PCA Forums

Woman gets ticket for driving 2 mph under speed limit

A Maryland woman has gotten a very unusual speeding ticket for driving a mere two miles under the speed limit on Interstate 95.

Local NBC affiliate News4 reports that the woman, who asked to keep her name anonymous, was driving 63 miles per hour in a 65-mph zone. Police say the reason they ticketed her was that she was driving in the left lane reserved for speedier commuters.

" really shocked," she told the station. "I thought, 'Oh my God, you've got to be kidding me.'"

Of course, commuters who get annoyed by someone hogging the right lane might salute the move.

However, the woman noted the area was experiencing heavy winds at the time and she was only driving under the speed limit as a safety precaution. She also claimed to have never been ticketed before.

"Sometimes when it's dangerous, you have to do what you can to stay safe," she said.

She has one ally on her side: the local branch of AAA.

"The reason [the ticket] is silly is because it's sending the wrong message," said John Townsend of AAA Mid-Atlantic. "And that is, 'We will tolerate you driving at more than the speed limit, but it you drive below the speed limit, then you're penalized for that.'"

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/wo ... 57738.html
Lots of people are stupid and drive in the PASSING lane. In CA, the passing lane is typically a normal driving lane, but DRIVE THE FVCKING SPEED LIMIT for christ sake.

it's a speed limit, not speed minimum. not that i wouldn't be annoyed, but i don't see how this would hold up if she takes it to court. "slower traffic keep right" could apply, but then i doubt a 2MPH variance in measurement is justifiable either (speedometer vs radar gun calibration, etc). seems like an over reach to me...

speaking of a similar thing, i had someone road rage on me yesterday because i was driving too slow for them. i was going 45MPH in a 35MPH zone. they were freaking out, tailgating, trying to get me to go faster. the best part is there was traffic in front of me and a red light a quarter mile ahead of us. people suck.

As has been said its a speed LIMIT. As long as there was no minimum posted she did nothing wrong. And in 'Merica there is no official passing lane.

I was on I-95 outside DC last weekend and the way people drive is crazy. Posted limit is 65 but most are going 70-75 in areas with two lane merges, left exits, etc. Saw one guy in a Lexus hit the entrance ramp at about 75, jump across 4 lanes, and then take off down the left lane doing at least 80. I live about 100 miles west of DC, and the closer you get the more it turns into Need for Speed, with a lot of seriously unsafe driving. Cops stop people for speeding in the more rural areas where is really isn't a safety issue, but once you hit the major suburbs where you go to six lanes and multiple interchanges you never see anyone stopped. I hate driving down there.

I can't see ho the that ticket can hold up. Most speedos aren't ven accurate to 5mph.

Yah.. I don't think a ticket was necessary.. But one of the things I wish they would implement on some of the higher traffic commuter highways where I live is some way of keeping a lane open for THROUGH traffic.. I travel a 3 lane stretch of highway for 90% of my commute and if they would leave the right lane for THROUGH traffic my commute would be cut from 1.5 hours to about 45 minutes.. Because once I get to the last point of the highway that 95% of the commuters are trying to get to (8 miles before I get home) the cars totally disappear.. Drives me crazy..

Supposedly WI now has a new law where they can ticket someone from driving too slow in the left lane but I highly doubt they'll enforce that, especially with all of our never-ending road construction. There use to be more "slower traffic keep right" signs decades ago but most are now gone and I highly doubt most newer driver even have a clue that they should move over. As with the "speed limit", yeah, still doesn't mean that you can legally speed in the left lane if you're going the speed limit or close.

This all goes back to a drivers license being too easy to get. They need to make it less of a right and more of a privilege. Then people might take driving a bit more seriously.

They also need to put a ban on all high capacity gas tanks on all asult-o-mobiles.

Pugsley wrote:This all goes back to a drivers license being too easy to get. They need to make it less of a right and more of a privilege. Then people might take driving a bit more seriously.

They also need to put a ban on all high capacity gas tanks on all asult-o-mobiles.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Here in Austin (too close to the border...), its very common for some *sshat to get in the far left lane and run 55-60 when the speed limit is 65 or 75mph. The middle lane seems to be the slowest lane and far right lane moves along pretty well. However with toll roads and on ramps coming onto the far right lane, people dart in and out of the middle lane to avoid slow downs do to merging traffic. This causes a serious problem because of the slower middle lane traffic ends up slamming on their brakes (knee jerk reaction) and then eventually get in left lane! Im like WTF is wrong with you people. If you want to go slow (well below posted speed limit), then get in the middle or right lane. WE STILL HAVE the signs that say "left lane for passing only" and "slower traffic keep right" here in TX. Whats bad, is its the illegals that are cruising in the far left lane in their trucks with their super wide wheels and spoilers running 55mph in a 75!

Many of them probably don't have a lenience to be driving in the first place. But being caught with out a license / no insurance / suspended is such a slap on the wrist that's why people don't think twice about doing it.

Also a ban on all sports cars. People don't NEED sports cars (assault guns). Economy boxes are just fine (shot guns and hunting rifles).

I've been pulled over for driving in the passing lane. I didn't get a ticket, but the officer seemed pissed that I was just driving in it. Funny thing is that I was staying in the lane because I didn't want to look suspicious to the police officer.

Anyhow, I think that there should be laws about driving in the inner lanes unless passing. It really does clog up the roads. I can't say how many times that both lanes had a pair of dummies driving 5 under and had 30 cars behind them. And yeah, express lanes on highways rock. That said, there's no reason for a speeding ticket, just wrongful use of a lane.