Is it better to be passed or to speed in a car?

Question

The books say that if too many people start passing you then you should change lanes because you're a hazard. What if you're on a two lane street, one going each way. I've been in a situation where I'm going 5 mph over the speed limit but cars keep passing me. Which is better, to go faster or let the people pass me?

Answer 1

drive with the flow of traffic.  even if that means you are going 20 over, as long as you are not going way faster than everyone else, there will be no problem.  the police dont pull you over for driving with the flow of traffic.  You get pulled over for driving faster than the flow of traffic.

Answer 2

let people pass you, youll just end up slowing down again anyway so as long as your driving around the speed limit it doesnt matter

Answer 3

Sweetheart, most people are not going to like this answer, but here goes. First, you are not supposed to exceed the posted speed limit. Period. You eventually can and will get a ticket. So just because everyone else does, you are not obliged to follow them and do what they do. Second, your personal safety and the safety of your passengers is your primary concern. So, you need to take steps to protect yourself from those who wish to exceed the posted speed limit. Stay away from them. There is a myth among these kinds of people that says the far left lane is the "fast lane". Nowhere in any vehicle code is the left lane referred to as the "fast lane". Lanes are numbered from the left, so the left lane is the number one lane, the next one is the number two lane, and so on. The law simply states that traffic moving below the posted speed limit is to stay to the right, and in some cases the left lane is for passing the traffic that is moving below the posted speed limit. You are completely within your rights, and in fact you are at less risk of a ticket, the closer to the speed limit you travel. What you don't want is a headstone on your grave that says "She had the right-of-way". You are going to encounter all kinds of people on the road who do all kinds of stupid things, and they will always have a reason to excuse their behavior. If you obey all the laws and stay out of the way of those who don't, you will never have to explain your behavior to a cop. It is much better to drive the speed limit and let people pass you, but you must swallow your pride and be smart and not get in the way of the people who choose to drive faster than the posted limit, because often they are highly aggressive and not afraid to take action against you.  Also, driving below the posted speed limit when everyone else isn't does make you a hazard. I do not recommend it unless you are faced with some kind of emergency like a flat tire, bad weather, or some kind of trouble that will put you in danger if you drive too fast.  At that point, it is better to get completely off the road rather than put the rest of us in danger by forcing us to avoid you.

Answer 4

If you are already 5 mph over the limit, do not speed up just because gas-wasting bozos are passing you.  All speeding up wil do is make you their safety zone, so you get the ticket if there is a speed trap, they all slow down and go about their merry ways.

Answer 5

Drive at your comfort level.

If you get into an accident - none of those cars that passed you are going to take the blame.

Always drive at your comfort level.

Good luck...

Answer 6

It is better for safety reasons for vehicles to match speed - up to a point. You have to take into account what position that puts you in as far as the speed limit goes though, so it's a balancing act.

Answer 7

Just because others want to speed doesn't make it right. If a cop stops you, telling him that everyone was passing you so you sped up, will NOT stop him from giving you a ticket. Let them drive however they want. It's their points and money that's on the line.