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How fast can you go on a motorway before being caught for speeding?

When I sit in the inside lane of a motorway, cruising along at 70mph I get cars passing on my right, clearly breaking the so called speed limit. I'll occasionally come across the odd car doing 60mph, so i'll overtake them.

Sometimes I have to increase my speed to over 70mph, it's unavoidable (for example, overtaking a car doing 60mph who then speeds up to 70mph as you're passing, therefore you have to go to 75mph to overtake).

I also go up to 75mph when it's pretty empty, but i've never yet been over 80mph.

I've heard some people saying they were cruising along at 90mph and people were still overtaking, but I don't know how much of that is true.

So, how fast can you really go on a motorway before a police car stops you? I've even had police cars (without any sirens or anything) overtaking me whilst at 70mph. I've never seen a car being stopped for speeding on the motorway either. Maybe, assuming you are driving OK (not tailgating and not swerving) then a police officer wouldn't care if you were doing 80 instead of 70?

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Reply 1

Kre

The usual tolerance guideline is 10% + 2mph to face prosecution. So if you're in a 70mph zone, 79mph is the absolute maximum. However, you can still get points and fines for going even a couple mph over the speed limit so always be cautious. Everyone speeds a little now and again. I usually do 75mph on the motorway if it's nice and clear.

Reply 2

Motorbiker

Original post by Runninground

I'd say it largely depends on the situation you're in and the exact circumnstances etc.

On a mediumly empty motorway on a nice day with good conditions the average motorway speed from my expereince is 80mph ish. If there was an obvious cop car parked this would go down to 70 as people go past(or more like 60/65) and they wouldn't be able to stop everyone. If there's one guy doing 100+ then obviously they'll pull over that one.

Of course most people that are speeding on motorways will be caught by cameras and not police men physically catching them. The average speed cameras catch a lot of people as well and you have to be strictly abiding the speed limit to not get caught by them.

Reply 3

Solivagant

Generally, you'll only get pulled over if you are going much faster than the rest of the traffic. My dad got pulled over (with me in the car) going 94 on the motorway (after braking).

Reply 4

JC.

Depends what's around and how lucky you are, doesn't it?

I was once nicked in the past for doing 34mph in a 30 whilst driving a Morris Minor. Yet, I do know of one individual who did an indicated 167mph down the M1 in a Porsche Boxster and got away with it.

Best advice? If you're going to speed be prepared to accept any and all consequences that come your way!

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 5

Henrikh

Ive seen loads of cars being pulled over on the motorway when I'm travelling on the M6 to Glasgow. Usually with cop cars hiding behind on slip road behind trees etc.

Anything above 85 mph usually results in them stopping you although Scottish Police Forces are allegedly stricter and you dont have that leeway.

Beware of the Policeman on the motrway bridges with Speed Cameras aswell.

Reply 6

The_Internet

Generally speaking I think 75 - 77Mph (ish) on your dashboard actually translates to 70Mph in reality. Not sure how that would go with the police....

Only because my sat nav shows Im doing 66 when Im doing 70, and 70 when Im doing 75(ish)

Reply 7

kumori

It can depend on what police it is too, normal panda police cars don't normally issue speeding tickets since they can prove it. Traffic police can depend based upon there mood.

However that being said I was pulled over doing over a 100 (in their words, I was going 99 :/ ) and only needed to show my licence at the police station and not get a ticket.

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Reply 8

Camoxide

Most people do 80 on motorways anyway.

A lot of people do 95 on a good day.

Reply 9

Katie_96

Both my parents drive ridiculously fast and they've never been pulled over on a motorway.

Mum and I were driving to Cambridge and we hit 110 mph and we hadn't realised, that was a bit of a shock so we dropped back to like 90 mph, but no one stopped us and there were still people over taking us.

People drive stupidly fast, but if you go to places like Germany they don't have speed limits on there "motor ways" (Autobahns) and so I guess if people are used to driving around Europe they just don't pay attention when driving in England

Reply 10

Fjarskafinn

Original post by Katie_96

Mum and I were driving to Cambridge and we hit 110 mph and we hadn't realised, that was a bit of a shock so we dropped back to like 90 mph, but no one stopped us and there were still people over taking us.

Genuine question, with absolutely no judgment - how do you not notice something like that? I'd imagine most cars would be making a racket at that speed, and you'd see yourselves absolutely flying past other cars on the road?

Reply 11

Yawn11

I been up to 100-110 mph on motorway many times.

Never had no troubles.

Reply 12

TattyBoJangles

I tend to hang around the 77-85mph mark (speedo reading). I've never had any trouble, but then I do slow down for speed cameras..

Dad got stopped for doing 95 once and got let off with a slap on the wrists, so if you actually get stopped it may have something to do with the road conditions / mood of the officer :p:

Reply 13

Katie_96

Original post by Fjarskafinn

Mums car has a really big engine and it's not old, so no rattling at all. It's built to be able to go at like 150, it's a VW and it's 2 litre. We noticed because we were going past cars but literally we weren't even in the outside lane, there were people over taking us. I'm not really sure how it happened, and also the motor way wasn't THAT busy, still, it's not a clever idea and mums been a lot more cautious on speed since then.

Reply 14

JDV10

Normally 60-70 on motorways, as my car drinks fuel like a B****

But I defiantly Haven t maxed my car on the M4 at 3AM, not ever.

Reply 15

F1's Finest

loooooooool my Dad's car will start rattling at 85mph.

Reply 16

jeddows

This is mostly anecdotal evidence, gathered from various forums and 'speeding' information websites.

Basically, this is my understanding of the situation (and yes I'm sure someone will be able to correct me, this is TSR after all :wink:

)

If I'm correct, you won't find fixed speed cameras on motorways with 70mph limits. HOWEVER, you can come across mobile cameras (such as vans, or police with radar/lasers) and police patrols, and you will find cameras, particularly average speed cameras, on areas with lower limits, and areas with variable limits. In a variable limit, if gantry shows a proper speed limit (number in red circle, not just the flashing amber advisory limits), then they could be in operation.

Anyway, as for what speeds you can get away with, from what I've read, the 10% +2 mph 'rule' is usually only for speed cameras, while 'technically' a police car could pull you for only being a few mph over, as JC said he experienced. I believe it is something to do with cameras not having any 'context' or something (such as weather conditions, traffic, school opening/closing etc), but I'm not 100% on that.
However, contrary to this, when interviewed about using a radar gun on a motorway, the police officer using it said they wouldn't bother with anyone doing under 90, simply due to the amount of fines being too great to process!

In real life, you're probably safe at 75mph. I usually do about 75-78 (partly for economy, partly because I've changed car and don't want to risk the points!) on the motorway to my girlfriend's house, and I'm usually in the faster half of the traffic. About 80 is the average I'd say for most traffic, so as long as you're not doing above that you won't stand out too much to any traffic police.

Oh, and about being overtaken by a police car at 70, I've seen on a couple of the police shows officers saying that they'll usually do about 75 ish when patroling, just to prevent the motorway slowing down too much!

Reply 17

kumori

About the being overtook by police at 70, they are as bad or if not worse for speeding.

Going 90 on a two lane motorway a traffic officer pulled behind me and when I pulled in for them, they carried on and did the same to the person in front of me who was going over 100. About 5 minutes later another traffic officer did the same thing.

And I seem to get overtook by police while going around 80 a fair bit (not sure why I only slow down to 80 with police near)

Reply 18

DeeWave

Original post by kumori

About the being overtook by police at 70, they are as bad or if not worse for speeding.

Bear in mind that police have exemptions, and are exempt from certain traffic regulations including speed limits, if compliance would interfere with the task in hand.

Reply 19

kumori

Original post by DeeWave

Bear in mind that police have exemptions, and are exempt from certain traffic regulations including speed limits, if compliance would interfere with the task in hand.

As far as I'm aware police are only exempt from traffic regulations in an emergency. In which they would need there lights and sirens on. I may be wrong however but i can't see it. And in the cases I've seen or said about this has not been the case.

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