Let's assume you have a long stretch of highway, with a level grade, in good weather with lots of visibility. Let's also say that there is no police presence, hence no chance of getting busted for speeding. How fast do you travel on this road?
For me, it's 85mph, maybe up to 90 if I have to pass someone.
Back in the 60's with a Chevy Impala with a 327, I got up to 100mph headed into Tampa and did the same headed into Daytona. But those were different days and prices were different too.
Back in my young and foolish days I drove a buddy's 76 monte carlo (400ci small block) at about 110 on a deserted highway in northern Michigan for a very short time. I also found out a few years later that the Cavalier rev limiter kicks in at about 106.
With a good car and a good road, I'd be comfortable up to about 120 for short sprints I think.
I usually drive on the interstate between 70 and 75.
The fastest I've ever been on surface transport is 200mph on a French TGV. That's quick!
These days? Nothing over 80 ever. Fuel and tickets are too expensive.
In my young and foolish days? Hopped up '66 Chevelle, Christmas eve 1970, I80 across Nebraska coming from Denver, temperature +4F (which means dense air and the tires would tolerate running at well above their rated speed).
Made it almost to Omaha before Nebraska's finest stopped me with a roadblock at 4 AM. The cop who stopped me told me that a police interceptor pulled out of Norfolk in pursuit, but the airplane that was following me told him to go home because he was loosing ground. In Nebraska, they put you in jail for driving 145 in a 75. Even if they had not caught me, I was not saving all that much time because I had to stop for fuel so often.
I agree: "[r]eal men don't have to play these ridiculous speed-brag games", but they do anyway. I had a Harley Electra-glide on I-70 on a long road trip and just felt like I wanted to see how fast it would go. It went to a needle's-width less than 105 Mph and I remember being a little disappointed that it wouldn't go any faster than that, but it was exhilarating anyway.
I have just been reading some 'social' commentaries. Turns out most women are much more likely to date men who do things like this, rather than the 25 mph stodges.
The week before Memorial Day my wife and I had to go from Minnesota to Wyoming for a funeral. We have a 2004 Chrysler Town & Country. From Fargo ND to Billings MT the posted speed limit on I-94 is 75 mph. On the way out I set the cruise control at 85 and maintained that speed until Miles City MT where I slowed to 75 because we had to turn on the AC. Very little traffic, good road and good weather. From Billings down to Wyoming the posted speed was 70 in MT and 65 in WY, I went 5 over that. Same speeds on the way back. Just under 15 hours total with gas and food stops.
Met several HP and Sheriff cars but none gave me a second glance. I probably would have tried 90, but that might have attracted their attention. Overall gas mileage was just over 22
We covered a large part of Wyoming in a V-8 Taurus SHO at 90 to 100 MPH a few summers ago. I got passed South of Jakcson Hole by someone in a V-8 Toyota Land Cruiser who wanted to be in Rock Springs REALLY BAD. I figured he'd be the one to get the ticket, so I paced him about 1/2 mile ahead. We both met the same highway patrol car, but he seemed completely uninterested. We turned left on I-80 and were in Laramie in short order. No one seems to want to be in WY for very long. I don't understand why. Drivers in Montana seemed slow by comparison.
I saw the Air Force jet car yesterday out run a fast plane after the plane had a good headstart. Nobody is going to beat that thing. I think it got to around 400 MPH in a matter of seconds. It doesn't get very good gas mileage though.
Since going to the Army in 1964, I slowed down considerably. I think the fastest I have driven in the intervening years is on I-10 in Western Texas, where the speed limit is higher, was around 80 mph in my Sienna mini-van, and unlike some of you found it very stable.
In my young, death-wish days, the fastest I ever drove was an INDICATED 96 mph, down a long hill, in my 1953 Chevrolet.
Before you guys who know everything there is to know give yourself carpal tunnel typing in insults, I am going to expand on my remarks. Then, if you want, fire away; I don't care since I know what it was like.
First, yes, I am well aware in those days speedometers were extremely optimistic. If someone told me my actual speed on a 1953 Chevrolet at 96 indicated was as slow as 85 mph, I would not for a second doubt it. But, I had no idea except they were way off at speed, and so were the Fords.
Second, you would not be the first to have a poor concept of how fast a 1953 would run. With certain changes.
a. I took off the fan blade, and it made a significant difference in horsepower, or at least the car moved faster which I assume means more hp.
b. I took off that oil-bath air cleaner, and it went faster yet. Also, it made really strange noises as full throttle, which I liked.
c. I loosened the distributor, and simply adjusted it at idle for maximum idle speed. I had to park on a hill to start by coasting, or raise the hood and twist the distributor back until I got it started, but this really turned that "babbit slinger" ( that is what Ford owners called that type of scoop oil system car) into a real killer. It would run 35 in low; 65 in second, and, um, 96 indicated downhill in high. For you young guys, a '53 usually ran maybe 20 in first, and maybe 30 or 35 in second, perhaps 70 or so max in high. They were known for being dogs.
If you doubt it, you are in great company. In those days a lot of people doubted it. A (former) buddy, Rich, had a new 1963 V-8 Chevrolet, and kept hearing about my '53, and made mocking remarks. One night, I bumped into him at the gas station where my brother worked, and he said he wanted to see that 'hot' '53, smirk, snicker.
I pulled to the end of the paving, stopped with my back wheels on the gravel at the end of the bridge, and asked him to fasten his seat belt (which as I remember the J.C.s installed at modest cost but that is going by memory, I simply can't remember if it came with belts.) He said no '53 Chevrolet would ever make him fasten his seat belt, snicker. I let out the clutch and floored it, at full throttle we just sat there making horrible noises, throwing gravel all over the bridge.
Eventually, we started moving, and ran up the twisting, winding gravel road around 65 mph in second gear; i usually drove closer to 75 on that particular stretch, but had a minimal survival policy which said slow down when I had passengers, because I saw people dying showing off for passengers. Plus it was uphill.
After a mile or two, I turned around. All this time, since I started moving, he was fumbling on the floor beside his seat, and I thought he was looking for a dropped cigarette. Turns out the minute he heard those high rpm noises, he was trying to find his rejected seat belt.
All the way back to town, he kept asking silly questions, like what I'd do if I hit a bump in the middle of a power slide in a corner. I thought he was joshing me, since I really was driving a bit slower than usual, and he was known for being a fast driver. I dropped him off at the station, and a couple days later, my brother asked me what I had done to Rich. When he came into the station, he was white in the face,and shaking like a leaf. I was totally amazed; he had a reputation for being a fast driver, but apparently only on straight paved road. I really did not mean to scare him; if I had any idea he was truly scared, I would have slowed down.
He said a number of things about my person, but not one of them involved any degree of mental health, but he did say he would never get into any car of mine to listen to the radio. However, he never again mocked my '53 Chevrolet.
That sort of abuse is not good for motors. When I stopped driving it in early 1964, when I was drafted, it was using a quart of oil every thirty miles. I came home from Fort Lewis the next Christmas, and put in a rebuilt motor and transmission, and drove that car across the US, then home in 1966. I drove it until I bought a new Chevy II in late 1966, then gave it to the same brother who drove it for a while, then junked it.
Driving the way I had done, required constant practice. When I did not drive for a year, I never again drove like that, and would not have been safe if I had tried.
I had a brother who told tales of himself and his buddies, driving 120 mph on those same roads, where at 75 I was pushing the limit with my old car. I wondered how they could drive that fast; it just didn't seem possible. Years later, I realized they weren't going that fast. With all those people driving that fast, they would have been flying past me like I was sitting still. In fact, only one person ever passed me and it was not my brother. They were probably not going as fast as I was.
The fastest I've ever driven my current car is about 105 MPH on a straight highway with no traffic.
Normally, I try to keep it to less than 10 MPH over the limit. Speeding tickets are very expensive reminders to slow down.
Also, when I used my GPS to measure the difference in time between going the limit and, say, 20 MPH faster, there really wasn't any significant difference for trips less than about 60 miles. Maybe at most 10 minutes.
Usually between 75-85, out here in Montana that can still get You passed. In Germany, many years ago i got up to 110, but the cognac poles were just going by too fast. Comfortable driving speed was 95, up and downhill, in and out of traffic.
Its in my genes to drive fast. I've been to 130 mph on a straight away on the highway. Its a rush.For the record, the road was clear and nobody was in danger,I drive fast not dumb. I've seen what driving stupid does. And knock on wood,I've never caused an accident.
If you want to drive fast, look into getting some track time, check with SCCA, drag strips, car clubs, etc.; it's a lot more fun than driving fast on roads. I remember doing some PCA driving schools many years ago, it was a blast.