You may be very excited that the numbers on your odometer go up to 140. However, you should really only hit your car’s maximum speed when driving on the Autobahn or when being chased by a Decepticon. The rest of the time, you will have to obey traffic laws and stay under the posted speed limit.

Don’t automatically assume that you may drive 45 mph just because you see a sign that tells you that’s the limit. There is a “Basic Speed Law” in New Jersey that states that all drivers must maintain a speed that is safe given the conditions. In other words, if there is bad weather or fog, nearby pedestrians or cyclists, poor road conditions, or a large number of slow-moving Bennys in front of you, you will have to reduce speed accordingly, not matter how much you might want to hit them.

The State of New Jersey generally does whatever it can to keep from asking drivers to make judgment calls, but this is just one of those situations where you’re going to have to think for yourself and exercise some decision-making skills. Sorry.