Will I get a speeding ticket for going 60mph in a 65?

Yea. I live in California and me and my grandma both have got a ticket for that. But we took it to four and the judge lifted it and or dimissed it. Something like that. They want you to go the exact speed wich makes since drive slow cause a wreck drive fast cause even bigger wreck.

 

It most states there is no minimum unless posted. Its not safe to go below 50mph on most 65mph roads, with differing speeds comes danger. A cop can pull you over for 'impeding the normal flow of traffic' if you are going obnoxiously slow.

 

Many freeways have a default minimum (either 40 or 45 I think) even when no minimum is posted. As you say, you can also get ticketed if you're going so slow that you are a danger to other traffic or impeding the normal flow of traffic. If you're doing 60 in the left lane then I could definitely see it being a problem but in the right lane you're fine (and legal). I'm amazed that GoGreenTreeHugger got a ticket (unless there is more to the story) but not surprised it got thrown out of court.

 

I believe on interstate highways the min is 45 at least in georgia. I don't believe other than that there is a min. limit. There are several "catch all" laws that can be pulled out to cover anything though.
This link may help [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_limits_in_the_United_States]Speed limits in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

 

No. By definition, a speeding ticket is for speeding. You may get ticked for obstructing traffic, but that's a different issue.

Tom

 

The last time we had this discussion, I found that there were some folks who truly thought that the "limit" was the lower limit. That on a freeway with a 65 mph limit, that you must drive at least that fast.

Folks... this is the *upper* limit. It would be impossible to enforce this as the lower limit, or as the ONLY speed you could drive. Driving 60 in a 65 zone is not illegal in any state in the country. And in many states, trucks are not allowed to drive over 55 no matter what the posted limit is for everybody else, so 60 mph is ABOVE the highest limit for trucks already.

Anyway... if you ever were to get a ticket, I just see no way of it sticking. Remember that police officers and troopers etc. can give you a ticket for anything they think is wrong. Getting a ticket does not make the act illegal. That is for the court to decide.

 

California has a "Basic Speed Law" and you could indeed get a speeding ticket for going 60 in a 65 zone during, say, a dense fog.

However, here's what CA has to say:

21654. (a) Notwithstanding the prima facie speed limits, any
vehicle proceeding upon a highway at a speed less than the normal
speed of traffic moving in the same direction at such time shall be
driven in the right-hand lane for traffic or as close as practicable
to the right-hand edge or curb, except when overtaking and passing
another vehicle proceeding in the same direction or when preparing
for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or
driveway.
(b) If a vehicle is being driven at a speed less than the normal
speed of traffic moving in the same direction at such time, and is
not being driven in the right-hand lane for traffic or as close as
practicable to the right-hand edge or curb, it shall constitute prima
facie evidence that the driver is operating the vehicle in violation
of subdivision (a) of this section.

I'd say the OP is safe driving 60 in a 65 zone in the far right-hand lane under normal condition and 5 mph under is hardly impeding the flow of traffic.

 

I think common sense has to apply a little bit here. I think it depends on where your driving etc. Down here during this time of year it's extremely common to have many agricultural vehicles on the roads (not highways) doing at most 20 mph, your not going to get a ticket on these roads unless your extremely stupid.
Now if it appears your pulling a train you have so many vehicles backed up behind you, you deserve a ticket as your impeding traffic (think monstorous motor home in the mountains here)
If anyone has ever gotten a ticket driving too slow speak up here and let us know. I doubt that anyone would as long as they were being courteous and exercising common sense. Keeping to the right is paramount.

 

I don't see anywhere that calls this "speeding". I think it would be called obstructing traffic or something of that nature, or more likely a violation of the basic speed law, since that covers almost all speed issues. This is a silly argument since "speeding ticket" is not a formal definition, but is only a common term. It simply struck me as funny that the OP used the term "speeding" for driving too slowly.

Michigan has a statute that requires drivers to pull over and allow traffic to pass if the driver is going below the speed limit and more than a certain number of cars are backed up. I'll have to look up the number, but I recall that it is three.

Tom

 

Okay, I stand corrected. At least in Michigan "speeding" is a real legal term. Here are the offense codes related to speeding:

Speed, excessive 2000
Speed, excessive for conditions 2300
Speed, fail to drive minimum 2330
Speed greater than conditions 2300
Speed, imprudent 2300
Speed law, violation of basic 2300
Speed restrictions 2300
Speeding 2000
Speeding, energy 2200
Speeding, estimated 2300
Speeding in construction zone 2105
Speeding in mobile home park 2000
Speeding in residential area 2000
Speeding in school bus 2000
Speeding in school zone 2000
Speeding, limited access hwy 2100
Speeding while towing vehicle 2000

Other related codes are:

Slow vehicle fail to keep right 2840
Minimum speed, failed to drive 2330
Traffic, impeding 2670
Traffic, interfere with 2660

Tom

 

Lets face it, if you impede the flow of traffic, for no VALID reason, especially in lanes 1,2,3,4 and even in the furthest most right lane...and saving gas, sadly, is not a valid excuse, your probably going to get popped!!!
At least in California!!!

 

Tom,

While I know that you did not write the codes, I would love to have a judge help me understand the difference between two above?

 

Impeding traffic is a "ticketable" offense. The trick is defining what is "impeding" traffic. Many people have wildly varying definitions of what impeding traffic means.

Driving 55 mph on most (if not all) California Highways IS NOT impeding traffic. How do I know this? Because the MAXIMUM speed limit for trucks and cars pulling trailers is 55 mph. Thus, drivers should expect that some percentage of traffic on highways will not be exceeding 55 mph. Yes, these vehicles should be in the lane furthest to the right, unless passing a slower moving vehicle. Yes, most trucks and cars pulling trailers completely ignore this maximum speed limit. But traveling 55 mph (or 60 mph) in the right lane is not impeding traffic.

 

Good catch. Perhaps it's a convoluted way of saying the car is incapable of driving the minimum speed. I.e., if you're having engine problem that renders the car incapable of driving the minimum speed, you should exit the freeway and not continue to drive on it for 15 miles.

 

60 mph in a 65km/h zone, yep, you can get a ticket for that!

 

It actually comes down to the CHiPper who pulled you over. It's his judgement call. You may get a ticket, spend time in court fighting it, maybe win, but it's still a large waste of time.

When is the last time you saw a "BigRig" doing under 65 in California????????

It's been YEARS for me!!!

 

+1

It's weird that folks w/ driver's licenses don't grasp this, since we all supposedly passed a driving test.

Again ... why is it that this isn't common knowledge?!? And if the MAX is 55 (for trucks) no officer with his salt would bother with you if you're even driving 50 on the freeway in the right lane ... only 5 under the MAXIMUM for trucks. Sheesh ...

 

I don't disagree with you on this point (actually, I have seen big rigs traveling 55 mph, but it truly is a rare sight).

I would venture a guess that the frequency that a CHP officer would cite someone traveling 55 mph on the highway in the right lane would be several magnitudes rarer than that of a big rig travelling 55 mph on the highway.

The OP driving 60 mph isn't even a consideration for a ticket, assuming he is in the right lane. Heck, he could probably drive in the middle lane and not get cited. The left most lane, now that's a completely different story.....