It is frightening to think that many people in this thread are legally allowed on the road. Firstly, speeding does cause accidents: you have less time to react, require longer braking distances, and are more likely to lose control of your vehicle. If speeding was not dangerous, no road would have a limit on them.
Civil liberties are not infringed. The first, and most fundamental principle, of civil liberties are that you are free to do as you like so long as it doesn't infringe the upon liberty of others. When you 'choice' to drive fast makes the roads less safe for all other road users then I think that it is fair to say that you are infringing on the liberty of others.
Speeding does not get you to your destination any faster unless you are driving over 100s of kilometers on unrestricted roads. Traffic lights and congestion regulation commuting times.
Now, for a lesson in semantics. A speed 'limit' is just that. The MAXIMUM allowable speed you are allowed to travel on the road. You are permitted to travel up to that speed, but not over it. I do not understand why so many people assume that the limit is the minimum. If you get into an elevator and the limit is 1130kg, do you make your you have 1130kgs of weight in there before closing the doors? No, that you be ridiculous because in almost every other area of life, people understand the meaning of maximum and the safety consequences of exceeding it.
As an aside, if you have ever lived in Germany, you would realised that it is almost never possible to exceed 130kph due to congestion. If would be terrified doing that speed on Australian roads because Australians seem incapable of following even the most basic of instructions like not undertaking vehicles.
