I guess I'm part of the 10% who actually identify speed limit signs regularly and stay close to that speed? I always thought the vast majority of people did the same, with outliers going either way faster or way slower.
Law abiding citizen checking in here. I also prefer to use crosswalks over eschewing them and will walk slightly out of my way to do so. However - in my area and some states around me - pedestrians at crosswalks get right-of-way and traffic is expected to stop. Traffic doesn't always stop, but more traffic stops if I'm at a sidewalk than if I'm standing by the side of the road. I identify the speed limit and try to stay within 5 mph - 10 mph on the highway. On roads I am very familiar with, however, I do tend to drive as fast as I like - but I'm no speed demon and I find it's usually within 5mph of the speed limit anyway. If I don't know the speed limit I do occasionally find myself going far over as then I tend to follow the speed of traffic. I've also never been pulled over by a cop - and in my opinion the less I talk to the police, the better, hands down, every time - so, so far, I'm content with my driving approach. The one time I had to drive ridiculously slowly I had a spare on my tire that was not supposed to exceed 50 mph and, cautious person that I am, that meant that I tried to keep my speed at 45 or below. edit anchoring in practice kleinbl00 natch?Twenty years of a 55 miles per hour speed limit created a low baseline that drags down speed limits today.
The article is more about what's safe on the roads and what prevailing traffic patterns bear out. It doesn't particularly encapsulate those with an uncomfortable past with law enforcement or those with a strategy. I don't go over 6mph over in areas I don't know unless I can find someone breaking the law. I will then give that guy 100 yards for every mph over the speed limit +6. Being the 2nd-fastest car on the road is just as fun as being the fastest and when the other guy is a half-mile ahead of you you're essentially speedtrap proof. Not only that, but most hot-heads can be goaded into breaking the speed limit even more than they would otherwise - especially if they're in a 2-door Japanese coupe or Volkswagen. Places I do know? Much more complicated codex of practices. Posted limits do figure into the equation, but are not necessarily observed.
My speed practices shift with the car I'm driving (as I'm sure your bike has a different set of rules for you). In my 3-Series sport coupe I would regularly crack 100 and love every minute of it (usually at night, because of traffic and all). In my Silverado I'm regularly the dude going 65 in the right lane. Not that the truck wouldn't do 100 easily (has a 315hp V8), it's just not fun in a car like that.
I call them "radar bait"I don't go over 6mph over in areas I don't know unless I can find someone breaking the law. I will then give that guy 100 yards for every mph over the speed limit +6. Being the 2nd-fastest car on the road is just as fun as being the fastest and when the other guy is a half-mile ahead of you you're essentially speedtrap proof.
I always say "I got a guy runnin' point", like I'm military. Love all the regional slangs here.
These days I use the posted speed limit on my GPS as a guide. I tend to keep at about 8 miles over. I never exceed 10 miles over. I drive a company car so I cannot get any traffic violations. If I get more than 2 in a 1 year span, I'm screwed. Plus, that seems about right to me. There are certainly times when the posted speed limit seems just right to me. In particularly, when driving through the mountains, it can get really steep and curvy.
Most municipalities can ticket you for 8mph over. 6 they can but they rarely do.
-There's definitely an element of knowing where and when to take your chances, right? For example, there are areas of Ohio where I wouldn't do more than 3 mph over the posted limit of 60mph. They notoriously ticket out of state plates. My disdain for the Buckeye state knows no bounds.