Slow Motorway Driving

[allmycats]

AIBU to think that if you are driving on the motorway and you are passed by me towing our caravan - bearing in mind that whilst towing said caravan I am restricted to 60mph then you are going too slow. I am getting truly cross with the number of people driving in the slow lane at speeds of circa 50mph - whilst I appreciate that speed limits are not target speeds you need to drive in a manner that is safe and going too slow is just as bad as going too fast. me and my caravan do not like being in the middle lane, causing inconvenience for those behind me when you are simply driving like a tosser in the inside lane at 45-50mph - Rant Over !!

[Bowlersarm]

Are you always this aggressive when you are driving your lorry Melonade? I hope not.

Anyway, I'm with Anyfucker, Aggressive drivers are the most dangerous.

You should drive at the speed you are most comfortable with to do it safely for yourself and everyone around you. And unless anyone can say categorically that it is not legal to drive at 50 in the left hand lane, then they should mind their own business about people driving around that speed and less slowly than they want them to.

[AnyFucker]

You don't need to know the car I drive, bigdog. You are likely to say it is wasted on me

[jamdonut]

I don't get to motorway drive very often these days (nearest is over 40 miles away), so I am always a little nervous to begin with when joining a motorway,and it sometimes takes me a little while to get used to the road and conditions,so sometimes I'm only doing 55 - 60 mph. I also worry obout the stupid things other people do.I find motorway driving stressful, but I have to do it if I want to get places quickly,and especially as my DH doesn't drive.

When driving to Manchester,(from east yorks),the speed limit on the motorway is set at 50 for a good many miles,due to roadworks and " traffic management". It would work well I f it wasn't for the people who are so impatient and weave in and out causing people to break suddenly and cause a ripple effect in the traffic behind them.

[TalkShowHost]

"The speed limit is a target not a limit" - why is it not called the National Speed Target then?

[Raskova]

Because it's also a limit. Ask the Highway Code! Or a driving instructor.

I tell you no lies...

[Raskova]

I'll rephrase. The speed limit is also a target...

[MelonadeAgain]

I'm not in the least bit an aggressive driver Bowlersarm. But I am an observant one. And its surprising what you see when you are trained to look far ahead while motorway driving.

I agree with the proposition that very slow drivers on motorways tend to be more incompetent and also tend to cause problems for more competent drivers, and I'm sorry but that is not only mine, but everyone else's business. Especially when I'm having to take avoiding action due to them.

If you had any training in motorway driving, you would have been taught that not only do you have to look further ahead and have better anticipation because of the higher speeds, but you also need to think about the impact your own driving has on other drivers, and the likelihood of a collision, due to higher speeds.

[RiverTam]

chug along at 50 in the slow lane if you like, but make sure you speed up and get out of the slow lane when approaching a slip road where cars are entering the slow lane of the motorway, otherwise you will be causing one hell of an accident.

And if the motorway is busy, as it would be over the Easter weekend, you need to respond to the conditions and probably speed up, else there won't be enough room for everyone.

Aggressive drivers are indeed dangerous, but so are timid ones. I actually think that motorway driving with an instructor should be mandatory before being let loose.

[AnyFucker]

I agree with that, Tam.

[specialsubject]

if it is raining hard (as it has been today) then even 50 can be way too fast. Speed limits are maxima, not targets.

please share where you get your free petrol as you clearly have plenty to waste.

25mph is too slow on a clear dry motorway, and anyone using a mobile phone while driving should have both feet amputated.

[Girlwithnotattoos]

Oooo I love a scrap about driving! So here I go with my tuppence worth.

Motorways are most definitely designed to be driven on at speed, that's why there are no. Traffic lights, roundabouts, right turns etc basically anything that might slow down or inhibit the free flow of traffic. You have an acceleration lane to allow you to get your speed up to match the motorway traffic because it's dangerous to suddenly join 70mph traffic at anything much below this. Anyone who thinks otherwise is not aware of the rules of the road. Obviously there will be exceptions for instance if your joining where the motorway is congested but you should match your speed to others on the road. Tbh I think that if your car is not capable or the driver is not confident of driving at speed they have no place being in the motorway and should stick to other roads.

[PunkrockerGirl]

I agree with you wowfudge Gives me the absolute rage

[pointythings]

Holland effectively has a minimum speed limit - you aren't allowed on the motorway if your vehicle can't do 40 mph. That means at least slow-moving agricultural vehicles are banned, which is a good thing.

If lorries are frequently overtaking you on the motorway then you are not adapting to the rest of the traffic, and therefore you are driving badly. (Obviously there are idiot lorry drivers, like the one who flew past me at 50mph in a howling blizzard and without his lights on - but the vast, vast majority are not like that).

[plecofjustice]

Not the same, but I did get slightly irritated with the sweet European driver earlier today who clearly got MPH and KPH confused, and ended up with us all doing a stately 25 behind him in a single carriage 40 zone.

[Raskova]

Girl with no tattoos you say it perfectly

[unlucky83]

Quote from AA eco driving tips...
Stick to speed limits: the faster you go the greater the fuel consumption and pollution. Driving at 70mph uses up to 9% more fuel than at 60mph and up to 15% more than at 50mph. Cruising at 80mph can use up to 25% more fuel than at 70mph.
Motorways are designed to be simple routes to travel long distances not 'fast driving'...
Slip roads are for filtering into the traffic - so speeding up on slip roads is all well and good but remember you need to give way at the bottom -if need be actually stop....you should be gradually adjusting your speed to the flow of traffic - not getting up to 70mph as fast as you can in the hope that someone slows down or moves into the middle lane to let you in - that is not good driving...
(My personal bug bears are cars that stick to the inside lane like glue. So quiet motorway, car speeds down inside lane at 90mph comes too close at the back as you drive at 70mph, swings out and back right in front of you - not leaving you enough stopping distance and in the case of rain blinding you with spray - and I am sure they think they are fantastic drivers because they aren't hogging the middle lane.
And if you pull out into the middle lane to let a car in from the slip road, said car then should let you pull back in - but often they just concentrate on speeding up as fast as possible -in the process overtaking you on the inside)
I don't middle lane hog - but I judge the road - if it is quiet and I can see a lorry in the distance and there is no- one behind me I will stay in the middle lane -if someone does come up behind me I will pull in ...
The worst drivers aren't the ones that are going slowly - they are the ones that zig zag in and out of lanes - don't do gradual lane changing - give no more than a glance before pulling out/in - therein lies an accident - better to look twice, indicate and then gradually change lanes...

These threads always horrify me - the things people think are good driving that are anything but....

[mercibucket]

are any of you

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/bristol/somerset/7171154.stm

this woman?

[BitOutOfPractice]

"You should drive at the speed you are most comfortable with"

Bowlersarm that is simply not true. You should drive at a speed that is appropriate for the road conditions, traffic conditions, weather conditions. If you are not comfortavle driving at that approprite speed, then you shouldn't be on the road.

Also: Although there is no minimum speed limit on the majority of UK roads, you can still be fined for driving too slow if it is seen that you are a hazard to other road users. There is no specific penalty for driving too slowly and as such, penalties may be as little as a verbal warning by a police officer along with a lecture of the dangers of driving too slow and in more serious cases, a motorist may find themselves in court charged with driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other road users

From [[http://www.drivingtesttips.biz/minimum-speed-limits-driving-too-slow.html this site]

[MrsCakesPremonition]

Driving through a puddle and splashing pedestrians can also lead to a charge of driving without reasonable consideration. Which is interesting.

[mercibucket]

quite a few people stopped doing 40 in a 60 zone so sounds like 50 is minimally acceptable although it is selfish if you could be going at 55 and not making lorries long-overtake you (weather conditions etc permitting)

[Bowlersarm]

I think it is true BitOutOf

I'm not necessarily a slow driver myself, but I wouldn't want to be driving amongst other drivers who drive too fast for their own comfort in charge of a bloody great car/lorry/caravan and turning it into a lethal weopan capable of killing any amount of people.

[mercibucket]

sorry, meant to say '50 is minimally acceptable in motorways'

[moggle]

Two years ago I overtook someone driving at about 40 mph on a motorway, and when I looked over, it was an elderly gentleman with a ginger cat on his lap, sitting up looking through the steering wheel at the road in front.

[mercibucket]

moggle

[Pobblewhohasnotoes]

I do think driving slowly on the motorway is dangerous, it can cause other people behind you to brake suddenly and it makes lorries over take you causing a jam on the other lanes. Surely you have to adapt to the traffic and road you are on?

I hate middle lane drivers. The ones that cruise along oblivious to anything and anyone and making people pull out into the 3rd lane to get past them on an empty road.