GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

Typical Interstate Speeds

Mike79

New member
Location
Knoxville, TN
Car(s)
2020 VW Golf GTI
This is just to satisfy my curiosity: a little survey. Does anyone else have the following issue?

I have an issue with driving fast on the highway. It's a combination of substantial lack of patience and boredom. My father had the same issue, so I believe this is a genetic disposition. (However, I note that a lot of other drivers also seem to cruise at fast speeds these days.) On familiar interstates where there is a clear line sight and no speed traps, I often travel at about 90 MPH. In unfamiliar areas, I travel 14 MPH over the speed limit. On my last road trip, I was traveling at 90 to 95 MPH frequently to cover more ground in less time.

Regarding my last trip: On I-20 in South Carolina, I was traveling very fast as 90 to 95 MPH on open highway. On I-40 in Tennessee I was traveling about 90 MPH once I got out of the mountains. On I-26 in South Carolina, I was traveling at about 85 MPH largely inhibited by traffic.

I take some pride in knowing when it is safe to speed and where the speed traps will be using only my eyes. My speed is rarely constant local to my area of the country because of the rolling hills. Cresting a hill is more dangerous so I slow down at those points. When I feel patient, I often set cruise control at the highest speed that is safe by my definition. Just so that folks do not assume that I am a total jerk, I respect construction zones, keep lots of space between my car and the next, and slow down to pass so that the speed differential is not dangerous for the slower moving vehicles. At higher speeds, I become like a hawk, extremely vigilant of dangers.
 

wasbaggedonce

Autocross Champion
Location
PA
Car(s)
2020 GLI Autobahn
On average I get about two speeding tickets per year. So yeah I have a "lead foot". It's almost always on the highway/interstate and usually for 10-20 over. My commute time in the morning is typically around 6am and you'd be surprised how many cars drive that fast that early. I've frequently been stuck in packs of cars all moving ~80. Once I got pulled over when I was sandwiched in one of those packs of cars and the cop literally said "Well everyone was going 20 over, but I can't pull over all of them. You're just the unlucky one I chose today." :D

I just enjoy driving fast when the roads are open.
 

Ezekiel81923

Autocross Champion
Location
Royersford, PA
Car(s)
2019 Volkswagen GTI
When I was commuting to work in the morning I was usually in the 80-90mph range, though I'd be over 100 on long straight stretches regularly. But it was 515am and mostly everyone else on the road at that time is doing that speed or more. I was never (rarely) the fastest one on the highway. I am also intimately familiar with the roads here since I've lived here my whole life so I know where each speed trap is / could be. I'd still get stopped once every year or two but never got ticketed. I love driving fast but try not to be stupid about it.

I don't commute anymore, for now, due to covid and find myself much more relaxed when I do have to go for a drive. The flow of traffic in my area on highways during the day / on weekends is 70-75 and that's where I'll find myself, if not slower than that.

Something about not being a part of the rat race temporarily has chilled me out. Those morning commutes were all about getting from A to B right the fuck now.
 

Diggs24

Autocross Champion
Location
de plains! de plains!
Car(s)
2015 GTI
When I was commuting to work in the morning I was usually in the 80-90mph range, though I'd be over 100 on long straight stretches regularly. But it was 515am and mostly everyone else on the road at that time is doing that speed or more. I was never (rarely) the fastest one on the highway. I am also intimately familiar with the roads here since I've lived here my whole life so I know where each speed trap is / could be. I'd still get stopped once every year or two but never got ticketed. I love driving fast but try not to be stupid about it.

I don't commute anymore, for now, due to covid and find myself much more relaxed when I do have to go for a drive. The flow of traffic in my area on highways during the day / on weekends is 70-75 and that's where I'll find myself, if not slower than that.

Something about not being a part of the rat race temporarily has chilled me out. Those morning commutes were all about getting from A to B right the fuck now.
Driving in PHL will do that to you. I often found myself making my own lanes on the shoulder due to shitty road design and nasty traffic. I found myself getting hyper-aggressive and I was only there a few days at a time a few times a year. I really hated driving there.
 

wasbaggedonce

Autocross Champion
Location
PA
Car(s)
2020 GLI Autobahn
Once I was at a toll in rush hour, and of course not being from there had no idea that the exit was on the left immediately after it and was on the right side of the toll. Yeah, that sucked. Added quite a bit onto my drive.

Roosevelt is weird too.

Once I passed my exit not paying attention and the GPS updated to say that the next exit wasn't for 17 miles. I immediately pulled onto the shoulder and threw it into reverse back to the exit I missed.
 

victorofhavoc

Autocross Champion
Location
Kansas City
Several states have created more laws around "super speeders" who are basically people going 15 or 25 over. In certain states and regions it can mean getting your license taken away or jail time. I had a "friend" in Georgia who got caught going 25 over exactly and ended up paying far more in legal bills to stay out of jail than all the precious 2-5 mins saved on 60mi trips that same year. This friend now never goes more than 10% over the limit, which becomes tricky when interstate speeds are 85mph and cops are pulling people over 5mph over.
 

cb1111

Newbie
Location
Virginia, USA
the question is so dependent on location and the plates on your car. Driving in NC/SC/GA with "northern" plates will get you far quicker than if you have local tags. When driving in unfamiliar locations, my rule of thumb is 5 miles over (unless there is traffic that is going the limit) or a hair slower than other traffic if traffic is plentiful and moving far faster than the limit.

You also need to know local laws. VA considers 20 over (or anything over 80) to be reckless driving and that may get you a night in jail.

Then there are the regional differences - one of my sites was off a divided highway - usually busy going with traffic and usually dead in the other direction. We always went against traffic and it is a nice, fairly straight road that gets resurfaced frequently - 100+ is perfectly doable in decent weather and not in deer season (I've done it several times - in a vehicle with appropriate markings of course). On one stretch of that road, however, the cops will stop and ticket you for doing 1mph over the 55 speed limit, so the prudent speed on that road is <60 until you get close to that speed trap and then go <54 for 10 miles. The speed traps are usually a marked car, a couple of unmarked cars and usually 3 or 4 traps a mile apart.
 

victorofhavoc

Autocross Champion
Location
Kansas City
Bruh, I-70W needs to be 85. If only to prevent people falling asleep at the wheel.
You're telling me man. That's is possibly the worst drive I've ever done. It's so straight, so empty, and a small breeze can knock over an suv, lol. The lane assist on the wife's car is basically mandatory for it...
 

Strange Mud

Autocross Champion
Location
Small Town CT
Car(s)
Assorted
ibtl

90% of time 10 over, long trips a bit faster. Faster in GTI than in my truck. I save my hooning for back roads.

CSB: when I had an Integra I was playing tag with two girls in an Accord. We're doing 95 or so on hwy. Mrs Mud asked "why is everyone driving so slow?" I didn't know what to say but then she leaned over and looked at speedometer and said "oh" I swear I heard the light bulb over her head click on just before she leaned over

Mud
 
Top