I admit at one time in my life I had a bit of a lead foot and got a ticket or two under my belt, but now that I am older and wiser cruise control is my best friend whenever possible.

So how much over the speed limit is a "safe" window? According to a study conducted by The Pioneer Press a general rule of thumb is up to 5 miles and hour over and possibly up to 10 over.

This of course is going to vary by location, traffic status and of course the State Trooper themselves. Out of the 220,000 tickets issued by the Minnesota State Patrol since 2013 only 37 of them were for going less than 5 mph over the speed limit. 97 % of all tickets were issued to drivers going over 10 mph.

Col. Matt Langer, chief of the State Patrol said that Troopers have plenty of drivers that really push past the posted speed limit going 15-25 miles over the limit. So in a nutshell that seems to be the average consensus, not that I am condoning going over the speed limit nor are any Minnesota State Troopers but their appears to be some leeway.

Trooper Jack Tiegs stated that the officers have the discretion to cut drivers a break or give them a warning and he looks at a stop as part of educating the driver as well. Attitude and demeanor are a factor as well as the speed your driving. Be respectful, they have a dangerous job and your attitude could vastly change the outcome.

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