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Comment by runjake | Hacker News Reader

In the western US, going 3 mph under the speed limit would be considered a mortal sin.

But I do see the same effect going a mere 4 mph[1] over the speed limit.

1. I arrived at 4 mph over, because this was the usual answer when I've asked several police officers "How much over the speed limit to I have to drive for you to pull me over?". Their answer nearly always was "Up to 4 mph and you're okay."

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In Texas, you can get stopped for obstructing traffic, regardless of what speed you're driving.

So, you can be speeding, and yet still driving slower than the traffic around you, and you can be given two tickets -- one for speeding, and one for obstructing traffic.

Of the two, obstructing traffic is the bigger fine.

How ironic. Has this ever happened?

I always heard it put as (for highway driving) "9 you're fine, 10 you're mine". I do a lot of highway driving and the cruise is always set to 9 over, never had a problem. I just slow up at the speed traps but usually they probably see my first speed before I slow up

My wife rigidly hews to the "10% over the speed limit" standard on the highway. So 6.5 mph over in a 65mph speed limit zone, etc. Never been caught for this. Of course she accumulates an entourage of people crawling up her tailpipe before speeding by rudely, even when she's in the slow lane. Because America.

The magic number I have found is 12 mph over.

4 over the speed limit is definitely the safe zone in California, although having an 11-99 license plate frame still gets you more leeway. I remember when the frames allowed you to get out of driving 90mph.... Good times.

Is this true?

Hum that seems low. Does it depend on the actual speed limit? Going 4mph over when the SL is 30 yeah I get being pulled over, but on a highway where the limit is 65? I think you can easily push to 70/75.

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