...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?

YABU spare a thought for the rest of us

So what do you plan to do when the limit goes up to 80? Still stick at 50 or up it to 60?

Interesting hard, I remember my instructor making a big point about driving up to the limit and how it important it was - this was 4 years ago.

YANBU - the lower limit on motorways is 40mph so as long as you're doing over that...however I reckon it could get quite wearisome being stuck behind you

"... Check you car's stats (look in the handbook or internet). Most cars run most efficiently at 56 mph ..."

Where on earth did you read that?

The reason the speed of 56mph is quoted is nothing to do with a particular car's optimum economy - that depends on many factors.

The 56mph figure is quoted because the manufacturer is obliged to give the figure as it is one of the standardised speeds used in the official fuel comsumption tests i.e. 90kph.

Adverse - I've known friends drive really slowly when stoned, maybe they were using a different stereotype?

Oh, anf OP - YABU if you are holding up the traffic however on a quiet dual road or motorway then there is no problem with 50mph although you could probably save as much fuel by going on an advanced driving coure and learning some economy driving techniques.

Quite clearly, you are not being unreasonable

I had read that 40mph is the lower limit on motorways, too.

On economy, the lowest speed a gear will go at without straining the engine is the most economic, so in 5th you are looking at about 40mph in most cars.

I quite like doing 40mph on normal roads as the difference in mileage is huge, but I wouldn't do it on a motorway! I tend to go ~55mph, as then you don't have to change speed much when you hit the wretched average speed limit camera sections (I'm thinking M1 here!) and I find I'm not overtaken too much by lorries.

YABU.... you're supposed to make progress in line with the rest of the traffic. If the traffic is generally going at 70mph, keep up or risk being a hazard.

50mph on a motorway is a hazard. I wish the cops would go after these people, its the same "I am such a good driver" mentality that you see onthese threads when youjust knowthat that personisthe PITA driver you see on the roads.

Actually what if all the traffic is doing 75+mph - are you supposed to break the law as well? I have had instances on the M3 where everything has been trying to break the sound barrier...

I've often wondered about the "put the car in the highest possible gear for the greatest fuel economy" thing.

If you look at dyno charts for most petrol engines, they don't make much torque at very low engine speeds. The reason they're not making much torque is that they're not operating very efficiently at that speed. Get the engine up to (say) 3000rpm where it's capable of peak torque then I'd have thought it would actually be operating more efficiently. I've always assumed that the rev range between peak torque and peak BHP is actually the most efficient engine speed as that's the range over which the engine is doing its best at converting fuel and air into motion.

".. I quite like doing 40mph on normal roads .."

Assuming of course that on single carriageways you do not cause a queue?

No you're not moon bells and no one is suggesting that. The trucks will be doing 56 so not all the traffic will be going over the speed limit in that case.

"The trucks will be doing 56 "

It's pretty unpleasant being stuck between two artics slowly rumbling along the inside lane, struggling up hills, etc. They don't stop too fast in an emergency either.

And for the person who asked... if everyone's doing 75, keep up but stay within the speed limit, obviously. If it's a busy motorway and all three lanes are going at 60 or less, then your 50mph won't earn you quite so many v-signs :)

YANBU

Those posters on here saying you would be a hindrance or cause accidents remind me of those people who used to say 'seatbelts are dangerous, I'd rather be thrown clear'

There is an exponential link between speed and road deaths.This is a fact, whether you find it inconvenient or not.

YANBU so long as you don't sit in the middle bloody lane. :)

"There is an exponential link between speed and road deaths"

There is also a link between slow-moving vehicles and accidents. The people travelling slowly & blocking a lane are not the ones dying.... they just pootle along watching the carnage they've caused in their rear-view mirrors.

Anyone wanting to drive that slowly should stick to A-roads.

My instructor has been saying how I should do just slightly below speed limit (obviously allowing for road conditions!), as that is what other drivers expect.

You will be causing traffic problems surely? Obviously I'm not claiming to be an expert on this, as haven't even passed yet! But I thought if one person behaves very differently to everyone else, this will disrupt the smooth flow of traffic?

There is an exponential link between speed and road deaths.This is a fact, whether you find it inconvenient or not

And so your solution is to advise cars to have 30mph differential speeds on motorways?

I think these sort of threads split between (i) those who need to use their cars a lot, including on motorways and (ii) those who don't.

I'm a fairly new driver but I'd say the top end of the 50's would be more appropriate as otherwise you may be causing trucks/lorries to have to change lane, which tends to hold everyone up.

I have driven at 50 on a dual carriageway but that was a good few weeks ago when it was pouring with rain and I knew that it would be safer too - plus everyone else (mostly) was going much slower.

I suppose if you're on a dual carriageway at least people can get past safely.

I had to follow someone for 8 looooooong miles yesterday doing between 25-30 in a 60 limit. No chance of getting past them as the road was busy. It was dark and you could hear the screeching of brakes as people came up behind us all. We all drove with hazard lights on for fear of being hit from behind.