To think you can't just trundle along at any old speed you fancy...

[TallulahTwinkletoes]

I fully expect to get flamed for this because I know I'm a tad over the top about this but it's my pet hate so here goes.

If say be gentle but I know this is the wrong place for that

I drive a lot. Every day I drive on a road that's technically a country road as there are fields either side but it's more than wide enough and not too windy. This road is followed by two straight roads. These are all national speed limit roads.

This is comfortably attainable with a few corners on the country road where 50 is a better speed. Obviously various weathers call for different speeds. I was behind a double decker bus doing 50 down there today.

The last few days I have been stuck behind people doing 35-40. Today the lady flashed at me when I finally get chance to overtake.

They way I see it is if you are driving so slow on the roads either
A) you are unaware of the speed limit/unable to follow basic road signs and therefore shouldn't be driving
B) do not feel comfortable driving at an appropriate limit for the road and therefore shouldn't be driving.

I know it's a limit not a target but you fail your driving test if you 'fail to progress' so they shouldn't be driving like this.

It's the principle that they don't care about anyone's time frame or how they affect other people. They just trundle along deciding what speed they want to go at and not giving a fuck.

We all have bad days where we mess up roundabouts and misjudge but Jesus Christ, if you can't drive at 60 in a straight line...

I just know we are going to get stuck behind some idiots meandering along at 40 oblivious to the trail of traffic and impatient drivers behind them!

Leave enough time to take this into consideration then.

Really, the key to effective driving is anticipation. If you are continually surprised by the way other people drive, perhaps it is you that should not be on the road.

How did this cause a collision? You really really need to ask a question like this. The mind boggles

Perhaps it is you who should be on the road I don't think so. Others need to drive properly and safely. I already do that. I am an advanced driver ie I have taken the advanced driving test.
You seem determined to make excuses for dangerous driving. Good luck with that

The things that cause accidents on motorways are

1. not leaving enough gap between you and the car in front
2. poor lane discipline Everyone could drive at whatever speeds they wanted and there would never be an accident if people observed these 2 things

I've just come back to this thread after 24 hours. I'd been surprised at how unanimously it was going, with pretty much everyone saying "Yes people who drive very slowly everywhere are fucking irritating."

It has reverted to type now though, with all the people who drive slowly coming on and getting cross and defensive and lots of lovely insults being flung around and assumptions made.

:)

Chandon your post will probably go poof soon. You are not allowed to mention age. Apparently it's ageist,even when it is completely relevant to what you are posting about, just like it was completely relevant on the one the other night about elderly drivers.
Bonkers

I've been thinking the same Celtic.

Scaredy - well said. This is a thread about people on single lane A roads driving way under the speed limit

Now it's dark I get stuck behind the 40 mile an hour people who slow down to 35 when a car is coming towards them (on a marked road). I try not to get annoyed, but people who speed through 30 zones make my blood boil.

I say just chill, and I drive a lot of miles and need to get to appointments on time. Howzat? It's about stress levels, safety and general quality of life for me. I'd be dead of a heart attack if I got into a lather at other drivers every time I got behind the wheel.
I suspect some would think me too cautious on some country lanes, but I really know what I'm doing on that count. I don't hang about, but I do consider what might be around the next corner. Might be influenced by my friend having her horse killed under her by someone driving too fast around a bend. RIP Big R, beautiful mare. :-(

Driving is not about getting from A to B in the fastest possible time

Not for you maybe.

Really? Poof?

But I did not say anything about ALL older drivers, just thus particular one.

I could study him as spent 15 mins stuck behind him

Am I now a persona-non-grata?

My friend is a trainer on Speed Awareness courses. If she is caught speeding she loses her licence

Sorry, but I call bullshit on that. She'll be treated just the same as any other driver.

dirk yy, I suspect her job might be at risk but not her driving licence.

I often wonder whether people think a road near me has a 30mph limit on it. It's 60. It's perfectly safe to do 60 on it, and definitely 50 even in the rain. Driving too slowly can be very rude and annoying - eg when you trying to cross the road and waiting for someone to pootle pootle pootle past so you can get across, or an obstruction is on your side and you wait for them to come by so you can get going again and it's pootle pootle pootle, or you are waiting for them to get past your side road so you can turn out onto the main road and it's pootle pootle pootle. Oh yes and I'm with Pico - the people who drive at 40mph everywhere - in 30mph limits and 60mph limits too. Grrr.

However, if we're complaining about driving my pet hates are:

Drivers who don't give way to pedestrians crossing the side roads they are turning into and having the gall to beep them because they are so impatient. Go and read the Highway Code.

Drivers who don't indicate at all, or the wrong way at roundabouts.

Drivers who overtake cyclists (or any obstruction) when I am coming the other way and expect me to get out of their way. The obstruction is on YOUR side - YOU wait.

Drivers who turn right when there's a roundabout to the left of them, so they could turn left and go round the roundabout rather than trying to cross the traffic and hold everyone up behind them. I am sure that many traffic jams are caused by people faffing about.

BUT

Ultimately we'd all give ourselves stress-related diseases and it's best to go with the flow, take more time for the journey and take a deep breath.

As for the flashing, some people just don't like you overtaking them. Even if they are going mega-slowly for the road conditions.

PS often people drive slowly and then speed up and back again because they are on their mobile phones. I wish texting while driving would become as socially unacceptable as drunk-driving.

Serious accidents occur when people drive at the speed limit on roads they are not familiar with. Cyclists can be round every corner driving at the limit does not always give you time to react accordingly. It is the top speed limit not the minimum speed limit. Need i go on? Some drivers need to familiarise themselves with the highway code, etc etc.

Cyclists have no business being on roads where the speed limit is above 30 mph, on roads where there is no bike lane, and/or roads where lorries or buses may be whipping past them driving inside the speed limit.

Oh gosh yes, people looking at phones while driving makes me very cross. Ditto not paying attention at traffic lights then failing to move off when they go green.

And roundabouts - people seem to pick the lane with the shortest queue regardless of where they want to end up. People who stay in the left hand lane and go all the way round have a special circle of hell. I mean, really. How hard is it to know your exit and pick a lane accordingly?

DH spent two years in dispute with a driver who'd done the left-hand-lane-going-right thing, cut across and hit his car and his insurance company actually wanted to go 50-50. He refused as he was 100% in the right. The week before it was due in court, the other party caved in and finally admitted they'd caused the accident.

So you're saying drive slower on unfamiliar roads in case of a cyclist Happy?

What if a car speeds around the corner into you?

mathanxiety the point is that cyclists are currently perfectly legally entitled to be on these roads.
In Scotland there are certain rural roads nearish Glasgow that are full of cyclists in the summer months. Technically these roads are national speed limit. You wouldn't want to do that anyway, as they are very winding with sharp corners, but driving at 60mph would effectively be murderous. There are also walkers in certain areas.
Roads are not just for cars to go along at the fastest possible speed.
Also - near me they've just painted a rather narrow cycle lane and the speed limit is now 40. So pretty actively encouraging people to cycle in a 40 zone.
I agree that cycling facilities are pretty pitiful in this country but cyclists are the wrong people to blame for that.

Op your second post implies that you do tailgate.

A little common sense wouldn't hurt all the same where cyclists are concerned. If you use the roads you should be sensible, and you should carry insurance.

I'm not blaming anyone for lack of safety. I just think everyone needs to look after their own safety and exercise common sense.