Driving the Speed Limit

Sitting on the side of the highway waiting to catch speeding drivers, a highway patrol officer sees a car puttering along toward him, getting passed left and right by faster cars. He clocks the car at a mere 22 miles per hour, so he turns on his lights and pulls the driver over.

Approaching the car, he notices that inside are five little old ladies, two in the front seat and three in the back. The driver looks okay, but the other four are wide-eyed and white as ghosts.

The driver, obviously confused, says to him, “Officer, I know I wasn’t speeding… what seems to be the problem?”

“Ma’am,” the officer replies, “I’ll agree that you weren’t speeding, but you should know that driving slower than the speed limit can also be a danger to other drivers.”

“Slower than the speed limit? No, sir, I was doing the speed limit — exactly twenty-two miles an hour!” the old woman says a bit proudly.

The officer, trying to contain a chuckle, explains to her that “22” was the highway route number, not the speed limit.

A bit embarrassed, the woman grins and thanks the officer for pointing out her error.

“Before I let you go, Ma’am,” says the officer, “I have to ask… Is everyone in this car okay? These women seem awfully shaken and they haven’t muttered a single peep this whole time.”

“Oh, they’ll be all right in a minute officer,” the woman replies. “We just got off Route 117.”