10 ms·

I always wanted something to watch where their unmarked cars are. Speed traps are the worst.

gchamonlive 3y ago
Apart from the occasional overtaking which you might need the extra speed, the odds you get a ticket from a hidden camera are very low if you just respect the speed limits. Or am I missing some point?
- drewmol 3y ago
  I think you are (missing the point). Often speed traps are about enforcing typically unenforceable regulations in bulk to reduce the effort. Among other problems. Also this advice doesn’t help if you do want to drive past the limit.
- spiritplumber 3y ago
  [flagged]
- jbaber 3y ago
  I used to think this before I moved to the Eastern seabord of the US. Many freeways have the speed limits randomly oscillate to values ranging from 50 to 75 with the flow of traffic pretending the speed limit is always 65. There are definitely speed traps set up in many unexpected 55 zones which I only know to slow down at from familiarity.
  - chatmasta 3y ago
    But this doesn't invalidate the OP's point... regardless of how reasonable you believe a change in speed limit to be, you're still obligated to follow it, and if you don't then you might get a ticket. And it's not like these changes are unannounced; there is a sign for every time it changes. Surely if you're going to listen to some "speed trap detecting" contraption, you could also look at the signs that announce the change in speed limit? Or better yet, whatever app you're using to detect speed cameras should give you an equivalent ping every time it detects a change in speed limit...
    - etrautmann 3y ago
      The argument is not that the law isn’t technically followable. The argument is that the law is not based on safety and is capricious and designed to catch and fine people, which could justify ways of avoiding getting caught.
      - chatmasta 3y ago
        The argument from OP was: > the odds you get a ticket from a hidden camera are very low if you just respect the speed limits And the comment I was responding to was about how speed limits are unreasonable. So I maintain that the comment did not refute OP's point. The reasonableness of the speed limits is irrelevant to whether or not you get fewer tickets when you drive below the posted speed limit.
        ang_cire 3y ago
        This is the driving equivalent of "just follow instructions"; you're ignoring that they are intentionally making the speed limits difficult to respect in order so that they can ticket you. Telling people not to get tricked is just victim blaming.
        deleted 3y ago
        [deleted]
        deleted 3y ago
        [deleted]
        beebeepka 3y ago
        Won't someone think of the overconfident and dangerous idiots who think they are race drivers
        etrautmann 3y ago
        Does that characterize everyone transitioning rapidly from 65 to 35 back and forth?
  - rdn 3y ago
    In western Virginia they sit at the bottom of hills and give tickets to out of state plates that go over the limit by any amount.
    - orangepurple 3y ago
      Anywhere in Virginia along the North Carolina border area is at extreme risk for out of state tags.
- hightrix 3y ago
  Yes. Many speed limits are set lower than they need to be. On many roads, including freeways, the average speed of traffic is higher than the speed limit. Driving the speed limit on these freeways is dangerous. Additionally, many speedometers read slightly higher than the actual speed. Driving the exact speed limit on many roads as shown by your speedometer means you are actually driving quite slow. Repecting the speed limit as a strict rule is dangerous.
  - throw10920 3y ago
    > Many speed limits are set lower than they need to be. ...the only correct response to which is to contact the state government and complain while continuing to respect the law. Breaking the law while remaining silent is diametrically opposed to the democratic system that the US, at least, aspires to. > need to be ...oh, and vehicle inefficiency increases superlinearly with speed[1]. Until the majority of the vehicles on the road are electric, lower speed limits help fight climate change. Speed limits don't "need to be" anything, and picking lower limits when there's a good reason is good. > On many roads, including freeways, the average speed of traffic is higher than the speed limit. Because drivers follow this flawed line of thought en masse - which doesn't excuse it. > Driving the speed limit on these freeways is dangerous. I guess we need more enforcement, then. Plus, I've never encountered a dangerous situation while driving in the right lane. I suspect that there's an implicit "...in the left lane" on your claim. > Driving the exact speed limit on many roads as shown by your speedometer means you are actually driving quite slow. Citation needed for the claim that you're "driving quite slow". I've never seen a speedometer that was off by more than 4 MPH (measured as the difference between that and GPS), and a difference of 4 MPH when you're going 55 is not "quite slow". > Repecting the speed limit as a strict rule is dangerous. It's called a "limit" for a reason, and the only reason it's non-trivially dangerous is because of other drivers significantly breaking the speed limit, too. This has inspired me to contact my local state's transportation department and request that they step up enforcement of speed limits. [1] https://www.mpgforspeed.com/ https://www.mpgforspeed.com/
    - genman 3y ago
      Actually not accepting the given speed limit is a form of voting against said speed limit (especially when done en masse). Yes, it is not formal, but it is voting nonetheless. If the system was really democratic and not tyrannical then it would take it into account and would not resort to more control and punishment.
- bigmattystyles 3y ago
  No, I agree with you. Especially since aside from the driver's safety, a lot of times, speed limits aren't about the safety of those in the car but to reduce the amount of noise due to tires, engines, breaking, etc... for those living nearby as well as pedestrians, cyclists, buses, animals, etc...
  - gerdesj 3y ago
    [flagged]
  - landemva 3y ago
    I'm not familiar with noise as a speed consideration by my State DOT. Do you have a reference to the noise consideration for speed limits in the law/rule for your locale?
    - stonogo 3y ago
      https://www.dot.state.mn.us/environment/noise/pdf/metro-noise-study.pdf https://www.dot.state.mn.us/environment/noise/pdf/metro-nois... page 6: Minnesota classes some speed limit reductions as noise abatement. Washington refers to modifying speed limits with the goal of noise abatement: https://wsdot.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-10/ENV-ANE-NoisePolicy2020.pdf https://wsdot.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-10/ENV-ANE-Noi... page 20 Delaware includes modifying speed limits (classed as traffic management) for noise abatement: https://deldot.gov/Programs/highway_noise/index.shtml https://deldot.gov/Programs/highway_noise/index.shtml as a counterexample, https://wisconsindot.gov/dtsdManuals/traffic-ops/manuals-and-standards/teops/13-05.pdf https://wisconsindot.gov/dtsdManuals/traffic-ops/manuals-and... various pages: Wisconsin forbids using speed limit reductions as noise abatement.
      - landemva 3y ago
        Wow, noise measurements seem prone to manipulation. I am familiar with a State that measures actual travel speeds, throws out lows and highs, takes some %, and that is the speed limit ( <= max by law ).
- freitzkriesler2 3y ago
  Hidden cameras are not what I'm worried about. It's unmarked cop cars while I'm over taking that bother me the most.
- dylan604 3y ago
  In the southwest, we have what's referred to as one-light towns. Maybe this translates to other parts of the world as well, but essentially a town so small that they only need one stop light to regulate traffic. These are the definition of a sleepy town. As a specific example I'm well traveled is a stretch of state highway in Texas between Ft Worth and Amarillo called Hwy 287. As you get away from Ft Worth, and even west of Wichita Falls, the speeds are 75mph in places. This highway is dotted with these one-light towns. Just before each town, the speed limit slows to 35mph. It's easy to say it's just for revenue purposes, but as a sibling comment points out, the noise is the primary issue. Sure, safety for those that might dare to cross the street as a pedestrian is just a side benefit. However, the opportunity to pad the county coffers near these speed limit changes is too great to not be heavily speed trapped
  - bee_rider 3y ago
    Or maybe they just love the BrRrRrRrrrrrrr of trucks braking.
    - dylan604 3y ago
      Which is why some of these towns have signs saying “No Engine Braking” because people in the cars/trucks pay no mind what so ever to the people living in the podunk town, or worse get off on the fact they are disturbing everyone
pesfandiar 3y ago
I'd argue speeding is even worse, but to each their own.
- genman 3y ago
  I would argue that general population disagrees with this. +/- 20% tolerance is completely acceptable.
  - Arrath 3y ago
    Much like Doctors having a rather different definition of 'binge drinking' or 'heavy drinking' than most of the public, general (dis)agreement may not mean terribly much in the end.
    - genman 3y ago
      Quite the opposite. Doctors can think what ever they want until some kind of social behavior in generally accepted by the society. Any amount of alcohol is bad and likewise any travel is dangerous. It's only about acceptable degree.
  - LeoPanthera 3y ago
    20% means you drive at 80 in a 65. That is in no way acceptable.
    - CamperBob2 3y ago
      Keep right except to pass and you won't have a problem.
      - amatecha 3y ago
        Seriously. Why can't people in NA follow this basic, simple protocol? It makes driving so much easier in every way. Need to slow down because your turn is coming? No problem, move over to the right. Want to actually get somewhere sometime today? Pass and then return to the lane you were in. It's so easy! Imagine actually having protocols around traffic flow, and following them! Just wait until you hear about roundabouts, which allow traffic to continue moving (rather than waiting at a red light for minutes on end when there's no one else there!)
jstarfish 3y ago
After all the $300 radar and laser detectors that don't work quick enough, Waze has been the most effective solution for this. Nothing beats crowdsourced callouts.

Apart from the occasional overtaking which you might need the extra speed, the odds you get a ticket from a hidden camera are very low if you just respect the speed limits. Or am I missing some point?

drewmol 3y ago
I think you are (missing the point). Often speed traps are about enforcing typically unenforceable regulations in bulk to reduce the effort. Among other problems. Also this advice doesn’t help if you do want to drive past the limit.
spiritplumber 3y ago
[flagged]
jbaber 3y ago
I used to think this before I moved to the Eastern seabord of the US. Many freeways have the speed limits randomly oscillate to values ranging from 50 to 75 with the flow of traffic pretending the speed limit is always 65. There are definitely speed traps set up in many unexpected 55 zones which I only know to slow down at from familiarity.
- chatmasta 3y ago
  But this doesn't invalidate the OP's point... regardless of how reasonable you believe a change in speed limit to be, you're still obligated to follow it, and if you don't then you might get a ticket. And it's not like these changes are unannounced; there is a sign for every time it changes. Surely if you're going to listen to some "speed trap detecting" contraption, you could also look at the signs that announce the change in speed limit? Or better yet, whatever app you're using to detect speed cameras should give you an equivalent ping every time it detects a change in speed limit...
  - etrautmann 3y ago
    The argument is not that the law isn’t technically followable. The argument is that the law is not based on safety and is capricious and designed to catch and fine people, which could justify ways of avoiding getting caught.
    - chatmasta 3y ago
      The argument from OP was: > the odds you get a ticket from a hidden camera are very low if you just respect the speed limits And the comment I was responding to was about how speed limits are unreasonable. So I maintain that the comment did not refute OP's point. The reasonableness of the speed limits is irrelevant to whether or not you get fewer tickets when you drive below the posted speed limit.
      - ang_cire 3y ago
        This is the driving equivalent of "just follow instructions"; you're ignoring that they are intentionally making the speed limits difficult to respect in order so that they can ticket you. Telling people not to get tricked is just victim blaming.
        deleted 3y ago
        [deleted]
        deleted 3y ago
        [deleted]
        beebeepka 3y ago
        Won't someone think of the overconfident and dangerous idiots who think they are race drivers
        etrautmann 3y ago
        Does that characterize everyone transitioning rapidly from 65 to 35 back and forth?
- rdn 3y ago
  In western Virginia they sit at the bottom of hills and give tickets to out of state plates that go over the limit by any amount.
  - orangepurple 3y ago
    Anywhere in Virginia along the North Carolina border area is at extreme risk for out of state tags.
hightrix 3y ago
Yes. Many speed limits are set lower than they need to be. On many roads, including freeways, the average speed of traffic is higher than the speed limit. Driving the speed limit on these freeways is dangerous. Additionally, many speedometers read slightly higher than the actual speed. Driving the exact speed limit on many roads as shown by your speedometer means you are actually driving quite slow. Repecting the speed limit as a strict rule is dangerous.
- throw10920 3y ago
  > Many speed limits are set lower than they need to be. ...the only correct response to which is to contact the state government and complain while continuing to respect the law. Breaking the law while remaining silent is diametrically opposed to the democratic system that the US, at least, aspires to. > need to be ...oh, and vehicle inefficiency increases superlinearly with speed[1]. Until the majority of the vehicles on the road are electric, lower speed limits help fight climate change. Speed limits don't "need to be" anything, and picking lower limits when there's a good reason is good. > On many roads, including freeways, the average speed of traffic is higher than the speed limit. Because drivers follow this flawed line of thought en masse - which doesn't excuse it. > Driving the speed limit on these freeways is dangerous. I guess we need more enforcement, then. Plus, I've never encountered a dangerous situation while driving in the right lane. I suspect that there's an implicit "...in the left lane" on your claim. > Driving the exact speed limit on many roads as shown by your speedometer means you are actually driving quite slow. Citation needed for the claim that you're "driving quite slow". I've never seen a speedometer that was off by more than 4 MPH (measured as the difference between that and GPS), and a difference of 4 MPH when you're going 55 is not "quite slow". > Repecting the speed limit as a strict rule is dangerous. It's called a "limit" for a reason, and the only reason it's non-trivially dangerous is because of other drivers significantly breaking the speed limit, too. This has inspired me to contact my local state's transportation department and request that they step up enforcement of speed limits. [1] https://www.mpgforspeed.com/ https://www.mpgforspeed.com/
  - genman 3y ago
    Actually not accepting the given speed limit is a form of voting against said speed limit (especially when done en masse). Yes, it is not formal, but it is voting nonetheless. If the system was really democratic and not tyrannical then it would take it into account and would not resort to more control and punishment.
bigmattystyles 3y ago
No, I agree with you. Especially since aside from the driver's safety, a lot of times, speed limits aren't about the safety of those in the car but to reduce the amount of noise due to tires, engines, breaking, etc... for those living nearby as well as pedestrians, cyclists, buses, animals, etc...
- gerdesj 3y ago
  [flagged]
- landemva 3y ago
  I'm not familiar with noise as a speed consideration by my State DOT. Do you have a reference to the noise consideration for speed limits in the law/rule for your locale?
  - stonogo 3y ago
    https://www.dot.state.mn.us/environment/noise/pdf/metro-noise-study.pdf https://www.dot.state.mn.us/environment/noise/pdf/metro-nois... page 6: Minnesota classes some speed limit reductions as noise abatement. Washington refers to modifying speed limits with the goal of noise abatement: https://wsdot.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-10/ENV-ANE-NoisePolicy2020.pdf https://wsdot.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-10/ENV-ANE-Noi... page 20 Delaware includes modifying speed limits (classed as traffic management) for noise abatement: https://deldot.gov/Programs/highway_noise/index.shtml https://deldot.gov/Programs/highway_noise/index.shtml as a counterexample, https://wisconsindot.gov/dtsdManuals/traffic-ops/manuals-and-standards/teops/13-05.pdf https://wisconsindot.gov/dtsdManuals/traffic-ops/manuals-and... various pages: Wisconsin forbids using speed limit reductions as noise abatement.
    - landemva 3y ago
      Wow, noise measurements seem prone to manipulation. I am familiar with a State that measures actual travel speeds, throws out lows and highs, takes some %, and that is the speed limit ( <= max by law ).
freitzkriesler2 3y ago
Hidden cameras are not what I'm worried about. It's unmarked cop cars while I'm over taking that bother me the most.
dylan604 3y ago
In the southwest, we have what's referred to as one-light towns. Maybe this translates to other parts of the world as well, but essentially a town so small that they only need one stop light to regulate traffic. These are the definition of a sleepy town. As a specific example I'm well traveled is a stretch of state highway in Texas between Ft Worth and Amarillo called Hwy 287. As you get away from Ft Worth, and even west of Wichita Falls, the speeds are 75mph in places. This highway is dotted with these one-light towns. Just before each town, the speed limit slows to 35mph. It's easy to say it's just for revenue purposes, but as a sibling comment points out, the noise is the primary issue. Sure, safety for those that might dare to cross the street as a pedestrian is just a side benefit. However, the opportunity to pad the county coffers near these speed limit changes is too great to not be heavily speed trapped
- bee_rider 3y ago
  Or maybe they just love the BrRrRrRrrrrrrr of trucks braking.
  - dylan604 3y ago
    Which is why some of these towns have signs saying “No Engine Braking” because people in the cars/trucks pay no mind what so ever to the people living in the podunk town, or worse get off on the fact they are disturbing everyone

pesfandiar 3y ago

I'd argue speeding is even worse, but to each their own.

genman 3y ago
I would argue that general population disagrees with this. +/- 20% tolerance is completely acceptable.
- Arrath 3y ago
  Much like Doctors having a rather different definition of 'binge drinking' or 'heavy drinking' than most of the public, general (dis)agreement may not mean terribly much in the end.
  - genman 3y ago
    Quite the opposite. Doctors can think what ever they want until some kind of social behavior in generally accepted by the society. Any amount of alcohol is bad and likewise any travel is dangerous. It's only about acceptable degree.
- LeoPanthera 3y ago
  20% means you drive at 80 in a 65. That is in no way acceptable.
  - CamperBob2 3y ago
    Keep right except to pass and you won't have a problem.
    - amatecha 3y ago
      Seriously. Why can't people in NA follow this basic, simple protocol? It makes driving so much easier in every way. Need to slow down because your turn is coming? No problem, move over to the right. Want to actually get somewhere sometime today? Pass and then return to the lane you were in. It's so easy! Imagine actually having protocols around traffic flow, and following them! Just wait until you hear about roundabouts, which allow traffic to continue moving (rather than waiting at a red light for minutes on end when there's no one else there!)

jstarfish 3y ago

After all the $300 radar and laser detectors that don't work quick enough, Waze has been the most effective solution for this. Nothing beats crowdsourced callouts.