...to drive at 50mph on motorways and dual carriage ways...

[BistoBear]

...when the speed limit is 70mph?

I used to drive at 70-75mph but have cut down to 50mph and I am saving so much money due to reduction in fuel being used :) Before, on a full tank of petrol I could do two return journeys from halls/uni back to my home-town (150 miles) and I would need to refuel pretty quickly. I can now do THREE return journeys on one full tank and still have some left :)

I'm really happy to be saving money but I am a little bit worried about hindering other road users? So, am I being unreasonable?

Absolutely, but I don't think one poster has said that the OP should be driving above the speed limit, just that 50 is not a particularly safe speed to be driving at and that just a bit faster at 56, to avoid forcing trucks to overtake, would be much much safer for everyone.

Whilst there is no general minimum speed on motorways, when I was learning to drive, I was taught that providing road conditions allowed, I should drive as close to the upper speed limit as was safe. DC is currently taking lessons and failed first test a few weeks ago, reason? - not driving fast enough on the dual carriageway. Speed limit on road is 60mph. DC drove at 50mph. On the fail certificate the examiner wrote ' failure to make due progress' A friend's DC failed her test at around the same time for the same reason. DH, OTOH, who learned to drive not long after the invention of the wheel, was taught very differently and has a tendency to drive on motorways at around 50mph. At least he doesn't hog the middle lane whilst doing so!

If you want to drive at 50 on the motorway, that's fine, but don't hog the middle lane, because doing so makes it very difficult for anyone to get sufficient speed to safely overtake. And that is when accidents happen as drivers become frustrated at not being able to get around you because they cannot get sufficient speed to pull into the faster moving outside lane and of course 'undertaking' is illegal.

YANBU. That's a perfectly acceptable speed, so long as it's not a single lane.

LMAO at the posters saying that you cause accidents - that's kind of like saying women wearing short skirts make men rape them.

Also, some drivers may be required to drive at 50 mph so motorway drivers should be prepared for this. For example, many spare tyres have an upper recommended speed limit of 50 mph.

Playing the rape card for traffic speed... Is that the MN equivalent of Godwins Law?

:-)

Hasn't anyone made this comparison yet?

driving too slowly does cause accidents

trixy Apologies, you are correct there is no minimum speed limit on the motorway. I was thinking of the blue minimum speed limit signs e.g. in the Dartford Tunnel.

yanbu. in NI learners and R drivers (first year after passing test) are restricted to 45mph everywhere. i go about 50/55 normally, im not going too fast for my comfort zone or wasting fuel i can barely afford for some impatient prick to get where they are going a whole minute sooner, i stick to the left and they can overtake if they want to, if they have to brake or swerve then they are not paying attention and that has fuck all to do with me. i hated being an R driver but what could i do? risk losing my hard earned license for an impatient inattentive stranger? 6 points and my licence was gone and one offence of going over 45 could have got me 6 points.

If your "comfort zone" is not driving over 50 mph then surely your better avoiding motorways?

As I understand it the right to drive at 50 mph on the motorways is balanced by the right to sit on their tails with brights on :)

There is nothing more annoying than being stuck on the single carriageway bit of the a9 in quid of traffic behind someone doing 50 and watching the idiots up ahead (lots of them on the A9) taking turns to perform dangerous overtaking manoeuvres past 4 cars coming up to a bend. So dangerous in that way to go at 50

"The inside is where EVERYBODY should be ALL THE TIME unless they are overtaking."

This does make me smile a bit. Its true on uncongested motorways but, whilst technically true, on the M25 it is very much slow --->fast lanes as there are no circumstances where you are not overtaking slower/exiting vehicles on the left or being over taken by twats doing 100 on the right. It is only late at night that you actually get to drive in the left lane with nothing in any of the other 3 and thus observe the actual written rule of overtaking lanes.

Of course the lanes aren't really slow/not so slow/faster/twat-speed but thats what they are in practice - you're not deliberately overtaking in the outer lanes, you are there because you are going faster than the inner ones. It's nothing to do with abusing the rules, it is simple terminology for what is actually happening. It doesn't actually change how the lanes are used by anyone other than a twat who is likely to be driving like one whatever you call the lanes

On dual carriageway not quite so annoying

Absolutely viva, but I don't think the poster was being serious. I think it was meant to be tongue in cheek, as surely no one would think that was an acceptable way to drive....

I've noticed when speaking with Grandad/ Dad that anyone driving slower than them is an idiot and anyone faster is a maniac. I think that if the slowest vehicle on the motorway is 50mph then you are ok to stay in the slow lane at that legal level. Those that wish to go faster can overtake carefully. I think it's sensible to find out your car's "sweet spot" for mpg. I even sometimes find that folk are flashing and getting het up when I go 70mph and I'm overtaking a slow lorry (not really taking my time either), you can't win! You do what suits your pocket (& eco principals), remains safe and legal. We share the road.

Ok, really wasn't sure if they were being serious or not.

Oh I see it as a Zen thing, for every tosspot doing 50 on motorways there is another tosspot tailgating with brights on.

Trick is to make them do it to each other rather than to the other long suffering drivers :o

Hello all, I failed my driving test 5th time and it seems to impossible to me now can I pass my driving test ever.
Should I change my instructor or change my driving centre. I am so confused and hopeless. Can anyone help. 😒

Zombie thread alsie you might want to start a new one with more information.

I haven't read the full thread - but if you don't feel confident to drive at 70 on an uncongested motorway in clear daylight, then you really shouldn't be on them.

Driving in the wet at night is a different matter though.

Yes yabvvvu and fucking dangerous. Fair enough, everyone expects lorries, horseboxes, campers etc to be going slowly, but when you cause those vehicles to have to pull out to overtake you, it risks an accident and causes congestion. My biggest bugbear (living near a major dual carriageway) is those who slow down on the sliproad too - you should be speeding up to enter the flow of traffic.
My car has had a habit of going into EPC (or 'slug') mode lately and I find it terrifying if I can't go much more than 54mph on the dual carriageway. Why on earth would you do that? Just get a more fuel efficient car full stop, or stick to single carriageway roads.

🙄

ZOMBIE !!!!