Slow drivers...aibu?

[BlueDaisies]

AIBU to find people who consistently drive waaay below the speed limit absolutely infuriating?!

Driving home today got stuck behind someone doing 30 in a 60 zone, they briefly sped up to 40 only to then reduce to 25-30 the rest of the way. It's a clear day so conditions were good, the roads are obviously not 30mph roads so unlikely they thought the limit was 30 (no houses around etc), they aren't unduly narrow. The only reason I could not overtake was because of oncoming traffic.

I seriously don't get it. I'm not advocating breaking the limit but surely driving so far under it is nuts?

AIBU to expect those causing queues to pull over and let those behind overtake? AIBU to expect them to drive at least close to the limit?!

I totally agree with you OP, it boils my piss, but you're going to get eleventy billion people coming along saying it's a speed limit, not a target.

I generally don't go over 50-55 on any 70mph road in my area as they are all death traps. You have to use your noggin when driving - just because the speed limit is high doesn't mean it's ever appropriate to reach it.

Yes, everyone's going to come along and say 'limit, not target', but yes, it's extremely annoying.

If you cannot drive a car according to the conditions and posted limits, and feel that you have to drive at half the posted limit, then you either need to buck the fuck up, or get some extra training. Driving at 30 in a 60 zone when there are no other things which would make driving closer to the limit unsafe is a risk to other road users and inconsiderate.

It is an offense to drive in a manner not fitting the conditions of the road - and that includes driving too slowly.

im like this on country roads I drive at 40ish and I'm forever being overtaken

It is a limit and not a target. And it is your job to safely pass rather than theirs to move over. Your responsibility etc etc.

But that doesn't make it anything other than bloody annoying to be stuck behind someone doing this!

I failed my driving test for driving too slow!! 50 on a 60 back road in the pouring rain! Lack of progress and hesitancy apparently. So driving at the limit is an expectation not a suggestion! If you can't drive at the speed limit buy a bus pass. .

Undue hesitancy - you can fail.your test for that

Yes, so annoying. I actually wonder if people don't feel they can drive at a reasonable speed, should they be using those higher speed roads? I time my journey to work based on 60 mph roads and at least once a week I am stuck behind a 40mph driver. They are so inconsiderate.

My "favourite" drivers are the ones who do 40mph in a 60 then continue to do that when the speed limit goes down to 30mph
It's annoying cos it's as if they know they're slow and abuse it to gain some distance. And obviously it's breaking the limit !!! Gahh

Driving at 30 in a 60 zone when there are no other things which would make driving closer to the limit unsafe is a risk to other road users and inconsiderate

Inconsiderate possibly, annoying certainly - but unsafe? How can it ever be unsafe to go slowly (unless on the motorway where cyclists, horse riders etc aren't allowed so people aren't expecting slow traffic)?

Some country roads/lanes often have inappropriately high speed limits but for a normal road there's no reason why anyone should be driving at half the speed limit.

Boils my piss

Also, drivers who have to practically come to a stop to turn a corner. Why?! WHY?!

My driving instructor always told me to go up to the speed limit as long as it made sense on the road and the conditions were OK. Don't really get this it's not a target business.

What AuntJane says.

UppityHumpty I generally don't go over 50-55 on any 70mph road in my area as they are all death traps. There's a difference between driving at 50-55 on a dual carriageway or motorway (I'm assuming that's what you're referring to unless it was a typo and you meant 60) when other vehicles can easily pass you, and driving far below the speed limit on a single-carriageway road which would prevent other traffic from making due progress.

If you were to detain someone from going about their day, they would probably get very annoyed.

But at the same time if someone forces you to drive slowly behind them, they are effectively detaining you from going about your day?

Yes, as much as the speed limit is a 'limit not a target' (as my driving instructor always said!), there's definitely a difference between relaxed/careful driving and just plain old slow driving.

When I pass slow drivers I always take a subtle peek as I pass and 9/10 times they are elderly or someone using a phone.

I've got a few national limit roads near me that I never go above 45 on. They are country roads, not particularly narrow but with high hedges, very winding and you can never see much more than 10 - 20 metres ahead at any time. 60 would be madness.

Oh God it drives me mad! The worst is when they pull out of a junction in front of you, forcing you to slam on the breaks (usually when the road is clear behind you so they had no reason to pull out) and then drive 10 miles under the speed limit. WHY DID YOU PULL OUT YOU PRATT?????

starry I think country roads are a massive exception though as they are far too dangerous to drive quickly on.

I remember the first time I pulled out of a junction by myself when learning, without asking my instructor to confirm I was good to go. Was all proud of myself until my instructor pointed out I'd pulled out in front of someone doing 35 (the limit here) and proceeded to go 25 and make them slow down. I would have failed my test for that. Took me a long time to be brave enough to go 35 but now I will always go the limit when safe to do so as a lot of drivers here are so impatient and will overtake - that's where the danger aspect comes from, people overtaking.

The road between our village and the next one is NSL so technically 60mph
However it's very winding, and because in most places there are high hedges, you can't see ahead do go t know if there is a cyclist or horse or whatever round the bend. I drive at about 30 - 40mph for most of it. Anything more is quite frankly dangerous. My ds got knocked off his bike by some idiot going too fast for the road, she flew round the corner and went straight into him.

People need to drive to the safety of the road. Loads of roads are NSL by default, not because any risk assessment has been done on how safe it really is to drive at 60mph on them.

I live in a seaside town and the pillocks tourists have suddenly arrived this week. They don't seem to realise that we have appointments to get to, places we need to be, and they trundle along looking at the scenery but refuse to pull over into the many laybys, then suddenly see a signpost for the beach and veer off with very little warning. A 10 minute trip to the nearest town for GPs/station suddenly takes twice as long now. Yes it's pretty, yes we need the visitors but for goodness sake, have a little thought for those of us not on holiday!