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.

Driving 5 miles under the speed limit near a school is not a big deal. People who are saying you shouldn't be driving are being unreasonable. Unless you have cruise control on constantly you should expect a small variation in your speed anyway so 5 mph seems no biggie.

The van driver was just another angry idiot on the road. Don't let it get to you, though I know it can be horrible. It happens and will happen again no doubt so brush it off.

Give her a break she's a new driver and being sensible.

I agree OP. They're idiots, idiots, idiots.

I usually see them a mile or so along the road - they're not usually that bright and choose the slowest lanes .

TittyGolightly

You're being a bit silly, really. Driving at 25mph down a motorway puts you at around a third of the speed limit. Of course that is dangerous, as cars behind driving within the limit may not have time to see and avoid your car. Driving 5mph under a 30mph limit isn't a safety issue. It might annoy some people, but it isn't a hazard.

Titty you are showing your ignorance of highway code.

20 or 30 mph on a normal urban road is a limit. LIMIT Not a minimum, or an average. A limit. Get it?

The Motorways rules are slightly different. People are meant to drive around 70 mph as an average. Though slow lane is sometimes slower than that 60-70. But you are not meant to drive slowly on a motor way , its a completely different scenario.

P.S. Speed limits and averages are only guides. The highway code is you drive to conditions. So if its foggy you might drive 10 mph. Or if there were lots of children you might drive 5-15 mph for example.

Speed LIMITS are exactly that - limits i.e. the maximum speed you can legally drive. They are not targets. Therefore someone driving at around 25 in a 30 zone is not doing anything wrong. There are many country roads where I live which are national speed limits (60) but you'd never actually drive them at 60 or you'd be in the hedge pretty quickly. Its common sense - obey the speed limit but drive to the road conditions.
Van driver was quite within his rights to overtake as long as it was safe to do so and he kept with the 30 limit. Sticking the finger up was just him/her being offensive which was not necessary.

Simple, if you can't keep up...KEEP OFF

Maybe you'll be a little more tolerant of new drivers when your own kids head out for the first time with their P plates.

Loads of the messages have criticised you for slowing down in a 30 area. If there are traffic calming measures then there WILL have been accidents in this area. 30 is a limit not a target and therefore 25mph is perfectly sensible and the driver who overtook you was driving dangerously. Ignore the idiot.

DD will be driving on tracks by about 12. She’ll be an old hand by 17. And disinherited if I hear of her doing 25 in a 30 without reason.

And disinherited if I hear of her doing 25 in a 30 without reason.

Please don't teach your DD that speed is more important than safety, Titty.

P PLATES get yourself some P plates or put as big black cross through your L plates and it’s amazing how people will give you a wide birth or a bit extra leeway.

Unfortunately people such as that the OP encountered are allowed licences, who probably should not be. As governments are beholden to the motoring lobby.

4i have driven for years and I drive every day through 20/30 speed limiters - where people LIVE walk dogs, ride bikes - including small children on the way to school.

I slow down around a school because out of control kids can run anywhere. You drive under the limit to adapt to circumstances it is a limit - not a speed you stick to regardless. The same when I get to a 60 speed limit, if the road is narrow, windy, has deer crossing, farm equipment, cyclists I don’t drive at 60 saying this is the limit!

Ignore the idiots out there, most drive too fast

OP keep being careful, don’t be intimidated! I confess to getting impatient if i’m stuck behind a vehicle driving excessively slowly but not for a few minutes and especially not near a school where there is an increased likelihood of unexpected hazards!

I often drive at 30 in the 40 mph zone through our village because it’s really dangerous and has elderly people and families with young children and pushchairs trying to cross!

You should adjust your speed according to conditions as you see them and other drivers should be more tolerant - me included!!

If you suddenly dropped your speed that would annoy me. Do you have P plates? I got overtaken a lot until I took them off as people assumed the worst.

I think as long as it's done safely, not over a solid white line and not risking yourself or affecting any other drivers then it's perfectly fine.

Not so fine to be a knobhead about it though and give you the finger!!

Please don't teach your DD that speed is more important than safety, Titty.

I said without reason. 30mph in a 30mph in good conditions is a reasonable expectation.

If you were near a school,shouldnt the limit be 20 mph?

TittyGolightly

The only reasonable expectation is for your child to develop their own judgement about safe speed, within the law, and follow it. Grow up.

P PLATES get yourself some P plates or put as big black cross through your L plates and it’s amazing how people will give you a wide birth or a bit extra leeway.

In this case the OP’s P plates made no difference whatsoever.

You are a new driver ... so please just drive the car to best of your ability and driving slower by a school through a speed camera is not a problem - as you get used to your new car you ll sail through at 3o on the dot.
Van drivers seem to not have any patience along with taxi drivers ( being ex both taxi and van driver I can say that !!! 😂)
But there was no need to stick there fingers up. If you have nt got the Green P on your car / I d suggest you get one - just to let people know you are new to it all not being a slow driver on purpose.

And gosh everyone else . remember what it was like to be a new driver ? I bet you all drove like snails to begin with .. you know the way you were taught.
How about some support and good road advice for a new driver ?

Good luck and happy driving :)

She’ll be an old hand by 17.

Or over confident and with no roadsense.

I've just googled MMT as I hadn't heard of it before and it sounds far too complicated for me! I'm used to manual but have enjoyed driving automatic hire cars. It really does sound a bit of a nightmare for a new driver first car. If you bought it from a dealer I would try and take it back. DH had to return a car that gave him back ache. You'll take a hit financially probably but better than a hit on the open road!
You may have some wriggle room if you stress that you have been missold a car unsuitable for a new driver - did you even have a test drive? Is there anyone who can come with you and help you choose a more suitable car?

Or over confident and with no roadsense.

In what way was the OP displaying roadsense by slowing down without any need or any indication?

She’s blamed not being used to her car - won’t be an issue for DD.

You don’t think under confidence is dangerous?

I was track racing at 13 and got my driving licence the day after my 17th birthday. I had a racing licence by 18. 22 years on I’ve never had any points for speeding or any accidents (apart from my car being driven into whilst parked and left). Rather blows your theory.

I suspect DD will be more interested in flying jets by 17.

I think regardless of the speed and the manoeuvre, it's worth remembering that some people are just rude and unnecessarily aggressive behind the wheel.

Somebody pulled out in front of me the other day, on a roundabout, when they shouldn't have, so I pressed my horn once to indicate that I was there as maybe they hadn't seen me and all I got a series of hand gestures in return, but none of them indicated that he was sorry.