Best Speed So Far
- Thread starter kdmfnrk
- Start date
Tom B
GT Owner
Points well taken, good sound advice, no argument here. And while we are thinking about safety, don't forget that even lower speeds like 70MPH can generate enough energy to be fatal, if you hit a bridge abutment or something solid like a concrete wall. But you never feel unsafe at those speeds, merely because they are "legal". Going faster than legal speeds doesn't increase the risk of disaster unproportionately over the risk you incur at legal speeds, but rather linearly. By the same token, you will also be safer if you drive 55mph, or even 50mph. There is no sudden shift in the laws of physics that makes you more unsafe over the legal limit, the risk just increases gradually. A great article was written by Patrick Bedard, where he successfully refuted the blanket claim of the NHTSA that speed was the principle component of highway deaths. I'll see if I can find it if anyone's interested.
In my opinion, the best argument for obeying the speed limits is that it may not be you who makes a mistake, but its likely the other guy who may not see you when you are going faster than typical speeds, and miscalcualte your closing speed, based on his/her low-speed habits. In that regard, your higher speed exposes you to increased risk due to the incompentence/myopia of unskilled drivers. But that is not the fault of speed in and of itself, but the error of other drivers. I'd like to see better/more extensive driver training in these United States, so the general public will learn to get along with higher speeds in the fast lane.
In my opinion, the best argument for obeying the speed limits is that it may not be you who makes a mistake, but its likely the other guy who may not see you when you are going faster than typical speeds, and miscalcualte your closing speed, based on his/her low-speed habits. In that regard, your higher speed exposes you to increased risk due to the incompentence/myopia of unskilled drivers. But that is not the fault of speed in and of itself, but the error of other drivers. I'd like to see better/more extensive driver training in these United States, so the general public will learn to get along with higher speeds in the fast lane.
centerpunch said:
FrankBarba
Permanent Vacation
Not going to defend my rash behavior of 150+mph. But every now & then i do have to "test the bounds of reality"
Yes i could have made a mistake, yes someone else could have made a mistake, a deer could have jumped out in front of me, my lugs nuts could have not been properly torqued at the factory, ect. But i did it. Was i scared? somewhat, do i have great respect for this vehicle? Yes.
Would i do it again? On the street? NO...On the track? Yes.
Yes i could have made a mistake, yes someone else could have made a mistake, a deer could have jumped out in front of me, my lugs nuts could have not been properly torqued at the factory, ect. But i did it. Was i scared? somewhat, do i have great respect for this vehicle? Yes.
Would i do it again? On the street? NO...On the track? Yes.
Here is something to think about-
On the Autobahn, (thousands of miles of which still has no speed limit)the fatality rate is .72/100million miles traveled.
On the US Interstate, the fatality rate is .84/100millions traveled.
I wish we had an Autobahn style freeway system here in the States. 200mph? If I could, oh, yeah, I'd do it in a heartbeat! But maybe only at 3am.....?
On the Autobahn, (thousands of miles of which still has no speed limit)the fatality rate is .72/100million miles traveled.
On the US Interstate, the fatality rate is .84/100millions traveled.
I wish we had an Autobahn style freeway system here in the States. 200mph? If I could, oh, yeah, I'd do it in a heartbeat! But maybe only at 3am.....?
Awsum GT
GT Owner '18
I'm waiting for the post of who was killed or who killed someone while speeding on a local street or hiway rather than at a track made for this type of driving. I'm not sure this is a good thing to post.
All I can say is that adults can make their own decisions. I'd never condone racing or going at high speed in a situation that endangers anyone but yourself, that's stupid and reckless. That said, America is a vast expanse and there are areas where you can pose a risk to nobody but the bugs and yourself.
I'm also completely with Vic on the relationship between speed and fatalities. Thank God I learned to drive in England courtesy of the BSM and frenetic downtown London traffic. You'll never convince me that on the properly surfaced road in a modern car going 100 is exponentially more dangerous than going 70. It's poorly trained drivers that get drivers licenses from Sears and pay little respect to both the rules of the road and the changing responses of a vehicle at progressively higher speeds that kill people.
I'm also completely with Vic on the relationship between speed and fatalities. Thank God I learned to drive in England courtesy of the BSM and frenetic downtown London traffic. You'll never convince me that on the properly surfaced road in a modern car going 100 is exponentially more dangerous than going 70. It's poorly trained drivers that get drivers licenses from Sears and pay little respect to both the rules of the road and the changing responses of a vehicle at progressively higher speeds that kill people.
w. mitty
GT Owner
- Sep 1, 2005
- 704
A blanket statement for or against high speed driving is illogical. It's all about the circumstances and the facts of the particular case. Certainly, on two equally deserted roads, one a back straight on a race track and the other a vacant desert road like we have here in the West, the risks are roughly the same -- mostly tied to the soundness of the car and the skill of the driver and not the "other guy" who is not paying attention.
Also consider this: that clapped out 1972 Ford LTD Wagon wandering out of its lane on the expressway with the family belongings tarped to the roof is probably more dangerous "mechanically" at 65 mph (i.e, stopping distance, obstacle ovoidance, etc) than the GT is at 130. What do you suppose the speed rating is on the four bald tires, all of different makes, on that rusted out work truck we all pass occasionally on the way to work?
It is as simple as this: a responsible driver surveys the situation and drives accordingly. I have driven at significant speeds on the highway, but in my case, I was alone -- no one in the car, no one on the road, plenty of looong distance visibility, in a well maintained and closely monitored high performance car. The risks I chose to take were to me, and me only. What scares me is the guy the comes flying by in the fast lane on a crowded public road doing 120. Just does not make sense. Gives all us car guys a bad name.
BTW, a buddy of mine :biggrin saw 168 in the GT without breaking a sweat. And yes, it was on one of our deserted Arizona back roads.
Also consider this: that clapped out 1972 Ford LTD Wagon wandering out of its lane on the expressway with the family belongings tarped to the roof is probably more dangerous "mechanically" at 65 mph (i.e, stopping distance, obstacle ovoidance, etc) than the GT is at 130. What do you suppose the speed rating is on the four bald tires, all of different makes, on that rusted out work truck we all pass occasionally on the way to work?
It is as simple as this: a responsible driver surveys the situation and drives accordingly. I have driven at significant speeds on the highway, but in my case, I was alone -- no one in the car, no one on the road, plenty of looong distance visibility, in a well maintained and closely monitored high performance car. The risks I chose to take were to me, and me only. What scares me is the guy the comes flying by in the fast lane on a crowded public road doing 120. Just does not make sense. Gives all us car guys a bad name.
BTW, a buddy of mine :biggrin saw 168 in the GT without breaking a sweat. And yes, it was on one of our deserted Arizona back roads.
Last edited:
ENZO BTR
GT Owner
It is as simple as this: a responsible driver surveys the situation and drives accordingly. I have driven at significant speeds on the highway, but in my case, I was alone -- no one in the car, no one on the road, plenty of looong distance visibility, in a well maintained and closely monitored high performance car. The risks I chose to take were to me, and me only. What scares me is the guy the comes flying by in the fast lane on a crowded public road doing 120. Just does not make sense. Gives all us car guys a bad name.
100% agree. The "guy" I know who did 170 in his GT did it on a flat, wide highway with a couple miles visibility both directions. There were cars up ahead -- but way up ahead that he never go close to between going from 80 to 170 and back down to 80 in a matter of a few seconds. And no one else was in the car. At that point it seems to me the major risk is either mechanical failure or a random animal entering your path. Of course, both of those characteristics exist on racetracks, too (I crunched a suicidal gopher with my GT at Laguna Seca!!). Is 150+ mph ever a completely "safe" prospect? Of course not. But like most things in life, if you control for as many factors as possible you can greatly minimize the risk (whether or not it's minimized to an "acceptable" level -- on the street or at a track -- is up to each person to decide, and hopefully they aren't thinking with their ego).
Plus, I don't know about the rest of you, but if I were the type of person who did those speeds, I'd only need to do it about once every five-to-ten years, maybe even less often. If people are going over 130 mph on a regular basis it doesn't matter how much they think they are controlling for the various risks -- they're simply playing with fire... :thumbsdow
100% agree. The "guy" I know who did 170 in his GT did it on a flat, wide highway with a couple miles visibility both directions. There were cars up ahead -- but way up ahead that he never go close to between going from 80 to 170 and back down to 80 in a matter of a few seconds. And no one else was in the car. At that point it seems to me the major risk is either mechanical failure or a random animal entering your path. Of course, both of those characteristics exist on racetracks, too (I crunched a suicidal gopher with my GT at Laguna Seca!!). Is 150+ mph ever a completely "safe" prospect? Of course not. But like most things in life, if you control for as many factors as possible you can greatly minimize the risk (whether or not it's minimized to an "acceptable" level -- on the street or at a track -- is up to each person to decide, and hopefully they aren't thinking with their ego).
Plus, I don't know about the rest of you, but if I were the type of person who did those speeds, I'd only need to do it about once every five-to-ten years, maybe even less often. If people are going over 130 mph on a regular basis it doesn't matter how much they think they are controlling for the various risks -- they're simply playing with fire... :thumbsdow
Neilda
GT Owner
Enzo - you're spot on in my opinion.... When you get lucky and have a 5 mile straight on a clear 3 lane highway, great visibility and empty - it's proably a once every few years experience to bury the throttle to see what your car might be capable of.
Doing it regularly would be madness. Doing it around other cars - well that's just risking their lives too.
It sounds like we're all pretty much in agreement here on this.
Doing it regularly would be madness. Doing it around other cars - well that's just risking their lives too.
It sounds like we're all pretty much in agreement here on this.
B O N Y
MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
B O N Y
MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
Vic said:
...besides the road itself, take a look what it takes to get a drivers license in Germany. I recall when the wall came down and the former East Germans in their Tribants ventured onto the Autobahn. The European driver seems more disciplined, no passing on the right, less tail gating.
B O N Y
MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
WhiteBlueGT said:
...and if/when it does the plantiff lawyer will be lurking on this site :thumbsdow
just a fact of life that everyone visiting a forum needs to be aware of. sorry to be on what may appear to be on a DOWNER.
runningman im thrilled with the answers. not all of them but most were all adults im sure those doing what there saying there not doing are doing it at a time that no one would get hurt. i dont condone street racing but then again i wont back down from one either id say that my life will end in a car and if so i can live with that?????? you know what i mean ....I LOVE CARS AND SPEED but not looking for anyone to get hurt my son is two you ask him what a red light means he will say stop you ask what a yellow light means he will say slow down you ask what a green light means he will say smoke the tires dad smoke the tires how great......
B O N Y
MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
kdmfnrk said:
not wanting to start a flame war, there is NO place for street racing and I pray that you make it till your son's third birthday. If you feel suicidal try russian roulette, at least you won't take anyone with you. If you want to run fast, try an open track event.