what is the safest thing to do?

That's just it, the OP said 50-55, which is about what I have seen. Get behind you? With all do respect, just look at your basic profile..... Trucker 50 years...age 45....???? With that said, how do you expect me to take you seriously?

 

I just checked my CDL and Billie Big Rig's picture wasn't on it. I drive the speed limit in construction zones, because the risks are too high, and I'm not talking about speeding tickets. If you hit a worker and you are speeding, you go to JAIL. They will check the computer on your truck and you are sunk.

There might not be any activity that you can see and then all of a sudden the last worker from the crew leaves for home and you can't stop in time. The worker dies and YOU go to jail. It's OK to be selfish and think about yourself. In fact, those people who don't give a hoot about the workers should be the most selfish people on the road and slow the heck down to stay out of jail.

Let's do the math. An extra 5 MPH in a ten hour day gets you an extra 50 miles. The risk to reward ratio is very small and I think most people would find this to be acceptable.

Now, slowing down from 65 to 45 in an eight mile long construction zone will only cost you about 3 minutes. The risk to reward ratio is WAY too high for me to speed in that construction zone.

Take the same construction zone, like the one I just drove through on I-80 in PA, and go through it in the day when you will loose about an hour as everyone tries to cram into fewer lanes. So if there is no one around and you can sail through the zone at 45 MPH you should be thankful that you are not stopped in a long line of traffic.

 

thats the thing the math doesn't make it worth it. Not counting the workers! 50 miles in a day I can make that with a little less time in ts or gettin out and about a little earlier. I'm not perfect and I will fudge a few here and there, but and its a big one In construction zones no more than 2 or 3 and if your behind me well get comfortable until we get out. I'm 52 and the last ticket I had that stuck I was 22 or 23 now I have been stopped I got stopped this weekend had a brake lite out! he looked at my license ran a background said fix it and left. if I had 4 or 5 tickets out there he would have added another. its just not worth it and with this csa crap it definitely is not worth4 or 5 minutes

 

The speed limit on that particular stretch of I-85 is 50mph... and that's how fast I go. If the speed limit is 55... 65... 70... that's how fast I go. I'm not giving up any of my hard earned money to the judicial system.

I guess maybe I didn't word that statement right (doesn't have the same effect without hearing the voice inflection). Read it as: "If you get behind me on I-85 south of Atlanta and you'll be doing 50mph". Meaning that I DON'T speed in the construction.

As far as my profile, I choose not to flaunt the size of my pecker. I am 45 years old and have been driving trucks off and on since 1991.

 

Ok, I guess I gotta accept that those on here saying they go the speed limit are being honest. It's all good, have a safe ride.

 

I do the speed limit..............don't care who gets mad about it

 

I come across work zones,, I go as slow as I need to till I can see if its safe to add a little fuel to my truck., most work zones are not all the same, I was taught to slow down and see whats going on, I know 4 wheelers will not like it but there not pulling 53 feet/80k lbs

 

Speed limits in work zones are not always just to protect workers but due to the road conditions i.e . rough pavement, lane drop-off's and narrowing lanes and switchovers. in tis area if its posted 45 and no-one is working and you are caught speeding, you will be ticketed for speeding and the fines are steep. unfortuneatly you cant control some idiot trying to push you down the road by tailgating.

 

I'm also one that sticks really close to the speed limit. But I'm hauling gasoline and I have no problem with anyone coming up on me or messing with me on the road. So see there's some sense out there. Besides the company watches our speed very close and who cares how long it will take when you're getting paid by the hour!

 

The posted speed limit is not a suggestion. As has already been pointed out.

I've never heard of anyone given a ticket for impeding traffic while doing the posted speed limit.

But I've heard a ton of folks getting one for exceeding it.