...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?

I think between 50 and 60 is fine if you stay in the inside lane.

YANBU, IMO. But only if you do so on motorways, dual carriageways and not on ordinary roads so people can overtake you easily.

Think those who have responded about signs saying 'frustration causes accidents' haven't read that you mean on dual-carriageways.

Yes to pass a driving test you have to drive 'at the appropriate speed' but once you've passed, its up to you and if you aren't getting drivers flashing lights/honking at you then you can't be causing a problem. Unless you are going exceedingly slow, 40ish and police would probably stop you.

What struck a chord with me was something mentioned earlier: driving behind another car at about 70, who then overtakes what's in front of him and you find you're speeding right up to the 50mph'er he's just overtaken that you couldn't see in front of him. And if the overtaking lane has cars in it, you can't just pull out as well, so you have to brake harder than normal and so does everyone behind you.

At least when lorries are doing their 56 or 60, you can see them above the cars in front of you and judge who's going to pull out when.

If you are on a motorway, there's a slow lane, but on a dual carriageway, you are forcing lorries and other large traffic into the outside lane, all to overtake someone crawling along. Plus there is joining traffic. It's not suddenly easy to overtake someone who is going surprisingly slow as I found out when crawling along at about 48 recently (not through my own choice), people were literally swerving around me. Yes, they are at fault driving too fast, but that wouldn't be any comfort if they hit you or caused a pile-up.

50 is not slow but your speed should be high enough to allow the traffic to keep moving but if you were to stay in the inside lane that shouldn't be a problem. For other posters, there is NO slow lane. There are 3 lanes, the outside lane is for overtaking and the speed limit is 70mph. The idea that cars are are 'swerving around you' is false. The drivers of those cars should be reading the road ahead and taking the appropriate action early enough. Imagine an oversized load moving at 30mph, there wouldn't be an issue then!

Pedalleur I assure you that when I recently travelled on a dual carriageway at less than 50 miles an hour, there were cars swerving and coming in very close behind. It was very frightening.

What drivers do do and what they 'should' do are two different things. The sensible driver knows people drive fast on motorways and either drives to keep up with the traffic or drives on slower roads.

And if the OP were a oversized load moving at 30 mph, she may well have to have an escort or hazard lights on, because going slowly can be dangerous!

YABVVVU. Our motorways are so safe because people know what to expect. Everyone is travelling in one direction at about 70mph with lorries going slower but we can see them from far back and can act appropriately and with plenty of time.

You're being so fucking dangerous. No one expects a car to be doing 50mph (a whole 30mph lower than most of the cars on the road) and if there happens to be cars overtaking in the lane next door then that car will have to brake very hard. You may escape unharmed but the car 2 cars behind will then have to brake even harder, possibly causing an accident.

Take your selfish attitutde off of the motorway. It's people like you who cause accidents.

"Imagine an oversized load moving at 30mph, there wouldn't be an issue then!"

These are usually accompanied by outriders in vehicles with flashing lights, precisely because a slow-moving vehicle on a fast-moving motorway is a known hazard. They cause everyone to slow down as the motorway is effectively reduced to two lanes.

Pedallleur- there's no swerving on motorways? Bollocks. Do you not drive on the m25/m1 at rush hour?

Ultimately it's up to the drivers behind to anticipate any problems that may be ahead and adjust their speed and style of driving accordingly. Unless the Highway Code has changed lately in which case I am happy to be corrected

This thread just goes to show how many people driving on the roads really need to take a refresher in how to actually drive. The basics like, drive at a speed that allows you to safely slow down seems alien to some. The ability to safely pull out and overtake also seems to be a skill lost on others. As for the charge of someone driving in a manor deemed 'inconsiderate' to other road users - it covers a wide range of poor driving, including braking sharply, swerving in front of others, fannying about with radio/sat nav/generally being distracted etc. as well as driving too slowly. It doesn't specify the speed deemed too slow. 50mph being deemed too slow on here comes from those who clearly don't know how to use their brakes/mirrors/indicators properly Anyone who has difficulty when faced with a car driving at 50pmh in the slow lane seriously needs to go on a driver improvement course.

Good luck with arguing that the car driving at 50mph caused you to swerve and hit a barrier/car/wall/ditch. By all means you can get frustrated at the slower speed of other car drivers if you like, but if you crash, you will be responsible for driving too fast to safely avoid a collision.

Just slow the fuck down eh?

Yabu to drive at 50.
However you have now said you will speed up to 60 so YADNBU !!
well done OP, its good to know you are listening to other peoples' opinions

YANBU and ignore those that say you cause accidents - 70MPH is the limit not the law.

I think that 2000rpm is the optimum for fuel consumption which in my car is about 50MPH.

We have been driving between 50 and 60MPH on the motorway for ages now with no problems to reduce fuel consumption.

If cars are having to brake that hard or swerve around you they aren't leaving enough room or aren't paying enough attention.

I have relatives in the emergency services and a friend in the highways agency and their experience is another reason I do below 70 on the motorway

Of course it's the driver that didn't see the slow-poke in time who is responsible the accident and ends up killed/injured/left with a big repair bill. Doesn't mean the slow-poke is driving responsibly. Police can and do escort slow-moving vehicles off motorways with good reason. Motorways are fast-moving mass-transit roads. If someone wants to pootle along saving petrol there are plenty of A-roads.

On a dual carriageway, the speed limit for HGV's is 50mph - so I don't see the problem there.... especially if there are HGVs about.

On a motorway, the inside lane is usually around the HGV max of 60 MPH - so since I don't like /feel safe being overtaken by an endless stream of lorries I usually conform.

What does annoy me it that the speed limit on the A58(M) in Leeds is 40 mph - because of all the very short slip roads on and off, lots of bends you can't see round and no hard shoulder. So why does nearly everyone else think it is safe to try and do 60+ there just because it is a dual carriageway with motorway status?

A policeman once told me that people doing 20mph under the limit cause as many accidents as those travelling 20mph over.
I think yabu, people on motorways don't expect people to be going so slowly. Therefore if someone approaches at the limit and then realises you're travelling ridiculously slowly,it is a problem.

Police can and do escort slow-moving vehicles off motorways with good reason

Some old pensioner driving at 30mph, I'd expect that. Not with a car driving at 50mph.

I've yet to come across a case where 50mph on a motorway in the slow lane has been deemed irresponsible driving. Under any circumstances. I've seen plenty where the person who couldn't stop/avoid a collision has been charged. I'm willing to admit I'm wrong of course , but can anyone actually provide a case where that has happened? Court case, 50mph on motorway/dual carriageway where the slow moving vehicle has been charged, and convicted of 'inconsiderate' driving with a speed of 50mph?

Surely it's not those doing 20mph that "cause" the accidents, but the people who haven't left a large enough stopping distance behind them?

Ultimately it's up to the drivers behind to anticipate any problems that may be ahead and adjust their speed and style of driving accordingly. Unless the Highway Code has changed lately in which case I am happy to be corrected

100% agreed.

I'd find it really hard to drive at 50 on the motorway, just seems so slow on that type of road and compared to everyone else. It's the ones joining at 20 miles an hour or so that scare me though...shriek!

50mph is fine if there is bad weather/roadworks/heavy traffic etc. If you normally drive at 50mph on a clear motorway then YABU. 60 would be better.

And please stick to the left hand lane .

My mother used to drive at 45mph on motorways,frustrated the hell out of me.I made her pull over at next services and let me drive or we would never have GOT anywhere. :o

Martin 'Money Saving Expert' Lewis is a real pro-lower speed guru and has explained on many occasion how much more economical it is but 50 is a bit annoying. 60 is better as lorries don't normally go above it so will be happy to tootle along behind you but at 50mph, a lot will overtake but then clog up the overtaking fast lane. Reducing your speed to 60 will still make a big difference to your fuel.

As long as you drive appropriately to maintain the flow of traffic and suit the conditions I don't care how fast you drive but unfortunately lots of 'slower' drivers actually scrap the slower just don't react appropriately to the circumstances around them. The quality of driving is often shocking , fast and slow drivers can both be dangerous and generalisation makes people believe that this isn't the case.

My ex failed his driving test for 'failure to make progress' because he was nervous and going too slowly.

Don't ever move to Milton Keynes. All of the grid roads are NSL so 60-70 and the eejits doing 40-50 really annoy me. You'd either be pissing someone off or walking.