Can a Minnesota Patrol Officer write you a ticket for going faster than the posted limit on a black and yellow speed sign? What do those even mean?

The wife and I were driving up to Brainerd this last weekend for a little gettaway.

At one point going through Little Falls, she commented that I should slow down because I was going faster than the posted speed on the black and yellow speed sign.

State of Minnesota-Getty Thinkstock
State of Minnesota-Getty Thinkstock
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I politely noted that that was just a suggested speed. She suggested that I was wrong.

So … of course, I had to get to the bottom of just who was right and who was rather misguided.

I made a visit to the Minnesota Department Of Transportation website for the answer.

According to MNDOT...”A black and yellow Advisory speed sign is used with a hazard warning sign to advise motorists of a comfortable speed to navigate certain situations. For instance, when traveling on a winding road, the curve warning sign would be used with an advisory speed sign.”

Black and Yellow Speed Sign Minnesota-Getty Thinkstock
Black and Yellow Speed Sign Minnesota-Getty Thinkstock
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A black and white Regulatory sign shows the maximum speed that a motorist may travel under ideal conditions. It can be a statutory value or else it must be authorized by the Commissioner of Transportation.

Black and White Speed Sign Minnesota-Getty Thinkstock
Black and White Speed Sign Minnesota-Getty Thinkstock
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Basically...the black and yellow ADVISORY speed sign is a “Suggestion” meaning you won't get ticketed if you exceed that limit.

The black and white REGULATORY sign is a limit and you can get ticketed for driving above that posted speed.

So I guess I was right. FYI...my wife didn't like it when I said that.

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