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...

Advanced driving courses actually tell you to slow down if someone is too close behind. If they're not allowing an appropriate stopping distance you have to do it for them.

If you're having to break often you're too close surely?

@munemema agree - tailgating isn't the answer and to be honest I can't be arsed to faff with swapping insurance details and being at fault for going into the back of you. And because said Drivers' moves are proving very unpredictable, I'll always keep a healthy distance.

Maybe they're looking out for a place they can pull in to let that impatient driver who's tailgating them get past? but every time they find one, they can't brake enough to stop in time because the idiot behind is too close?

I once got caught behind a trundling tractor for 15 miles. I huffed and fumed and tried to pass but couldn't. It took me only 10 minutes longer to reach my destination - big deal! Cured me of impatient driving permanently.

@FlamedToACrisp quite possibly, Flamed, quite possibly!

I drive a hybrid and when my speed goes over 40 the petrol kicks in. If I keep my speed below 40 and the revs low I am on electric. Saves money!

I always assume if they are braking a lot it's because they missed the speed limit sign saying 40 or because they are lost

I'm not someone who thinks it's necessarily dangerous to travel at lower speeds. It is to a certain extent but that would still be the fault of the person who was travelling too fast and went into you etc. Or the person going too fast round a corner. It's not dangerous driving, but it is potentially putting you in danger

However I do think if you can't make it to within a vague area of the speed limit then I do think you aren't skilled enough to be on the roads, there are always roads that are 60 and aren't safe to travel 60 but if every that driver can and you can't, you are the problem. If you miss the speed limit sign repeatedly again I think, what other signs/things are they missing? I tend to hang back in these situations because I wouldnt trust their driving.

UK roads are terrifying to me! Particularly the ones in the south west where the hedgerows are right up next to the road and they're so twisty and the speed limit is so fast!

But to be fair if I see a car behind me and I'm feeling too anxious to drive up at the limit I'll find somewhere to let them past. There's no excuse for inconsiderate driving.

Oh the predictable defensive nature of Mumsnet.

No, it is not normal to crawl along like that. Yes, some of you might do it occasionally due to multiple random unlikely reasons. Yes, it’s fucking annoying to the rest of the planet that’s just trying to go about their business.

The self righteous "it's a limit not a target" berks are hilarious. You'd quite rightly fail your driving test if you trundled along 10mph or more below the speed limit, if you're regularly doing that (without a good reason) you're an incompetent driver. No amount of glib catchphrases will change that, the problem is you rather than the rest of the world.

My pet hate is people who drive at 40 through a 30 and then continue at 40 in a 60. Why are we speeding if we’re not actually in a rush!?

@BlueCornsihPixie completely agree with everything you've said here. I can't trust any of these drivers and don't want to risk my own insurance and obviously injuries as I know it's me who'll be at fault by going into the back of them. So I'll always tend to hang well back.

Can you not be ticketed for driving below the speed limit? You can here (US).

the speed limit is not a target

Please explain to me why you can fail your driving test if you are going too slowly?

If you can’t drive at or around the suggested speeds in good visibility and conditions then you ought not to be driving.

Somerford

SNAP! Thank you!!!

@Somerford amen sister.

I don't think doing 30 in a 40 zone is crawling along. I'm a confident and competent driver but I totally understand why someone might not go at top speed along the v twisty, narrow windey lanes near me. I know every bend and pothole, every blind bend and passing place but that won't be true of everyone using the roads. Also, if you do the sums, someone doing 10-15 mph slower than you'd like for say 15 mins equates to a tiny, tiny extension of your overall journey time. If it means everyone makes it to their destination in one piece surely that's worth it?

We seem to have drivers who like to drive at about 45 mph, whatever the speed limit.

You all realise it's bullshit that an instructor fails you for driving too slowly right?

The expect you to drive to the conditions and to not drive unnecessarily slowly.
Doing 25 in a 30 you don't know is not unnecessarily slowly.
Doing 30 in a 40 with traffic either side and unknown hazards is not unnecessarily slow etc.

I have a big heavy car that doesn't handle like a sports car.

And country lanes tend to have wildlife, bike riders, horse riders, walkers, or other hazards you may not always be able to see. 40 is safer for them than 60.

@Hadalifeonce careful - you might get someone commenting that the poor old dear who deserves a chance at life does not know how to change the cruise control setting...

@MonkeyToesOfDoom Actually you can fail for 'not making reasonable progress'

I got a major in my first test for failing to make progress. I was doing 45 on a NSL country road with lots of twists and turns. He said he felt I could have been going faster and should have been.

I also think some people really don't know what the NSL sign means.

Sometimes the signs are hidden (behind bushes, even!) and repeaters get overlooked.
So national rules (street lights) apply until you realise different.
Or the conditions still feel like 40 is too fast.

I agree that the "always 40" drivers are the most annoying.

You all realise it's bullshit that an instructor fails you for driving too slowly right

No it isn't.

Probably lost or unsure of the road if a winding country road.

I personally cannot stand slow drivers. The whole 'it's a limit not a target' is all very well and good, but when they are creating a 20-car convoy, moving like a funeral procession, then they should either pull over and let cars pass, or put their bloody foot down.

I swear these drivers are the same ,folk that dawdle in shopping malls, ocassionally stopping dead in the walkways, oblivious to others around them. 😂