Speed limit question?

Ok, I live in NY where nobody, and I mean NOBODY follows the speed limit. Me and my dad are constantly arguing over what's the safest/most legal way to drive.

I feel that doing the speed limit is the best way to go. I keep in my right lane so if other drivers feel I'm going too slow, they can safely pass me. I am following the law, and doing the right thing. I feel now I can safely drive and pay more attention to the road as opposed to being on the lookout for cops. I would rather look at the road than behind bushes on the side of the interstate where they sometimes hide. My dad insists that I can actually get a ticket for going too slow, even though I'm following the posted limit, and am putting myself in danger by slowing down traffic. Again I stay in my right lane, allowing other drivers to pass me safely in the left.
Additional Details
Anyways, my dad keeps saying keeping up with traffic is better, and completely legal. His idea of keeping up though is passing everyone. IF there's another car in his line 500 miles up the road, he'll catch up to it. My mom kept yelling at him for going 95 the other day on a trip. He avg. around 85-90, and even that I feel was crazy. He thinks cuz his father, my grandfather, used to be a cop, he knows everything. I had a friend get pulled over for doing 70 which is actually about avg. on LI and was very suprised he got pulled over. It just goes to show you you can get a ticket no matter how much over your going, and its much easier just to follow the speed limit than to sit there playing guessing games over how strict the cop will be and where he's hiding.

thud.fan

You are right on with this one - sorry, dad . The only time you may get flagged for going the highway speed limit is if the road is wet or slippery . Otherwise, you should never be cited for driving the speed limit . You are an excellent example for others to follow.

Outstanding effort!!

UCANTCME

As long as you are driving the posted speed limit and the weather is not an issue you will be fine and you will not get a ticket........

vrrJT3

If you're going with the flow of traffic, it would be extremely rare to get pulled over, unless you had expired tags or something else that was suspicious, or if you had a really guilty look on your face when you looked at the cop.

I'd say just go with the flow. I doubt you'd get a ticket for going the speed limit. But if you're in the middle lane and people are passing you right and left, that's a hazard.

Paying attention to the road is much more important that paying attention to the speedometer. And if you're on the lookout for cops, then you're paying attention. If you have your eyes glued to the speedometer, you're not driving safely.

you can get a ticket for going too slow but if ur going the posted speed limit you wont get a ticket....you can actually go about 5-7 mph above the speed limit but heres the rule of thumb....if someone is going fast follow them but stay about 10 car lengths behind them so if a cop comes they get pulled over first and ull have enough time to react

theomdude

I know what you mean. I once drove the 300 or so miles from the Grapevine to the Sacramento cutoff on Interstate 5 with my cruise control set at the speed limit, and I did not pass a single passenger car. They all passed me. Almost all trucks did so too. The upside is that on that trip I broke my mpg record for that car.

If there is not a minimum speed posted, then the only situation where you could be cited for driving too slow is if you were grossly impeding traffic, and driving the speed limit in other than the left lane does not meet that definition.

On a multi-lane freeway, you may find it safer and less stressful to drive in the second lane from the right, so that you are not interfering with traffic merging on and off the highway.

Sandy in Grease!

So far as doing what's best legally, then yes, you are doing the right thing amidst tons of drivers who are driving illegally. However, your dad has a point. By going slow on roads that other drivers are going fast on, you do put yourself in somewhat of a dangerous position. If the driver behind you assumes you're going the same speed as everyone else, he's more likely to run into you from behind because you're not 'going with the flow'. Also, you're likely to anger people on crowded streets by holding them back (I know you drive in the right lane, but even then streets can get crowded). In a city known for its aggressiveness, I consider angering people as a risk. However, don't let these points upset you too much. As long as you are aware of what's happening around you, then going the speed limit is the perfect way to go. You have to do what you feel is the most safe, which, as it seems, is travelling the speed limit. I just hope you understand where your Dad's coming from. Hope this helps!

akabill9

Your dad is wrong in this case. Going "with the flow" will get you a ticket years before you get a ticket for going too slow, as long as your not going 45mph in the fast lane.

Now as for going the posted speed limit at all times, that might not be the greatest idea. Here in California we have a universal speed limit, meaning that you should only travel as fast as you can safely go without going over the speed limit. Meaning that if you're on Interstate 5, where the speed limit is 75mph, but its raining and you're going 75mph, you can get a ticket for driving at unsafe speeds for the current conditions.

Hope this helps answer your question!

BRUCE C

it is possible for you to get a ticket for obstructing traffic.
major roads are posted with a speed 10 to 15 mph lower than what is safe(except construction areas).if you don't exceed the limit by 10mph or more police normally won't stop you for speeding.

Pedro S

safer to go with traffic flow...if traffic is going 70 and you r goin 55 its unsafe....go 65...you will be slower than the ticket getters but be safer

JAJ

You can't get a ticket for driving the speed limit. You can get pulled over for speeding even if you are running with the flow of traffic. I have several friends that have been pulled over for speeding even though they were running with the flow of traffic. Sometimes a police officer will just pick one car out of the group to pull over.

Duane L

You are doing it right, keep it up !!!

bbova22

Well actually i usually go about 5 miles over the speed limit. But I take alot of roads that are like 35 or 45. And thats just to slow. esp after a 12 hr shift. lol. And I work at a police dept. and idk about your state but here a officer cannot write you a ticket for going 5 over. any more then that and they can. They can pull you over but they can't write you a ticket.

â™¥Sweet Cheeksâ™¥

Your dad is an idiot. You CAN get a ticket for going to slow(say 35 in a 60) but you cannot be ticketed for doing the speed limit. Think about how that would hold up in court.

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