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Original poster

To think people who overtake are idiots?

677 replies

sallyhansen32 · 15/07/2018 08:36

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.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
TorviBrightspear · 15/07/2018 10:47

treaclesoda I believe those new drivers are also supposed to have P plate on the car for that first year.

MaisyPops · 15/07/2018 10:48

When someone beeps or gestures at you acknowledge if you are fault (sometimes you will be), learn from it, then get on with your day.
I would agree
Typical residential area, good conditions, good visibility = 30mph
Dual carriageway, good conditions and good visibility =65-70mph

Country road that's national speed limit = anywhere from 35-55 depending on the bends and visibility but always aiming yo make reasonable progress along the road. If you get a queue behind you, pull in and let them past.

Original poster
sallyhansen32 · 15/07/2018 10:48

Like I've also said he was behind me all the time..he approached quickly then overtook me straight away.
He didn't drive behind me for 5 miles then speed past me..
He drove to my side stuck his finger up and went in front.
At no time did I get in his way

OP posts:
MaisyPops · 15/07/2018 10:49

Copy fail Blush

That was in reply to someone saying that in normal good conditions, the speed limit acts as a reasonable benchmark most od the time.

Pengggwn · 15/07/2018 10:50

Whoever said don't worry about what's going on behind you, just focus on what's in front is an idiot!

Actually, no, I am not an idiot. What I meant - which would be clear to you if you had read my other comments and the context of the conversation I was having - is that the cars behind you are not your responsibility. It is the obligation of the driver of the car behind you to overtake safely. It is the obligation of the driver of the car behind you to maintain a safe stopping distance from you. Their actions should not affect you at all. Obviously, at the point at which they have completed their overtaking manoeuvre, they are then the car in front, and the obligations transfer to you.

Nikephorus · 15/07/2018 10:50

Your rear view mirror is for: reversing, being aware of whether someone is overtaking, being aware of dangerous drivers, etc. It isn't so you can worry about the safety of people in other cars and adjust your driving for them. That is for them to do.
You should be checking your mirrors before you turn & before you overtake - otherwise you could be starting a manoeuvre when the driver behind has already started safely overtaking you.

willdoitinaminute · 15/07/2018 10:51

Having just done a speed awareness course, driving at the speed limit is only ok if the circumstances are safe. 30mph is the upper legal limit and it is not compulsory, however slamming on your brakes when you spot a speed camera is dangerous and will illicit the response of the overtaking driver. The advice given on courses is to drive just below the limit when appropriate then you don’t need to slow down!

BuggerLumpsAnnoyed · 15/07/2018 10:51

I over take regularly. Where I live it's one long country road to the next town. A lot of people seem to drive it at 30/40 (it's national speed limit most of the way, a couple of villages that are 30mph that they still drive 40mpg through) Fine, do what you like but if I find a safe place to over take, I will.

I actually think it's bloody rude to drive very slowly. Like "I've not not to be anywhere soon so fuck everyone else"

Picklesandpies · 15/07/2018 10:51

Oh for goodness sake - here come The 'you shouldn't be driving if you don't know how to do everything perfectly already' brigade. So high and mighty! It's completely natural to be a bit tentative for the first few weeks or months. That's why they say you don't truly learn until you drive on your own. 25mph isn't 15mph and it was for a very short time. You're fine, don't worry.

Pengggwn · 15/07/2018 10:52

Nikephorus

Yes, the rear view mirror is for making sure your own maneovre is completed safely, too. It isn't for making sure you are going fast enough for the car behind you.

treaclesoda · 15/07/2018 10:52

treaclesoda I believe those new drivers are also supposed to have P plate on the car for that first year.

It's an R plate here. But I was just talking about the speed really. If 45mph is dangerous, it's dangerous with or without an R plate.

Pengggwn · 15/07/2018 10:53

*manoeuvre

AirForce0ne · 15/07/2018 10:54

Would you consider driving on a motorway at 51mph to be safe?

It can be. If it's pouring with rain and there's no visibility, the ones who insist on doing more than 70 mph are irresponsible idiots.

If people were as experienced as they claim they are on this post, they would be ready to slow down when they see a camera, not because you should, but because you know that there's 50% chance the one in front of you will, if not by slamming on their brakes!

Bad drivers are also the ones who are familiar with roads, but can't comprehend that the one in front of them has never driven there before and are more cautious.
Bad drivers are also the ones who are not familiar with roads and insist on keeping to the speed limit and not understanding that the one in front does know the area and has very good reasons to slow down there!

Unless they are putting your life at risk by being reckless, being irate against other driver means you are the bad driver here, sorry.

Original poster
sallyhansen32 · 15/07/2018 10:56

Do people only read what they want?
At no point did I slam on my breaks
At no point did I drive so slow someone was up my arse either.
In hindsight I didn't need to drive at 25mph for 5 seconds but I did ..
I'm sure il also make other cock ups ...
I'm willing to drive at quiet times to learn and that's all I can do.

OP posts:
lapenguin · 15/07/2018 10:56

I’m a new driver and was driving 30mph on a 30 road but was unsure of the road and cars were parked and a speed camera was approaching,I ended up crashing into a parked car

I would have got "why didn't you slow down if you were unsure”

No we would have been asking how you ended up hitting a parked car... We have all been new drivers before, passing speed cameras with parked cars. We don't all end up hitting other cars... If they are parked safely and you are driving straight then you shouldn't hit them.
If you have hit them and they have parked unsafely or illegally then they get the blame.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 15/07/2018 10:59

OP, your first post has I think given the wrong impression. You're a new driver and inexperienced. That will change.

The best advice I had when I was learning is that when I would eventually be out on my own, I could ALWAYS make it possible for somebody in a rush to pass me. There reasons aren't my business. I don't need to compete for road space or stop them going past me, regardless of their speed.

Be safe and let people pass you. Indicate left when it's safe (not at a junction) so they can see what you're doing, and let them past you. The 'P' plates should be obvious but if they're not then just drive safely yourself.

Also, there's no shame in having a few post-test lessons with your instructor to build up some confidence in your driving.

Good luck!

IrregularCommentary · 15/07/2018 10:59

I wouldn't have been aggressive or given you the finger, but I'd have overtaken you if safe to do so.

Someone already driving below 30 who then slows down for a speed camera is beyond irritating, and tbh if you're that nervous behind the wheel I'd worry about you doing something erratic that I couldn't predict so I would feel safer away from you.

AirForce0ne · 15/07/2018 11:00

I actually think it's bloody rude to drive very slowly. Like "I've not not to be anywhere soon so fuck everyone else"

that's not how it works! Unless you are driving too close, and that makes many of us slow down until you finally back down, people have perfectly valid reasons to drive slowly

Again, 20 on a normal day on the M25 is lunacy. 5 or 10mph below the speed limit might be slower than you would like, but it's not unreasonable! I rephrase that, your speed should depend on your environment, so driving way below the speed limit might be the only safe thing to do!

lljkk · 15/07/2018 11:00

"Do people only read what they want?"

That's the very least of it. People completely project on what you said, something else that happened to them and get mad at you like they were mad about the other thing that ever happened. So you're story about easing off the accelerator for 5 seconds becomes "She slammed on the brakes very sharply and the other driver had to swerve wildly to avoid hitting her!" coz that happened to them once. Or maybe their DH or their Mum tells a story like that. It's called projection. Baffling. I think folk like to do it as some kind of catharsis or maybe just they enjoying hating.

duckfuckduck · 15/07/2018 11:02

@treaclesoda have you ever heard that R plates are responsible for crash for cash scams? Northern Ireland seems to manage quite well with them from what my wider family say. And there isn’t a rash of new drivers getting deliberately crashed into.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 15/07/2018 11:05

70isalimit

Would you consider driving on a motorway at 51mph to be safe? That’s the equivalent of what the OP did, and would be considered dangerous driving by most.

How longs a piece of string?
25mph in a 30mph does not equate to 51mph in a 70mph, you've just taken % and tried to make it fit .

Yes there are occasions where 51mph is the optimum safe speed , you need to read the road .
But on many occasions I'm doing 70mph in the left lane and I'm the slowest one there.

Not my problem.

And Sally I'll agree with the grow a thicker skin comments Wink

SharronNeedles · 15/07/2018 11:07

The thing is, he had no idea how long you would be driving at 25mph for. For all he knew, you may start to go slower, you may speed up, you may be lost, you may suddenly stop! You've proven yourself (to him) to be unpredictable and he wanted to get past you and get away. That is all completely fair enough. He should not have sworn.

treaclesoda · 15/07/2018 11:09

@treaclesoda have you ever heard that R plates are responsible for crash for cash scams? Northern Ireland seems to manage quite well with them from what my wider family say. And there isn’t a rash of new drivers getting deliberately crashed into.

I've never heard of R plates being a particular target of crash for cash scams. Having said that, personal injury claims in N Ireland are a problem in general...

BonnieF · 15/07/2018 11:12

I’m a very experienced driver, and in the situation OP describes, I would have overtaken her decisively at the first safe opportunity, without rude gestures.

She was obviously hesitant and dithering, which means the standard of her driving was a concern. Random, unpredictable braking for no reason is bad driving, full stop. If I were behind her, I would be wondering what she would do next, so I would use my car’s performance to put distance between us.

Original poster
sallyhansen32 · 15/07/2018 11:13

I personally think you can't predict what any driver is going to do.

OP posts:
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