The other day while I was putting on my little sticker that says my car is licensed until September in the state of pennsylvania I decided to add one of my newly arrived Mises stickers: (get yours here: http://www.mises.org/store/Mises-Sticker-Kit-P330C6.aspx)
Today one of my passengers, getting a little upset because I wasn't driving fast enough for them, asked me why if I thought the government is the negation of liberty do I follow the speed limit laws? They said if it wasn't for the government there would be no speed limit laws and everyone would drive as fast as they want and it would be chaotic. This from a person who pays no attention to the speed limit, and I was the one accused of being contradictory. It actually turned out to be a pretty intereseting conversation with me being able to bring up the idea of private ownership of the roads. I also answered the original question, I drive at safe speeds out of respect for other people and their property as well as keeping my own person and property safe.
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Break the speed limit!
Driving safe is always moral, no matter what number is painted on a sign on the road.
These are public roads, they have no legitimate owner, so we are not bound to follow the rules of use set by the owner. To claim that speed limits are legitimate despite this is to give democracy the power to define morality. Of course, there are many people who actually do believe that it does. But none of these people should be libertarians.
Peace
Well said Jon,
When I'm driving down the road I think of the site plan drawings showing the boundries of each owner's property extending to the center line of the road. I believe the property that is currently occupied by the state's road, through force, is ligitimately owned and it is these ligitimate owners of property that I respect. Since the state controls the roads I have no way of knowing how or even if these ligitimate owners of the property would like their property used in the case of raods.