Whats the minimum reasonable speed to drive at in a 60 limit

[simon12]

There was a very heated debate on this at Secret Cask the other day so I thought i'd see what you guys think. So assuming theirs good weather no tight corners and no unusual hazards what do you think the minimum speed its reasonable to drive at in a 60mph limit on a single carriageway A road. Please note the question is about a reasonable minimum speed not legal or optimum etc.

 

[foxbat]

There's no minimum. You drive such that you are not causing a hazard to yourself or others.

 

[stevey]

80mph. That's what everyone seems to do around here.

 

[Linalmeemow]

There are way too many variables - do you know the road? Is it daytime? Side roads or concealed entrances? Other traffic?

 

[marshbrewer]

Obviously, you drive to the conditions and your own confidence; even if it's safe to do 60, if you are anxious then slow down to what ever speed you need to go to feel less anxious.

However, as a country dweller, if that speed is 25mph, could you please try not to slam your brake on hard every time you approach even the slightest bend?

 

[brumbrew]

Obviously, you drive to the conditions and your own confidence; even if it's safe to do 60, if you are anxious then slow down to what ever speed you need to go to feel less anxious.

However, as a country dweller, if that speed is 25mph, could you please try not to slam your brake on hard every time you approach even the slightest bend?

Or for oncoming traffic that has its own lane.

Speed limits are limits. Not targets. I cycle everyday to work and back as it's faster than sitting in traffic. And I see some right lunacy.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

There are way too many variables - do you know the road? Is it daytime? Side roads or concealed entrances? Other traffic?

I agree, a straight road in the middle of nowhere with no junctions, drives etc is a lot different to the same roads with them so you have to drive to the conditions.

 

[Gunge]

I drive with the pedal to the metal all the time. All The Time. It's the nicotine and caffeine, y'know.

 

[Nicks90]

Me too. 60 is the minimum isn't it? Any less and the BMW drivers are in danger of shoving you off the road in a rage incident.

 

[britton]

I got pulled on a motorway for doing 55, police deemed it too slow! Fuel costs a lot these days and I travel a lot so doing 55 means I get 80+ mpg.

 

[stz]

Here in the city where I now live I drive like an absolute ****. If you asked me on a bad day I'd reply 60. Choose a lane. Stay in lane. Your problem. Thing is, when I'm somewhere unfamiliar, it is dark, raining, sun is in my eyes, not sure if a tight bend coming up is going to be as bad as it looks etc. I drive like some old couple out on a sunday drive. I'm sure the locals behind me are furious, because I don't know that this blind hill with sun in my eyes rarely has a combine harvester at the top straddling both lane, but the point is I don't know because I'm not that familiar with the roads. I'm from the countryside and when younger used to do 60+ on every narrow b road without road markings and frequent tractors or hedge cutting, somehow survived, cars must have just been smaller back then!

 

[DavidDetroit]

We have freeways that are 55mph or 70mph, basically. Might be other limits but I don't recall any.
Sometimes trying to go 55mph in a 55mph zone is not safe since a large amount of the surrounding traffic is going 70+.
Going the speed limit then is going too slow which makes that dangerous. When that happens, I pick it up to 65mph. I still get passed but I won't get pulled over.
So it depends.
What's funny is when a police car is traveling down the road, people start going just slower than the police car--no one wants to pass. I don't have a problem with it; I just go right on by at the posted speed limit.

 

[simon12]

There are way too many variables - do you know the road? Is it daytime? Side roads or concealed entrances? Other traffic?

When I said no unusual hazards I mean't none of the variables you mention, its a normal road but other than that conditions are ideal and no unusual (or even common) hazards.

 

[simon12]

Just added my own vote as 60 as with no hazards if you can't drive safely at the speed limit on the described road you shouldn't be driving. My opinion anyway.

 

[Graz]

As per the late Colin McRae: "If in doubt, flat out"

 

[xozzx]

What gets me most is the people who drive at 30 whenever there is any sort of corner then accelerate hard on the straights and slow down to 30 at the next corner. My car has crappy acceleration so I cant overtake on the straights and am stuck doing 30 at the slightest twist in the road.

 

[xozzx]

And dont get me started on single track roads.....