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Original poster

Countryside driving driving me insane!

13 replies

mummytalking · 13/02/2025 22:37

In my job I have to drive to a lot of rural places and I consider myself a good driver and I am confident on motorways. I live in a city and find a lot of the times I'm driving on roads which are 60mph in rural places but some of them are really winding and because I don't know the roads well I am not doing 60 to be safe. Even if I'm doing 50 nearly every time there is someone right on my arse. Today I was doing 50 and honestly the person was behind to the extent I couldn't see their lights. If I suddenly had to brake they would hit me. Please tell me why??? Why can't these people understand not everyone is super confident or local to knows the roads well. How am I expected to do 60 when the road has bends and pot holes. If you happen to be one of these drivers, why??? I always give others space even if they are being slower than I would like.

OP posts:
AnnaQuayInTheUk · 14/02/2025 02:43

Even if you know the road really well, if it's winding then it's simply not safe to do 60.

We used to live rurally. I knew the roads really well but I didn't know if there was a cyclist/pedestrian/horse rider round any particular corner

Some drivers are dickheads. Please don't feel forced into going faster. It sounds like you are driving safely.

MermaidMummy06 · 14/02/2025 02:45

I'm Aus, not UK and we have a LOT of remote, poorly maintained roads. There's always locals who fly along the roads, often over the speed limit, as they know the roads & get irritated when someone slows them down. They also have a lot of accidents.

My solution is to keep driving and not allow them to intimidate me. If I can, I pull further to the left so they can overtake if possible.

Ohshutupcolinyoutwat · 14/02/2025 02:49

Omg I could've written your post. I've been a community nurse for 20 odd years driving all over a very congested city. I can drive with confidence but moved to work in a more rural area and now have patients out on farms. My god the dickheads on the dark rural lanes are nutters. I slow right down and let the tit sit up my arse, at least if I have to break it will be slower. I had one on Xmas eve, was driving 10 miles down a lane to see a patient and this guy behind beeping me, flashing me and eventually overtook me giving me the V's, I was maintaining 40-50mph and wanted to get home alive for Xmas!

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Original poster
mummytalking · 14/02/2025 23:10

Thanks all. Glad to know it's not just me feeling it.

@Ohshutupcolinyoutwat this practically happened to me the other day! Someone flashing me for doing 50! Imagine I was someone with a baby in the car. Don't get why there is no thought about this. Hate to say it but it's always men.

OP posts:
Boutonnière · 14/02/2025 23:20

I learnt to drive on narrow Cornish lanes and they hold no fear for me but there’s a section of very winding, single track road on the way to some friends in Bucks where there’s speed limit sign 40 before a bend and we comment nearly every time about who on earth could exceed 30 without ending up in a hedge or a ditch there .

ErrolTheDragon · 14/02/2025 23:26

I'm driving on roads which are 60mph

The problem of course is you're driving on a road for which the maximum is 60 if it's safe but these dickheads treat that as a target or minimum regardless of conditions.

LavenderBlue19 · 14/02/2025 23:27

Someone repeatedly flashed me and gave the fingers as they finally overtook on a 30mph road out of town towards the countryside recently. I don't know if they maybe thought it was already 60mph and I was driving too slowly? But there are streetlights and houses, so seems unlikely.

Honestly, people are just twats. And this was a woman, I was very surprised.

Ponderingwindow · 14/02/2025 23:27

I live in the world of country roads. Even when you know the road, you need to be prepared for the unexpected. Aside from the occasional cyclist on a turn, our roads come with animals. I refuse to be intimidated by people who want to drive recklessly.

What I will do is use the provided safe passing points when available. when there are double lanes, I make sure to let them pass me, even if I have to slow down a bit. When there are pullouts for passing purposes, even though it is annoying to stop, I stop and let people pass. I’ve never had an accident, gotten a ticket, and as far as I know I have never killed an animal bigger than an insect while driving. I doubt the aggressive drivers can say the same.

sanityisamyth · 14/02/2025 23:27

It's a limit, not a target. You drive at the speed you believe to be safe for the conditions.

flyinghen · 14/02/2025 23:49

I did some country lane driving yesterday for the first time, it was really hilly too. I hated every second so I'm with you on this.

User19876536484 · 14/02/2025 23:55

Let them pass if you can. It makes rural driving so much less stressful.

Original poster
mummytalking · 14/02/2025 23:55

Completely agree it's a limit and not a target which is why I'm baffled every time it happens. I do wonder whether it's a sign of the times as in people are in a constant rush, pressures of modern day work etc...or whether it is just pure intimidation and they get a kick out of it.

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 15/02/2025 00:01

No, I don't think it's a 'sign of the times', there's always been idiots who do this on rural roads, windy A roads etc. I think there definitely can be an element of intimidation going on - I found it significantly less bad when I went from a small hatchback to a 'full size' car

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