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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

If you see it as your job to control the speed of traffic and you're not in a police car...

236 replies

BumpowderSneezeonAndSnot · 09/04/2018 17:23

...why do you do it? Why do you sit 300 car lengths behind the one in front in heavy traffic? Why do you go 10mph under the speed limit in the overtaking lane on a clear road? Why so you sit at 40mph regardless of the speed limit? Why do you pootle down the slip road towards an A or M road at 30mph?

Why do you see it as your job to control traffic?

OP posts:
EasterBunBun · 11/04/2018 15:44

@Stirner I know, and so condescending with it !

Bekabeech · 11/04/2018 15:44

But as far as I know only the Uk and the US talk generally about mph everyone else is kmph. If you talk about km then I assumeEurope unless corrected.

NannyOggsKnickers · 11/04/2018 15:46

@mightymuck

You seem defensive. You obviously have issues with your mum’s opinions and behaviours around driving. Stop projecting.

I dislike speeders and all those obsessed with speed because my best friend was killed in a head on collision on a country road by someone over taking recklessly at high speed. That person survived. The total cunt. She didn’t.

Clandestino · 11/04/2018 15:48

@Stirner and @EasterBunBun - seriously? Now you're just completely ridiculous.
I automatically translate speeds and distances when talking to the people in the UK to miles. Otherwise, in 90% of cases I am still left with the mental maths of having to recalculate them anyway. Just like I got used to using pounds instead of kilograms and feet and inches instead of metres and centimetres etc. It's simpler than looking at the blank face of the person you have a discussion with because they have no clue about the metric system.
Once again, I apologise. I didn't realise this thread had to be about UK motorway laws only and I only had to use UK facts to give any examples. From other threads I understood that people come to Mumsnet from different countries and parts of the world and they are free to give examples for their countries, especially as the gripe regarding the "incorrect" speed limit is irrelevant as nobody was complaining (not even me) that drivers aren't driving at 80m/h when they should.
Even more ridiculous, bordering on completely asinine is telling a person that their writing skills are bad if they dared to translate a speed or a distance from metric to imperial system to make it more understandable.
I just hope EasterBunBun that you and Stirner are a minority and using the imperial system by foreigners isn't completely banned in the UK. I will strive to use the metric system though in my future posts or will insert a subtle reference to me being a foreigner, just in case someone believes I am talking about the UK and try to make others break the law by telling them something is allowed when it's not.

EasterBunBun · 11/04/2018 15:53

Bye, then

Emmasmum2013 · 11/04/2018 16:00

I'm really sorry to hear about your friend NannyOggsKnickers.
however I'm still not convinced that driving well under the speed limit is the answer to end tragedies such as this. Safe driving - i.e. no under taking, not riding people's bumpers etc can be practised at whatever speed.

I always think that if you've got people constantly trying to over take you (and I'm not saying that this was the case of your friend, I really want to stress that point) and tail backs behind you, people flashing you all the time and getting too close to you then you're probably guilty of going too slow.

Mightymucks · 11/04/2018 16:06

Yes. Because it’s fucking embarrassing sitting in a car with 40 other cars passing swearing and gesturing at you because the driver has just spent 30 minutes holding them up. And to be quite frank it’s frightening being in a car where you know there is a reckless driver behind, but rather than letting them past the driver decides to play a game of Billy Big Bollocks with them which they know may goad them into a dangerous manoeuvre.

When I see someone who is driving too fast I let them overtake because it is the safest option for me and other road users. People who decide they are the self appointed traffic police are just as responsible for creating the danger.

Pengggwn · 11/04/2018 16:17

Mightymucks

I don't 'not let' people past. If there is a convenient stopping place and a big queue I will pull over. I'm not going to do that every time. They can overtake like normal people. It doesn't embarrass me at all.

Stirner · 11/04/2018 16:23

@Pengggwn - I think some refresher driving lessons are required

Bekabeech · 11/04/2018 16:24

I automatically translate speeds and distances when talking to the people in the UK to miles. Otherwise, in 90% of cases I am still left with the mental maths of having to recalculate them anyway. Just like I got used to using pounds instead of kilograms and feet and inches instead of metres and centimetres etc. It's simpler than looking at the blank face of the person you have a discussion with because they have no clue about the metric system.

I and my children all prefer cm and meters, and probably Kg too, so your translations are probably confusing as many as they help. And I'm not a young Mum.

Pengggwn · 11/04/2018 16:33

Stirner

I know some excellent instructors. Just let me know when you have the time and I'll pass on their details!

Pengggwn · 11/04/2018 16:39

Stirner

Sorry, I don't mean you, do I? I mean some of these other muppets!

youarenotkiddingme · 11/04/2018 16:42

I was driving on the M25 Good Friday. Something I maybe do once a year. I'm not the most confident. But even I can follow the variable speed limit and was getting annoyed at cars on the 3rd lane out of 4 doing 40-50 when limit was 60-70.

It's dangerous Angry

Tara336 · 11/04/2018 16:46

I did a speed awareness course recently (2mph over speed limit before anyone starts) and I was stunned tha5 there were people on the course that actually didn’t know what the red x on motorway signs mean! I drive an awful lot and see some appaling driving, including a car full of teenage girls in lane 3 DELIBERATELY holding up the traffic causing a lot of undertaking to happen and they were laughing as people were getting angry!

I had a van tailgating me on M25 as I was slowing down due to overheads signs telling us to do 40mph due to congestion he angrily undertook me and nearly caused a pile up as traffic in front of me had stopped, he narrowly missed rear ending the car in front of me.

If you want to get anywhere without getting stuck in traffic use lane 1 (driving/inside lane) as no one else does!

Idontbelieveinthemoon · 11/04/2018 16:47

I know one driver who flatly refuses to drive on motorways, on normal roads at busy times and in the dark because she's so nervous. How she passed her test at all is beyond me; I've tailed her to a restaurant once on a day out and her erratic slow driving is as much a hazard as any erratic fast driving I've seen.

I appreciate that speed plays a part in stopping and breaking distances and that in built up areas slower is always better, but when you're on the motorway on a clear day doing 49 you're always gong to get on someone's nerves.

Pengggwn · 11/04/2018 16:49

youarenotkiddingme

On a motorway where you are forcing other road users into the next lane, and it would be safer for you to move left, I agree. On a normal road, where people are queuing behind someone who is going a bit slower than they would like? All they have to do be safe is be patient.

Tara336 · 11/04/2018 16:52

@reddington you are absolutely right on the differences in the car you4 driving! We have an old MG and braking distances in it are huge compared to our everyday cars. Yet people regularly pull out in front of us at turnings and then miffed that we almost rear end them! I5 gets a bit scary sometimes and can take the fun out of taking our little car out

Mightymucks · 11/04/2018 16:55

Pengggwn, this thread is about people in the overtaking lane sitting in it well under the speed limit refusing to let people past which is what I was talking about. You don’t NEED a convenient stopping place, just go into the inside lane.

Pengggwn · 11/04/2018 16:56

Idontbelieveinthemoon

But getting on someone's nerves isn't the same as putting them in danger. If I am doing 50 in the left lane on a motorway, anyone coming up behind me has the option of moving into the next lane. If it is light traffic, I can't see why that would be a problem for them. If heavy traffic, I am probably doing 50 because the person in front is doing 50.

Pengggwn · 11/04/2018 17:02

Mightymucks

I thought that was just one of the questions under consideration, actually.

But the answer, for me, is that I am usually waiting for an opportunity to move over safely, i.e. a gap in the traffic flow so I can move in without compromising my stopping distance. Others behind me might perceive that as me 'refusing to let them past' but it isn't. I am just driving properly.

LakieLady · 11/04/2018 17:03

OP I completely agree. My main route to work (one long road) is a 50 where there are no houses then drops to 30. Most cars seem to just do 40 for the whole lot. Drives me insane!!

There's a road near me like that, except the 30mph section is about halfway along. I'm quite used to being stuck behind people doing 40 for the whole length of it.

Some fuckwit today excelled himself though. He was doing 25-28, according to my speedo and caused a tailback of at least 12 vehicles.

And I was dying for a pee - damn near pissed myself before I got to the office.

NannyOggsKnickers · 11/04/2018 17:03

Emmasmum he didn’t overtake her. He hit her coming the other way as he over took someone going a perfectly reasonable speed because he wanted to enjoy driving the country road fast. Like he was in a fucking race car game.

I can agree that middle lane hogging is dangerous. As is tail gating and the people who drive 40 everywhere.

But bitching and sneering at someone considered slow speaks of culture where speed is king and anyone not wanting to drive constantly on the limit is a less skilled or worthy driver.

Would you say the same about the other limits around driving? How would you feel about someone who drive at the legal drink drive limit constantly?

Original poster
BumpowderSneezeonAndSnot · 11/04/2018 17:14

I can't see anyone other than Dr Dickhead earlier advocating aggressive driving or advocating speeding

OP posts:
LakieLady · 11/04/2018 17:26

All you stressed out drivers should maybe consider a bicycle or a train!

Oh yeah, it would be really easy for me to fit in 3-4 home visits of 60-90 minutes, in a rural area, often 10 - 15 miles apart, in my 6-hour working day if I went by bike. And I'd be either sweating buckets or soaking wet by the time I got there.

StripySocksAndDocs · 11/04/2018 17:34

Not getting the theory that's been expressed on this thread that someone driving 'at the speed limit' is policing everyone's speed. Aren't they simply not breaking the speed limit?

There's a bit more than people being annoyed at those driving at 40 mph. But there's a lot who find people irritating because they are at the speed limit.

You shouldn't have a need to overtake someone at the speed limit, unless there blue lights on your vehicle.