AIBU - If you want to drive below the speed limit you should pull over at regular intervals

[TheCumbrian]

'It's a speed limit not a target' etc

But equally, on a good road in good conditions theres no reason why a competent driver shouldn't be able to drive somewhere close to the speed limit (sharp bends, single track national speed limit C roads etc excluded) and make reasonable progress without holding up other road users.

If you can't, you should pull over, when safe to do so, once you have 5 or more vehicles trundling behind you.

When I was practising for my theory test, there was a sign for 'minium speed' which was a blue circle with the minimum speed in it.

Of course you use the gears to slow down. That's what they are for.

Oh dear god. Do you know what gears are?

as a slow driver you would greatly facilitate overtaking by pulling over in exactly the way the OP describes.

Drivers in Ireland do this as a matter of course (or did, the last time I went). It was brilliant :)

Yes, use your gears to engine brake! Less wear on the old brake pads and calipers. Also very handy if it's icy, as you'll slow down without the possibility of locking the wheels.

Because a gear box is cheaper than the breaks?

Breaking with the engine means that a lower gear offers more power but doesn't allow for the wheels to develop speed. Yes, you use a lower gear when icy and going down, because it allows you to better control the car and the speed. When icy, you stop accelerating and can reduce speed going down to the appropriate gear rather than hitting the breaks.

But going down from 50 to 30 using only the gears instead of the breaks is madness.
Yes, you go down gears if you stop accelerating (given enough space and time) but that's because it's the correct gear for the speed you're already at. You're not using it to break.

LadyRannaldini
Careful, someone might turn up challenging your common sense telling you that use of passing places properly (or at all) is just subjective.
After Chelsea tractor driver crawling around the place is just taking in their surroundings and other drivers should cater to their own ineptitude by reversing uphill for most of a mile in order to prevent them having to use a passing place 20ft behind them (in which the 3 cars behind them have already pulled aceoss leaving them space and the exit to the single track is clear because the rest of the traffic seems to know how the world works), because the hedge might develop arms and suddenly scratches their that could easily be in the passing place with 6-10inches clearance.

If anyone has an issue with this then they need to chill out, slow down, stop being in such a hurry and enjoy the scenery.

Of course you use the gears to slow down. That's what they are for.

😂😂😂 As a PP said, oh dear God. You know you can fail your test for this? Incorrect use of the gears.

I wouldn't take gear advice from someone who uses the word 'breaks' when they mean 'brakes'. Suck your own eggs, shitty drivers...nobody said they were dumping 20 mph by using the gears.

chom. No, I’d be riding 10 or 20 mph below the limit because I’ve decided it’s safest. Doesn’t matter if it’s less than half the limit because even generally fast drivers might do 20 round a hairpin bend on a 60 road. It’s just subjective.

I’d also bet that the same people go down motorway slip roads at 40 when the traffic is moving at 70, and instead of merging drive it like a give way line. And undoubtedly drive in the outside lane when motorways merge, policing any bends at 40mph or 10 under the limit, whichever is slowest.

Careful, someone might turn up challenging your common sense telling you that use of passing places properly (or at all) is just subjective

Passing places are really easy to use. What you do is pull in and let someone either come towards you and other get through or let someone get past you.

Some roads even have helpful signs saying "passing place on them".

Nothing subjective about that....

Apologies for the use of the word break. Clearly, my English is getting worse.
Unlike my driving.

Look up what gears are and what they're for.

I’d also bet that the same people go down motorway slip roads at 40 when the traffic is moving at 70,

Why would you do that?

That's dangerous...

And undoubtedly drive in the outside lane when motorways merge, policing any bends at 40mph or 10 under the limit, whichever is slowest

If motorways merge, there are a variety of strategies to ensure safe merging

And bends should be taken at a sensible speed so as to not to end up on the other side of the road or to go too fast and crash...

I take bends at the correct speed and think sensibly about what to do when 2 motorways merge at high speed.

I was taught that you should go down a hill in a lower gear to control the speed. Under normal circumstances, don't you change gears to suit the speed and alter the speed by brake and (lack of) accelerator? I having been slowing down in places by just easing off the gas, is that wrong?

I'm getting a real education about driving on here. Is there a driving topic?

And obviously you also change gears depending if you are going up hills, I've learned that after struggling on some steep inclines and I apologise to anyone caught behind me until I learned that.

Definitely not being unreasonable. I commute 32 miles per day with about 26 of them being on a very hilly, twisty A road which people seem to often crawl along at around 40mph, braking needlessly to 30 or so on every bend. There is one overtaking lane on one of the steep hills on the way to work and two on the way back from work. In the morning overtaking isn't too difficult usually as I travel at about 0630 so traffic is light. On the way home my journey time often increases from 50 - 55 minutes to 1hr 5 - 1hr 40 minutes, almost exclusively because of drivers who are driving far too slowly and the increased traffic volume meaning that overtaking is all but impossible.

Tractors (rural area so plenty!) and HGVs generally have a good awareness of what is happening behind them and will pull over to ease the situation.

32 miles each way I mean, so 64 per day.

Why would you do that?
That's dangerous...
Tell that to the people who seem to do it in an accident black spot in our region. For some reason some people can't do merging motorways/dual carriageways or slip roads.

The pootlers' top move in our area is to slow down and down when slip roads join and/or roads merge and then when they can't get on because it's difficult at 40, just stop at the end of the slip road with their indicator on. I shit you not.
I'm glad it's not in my town because every week (and in the winter multiple times a week), there is an accident sonewhere on that stretch of road.
I've had a few near misses on there when I've been doing 70 and suddenly someone who's been in the central reservation waiting to turn into my direction ignores the big gap in the traffic and then pulls across 2 lanes toward she back end of the gap because they've only just processed that the road had been safe, but by the time they'd pondered and decided to move it was no longer safe. They then (having caused everyone to slam their brakes on and/or swerve into the hard shoulder) proceed to pull back into the outside lane and drive at 50mph utterly oblivious to the impact of the dithering and pootling, or worse, gesticulating at the drivers who've just avoided the crash for being reckless.

The pootlers' top move in our area is to slow down and down when slip roads join and/or roads merge and then when they can't get on because it's difficult at 40, just stop at the end of the slip road with their indicator on. I shit you not

I've seen plenty of people who struggle on motorways and merging dual carriageways.

It's dangerous. You have idiots speeding in the outside lane. Lorries who don't seem to care about minimum distances. Middle lane hoggers doing 60. People who can;t leave gaps. People who won't leave gaps.

Because loads of people don’t have a clue about how to use motorways.

Again, bends prior to merging vary, and although there are quite a few I know I could safely do at 70 in my car if they didn’t have 50 limits for the corners, I’m aware that in a horse box or if I was a competent but less experienced driver in a tiny city car I’d be doing 40 myself. My objection isn’t someone going slower than I safely can, but when they do so in the outside lane so we all merge at 40. I or anyone with a powerful car aren’t hugely inconvenienced, but it has a much bigger impact on those with less power, heavy vehicles etc.

I don’t really think about merging at high speed or any other tbh, and I’m not sure anyone should be. Surely the only thing you concentrate on is watching the other vehicles so you are ready to react immediately to anything? If you have to think in advance about what you might do for a range of eventualities then that implies you won’t be able to react instantly to the unforeseen. Fair enough in driving lessons but not on a fast moving motorway.

Although apologies if I’m interpreting you wrong.

Because loads of people don’t have a clue about how to use motorways

Merging on motorways is about having your wits about you, watching your speed, gaps, letting traffic join the merge, moving into the outside lane if needed, watching other people's speed and focussing.

We have a busy merge near us. There are plenty of people who still come up on the outside at very high speed, regardless of other people and regardless of people who might need to go to the left hand side to join the left hand lane.

As a bus driver of 17 years I agree totally that you should do the maximum speed or piss off, my bus does 50mph, I get stuck behind a car doing 40, I've no boost button to get past... look on your mirrors, if there is a queue behind you, and in that queue are vehicles that only do 50, it's time for you to get poits8on your license for driving dangerously

You should always think ahead... if you dont then you shouldn't be driving

Just joined mumsnet coz I wanted to reply to an idiot, I joined and then realised theres so many more, wow ladies, you really are bad drivers. I'm ashamed of you

Trainspotting, you need to give your license back, you must always think ahead, jesus, I'm leaving, you are terrible just terrible

I'm considered somebody that holds up traffic by doing the actual speed limit. I have a baby on board sign on the back of my car, yet have lost count of the amount of people that get up my was trying to intimidate me in to speeding up this week alone. I don't drive under the limit (unless on single track 60mph roads of course) so this is a huge pet peeve of mine. I often wish the police would take me on as an unpaid unmarked car just for the satisfaction of sticking on some lights and sharing the crap out.of inconsiderate drivers.

I agree and disagree with your original point OP. Most of the time around here when somebody is doing half the limit, it is Doris who doesn't even know what the limit is, or what is behind her.

Otherwise I agree they should let traffic past. Doris should have to retake her test.

then when they can't get on because it's difficult at 40, just stop at the end of the slip road with their indicator on. I shit you not

I mean I would prefer to do this than pull out in front of somebody when I'm doing half their speed, and force them to slam on their brakes.