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i'm hopelessly looking for a state where I can do 100 mph on the left lane without being pulled over by the cops. It's a perfectly safe speed for me.
So what state has the laxest highway patrol? thanks
You can go 100mph in the left lane in any state with low/no risk of being pulled over as long as everyone else is going that fast as well. One time, I was cruising at 100 with a truck in front of me and a truck behind me... everyone was flying, that day... I completed 350 miles in 4 1/2 hours, and I was in Pennsylvania. I don't know if there were any cops on that road... and if there were, who would they have seen- me, or the huge trucks?
However, my wife was once pulled over in Pennsylvania for going 80 on the 65mph interstate. She was alone in the left lane... which is why she was seen. Speeding isn't necessarily unsafe... but you have to do it surreptitiously. Someone who stands out like a speeding bullet will be popped. Someone who goes 100 with the rest of 'em won't be. I'd suggest that you look up states where people tend to speed. I remember reading once in Reader's Digest that the Atlanta, GA area has a lot of speeders. A highway patrolman said "The speed limit is 55 and everyone goes so fast anyway that I don't even touch 'em if they're going below 85."
I don't think that the highway patrol in any state is getting more lax. If anything, they're clamping down because they need more money to fuel their gas-guzzling patrol cars. I read an article about this recently... nobody wants to see their taxes go up in any way... but few people complain when the police raise money for the city by clamping down on law-breakers. Some speeding fines can be atrocious. I'd say you're best to go somewhere where everybody speeds. (If you want that, stay away from the Midwest. People are calm out there, for the most part... many Midwestern states have interstate speed limits of 75mph, and I swear... almost everyone goes 65-70.)
Last edited by NWPAguy; 05-21-2008 at 10:56 AM..
Reason: typo
Move to Germany and you can drive as fast as you want legally on the Autobahn. Barring that, I'd satisfy my "need for speed" on a race track, if I were you. Maybe you can handle a car well at 100 mph. The rest of us mere mortals are going a LOT slower and your difference in speed creates a dangerous condition. Food for thought: many drivers (including truckers) have the state highway patrol on "speed dial". Ask the young man who was pulled over on I-75 North of Cincinnati last night after SEVERAL of us called in on him. Might be hard to explain away in court...
You can go 100mph in the left lane in any state with low/no risk of being pulled over as long as everyone else is going that fast as well. One time, I was cruising at 100 with a truck in front of me and a truck behind me... everyone was flying, that day... I completed 350 miles in 4 1/2 hours, and I was in Pennsylvania. I don't know if there were any cops on that road... and if there were, who would they have seen- me, or the huge trucks?
However, my wife was once pulled over in Pennsylvania for going 80 on the 65mph interstate. She was alone in the left lane... which is why she was seen. Speeding isn't necessarily unsafe... but you have to do it surreptitiously. Someone who stands out like a speeding bullet will be popped. Someone who goes 100 with the rest of 'em won't be. I'd suggest that you look up states where people tend to speed. I remember reading once in Reader's Digest that the Atlanta, GA area has a lot of speeders. A highway patrolman said "The speed limit is 55 and everyone goes so fast anyway that I don't even touch 'em if they're going below 85."
I don't think that the highway patrol in any state is getting more lax. If anything, they're clamping down because they need more money to fuel their gas-guzzling patrol cars. I read an article about this recently... nobody wants to see their taxes go up in any way... but few people complain when the police raise money for the city by clamping down on law-breakers. Some speeding fines can be atrocious. I'd say you're best to go somewhere where everybody speeds. (If you want that, stay away from the Midwest. People are calm out there, for the most part... many Midwestern states have interstate speed limits of 75mph, and I swear... almost everyone goes 65-70.)
thanks for that accurate response ; can you quote the slowpoke states?
thanks for that accurate response ; can you quote the slowpoke states?
Do a Google search on "speed limits by state". You will find all of the information you need.
To the best of my knowledge, no state in the lower 48 has a maximum speed limit below 65mph. That being said, I haven't driven in all states. I can tell you that Texas has the highest maximum speed limit, at 80mph... and you'll find the fastest speed limits in less densely populated states such as in the Midwest. I've driven through the Midwest and there aren't many state patrolmen along the side of the road... but there also aren't many cars and there are few that speed. If you go to the Midwest, you might be able to get away with 80 but I think you may stand out if you're going 85.
New Jersey is a police state. There are state policemen all over the place... and that could be because NJ drivers are categorically terrible. NJ was one of the last states to raise its maximum speed limit to 65 after the Feds imposed a federal maximum speed limit of 55 in the 70s... and NJ only passed the 65mph law with the provision that speeding and other traffic violations in 65mph zones would carry double fines. The cops were medieval about enforcing the limit in 1997 when it was first raised to 65, but these days people speed and get away with it. It's just not as likely. If you like speeding, stay away from NJ. I'd also advise you to stay away from NY.
Beyond that, I don't have experience with all states. You'd have to take a drive for yourself, to see what's out there. I'd suggest Googling speed limits, though. Reference information is out there.
Traveling in the left lane of a divided hwy in Pa. even if your not going 100MPH may get you a ticket..
The Pennsylvania Vehicle Code states “Vehicles shall be driven in the lane nearest the right-hand edge of the roadway, except when overtaking (passing) another vehicle, or for a distance of up to two miles in preparation for a left turn, or as directed by official traffic control devices, police officers or appropriately attired persons authorized to divert, control or regulate traffic.”
Traveling in the left lane of a divided hwy in Pa. even if your not going 100MPH may get you a ticket..
The Pennsylvania Vehicle Code states “Vehicles shall be driven in the lane nearest the right-hand edge of the roadway, except when overtaking (passing) another vehicle, or for a distance of up to two miles in preparation for a left turn, or as directed by official traffic control devices, police officers or appropriately attired persons authorized to divert, control or regulate traffic.”
You sound like you may be a police officer yourself, Bob...
I can guarantee you that I and the other vehicles going 100 in the left-hand lane were overtaking PLENTY of vehicles. The slowpokes were going 90-95.
By the way, the relatively oppressive vehicle laws in PA are one of the reasons why I'm looking to get out. Y'all can keep your laws, and your state police officers who drive past a line of cars in the right lane on the interstate just fast enough to pass them slowly and run all of their license plates checking for anything they can pop anyone for... so that they can slow down, cut in behind you really quickly, and issue you a $100-something ticket because your registration expired yesterday and you forgot to get it renewed. (That happened to me.) I'd rather be in a less restrictive environment.
i recall being told that some of the rural highways in some of the northern midwest states(like montana and such) do not have posted speedlimits.. probably wrong, but i could see it i guess considering the space between cities(ie lower risk to others)
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