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...

@Gummybear11 you said it causes accidents to drive way slower than the speed limit - however there are many many more accidents caused by people driving faster than they are comfortable with - for all the reasons pp have posted about, sharp turns, narrow country roads, cyclists, wildlife etc etc

Everyone is so aggressive when driving now, everyone can use the road at what ever speed they are comfortable with.

But that's exactly the point of this thread - if you're stuck behind somebody doing 30mph below the limit for no good reason, for miles, on a road with no safe overtaking places, then YOU cannot use the road at the speed you're comfortable with.

It's like saying that I can sit in the park and have my boombox radio on at full blast and the other people there are free to listen to their music, just chat or sit in silence as they wish, so my actions aren't stopping them from doing what they want at all.

@Nesssie I'm talking about going way under speed limit for no good reason 🤷🏻‍♀️
Far too many people point to speeders as an excuse or roll out the "it's not a target" line when the fact is and will remain that unnecessary slow driving is dangerous and causes accidents.

If you can't bring yourself to drive at a reasonable speed in favourable conditions then quite frankly you shouldn't be on the road. Hazard.

People smugly saying that it's only people who drive faster (assuming safely and within the limit) who cause most accidents and those going very slowly are not to blame, the police/Highway Code recognise that driving so slowly that you enrage all of the people wanting to use the road at the prevailing sensible speed, you ARE driving dangerously. As a PP has said, they will pull you over if you're driving in such a way as to prevent other drivers from making normal progress.

In MN terms, it would be considered the equivalent of being goady or extremely PA.

I can't vouch for the veracity of this, but I've heard that it's a commonly noted sign by the police of potential drink drivers - if somebody is driving suspiciously slowly. In the case of a DD, it's obviously because they know their abilities and reactions are impaired. Whilst in no way whatsoever condoning the vile, selfish, disgusting act of drink driving, it's startling how many sober drivers are actually unaware of their own limitations that potentially make them a menace on the roads.

It's not a target but it's dangerous not to keep up with the flow of traffic.

I drive too fast, I put my hand up. However, I am not a maniac. Accidents are caused by idiots who cannot accept to drive a bit slower behind someone and take unnecessary risks - they are the ones to blame.

Someone just died recently, because some fucking twat decided a car was going too slow, and to overtake despite a double white line - the road looks ok, but the speed limit is 40 for a reason, the double white line for the same ,it's a really dangerous place. The moron ignored all that, and someone is dead. The other cars involved are in more or less better shape. The moron is absolutely fine, thank you very much.

I blame the idiots who drive dangerously, not the slower drivers.

It's a hazard to drive too slowly. It's also against the Highway Code to hold up a queue of cars behind you while you pootle along at whatever speed you fancy.

Not making reasonable progress can cause you to fail your driving test - so no, you can't just expect it to be okay to drive at half the speed limit - it's dangerous. If you don't know the road, pull over safely and allow people to overtake you. Don't hold up a massive queue of traffic because you're too pig-headed to use your mirrors and pull in.

I live in a touristy area and I totally understand that not everyone knows the roads - but if that's the case, use one of the hundreds of passing places and pull in. You might be on holiday but other people have to get to work/school/childcare and don't have the luxury of doubling their commute time because you refuse to be sensible and allow them past.

But that's exactly the point of this thread - if you're stuck behind somebody doing 30mph below the limit for no good reason, for miles, on a road with no safe overtaking places, then YOU cannot use the road at the speed you're comfortable with.

So ? Where are you promised the right to use the road as you see fit ?

Whatever happened to all of us trying to get along ?

It's a hazard to drive too slowly.

And it's an offence to break the speed limit.

And it's an offence to break the speed limit.

Who said anything about speeding?

If you can't bring yourself to drive at a reasonable speed in favourable conditions then quite frankly you shouldn't be on the road
That's how I feel most of the time

Reasonable locals will know the road, so either will go a tad too fast because they feel overly confident, or a tad too slow, because they are well aware it's a dangerous spot and shit happens.

Shame people cannot understand that non-local don't know the road so well and are more wary.

We have all been overtaken by complete idiots. When the don't finish in the ditch where they belong, you always end up catching up with them at some roundabout, traffic light or behind a lorry. What's the point!?!
I like to drive a bit too fast, I can't help it, but if you can't, you can't. Chill out any accident will slow you even more anyway.

But that's exactly the point of this thread - if you're stuck behind somebody doing 30mph below the limit for no good reason, for miles, on a road with no safe overtaking places, then YOU cannot use the road at the speed you're comfortable with.

So ? Where are you promised the right to use the road as you see fit ?

You aren't - I was just responding to the suggestion that everybody could drive at the speed they were comfortable with, when this clearly isn't the case if somebody in front of you on a road where overtaking isn't safe decides that they are comfortable doing a much slower speed. However irritated and delayed it may make you, their comfort has trumped yours.

Slow drivers are fine

Erratic morons, raving their engine, beeping, getting too close, swearing to try to overtake are much more stressful and dangerous. They also seem completely oblivious of motorbikes and letting those faster than they are go pass...

I would love to see the stats of accidents where excessive speed was a factor compared to excessive slowness.

but excessive slowness in itself has never provoked an accident, it's the reaction from impatient drivers the issue.

Slow drivers are not "fine". Just because people who break the legal speed limit are dangerous doesn't mean that slow drivers are not.

Clearly a lot of unnecessarily slow drivers on this thread who don't give a shit about other drivers.

Well, I am not a slow driver and I have definitively noticed different attitudes depending on the car I am driving. I am still a lot less bothered about slower drivers than dangerous ones.

And middle-lane hoggers. I hate them too.

But it makes no difference if I am doing 50 or 60, even if I would like to be doing 80 or 90 myself. i also think the 30 speed limit should be lowered in town, too many idiots thinking they can go slightly over. 20 would be a lot safer.

www.itv.com/news/2018-12-29/spike-in-road-casualties-from-crashes-caused-by-slow-drivers/

Actually, that's a good point, joining the motorway.

It doesn't change my other point about slower drivers on normal roads though

I can’t get worked up about people who drive slowly (or more slowly than I’d ideally like them to). They’ve probably got a reason for it, which I’ll never know so there’s not much I can do except keep my distance or overtake if safe. If I choose to get irate or impatient, or if I start to fret about being late for something, that’s my problem not theirs (and if said impatience leads to an accident, that’s definitely my problem, and a risk to my licence). However I think that, in general, it’s probably good driving advice to try and get as close to the speed limit as the conditions and your confidence allow.

Stating that non confident drivers don't belong on the road doesn't work either.

WHERE are people supposed to learn and practice? Until we create some special tracks, which is unlikely, a learner driver or someone who just passed their test will be on the same road as you and I. It is safer if they don't go too fast, and it can be very stressful to be in your car on your own for the 1st few times.

30 in a 40 limit is fine.

I have however experienced one speed drivers who go at 40 in a 60 limit (perhaps understandable if you don't know the road and where the bends are etc) but then carry on at 40 into the 30 limit, which is inexcusable. I wonder then whether they are actually seeing any road signs or aware of anything actually going on outside their car. And don't start me on drivers not even seeing zebra crossings.

Generally anytime I am behind a Toyota Yaris or little Hyundai I think "Oh fucking hell, here we go."

Gummybear11

That link takes the piss. It's just shifting the blame.
If you drive fast and crash it's your fault, not the fault of anyone else, yours. You can blame the slow driver in front of you all you like but, you can't change their behaviour only how you react to it, if that reaction is too something dangerous and illegal, that's your fault.