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.

It seems the faster drivers get more 'frustrated' (angry) behind the wheel than the slower drivers and thats also reflected on this thread.

I agree.
And as I said, as a fast driver (although not in the nut fast category), I know that is entirely my problem. No the slower driver's fault. Which is why I think the OP is in most cases unreasonable.

Highly unlikely they're crowded 24/7 - why not practice when it's quieter on a weekend morning or early evening or whenever it's quiet in that area?

It still doesn't address the issue of trying to join a busy motorway if you're not a confident driver.
I consider myself fast and confident, and sometimes it's not so easy to merge without some risk. Most drivers on the motorway won't give way to those approaching, and do drive too close to the vehicle in front.
Then, speeding up to 70 without having spotted a decent gap first is risky.

That's why there's often accidents in junctions in busy motorways. More often than not, they're risky spots.

We followed Prince and Princess Michael of Kent in the outer lane of a dual carriageway doing 50mph (70mph limit) and refusing to move to the inner lane. We could see them eating and drinking in the outer lane. Eventually my husband got fed up and overtook them on the inner lane.
She gave us the finger but they still didn't shift over.

It seems the faster drivers get more 'frustrated' (angry) behind the wheel than the slower drivers and thats also reflected on this thread.

Well of course the slower drivers aren’t getting frustrated. They’re doing what they want to do, oblivious to others. They’re just enjoying themselves, pootling along gazing around at the lovely scenery.

How do you know what junction to practice on? All the ones near me are apparently grim.

I am seriously considering abandoning the idea of getting on a motorway.

I disagree mere. Motorways might be more daunting to a new driver because they are unknown quantities. But I don’t think it’s particularly helpful to encourage the mindset they are intimidating in themselves, or that driving pre dawn is harder either. If you build something up as difficult to a new driver, then its highly likely they’ll find it so.

Same as parking, when new drivers are struggling the answer is that they just need practice, and they’ll be fine. Not people that have been driving longer sharing the fact they are shit at parking and encouraging the idea it’s so difficult that it’s entirely normal to drive round till you find double the space you need after years or even decades on the road.

Pretending driving is incredibly difficult, rather than a skill to be learnt and practiced doesn’t help anyone.

lweji plenty of people, regardless of whether they are competent drivers, too slow or too fast are pretty crap at maintaining speed. You only have to watch people slowing from 30/31 mph to 26/27 for a camera in a 30 zone, or traffic going steadily at 68- 73mph all suddenly slowing to 60-65 for a police car to realise many people either can’t understand their speedometer, or think their speed is different to the figure before them. Not to mention not everyone’s speedometers are accurate. Not that it’s ever acceptable to tailgate, but imo in your situation its more likely to be the case their speedometers are showing a lower speed than yours, and/or they are the type that seem unable to maintain a fixed speed rather than such a large number of people wishing to drive too fast.

Coincidentally, I had a woman in a Citroen C1 trying to intimidate me this morning, driving up my arse and flashing because I slowed down for some horses. God knows why she thought I’d be scared into driving like an arse when her car would fit in my boot.

YANBU. I was behind someone this morning doing a steady 18mph on a 30 for a good couple of miles despite the road ahead being completely clear. I have this problem on the same stretch of road almost daily. I'm in a city which has introduced 20 mph zones everywhere and I think people just assume all roads are 20 now when they're not, and they're clearly sign posted.

meckity sorry, not aimed at you as I’d missed the last page, but kind of proves my point.

Honestly, you’ll be fine. Find one near an industrial estate or any with regular heavy vehicles and follow one on. Then there’s no pressure to go fast because the Hgv will be the one dictating speed.

Or find one where rush hour traffic is going at 20/30, and then when it clears up you’ll already be on the motorway.

Ideally I’d suggest a few junctions at least, but if you’re worried you’ll end up miles away with no alternative route, you could just keep going one junction, leaving and getting back on.

And with an instructor if you’re really unsure.

YANBU
My pet hate are people who drive a solid 40, through all the speed zones. They are usually convinced they are safe drivers despite charging past school 20 zones, 30 village zones and then holding people up for miles in 60 zones.

Oh, I don't think motorways are that bad. IMO, even new drivers should just get on with it. Use caution, but don't hesitate too much.
Just pointing out that practising when there's no traffic won't prepare you for a busy motorway, and that sometimes it's not possible to speed up to 70 and merge seamlessly, as some would have you believe.
I'd rather practice during the day, but not rush hour, when there's some traffic but not so heavy that it's difficult to merge.
For new drivers, if you can't see where to merge easily, it's best go at a slow speed at the start of the slip road and build up speed when you spot an opening (or a generous driver on the motorway) and then merge. Ignore the annoyed drivers behind you.

For bends, brake/reduce speed before it starts, reduce the gear, engage lower gear. You can control the car more easily during the bend, then speed up from the bend. I think it's a terrible idea to practice at speed during the night with the idea that you can go off your lane. You're supposed to be practicing for keeping within your lane, not a rally or F1.

imo in your situation its more likely to be the case their speedometers are showing a lower speed than yours, and/or they are the type that seem unable to maintain a fixed speed rather than such a large number of people wishing to drive too fast.

Oh, when I'm going at 5-10mph above the limit (good roads, very light traffic, good visibility), and they go past me, it's not because they're crap at maintaining speed.
I understand that slightly slower drivers have different speedometers or are afraid of going over the limit. I'm fine with that.
As others, I may be concerned when they're driving more than 10mph below the limit, but I don't know why, so if I get impatient I know it's my problem. I'll just patiently wait until I can overtake, or pray that they take a different road. I don't see why they should constantly stop to let others through, unless they're at a true snails pace and are too big to overtake. If we are all maintaining a decent average speed, it's only a few minutes difference. And if it's a long journey, chances are you'll be able to overtake or take different directions soon enough.
As someone mentioned earlier, you may overtake and never see the car again, but in all likelihood you'll only be a couple of minutes ahead of them. So, there's no point in taking risks or getting angry.

PS - on motorways, I tend speed up past a group of cars. It's often caused by a slower vehicle, most cars tend to drive too close to each other and often switch lanes without sufficient care. I'd rather go past as fast as I can and reduce back to a lower speed further ahead.

YANBU!! I live rurally, and the amount of times I am stuck behind someone doing 35-40mph on a 60 road os astounding. Its not always possible to overtake due to the many bends in the road, and very few of these slow drivers pull over. Really pisses me off.

One of my pet hates (and it's not actual drivers) is motorways and junctions with a ton of cones, and lots of different temporary signs with different info on it. The dartford crossing i think is like that with information overload. I do it pretty regularly but i think it would be really stressful for a new driver. And miles and miles if coned off motorways and vatriable speed limits when its not actually apparent that anything is being done. I always try to stick to the 50mph limits at roadworks but am often overtaken by people whizzibg past at normal motorway speeds.

Well of course the slower drivers aren’t getting frustrated. They’re doing what they want to do, oblivious to others. They’re just enjoying themselves, pootling along gazing around at the lovely scenery.
Very true. It's also funny how being irritated or finding something an annoyance seems to translate as being furiously angry.

I still stand by my view that most drivers are reasonable, middle ground drivers who drive for the conditions. The group's either side of the majority stand out precisely because they aren't the norm.

IMO, even new drivers should just get on with it. Use caution, but don't hesitate too much.
I agree Lwejji.
To be honest, I think for most drivers getting on with things would drop a number of issues. The more people get het up about entire standard parts of driving, the more they become over-cautious, disproportionately reduce their speed for the situation and conditions, aren't decisive at junctions and general become a ditherer.

The "but I'm not confident/ I don't like so I'll drive how I want despite me being the one out of kilter with everyone else" excuse doesn't seem to work to me and I think that's in part because I was a nervous learner driver.

It's like people who say they only park by pulling through or going in forwards because they "can't reverse park", or people driving around not parking because they "can't parallel park". The more they avoid doing basic driving skills, the less chance they'll ever have of doing it well. Same for motorways, if you're not confident on a motorway then the solution is to do it and work on your own competency so that you are competent at driving appropriately on a motorway. If you're unsure on single carriageway rural roads and drive them regularly, pootling along far slower than everyone else isn't the solution. The solution is to improve your driving and confidence so that you CAN drive in a way that doesn't hold up the majority.

I find the "but I can't drive in a reasonable way in line with the majority so carry on doing what I'm doing" to be a very passive approach which is quite childish in my opinion (but then that passivity probably explains why they feel like a victim on the road and that everyone else is reckles sand fast etc. It's a mentality thing.).

The main thing that holds us up on long journeys is people like you having accidents.

TrainspottingWelsh No stress. I'm actually quite relaxed driving and if I get too overwhelmed by driving a few junctions on a motorway, I don't mind driving back on the A or B roads. I drive for a couple of hours to relax. And I reverse park, had a go at parallel parking (was half way through a manoeuvre today and a bloke pulled in behind me! I need the P plates), I'm not intimidated by turning right or stuff like that. I'm getting more confident on roundabouts and junctions. I've just made a bogey out of dual carriageways and motorways - which proves the point being made on this thread.

I think I need to have a go, but the junctions nearest to me are grim. It's either Junction 27 on the M62 or the M621 and both have lots of cars, from my observations. I can travel, though. I just need to get over it and remember to keep accelerating as I join the motorway. Once the summer holidays are over I'll have more of a chance to get out.

I am very grateful for the advice, though, and I will see if I can follow your advice about the trucks as that makes a lot of sense.

I should add - I suck at reverse parking, which is why I try to do that every time.

Meckity1
I used to suck at parallel parking. Then some of my friends moved into a street where I had to do it. Now I'm still not brilliant and have to re-adjust on tight spaces,

You're right on your philosophy. If there's a weakness or something you're lacking confidence in, it makes so much more sense to do something about it to get better.

I have a car that parallel parks for me

Someone mentioned upthread that their driving instructor said to them after passing their test that now is the time they learn to actually drive. Driving lessons are mainly about how to handle a large piece of machinery through a test without killing anyone.

I passed my test very quickly and therefore had little driving experience. For some reason I acquired the habit of depressing the clutch whilst going round corners, an absolutely ridiculous thing to do and for the life of me I can't imagine why on earth I did it. But I might have stuck with that habit if I hadn't actively learned not too.

I have to drive round a tourist area on business and find a lot of drivers obviously on holiday driving at less than 20mph to 'look at the scenery'. That means my business suffers because I'm working, not on holiday. There are loads of lay-bys for stopping and admiring the scenery but so many people just drive straight past oblivious slowing to look at the waterfall opposite the lay-by instead of pulling in and looking properly.

I don't speed. I travelled 137 miles on one journey yesterday, 100 of which was on motorways. My average speed over that journey was 54mph. But I drove at the limit whenever I could because I had another 137 mile journey to make back (that one was slower because of a crash at a motorway junction where people hadn't merged correctly 🤔)

100 percent agree and only thought this earlier this morning.