Speed limits - please explain

[wherestheaircon]

You're driving through the country roads. You're in a 30mph zone going through a school - fair dos - best not to risk any kids running into the road so let's stick to the limit. HOWEVER. You drive another mile or so and pass a clearly labelled "40"mph but you carry on doing 30 - sometimes you even dip down to 25, and break randomly with no reasoning (to add, I'm keeping a very reasonable and safe distance between our vehicles). The roads aren't that busy - couple of cars here and there but it's definitely safe to go up to 40mph otherwise they wouldn't put that restriction on.

So why in the world are you STILL doing 30 when you've entered a 40 zone??!!! You even drive through a 60mph zone and creep up to 40mph but no further than that. I am being so genuine when I ask that, if this sounds like you, why? I'm sure if there's a reasonable explanation I will be ok...

It's laziness. And it makes me rage daily.

Because the speed limit is not a target, that's why.

It’s too hot to bother.

Random braking suggests either they aren't sure where they are going, or someone is tailgating.
Speed is personal choice as long as within the limit - could be they are relaxing and enjoying the drive - would you comment about someone ambling rather than striding briskly down the pavement?

It's a limit not a target

Why the rush everywhere?
I thought the other day Whatever happened to motoring? Driving for pleasure not in some mad impatient rush.

Making no effort to get up towards the speed limit in good conditions is just selfish. You may be "enjoying the drive", others of us are trying to get to places in a timeframe commensurate with the speed limit of the roads we are driving on.

And I still think it's mostly laziness. People can't be bothered adjusting their speed in line with limits so bimble about everywhere at 42 so they don't have to take proper notice of where they are and what they should be doing.

All good points. It's not a target but I find doing between 30-40mph in a 60 a bit much - particularly when you can see cars starting to back up behind. It took me nearly 3 hours to get home from London this evening due to train issues. Last leg of the journey and I followed a car all the way home for 6 miles doing 30mph - went through multiple 30, 40 and 60 zones. We did 25mph for at least a mile.

Depends on the road.
If I don't feel safe, if it's twisty, if I've not been there before, if I'm following sat nav etc. I'm driving the speed I'm happy at and I don't give a toss what people behind me do.

Perhaps they're lost?
Not familiar with the road so want to take their time?
Drunk?
Trying to prevent global warming by reducing their emissions?

I agree with you OP. I remember on my driving lessons the instructor telling me it was dangerous and I would fail my test if I did not keep pace with the speed limit.

I suppose there are a number of reasons someone might drive more slowly than the limit. They might be feeling a bit unwell and want to take it slowly. The car might be showing signs of struggling. They might disagree with you about the road conditions. They might be focusing on driving more economically than quickly.

Just thought, they could have a sick child, adult or pet in the car too

We live quite rurally and often have lots of slower drivers pootling about doing slow speeds. DH gets some kind of inner rage at them but I can't find it in me to care or get the rage.

Not only is it not a target but it's a limit based on 'ideal road conditions ie good visibility, dry road surface etc. The driver in front may be elderly, unsure of their destination/may be a newish driver. Is it irritating ? maybe but if I get home safely I'll take that as the preferred option

I sat behind someone doing 55 in the outer lane of a motorway the other day. Drives me nuts. Either get up to speed or get the fuck over! Preferably both!

And some silly cow doing about 25 on a 60 road, long straight, could see for miles. No overtaking, naturally.

Pulled up next to her at the roundabout eventually, looked over and she was fannying about on her phone. God it gives me the rage.

Because the speed limit is not a target, that's why.

Bingo.

Interesting reading these comments and different views. All very valid points. Being unfamiliar with the road is sure the one I can sympathise with the most. But as someone has said, on occasion it IS dangerous to be driving so slow and not be able to keep up with traffic in perfectly good conditions (eg, it's not dark, the road is dry, there aren't many cars or pedestrians around). However, perhaps there are in equal measure lazy and don't feel the need to rush. I do find this selfish behaviour. I don't really get a proper inner rage on the road (unless you pull out in front of me and I have to slam the breaks) but it's bloody well annoying for sure, particularly when I've already travelled nearly 3 hours to get to this last leg.

If they’re braking suddenly in front of you perhaps your distance wasn’t as large and safe as you thought. People often brake randomly if they feel they’re being tailgated

Or maybe it was a new driver or someone who doesn’t know the roads

I hate feeling forced to drive at national speed limit around some twisty country road, it feels very unsafe to me. Not in this situation but perhaps they felt like that

There was a tree/sheep/slight curve in the road and it was scary. Or they wanted to look at the view and bollocks to the rest of us.

I assume these people live in a town and have got it into their heads that roads in the countryside are extra hazardous regardless of the actual road layout or conditions. I live in a scenic rural area which happens to straddle a main route between a motorway and a national park so at this time of year they are everywhere. JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE ON HOLIDAY DOESN'T MEAN OTHER PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO GO TO WORK.

In all seriousness if being unfamiliar with a wide, well surfaced A road with good visibility means that you can't drive down it any faster than 42mph, you shouldn't be driving. You are actually creating a hazard.

The speed limit might not be a target, but driving too slow for no reason is causes issues. You can fail your driving test for it. I find it quite frustrating too

particularly when you can see cars starting to back up behind

You are making the assumption that the drivers have decent observation skills, which the fact that they haven't noticed the speed limit signs or the road conditions or both, would suggest is not the case. If they do have great observation and just don't choose to take mere signage and conditions into account, they're hardly likely to be bothered by the impact of their driving on other people either.

I live in an area where some routes can take me from 20 to 70, and every speed between, several times in the course of a few miles. Some people (locals, because I recognise the same cars day after day) genuinely seem to think that achieving an average journey speed of around 40 should be achieved by sticking at 40 regardless of the road, rather than engaging and observing.

So YANBU but what can you do other than keep a safe distance?

Overtake

Oh it drives me mad too, OP. I see them all the time, Billy One Speeds, sticking rigidly to 40mph regardless of the speed limit. I absolutely do not accept that being elderly or a new driver is an excuse for what can be hazardous or actually dangerous driving. If you cannot drive for the speed and conditions of the road you should not be driving at all.
Another annoying one is when the driver consistently drives at 10mph below the speed limit. So does 50 in a 60, then enters a 50 zone and then drops down to 40. Aarrgghhhhh!

@Clarabell33 agree, somehow, with no observation skills as to other drivers in the road and traffic that they are causing, these drivers still managed to pass their test. Nothing we can do unless I fancy fucking up and rear ending my car into the back of theirs, which really doesn't worth it. I was genuinely being curious as to why drivers do this because it baffles me 🤔

I quite often drive lower than the speed limit on roads where I know there are no pavements and often cyclists or even pedestrians can be round the corner.

Or if I’m trying to find a turning or a house I’ve never been to before.

Or if I’m going to the vets and have my nervous cat on the backseat.

Or if I’m suffering terribly with morning sickness and concentrating on not hurling or where I can safely pull over.

Generally I wouldn’t do it but it’s important to remember we’re all human, and could be having a bad day or generally being sensible and it’s not worth getting angry about.

There are lots of national speed limit roads near me that are ridiculously windy, pot holed and one track. Plus lots of dog walkers use them. Going down them any faster than 30 is absolutely asking for an accident.