Slow drivers - why do you do it?

[Kibble29]

If you’re a slow driver who chugs along the motorway at 50mph in a 70 zone, or one that does 17mph in a 30, why do you do this?

Are you afraid of driving? Or is it something else?

Yes the limit is a limit, not a target. Yes there can be roadworks or lane closures, or torrential rain. But I’m just talking about a standard road with no issues or adverse weather.

Depends on the road, I've just been on our local dual carriage way and there's massive holes and ruts on the road so eve though it's a 70 it's too dangerous at the moment. Plus i quite like my new tyre. When my speedo says I'm travelling at 30 google maps says I'm only doing 28 so speedo discrepancies can explain some that drive just below the speed limit.

Broken bulbs, blocking junctions and cars flying around corners in the wrong side of the road are my pet peeves.

No but they can be responsible for other peoples accidents.

Slow drivers can fuck off. Especially if they're dithering in the middle lane doing 50 clutching the steering wheel at 10 to 2 for dear life. Normally driving a Honda Jazz or the likes.

Elderly people are the worse for it IMO. And taxi drivers.

Where l live, we have scores of deer just run out in the road - the last one was bigger than my car so l drive cautiously in order not to write my car off.

Someone else's mild irritation at that doesn't bother me - rather be safe.

Too many dead deer, foxes, badgers, etc, etc on the roads. I’m not speeding up because it suits other people.

That’s driving to the conditions. Thats
not what OP is talking about. The issue is people who are determined to drive significantly under the speed limit even in ideal conditions.

Its motorway middle laners that seriously wind me up.

There's a special place in hell for people on slip roads to motorways going 35 to 40.
Even had one idiot stop dead as if it was a give way.

Fair enough - l am still pissed off from last week when l drove home according to the conditions, had someone flashing me and beeping me quite aggresively even thoigh there are so many car accidents on that particular stretch. I wasn't even going that slowly - 45 in a 60.

Let's flip it around. Why do people drive at excessive speed? 50 in a 30, 100 in a 70, driving too close to the car in front, driving in wet or icy conditions as tho it's 25 degrees C and mid day. I'll take a slower more cautious driver every time

Because I like to know that I can stop safely whatever happens in front of me. And I know my limits. I'm a competent enough driver but I'm not a brilliant driver. I guess I drive in a way that @Resilience says is ok.

Why are people on Mumsnet constantly moaning about slow drivers but no-one ever mentions that the majority of drivers drive over the speed limit? If you didn't do that and stuck at 70mph, then driving at 55mph in the left hand lane of the motorway wouldn't seem that slow would it?

I'm absolutely sick of people on here saying that slow drivers cause all the accidents. It makes me feel really bad even though I've never caused an accident.

Nobody is responsible for anyone else's poor or dangerous driving, ever.

This happens to me at least once a day.
Today's knobhead raced like a blue arsed fly out from an Aldi car park infront of me. Totally empty road behind me.
I knew without a doubt they would proceed with utmost caution to the nearest town - 4 miles away.

I think it's because they are totally shit and unaware drivers and it doesn't cross their minds to consider others using the road.

Like the ones (almost always women) who don't even look into the side road you are waiting to pull out of (that they are turning into) and simply don't consider you at all.

I find that men almost always leave you space to pull out and make the turn after you.

Just basic manners.

I think a lot of this nowadays has to do with cars being too wide

Google maps speedo is not reliable or accurate- your car speedo is the thing to rely on- not your phone!

As a sometimes van (small, not a big commercial van) driver the limit is actually 50 on normal roads and 60 on dual carriageways for a start.
50mph is a perfect reasonable abd safe speed on the dual carriageway or motorway and is significantly more fuel efficient. There are at least 2 lanes, you are free to overtake. Also a heavily loaded vehicle needs to be driven more carefully, and if loaded and going uphill cannot physically maintain that speed.

Lorries and tractors etc will often be going slower, especially on long steep hills, and even dual carriageways may have tractors, lorries and even cyclists on, not to mention broken down vehicles, cars towing caravans, horseboxes etc which all need to drive at a reduced speed for safety.

If you can't manage to be prepared for encountering a variety of speeds including a cyclist at 15mph then you are the problem.

Most the 2 lane roads around my area are not appropriate or safe to drive the national speed limit due to bends, potholes, limited range of visibility due to hedges etc. Have you remembered that you are supposed to be able to stop within the distance you can see?

If I was driving under 20 in a 30 it would only because it was a very built up area and eg negotiating parked cars and pedestrians. Not something I'd do generally.

Do you realise that the nation speed limit is a general thing, some roads are speed controlled to lower, the NSL is the default, it doesn't mean that the road has been assessed and deemed safe to travel at 60mph by some wise person, we are responsible for driving safely and according to the road and conditions.
All the single track 'unmarked' lanes are also technically 60 mph limit. Most of them wouldn't even be suitable to drive at 30 on, you need to be prepared to meet another vehicle head on around any corner and need to reverse to a passing space.

They really aren’t.

It's OK. I do rely on my speedo as i assume that is what is legal. I rarely use my maps.

I just notice that I was driving at what I thought was 40 in a 40, but maps had be at about 36 and I do find a lot of drivers seem to drive very close to me, or speed off at the first chance as if I were going really slow.

'Chugging along the motorway at 50' shouldn't bother anyone as long as you stay in lane 1. It's people doing 65 sticking in lane 2 that cause problems. As for driving slower than the speed limit, I do it sometimes if I've got plenty of time. It's far more relaxing and you can enjoy the ride. I'm mindful of other drivers though, so wouldn't hold people up.

Google maps calculates your speed via GPS position averaging and is only a guide to your average speed. Your speedo is hopefully a lot more accurate

The main problem I see on the roads is the 35mph’s everywhere.

In a 40, 35mph. In a 30, still 35mph.
It’s as if some people have lost the ability to adjust their speed to the conditions (and indeed the limit).

I’m not sure about this idea that it’s fine for people to sit significantly under the limit as long as you’re in the left lane. That’s where the trucks and HGVs go, and you can see often that even they are slowed down by drivers. So they move into the middle to overtake (which naturally takes them longer than a car would), thus slowing that lane down, and impacting any number of other drivers.

Think a few HGV drivers might disagree with you. And that’s when it’s dangerous eg on a hill when you prevent them getting up to speed because you are ‘relaxing’

The main time I drive slowly in a 30mph area is if I am looking for an address , but I am always conscious of the traffic behind me, so will pull over, when able, to let others past.
I live in a tourist area and quite often have to be patient with people who are from elsewhere, I don't think they have ever added more than a couple of minutes to any journey though, so its hardly worth getting worked up about !

It's generally the impatient and speeding drivers who cause accidents - and cause more harm when they crash. And impatient drivers who drive too close to the car in front are a menace. Leave space in front and you have more time to respond to changes in conditions. Good anticipation is the key to good driving.

I find google accurate, @DazedAndConfused321

We have a lot of interactive speed signs and they match my phone not my Speedo.