Editorial: Speeding makes no sense - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Editorial: Speeding makes no sense

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By Mark Wilder - email

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MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -

During spring break two years ago I did an editorial that I think merits repeating.  It was about speeding and how it doesn't make sense to, because the benefits are outweighed by the risks.

If you speed so you can get there quicker, consider this.  On a 10 mile interstate commute each additional mile per hour you drive only gets you there 7 seconds sooner.   Go 10 miles over the limit and you only gain one minute.  And that speeding ticket in Alabama could cost you $130 or more. Do the math.  Do you make $7,800 per hour?

Consider a 170 mile trip to the beach.  Each extra mile per hour gains you a mere 2 minutes on the entire trip.  10 miles over the limit and you only get 18 extra minutes on the beach.  And for teenagers who make minimum wage, that ticket will cost you 18 hours of pay at your job.

There's also the cost of gasoline, which is about a dollar per gallon more than it was two years ago.  Each 5 miles per hour you drive over 60 is like paying an additional $0.24 per gallon for gas.

Of course all this really begs the question of safety.  There are no rational reasons to speed.  Just don't speed.

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