The maths might work like that but reality doesn't as you get faster. The guy who thinks he's nominally doing 90mph should be shaving a third off his journey time compared to 60 but in reality he's just rushing to the next congested area, when the slower traffic will catch up and it all starts again, like a safety car in a race. That's why older sat navs without live traffic updating still gave good estimates. Bike magazine took a cruiser and a hot sportsbike and told the riders to have a fun afternoon however they liked, average speed for both was 63mph, even though the sportsbike rider thought he was 'on one'. However fast you think you're going on the motorway, I guarantee your average speed will be mid sixties at most (unless its 4am).
The higher speeds where average speed where you make gains is on slow roads. Speeding on these roads will get you there noticably quicker. Usually not a great idea though.
 
I do a lot of my mileage late in the evenings so generally no congested areas. I'm sure you're right about the maths during rush hour!

However (and i realise this is drifting away from the motorways somewhat). This morning i drove from Whitchurch to Llangollen and it took me ages as i was stuck almost the whole way behind an elderly couple going no faster than 40mph at any point. I managed to overtake them and soon came across another idiot doing the same.

On the way back, i had a clear run the whole way - the journey time over 20 miles was a few minutes less.
 
When I had my "F reg" 90 i once foolishly took it to work which was an M25 journey outside of peak hours.
Managed an indicated 70+ but I didn't feel terribly safe and the 4 x 40W sound system had to be cranked up a bit to be heard over the clattering of the "19J"(?) engine.
The amount of smoke trailing behind me was a bit more than I was anticipating too.
 
http://www.safermotoring.co.uk/there-minimum-speed-motorway.html

Personally, I think I would fall asleep driving at a constant 50 mph on the motorway. My 110, 200 tdi seems comfortable at maintaining a steady 70 mph.

Very true

There's also the minor point that some people actually enjoy driving, rather than just seeing driving as a chore. In all honesty i avoid motorways (boring) if i've got time to take the B roads - but then i'd actually like to be able to drive the B roads at a speed that is enjoyable, rather than drudging along behind Arthur and Mildred pootling back from church at 10mph
 
I live with the m25. That's not the case here.

I used to work on a farm right by the M25. Even in the 80s, the traffic only went quiet twice a year, small hours on Christmas Day, and the small hours on New Years Day.
I doubt if it is empty even at those times now.
 
So it seems we have two camps on the speed side of things.
Those who are more important than everyone else and dont mind the higher risk of killing people and those who know what there doing.

No surprise there then :rolleyes::p
 
I used to work on a farm right by the M25. Even in the 80s, the traffic only went quiet twice a year, small hours on Christmas Day, and the small hours on New Years Day.
I doubt if it is empty even at those times now.

It’s less busy at those times, trouble is that often 3 out of 4 lanes are closed so you queue anyway ffs
 
So it seems we have two camps on the speed side of things.
Those who are more important than everyone else and dont mind the higher risk of killing people and those who know what there doing.

No surprise there then :rolleyes::p
harsh

Are you suggesting we should all pootle around at <50mph the whole time because its safer whilst the country grinds to a halt simply because its marginally safer?

Maybe we should never leave the house at all?
 
harsh

Are you suggesting we should all pootle around at <50mph the whole time because its safer whilst the country grinds to a halt simply because its marginally safer?

Maybe we should never leave the house at all?

I don't think so. But the 70mph limit is there for a reason. And often there will be reason to go slower than that.
I will push it to 80 on an uncrowded motorway, maybe the M74 late evening in the summer. Almost no traffic there, and it is light until midnight.
 

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