My average speed on Indian highways since 2008

Let me honestly share my experience on average speeds that I clock since the past 12 odd years. 

Prior to 2008 the average speed across India used to be much lesser! New generation roadies will not be able to fathom why so. 

Read on  ... 

From my innumerable long drives, I have seen that driving most of the time at 90 kmph vis-a-vis 120 kmph ultimately results in saving not more than 10 - 15 minutes over a 250 odd kms drive unless of course you are a VVIP where traffic is made to grind to a halt for your safe passage. 

Moreover, trying to drive at 115 - 120 kmph continuously for more than 10 - 15 minutes is a near impossibility. It results in enormous fatigue, the consequences can be fatal. 

To cite some examples, whenever I get a chance to floor the accelerator between: 

Dankuni and Asansol (200 kms) or 

Dhulagarh and Balasore (slightly more than 240 kms) or 

Villupuram and Tiruchirapalli or 

Hyderabad and Bangalore or 

Hyderabad and Vijayawada (approx 290 kms) or 

Raipur and Bargarh  ...... 

while driving my VW Vento or a normal SUV, I let the speed mount to 110 - 120 kmph in small bursts. 

It's rare that one gets a chance to drive for more than 20 - 25 kms continuously at 115 - 120 kmph other than on Yamuna Expressway or Ahmedabad-Vadodara Expressway or Agra-Lucknow Expressway and a few more highway stretches. 

After 2 hrs of continuous driving, I find that I have actually traversed nothing more than 120 - 126 kms only. 

It implies that my average speed hovers between 60 - 63 kmph spread over a 2 hrs drive. 

Even when I drive my Vento or rented SUVs spread over 7 hrs of almost non-stop drive except 1 short refuelling break and 1 short selfie break, the average is never more than 64 - 66 kmph (and that's actually about 5 -  6% on the higher side)! 

I don't enjoy drinking 'chai' too often 😊 

It amuses me when people write that they clocked average speeds of 85 - 95 kmph during their drives and that too in small hatchbacks or proper sedans. 

I keep wondering if they even know the meaning of average speed 🤔. 

What do they try to prove or whom do they try to impress? 

Worse still I develop the feeling that they must be on some low quality substance abuse 🤔. 

This reminded me of a big mouthed guy (let me term him as a potential killer) who bragged on Indian Roadie, "the driver needs to be as capable as his car. I have done Delhi Kolkata - 17 hrs, Delhi Mumbai - 19.5 hrs, Mumbai Kolkata - 21hrs" and all these in his Japanese pedigree SUV truck. He has been evicted from Indian Roadie long ago. 

Develop a habit to enjoy every km of the drive. Driving is not about driving from Point A to Point B only. 

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* Indian Roadie Safe Driving Tips