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...

In many cases I reckon it's because they are no longer fit to drive through age-related ill-health, frailty, vision-problems, nervousness. I say this because the majority of those I see driving like this are very elderly.

Sometimes, it's because they're looking at the view and don't appreciate that in rural areas the scenic route is the ONLY route!

Sometimes, they're pissed or high - but where I am I would say that was the least likely scenario.

And some can apparently only drive on roads which are perfectly level and perfectly straight. I got stuck behind one of these the other day. He braked sharply on the approach to the slightest bend in the road, was going as slowly as 25 mph at some points on a road with a 60 limit (and no reason not to do 60), then managed to get up to almost 50mph on the straight bits, which meant it was ages before I could actually get past him. He was very elderly, and was driving with his mouth hanging open, which I have also noticed is a feature of the very elderly male driver whose driving is overly slow and quite erratic.

I am fascinated by the fact that behind the wheel people are less tolerant (and often less well-mannered!) than they are in normal life. If someone is driving slower than you might wish in front of you, then maybe they are lost, maybe they are looking for a turning or an address, maybe they are tired and playing safe, maybe their judgement of what is safe in that situation differs from yours............etc.

Some speed limits are rediciolous though. Where we live you have 30 all good then suddenly it goes to 50. Then to 30 just down the road. Then national speed limit a bit further round the corner. Then suddenly 30 again. If you don't know the are it's bloody confusing. And not safe in my opinion

I always wonder if you're driving along no one in front and a queue of cars behind as far back as you can see probably being overtaken at every opportunity what goes through your mind? Or are people just totally oblivious?

Actually, the same day I got stuck behind slow, erratic man, I went for a wee drive on a single track road I've not been on for ages - just because it was a nice day and I fancied a wee detour. Just as I was about to get on to the single track section, I noticed a van behind me, so I pulled over the first change I got to let him past, then went on my leisurely way, regularly checking that there was no-one else behind me. Knowing that there was no one behind me, I even stopped a couple of times on long straight bits to say hello to the sheep. But, if there was someone else on the road, I wouldn't have done that, and would either have driven to the limit, or let them past.

Seems that it isn't possible to defend this type of driving without essentially admitting that the person doing it is an incompetent driver.

Overtake and if you can't do it safely, there's your answer.

In 90% of cases you just get to the next bottleneck, such as a twisty section, tractor or lorry on a 40 limit quicker anyway, and the time saved by driving faster and doing risky overtaking manouveres to get past slower drivers is minimal.

@Singletomingle

Yes, I wonder that as well.

I reckon they're either oblivious, or reckon that anyone who overtakes them, even if well within the speed limit, is a reckless boy or girl racer going far too fast!

It really boils my piss whenever you get some arse doing 50 on a straight stretch of NSL road, or even worse, doing so in the outside fucking lane. I think there is a reasonable expectation to be had that you will drive at close to or on the limit, if you choose to do so either pull over, or better yet, hand back the license and get the bus. I've no time for the inevitable "nervous driver" threads that pop up on here from time to time, it gives me the pure rage.

YANBU. I get irritable on a stretch of road near me that I have to take for work and the school run. It’s 30 for a while, then 60 and back to 30. Signage is crystal clear. To be honest, it’s fairly easy to drive 60 on the mid section but I understand it’s a bit more rural and some may feel comfortable. They seem to remain at 40 even if perfect conditions but I tolerate this. What I cannot tolerate is when they don’t slow the fuck down when it hits 30 again in the village with a school. Twats.

Anyone driving slower than you is an idiot
Anyone driving faster, a maniac.

I am not sure about the laziness of not going slightly faster, how hard can it be to push the accelerator a tad more?

Some people are nervous, some people know the road and had a near-miss that makes them really nervous. Who knows.

If someone is consistently staying 10miles under whatever the current speed limit, I'd guess they are running out of points on their licence

When someone drives too close to my car, I do slow down. It doesn't feel safe otherwise.

The most part of me totally agrees with you- on my daily commute you would find me to be an extremely confident driver. Gives me massive rage when (on a busy dual carriageway with a 50mph speed limit) you get someone in the outside lane doing 40. It's actually dangerous as people end up swerving and undertaking.

Buuut.... don't live rurally so the only time I find myself on country roads is where I'm unfamiliar. Roads tend to be narrow and for all I know there could be a sharp bend, a pothole, a tractor or whatever coming up. It literally makes me shaky and sweating to try and go 50/60 on country lanes even when that's the speed limit.

The ones that do give me the rage are the idiots speeding in town and in front of a school, especially when the lights are flashing. Twats.

Middle lane hoggers. There's a special place in hell for those.

We have a long country road near me - I drove it today. It is irritating. At every village it drops to 30, and often the signs are obscured by bushes/trees. Sometimes between it goes up to 40 at others it is 50 (I don't think any of it is national speed limit). In addition it has lots of bends which are labeled "maximium speed 25". None of it is that bad, just up and down and gentle curves.
It is very hard for anyone who is not a local to know what the speed limit is, no street lights, and the gaps between villages can be brief.
In addition you get people like me who are out looking for obscur side roads and driveways all the time. (I do pull over to let people pass if I have traffic behind and can do so safely.)

@Somerford yep you do each time you do it is a minor because you're interrupting the flow of traffic I failed my second test for doing this 5 times I was trying so hard not to fail for speeding I failed for going to slow 🙈 on the other side are these dangerous roads? We've got one near us that's national but it's really winding and there have been 3 fatal accidents in as many years they haven't changed the limit but you would be crazy to do more than 40 on some of the bends mind you the bus happily does it and it's terrifying, but in general aim for the limit it is a target really!

The ones that annoy me the most are the people who do 40 in a 60 and then carry on at 40 when they come to a 30! Makes me worry that they can't actually see the signs.

Are you in Norfolk? Apparently a large number of drivers drive at 40mph all the time.

I live rurally and most of the roads surrounding me are 60mph. The amount of dead deer, badgers, hedgehogs, rabbits and many other wildlife I see makes me sad. I drive a bit slower so that when creatures run out in front of me, which they regularly do. I have more chance of stopping and avoiding them.

The ones that annoy me the most are the people who do 40 in a 60 and then carry on at 40 when they come to a 30! Makes me worry that they can't actually see the signs.

Yes! These ones I would say call into the "oblivious" category. I'd venture to say that at least some of them have dementia to some degree and really aren't entirely aware of their surroundings or what they're doing. At least a year before my DF was diagnosed with dementia I said that my DS and I would not travel in his car if he was driving - his awareness of his surroundings was so diminished that he wasn't able to make effective driving decisions.

The fact that there is a 40 or 60 limit on a road doesn't automatically mean that it's safe to drive at that speed. I've driven on many a windy, hilly country road with 60 limits where you'd have to be actively suicidal actually to drive at 60.

The fact that there is a 40 or 60 limit on a road doesn't automatically mean that it's safe to drive at that speed. I've driven on many a windy, hilly country road with 60 limits where you'd have to be actively suicidal actually to drive at 60.

Yep and that's why you should drive to the limit unless there's a reason not to. Valid reasons not to drive to the limit include sharp bends, inclines, etc, adverse weather etc. I regularly drive a road with hairpin bends - which I take in 3rd gear and slowly. The speed limit is still 60 but there is obviously a reason to go more slowly.

However, nervousness, incompetence, inability, frailty etc are not valid reasons to drive way below the speed limit. Those are reasons to stop driving.

And those saying to overtake. On the straight and gently undulating A road I have this on about one morning a week I’m often in car 15 of a convoy behind slow driver and there’s traffic coming the other way. And I agree...they nearly always do not slow to 30 so I drop well behind them as we come through the village only to catch them again (along with their frustrated tail of drivers) a couple of miles the other side.

ARGH!! It’s 5 minutes of my life sure, but every day I have to allow for it in my commute and it adds up.

Of course there are many roads that you cannot reach 60 on! Single track roads for example, twisty roads etc. But generally if a massive queue is building up behind you, you are going too slow, if the majority of other drivers can manage it then it is appropriate for the road

It is also definitely true that you can fail your test for going too slow! I got a minor for going too slow on a country road. He said the only reason I didn't get a major was because I sorted it in time but if a queue had formed behind me he would have failed me.

Also if the road is safe to overtake, then it's also probably safe to go 60. Because there would be a long straight section, minimal bends etc.

I agree with most on here and seems to be a bit of a consensus. There’s definitely a difference between idling in an overtaking lane on a motorway though. There’s no excuse for not being on an outside lane unless you’re overtaking. Cautious drivers on a slow country road are an irritation to many too. I can see why people will say they cause accidents but if tested in court the onus would be on the overtaker as you should not do it unless it’s safe to do so no matter how pissed off you are. I also don’t have a lot of sympathy for people lacking observational skills as I think that should be a prerequisite for driving and you shouldn’t be allowed on the road if you have terrible or non existent such skills