Speed Limits

Odd_Bloke · 06-02-2003, 01:22 PM

What sort of spped limits do you have over in the USA? (ie. what speeds?)

headsplice · 06-02-2003, 01:28 PM

It depends on the road you're driving on. I believe most Intersates (federal) are 65 MPH (about 100 KmH?) outside of major metro areas, some down to 45 MPH (don't know the conversion on that one in my head) inside them. Is that what you're looking for?

Odd_Bloke · 06-02-2003, 01:37 PM

Don't need conversions, we still use Imperial measurements (ie. miles) for our roads. Yet we can be criminally prosecuted for selling food items in Imperial measurements.

So the highest speed you get is 65 mph?

We have 5 mph, 10 mph (both normally on private property that many people use, eg. caravan sites), 20 mph (used in areas where there are a lot of kiddies on the streets running around), 30 mph (standard inner-city speed), 40 mph(standard for roads tht run through residential areas with drives, ie. slightly less urban areas), 50 mph (not used much, but is seen sometimes), 60 mph (normal speed for anything without another speed, most B (country) roads), and 70 mph for motorways and dual-carriageways (which are either 2, 3 or 4 lanes each way).

SteveDallas · 06-02-2003, 01:43 PM

As of a couple years back the maximum speed was raised, but it's up to individual states to decide where they will draw the line on their roads. There are now many Interstates in North Carolina (where I grew up) where the speed limit is 70MPH. I'm not sure what the maximum allowed by the feds is. (I don't think it was ever actually illegal to have speeds that high; it's just that the federal government made a policy to cut off highway funds for those states whose speed limits were "too high." They "non-mandated" a raising of the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 in the same way about 15 years ago. Federalism by bribery, in other words.)

juju · 06-02-2003, 01:43 PM

Some highways in the U.S. go up to 70mph.

SteveDallas · 06-02-2003, 01:49 PM

Oh, speaking of converting units, my sister once had a car with a digital speedometer, and there was a little switch to change from miles to km. Once she was driving me somewhere and I amused myself by switching it to km when she wasn't looking. It was great fun to watch her driving through a 35 MPH zone with a 45 on the speedometer, wondering why everybody else was going so fast!!

hot_pastrami · 06-02-2003, 03:31 PM

Actually, there are freeways in the US that are 75MPH... the stretch I drive from Spanish Fork UT (about 60 miles south of Salt Lake City) to Las Vegas NV is 75MPH except a short section through Arizona which drops it to 55 for a windy canyon area. I believe 75 is the highest you'll find, though.

headsplice · 06-02-2003, 04:04 PM

[begin Achille.Laura.scenario]
Does anyone know if there is a daylight limit in Wyoming or Montana? An urban myth is that there isn't, and that the nighttime speed drops to 65 for safety reasons.
[end Achille.Lauro.scenario]

perth · 06-02-2003, 04:08 PM

most (all?) colorado highways are 75, except over select stretches through cities or over mountains.

as far as wyoming goes, i regularly take i-25 up to i-80 and across to nebraska. while its not a lot of interstate to travel, both roads are for the most part 75mph. i dont see why you couldnt reasonably go much faster, because that stretch of i-80 is always deserted. just be careful when you hit nebraska, the cops there are jerks.

~james

Undertoad · 06-02-2003, 04:25 PM

The main highway through Montana had no limit at all for a long time. I think they've changed it now though. :(

Odd_Bloke · 06-02-2003, 04:29 PM

The German AutoBahns have no speed limit. But they probably have more than 4 lanes.

arz · 06-02-2003, 06:25 PM

German autobahns have speed limits in cities. Between cities they don't. They are also almost always two lanes each direction in between cities and upwards of 4 lanes each in the larger cities.

They are fun to drive, but I swear Germans drive as crazy as anyone else; they do 200 kph in the rain and accidents on the autobahns are nasty affairs, nastier than US interstates, I'll wager.

Also, oftentimes the autobahn are being maintained. To do that they shut down one side and route traffic to one lane each on the other side, so speeds then drop dramatically.

elSicomoro · 06-02-2003, 08:45 PM

The daytime speed limit on interstate highways in MT used to be "reasonable and prudent." That was changed to 75 in 1999. (Source)

10 states have a 75mph max: AZ, CO, ID, MT, NE, NV, NM, SD, UT, and WY. 18 other states have 70mph limits, including my native Missouri. Every other state is 65, except for Hawaii (55mph). (Rand McNally 2002 atlas)

Missouri uses a graded system. I'm not sure how it is in KC, but in St. Louis, most of the interstates are 60, except for near downtown, where they are 55. 70 out in the country. Other limited-access highways vary, from 55 to 70.

I don't see interstates with a speed limit less than 55 too often, but they're out there. The Vine St. Expwy. (I-676) here in Philadelphia is one (50mph). The JFX in Baltimore City (I-83) is another (50mph).

xoxoxoBruce · 06-02-2003, 08:47 PM

Quote:

The main highway through Montana had no limit at all for a long time. I think they've changed it now though.

Daytime is reasonable and prudent for existing conditions. It's the cops call but if you're doing much over 100 mph you better be driving something thats looks safe or they'll pull you over for a safety check, ie vehicle condition and attitude.
At night they had to drop it to 65mph because of all the critters on the road. Things bigger than dogs.

Undertoad · 06-02-2003, 10:12 PM

Well this is where we need that extended night vision and ir and threat detection. And advance sensor drones that fly ahead of the car to check out conditions ahead. From their latest advertising it seems like Cadillac is just about done with those features. Didja see that one where the woman's eyes turn into car headlights? Creepy.

06-02-2003, 01:22 PM	#1
Odd_Bloke Resident Denizen Join Date: May 2003 Location: Peterborough, UK Posts: 60	Speed Limits What sort of spped limits do you have over in the USA? (ie. what speeds?) __________________ "I am after all," said Pooh, "a bear of little brain." - A.A. Milne

06-02-2003, 01:28 PM	#2
headsplice Relaxed Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 676	It depends on the road you're driving on. I believe most Intersates (federal) are 65 MPH (about 100 KmH?) outside of major metro areas, some down to 45 MPH (don't know the conversion on that one in my head) inside them. Is that what you're looking for? __________________ Don't Panic

06-02-2003, 01:37 PM	#3
Odd_Bloke Resident Denizen Join Date: May 2003 Location: Peterborough, UK Posts: 60	Don't need conversions, we still use Imperial measurements (ie. miles) for our roads. Yet we can be criminally prosecuted for selling food items in Imperial measurements. So the highest speed you get is 65 mph? We have 5 mph, 10 mph (both normally on private property that many people use, eg. caravan sites), 20 mph (used in areas where there are a lot of kiddies on the streets running around), 30 mph (standard inner-city speed), 40 mph(standard for roads tht run through residential areas with drives, ie. slightly less urban areas), 50 mph (not used much, but is seen sometimes), 60 mph (normal speed for anything without another speed, most B (country) roads), and 70 mph for motorways and dual-carriageways (which are either 2, 3 or 4 lanes each way). __________________ "I am after all," said Pooh, "a bear of little brain." - A.A. Milne

06-02-2003, 03:31 PM	#7
hot_pastrami I am meaty Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 1,119	Actually, there are freeways in the US that are 75MPH... the stretch I drive from Spanish Fork UT (about 60 miles south of Salt Lake City) to Las Vegas NV is 75MPH except a short section through Arizona which drops it to 55 for a windy canyon area. I believe 75 is the highest you'll find, though. __________________ Hot Pastrami!

06-02-2003, 04:04 PM	#8
headsplice Relaxed Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 676	Yoink! [begin Achille.Laura.scenario] Does anyone know if there is a daylight limit in Wyoming or Montana? An urban myth is that there isn't, and that the nighttime speed drops to 65 for safety reasons. [end Achille.Lauro.scenario] __________________ Don't Panic

06-02-2003, 01:43 PM	#4
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	As of a couple years back the maximum speed was raised, but it's up to individual states to decide where they will draw the line on their roads. There are now many Interstates in North Carolina (where I grew up) where the speed limit is 70MPH. I'm not sure what the maximum allowed by the feds is. (I don't think it was ever actually illegal to have speeds that high; it's just that the federal government made a policy to cut off highway funds for those states whose speed limits were "too high." They "non-mandated" a raising of the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 in the same way about 15 years ago. Federalism by bribery, in other words.)

06-02-2003, 01:43 PM	#5
juju no one of consequence Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Arkansas Posts: 2,839	Some highways in the U.S. go up to 70mph.

06-02-2003, 01:49 PM	#6
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	Oh, speaking of converting units, my sister once had a car with a digital speedometer, and there was a little switch to change from miles to km. Once she was driving me somewhere and I amused myself by switching it to km when she wasn't looking. It was great fun to watch her driving through a 35 MPH zone with a 45 on the speedometer, wondering why everybody else was going so fast!!

06-02-2003, 04:08 PM	#9
perth Strong Silent Type Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Fort Collins, CO Posts: 1,949	most (all?) colorado highways are 75, except over select stretches through cities or over mountains. as far as wyoming goes, i regularly take i-25 up to i-80 and across to nebraska. while its not a lot of interstate to travel, both roads are for the most part 75mph. i dont see why you couldnt reasonably go much faster, because that stretch of i-80 is always deserted. just be careful when you hit nebraska, the cops there are jerks. ~james Last edited by perth; 06-02-2003 at 04:12 PM.

06-02-2003, 04:25 PM	#10
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	The main highway through Montana had no limit at all for a long time. I think they've changed it now though. :(

06-02-2003, 04:29 PM	#11
Odd_Bloke Resident Denizen Join Date: May 2003 Location: Peterborough, UK Posts: 60	The German AutoBahns have no speed limit. But they probably have more than 4 lanes. __________________ "I am after all," said Pooh, "a bear of little brain." - A.A. Milne

06-02-2003, 06:25 PM	#12
arz Hand-of-Kindness Extender Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: So Cal Posts: 137	German autobahns have speed limits in cities. Between cities they don't. They are also almost always two lanes each direction in between cities and upwards of 4 lanes each in the larger cities. They are fun to drive, but I swear Germans drive as crazy as anyone else; they do 200 kph in the rain and accidents on the autobahns are nasty affairs, nastier than US interstates, I'll wager. Also, oftentimes the autobahn are being maintained. To do that they shut down one side and route traffic to one lane each on the other side, so speeds then drop dramatically.

06-02-2003, 08:45 PM	#13
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	The daytime speed limit on interstate highways in MT used to be "reasonable and prudent." That was changed to 75 in 1999. (Source) 10 states have a 75mph max: AZ, CO, ID, MT, NE, NV, NM, SD, UT, and WY. 18 other states have 70mph limits, including my native Missouri. Every other state is 65, except for Hawaii (55mph). (Rand McNally 2002 atlas) Missouri uses a graded system. I'm not sure how it is in KC, but in St. Louis, most of the interstates are 60, except for near downtown, where they are 55. 70 out in the country. Other limited-access highways vary, from 55 to 70. I don't see interstates with a speed limit less than 55 too often, but they're out there. The Vine St. Expwy. (I-676) here in Philadelphia is one (50mph). The JFX in Baltimore City (I-83) is another (50mph).

06-02-2003, 10:12 PM	#15
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Well this is where we need that extended night vision and ir and threat detection. And advance sensor drones that fly ahead of the car to check out conditions ahead. From their latest advertising it seems like Cadillac is just about done with those features. Didja see that one where the woman's eyes turn into car headlights? Creepy.

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