Highly technical legal question about posted speed limits

[steve2470]

Example: You are driving on Interstate 95 in a posted 70 mph speed zone. One mile ahead is a 65 mph speed zone (for some reason).

Question: When is the 65 mph legally effective ? When a person with "normal eyesight" can see the posted speed limit sign, or when you cross the plane of the speed limit sign ? Or, when exactly ?

I have not gotten any tickets lately tg, but I'm just... curious. Thanks for your time.

Steve

[Cooley Hurd]

1. Very good question! I've always wondered myself...

My rule of thumb has always been to start to slow when the sign's in sight, and be down to no more than 5 mph above the posted speed limit by the time I pass the sign.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Traffic Lawyer checking in with an opinion.

Within a reasonable distance from the first sighting of the changed speed limit. You can brake and lose 5 mph immediately or lessen the accelerator. My guess would be you have about a 1/4 to 1/2 mile to change to the new speed limit.

[Jumping John]

3. In Texas I was instructed in a Defensive driving course that

by the time a driver reaches a speed limit sign that posts a slower speed, He should be traveling at the slower speed posted on the sign upon coming to the posted reduced speed sign.

I then asked if it was a higher speed, would it be proper to accelerate so that one would be traveling at the higher speed posted upon reaching a faster posted speed sign. I was told that I would then be liable to be sited for speeding since I exceeded the speed for trhe speed zone I was traveling in.

[bbinacan]

4. I have a GPS that shows

the speed limit. In most cases, it displays the new speed limit when I pass the sign.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. My understanding is as you pass the sign, the new limit becomes effective

whether it is going up or down.

[gopiscrap]

6. That's the way I was taught it also.

[Strelnikov_]

7. Plane of the speed limit sign n/t

[rufus dog]

8. What if the sign is partially bent over?

I know, shut up smart ass.

[Motown_Johnny]

9. +1

Had a cop tell me that once, long ago. Never forgot it.

[Ikonoklast]

12. Exactly correct.

From that point forward until another traffic control device displays a different posted speed limit.

It works the same way for signs posted for increased speed, too.

If you accelerated to the new posted speed before breaking the plane of the sign, you can and will be ticketed for speeding.

[randome]

10. However...

...if you are on an entrance ramp leading to a highway, clearly you need to accelerate past the limit of the street you were on if said street was posted at less than 40mph, the minimum speed limit for a highway.

Did that make sense?

[steve2470]

11. yes, hopefully no cops are looking for tickets on acceleration ramps ! nt

[Ikonoklast]

13. As soon as you left the surface street, you are under the posted limits for the highway.

If there is a posted ramp speed, that is to be obeyed until the merge, then the posted limits of the highway are to be observed.