Is it okay to drive well below the speed limit on a main road?

[ScarboroughFairy]

Hi all, tomorrow I’ll be driving on a main road where the speed limit is 60mph, but I’m thinking of sticking to 40mph. I know it’s well under the limit, but I just feel safer at that speed. Does anyone else do this

What about people who have to use a 'space saver' spare tyre which means ypu can't go above 50, and have to go on a faster road to return home after a blow out.

This has happened to me a couple of times.

So yes you can 'in extremis', but it's not something I'd do through choice.

No you absolutely cannot drive on the parts that are single carriageway at 40. I would be absolutely furious and have been stuck on that road from Inverness behind people driving at 40. There's also working average speed cameras the whole way along the A9 part, so no one speeds either, so not sure why you're saying people speed.

One of the most terrifying journeys I've ever had as a motorist was when I had a tyre blow out on a motorway and then had to get off said motorway with a space saver tyre with a maximum speed of 50mph. Yes every action taken by other drivers was their decision but it doesn't change how scary it felt to me.

If you are nervous about going on a 60 road I would strongly recommend getting some extra lessons as what you propose really isn't going to help build your confidence.

If you habitually do 40mph in a 60mph limit, then you shouldn't really be driving. If you did that on a driving test, you would be failed for "failure to make due progress" or "undue hesitation", where you are needlessly holding up other traffic.
On Saturday, I used the A2 in Kent, the four lane bit, between Dartford and the M2. I joined at one junction, needing to come off in two junctions time and there were cars in three lanes doing 50mph, making no effort to use the inside lane and holding up lorries. Absolutely frustrating, the driving standards in the UK are terrible, I say that as someone who over the last thirty years has done around 40K miles on the continent.

I think you need to practice driving to speed limits when conditions allow, slow drivers on fast roads are a danger to other drivers

My friends sister got pulled over by the Police for Impeding the Flow of Traffic because she was driving slowly on a main road. She didn't get points, but did get a warning.

I think there are a fair few people on this thread who haven’t driven in Scotland and their experience of slow drivers on a-roads is in the south of England where there are more overtaking opportunities and alternative routes. That’s absolutely not the case here. Driving slowly on those roads would still be an irritant and a risk by the way, but less so.

There are also a few wishful thinkers. Yes in an ideal world no one would ever get annoyed or frustrated and attempt to overtake where unsafe to do so, but we don’t live in an ideal world. In the real world, people do get frustrated and will attempt risky overtakes. You can (wrongly) tell yourself it’s solely the fault of the risky overtaker all you like, but that’s totally academic if the risky overtaker has a bad accident and the slow driver gets caught up in it. I think we’d all rather avoid accidents and get somewhere safely rather than be right about who is to blame.

People will be thinking mean things OP. Slow driving is dangerous.

Maybe you should pray for bad weather so you have an excuse.

I actually failed my driving test the first time for 'not making sufficient progress' ie driving too slowly. So yes, you are being unreasonable

No, unless the weather conditions make it unsafe to drive any faster. It's annoying for everyone else on the road and can cause accidents by frustrating other drivers and leading to overtakes when not safe to do so. All in all, very selfish and if you don't feel confident driving at the speed limit, you probably shouldn't be driving at all.

My family and I regularly travel on the A9 we have only seen 1 accident. I regularly travel on another tedious Scottish A road again lots of accidents, it has a very high % of slow moving lorries tractors and insufficient duel carriageway so drivers get fed up and overtake where they shouldn’t but this isn’t a reason not to go on it. You cannot live you life like that.
Drive according to the road conditions speed limit and where possible at or around the speed limit and keep a sensible distance between you and the car/lorry in front and youll be fine.

Probably caused by people driving too slow or well over the speed limit, and unlikely from drivers who read the road conditions correctly

It depends. If it's good conditions (weather, road surface, traffic density etc) then no - you'll just force lots of people to overtake you. But otherwise I'd say it's fine.

I often travel on a road with terrible pot holes and worn, confusing road markings. The road slopes and curves. The speed limit is 60 but no way am I doing that. Other drivers sometimes tailgate me.

On the other hand, there is a long road where overtaking is difficult but the surface and, on a clear day, visibility are both fine. It's a 50. I'm regularly stuck behind drivers going much slower for no reason. Obviously I don't tailgate, but I do find it irritating.

if It is a windy country lane or road that’s prone to flooding for example then yes that’s sensible and clearly fine. A dual carriageway where you’re doing 40-50mph whilst others are doing 68mph is dangerous. Surely it depends upon weather conditions and road conditions, you don’t decide well before you leave?

How will you doing 40 stop you getting in a crash? That’s illogical. If you are too nervous to drive don’t drive, it’s not a moral failing being a crap driver!

@ScarboroughFairy I'd be booking myself some extra driver retraining if i were you.
its not your speed as such, its that you lack, or appear too, if a genuine post, any driver confidence, thats more of a worry.

This.

You sound a dangerous & incompetent driver Op. Please don’t get behind the wheel.

Look it depends on the road and the conditions. My in laws live on the Isle of Mann and they have some roads with the national speed limit sign ( 60mph) on them that are not much more than country tracks where 2 cars couldn't easily pass each other. I definitely don't drive at 60 down those ,more like 30-40 as does anyone with any sense.

So the 60mph speed limit is not a prescription but if the road is a normal, non windy, dual carriageway with not much traffic and no haevy wind, snow or rain conditions that make it prudent to slow down, the you should probably drive betwwn 50-60 mph

Judging by the amount of road improvements scheduled for that bit of road, its doubtful anyone will be doing above 40 !

I am really beginning to think we ought to have regular driving tests to check for competency and weed out driver who are not competent to drive appropriately in all circumstances.

First off, it's hard enough to book a test already. They'd need 10 times the amount of examiners. Second, there's always an element of luck and subjectivity in tests. You'd be messing people about and causing stress when the pay-off isn't worth it.

You sbould really take an advanced driving course. It's really helpful. They teach you about motorway driving, driving in wet weather and things like that.
It is dangerous to drive too slow. You are also in danger of inducing road rage in other more unhinged drivers and them cutting you up or tailgating you.
Look into advanced driving courses if you are a nervous driver as it sounds like you need this extra confidence and experience.
Bonus as it also can make your insurance cheaper.
There's no exam at the end you do get a certificate that you can use for insurance.
I did mine straight after I passed my normal test but you can do it anytime.
Edit to add it's called Pass Plus google that.

There's no law saying you have to drive at the speed limit but on a clear straight road, you could be holding up other traffic if you go at 40 mph. It sounds odd to 'decide' in advance what speed to do as you don't know what conditions will be like. Will the road be dry? Busy? Will it be foggy or raining? Your speed should always be informed by current conditions, not something you decide in advance.

Being too scared to drive above 40 is hardly the same as having to drive slower because you've had to change to your space saving tire after a puncture. Your post adds nothing of use to the thread whatsoever.

@Shedeboodinia The RoSPA advanced driving course has a test at the end and you get bronze, silver or gold if you pass.

I've driven this road a lot. It's A9 to Perth then M90 to Edinburgh so please don't stick to 40. If you drive sensibly and keep your distance you will be fine. There are duelled sections every few miles on the A9 part where the speed limit ups to 70 and a lot of people will overtake here but there's nothing worse than being behind a driver doing 40. This is what causes the accidents as people get impatient. It's a perfectly safe road if you drive sensibly. The M90 from Perth is 70. Please don't think of doing 40 there!