You should come to Germany where there is no speed limit on the Autobahn!
When I was a kid we raced down them roads at close to 200 km/h to get to the ferry 
I can’t even remember if we made it anymore.
I think that’s about 130 mph.
Welcome to Ontario. 
In good free-flowing conditions on a freeway, people will go 120-125 km/h where the prevailing limit is 100. I remember one time I was driving on the 407, and I was doing 120, and I was the second-slowest thing on the road. Only one large truck was slower.
And one of the written rules of the road is that if you’re pulled over for being 10 over the speed limit, you have to pay the ticket. One court that I went to (late fix-it ticket) had a short video at the beginning as an “orientation”. It was basically a list of thing to not even bother saying. “Prevailing speed” and “flow of traffic” were forbidden phrases.
As a teen, you’re more likely to catch a cop’s eye than your dad is. Not that he’s going to give that any credence. He’s already got an audience supporting him for his abuse and he’s not going to let that go. I agree that it’s got nothing to do with him sympathizing with the people behind you. One of my kids went through a phase of macho driving. That’s where he’s stuck.
While the poor boy was in that phase, we had to take a cross country trip for a funeral. He nearly ruptured himself before we got there. I drive 5-10 miles over speed limit, but we were on a lot of big, empty highways. I can still hear him howling. “There are semis passing you! Come on! I can feel my balls shrinking!”
Twenty over is a lot, but there are times on certain highways in the Chicago area that will average a speed around 20 over. Ten to fifteen over is more typical. (And it’s not just my impression. Poking around to see if there’s any support to my experiences and impressions, I found this article.)
But, no, not doing 45 in a 25. Who does that?
People who really, really want to hit a kid on a tricycle or a family pet, I think. 25 mph zones tend to be not just residential but residential with poor visibility or that sort of thing.
Actually, I think the “20 over” was posted about 'Merkin miles per hour. That would be like running 32 over in KpH. And it’s not at all uncommon. Welcome to metro Atlanta. Drive fast, talk slow.
I generally drive around 5 over the speed limit. It’s usually a decent compromise between being too much slower than everybody else and pissing everybody off, and being likely to get a speeding ticket.
Speeding tickets, at least in places I’ve lived, generally have graduated levels of fines. If you get a ticket for going 20 over, it’s probably going to cost more than a ticket for 5 over. You’d also be more likely to get additional penalties, stuff like points on your license or additional reckless driving charges, if you’re going further over the speed limit.
I was 23 when I got my license.
Teenagers who don’t rush out to get their licenses at 16 are a growing segment of the population. 54% of people have their driver’s licenses by age 18. If you’re feeling shame about not getting your license right away at 16, like I did, don’t. You’re not a freak for that, not any more.
He’s being a jerk by saying this.
I’d be tempted to say something like, “You’re getting me a sports car? Cool!” But I’m snarky like that.
If your dad is shaming you for not being more eager to get your license (you don’t say he is, but if he is), know that he is not only being a jerk, but is factually wrong if he is claiming that all other teenagers are eager to get their driver’s licenses.
Count me among those who find that driving about 5 mph above the speed limit is normal “flow of traffic” speed.
But, I would never pressure a new driver to drive so fast! You are legally entitled to drive the speed limit and (unless you are hogging the left-handed passing lane in a multiple lane road) you are not being an asshole for obeying the law.
While many people develop a “heavy foot” as they get more familiar with their car, or driving in general, it’s certainly not a good idea to start out that way. Driving too fast is a bad habit, and not something useful to ingrain in yourself right from the start. In fact, and as others have said, you actually need to show proficiency in maintaining the posted speed limit in order to pass the test and get your license.
Having said that, you really do need to get better at making turns, if you are turning so slowly that your right of way disappears before you have a chance to get into the new lane. Like driving too fast, that type of timidity can be dangerous.
As to your dad…judging just by what you’ve said, he’s an obnoxious bully. The good news is that you’ll be out of high school and able to move out pretty soon. Until then…fuck him and his harassment.
Hey, I spent four years in metro Atlanta. And yes they do all drive like assholes, especially when it comes to not letting you in their lane, but other than maybe 285 I never saw people driving 20 above. And not even there really, it’s just that those left hand merges make it feel so much worse than it is (I believe some of them have been eliminated now?)
Zsofia:
Maybe that’s true in some places. On the other hand, ALL OF NEW YORK CITY is now a 25 MPH zone, and they’ve added speed cameras, and it’s ridiculous. Just try staying below 25 MPH on Queens Boulevard or Main Street. You spend more time looking at your speedometer than watching traffic or pedestrians.
But hey, cash cow. Thanks, politicians. I hope every single one of you worthless worms gets voted out next election. I’ll do my part, but I only live in one district.
Ze Pr0fes0re do not insult posters in this forum (see bolded material below). Personal insults are not allowed except in The Pit. Since you are new I won’t make this a warning, but we expect you to read the posting rules for each forum and abide by them. Future insults will result in warnings.
Get the car up on two wheels. That’ll shut them up for a while.
Funny you should mention 285. Several years ago the Atlanta paper sent reporters with radar guns out to various bridges over interstates so they could record the speed of vehicles. South side 285 was the “winner” with average speeds being 25 MPH over the posted limit (55 at the time, recently raised to 65). That means roughly half of all drivers recorded were going faster than that :eek:
No, it really isn’t.
Yeah, they’re cool with it now. I told them about the whole “test” thing and I mean just because my dad yells… As someone above said, when you’re emotionally close to someone like that, it’s normal. I am cool with it. And many of the insults were just made in fun…
Then he is not a good teacher. Seriously. Good teachers don’t need to yell. The only authority figure required to yell is a boot camp drill sergeant - and you’re not in boot camp.
Yes. You should drive the speed limit whenever possible.
That said, yes, you’ll almost always get a pass from the cops if you’re doing 5mph over, which is why that is so damn common.
There are a very few circumstances where going faster is justified - to avoid an accident, for example, or if you’re in heavy traffic it may be safer to keep up with everyone else, but in general stick to the speed limit, especially as a new driver.
Tell him that until you get more experience you feel you should stick to the speed limit.
Look, you will always have the problem that someone else will try to tell you to drive. I’m over 50, I’ve had my license since 16, I have NEVER (so far) had even one ticket or accident. Either I know what I’m doing or I’m damn lucky, right? A couple days ago my 85+ dad was SCREAMING at me because he didn’t like how I was driving. (It really doesn’t help that he’s always been an aggressive driver, is no longer healthy enough to drive, and may be having some dementia, too, now.) You know what? Dad can scream all he wants, he can’t make me do anything I don’t want to or don’t feel comfortable with. When later that day he started pulling that crap on my older sister, only more so, she stopped the car and told him to either shut up or she was going to turn around and he could sit at home.
See a pattern here? YOU ARE THE DRIVER, YOU ARE IN CHARGE. If you are driving your dad around and get pulled over YOU will be the one held responsible, not dad, so act like you’re in command because you are.
Yes, I know, it’s hard - my dad was somewhat like that when I was learning to drive, too, I get it. And maybe it was a little easier for me to be “timid” because, after all, I’m a girl. But at a certain point I had to say “Dad, I’m only doing 25 in the school zone”.
Apparently BOTH your parents are bad teachers.
Look, I know you may have to compromise a bit to get through this, but DEFINITELY when you get your license if you feel more comfortable going at the speed limit or being less aggressive then I encourage you to do so. You’ll be a safer driver.
And get in the habit of leaving 10 minutes early. It’s a lot less stress. It will be hard at first, but once you get the habit travel will be much more enjoyable.
It’s because they’re not good drivers.
I’m sorry, but it’s true - speeding themselves is bad enough, but insisting a NEW DRIVER routinely bust the speed limit…
Tell your dad to ask his insurance agent how much a teen driver getting a ticket will cost him. Tell him to ask how much an accident will cost. Then ask him if he REALLY wants you to speed and drive aggressively.
Or it’s just the main road through Alfred, Maine…
Speeding like any other form of bad driving is something that becomes a habit. People that wait to leave to work at the last minute will soon speed even when they are not in a hurry whatsoever. Many people simply forget the common rules of the road for their state. Some even have no clue how a 4 way stop is supposed to work and that’s just sad.
My dad has been dead for over thirty years and reading this thread makes me miss him so much! He never ever insulted me, even in jest, and made sure I followed and knew every single rule of the road when we were driving. I had the benefit of taking driver’s Ed in summer school so the speed limits were strictly enforced in class, but my father also insisted I learn how to drive safely and properly. Do I sometimes speed now? Yes. But I’ve only gotten one speeding ticket in my life, and that was for going 25 in a 20mph zone (not a school zone, accelerating up a hill to turn in to my drive at top of the hill). Do work on your turns… my Dad’s words still echo… Accelerate thru the turn, don’t creep!.. which my sister apparently forgot! But recite this mantra every time they criticize: “I want to pass my test and keep my insurance rates down, make me speed and you get to pay it for me forever. And drive me everywhere forever if I don’t pass.”
And I agree with those who say your dad isn’t being sympathetic to others running late. He just likes to speed.
Bingo.
Excellent post Broomstick. Excellent. Some folks are good teachers, others are clearly not. Yelling? Umm… No. Never.