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seeing that I have to go through some pretty shady suburban policed areas in the Chicagoland area (Westchester, Bellwood, Stone Park, Franklin Park, Schiller Park) I tend to do around the speed limit- not much over. It's not because I want to, it's because tickets cost alot of money
I sometimes go 50 in a 35 and don't even realize it.
I tend to go about 8-9 over the speed limit unless I get stuck behind a slow driver or the weather is bad.
On the highway however, I like to go about 55-60, I get better gas mileage that way and if anyone doesn't like my speed, they can always go around.
I've never gotten a ticket for speeding and I hope I never do.
There is only one road I know of, well know of but don't know the name of it that has a 70 MPH speed limit. And I'm no nut, I drive fine. I just don't follow the blinker laws, etc. Nothing says speeding means you are a nut driving.
You have already admitted you are a nut that drives.
You don't follow driving laws, continue to speed excessively, refusal to use signals, you admit you don't use lights OR wipers when it rains, etc...
That is foolish, stupid, and quite frankly you don't deserve to drive if you want to act like that behind the wheel.
Now, don't get me wrong, I have a need for speed too; but I do it OFF the highways, on tracks, and it's more fun, and less worrisome that way.
Mathguy, the problem with going right away on green is that you are trusting other drivers to do the right thing, to successfully not run the red light (I word it that way because some lights have an adequate yellow interval and some don't, some stay red all 4 ways for a second and some don't - so the friendly local traffic engineer may be helping them screw up...).
So you are trusting at least the original factory paint on your 'vette; and maybe up to and including your life, to (and you should be the one posting about statistics!) statistically a 50-th percentile American driver.
The peak of the bell curve for American drivers is not at a very high level of skill, most people who use a car as an appliance don't even know acadamically which direction to turn the wheel in a skid, for example, much less have any experience doing it.
So, legally, you are perfectly within your rights to hit it as soon as the light turns green, but, IMHO it's worth the delay to pause a second or so and verify that you don't have "incoming".
Similar situation came up in a discussion with a friend, a retired cop, about riding with a rookie who was running with the light bar and siren going for one of his first times "for real". And he commented as the guy approached a traffic signal, red towards them - and he's not slowing down any - OK, *legally* the rookie cop is completely right that he has the right-of-way, and it's up to the other drivers to see him and get out of his way.
However, as a practical matter, the thing he needs to do is slow down some, approach the intersection with some caution, so as not to get into a wreck (which would very likely be judged to be the other driver's fault, but, it's a wreck all the same, and whatever evil-doers they were on their way to apprehend, would be apprehended, if at all, by some other cops...)
And caution makes a good point too, that really in the US driver's licenses are passed out like candy, if you show up to the test, can remember how far to park from a fire plug long enough to take the test, are not blind in both eyes, and can drive around the block without committing a ticketable offense or causing a wreck, you get one. Compare to a pilot's license or particularly a nuclear power plant operator's license. In Germany for example (where they do indeed go faster than is allowed here!) you actually have to learn how to drive to be allowed to drive on the public roads - what a concept. And when I was there in 1995, rented a 316i for a week, yes I did indeed cruise 100 MPH on the Autobahn, but was much less stressed than in typical American traffic, because the number of bonehead moves being made was vanishingly small.
I should clarify that while I do GO on green...I do look while Im doing that. Once in a blue moon someone, generally on a cell phone, does come ripping on through the red. There are several lights on my commute where you don't get a lot of "green" time and waiting through 2-3 light cycles becasue the person waited 5 seconds after it went green (likely an important text message heh heh) and only 3 cars made it through before it went red.
What has talking on the cell phone or listening to blairing radio, etc have to do with being safe? I for one think those stupid laws wanting to ban texting/talking while driving is just that, stupid. Granted, I don't think you should do it, but still it's just stupid to ban them. I'm not really sure why, I just think it is. Call me stupid for thinking so, but whatever.
Good question. Basically several studies show that it's a public hazard along the lines of drunk driving. Link below.
These studies pretty much mesh with my observations since I transitioned to a driving commute about 9 years ago. Driving later at night tends to bring out the drunks though.
The majority of fatal accidents in the US are impairment related. If you don't driver around impaired your odds of not getting hurt are a lot better than the averages.
Used to speed regularly, drive somewhat aggressively, and street raced before it caught so much publicity. I'll admit I was young and stupid. Then grew up and always stick to the posted limit (or flow of traffic depending upon weather) and if exceeding, never above 5mph or pacing with the flow. I'm all about the circuit tracks, road courses, autocross, and karting these days to get my rocks off behind a wheel.
Anyone from Boston on this thread? Bottom line, I get from A to B as fast as I can. There is absolutely NO need for traffic. I wish people used their brain while they drove and not text or put on eye makeup. Who cares if theres an accident; do you really need to slow down and cause that trickle effect that backs up highways for 15 miles? Whats wrong with you? Does someones misfortunes titillate you?
Plus, i'm a chick and have been pulled over 30+ times and have only gotten a warning. Giggity.
Do you have any sort of source or supporting logic?
Other than common sense? Not at my magic fingertips, but Google it and you'll find hundreds of articles about it.
Common sense ought to tell you that though. When times are bad, do you see city governments tightening the belt? No, they write more tickets.
All major highways can support 80-90 MPH, but then they can't write speeding tickets.
If you insist, I can find article later tonight. If your common sense gauge is broken.
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There are several lights on my commute where you don't get a lot of "green" time and waiting through 2-3 light cycles becasue the person waited 5 seconds after it went green (likely an important text message heh heh) and only 3 cars made it through before it went red. 
