to have been infuriated by this driver?

[Gentleness]

Part of the route we were taking tonight was closed for roadworks and there was a long diversion. In the end it added 30 miles to the journey on winding single carriageway roads, almost all clearly marked as national speed limit. We soon ended up 3 cars behind a little car being driven at a steady 40 despite all the signs. 1 car managed to overtake quite early on on a rare straight stretch but it was rainy, dark, hilly and winding so much that there just weren't other opportunities. 20 miles we were stuck behind this fool who either didn't notice the long stretch of diverted cars stuck behind her, didn't notice the many places she could have pulled in, didn't know what the national speed limit sign meant or was too anxious to take it all in and respond appropriately to the situation. Or just didn't care. Who knows?

Eventually I managed to overtake ( which is how I know she was female) but I was so cross at her incompetence that I honked the horn at her as I did. Ok, I know that bit was unreasonable, but dh thinks it was unreasonable to be cross with her at all. I don't - pointless maybe, but justified given that however nervous, she could have pulled over rather than hold everyone up for so long. So, your opinions please - worthwhile anger or not, do you think her driving was enough to anger?

YABU. Some people (looking at you ILs) are incapable of driving anywhere near the speed limit. Nervousness, tiredness choose of one those.
Honking the horn was unnecessary, although I'd probably have done the same thing.

People driving so far under the limit annoy and worry me. It makes me question their driving competence and general awareness. Having said that if it was dark and rainy, and she was on a strange road, I can see how a less than confident driver could panic and slow down. Would have been good for her to stop to let others past though, if for no other reason than she was causing a situation where cars were overtaking in those conditions. I'd have been annoyed and wanted to honk but don't think I would have done that, just seethed inwardly.

Winding single carriage roads, rainy, dark, hilly.. There could be a number of things going on here. Driver being nervous/tired as rip says. Driver may have not been familiar with the road. Just because the speed limit says 60, doesn't always mean it's safe to do so. Sorry but YABU.

If someone is incapable of driving anywhere near the speed limit, or can't respond to their nerves or tiredness by taking themselves off the road for a quiet sit, I question whether they are competent enough to be driving in the first place. That's the root of my anger really.

I agree with you. I often question whether either Fil or SiL are competent drivers. I do know that DD is not allowed in the car with them.
I do still think YWBU though.

I suppose, but you don't know which it was in her case. She could have pulled in yes, but if she wasn't familiar with the road then she may not have known where was safe to, in which case safer to keep going. If people want to overtake they do so at their own risk. Speaking from experience because I live in a very rural area where sometimes you have to go as low as 30 in a marked national speed limit zone... otherwise you'd end up in a gorge round the next bend. I don't enjoy going that slowly or do it to piss other drivers off, I do it to be safe.

She's probably driving even slower now due to someone pipping her! Ha ha.

Unfortunately there are a lot of incompetent drivers out there.

YABU I agree with one of the other posters, Dark, unknown roads, rain, and hills. Chances are you were probably close wanting to pass, and so didn't give her space to slow and pull over for you.
You are supposed to drive at a speed that is safe for the conditions, for her that was 40, annoying? Maybe, but not illegal surely.

YABU, just because it was national speed limit doesn't mean it's safe to drive at 60. There are roads near me that are 60 which are extremely unsafe to drive at speed over if you are in a small car due to the state of the road, and that is in the day.

A dark, hilly, winding and wet road doesn't sound particularly safe to do 60 on to me. She could of pulled over I guess but if she didn't know the road well I doubt trying to find a safe place to stop was the first thing on her mind.

YABU.

My dad only drives over 40 on the motorway. And so would I.

Oh and there's nothing wrong with my dads awareness. He still goes on bike rally's. He just doesn't like driving fast.

Oh god, don't drive at 40 on the motorway, that is SO dangerous!

Rainy, dark, hilly, windy? 40 mph sounds quite appropriate to me.

Incidently,travelling 20 miles at 40 mph would take 30 mins. The same distance at 60 mph would take 20 mins. So you got all hot, bothered and aggresive over a 10 minute difference.

YABU

Yabu. I live near no real major roads and all the roads are windy and bendy. Although the limit is 60 I go below that due to the nature of the roads. Ywbvvvu to beep your horn. Poor woman in the other car, how horrid for her.

In my family drivers like this are known as 'collectors', as in, "I saw a collector with 5" for a car with 5 behind.

She would probably have been sworn at by me as I went by. I'm an angry driver.

I'm not commenting on the specifics of this, as I wasn't there and therefore don't know. However, driving much slower than the speed limit can be extremely dangerous. A relative of mine failed his rest for driving too slowly and being too cautious.

Not his rest, his test! His driving test!

YANBU. Behaviour which puts other drivers in a prolonged state of agitation is dangerous and makes them take risks they might not otherwise bother with. Anyone causing a tailback Shoujd pull over.

40mph on the motorway is slow enough to get you pulled over by the police. Its dangerous as other cars aren't expecting you to be going this slow. My mum was pulled over once for doing 40mph as she was "bedding a new car in". She's convinced you shouldn't go over 40mph for the first 1000 miles.

Were you tailgating her?

So, the conditions were these

dark
hilly
winding roads
bad weather

and you were cross that she stuck to 40?

I'd have stuck to 40 on a rainy night round windy roads!

Add in your circumstance of roads you are unfamiliar with

Do you have any idea how dangerous little winding roads can be? I live in a rural area. The little roads are often national speed limit. If you do anywhere close to it, you'll cross onto the other side of the road on a bend - or be unable to stop to avoid someone in the other direction who has! Or you'll rear end a tractor, or you'll do an emergency stop for hikers or horses, or run over a sheep.

Do not make the mistake of thinking that because a sign tells you the maximum speed you are allowed to go - that it is safe to go at that speed.

Can you imagine the carnage of a load of diverted cars going 60 down a winding road in the dark?

She probably did you all a favour.

AngryBeaver, I think you misread. I read it
as they go over 40 on motorways, 40 or less everywhere else.

Admittedly, 40 on a dual carriageway or a lovely single carriageway is still inconsiderate and could be dangerous.

I think 40 in the conditions described in the OP isn't outrageously low though. I can imagine the driver was not very confident at night in poor conditions on strange roads. I just hope she shrugged of the beep as an impatient nutter and didn't let it dent her confidence further.

meant to add - a speed limit is that - a limit, not a target. You must assess the road and the conditions. If that means going much slower, then you have to. You don't blindly follow the signs. that will kill you!

Reverse aibu?