How much progress?
Discussion
Suppose I found myself on a derestricted autobahn in perfect conditions in a car capable of around 150 MPH. What speed would an advanced instructor/observer consider constituted making good progress?
My guess is that sticking to the recommended limit of 80 ish wouldn't cut it, what about 100/110? John lyon once told me that was the usual HPC motorway speed in light traffic pre 70 limit.
If it was completely clear might even this be regarded as hesitant?
My guess is that sticking to the recommended limit of 80 ish wouldn't cut it, what about 100/110? John lyon once told me that was the usual HPC motorway speed in light traffic pre 70 limit.
If it was completely clear might even this be regarded as hesitant?
if conditions allowed and it was a derestricted section of autobahn, then something around the 130 mark would surely be acceptable - you don't want to be seen to be thrashing the car, it needs to have 'a bit left' imo
if I was the observer, I'd want you to be telling me about things as soon as they came into view - front, sides and rear - and what you were considering doing about them
if I was the observer, I'd want you to be telling me about things as soon as they came into view - front, sides and rear - and what you were considering doing about them
My RoSPA bike was at unrestricted speed 
I did a week with www.Alpine-TT.com on the Isle of Man, where there's no speed limit in the nationals
Speeds were very high
but under close instruction from 
Class 1 riders.
It was a very different experience from traditional RoSPA training within UK mainland speed limits. It's remarkably eye opening how much forward planning, discipline and sheer concentration is demanded to ride safely at high three-figure speeds. (For bikers, this www.Alpine-TT.com course is probably the closest you can get to full-on police training.)
I did a week with www.Alpine-TT.com on the Isle of Man, where there's no speed limit in the nationals
Speeds were very high
but under close instruction from Class 1 riders.It was a very different experience from traditional RoSPA training within UK mainland speed limits. It's remarkably eye opening how much forward planning, discipline and sheer concentration is demanded to ride safely at high three-figure speeds. (For bikers, this www.Alpine-TT.com course is probably the closest you can get to full-on police training.)
I do loads of miles on the German Autobahns.
What ever conditions dicate
Today 120kph most of the time 80mph - I was one of the slower cars
160kph is 100mph is outside lane crusing speed
200kph is 120mph - I do that if I want to make progress. But it is begining to feel quick and you really need to have your wits about you. But is fine if you know what you are doing.
Totaly empty I have hit 170-180mph. Only for a few k at a time though
What ever conditions dicate
Today 120kph most of the time 80mph - I was one of the slower cars
160kph is 100mph is outside lane crusing speed
200kph is 120mph - I do that if I want to make progress. But it is begining to feel quick and you really need to have your wits about you. But is fine if you know what you are doing.
Totaly empty I have hit 170-180mph. Only for a few k at a time though
Dr Jekyll said:
My guess is that sticking to the recommended limit of 80 ish wouldn't cut it, what about 100/110? John lyon once told me that was the usual HPC motorway speed in light traffic pre 70 limit.
Cars, tyres and motorways have all improved massively since those days.I seem to recall an article in Motor about JL maxing a Countach on an autobahn - which involved taking on trust that a Lane 1 user would not move out in front of him!
Personally, the last time I was in a very fast car on an unrestricted and lightly trafficed autobahn I chose to cruise at an indicated 130, slowing for a reduced speed differential each time I was passing a slower vehicle. This seemed quite relaxed, allowing plenty of time and space to deal with anything that happened in front. Had I chosen a higher cruising speed and still wanted to avoid large speed differentials from overtaken traffic I would obviously have had to use significantly more acceleration and braking to do so.
More recently, I was driven by a German taxi driver at about 180 kph. He was driving in typical casual taxi driver style, for example with only one hand on the wheel, and the traffic was a little more dense. I felt quite uncomfortable, but probably not justifiably so.
waremark said:
I seem to recall an article in Motor about JL maxing a Countach on an autobahn - which involved taking on trust that a Lane 1 user would not move out in front of him!
I remember that too, iirc, it was to try to attain a genuine 200mph on public roads.Germany, obviously, being the location.
What has stuck in my mind is the description of how they carefully checked all four tyres on the morning of the attempt, before setting off.
To answer the OP, car and driver.
Car, I've found that any car has a "natural" cruising speed, one where it just seems happy to continue at that speed forever, dealing with the road surface with no problem, sort of purring along.
Unfortunately, in most of the world, most cars are not "allowed" to do this.
Driver, there's the problem, "natural" cruising speed for so many being unknown.
I don't doubt that many on PH and especially in this forum are capable of the total concentration and observation needed for sustained progress at very high speeds, the majority, hmm.
Unless they were trained perhaps.
Personally I tend to limit myself to about 110-120mph, that is simply because although my car will clearly go faster it is starting to feel as if it's being pushed beyond the natural cruising speed. Have been quicker but in quicker vehicles if that makes sense.
Certainly at 120mph if you have to slow down quicker than just lifting off, perhaps due to a Dutch caravanner, then you can feel the brakes having to dissipate a lot of energy even under quite light braking.
As someone else mentioned, also deliberately reduce differential speeds unless there is one clear lane between. I aim about target speed plus 30mph absolute max if it's anything above quiet.
The other thing I would say is that at 125 mph and above it's very easy to quickly go from a situation where it feels as if you are going quickly and making progress to one where it feels uncomfortable, at which point it really is already too quick and you should have slowed a bit sooner.
Again as someone mentioned, some (read most) taxi drivers make me feel uncomfortable, certainly I can recall one very high speed ride from Eifel region into Dusseldorf where the prat took one off slip so fast that I could feel the back end starting to go on the ever tightening curve and yet could only sit there and watch the taxi-ista sawing at the wheel and breaking out into a sweat. Words were spoken obviously.
Certainly at 120mph if you have to slow down quicker than just lifting off, perhaps due to a Dutch caravanner, then you can feel the brakes having to dissipate a lot of energy even under quite light braking.
As someone else mentioned, also deliberately reduce differential speeds unless there is one clear lane between. I aim about target speed plus 30mph absolute max if it's anything above quiet.
The other thing I would say is that at 125 mph and above it's very easy to quickly go from a situation where it feels as if you are going quickly and making progress to one where it feels uncomfortable, at which point it really is already too quick and you should have slowed a bit sooner.
Again as someone mentioned, some (read most) taxi drivers make me feel uncomfortable, certainly I can recall one very high speed ride from Eifel region into Dusseldorf where the prat took one off slip so fast that I could feel the back end starting to go on the ever tightening curve and yet could only sit there and watch the taxi-ista sawing at the wheel and breaking out into a sweat. Words were spoken obviously.
I find the OP's question impossible to answer without being in that exact car at that exact time. I make judgements all the time whether my speed is appropriate, and obviously percentage variations result in larger speed differences the faster you go, and you come across new ground and new hazards faster as well. I'm not one to stick to a speed, rathermore I tend to vary my speed to suit the conditions, unless I'm driving for economy when typically I'll always be going slower than the highest safe speed.
To go with the spirit of the thread though and put some numbers down, on derestricted Autobahns I normally find myself at around 100/110mph, and if there's a straight clear section I'll casually climb up to around 130mph, although I have often cruised at 120-130 for some time if the road has been empty enough to make it safe. I've never really owned a car capable of big top speeds, so the fastest I've ever driven on public roads has been 150mph, which I held for about twenty seconds - that was on a straight section of road with excellent visibility and no other cars around. I could have gone faster, but the situation changed so I lowered my speed accordingly. If I'd been in a more powerful car I suppose I could have easily gone faster than that in that situation.
One generaly point though whilst on the subject, driving through Europe makes you realise how pointless speed limits are. The autobahn in Germany is usually busier than the French equivalent, and the M1 in the UK is often just as empty early in the morning. The only difference I suppose is that other drivers expect people to be doing the speed limit or less when making judgements whether to pull out or not (most people judge speed very poorly in my experience).
The other thing I've noticed when driving in Europe is how I feel most at risk in busy traffic with a low speed limit. A certain speed differential is helpful to avoid lane change incidents. Holland is especially bad for these - I've seen countless near accidents in Holland caused specifically by the fact that everyone does exactly the same speed in a long snake in each of the three lanes - people hover unnoticed into someone else's blindspot, and then nearly get clobbered when they change lanes. It's much safer in Germany when cars appear in your rearview mirror first and are moving at a tangible speed relative to you.
To go with the spirit of the thread though and put some numbers down, on derestricted Autobahns I normally find myself at around 100/110mph, and if there's a straight clear section I'll casually climb up to around 130mph, although I have often cruised at 120-130 for some time if the road has been empty enough to make it safe. I've never really owned a car capable of big top speeds, so the fastest I've ever driven on public roads has been 150mph, which I held for about twenty seconds - that was on a straight section of road with excellent visibility and no other cars around. I could have gone faster, but the situation changed so I lowered my speed accordingly. If I'd been in a more powerful car I suppose I could have easily gone faster than that in that situation.
One generaly point though whilst on the subject, driving through Europe makes you realise how pointless speed limits are. The autobahn in Germany is usually busier than the French equivalent, and the M1 in the UK is often just as empty early in the morning. The only difference I suppose is that other drivers expect people to be doing the speed limit or less when making judgements whether to pull out or not (most people judge speed very poorly in my experience).
The other thing I've noticed when driving in Europe is how I feel most at risk in busy traffic with a low speed limit. A certain speed differential is helpful to avoid lane change incidents. Holland is especially bad for these - I've seen countless near accidents in Holland caused specifically by the fact that everyone does exactly the same speed in a long snake in each of the three lanes - people hover unnoticed into someone else's blindspot, and then nearly get clobbered when they change lanes. It's much safer in Germany when cars appear in your rearview mirror first and are moving at a tangible speed relative to you.
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