To think it’s better to drive at 31 than 25?

Well there are many reasons why:

• their speedo may be calibrated differently to yours. They may think they're doing 29-30 because that's what their dashboard is saying.
• they may be unfamiliar with the area
• there may be something going on in the car you don't know about, like an unwell passenger, a heavy load, or something delicate being transported
• they may be extra cautious for other reasons (e.g. a newer driver with a black box for cheaper insurance, or a driver with 9 points trying not to lose their license)

In all cases though, your responsibility is to drive safely and within the law, and how annoying you personally find the driver in front is completely irrelevant.

By the way don't tell the safety officers at the speed awareness course that Speedos are higher than your real speed you will.be firmly told.

Well, you could drive at 20 all day if you wanted to, but it would be inconsiderate and inadvisable. Everybody should be aware of other road users and have safety as a priority. However, nobody is 'forced' to do something dangerous (which is dangerous for other road users as well as themselves) but some people choose to do something dangerous because they are impatient.

I don’t understand why if given the chance to drive at 31mph.. but are driving at 25mph.. why are they not just driving at 30mph.. the speed limit 🫠

I have more issue with people driving up my arse when I am going at the speed limit. If people are slower I tend to assume they have a reason for it, looking for a turn off or carrying a cake or something.

If there is a central reservation its a duel carriageway. If there isn't, its not. Number of lanes is irrelevant.

I live in a small village and the primary issue is people speeding and overtaking in the village, not loads of people going slowly. It does happen obviously, but far and away the issue is drivers speeding and that is far more dangerous. Yesterday I left the house at 6am, it was raining, windy and dark. There is a stretch of road that goes from 30 to 60 and just before a bend. i was overtaken while still in the 30 zone by a car who must have been going at least 40 probably more, and only narrowly missed another car around the bend. This has happened loads, people love to over take there. There are at least 2 fatal car accidents along that stretch of road each winter and far more that aren't fatal. In one week last January there were four cars in ditches which has to be people not driving to the road conditions. So yes it is annoying when people dont drive to the speed limit where they can, but far more people speed and that is far more dangerous.

Oh yes, it's always about whether or not your driving is competent and careful.

This. You're making a fuss about nothing OP. You got past the 20mph person safely, and spent most of the journey at 24/25 according to your OP, which is a reasonable speed and certainly not dangerous. If you're having to 'slam' on the brakes then it sounds like a you problem. Are you giving people enough space?

Just try to chill out and give people some grace on the road. I try to imagine that if someone is irritating me because they're slow or hesitant, it's their first solo drive or they're having a bad day. I certainly remember the first few drives on my own after passing my test. I was shaking and very nervous! Definitely much more cautious than I perhaps needed to be.

Don't ever move to Wales.

No it doesn't. Impatient arses may do dangerous things, but no one is forcing them to do it. Thats on them.

As it happens given you're in the left lane, turning left, I don't think you're doing anything wrong driving at 30 anyway. Just be very aware if any 29mph drivers in the R lane moving into the L lane.

From your description, there are two lanes on this road, but the left one goes off in one direction and the right in another. Therefore, if you are in the left lane and intend to stay in it and not pull out into the right hand lane, then you are not undertaking. You happen to be in your lane, passing a vehicle on its left. You are not being "forced to make a dangerous manoeuvre", you are simply proceeding on your way at a faster speed to someone going in a different direction. So this is a total non-issue!

Your 'sensible' isn't necessarily everyone else's sensible.

When were you driving 20? You said you spend most of it doing 24/25 and some of it overtaking. Make your mind up.

Some wanker was doing 19 in a 30 in front of me yesterday. Why?

Depends on the conditions. Also worth noting that speedos tend to be optimistic, so 31 will generally be under 30 if that's what you're relying on.

Generally I'm with you though. The low speed, sitting out in the right hand lane drivers don't seem to have any awareness of the road and are driving slowly in lieu of paying attention. And don't start me on the monospeed drivers who do 45 in a 60 and keep to that speed as they pass through the 30 MPH villages. Like they're doing some sort of average speed across the journey.

Is a speed limit not a cruise speed.

You weren't crawling. You drove slightly below the speed limit. Stop being so dramatic. It's the busiest time of day, of course the traffic might move more slowly.

I don’t think there’s a one size fits all formula for speed because it’s so dependent on the road, weather, driver confidence, etc.

I’m not enraged by slow drivers though which is probably why I feel that way, people driving so badly they place others at risk is what gets me.

We live in a 20mph residential area (cars parked both sides) next a school and park, the rage I feel when someone comes flying down our road at 30mph or parks on the junction corner is unreal. All of them would lose their license if I had my way!! 😂

In that sort of situation, I think it is sometimes permissible to move faster than the vehicles in the right lane. You are not over-taking as such.

From the highway code, in various places:

• Stay in your lane if traffic is moving slowly in queues. If the queue on your right is moving more slowly than you are, you may pass on the left. Cyclists may pass slower moving or stationary traffic on their right or left and should proceed with caution as the driver may not be able to see you. Be careful about doing so, particularly on the approach to junctions, and especially when deciding whether it is safe to pass lorries or other large vehicles.
• Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake. In congested conditions, where adjacent lanes of traffic are moving at similar speeds, traffic in left-hand lanes may sometimes be moving faster than traffic to the right. In these conditions you may keep up with the traffic in your lane even if this means passing traffic in the lane to your right. Do not weave in and out of lanes to overtake.
• Only overtake on the left if the vehicle in front is signalling to turn right, and there is room to do so.

Were you on the way to a wedding or a funeral? If not calm down and drive sensibly. It’s really not worth your health or the health of others to rush. When some people get behind the wheel of a car they become a different person, behaving how they wouldn’t in other walks of life and believing that they are invincible.

Take a second to think about why you are mad. Are you mad at them or yourself because you didn’t leave enough time to drive safely to your destination?!

And you drove past. What need is there to make such a drama about it?