Reading Skills for Today's Adults

Question: Someone told me that driving five to ten miles per hour over the posted speed limit is okay. Last week a trooper gave me a speeding ticket for driving seven miles over the speed limit. It cost me $103.00! Shouldn’t I have gotten a warning?

Answer: Since I am the trooper who gave you the ticket, I’m not sure if you will like my response, but here it is. A warning is an option, but in your case I thought a ticket was more appropriate. 

I was patrolling in the right lane at the 70 miles per hour posted speed limit. Your car was in the left lane passing many other vehicles. You were gaining on my squad car at well over the posted limit. Then you passed my fully marked squad car. I clocked you going between 77 and 78 miles per hour. When I stopped you, you said, “Going 75 ain’t nothing.” 

So why did you receive a speeding ticket and not a warning? There is nothing in Minnesota law that allows a person to exceed the posted speed limit. Speeding is not okay for any reason. To issue a ticket to someone who is purposely speeding is within the rules of the Minnesota State Patrol. 

What more can I say? When you pass my squad car while I’m driving the speed limit, chances are good that I will notice. I hope a ticket will change your mind about speeding. 

For every 10 miles per hour over 50 miles per hour, our chances of being killed double if we are in a crash. Speed continues to be the main cause of fatal crashes in Minnesota.