Living in Belgium and on holiday in Greece after being in the UK for work, the motorway driving styles and speeding varies drastically.
In Belgium it seems common for people to drive about 5-10km/h above the limit; in the UK mostly at or just under the limit; in Greece, however, driving at the limit (120 it seems and not 130 as stated in Wikipedia) seems about 20-30 km/h under the norm. What are your experiences with motorway driving in Europe?
FrendinandGuzicki on
In Croatia, nobody on the motorway will stop you for going 150 when the limit is 130. If they clock you at 150, they have to take off 10% as error tolerance for the radar, leaving the speed at 135 km/h, which they won’t bother with writing
JourneyThiefer on
It’s 10% + 2mph before you get done for speeding I’m pretty sure. So on the motorway for example which is 70mph you’ll only get done for speeding at 80mph+ if they catch you, so most people seem sit at like mid to highs 70s when driving on the motorway, but obviously some drive way faster or slower.
shamishami3 on
In Switzerland, is 120 km/h in the motorway, 80 km/h outside the cities and 50 km/h inside (in some cities even 30 km/h at night)
Kerby233 on
Same here. Town 50, outside of town 90, Motorway 130. Some towns have few faster roads properly marked. In Bratislava it is common to have 70 speed limit on two lane main roads inside city etc.
uulluull on
Poland:
* **50Â km/h** in built-up areas,
* **90Â km/h** outside built-up areas (**100Â km/h** if lanes are separated),
* **100Â km/h** on single carriage way expressways (*white car on the blue* sign),
* **120Â km/h** on dual carriageway expressways, and
* **140Â km/h** on motorways/freeways (*autostrada*).
Beside 50, 90 and 140 the rest is probably strange…
EchoVolt on
Ireland:
120 km/h – Motorway (M) and some dual carriageway (N)
100 km/h – National Routes (N)
80 km/h – Regional (R) roads
50 km/h – general urban streets
30 km/h – being used increasingly in city and town centres.
(60 km/h and 80km/h are used on major outer urban routes quite a bit too.)
Very few fixed cameras are used at present, just a fleet of mobile speed camera vans operated privately and police speed traps.
There are a couple of stretches of average speed cameras too.
basiltoe345 on
For Brits and North Americans:
* 50km ≈ 31 mph
* 90km ≈ 56 mph
* 130km≈ 81 mph
binaryhazard on
In Germany it’s 50, 100 and you all know.
Catota351 on
Portugal 50-90-120, rule of thumb
In reality, drive at the speed it suits you best
ekampp on
In Denmark it is 80 outside cities, and 110 on a significant number of motorways.
If you go +4 (they have to take off 3) of the limit and you’re measured you will be fined.
Neutronium57 on
It’s the same here in France, except for the fact the limit outside cities was lowered to 80 km/h but some departments decided to go back to 90 km/h.
Iam_no_Nilfgaardian on
Signs in Greece are there just for fun.
PexaDico on
Poland is 50 in settlements, 90 outside settlements, 120 on expressways, 140 on motorways (they are both very similar. Most people wouldn’t notice the difference in person).
Impossible to drive for even 20 minutes without someone overtaking you at 160 in my experience, no matter if the limit is 120 or 140.
Iowai on
I drove 160 km/h on 120 km/h road limit numerous times. Limits here are 50 in city, 90 outside, 120 expressway and 140 highway
vodka-bears on
It’s 50/80/130 in Serbia and it usually feels really slow. Locals in Belgrade often drive faster.
16 Comments
Living in Belgium and on holiday in Greece after being in the UK for work, the motorway driving styles and speeding varies drastically.
In Belgium it seems common for people to drive about 5-10km/h above the limit; in the UK mostly at or just under the limit; in Greece, however, driving at the limit (120 it seems and not 130 as stated in Wikipedia) seems about 20-30 km/h under the norm. What are your experiences with motorway driving in Europe?
In Croatia, nobody on the motorway will stop you for going 150 when the limit is 130. If they clock you at 150, they have to take off 10% as error tolerance for the radar, leaving the speed at 135 km/h, which they won’t bother with writing
It’s 10% + 2mph before you get done for speeding I’m pretty sure. So on the motorway for example which is 70mph you’ll only get done for speeding at 80mph+ if they catch you, so most people seem sit at like mid to highs 70s when driving on the motorway, but obviously some drive way faster or slower.
In Switzerland, is 120 km/h in the motorway, 80 km/h outside the cities and 50 km/h inside (in some cities even 30 km/h at night)
Same here. Town 50, outside of town 90, Motorway 130. Some towns have few faster roads properly marked. In Bratislava it is common to have 70 speed limit on two lane main roads inside city etc.
Poland:
* **50Â km/h** in built-up areas,
* **90Â km/h** outside built-up areas (**100Â km/h** if lanes are separated),
* **100Â km/h** on single carriage way expressways (*white car on the blue* sign),
* **120Â km/h** on dual carriageway expressways, and
* **140Â km/h** on motorways/freeways (*autostrada*).
Beside 50, 90 and 140 the rest is probably strange…
Ireland:
120 km/h – Motorway (M) and some dual carriageway (N)
100 km/h – National Routes (N)
80 km/h – Regional (R) roads
50 km/h – general urban streets
30 km/h – being used increasingly in city and town centres.
(60 km/h and 80km/h are used on major outer urban routes quite a bit too.)
Very few fixed cameras are used at present, just a fleet of mobile speed camera vans operated privately and police speed traps.
There are a couple of stretches of average speed cameras too.
For Brits and North Americans:
* 50km ≈ 31 mph
* 90km ≈ 56 mph
* 130km≈ 81 mph
In Germany it’s 50, 100 and you all know.
Portugal 50-90-120, rule of thumb
In reality, drive at the speed it suits you best
In Denmark it is 80 outside cities, and 110 on a significant number of motorways.
If you go +4 (they have to take off 3) of the limit and you’re measured you will be fined.
It’s the same here in France, except for the fact the limit outside cities was lowered to 80 km/h but some departments decided to go back to 90 km/h.
Signs in Greece are there just for fun.
Poland is 50 in settlements, 90 outside settlements, 120 on expressways, 140 on motorways (they are both very similar. Most people wouldn’t notice the difference in person).
Impossible to drive for even 20 minutes without someone overtaking you at 160 in my experience, no matter if the limit is 120 or 140.
I drove 160 km/h on 120 km/h road limit numerous times. Limits here are 50 in city, 90 outside, 120 expressway and 140 highway
It’s 50/80/130 in Serbia and it usually feels really slow. Locals in Belgrade often drive faster.