Driving 40 in a 35? Forget 'cushion' : Police focus on speed limits, ticket revenue in tough times

USA Today reports:

The recession may be claiming a new victim: the 5-10-mph "cushion" police and state troopers across the USA have routinely given motorists exceeding the speed limit.

As cities and states scramble to fill budget gaps with revenue from traffic citations, "not only are the (speeding) tolerances much lower, but the frequency of a warning instead of a ticket is way down," says James Baxter, president of the National Motorists Association, a Wisconsin-based drivers' rights group that helps its members fight speeding tickets. "Most people, if they're stopped now, are getting a ticket even if it's only a minor violation of a few miles per hour," Baxter says.

Big Brother is hard up for cash.