Lot's of speeding questions today, I have one.

[Special K]

Question for those of you who live in CA (or other heavily-populated areas): I see it posted on here quite a bit that people will generally try to drive with the flow of traffic, even if that happens to be significantly above the speed limit.

Can an officer actually give you a ticket for NOT speeding when everyone else is doing so? For example, if you are going 55 on a highway with a posted speed limit of 65 and all the traffic around you is going 85+, would an officer ticket you for going too slow, even though everyone else is speeding?

 

[Stuxnet]

Originally posted by: Special K
Question for those of you who live in CA (or other heavily-populated areas): I see it posted on here quite a bit that people will generally try to drive with the flow of traffic, even if that happens to be significantly above the speed limit.

Can an officer actually give you a ticket for NOT speeding when everyone else is doing so? For example, if you are going 55 on a highway with a posted speed limit of 65 and all the traffic around you is going 85+, would an officer ticket you for going too slow, even though everyone else is speeding?

This depends heavily on the officer's own personal thoughts on the matter combined with applicable local laws. As previously mentioned, there are provisions in some states that obligate you to make a reasonable effort to blend with traffic.

I have heard of cases where people were ticketed doing the speed limit when the rest of traffic around them was doing speed limit + 10/15. Is it as common as getting a ticket for speeding? Of course not... but it does happen.

 

[Garet Jax]

Originally posted by: Special K
Question for those of you who live in CA (or other heavily-populated areas): I see it posted on here quite a bit that people will generally try to drive with the flow of traffic, even if that happens to be significantly above the speed limit.

Can an officer actually give you a ticket for NOT speeding when everyone else is doing so? For example, if you are going 55 on a highway with a posted speed limit of 65 and all the traffic around you is going 85+, would an officer ticket you for going too slow, even though everyone else is speeding?

Yes.

There was a case in Canada where two Queens students drove the speed limit side by side on the 401 (2 lane for most of the trip) from Kingston to Toronto (about 3 hours). They created a traffic jam for miles.

They were both pulled over and ticketed for something like creating a dangerous driving environment.

 

[Fayd]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: jbourne77

Originally posted by: DougK62
Wow. It is NOT legal to speed while you are passing someone. Quite sad that so many apparently don't know this.

Maybe because that's what's being taught in Driver's Ed??? It's what I was taught. I remember it quite clearly in fact, because I was rather surprised. My wife was taught the same thing in an entirely different school.

And it is what I was taught in drivers ed as well.

NOT speeding when overtaking creates a dangerous situation for both lanes and both cars.

Just like if you are turning left across traffic, you are to pull into the middle of the Intersection. If the light turns red, you proceed to make your turn because you have the right of way.

if you are in the middle of an intersection and the light turns red you can receive a ticket. legally you are not allowed to enter into the intersection and wait to turn, you must wait behind the hold bars at the entry into the intersection.

bullshit.

if you're SITTING in the intersection while the light is red, while stopped, then you can recieve a ticket. but then it's not a red light ticket, it's an impeding traffic ticket.

if you enter a clear intersection on a yellow, and the light turns red while you're in the intersection, congrats, you made it thru on a yellow light. all that matters is your rear axle is in the intersection when it turns red.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: jtvang125

Originally posted by: pontifex
probably when passing someone in a passing zone

You guys both fail the driving test.

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: Fayd

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: jbourne77

Originally posted by: DougK62
Wow. It is NOT legal to speed while you are passing someone. Quite sad that so many apparently don't know this.

Maybe because that's what's being taught in Driver's Ed??? It's what I was taught. I remember it quite clearly in fact, because I was rather surprised. My wife was taught the same thing in an entirely different school.

And it is what I was taught in drivers ed as well.

NOT speeding when overtaking creates a dangerous situation for both lanes and both cars.

Just like if you are turning left across traffic, you are to pull into the middle of the Intersection. If the light turns red, you proceed to make your turn because you have the right of way.

if you are in the middle of an intersection and the light turns red you can receive a ticket. legally you are not allowed to enter into the intersection and wait to turn, you must wait behind the hold bars at the entry into the intersection.

bullshit.

if you're SITTING in the intersection while the light is red, while stopped, then you can recieve a ticket. but then it's not a red light ticket, it's an impeding traffic ticket.

if you enter a clear intersection on a yellow, and the light turns red while you're in the intersection, congrats, you made it thru on a yellow light. all that matters is your rear axle is in the intersection when it turns red.

Wrong. Different states have different laws regarding entering an intersection during a yellow light. Some states say that as long as you entered the intersection while the light was yellow, it doesn't matter if it turns red and you're still in it.

Other states have laws saying that you have to be out of the intersection before it turns red, otherwise it's running a red light.

 

[FDF12389]

"When doing the speed limit causes a hazardous situation you need to alter your speed" Thats all it says in my sisters old drivers ed book

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: jbourne77

Originally posted by: DougK62
Wow. It is NOT legal to speed while you are passing someone. Quite sad that so many apparently don't know this.

Maybe because that's what's being taught in Driver's Ed??? It's what I was taught. I remember it quite clearly in fact, because I was rather surprised. My wife was taught the same thing in an entirely different school.

And it is what I was taught in drivers ed as well.

NOT speeding when overtaking creates a dangerous situation for both lanes and both cars.

Just like if you are turning left across traffic, you are to pull into the middle of the Intersection. If the light turns red, you proceed to make your turn because you have the right of way.

I only know the law in NJ, which says you cannot speed (which makes sense):
http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/pdf/Licenses/Driver%20Manual/Chapter_5.pdf


NOT speeding when passing does not create a dangerous situation for both lanes and both cars, because you're only supposed to pass when you can do so safely without speeding.

(I speed when I pass )

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: FDF12389
"When doing the speed limit causes a hazardous situation you need to alter your speed" Thats all it says in my sisters old drivers ed book

You need to alter your speed DOWNWARD if doing the speed limit causes a hazardous situation.

Unless the hazardous situation is that there is a tsunami coming down on you. That line refers to poor weather most likely. If it's raining or snowing and you're driving the speed limit you could get a ticket.

 

[Stuxnet]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: FDF12389
"When doing the speed limit causes a hazardous situation you need to alter your speed" Thats all it says in my sisters old drivers ed book

You need to alter your speed DOWNWARD if doing the speed limit causes a hazardous situation.

Unless the hazardous situation is that there is a tsunami coming down on you. That line refers to poor weather most likely. If it's raining or snowing and you're driving the speed limit you could get a ticket.

They must not have had enough ink to print "downward" in the book.

 

[FDF12389]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: FDF12389
"When doing the speed limit causes a hazardous situation you need to alter your speed" Thats all it says in my sisters old drivers ed book

You need to alter your speed DOWNWARD if doing the speed limit causes a hazardous situation.

Unless the hazardous situation is that there is a tsunami coming down on you. That line refers to poor weather most likely. If it's raining or snowing and you're driving the speed limit you could get a ticket.

I know, but thats the only reference to speed alteration in the book. So I guess there is no legal speeding in any situation.