Considering that speed in excess of 15 MPH over or in excess of 80 MPH is a class 2 misdemeanor, I wouldn't think that nine over would be too cool w/ the law. The rule I learned was five over, because that was about 10% of 55 MPH which was about as accurate as the radar back then could get. These days I can almost always find someone running faster than me...hopefully the cops'll zap him and let me cruise on by!
A couple of folks mentioned hitting the brakes -or breaks?- hard to shake off a tailgator (a species increasingly common across North America). I was riding down 40 a few years back in the lane next to the PASSING lane (sorry, pet peeve). The guy to my left was all over the car ahead of him, so the lead car gives him a hard Brake Job to back him off. The tailgunner gets PO'ed and pulls up even tighter, triggering another Brake Job. On the third iteration TG is looking for a way around, misses the leader's brakes lights and plows into him, wiping them both out. The moral of the story- don't let the jerks drag you down to their level!
And what do you say to the slow and fast drivers where at least every other car is either texting or talking on the phone? Not paying attention, doing the speed but not paying attention and causing near collisions that way also.
i believe it's due to the fact that being convicted of 9 over the speed limit doesn't give you an insurance point. you'd have to pay the fine, but it doesn't raise your insurance. this leads people to believe that since cops know this too, that they don't think it's "worth it" to pull someone unless they're 10 or more over....
Didn't know that! Interesting... http://www.ncdoi.com/Consumer/consumer_auto.asp from PDF entitled "It Pays To Be A Safe Driver (insurance Points)" 4 points (80% rate increase): Speeding in excess of 75 mph when the speed limit is less than 70 mph Speeding in excess of 80 mph when the speed limit is 70 mph or greater 2 points (45% rate increase): Speeding more than 10 mph over the speed limit provided the total speed is in excess of 55 mph, but less than 76 mph Speeding 10 mph or less in excess of speed zone of 55 mph or greater 1 point (25% rate increase): Speeding 10 mph or less in excess of speed limit of less than 55 mph I gotta tame my lead foot!
The first one for 10 or less over the limit doesn't count, but then if you get a second one within 3 years, they go back and pick up the first one as well. Same for a PJC.
I don't necessarily equate speeding with aggressiveness. A retired NY State Trooper (Eagan) wrote a book about speeding and how a lot of it is a racket. Here's the thing. Speeding violations make big money for the state. Look at the number of violations. You'll see 300,000 speeding tickets written in a given year as opposed to things like seat belt violations, inspection violations, child seat infractions, etc. So what happens when you get a speeding ticket for 15 over? You're guilty, of course. So you pay the fine? Sure, if you want to buck the system. Its set up for violators who are caught speeding to contact an attorney (or for them to solicit you for their services) and then go through the process. Its your first offense in three years? Congratulations! Chances are your $300 attorney will get it down to something like improper equipment and erased from the record as a speeding ticket, although its likely that most 'improper equipment' violations on motorists' driving records simply mean a first-time speeding violation. That $300 has given the attorney a slice of the pie and the court takes the rest. The insurance doesn't go up and everybody is happy except you're $300 lighter. I actually had a LEO to tell me NOT to plead guilty after he had just given me a ticket a couple of years ago! So you slip up and get a second speeding ticket. Well, you got $300? If so, next up the court will reduce it to nine under. Got a third? Now you can play the "prayer for judgement" card. Its great that the state is lenient on speeders. However, with so many breaks being given out, it clearly indicates that the state does not necessarily want to teach speeders a lessen until they are shown to be habitual and think about how many times speeders go without being caught. If the state wanted to clearly stop speeders, they could do so. The thing is that they don't. They just want to curb it a little. If they put the brakes on speeders completely, the state would lose about $45 million a year.
Roads are designed at a speed minimally 10 MPH above the posted speed limit. Your DOT contact didnt tell you that, Dummy?
Not the flashing of lights, but I've had people pass me doing five over when there is not room to do so, and I've had to brake to keep them from getting themselves killed. :banghead:
Wow. Can someone not ask a legitimate question without you going off? I was curious about this, too, as I don't have a DOT employee's phone number at the ready. Geez.
This doesn't just pertain to speeding. You essentially get one "free" moving violation, but if you get a 2nd within the three year period, then your insurance co will pick up the points for both violations.
Yes, abide by the law, and keep both hands on the steering wheel at all times, don't touch the radio, don't eat fatty Big Macs while driving, don't smoke while driving, don't drink and drive, don't talk on the cell phone while driving,,,, please abide by the LAW......