To think people who overtake are idiots?

[sallyhansen32]

So this morning I was out early.
I was on a road with a 30 mph limit..there's a speed camera next to a school.
I'm new to driving so didn't want to go crazy so I dropped down to 25mph till I passed through it.
A van overtook me and stuck his fingers up.
Was I going to slow?
If I was then fair enough ..but it's not like I was going through under 20.

Firstly, you're right, people who overtake are idiots and only do it because they get angry and can't control themselves.

BUT you shouldn't drop to 25mph. You should drive at 30.

Not sure why he stuck his fingers up, but yeah you were going slow and most people would overtake you.

Why drop down to 25 though? Are you unable to maintain a steady speed? Because I'd be worried about that.

Even if it was too slow, as the driver was able to overtake, giving you the finger seems totally unnecessary! What a nob 🙄

I try to drive near speed limit but driving 5mph under is hardly crime of century, being safe is def more important!

I’m not sure why people who overtake are idiots? It’s a perfectly legitimate manoeuvre... what else are you meant to do if you’re stuck behind someone??

Hopefully after I get more used to the car il not drive so slow.
I'm still not 100% on how much pressure to put on accelerator so didn't want to go over 30 and get 3 points.

Absolutely nothing wrong with a legal overtake manoeuvre. But being aggressive about it as this driver was to you is totally unacceptable.

Probably yes, a speed camera is there to make sure you're not speeding through a 30 zone, going through at 30mph (on your dash) means you are probably well under 30mph. Slowing to 25mph is excessive and probably frustrating for whoever is behind you.

I've overtaken before when it's early and people are pottering along at 22mph (which will read 25mph on your dash). Would never ever give them the finger or be rude about it though.

I dropped to 25 for about 5 seconds till I got through camera then went back up to 30.
I've only been driving 4 days so still nervous about cameras etc

The man in the van was an idiot, people who overtake safely are not idiots. Try driving at the correct spead and people will be less inclined to be annoyed with you.

Driving at the speed limit isn't going 'crazy' - I don't really understand why you dropped your speed?

How on earth did you pass your test if you don't know how much pressure to put on the accelerator?

It's a new car and I've only drove it 3 times since I passed.
I'm still getting used to it.

Seriously if you can’t maintain speed at 30mph you shouldn’t be driving. There are enough idiots on the road without adding more that don’t have a clue what they are doing. Go get more lessons and some experience before you start slating other drivers.

There was no need for the finger, but I can easily imagine how frustrating it was to be stuck behind you.

Overtaking safely is perfectly legal.

Overtaking is perfectly legitimate. I don't do it often as my car does not accelerate quickly, but when some numpty is pootling along a 50 mph road at 30 why would I be the idiot for overtaking?

Put P plates on if you've just passed your test and a bit nervous.

Might help other drivers understand your manner of driving and hesitation.

Speedometers always read lower than your actual speed, so you're OK to do 30 or slightly above as it reads on your speedo, without getting "flashed" for speeding.
I always seem to get stuck 3 cars behind someone driving at 35mph in a 50 limit, and it is quite frustrating.

In my experience people who overtake are twats who object to driving at the speed limit and prefer to take the risk of overtaking just to get one car space ahead.

Obviously safe overtaking (cyclists, buses, tractors) is fine but that's not what usually happens.

I've started to drive slower after someone on my road was knocked off a bike and is in hospital with very serious injuries. It is just not worth it to hurt another person and wreck your own life.

Just let them drive on recklessness and let them hurt themselves but don't give them the opportunity to wreck you life.

But going 30mph in a 30 zone won't trigger a speed camera? Some people who carry out 'dangerous' overtakes e.g. before blind bends or to overtake someone who is going at the speed limit can be idiots; but a safe overtake of someone going slow is reasonable. The middle finger was unreasonable, but it is frustrating when someone is going below the speed limit for no real reason (such as bad road conditions/weather). If you aren't confident yet on 30 roads, please take some time before going on national speed limit roads etc.

If he overtook you safely without breaking the speed limit, he’s not an idiot.

I agree with others, if you can’t trust yourself not to drive the car without accidentally speeding, you shouldn’t be driving it until you’ve had more lessons.

I'm not talking about someone doing 50 in a 30.
I'm talking about someone overtaking you for being 4 or 5 mph under the speed limit for 5 seconds.
I would hardly say being overly cautious after driving for 3 /4 days makes me a idiot either.

What, any overtaking? Ever? So if I meet a tractor or a combine or a horse or a cyclist, I'm just meant to crawl along behind them even if it's safe to overtake? Don't be daft, op.

Get some more driving practice in - perhaps your old instructor would take you out in your new car for a few sessions to build your confidence up. I guarantee that before long you'll be overtaking too - though safely, legally and without undue aggression, I'd hope! And for goodness sake prioritise getting the hang of maintaining a constant speed or someone will run into the back of you, and the fact that legally it would be their fault will be no comfort whatsoever in that situation.

OP it's one thing to be a new driver and be overly cautious and I can understand that

But it's silly to then start being judgey to other drivers when by your own statement you are new and inexperienced

He shouldn't have been aggressive or used the finger but what you were doing was really irritating

The man in the van was an idiot there are some very impatient people out there. I’ve had people beep their horn at junctions because they think I’m too slow when there is a car passing literally inches in front of me so if I’d have gone I’d have hit them.
Having said that dropping to 25mph for a speed camera is bad driving and if i has been behind you I would have though ‘wtf are they doing’ although I wouldn’t have done anything stupid to let you know about it.