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.

Going on the OPs info, she is 100% NBU, the van driver is a massiv arsehole and it sounds like many PPs are too!

She dropped her speed by a FEW mph for a FEW seconds while travelling past a SPEED CAMERA

Of course overtaking is reasonable when circumstances dictate but I’m sorry, overtaking someone doing 25mph in a 30 with a speed camera is a massive, colossal fucktrumpet.
He would have had to go above 30 to complete this manoeuvre in an area that is obviously low speed for a reason. He showed ZERO patience, as OP stated, she sped up again after a few seconds.

OP I’m afraid the roads are filled with wankers, so some P Plates might be useful (although they can sometimes make the already-tossers on the roads even more aggressive), and if you’re really struggling confidence wise with your new car, see if your instructor could come out with you for another session?

Randomly changing speed increases the odds of an accident. Driving the entire stretch at 25 would in many ways have been less annoying. But being behind someone who suddenly alters their speed for no apparent reason is irritating. It doesn't justify gesticulating at you, but it isn't a good idea.

YABU - overtaking slower moving vehicles so long as done safely is fine. I’m not sitting behind some idiot pootling along at 40 mph say on a 60 mph road where it’s safe to get past them and drive nearer the speed limit.

The guy who went past you was a knob though

To specifically answer your specific question, no, people who overtake are not idiots. YOU are the inexperienced driver in this scenario, there wasn't an accident, he didn't nearly cause one, therefore it was safe to overtake. Given that you were doing 25 on your dash and therefore 22 IRL, he wouldn't have exceeded the limit to overtake you either.

He didn't overtake you specifically because you breifly slowed down, he overtook you because panicky slowing in good conditions is indicative of a very inexperienced or a very POOR driver. You are the first but he's not to know it's not the latter, and he probably doesn't want to trail behind you at 43 in a 60 while you brake at manhole covers and crisp packets.

The speed limit is INDEED a limit, and not a target, and if you drive below it on your driving test when the conditions do not indicate that you should do so, you will FAIL on the grounds of "impeding the normal flow of traffic."

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

Nobody can, decisively. But after some driving experience you'll begin to see those subtle things that can indicate what the driver ahead (or behind) is going to do. Just make sure you give yourself a decent gap between you and the car in front to give yourself extra space and time to react.

You don't sound confident enough to have passed your test OP.

The other driver was wrong to stick his finger up at you but if you came off the accelerator without warning or braking to slow down for a speed camera when you weren't speeding in the first place, you were erratic at best and dangerous at worst.

If you do drive erratically and keep dropping your speed for no reason and without warning, people will feel safer by overtaking you, although hopefully they only do so when it's safe and without the finger gestures.

It's his responsibility to keep a safe distance between you and him as he was behind you, but if you slow down by coming off the accelerator and you're not braking or indicating to warn him, that second or two before he realises what you are doing make a big difference to his stopping gap and safety.

Everyone makes mistakes while driving, and this is something you can learn from. The speed camera isn't going to get you for driving at 30mph in a 30mph zone but if you are that worried you do need to give other road users some warning that you are slowing down. Can you get someone to come out with you to help you build your confidence?

I didn't panicky react either ..I eased off the gas slightly.

I've been driving for years, passed my test first time, so let's say I'm not a bad driver. I still rarely ever overtake. Because I'm not an impatient twat.

I think I am confident enough.
I'm sure I wouldn't have passed my test either.
People seem to gather a lot of thoughts and presumptions from me saying I drop my speed slightly as I was a bit nervous about getting 3 points.
Nowhere did I state i was terrified of being on the toad.

The other driver was wrong to stick his finger up at you but if you came off the accelerator without warning or braking to slow down for a speed camera when you weren't speeding in the first place, you were erratic at best and dangerous at worst.

Easing off the accelerator before braking is perfectly sensible driving, whereas braking indicates to the driver behind that there is a possibility you are going to come to a stop. If you aren't, this is potentially misleading and unnecessary. Only brake if you need to brake. There is no need to try to signal to anyone behind you - they have eyes.

Op, if you want to drive you’ll need to get accustomed to people doing the unexpected, doing something stupid, driving inconsiderately or being rude - as well as those who are careful and courteous. You’ll get used to it, you’ll learn to anticipate it in many cases but be aware of your own driving too. I go through three speed cameras on my way to work and then back again, LOTS regularly brake when they are near them as they are either nervy like you or uncertain of the speed limit (despite the signs) and they’re certainly not all new drivers. Is it a bit irritating? Honestly, yes, but it’s predictable and not illegal, a decent driver would be prepared for it and not taken by surprise or needing to overtake in a strop, middle finger aloft!

You encountered a dick today, you’ll encounter them every day - as you get used to driving your skills will improve, you will be more confident and something like that will just wash over you.

Because I'm not an impatient twat

Overtaking safely when required to do so does not make one an “impatient twat”

Can I suggest you re read what Maisypops said at 9.58. I’m wondering if he got annoyed with you because you sped up whilst he was overtaking you and he needed to accelerate to complete his manoeuvre. This is something you must not do. It’s makes overtaking unsafe and you risk causing an accident.

You will get better. The way I see it my instructor taught me to pass the test and drive safely. When I passed it was my turn to increase my driving abilities and to become an experienced driver. I am very aware of what is behind me, infront and to the side. I anticipate in a way that you are not yet able and can get into pretty much any car and drive wtih confidence. It is fine to be more cautious at the moment. Confidence comes with good experience.

Personally being behind a car doing 26/7 then dropping down to 25 with no warning in a 30 zone in good weather conditions with little traffic around risks making the driver behind nervous or angry.

Personally being behind a car doing 26/7 then dropping down to 25 with no warning in a 30 zone in good weather conditions with little traffic around risks making the driver behind nervous or angry.

Dropping from 26 to 25? Nervous? Really? You couldn't make it up.

You were driving excessively slow and someone was frustrated and overtook you. He shouldn't have been rude, especially as you had a P plate, but there are arseholes on the road so get a thicker skin and ignore them.

That road is literally wide enough to fit a bus through with plenty of room to spare (as shown in your photo) and the parked cars don't encroach onto the driving lane in any way but you use the parked cars as a reason for further slowing excessively when already under the speed limit. He shouldnt have been rude but I think you are minimising the impact of your actions and maximising his which is expected with a not yet competent driver. If you are as anxious of so many things that you have given as reasons for your excessive slowness on a wide road you might need more practice with a driving instructor in your new car to raise your confidence.

27 then 25 mph is excessively slow?

Jesus, doing 25 for a minute is fine! You are new to driving. I would be annoyed though but you are fine lol. He was being an impatient idiot. Ignore the odiots supporting on here!

The speed limit is a limit and there is nothing at all wrong with you driving slower than the limit.

If it annoys other drivers then that is there issue, you are driving legally and safely

If the driver behinds wants to over take then that is there prerogative and as king as legal shouldn’t be an issue

Op if you want to driver at 25 in a 30 limit that is fine and legal, your neither holding anyone up or breaking any laws

Catgirl The point is not whether a bumbling elderly driver should be on the road the fact is they are. You probably will be one day too. Giving up driving is a huge step for someone who has previously enjoyed their independence. Some do it quite easily. For others it is a sort of slow grieving process that they need to go through. F-I-l was going to let us have his car which delighted DH. Then he changed his mind. He no longer drives, m-I-l does it all, in her car. But he likes to go sit in his car. He doesn't yet want to admit he's never going to do it again. That's fine as far as I'm concerned.

Quote from Churchil

"Thirty years ago only 1 in 3 men and 1 in every 20 women over 70 held a driver’s licence.

Today that figure is closer to three quarters of men and a third of women, and the number of over 70s on Britain’s roads is likely to double over the next 20 year"

Anyway the point is no one knows why the driver in front is being hesitant, there are lots of good reasons why they may be driving less confidently than you who knows the road and where you're going so competently. Do your blood pressure a favour. Show some consideration and back off. It's the safe thing to do.

The aggressive behaviour is crap, but slowing to 25 is too, particularly if you put your brakes on suddenly. Drives me mad when people do this at speed cameras

One thing I learned is never look at other drivers -just watch the road and vehicles. Ditto in rear view mirror. Knobheads especially on roundabouts and junctions can do the condescending headshake, raise their hand/hands palms up in a WTF attitude, or a one finger salute. All infuriating as you are most likely driving ok but they are going too fast.
Just never look so they don’t get the satisfaction of winding you up.

Personally I think driving past a school warrants reducing your speed to below 30mph. I have just done a speed awareness course and it was made clear that slowing to below the speef limit is not only perfectly acceptable but legally required of all drivers. if you judge the conditions/ environment warrsnts it, you slow down. It is not bad driving at all, it is defensive driving which most people don't do so they blame the other driver for 'doing something unexpected'

It is safe and appropriate driving to slow down near a school. please ignore everyone who says otherwise

Overtaking is a perfectly legitimate thing to do (in some circumstances, when safe). Him sticking his fingers up at you was a dick move.

It is concerning that you're not sure how much pressure to apply to your accelerator in the car though - you will find that if you routinely drop to well below the speed limit people will get frustrated. Coild you maybe have a couple of extra lessons with your instructor so that you're confident in your car? I feel like it should be second nature/muscle memory - you should be absolutely sure that you can get the car to do exactly what you need, particularly in a tricky situation.

However nobody should act like that driver did (and I HATED being a learner driver because people getting annoyed when I stalled etc at the beginning of learning really upset me) but it's infuriating when someone doing 30mph suddenly slams their brake on and goes down to a crawl past a speed camera.

Unless you are an idiot, everyone drops their speed in the vicinity of a camera. You have no idea how accurate your car speedo is. They all have a margin of error. And claiming that 'my speedo showed 30' does not cut any ice with the police. You will get a ticket. So the OP is being perfectly reasonable.

OP, if I make make a suggestion; there are plates you can buy for your car after you pass your test. Like an 'L' plate, but I think they show a green 'P'. If I were you I'd invest in a set for your first few weeks, until your confidence is up. It shows impatient arseholes like me and the van driver exactly where you are in your driving career, and 99 per cent of people will cut you more slack.

On a similar theme, I think older drivers like my mum should display a purple 'O' on their vehicles. Then we know what we are in for when stuck behind them; 17 mph on country lanes, followed by 43mph past schools and hospitals

Also OP As a new driver, take this thread a a warning as to how many idiot drivers there are out there. Most of them think they are god's gift to driving.

In fact most decent drivers would say that everyone (including they themselves) make mistakes and those drivers DO NOT on the whole get ridiculously angry if someone is driving a bit slowly. They focus on making sure their own driving is as safe as possible in the environment they are in and don't get annoyed unless the other driver makes a dick move like aggressively overtaking a car doing 25mph in a30 mph zone while showing a finger.

The other driver was crap in this instance OP, not you. What you did, in no way could be said to have provoked that behaviour.

Keep driving safely