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.

Just read the update. So you were going slower than the "guide" speed and actually slowed down further without any indication to the car behind (I.e. no brake light to tell them). I wouldn't have given you the finger but your ears would definitely have been burning about the sheer carelessness of your driving.

Absolutely appalling.

Sounds liked you need to concentrate on your own driving before passing judgement on anyone else. Overtaking is perfectly reasonable providing the conditions allow for it.

Wow everyone here seems to have forgotten what it was like to be a new driver. I hardly think going at 25 in a 30 is a reason to get such a hammering.

There are idiots out there who don’t think speed limits apply to them - someone overtook me in between islands whilst driving through a village with a 30 limit.

But one day you’ll overtake someone OP and realise how far you’ve come

I’m an experienced driver and often do 25 or even 20 on roads with a 30mpg limit, because I’m judging the conditions and using my common sense e.g. it’s raining heavily, or I’m about to pass a school, or I’m on a residential road with a lot of parked cars obscuring the view of pedestrians.

I think you were being sensible, OP. You’re a new driver, driving defensively.

Toughtips to be fair, early Sunday morning is probably one of the quietest times to go out, but I’d agree with you that the OP should do this.

OP-a lot of the comments are being a bit harsh here. Don’t let this one occasion knock your confidence. Every driver was a new driver at some point, and in the grand scheme of things what you did wasn’t terrible. Some drivers are very quick to forget what being a new driver is like.

You sound very unsure of your driving ability OP. If you were already driving at under 30 then slowed again I can see why the other driver was frustrated - you were too slow for the road and not maintains a consistent speed. Driving like that will cause an accident.

I overtake on a regular basis. I am not an idiot.

Does everyone get the feel for a new car straight away?
Every car drives different,and this car drives so different to the one I learnt in.

Only if they drive lots of different cars! Most cars are much of a muchness, most things are in broadly the same place, and the only real difference is if you drive something much more or less powerful than you're used to and just where the clutch bites. My garage takes great delight in giving me a different loan car every time I take one of ours in, just to see if I stall it or kangaroo hop out of the compound. I never have.

Anyway, there's absolutely nothing wrong with overtaking safely and suddenly dropping speed to way below the limit it for no apparent reason is bloody irritating for drivers behind. I hope you drive with P plates to warn other road users that you're a new driver!

Doing what you've described demonstrates that you're a crap driver and will be driving like that the whole time - hesitant, unpredictable, likely to keep slowing down and braking unnecessarily.

you are very unfair, it's not being a crap driver, it's being a beginner. Of course, most of us will overtake at the first opportunity, but in the meantime, just slow down, give them a bit of space. There's absolutely no need to get infuriated and stressed about it. How are people supposed to learn if they don't have a chance to practice? Do you think you were an amazing driver when you passed your test? You don't sound like an amazing driver now either.

Some people are new to driving, others just had been involved in an accident and are working on getting their confidence back. There are no "Practice" roads in the UK, so they have to drive with the rest of us. Just remember that you and I are the traffic that actually cause them stress - driving would be so much nicer if there was no one else on the road, but that's not going to happen is it.

This was the road in question

Did you slow down gradually or brake sharply?

Tbh OP a lot of people here have told you that this us not normal driving and you constantly justify it by repeating that you are inexperienced and not used to the car. What you're not taking on board is that being on a public road when you can't hold a constant speed and are not fully in control of your car makes you a bit of a danger to other road users.

For your own safety and that of other road users please buy a few more sessions with a qualified instructor in your new car before going out on the road on your own. You can't expect everyone else to drive with regard to your (lack of) ability.

In a couple of years, when you have more experience, you'll realise how ridiculous your arguments here sound.

Did your driving instructor not teach you to cope with speed cameras?

I have a friend who drives like it sounds like you do.
She slows sharply for every perceived hazard and starts slowing for a turn about a quarter of a mile early for a turn. Frankly she terrifies me with her driving. She’s already had a couple of mishaps and it’s only a matter of time before she causes a major accident but it won’t be her fault as she drives “safely”.

Il get better each time I get out on my own.
I'm sure most people aren't exactly perfect straight away

That looks like a standard 30mph road. How do you think the picture helps?

Did he really Stick his fingers up? You are a cautious new driver but stopped looking at the road long enough to look at the driver passing you who would have been sat on the far side of the van to you and managed to see him sticking his fingers up?

Really?

Northern Ireland has mandatory ‘R’ plates for a year after passing your test. The R stands for Restricted and the driver is restricted to a max speed of 45mph. It also warns other road users that you’re a new driver.

I think they would be useful on the rest of the Uk.

you can overtake someone doing less than the speed limit is totally acceptable. (That is if road markings and signs allow it, you have a clear view ahead and you don't exceed the speed limit in doing so.)

Driving aggressively (upto close, shouting making jestures etc) because someone isn't driving the way you deem correct isn't acceptable is idiotic.

Sometimes you should drive under the speed limit - road conditions determine your speed more than the limit (it being the limit not the target).

Driving 5mph under the speed limit is fine too. It's not 'dangerous' or a 'nuiscance' as I've seen claimed on MN (different threads). It might be annoying to other drivers though, so expect other drivers to overtake if you do.

There's a lot on posters on MN who get angry at the idea of others posters about driving under the speed limit. (I've seen a claim that people driving at 70 on the motorway are 'trying to control' the speed of everyone on the road.) So you've been warned, you get arsey comments on this thread!!

If you droppped suddently for few seconds, he might have been angry, because he had to slam break. Still. Rude.
Overtaking is a normal and often necessary thing.
I think the question would be better if you asked
"AIBU to think people wo overtake hile flipping me out are idiots"

OP - "AIBU?"
Everyone - "Yup, YABU."
OP - "But... But... But..."

To be fair though I think you're getting some stick because you didn't say "people who overtake aggressively in a 30 zone and then give you the finger are idiots" you just made a blanket statement about overtaking.

I overtook a tractor yesterday on a long straight road with visibility. I am not an idiot!

You will find that going under the speed limit by 15 - 20% maybe frustrating for more experienced drivers behind you. You're within your rights to do so but if they're familiar with the road and used to just going along at 30 someone dropping below that could be annoying. No one should give anyone the finger but as you've learned, some people will

All of these perfect drivers, well done.

A 30 zone, going past a school - 25 is absolutely acceptable and I'm not sure why there are so many posters saying that you should have been driving at 30. You are spot on op, it's a limit not a target. There are some very stupid people out there who believe that because 30 is the limit it is always safe to drive at 30. These are the same stupid people who drive at 30 through residential areas because 'it's legal'. No. Sometimes it's safer to drop your speed, slower than 30 is perfectly safe.

This is different to higher speed roads where dropping speed by 4/5 mph quickly can be dangerous, but this is a judgement you will make at the time. The problem with a lot of drivers is that they see one rule and believe it applies the whole time, within the speed limits there are different ways of adhering to them and what is safe in one situation is no always safe in another.

That driver was a twat to be aggressive and to overtake in a residential area. If other drivers feel that they are 'stuck' behind other drivers then they should leave earlier, it's not a race track and other drivers are not responsible for the timescales others give themselves.

I'm sorry but like I said I'm a new driver so I didn't want to rush through and risk anything.
I wanted to go a tiny bit slower.
My instructor taught me that 30 isn't a target just a guide so that's what I did.

You were driving below 30 and you dropped even slower to pass through the speed camera. That's not necessary and it's not good driving.

He did stick his fingers up,he made sure he drove next to me till he got in front.
No need to swear it someone.

My instructor taught me that 30 isn't a target just a guide so that's what I did

Yes, but what you’re not seeing is the presence or absence of speed cameras should not influence how fast you’re driving. Slowing down for speed cameras when you’re already driving at (or below) the speed limit is unnecessary, annoying and can be dangerous.