3 killed by semi driver in construction zone

Do you also stick with the reduced speed limit if the zone isn't active, for example on a weekend when no workers are present? I'm not sure if that's required or not, as I've been told by some it's not.

 

Hey Chinatown, do you know if the construction zone doesn't have any workers present, such as we often see on the weekends here in Maine, does the posted reduced speed limit still apply?
I thought it did, even if the construction zone isn't active, but a co-worker told me yesterday that it doesn't. Which is it?

 

If the posted speed is on a white sign with black letters then that is the speed limit, regardless of construction activity. If on an orange or yellow background it is a suggestion.

 

Thanks for the quick reply.

 

This is state dependent, it's either Wyoming or Nebraska will put up signs saying the reduced speed/double fines are only active when workers are present. In Colorado it doesn't matter. In New Mexico it doesn't matter, hell the cops will pass you in a construction zone there.

 

Too many jackwads of all types speeding in construction zones, and even worse the bad behavior in the head-on zones. I hit that spot on 80 between Kimball and the Wyo. line couple times a week, I always do the limit, and there's always big truck on my butt. Had one guy pass me as soon as we cleared the zone and flipped me off. Few miles down the road, after my 80K butt finally got up to speed, I passed his 67 mph truck and gave him a wave, with all fingers, as I passed by. Never saw him again. Guess when you have a slow truck, you have to be stupid to make up time.

Far as I'm concerned, I will always slow down to or below the posted limit a construction zone, and if narrows, I'll slow down even more. You don't know what might step out, fall, or otherwise happen, and in some of these narrowed zones, especially on a bridge, you're one wiggle away from meeting the guardrail. This multi-decade (I jest) project on 25 in Casper, earlier in the summer, a driver speeding in the zone got too close the guardrail and hit it with tandems, destroyed both outer tires and rims, from the looks of it might have caused an axle to shift as well, took out a couple feet of new guardrail too, resulted in a multi vehicle crash behind him. Tied up traffic for hours, why because he was impatient.

 

I obey construction zone signs even if no workers are there.
I still make my appointments on time and my paycheck isn't affected.

 

"they" can never really explain speeding anywhere and everywhere... what's the harm in slowing down for a few minutes?

 

Also it’s the road conditions.
I always slow down in construction zones no matter what.
Driving a tanker it’s easier to navigate the curves and uneven surfaces.