of bed earlier .

People who drive 60 can cause more of a hazard, it’s just too slow for a motorway.

Stupid, stupid comment. If 60is too slow, it’s because of the idiots who speed and have no awareness of the fact that our motorways are often overcrowded. Who also think the laws of physics don’t apply to them.

No wonder there are so many deaths on the roads. It’s speed that kills.

The reason all these people speeding still have their licences is because they know the roads, know the "safety features/hotspots" and generally drive safely.

Arrogant BS.

No one is immune from a sudden situation unfolding in front of them, an animal or child running out suddenly, a car crossing the carriageway etc.

Your reactions at a higher speed are significantly impaired and the distance between you and the incident disappears in a instant.

Everyone knows this but some choose to selfishly elevate themselves above common sense for the sake of an ego trip and a few extra minutes.

too hung up on the legality????? entitled at its best.

I stand by that.

I don't blindly follow laws/rules if I don't think they're appropriate. Especially laws written for a Morris Minor that would be maxed out & shaking itself to bits at 70, with a stopping distance of half a mile....

It doesn't affect you (and won't) so it's none of your concern!

Everyone knows this but some choose to selfishly elevate themselves above common sense for the sake of an ego trip and a few extra minutes.

Don't forget the thrill of banging down an empty motorway at great speed!!

75ish. People who do 60 are driving far too slow for the motorway. If you are too nervous, stay away from them

I go around 70 but sometimes up to 80 if I'm over taking. Never above that.

I had to go on a speed awareness course last year and the guy asked us to put our hand up if we do 100 mph on the motorway. I was the only one that didn't. I don't even think my car goes that fast.

Advanced driving/riding courses expect you to ‘make progress’. This may well be outside of the speed restrictions. You are expected to know where and when this is / isn’t appropriate and do it.

What advanced courses teach you is awareness. For example, reading EVERY road sign and the white lines correctly (e.g. doubles to one broken to single means the road is opening out so better vision and more speed may be appropriate; ‘the more paint, the more danger’ etc,)
Looking for clues in where the road MIGHT go using things like telegraph poles, hedge lines etc.

It also teaches you the concept of road positioning (using 3rds or 5ths depending on whether it’s Police training or other providers).

Believe me, many of us ARE driving quicker than you at appropriate points but we’ve done the training, are driving every metre with thought (not on autopilot) and are reacting to upcoming hazards WAY before the rest of you have even woken up.

I think everyone who passes a test should be obliged to undego advanced tuition within 5 years of passing and should update it every 10 years thereafter.

I suppose all those lorries with limiters on are all dangerously slow and not suitable for the motorway either?

Give me strength.

Driving at 60mph will drastically improve chances of survival in a crash compared to 80mph and will also allow longer braking distances surely?

Advanced driving/riding courses expect you to ‘make progress’. This may well be outside of the speed restrictions. You are expected to know where and when this is / isn’t appropriate and do it.

How ridiculous. It's NEVER appropriate to break the law

I was saying to my husband just the other day that I think people actually drive slower now on motorways than they used to. I used to do 80mph as standard (especially if night time) and cars would be overtaking me on the outside lane at clearly 100mph plus. That rarely seems to happen now to the same extent. Fairly sure it's due to more cameras, variable speed limits and generally more traffic than 10 years ago etc.

My standard speed is just over 75mph and I have (I think!) rather good lane discipline.

I love motorway driving and treat it as something of a tactical game. @feesh

Are you FUCKING kidding me?

I do a lot of motorway driving, many, many hours and hundreds of miles. I usually go at 80.

How ridiculous. It's NEVER appropriate to break the law hmm

Have you actually done any advanced training? Like, with Police riders / drivers? What about people like the Blood Bike riders, who deliver organs to hospital that have been donated. How do you thnk they train to emergency ride on blues? Do you think they tool along at 70? I rarely say this on MN but you are ignorant of many facts on this.

As an aside, it is interesting how different parts of the country drive, as a general rule. My part of the M4 and M5 is actually quite steady and well-mannered, but the M6 up near my home town is much more edgy and you need your wits about you for sure.

Have you actually done any advanced training? Like, with Police riders / drivers? What about people like the Blood Bike riders, who deliver organs to hospital that have been donated. How do you thnk they train to emergency ride on blues? Do you think they tool along at 70? I rarely say this on MN but you are ignorant of many facts on this.

I know how they train, yes. I am aware that emergency vehicles do more than 70mph.

However, in the context of this entire 160+ post thread, I was referring to standard drivers. Not emergency services. Nobody was discussing the way they drive when responding to emergencies because obviously that is exceptional circumstances. The whole thread has been about normal, run of the mill, every day driving and drivers.

Of the roughly 1700 fatalities on Britain's roads in a year, roughly 100 are on motorways. Those are very approximate figures just Googled.

Ineednewshoes does that figure cover pedestrians killed on the pavement?

All these comparisons between motorway and non motorway driving are irrelevant. The comparison is 70mph or faster.

How ridiculous. It's NEVER appropriate to break the law

You've obviously never done any advanced training then.

They encourage you to be a good & safe driver - that includes knowing when to use your own initiative.

I suppose all those lorries with limiters on are all dangerously slow and not suitable for the motorway either?

So you've never been caught when they're overtaking at 0.00001 mph more than the other & it snarls the whole motorway up for miles behind?? You've never seen when the caterpillar effect from that results in traffic stopping suddenly for no reason?

There's a reason whey they're not allowed in the third lane and a lot of areas are trialling not allowing them to overtake at all in peak times.

They are dangerous the minute they pull out of their lane & start messing with the dynamics of the whole motorway.

You've obviously never done any advanced training then.

I don't need to have done to know that a 70mph speed limit means just that.

They encourage you to be a good & safe driver - that includes knowing when to use your own initiative.

Who are 'they'?

You don't need to break the speed limit to use initiative.

If it’s quiet I tend to do about 80mph.
On a busier moterwau closer to 70mph.