Speed limit tolerances

[bugo]

Do they still have the NO TOLERANCE auxiliary signs in Oklahoma below the speed limit signs?  When I worked there in '85, they were all over the place.

Not on freeways. They might still be posted sporadically on turnpikes, which have a higher speed limit.

I think there are still some on the Muskogee Turnpike.

[InterstateNG]

Do they still have the NO TOLERANCE auxiliary signs in Oklahoma below the speed limit signs?  When I worked there in '85, they were all over the place.

Arkansas has those as well, or "strictly enforced" or something similar.

[algorerhythms]

Shall I completely ruin the point of this thread by bringing up relativistic effects?

Just don't speed on the surface streets. Running the red light because it's green at your speed is very dangerous.

[vdeane]

Shall I completely ruin the point of this thread by bringing up relativistic effects?

How about relative velocity?  As my physics professor explained, it's a very good topic to know about if you're ever caught speeding.

[jgb191]

The three times I've ever been pulled over for speeding:  88 on 80 ... 80 on 75 ... and 73 on 70 (all in Texas), none of them got me tickets, but each of the officers did give me a stern warning to slow it down.

So now, even going 2-3 over, my pulse races when I see a police car within sight.

[Scott5114]

Seriously? 3 over? Was there a night speed limit involved or something?

[jgb191]

It was broad daylight, clear skies, and no one else on the road for miles.  The officer had the legal right to stop me as I was technically breaking the law, so I was bracing for a ticket, but was relieved that I got off the hook without one.

The posted limit was 70 MPH, and the officer said that he clocked me at 73.  I didn't realize my speed at the moment he pulled me over.

[bugo]

It was broad daylight, clear skies, and no one else on the road for miles.  The officer had the legal right to stop me as I was technically breaking the law, so I was bracing for a ticket, but was relieved that I got off the hook without one.

The posted limit was 70 MPH, and the officer said that he clocked me at 73.  I didn't realize my speed at the moment he pulled me over.

What an anal prick of a cop.

[Scott5114]

According to Wikipedia, U.S. law allows a 5% margin of error on speedometers. At 70 MPH, this translates to ±3.5 MPH. Had he ticketed you, you probably could have successfully challenged it.

[jgb191]

I just learned something....thanks Scott.

[bugo]

According to Wikipedia, U.S. law allows a 5% margin of error on speedometers. At 70 MPH, this translates to ±3.5 MPH. Had he ticketed you, you probably could have successfully challenged it.

At the tollbooth on the Muskogee Turnpike just south of Muskogee, there are electronic signs that tell you how fast you are going.  When my speedometer indicates 30 MPH, the signs say 27-28 MPH.  I don't know how accurate those signs are, but they can't be any more inaccurate than police radar.

[Bryant5493]

^^

I've seen some signs similar to these in my area, on neighborhood streets. They aren't the moveable kind like the police use; they're permanently installed.


Be well,

Bryant

[DollarBill]

I always thought the majority of cops give a 5 to 9 MPH tolerance(its probably mostly 5 MPH but ive never been stopped for doing anything lower than 10 MPH). All cops are different, but they or anyone else cant expect for a speedo gauge to stay perfectly aligned with the speed limit the entire time, and with most of the speed limits on these roads these days "artifically" set, no one is going to even want to drive slower than the speed limit on a general basis. I dont care what the law is, getting pulled over for doing only 5 MPH or less over the speed limit is an asshole move IMHO....

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

According to Wikipedia, U.S. law allows a 5% margin of error on speedometers. At 70 MPH, this translates to ±3.5 MPH. Had he ticketed you, you probably could have successfully challenged it.

At the tollbooth on the Muskogee Turnpike just south of Muskogee, there are electronic signs that tell you how fast you are going.  When my speedometer indicates 30 MPH, the signs say 27-28 MPH.  I don't know how accurate those signs are, but they can't be any more inaccurate than police radar.

May have more to do with the accuracy of your speedometer than radar.  The speedometer in my previous car would overstate my speed by 2 or 3 MPH, according to a GPS unit I have. I haven't done that test with my current car yet.

[Grzrd]

In Georgia, it is illegal for a county, city, or campus officer to pull you over unless your speed exceeds the posted speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour on most federal and state routes (most exceptions are within city limits).  It is the extremely rare occasion when a Georgia State Patrol officer will pull you over for doing 10 mph or less over the posted speed limit on an interstate or other major highway (maybe heavy rain or construction zone).  As a result, my common practice is to set the cruise control as close to 9.5 mph over speed limit as I can get it.  In doing so, I have not been pulled over for speeding in that type of situation (many years).

In contrast, on a recent trip to Colorado, I set cruise-control at "speed limit + 9.5" and was pulled over on I-70 a little bit east of Grand Junction.  The officer was kind enough to let me off with a warning, but told me in no uncertain terms that the "Georgia custom" did not apply in Colorado.

In general terms, which custom is more common in the states: the Georgia "SL + 10" custom, or the Colorado "the SL IS the SL" model?

[agentsteel53]

really, 9.5 over the limit in Colorado on I-70?  that's a tad petty.  Texas seems to be the only state that will pull you over for 5 over on the freeways ... but at least they sign up to 80 in some places.

you just cannot tell a lot of the time - it depends on the state, the day of the month, the cop's mood, whether someone shat in his donuts this morning, etc.

[corco]

Tends to vary widely by road type

I found 7 to be a good maximum guideline on rural roads in Washington State- I passed several cops going 7 over without being pulled over. On Puget Sound area freeways, you're generally safe as long as you keep it under 70 (speed limit 55 on SR 18,  60 everywhere else)

Wyoming seems to be cool with 10 over off-freeway (SL usually 65) if there's not much traffic, but if you're going more than 5 over on the freeway (SL 75) you're at good risk of getting a ticket.

My Colorado experiences also vary by road- I-25 in Denver where the speed limit drops to 55 or 65, you tend to be good as long as you're under 75, but you couldn't go 95 in the 75 on I-25- there you're at risk if you're going much more than 82 or so. I passed a cop going 85 on I-76 east of Brush once and did not get pulled over

Idaho is all over the map- some parts of the state are cool with 10 over (those tend to be the eastern parts), but if you're in western Idaho it's pretty common to get tickets for going more than 5 over, especially in towns.

[JREwing78]

In all of the Great Lakes states, I haven't been bothered for anything under 10 over on the highway.

I've been pulled over twice for exactly 10 over by local cops; both times I was let off with a warning. At least one of those was a "drunk check" at 2:30am (the officer said as much)

I'm not sure it's possible to get pulled over for anything under 20 over on Chicago area freeways, at least judging by the sheer volume of people blowing me off the road while I'm doing 10 over. Same with metro Detroit.

[PAHighways]

The Pennsylvania State Police will let you alone up to 10 over the limit, but +11 is when you'll get noticed.

[tchafe1978]

I got pulled over once for going 72 in a 65 zone in Wisconsin. I thought that was pretty lame. OTherwise, I usually drive 5-10 over the limit and never have a problem. I'm not totally sure what Wisconsin's standards are, but usually if you keep it under 10 over the limit you're ok.

[agentsteel53]

I once got nailed for 74 in a 70 in Nevada.  Horseshit!  They tried to pass it off as 74 in a 55 but I insisted that I had not yet reached their mountain pass section, as I could clearly see the 55 drop in the distance (with just as little traffic as the straight section) and they dropped it to a $80 fine.

US-50 - not the loneliest road in the US.  It's swarming with cops.  You can gamble, you can find hookers ... but don't you dare go fast on the open road, it ain't 1972 no more.

[Truvelo]

The Pennsylvania State Police will let you alone up to 10 over the limit, but +11 is when you'll get noticed.

I was on I-476 several years ago keeping up with the rest of the traffic doing 80 in a 55 and no one braked upon seeing a cop car parked in the median, nor did the cop give chase.

[SSOWorld]

I got pulled over once for going 72 in a 65 zone in Wisconsin. I thought that was pretty lame. OTherwise, I usually drive 5-10 over the limit and never have a problem. I'm not totally sure what Wisconsin's standards are, but usually if you keep it under 10 over the limit you're ok.

TECHNICALLY: Wisconsin's standards are >= 1mph over - but that's often the judgment of the cop.  Remember - fines go towards profit for the state and cops's salaries.  They probably have quotas.

[vdeane]

In NY you can get pulled over for even 1mph over, but you're virtually guaranteed to get away with up to 5 over, and it's rare to be pulled over for anything less than 10 over, though I have heard rumors of a threshold of 68 mph.  Also watch out at the end of the month and heavy travel weekends - those are when the police are looking to ticket people.  Also, buses don't get pulled over for less than 80.

[PAHighways]

The Pennsylvania State Police will let you alone up to 10 over the limit, but +11 is when you'll get noticed.

I was on I-476 several years ago keeping up with the rest of the traffic doing 80 in a 55 and no one braked upon seeing a cop car parked in the median, nor did the cop give chase.

That is a very, very rare situation.