whats it like to drive on the M1 with no speed limit?

I beleive the limits should be raised as modern cars are now better in terms of safety equipment and standards - I'd say 85 MPH. I'd also suggest a 'fast transit' tax, the government is already sticking in average speed cameras and possible GPS tracking systems - so, using those, if you want to stomp through from London to Birmingham at 120 MPH in a 'capable' car, you can, at the price of say £5 or £10 for the duration of the journey. Those who choose not to pay, stay under 85MPH and in the middle or left lanes only. If that's possible or not I don't know, but it sounds feasible !

I'd vote for this! 

I did hear of various states of the US having no limit and thinking, I'm going to go there and hire out a lambo for the day! - haven't got around to it so far!

Montana tried to fight the good fight, but the federal government has mandated that every State set and enforce a speed limit otherwise they would pull federal funding for roads in the state.  Montana did try for a number of years to set the speed limit at 75 on open highway and not "enforce it" by giving silly low amounts for speeding, etc, but again the federal government stepped in and threatened to pull the money and so now they do enforce it.

In fact there is a debate in Texas to raise the limit and certain stretches of road to 75 but is getting a lot of push back.  For the longest time, until the late 80's or early 90's the federally imposed limit was 55MPH and in most areas this is still the case.

I can't imagine there's that many opportunities to drive particularly fast on the M1, isn't it basically a traffic jam day and night?  Maybe at 3AM...

The US highways speed limits don't seem to conform to 55 MPH much these days.  Maybe beltways or particularly busy highways but in the last few years of
driving in various States I've seen everything from 55 to 75 MPH on many varying highways.  I think the Denver to Wyoming road we drove on was 75 MPH.
Around Baltimore where I'm from, there's a wide variety of 55, 60 and 65 MPH highways depending on average amount of traffic and distance from urban areas.

Isn't Arizona 80mph?

The US highways speed limits don't seem to conform to 55 MPH much these days.

The federally imposed (by threat of withdrawal of funds) 55 limit was modified sometime in the 1980s to allow rural stretches of interstate to be raised to 65. 

Sometime about 10-12 years ago the feds finally relented and since then individual states have gradually increased the limits, often to what  they were pre-1973 oil criss.   I know when I left Nebraska  in '96 there was talk about raising limits to 70 or 75. 

Isn't Arizona 80mph?

It seems that  the state legislature voted to allow 80 in Ariz. a couple of years ago:

http://www.motorists.com/ma/arizona.html

Texas has also recently posted an 80 mph limit (although  it appears to be a daytime limit only, with a reduced  65 at night):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image%3ATexas_80_mph_speed_limit_unveiling.JPG

Is it still 55 in California?

Is it still 55 in California?

No, it's 65 on state hwys and 75 on interstates.

Damn... i wanted to try to get one of those window stickers with the 55 in a circle with a slash through it (know what i mean?) for my friend that really likes Sammy Hagar.