Indian highways: When to hit 100+?

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by anku94

Help out a young one here, what's your formula for deciding on the cruising speed?

You may have already seen these related threads, but a little repetition never hurt anyone

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...kes-avoid.html

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...od-driver.html

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...ian-roads.html

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...ng-school.html

Cheers,
Vikram

[rohan_iitr]

I went on a trip from Bangalore to Mysore this weekend. Drove at a max speed of 80 kmph on the empty sections of Bangalore-Mysore highway. At 80 kmph, one has sufficient reaction time if faced with unexpected obstacles, unmarked speed breakers, rashly driven vehicles etc.

There was a very meaningful message which I read on a signboard on that road - "Leave early, Live longer".

Rohan

[parik_ind]

I will loosely compare this question to how much should you be eating at a buffet .

Speed limits aside, it completely depends on so many different parameters right from the time of day to the kind of vehicle you are driving. However, it mostly comes down to how comfortable and confident you are at speeds above 100 kmph.

For example, when I drive to Chennai in my SX4, I normally stick to a top speed of 120 kmph so the average speed is between 90 and 100 kmph. But a couple of weeks ago when I drove my FIL's Ritz, I had so much fun that I pushed it above 130 kmph consistently. The car felt very planted and felt easier to control.

I would say that you should build up your confidence over time so that you know what to look out for and how to tackle any tricky situations.

The most important thing you can do is enjoy the drive and not focus so much on speed. You will get to your destination no matter what.

Parik

[D4D]

Originally Posted by anku94

Hi folks!

I'm a relatively new driver (just hit 20 years), and have a couple of inter-city travels under my belt.

In my short driving experience, I had two close shaves.

1. A highway going through a small town/city, I was doing about 80, suddenly a dog came up in my lane. I honked, and it sort-of froze in the middle of the lane. It was a two lane highway, and instead of swerving, I decided to brake hard, and hit him at about 20 km/h. (I was lucky that the car behind me braked just as hard). We felt he was not seriously injured and drove away.

2. Again, a two-lane highway on city outskirts, I was doing about 70 km/h, this time, it was about 11pm. I suddenly saw a man half-lying on the road (he could be drunk and passed out, or dead - I have no clue), with his back on the divider. This time, I decided to swerve and luckily, avoided him completely.

80 kmph through a town/village? Sorry to say, it's a big risk. You will be blamed even if it's someone else's fault in an accident. Generally don't ever stay above 60-70 kmph on dual carriage highways, except when overtaking. Reduce your speed to 20~40 kmph on a dual carriage highway when passing through a village/town.

At night, please reduce your speed to 50-60%(lower the better) to the speed you would drive during the day on the same road. Yes, you have to anticipate such stupid things from drunk people and animals.

• 100 kmph is easily attained in 4 lane highways. The question is how long can you sustain at that speed? There are too many people coming in the opposite direction, too many diversions, idiotic two wheelers who will make you brake. So maintain what you're comfortable with and leave the accelerator at times.(Don't depress the clutch under any circumstance)
• When going through a town in a 4 lane highway, please reduce to 40~50 kmph. Reason: Idiots who will stand in front of buses and cross. They don't get a clear view of the road until they cross the bus. See the bus in this article http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...ian-roads.html
• In dual carraige highways, maintain speeds lesser than 70 kmph, except while overtaking
• Use more of in-gear acceleration in dual carriage highways. You will lose FE, but can't be helped
• Maintain a high avg speed, top speed really doesn't matter
• Ultimately, you're the best judge. The above speeds don't apply to everyone(Some may call me conservative). If you feel you have to drive slower, please do so.
  

[ramzsys]

Even i had thought many times about it. Why 100.. even 120.. 120 is a nice number, the rpm needle is at 3k level!

The thought process was interrupted by a speed breaker out of nowhere(better way of saying lack of concentration), a crash, crushing of metal, spilling of precious automotive fluids and the hissing of the air-conditioning gas.

Reality nudges and one now has to ensure that the passengers are safe. Oh and the worry that the goons and the maniac crowds that gather to witness don't go berserk.

And rush back to the rear glass to check with the toll free number to call for assistance. 'Saar, Holiday saar.. '. Then you have to beg; almost choke yourself trying to make use of the 'family is stranded' to get things done.

And to sit by that milestone, swallowing that big ego as every passerby tries to rubber neck, waiting eternally for that tow truck to arrive, when even the slowest of the STC buses whom i overtook hundreds of km back might have reached the destination, i ponder, why did i hit the 100+.

It happened to me a few months back.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by TorqueyTechie

Isn't the speed limit set at 80kmph on all the indian highways? (source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_limits_in_India) If yes, doesn't the question being asked here wrong? !.

No
Speed limit is 90 on most and 100-120 on some.
Wikipedia can be inaccurate.

Speaking of limits, the Greater noida expressway has 100kmph, but above 80 its dangerous due to lots of slow moving vehicles like trucks with tail lights in the fast lane, and then some jugaads and silly local made vehicles coming from the wrongs side.

Similarly, the 90kmph NH1 is safe only upto 70kmph on many stretches

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by anku94

Help out a young one here, what's your formula for deciding on the cruising speed?

Lets take 2 countries that have plenty of land and relative inexpensive petrol - US & UAE. In the US the usual night speed limit is 60 miles/hr which close to 100 Km/hr. In UAE, the speed limit is 100 Km/hr, though in some sections it is 120 Km/hr. So in the best of the best conditions, the speed limit is 100 Km/hr. Note that in these places, the highways bypass the cities & towns. So you can cover a mile almost in a minute.

So in our country the problem is not maximum speed but the obstacles on road.

The speed depends on visibility & traffic. On ghat road, where visibility is limited to 100 meters, a speed of 40 Km/hr is good speed. On a 6 lane highway where the visibility is 500 meters, even 100 looks pedestrian. Maintain a speed from which you safely brake in case of any obstacle.

During night, the visibility is limited to the throw of the headlights. So it will be around 15 to 20 Km/hr less than during day.

These are in highways. In city, town limit, its usually less than half of highway speed.

[aaggoswami]

The correct answer will be never. 90 is the best cruising speed I have come across for Indian roads. 80 might become way too boring.

Traffic has increased and the sense of discipline is lost. Any bike can emerge from any direction, at any speed, might have 3 individuals riding on it.
Changing lane is done is so irresponsible manner than now, even 40 seems too much of a speed for city roads.

Drive at your natural speed, considering the traffic around you and road you are on. I am still considered to be fast driver, but have drastically reduced my speed. Keeps me relaxed along with my machine, gives me more time to react and I actually enjoy the drive. Added safety is that even if vehicle is dynamically not so accomplised, at 90 it wont feel out of hand.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by rohan_iitr

I went on a trip from Bangalore to Mysore this weekend. Drove at a max speed of 80 kmph on the empty sections of Bangalore-Mysore highway. At 80 kmph, one has sufficient reaction time if faced with unexpected obstacles, unmarked speed breakers, rashly driven vehicles etc.

There was a very meaningful message which I read on a signboard on that road - "Leave early, Live longer".

Rohan

+1

In the event of sudden braking, you have time to react if you are driving at 80-90 kmph. I maintain this speed while driving on highways.
There is another meaningful message commonly seen on many highways

SPEED THRILLS BUT KILLS.

[mayankk]

I have been driving long enough to know how much of a reaction time I have given a situation.
So, I always leave enough room, and carry just enough speed so that if something does come up suddenly, I am able to avoid it.
A lot of dogs, cows, and people could thank me for this, if they only knew that their nautanki on the road could have seen them entering my car, but not through a door.

For instance, carrying a 100 on the Agra eway is simple enough, since you have a WIDE, albeit boring, field of view.
But going back a few kilometres to the Greater noida Eway, you just cannot make out when and where something is going to pop out. So sticking to the speed limit of 70, and keeping in the centre lane is prudent.

On unfamiliar highways, you have to be cautious much much more than otherwise.I have learnt the hard way that its better to lose out on 10 minutes per hour travelling a bit slower, than to accidentally graze someone/something and lose out on 10-12 hours of time, or something worse.

[pratyush6]

My 2 cents on this and I am a rather new driver ( less than 3 years)

Your speed is a combination of the condition of your Car and
1. Depends on the number of lanes
2. Depends on the traffic density
3. Road Condition

No one can tell you if any speed is a 'safe speed'; you need to use your judgement. The one thing I do is there needs to be a significant time difference between the next vehicle. Generally at least 30sec to 1 minute for me to reach the vehicle in front, if he stops completely.
Your speed should be good enough to avoid any unwanted incident, like panic breaking, someone running on to the road.. you get the point.
The whole point of driving is to enjoy your journey, why drive is too fast and remain tensed?

And oh, that question when to hit 100 - Again, I do tend to try to accelerate to 100 when I know the road and the traffic is sparse and the road is good. But it still is once in a while. I usually stick to 80-90 region as it gives me enough time to react.

Drive Safe.

[noopster]

Mod Note: Team BHP advocates safe driving practices at all times and any mentions of illegal and high street speeds will be summarily deleted. The OP is a new driver seeking safe driving advice so please use this opportunity to provide this to him rather than brag about one's own high-speed "safe" driving. Any transgressions henceforth will be subject to action on poster's account.

[sourabhzen]

If you follow the speed limit you will seldom face a scary situation. I will suggest that you stick to speed limit until hell is actually freezing and in all probability you will reach home safely.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by pratyush6

My 2 cents on this and I am a rather new driver ( less than 3 years)

Your speed is a combination of the condition of your Car and
1. Depends on the number of lanes
2. Depends on the traffic density
3. Road Condition

No one can tell you if any speed is a 'safe speed'; you need to use your judgement. The one thing I do is there needs to be a significant time difference between the next vehicle. Generally at least 30sec to 1 minute for me to reach the vehicle in front, if he stops completely.
Your speed should be good enough to avoid any unwanted incident, like panic breaking, someone running on to the road.. you get the point.
The whole point of driving is to enjoy your journey, why drive is too fast and remain tensed?

And oh, that question when to hit 100 - Again, I do tend to try to accelerate to 100 when I know the road and the traffic is sparse and the road is good. But it still is once in a while. I usually stick to 80-90 region as it gives me enough time to react.

Drive Safe.

+1

Follow lane discipline that is lacking in most of us. In fact if you commute on Bangalore -Krishnagiri highway, you will see vehicles criss crossing as trucks (slow moving vehicles) do not stick to one lane.
You find them moving in the left, right and middle lane. The end result is the fast moving vehicles criss cross and that can be dangerous.
The point i wish to emphasize is the slow moving vehicles must stick to left lane only.
Till such time we follow basic road ethics, adding more lanes to the indian highways will only be a prelude to disaster.

[devansn]

In my experience, speeds over 100 kmph would not effectively increase the average speed on a typical 4-lane-divided Indian highway unless you are driving on one having very sparse traffic.

I did a Coimbatore-Bangalore-Coimbatore recently. As usual, I started both the journeys early in the morning - 3:30 AM. Traffic was similar on both days. And there was not even single break in both cases - drove more than 5 hours continuously both ways.

- I was hitting very high speeds quite often and was trying to maintain above 100-120 kmph almost always - onward journey.

- While coming back I drove sedately - mostly in the 90-100 range and going above 110 very rarely.

The total travel time was mostly equal. Added benefits? Coimbatore-Bangalore gave me 15.5 kmpl and Bangalore-Coimbatore, close to 21 kmpl. Also, the latter was literally fatigue-less.