Got my first speeding ticket. Should I fight it?

[Invader3K]

My problem is with areas that are blatant speed traps. Areas that are only 25 mph in rural country areas, freeways that are only 55 where 65 mph would be fine, etc. I don't think law enforcement should be used for revenue generation, but I guess we're well past that debate here in Wisconsin.

[Patrick425]

1992casey[/b]]Montana is 75. There was a time when it had no limit. With a few 80 MPH exceptions in Texas and Utah, 75 is the maximum interstate speed limit in the US.

 

Maximum speed limits by state (table)

 

Maximum speed limits by state (map)

 

The map shows that speed limits within particular regions of the country are very similar. It notes maximum speed limits, but it doesn't necessarily note typical speed limits. For instance, in Texas and Utah, the speed limit on rural interstates is 75 with the exception of specific sections that are 80. Texas is 65 at night, though. Kentucky and Virginia have similar tiers: 65 unless an engineering study deems 70 to be safe.

 

The table offers all the explanations.

Man, I wish those speed limits where in place back in 1989-1991. That's was the period I lost a lot of my points and was down to 2. I had a job as a regional auditor and my territory covered Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, & Iowa. IIRC, Back then the speed limit was 55 - everywhere!!

 

[thebruce44]

I honestly don't get where people are getting the sense of entitlement that says they should be their own judges of how fast they're allowed to drive. State governments provide drivers liscenses with the stipulation that traffic laws are obeyed. If for some reason they decide that the speed limit on the highway should be 35, then that's the way things are. It's all pretty cut and dry. Driving is not a right.

My sense of entitlement comes from the fact that I design hwys for a living and know that the posted speed limits in WI and IL are not set in the public's best interest. They are typically designed for drivers to travel 10-20 mph over the posted limit. Countless studies have shown that our roadways are safer when set at the 85th percentile of free flow speed (probably right around 75 mph for most of WI). Studies have also shown that tickets dramatically decrease in this senario.

 

You can stick with your stance that we have to follow things the way they are no matter how asinine. I prefer to hope that things are made as safe as possible, but thats just me.

[1992casey]

My problem is with areas that are blatant speed traps. Areas that are only 25 mph in rural country areas, freeways that are only 55 where 65 mph would be fine, etc.

 

If you take a look at a given situation, there's frequently a reason for the lower speed limit. For example, the first 9 or so miles of Hwy 29 west of Wausau has a 55 MPH speed limit. That's because about half of that stretch is built with a suicide lane instead of a median. That stretch isn't the first four miles directly leaving Wausau; it's the next four. It doesn't make much sense to bump the speed limit for those first four miles, and you certainly don't want a 65 mile limit on a stretch with a suicide lane.

 

85th percentile of free flow speed (probably right around 75 mph for

most of WI)

 

Is the 85th percentile at 75, or is free flow speed at 75?

[TracyThom]

. Then the coppers will know who to pull over on quota day. Not some excellent driver who happened to miss a reduction in a freeway speed limit in time to avoid a $265 extortion fee.

 

"Keep in mind, I am a very good driver, and would put my skills up against anyone who constantly feels the need to travel at or under the posted speed limit."

Sheethead, you've referenced "quota day" 3 times in recent posts. I would love to hear you explain what quota day is. Let me guess, you have a friend whose brother is a cop who told you that cops have to write xx tickets a month, right? Even better, did the same friend tell you that cops get a bonus based on how many tickets they write? Except for attractive 18 year old females, because they never get tickets.

Reference your second line that I quoted, does that mean Matt Kenseth can drive 150 MPH on the freeway based on his skills? I'd love to see the judges face when you tell him/her that you were exceeding the speed limit due to your driving skills.

[sheethead]

Studies have also shown that tickets dramatically decrease in this senario.

 

It really is all about the money, and most people know that.

 

Reference your second line that I quoted, does that mean Matt Kenseth can drive 150 MPH on the freeway based on his skills?

 

I'm positive Kenseth could handle it. Average Europeans hit 300km/h on the autobahn, so I am sure Kenseth can handle a paltry 150mph, even if the track is not engineered to handle it.

I'd love to see the judges face when you tell him/her that you were

exceeding the speed limit due to your driving skills.

 

Why do you think I would tell a judge something like that? I had already agreed to the extortion payment, its not like I was being thrown in jail for going 64 mph. Besides, that's not THE reason why I was exceeding the posted speed limit. I was flowing with traffic and driving an unfamiliar vehicle (softer suspension). I just happended to be the easiest car of the three lanes to gun coming down the 1/4-mile decline.

[thebruce44]

85th percentile of free flow speed (probably right around 75 mph for most of WI)

 

Is the 85th percentile at 75, or is free flow speed at 75?

It totally depends on the stretch of road. What I refered to as Free Flow Speed is basically the speed drivers would travel at if only the roadway itself was governing how fast they travel. In otherwords, environmental conditions and traffic don't limit speed and there is no speed limit. For the trip from MKE to CHI that speed may even be something like 90. MKE to Madison 85? The 85th percentile of those roadways is probably right around 75.

 

This might explain it better (taken directly from wikipedia):

 

"The speed limit is commonly set at or below the '85th percentile speed' (which is the speed at which 85% of the traffic is travelling)^{[25][/sup] and in the USA is typically set 8 to 12 mph (13 to 19 km/h) below that speed.[26][/sup] A 1997 study carried out in} Michigan, USA showed that drivers "drive at speeds that they feel are appropriate, apparently independent of the posted speed"

 

For the most part, other countries set their limits with safety in mind. The US does not. What ends up happening is that when a pack of cars is traveling faster than the speedlimit, which tends to happen often because people want to naturally travel at the 85th percentile regardless of the limit, you are much safer speeding up to that 85th percentile than following the law and putting yourself at risk for a collision. Most fatal accidents are caused by variences in speed, not by everyone traveling at a faster rate.

 

Ironically, the people that are hung up on traveling at what the law says are the ones who are putting us all in more danger.

[sheethead]

Ironically, the people that are hung up on traveling at what the law says are the ones who are putting us all in more danger.

 

And are generally the type that should not be traveling on interstate highways in the first place.

[brewers19]

I had already agreed to the extortion payment

It's not extortion and you sound more and more ridiculous each time you call it that.

 

Most fatal accidents are caused by variences in speed, not by everyone traveling at a faster rate.

How is that the fault of people who obey the speed limit? There wouldn't be any variance if everyone drove at the posted speed.

 

It really is all about the money, and most people know that.

Here's a nifty way you can stick it to the man: drive at the speed limit and they won't be able to take your money.

[sheethead]

Just paid my extortion fee online. Now its time to shop the insurance to get that money back.

drive at the speed limit and they won't be able to take your money.

 

It isn't foolproof. I have been pulled over while going the speed limit, told I was speeding, and given a ticket. I had no recourse other than to file a complaint against the "Sheriff." Still had to pay my extortion fee. True story. Now for a bonus question, what day of the month do you suppose it was?

[strawbossisevil]

Oh come on, "extortion fee"? Can you be any more dramatic?

 

If you don´t want to have to pay a ticket, don´t go more than 5 over the posted limit. Simple as that.

 

If you are going to go at speeds above that, even if others are doing it, you should know that you are running the risk of facing the consequence of paying a ticket, and thereby lose the right (at least in my opinion) for these ridiculous dramatics. If you don´t have the money to pay the consequence of driving that fast, then don´t drive that fast.

 

And as far as your story of being "pulled over while going the speed limit". I don´t believe that for a second, unless it was a too fast for conditions ticket or something of that nature.

[PeaveyFury]

I have been pulled over while going the speed limit, told I was speeding, and given a ticket. I had no recourse other than to file a complaint against the "Sheriff." Still had to pay my extortion fee. True story.

 

If that's a true story, then saying your driving record was clean earlier in this thread wasn't a true story?

[thebruce44]

Most fatal accidents are caused by variences in speed, not by everyone traveling at a faster rate.

How is that the fault of people who obey the speed limit? There wouldn't be any variance if everyone drove at the posted speed.

I already posted that drivers tend to gravitate towards the 85th percentile (typically around 75mph). This is a mob mentality type of thing that seems to happen everywhere in the world. Why? Perhaps because everyone isn't constantly looking at their speedometer but rather where they are going, what obstacles are near the side of the road, and the vehicles around them. Or at least thats what they should be looking at and what has been proven they are typically looking at.

 

If the government wanted us to travel at 65 mph on the freeways they should instruct the engineers to design them as such. There are plenty of ways to change people's perceptions and reduce travel speeds. This in the end would probably save as many lives as raising the speed limit though. Both methods would reduce the number of traffic tickets given out.

 

Brewers19, it seems as though you have a great respect for the law. I in turn can respect this. However it doesn't mean the law is correct.

 

I am just telling you that this is a law that is very difficult for an average person who drives correctly over extended distances to follow and actually puts the followers in greater danger. On top of that the people who set the speed limits know this.

[strawbossisevil]

Or, a person could simply turn on their cruise control, as nearly every single vehicle on the road has those now-a-days. Then you can be doing all of those things and still maintain a legal speed.

[logan82]

Thank goodness or cruise control or I would have several more tickets.

[thebruce44]

Or, a person could simply turn on their cruise control, as nearly every single vehicle on the road has those now-a-days. Then you can be doing all of those things and still maintain a legal speed.

How realistic is that when there are a lot of other cars around? I ask this seriously, I never use cruise control.

[jerichoholicninja]

That is exactly how I got the ticket. I always set my cruise at 71 when I get on the Interstate. I just missed the 55 MPH sign and the "construction zone" was very much lacking in construction so it never occurred to me to slow down until I saw the lights behind me.

 

Cruise is the best for the Interstate. I'll occasionally have to slow down for a semi or old person but it allows me to not worry about the speed and focus on the road.

[sheethead]

If that's a true story, then saying your driving record was clean earlier in this thread wasn't a true story?

 

That was a long, long time ago sir. I haven't had a traffic citation in over 3 years, and just one in the last six. That is a clean record, insurance-wise. Don't get me wrong, I was elated when I learned I could "upgrade" my speeding ticket to a parking ticket. My clean record was the reason. There were people there who were not given the opportunity to pay the extortion fee to get the parking ticket. I can only assume they did not have clean records.

If you don´t have the money to pay the consequence of driving that

fast, then don´t drive that fast.

 

Its not about the money.

 

The only time I use cruise control is at night, when there are not many other cars messing up my flow.

[TracyThom]

I have been pulled over while going the speed limit, told I was speeding, and given a ticket. I had no recourse other than to file a complaint against the "Sheriff." Still had to pay my extortion fee. True story. Now for a bonus question, what day of the month do you suppose it was?

You had no recourse? Sure you did. It's called a not guilty plea and a trial.

 

What day of the month? I'm guessing it's the 3rd Thursday of the month, because that's quota day, unless it's a leap year. If it's a leap year, then quota day is the 2nd Wednesday of the month, unless it's a full moon. In that case, quota day is on the last day of the month. Unless it's February...

 

 

[sheethead]

It's called a not guilty plea and a trial.

 

Gee, I hadn't thought about that.