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...

Funky I've never tried to overtake unless it was 100% safe, yet this is something I encounter often on certain roads. It seems oddly deliberate.

I can only offer suggestions as to why this might be. I don't do it myself so it's just one idea.

It irritates me when people are driving too slowly for the road and conditions. But I live in a rural area, with plenty of NSL roads, and I'm more irritated by folk who consider it their god-given right to drive at 60 on these roads, in the fog, in the dark, round the blind corners.

I have had such an idiot collide with my car with two of my dc in the back. Car written off. Children okay, fortunately. Other idiots have not been so lucky, and there are quite a few fatal accidents and life-changing injuries on the roads in my county, from people who don't have the patience to wait until it's safe to overtake, or who think that the laws of physics (conservation of angular momentum) somehow don't apply to their vehicles.

Oh sorry Funky I thought you were suggesting I was one of those... Erm... "Enthusiastic' overtakers! I actually don't have the confidence to overtake often, but this is a situation I ind myself in regularly with the same cars (don't know the drivers) on the same roads, and I just wonder what motivates them? It's like trolling on the road!

YABU. I drive a difficult, windy road with a 70mph limit on it. I struggle to get over 45 and feel safe and in the early days of doing it, I would have been unsafe at anything over 30. More than happy to do 70 plus on dual carriage ways and motorways but people need to be allowed to drive at a speed that they feel safe at and if you don't like that, overtake me when it's safe to do so!

I say that with the caveat that of course it is dangerous to drive below limit on motorways or sit in the middle lane etc. etc.

So much competition for a bit of road space....when most of the time in towns it's just a race to the next traffic lights etc.
Imagine what happens when such folk are behind a bus, or a horse, or rubbish truck.

OR a , heavens forfend.

It is a speed limit not a speed requirement. The roads are for everyone's use so I'm afraid you might as well just get used to it. We have all been behind that slow person, but my attitude is, they have as much right to drive as me and as long as they keep to the highway code, then fair enough.

It's like trolling on the road!

It really isn't. If you think about it, then it becomes obvious that just as you want to overtake, because the traffic on the right hand side of the road has ceased, then they also feel better driving at higher speed because the traffic on the right hand side of the road has ceased. I mean, they might well be arseholes as well, but we don't know enough about them to make that decision.

One day, all the mad bad fuck-me-shoes drivers whinnying about slowpokes may one day be slowpokes for one reason or other. Perhaps a little more thought about other road users and a little less aggression would mean they live long enough to get the opportunity to drive slower on the roads, is my take on the matter.

yes, roads are a public utility and all have right to use them as they wish (legally) without having some nutter harassing them.

Well I guess we can all only go on our own experiences, and the fact it is the same two-three cars every single time on the same roads (to be fair and give benefit of the doubt, I'm not on the road daily) go very slow so there is a lot of traffic behind them, then quickly speed up at every single chance for someone to overtake.... Every single time I've ever traveled this road makes me dubious. And it's not just me as I can be sixth in line, not often first behind.
However, frustration won't kill me! Voodoo dolls might do them in however I just find it a headscratcher and I wish I at least had an idea why

60 is too fast on a lot of country lanes. If a pheasant or rabbit runs out, and you swerve, mayhem. Or people out riding and you're scooting along at 60. Much too fast.

I agree with everyone who is pointing out that at lot of the people who drive significantly under the speed limit on national speed limit roads even in near perfect conditions, continue without slowing at all when they go into restricted speed residential areas. They appear utterly unaware either speed limit applies to them, or that they should be re-assessing the conditions etc. as they go along, rather than just picking one speed and sticking to it regardless!

The combination of an unreasonably slow driver causing other road users frustration by driving much slower than conditions indicate, on a national speed limit road, and an impatient reckless driver, leads to a lot more accidents than just one or the other - for that reason the unreasonably slow driver is also dangerous and irresponsible.

I just want to understand the cars that drive slowly then speed up at any opportunity to overtake. Since I never tailgate, blare my horn or drive belligerently this phenomenon really makes me curious.

I would say they are choosing to speed up because the road is safe straight stretch - the very reason you are choosing to overtake

What sort of speed is frustrating people? Are we talking 30 in a 60 zone or 50?

Well a reckless driver wrote off my car last week. I was on a 40mph stretch of a major road, signalled with plenty of time for drivers behind to react... as I wanted to turn right and I slowed down, as you would, and he said he'd looked down at his speed as I was going too slowly and then looked up and bang.

Thats my livelihood gone as it was an old car, not worth repairing in the eyes of the insurer. But it was mine. And I'm devastated.
So I'd say have a bit more care and be aware of other drivers, we will all get to our destination eventually, 5 minutes longer journey makes not a great deal of difference. IMHO.

My last post was deleted. I must have arrived (five minutes late) !

Fedup, I assure you that country road is not a 70 if you are in the uk. 70 only applies to dual carriageways and motorways. The symbol is the same which I'm guessing is why you've said it.

I think they just flash because they think you're massively out of order for overtaking. It can't be any other reason can it? Regardless of whether you are out of order or not...

When someone overtakes me, I reflect on how my driving was. I don't want to be getting in anyone's way or causing an inconvenience to them. I'm nice like that. Of course, some people are just massive cunts and drive flat out for no reason and tail gate until they get chance to overtake. Sometimes I flash them. If they overtake where it just isn't safe I may flash. I assume they flash for the same reason as me but have different levels of what's acceptable.

You can't say people drive faster with no cars coming the other way (on a clear day etc). Of course you must be prepared to react and it's best to assume all other road users are stupid but You have to have some level of trust in other road users and assume they will stay in their own side of the road. Otherwise you wouldn't be able to go anywhere... You'd be too scared.

And yes. It kind of is like trolling on the road. An hilarious analogy I've never thought of.

Chocbic, for me 35/40 in a 60. 50 is acceptable.

YANBU

I commute along an A road through several villages and across moorland. I have been driving for 26 years, have a clean licence and the only accidents I've ever had have been the result of other drivers' errors. I am a courteous, careful, experienced driver - but the number of drivers who have no idea how to drive along this road drive me mad. They pootle along at 40, will speed up on the straight 'overtaking' parts of the road, and don't slow down to 30 through the villages.

IMO if you can't assess the road/weather conditions properly and adjust your speed upwards/downwards accordingly, causing a tailback behind you as a result, you should either use a different road or you should pull in and let other cars past.

OK thanks.

I don't get all the flashing. Why flash at all?

Of course, some people are just massive cunts and drive flat out for no reason and tail gate until they get chance to overtake. Sometimes I flash them.

Hmm...I think you have answered your own question.

Have you thought of taking a driving course that stops you from all this road trolling that you seem to be doing?

My driving instructor said it's a limit not a target.

I think that's wise, especially on unfamiliar roads.

Aggressive drivers make the road a dangerous place. Along with people who don't use their indicators.

Slowness is an minor annoyance but aggressiveness on the road is much worse.

Funky, I've repeated a thousand times that I don't hassle other drivers to speed up or tail gate. Etc etc.

Either you can't read, are stupid or plain ignorant. Your choice.

Eloquently put sirchenjin. I too have never had accidents that are not my fault. I've been driving just under eleven years. The accidents I have had are a guy go into the back of me at a roundabout who was texting and didn't notice oncoming cars and a van who didn't notice I had stopped and was reversing into a parking space at the side of the road. I had a focus and the reverse lights are at the bottom of the car, not where the other lights are.

One of the joys of my job is being able to drive my police car in lane two of the local A and M roads and when I come up to middle lane hoggers, flash them and make them move over and it never gets old!

It is a limit, yes - but you should be capable of driving to that limit where and when the conditions allow. If you can't then you shouldn't be driving on that road, or, as I said, you should pull in - or you should invest in more lessons. Causing a tailback behind you is not an example of good driving.