Texas Has the Autobahn? Top speeders of 2017

[Accumulator]

Huh...guess those speeds aren`t all that surprising given the capabilities of so many vehicles these days.

"How did they catch him?" Radios and other LEOs.

I assume all those big-number speeders were taken into custody and their vehicles towed/impounded. Think those vehicles were in Autopian shape by the time the owners got `em back? Heh heh, not on your life...

I`ve never had an egregious speeding ticket, closest was being allowed to skate on 90-some on I64 (he didn`t even pull me over, we just exchanged gestures/etc. as I coasted back down into the 80s and he waved and took off). Accumulatorette got a 90-something in a 55 without any big drama. In our area, >20-over is a judgement call on the LEOs part, but triple-digits means your day`s schedule just changed, period.

] It must suck to have a vehicle capable of going that fast and not having a license to enjoy it..

Heh heh heh, BTDT ...[Accumulator spent a while with a parked fast car when his teenage self lost his license for over a year... ]

As I`ve posted before, the whole "having a highly-capable car but not being able to use it" is what finally got me *OUT OF* really fast cars, even *with* a license! (I never end up doing many track days any more..) Driving a great car at 4/10ths simply frustrates me...constant exercise in frustration and self-control, just too far away from the vehicle`s "natural rhythm" for me to enjoy it.

[JustJesus]

As I`ve posted before, the whole "having a highly-capable car but not being able to use it" is what finally got me *OUT OF* really fast cars, even *with* a license! (I never end up doing many track days any more..) Driving a great car at 4/10ths simply frustrates me...constant exercise in frustration and self-control, just too far away from the vehicle`s "natural rhythm" for me to enjoy it.

And that`s probably why I rather enjoy my measly 105hp Civic "race car" It`s "natural rhythm" is low enough on the speed scale for it to still be plenty of fun.
Granted, another 100hp wouldn`t hurt.

[Stokdgs]

Not surprised that Texas has this; I-10 after you get past El Paso heading East is 80mph.

Having driven this route from Northern California and the Pacific Northwest to San Antonio since 1969, and seen all the Speed Limit changes, it was such a welcome sign to see the speed limit there up to 80mph..

I have driven through this same area in the middle of the night Before the 80mph change, and the 18-wheelers are ALL going up to 100mph through there and you better be ready to "Play" or get the heck out of their way.. It is absolutely pitch black out there at night and the gas stations are far and few between..

In the area that has the 80mph speed limit, I have seen complete idiots flying past me well, well, over 80mph and then I ALWAYS see them pulled over by the Highway Patrol..

I have traveled this route since before there was a freeway running all the way through Phoenix AZ, and you had to stop a zillion stoplights going West to eventually get to the other end where you saw "Indian School Road" and knew you were almost out of Phoenix and would get to get back on I-10 again..

Think with all the extra trips plus the twice/year, I have driven this route to San Antonio, over 125 times, (round trip, around 4,000 miles from NorCal) = 500,000..
Was doing this even Before Valentine-1 was invented..

And after all this driving = 0 speeding tickets.. And Yes, I bought a Valentine-1 back in the year 2001..

Anymore, it is just too dangerous out there to go really fast, not because of my or your abilities, but because of absolute complete idiots doing equally idiotic things while driving that has ruined it for everyone...
Dan F

[Desertnate]

As I`ve posted before, the whole "having a highly-capable car but not being able to use it" is what finally got me *OUT OF* really fast cars, even *with* a license! (I never end up doing many track days any more..) Driving a great car at 4/10ths simply frustrates me...constant exercise in frustration and self-control, just too far away from the vehicle`s "natural rhythm" for me to enjoy it.

And that`s probably why I rather enjoy my measly 105hp Civic "race car" It`s "natural rhythm" is low enough on the speed scale for it to still be plenty of fun.
Granted, another 100hp wouldn`t hurt.

So much truth to the saying, "Better to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow".

My GTI has 200-is HP, and is a total hoot on the Ozark back roads about 1.5 hours from where I live. On an early Saturday morning I can have endless hours of fun tossing the car around without any worry of launching myself into the trees. A bigger, much more powerful vehicle would be out of place and actually not much fun because any dip into the well of HP would put any driver outside of Mark Webber or the Taylor brothers well beyond their skill set.

Even after my first track day, I was quite happy with 200 HP. Now give me a few more sessions of experience and/or a less twisty track and that all might change...

[Accumulator]

JustJesus- No doubt! My CRX`s were actually a lot more fun than my Porsches; I`d take my CRXSi (or first-gen RX7) back in a heartbeat, but you couldn`t *give* me another 928 (even if I do still swoon over them ).

Even that awful Tahoe of mine is sometimes fun what with its measly limits (well, I was trained in that GMT400 platform at VDI`s SUV course ).

[TheMeanGreen]

Oh yes, I-10 and I-20 headed east from the New Mexico border, speed limit is 80-85, 15 over is 100mph. Too much fun, but when driving a car not designed for speed, like a ‘98 Honda Accord (however V6) it was a little nerve wrecking as people tend to cruise those stretches around 92-95mph, for the majority of cars and their owners, emergency avoidance maneuvers can be deadly.

Give my GS300 two more gears, 100 more HP/TQ, upgraded wheels and brakes, stiffer swaybars, it would be the perfect car. Not too fast, but capable of cruising comfortably at 100mph and able to stop itself many times over with the ability to handle its weight. The horse power wars are so exciting, but here in the states we simply don’t have the roadways that can permit the majority of higher performance cars to be driven at 5/10ths.

[Accumulator]

So much truth to the saying, "Better to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow".

Absolutely!

My GTI has 200-is HP, and is a total hoot on the Ozark back roads about 1.5 hours from where I live. On an early Saturday morning I can have endless hours of fun tossing the car around without any worry of launching myself into the trees. A bigger, much more powerful vehicle would be out of place and actually not much fun..

Right! A well-balanced driver`s car like that is my taste as well.

Even after my first track day, I was quite happy with 200 HP. Now give me a few more sessions of experience and/or a less twisty track and that all might change...

It was funny...after my Racing Schools and Track Days, I wanted to drive FAST, and kinda on the edge- "hey, I`m skilled now!" (Yeah, sure...keep telling yourself that Accumulator.. ) BUT, otoh...after training at VDI I wanted to drive *WELL* and had a lot more respect for what can happen when I [mess] up, even though I`m actually MUCH more skilled than I ever could`ve become with the other experiences. The Takeaway Mindset was completely different and it changed my whole view of, and approach to, driving on the street.

And yes indeed folks, that`s a plug for the Vehicle Dynamics Institute. Best. (over-the-road) Driver`s. Training. Period.

[Desertnate]

Wow, we`ve strayed from the OP`s topic...Oh, well. Great discussion anyway!

It was funny...after my Racing Schools and Track Days, I wanted to drive FAST, and kinda on the edge- "hey, I`m skilled now!" (Yeah, sure...keep telling yourself that Accumulator.. ) BUT, otoh...after training at VDI I wanted to drive *WELL* and had a lot more respect for what can happen when I [mess] up, even though I`m actually MUCH more skilled than I ever could`ve become with the other experiences. The Takeaway Mindset was completely different and it changed my whole view of, and approach to, driving on the street.

Interesting thoughts. I`m not overly aggressive or much of a risk taker, so my thrill from the track day was hitting the mechanics right. I`d rather drive "right" than fast.

When I came out a braking zone correctly and nailed an apex it was a huge rush despite never topping 80mph and rarely leaving third gear. I loved being able to smoothly slice around the course on a good line each session while noticing my instructor was providing less guidance each time. Unbeknownst to me, I apparently shaved nearly six seconds off my lap times as the day progressed. The speed for me was a byproduct of doing things right.

[512detail]

I drive a good stretch of the 80mph i10 when I go back home (about 200 miles of it) and I just set the cruise at 84. I`ve had people get pulled over after passing me but I`ve never got pulled for 84. I`m not saying I`m always going that speed but that is one fun stretch of road to show someone what real power can do when they try to run up on you at 85. (my car pulls quite nicely from that speed all the way to as far as you can stomach) - all the way to that 88 mph time traveling speed

[Nizmo]

I`ve never gone "stupid" fast, but once the GTI hit break-in I wanted to see what it could do. There`s a miles stretch of clear highway just as you come off the mountain, I decide to go for it. It`s true it`s stock limited to 130ish mph. Although living in a small town you can`t break wind without someone knowing. Next day I was gassing up and a state trooper pulls up to the pump beside me, I think nothing of it. Starts pumping gas and goes "So, how fast you get it to?" Uh, WTH!? "Sorry guy, I just got it a couple months ago and was seeing what it could do." "I know, you have the only one in town, I wouldn`t do it again if I were you." It was just light enough outside to make out the car, and apparently he was going under the underpass at the time. Oops.

[512detail]

I live 10 minutes from the fastest road in America (probably) - 85 mph toll road.. you get passed by busses going 85 mph on that road

[Accumulator]

Wow, we`ve strayed from the OP`s topic...Oh, well. Great discussion anyway!

Eh, probably my fault again But "speeding on public roads" does lend itself to some good discussions and maybe somebody will have one of those ah-ha! moments.

When I came out a braking zone correctly and nailed an apex it was a huge rush ... I loved being able to smoothly slice around the course on a good line...

My wife could`ve posted that almost word-for-word!

[512detail]

I`ve derailed so many threads myself I could care less if this thread gets derailed - still on subject matter essentially anyways.

[Never Enuff]

The problem with high speed on 130 is the wild hogs. Saw a picture of a Chy 300 that hit one at 85mph+ on 130 and the amount of bondo need to fix the car would be astronomical---after you replaced the complete front end, hood, grille and both front doors and the windshield.
Jay

[512detail]

The problem with high speed on 130 is the wild hogs. Saw a picture of a Chy 300 that hit one at 85mph+ on 130 and the amount of bondo need to fix the car would be astronomical---after you replaced the complete front end, hood, grille and both front doors and the windshield.
Jay

that`s why they were paying people to come and shoot them when they first built those toll roads. it was much worse then

only in Texas, huh?