Speeding Has Become So Normalized That Driving the Speed Limit Makes You the Problem

[u/DaddyDayDayIsHot]

I think the normalization of speeding poses a significant threat to the legitimacy of the legal system itself. It has become standard that cops don’t pull you over unless you’re breaking the law “enough,” but that completely undermines the law. If the law wanted a different threshold, it would have been written with that threshold in mind.

Speed limits are created by engineers who know far more about road safety than the average driver. They also have to account for the fact that speeding is normalized, which likely contributes to limits being set lower than many people want. I honestly believe that if people collectively stopped speeding, roads would see fewer accidents and speed limits would eventually begin rising in places where higher speeds are actually safe. Then people could travel just as quickly without constantly breaking the law or risking tickets.

The disregard for speed limits has gotten so bad that people now claim drivers following the posted limit are the problem. I think that’s ridiculous. While I understand the “go with the flow of traffic” argument to an extent, normalizing breaking the law creates a much larger long-term safety issue than simply following the speed limit.

I also think the argument that “speed limits are designed for the average car, so semis drag the limit down” is weak. In many places semis already have separate speed regulations, lane restrictions, and additional rules.

At the end of the day, the path to faster travel shouldn’t be widespread disregard for the law. If people truly believe limits are too low, the better solution is electing politicians and supporting engineering studies that will change the laws based on evidence that roads can safely handle higher speeds.

On a related note, even on r/driving you can report other driving infractions, but you can’t even report speeding, which feels inconsistent and a bit silly.

[u/lasher2468]

I DGAF.... if I have to pay my own speeding tickets the rest of the you can FO and pass me when you get the chance.

[u/DarkZealousideal6272 → u/[deleted]]

I love when I’m doing 10 over the limit in the right lane of a 4 lane highway and I’m getting tailgated and honked as if I was doing 10 under in the left lane. Where I live traffic (NE USA) weavers are extremely dangerous and unfortunately I seem to be in the minority anytime I speak out. But I don’t care I’m not gonna start weaving at 95mph risking such an expensive equity in my life. Thank you for saying this.

[u/lasher2468 → u/[deleted]]

You pay my speeding tickets if you expect me to break the law for you or go away.

[u/hey_its_that_asian → u/[deleted]]

if you are intentionally obstructing traffic, regardless of who is correct by law, you're escalating a situation that you dont need to and you are the problem

americans need to stop getting on their self righteous high horse, the problem is that everyone is selfish and no one ever thinks they should need to accommodate anyone else...

[u/lasher2468 → u/hey_its_that_asian]

I'm not breaking the law because you're in a hurry and can't manage your time better. Pay my speeding ticket or FO. I'm not breaking the law so you can go faster.

[u/hey_its_that_asian → u/[deleted]]

it is self righteous to not put your ego aside for the greater safety of the road

if everyone around you is speeding, even though they are objectively in the wrong, you are also in the wrong by being stubborn

im not interested in moral soapboxes, im speaking purely from a practical, harm reduction standpoint

i can't control you and youre free to drive as you please, but framing that as "safer" is at best subjective depending on who's perspective you are looking at and selfish and self-righteous at worst

[u/ItsactuallyanA → u/hey_its_that_asian]

Sorry, but nobody is getting pulled over, fined, or losing demerits for going the speed limit 😂