This is the driving equivalent of "just follow instructions"; you're ignoring that they are intentionally making the speed limits difficult to respect in order so that they can ticket you. Telling people not to get tricked is just victim blaming.
Drivers don't obey those limits to the letter, but they certainly do recognize them in so far as that they go considerably slower than the speed they would drive if the limit wasn't there.
They don't expect people to stay under a limit. They set limits based on what they expect 15% of people to break, actually. At least, that's how it works when they put any thought into it at all. Sometimes they just assign an arbitrary default based on the type of road it is.
Congress designated a national speed limit of 55 mph in the 70s to conserve energy. Now many states are looking to raise it (several have already).
I've often tested the theory myself, without breaking the speed limit. If the cop is driving just under the limit, I set my speed exactly on the limit, and overtake if I need to.
Of the ~10 times I've done this, I once got pulled over and abused by the cop for being a "freaking idiot". No ticket.
I mean, the ticket quota doesn't involve giving speeding tickets to people driving under the speed limit. If the sign says 35, drive 35, and you're good.
It's hard to believe or every single driver would get the same consequences. This reminds me of drivers who complain about speeding tickets right after the speed limit changed. Well, slow down before the speed limit changes and you'll be fine. Some people just have bad habits without realising.
The truth is, and most drivers in learning would probably agree, is that we really shouldn't be driving faster than 25 MPH. Even on protected highways most people drive far faster than they should and only get by because nothing went wrong.
reply