Think that 65-mph limit on your local interstate isn't fast enough? Try this on for size: On May 21, 1901, Connecticut enacted the nation's first law regarding motorized vehicles. The law stated that automobiles--essentially anything on four wheels that moved under its own power--were to be limited to the breakneck speed of 12 mph in cities. Yes, 12. (It may not seem that fast, but remember that most turn-of-the-century automobiles were happiest in the sub-15 mph range anyway.)
Wired.com's This Day in Tech feature has an interesting entry on speed limits and today's anniversary, one that name-checks everyone from Charles Babbage to Oldsmobile. Check it out. As for speeding? We're not endorsing anything, but let's just say that a little civil disobedience now and then never hurt anybody.