To hate when drivers do this

[carol1234568]

I seem to have this most days - going along at 60mph on a national speed limit road, when all of a sudden a car pulls out ahead. Within no time Ive caught up with them. They then start drive at 40mph, leading to cars crawling along behind them.

WHY do cars pull out when they can see cars are coming, and when they know they're going to drive much less than the speed limit? This is not an especially busy road - there will be chances for them to pull out without any traffic coming.

[DGRossetti]

Did the other driver acknowledge they'd almost killed you?

I doubt they noticed.

Jasper Carrott used to joke about his MiLs driving ...

She's never had an accident ... she's seen hundreds...

[honeysucklejasmine]

Gosh thousandpapercranes my stomach dropped reading that. Did the other driver acknowledge they'd almost killed you?

[Lizzie48]

And actually, flashing headlights is supposed to be a warning to other drivers, not as a signal that another driver can can pull out. These drivers often do it when the way isn't clear as well, as there's a car approaching in the opposite direction. It's downright dangerous.

[thousandpapercranes]

I hate this too, it’s an almost daily occurrence in the stretch of road that I use.

People may think you’re being a safer driver by going below the speed limit, but you’re simply putting other road users at risk.

Dc and I were nearly rear ended by a HGV because of a twat who pulled out at 20mph in a 50. HGV has to pull into the other lane to avoid going into the back of me, had there been oncomin traffic i’m not sure if we’d still be here. I’ve never been so terrified in my life.

[GallicosCats]

Possibly controversially, what I strongly dislike, is the “over courteous” driver.

Fabellini my now departed DF used to call that Pollite Ness; the sort of over-consideration that bungs up the traffic and confuses the heck out of other road users. I might laugh, but actually it can be dangerous.

[brizzledrizzle]

On my way to work I drive along a country lane which is notorious for accidents, there are signs warning about it and frequent holes in the walls where cars or bikes have gone off the road into the fields.

I usually do 40-50 down there but it's NSL. There is no way I'm doing NSL down a road with as many twists and turns as your average bowl of spaghetti. I usually get a queue of cars behind me because there is nowhere to overtake.

[50shadesofgreyismylaundry]

SUV = sports utility vehicle, basically a 4wd.

I hate drivers like this. They do always drive too fast through villages and too slow on roads. They're a menace and appear clueless of the road around them. Surely you'd notice a queue of 10 cars behind you.

[CamHowe]

Slow drivers are almost as dangerous as fast drivers imho.

[Lizzie48]

Sorry, what does SUV stand for??

[shirleyschmidt1]

Haha I'm with @Psychobabble123. It's common sense, surely - if you're waiting to pull onto a NSL road with decent visibility and conditions, and still intend to do 20mph less than the speed limit, ffs wait until you can pull out without forcing others to suddenly alter THEIR (appropriate) speed. Why are so many slow drivers seemingly in such a hurry to get out in front of others, only to take their good old time once they're out? It's so annoying, the only people who'd defend it are the ones who do it.

[honeysucklejasmine]

Driving through the Cotswolds yesterday:

1. two SUVs (seemingly in convoy) pulled out in front of me on a 60 section, and then pootled along at 40. They continued to go at 40 as we passed through a succession of 30 limit villages.
   
   
2. as the two SUVs turned off, a cyclist pulled out. The road behind me was completely clear and very visible. I had to brake quite sharply to save running him over.
   
   
3. a police car was travelling along behind me for quite a while. He kept dropping back and then suddenly reappearing right behind me. I think he was dropping back to give me a chance to speed off, incorrectly assuming I was only doing 50 up the hills because of him. When actually it's because I've got a large car with a 1.4L engine 😂 I pulled over as soon as I could (not many safe places to do so on the route) to let him past and he shot off in to the distance. Note: he did not have sirens on of course or I would have moved immediately.
   
   Bloody stressful drive, the roads are challenging enough without total idiots on them.

[DGRossetti]

I want to echo the PP who said that you can fail your driving test if you don't keep up with the speed of traffic.

There's also an offence of obstruction which police had charged some drivers with, if they are really going too slow.

Driving slower than a road is intended for is a waste of the road - and possibly fuel - so not really good for the environment. Maybe the UK should have a few more minimum speed limit roads - after all there is a sign for it ....

[MereDintofPandiculation]

If you cannot pull out in time to reach the speed limit (within reason) before the car coming towards you reaches you, causing them to have to break you should not be pulling out. No need to reach the speed limit. If the car you pull out in front of is doing 40mph, all you need to do is reach or exceed 40mph sufficiently quickly for the car not to have to brake. Not all NSL roads are sensibly driven at NSL.

[PJBanana]

There’s a happy medium, somewhere. Driving hesitantly is poor. Driving aggressively is poor.

As pp have said, you WILL fail a driving test for driving too slowly, or for pulling out and causing traffic to brake or stop. No idea why people who drive ‘cautiously’ act so high and mighty. The fact is that if you were to take your test again, you would fail. Those who drive at the speed limit when it’s safe to do so wouldn’t.

[WhatATimeToBeAlive]

It's an offence to pull out in front of someone causing them to change speed or direction. So no you're not BU, it's bloody annoying.

[Thoth]

Ah, thank you
I never drive on road that aren't motorways or city roads. good thing really if I don't know the speed limit
There just aren't any single lane roads near us.
Probably about 10 years since I drove on a country road.

[Fabellini]

Possibly controversially, what I strongly dislike, is the “over courteous” driver.
I was coming out of my driveway last week and the (only) car coming down the road, stopped, flashed their lights, and waved me out imperiously. Why do people do that??
The junction at the end of the road is the same - it’s not particularly busy, and I’m quite happy to wait til there’s a gap before pulling out, but regularly, someone will stop, and flash lights, and wave me out. They’re often holding up another car behind them, and I don’t want to go! I’m perfectly happy to wait til it’s actually clear for me to move...why are folk so keen to have me in front of them? Just go about your business, you have right of way, and I’m ok with that!

[WTFdidwedo]

We nearly crashed into a lorry on the M4 last week when someone in front decided to merge on the slip road at 30mph and then stopped when they realised they couldn't get on in front of two lorries. Fucking idiots.

[Allergictoironing]

I think my one is the people who seem to think you get extra brownie points for going past speed cameras much slower than the limit for that road e.g. road limit is 40mph, they are quite happy trundling along at 40, or even 45 to 50 then see a camera. Immediately slam on the anchors and proceed at 30. Rinse and repeat for the next camera (A14 used to be terrible for this).

[Fluffyears]

I had some twat in an SUV trying to intimidate me on a nsl road. It curves and a practically a circle, there was torrential rain so I dropped back to 50 as I could feel the car sliding a bit as we went round. So cunty suv thought he’d try to overtake into oncoming traffic, never laughed so much when he then got in a flap trying to get back in and the traffic had closed up. He did manage and I was ready to drop my speed to let him back in if needed but think he needed the scare. Alternatively I wanted to kill some daft twat driving at 35 all the way along nsl where it’s quite bendy so hard to overtake (I hate overtaking on single carriageways too) she kept turning round yammering to her pal, I noticed this as I was glaring into her car ‘shut the fuck up and drive properly you daft cow!’ Was shouted quite a lot along that road. Have never been happier to overtake in my life!

[Lizzie48]

I want to echo the PP who said that you can fail your driving test if you don't keep up with the speed of traffic. It comes under undue hesitancy; because it can cause accidents as drivers can feel compelled to overtake when it's not safe to do so.

The issue isn't about road conditions, obviously if it's not safe to drive at 60, then you should drive more slowly. The OP is talking about drivers who just drive at 40 the whole time, even when the limit goes down to 30. They really are annoying. If you're on a major A road and conditions are good, there's no way you should be tootling on at 40mph.

[FloControl]

We get this so often on here and it's usually 40 and 60mph that are the crux of the matter.

Driving home the other evening, I joined a 40mph road and found myself going progressively slower until I (and everyone else) was doing 30mph. The culprit was a red Ford Ka three or four cars ahead, imposing their speed limit for all behind. Rather predictably, when we reached the 30mph stretch, the Ka slowed down even more, to just over 25mph. I drew alongside at the traffic lights and gave the silly woman the evils but I would have happily thrown a brick through her windscreen. Grrr.

[TheEmmaDilemma]

If you cannot pull out in time to reach the speed limit (within reason) before the car coming towards you reaches you, causing them to have to break you should not be pulling out. It's incompetent driving and a danger.

[adaline]

Oh dear, why are you all saying 60? I thought nsl was 70?

70 is only the limit on dual carriageways and motorways. Otherwise it's 60.

[mustbemad17]

Psychobabble123 it really was, how there wasn't a major accident i don't know. The traffic was flowing nicely, people were moving over to make space....apparently just not enough for this particular person.

And yes i did eventually lose my rag & beep because i was conscious of the huge pile up behind me. Mistakes is one thing, driving dangerously enough to cause accidents is another thing entirely