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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

learner drivers: I know IBVU but still...

49 replies

blink87 · 26/11/2013 15:27

lately I have found that the learner drivers along a specific stretch of road are agonisingly going ridiculously slow.

the speed limit is national but due to the bends it's rare to find anyone stupid enough to go 60, but most still travel about 40-50. but the past few times driving I have had to travel between 15 and 20 mph the entire stretch. it's a good four miles of road but I remember my driving instructor pushing me to go faster as I had to get used to it, but on more then one occasion I see the instructor admiring the view!!!Angry

its stupidly annoying and I know I'm being unreasonable but during this time of year when it gets colder in the evenings and people are in a rush to get home it can cause accidents!

sorry, rant over Grin

OP posts:
BitOutOfPractice · 26/11/2013 15:28

While I agree that the speed limit isn't a target, I think driving too slowly for the road and conditions is also very annoying / dangerous so YANBU

CailinDana · 26/11/2013 15:30

Experienced drivers should be able to deal with this and not cause acidents. It seems to me that a learner going faster than they feel comfortable with on a bendy road that's possibly dark and icy is more likely to cause accidents, don't you?

Original poster
blink87 · 26/11/2013 15:32

I agree that it can be dangerous to go fast then possible but during the sstraight parts pushing even just to thirty isn't stupid is it?

OP posts:
Doinmummy · 26/11/2013 15:33

It could be their first lesson . I remember learning to drive and feeling as if I was going to break the sound barrier at 10mph !

DamnBamboo · 26/11/2013 15:33

You have no idea if it's that's person 2nd or 16th time behind the wheel, so being pushed to go faster under the former circumstances is pure idiocy.

Why should a young person learning to drive go faster than they want, or can handle so as not to upset someone!

At least you know YABU. VU I'd like to add.

DamnBamboo · 26/11/2013 15:34

that persons

CrohnicallySick · 26/11/2013 15:38

Surely the onus is on the instructor to only take the learner on roads they ought to be comfortable with? I spent my 2nd lesson behind the wheel on a housing estate- down the side roads and not on a main road. I didn't go on any sort of main road till I was confident, and then we built up to national speed limit/winding roads.

So YANBU to be annoyed- but at the instructor not the learner.

eofa1 · 26/11/2013 15:40

"Why should a young person learning to drive go faster than they want, or can handle so as not to upset someone!"

Because drivers going too slowly, or fearfully, can be dangerous as any driving instructor will tell you. If the learner is not ready to go above 15-20mph on the type of road described, then they shouldn't be on that road yet.

eofa1 · 26/11/2013 15:42

What crohnically said.

natwebb79 · 26/11/2013 15:42

I agree with you. My driving instructor only took us on side roads or less busy main roads until we were comfortable driving close to the speed limit. For the first couple of lessons he drove me to a quiet road to avoid me having to use a national speed limit road. I can honestly say that he never encouraged driving at 10-15 mph!

BaileysOnRocks · 26/11/2013 15:43

It's not the person driving slowly that causes accidents, it's people like you speeding round corners and ramming into the ones going slowly.

DamnBamboo · 26/11/2013 15:44

I agree eofa but if it's someones first time behind the wheel on that type of road, and they clearly have and L plate, then other drivers can make allowances for this.

If there was no L plate, I agree it would be different.

If it's their first time driving beyond 20mph, it is likely to be a little scary isn't it. How do you know if you're ready to do it or not if you don't try.

Young boy racers and parents paying less attention due to dealing with their kids are far more hazardous and far more common.

DamnBamboo · 26/11/2013 15:47

I find it quite amusing that the OP says she knows she's BU and other people are telling her she's not Smile

eofa1 · 26/11/2013 15:48

Yes, I get what you're saying, but if it's their first time driving beyond 20 then I don't think they should be on a national speed limit road yet.

ShinyBlackNose · 26/11/2013 15:51

I was prepared to think you were BU, but actually I agree with you.

I hate it when other drivers try to intimidate learner drivers and do things like overtake the learner in a 30. We were all learners once and we should be fair and considerate to them.

However, a driving instructor should only take their pupil on a national speed limit road if they are capable of coping with it. If it's only a second lesson the instructor is causing a hazard by taking their pupil on a fast road. If it's the tenth then the instructor should be making their pupil keep up with the traffic.

Timid drivers do cause unnecessary problems.

FudgefaceMcZ · 26/11/2013 15:52

TBH I find most learners drive more sensibly than the qualified idiots who tear along at 60+ regardless of road conditions, visibility etc. Not causing an accident is more important than you not being held up.

Original poster
blink87 · 26/11/2013 15:53

I'm not a speedy racer, my job doesn't allow me to be, but I wouldn't anyway. the first time I drove on this road On my second lesson my instructor told me to accelerate to at least thirty as it can be dangerous to those that do speed. so when I talk about this, it is only from my experience when I was learning too.

I am patient to those learning and always have been because it is stressful, that's why I said I know I'm being unreasonable, but the instructor should be advising to go a little faster?

OP posts:
DiseasesOfTheSheep · 26/11/2013 15:55

I'd be annoyed at the instructor for doing it there too. If they aren't ready to drive at a sensible speed, take them somewhere out of the way which is better suited to their level of training.

thecatlikesmebest · 26/11/2013 15:56

So is it a quiet rural road? Chosen for the first few lessons?
They have to start somewhere, and probably best not in a built up area with pedestrians and other hazards.
Wait until your DC are learning to drive and you'll find yourself much more tolerant.

TeacupDrama · 26/11/2013 15:57

You can fail for driving test for driving too slowly, also a very new learner should not be on 60mph roads doing 15-20mph it is dangerous as any reasonable instructor should know.

A police friend told me that in good conditions people should generally not be going more than 10-15mph less than speed limit so on 60mph road going less than 45 is a hazard he did emphasis that this was in dry, clear vision circumstances not rain hail snow or fog, the important one is less than 55 in anything other than inside on motorway is dangerous as that is the speed big lorries are going and people do not expect cars to be going slower

on country roads with very few passing places it is very selfish to drive really slowly and not pull in to allow overtaking there are notices all over scotland saying using passing/parking places to permit overtaking

driving too slowly can be dangerous and can be the fault of the person driving slowly which ia why cyclists, mopeds horses aren't allowed on motorways as they are increasing the danger to both themselves and others

pianodoodle · 26/11/2013 15:57

Actually I don't think it is unreasonable. My instructor always stuck to the industrial estate or very quiet places at first.

I think once a learner is out on the roads then they should be comfortable enough to go a reasonable speed.

clarinetV2 · 26/11/2013 15:58

Well, everyone has to drive on particular types of road for the first time, and sticking to housing estates may not be possible. So instructors may have to use roads such as the one you're talking about - but they still have a responsibility to other drivers to minimise as far as possible the inconvenience. Four miles is a long way to be forced to do 20mph behind a learner, and I don't think that pushing a learner driver to go at speeds they can't handle is the answer. Does the stretch of road have places where the learner can pull in to let others overtake? I remember doing this when I learned to drive - the instructor made me pull in at intervals to let others get past. If the instructor isn't doing that, then you are not BU to get annoyed by it. You would be unreasonable, however, to let your irritation translate into driving too close and unnerving the poor learner who isn't at fault here - but I'm sure you don't do that.

canweseethebunnies · 26/11/2013 15:58

Is it a one-track road? Or is there space for two cars? I found bendy, one-track, national speed limit roads very nerve-wracking as a learner. If the road's got two lanes, they should definitely be going faster than 15-20!

ShinyBlackNose · 26/11/2013 16:00

Driving along at 15 - 20 mph on a national speed limit road where conditions allow traffic to safely travel at 50mph is inconsiderate at best and dangerous at worst.

Driving slowly is not automatically the safe option on all roads.

diddl · 26/11/2013 16:01

Isn't it the being in a rush to get home that causes accidents?

I was almost with you-until the 4 miles of road!

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