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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

If you speed...?

47 replies

friedeggsandcustard · 06/09/2019 18:32

Why? And why can you not accept that I don’t?

I am always careful to watch my speed. I value my clean drivers licence but also work with people who have had life changing injuries (a significant proportion are the result of RTAs and speed is a common factor).

On my commute I only have lots of 30mph stretches and on some of these my sticking to the speed limit seems to drive other road users crazy. Overtaking in a built up residential area. Flashing lights and using the horn. Not to mention chronic tail-gating. I could understand if I was creeping along but I am only sticking to the legal limit?

Can anyone explain?

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 06/09/2019 18:33

They are morons .

BendydickCuminsnatch · 06/09/2019 18:35

I don’t understand it either. A man tailgated me through two entire villages on Tuesday, eventually overtook me and tailgated the next person. We ended up getting to the same place at the same time so it didn’t achieve anything. Twat!

QuestionableMouse · 06/09/2019 18:35

30mph on my speedo is more like 24 in reality (checked with one of those things that flash your speed up.)

So if you were in the car it'd look like I was speeding but in reality I'm not. If your car is the same you're probably driving the drivers behind crazy.

Purplerain16 · 06/09/2019 18:36

Ugh tell me about it. My DP constantly saying "you can speed up, you know" for me to respond with "no, it's a 20 zone".

Sorry but if he wants the fine and points then he should learn to drive 🙄

Original poster
friedeggsandcustard · 06/09/2019 18:38

Questionable I’ve checked my speed against a GPS sat nav and my speedo is a little under - so I do compensate. My speedo is an old analogue one so not very accurate - but I know where it needs to be IYSWIM

OP posts:
berlinbabylon · 06/09/2019 18:39

YANBU but I hope that you are 100% sure that you never speed either, and that you are always in the right lane, and you never cut anyone up, and you indicate correctly at all times, never park in an illegal or inconsiderate place or numerous other driving infractions.

Everyone speeds some of the time. I remember going to an icebreaker event some years ago and a question was asked whether any of us had ever broken the law. All of us admitted we had, except one lady. We asked if she ever broke the speed limit. No of course not. Except that she and I left together that evening and I followed her part of the way home as she lived part-way in my direction. you guessed it, she went above 30mph in a 30mph zone.

Original poster
friedeggsandcustard · 06/09/2019 18:39

according to the speed flash thing I am normally doing about 31...

OP posts:
Original poster
friedeggsandcustard · 06/09/2019 18:41

Berlin I would never claim my driving is perfect - but surely someone maintaining the speed limit is no reason to drive like a twat?

OP posts:
1984isnow · 06/09/2019 18:42

I don't get why people speed past you just to get to the traffic lights (on red) before you Confused

Sarahlou63 · 06/09/2019 18:43

I wouldn't speed in a built up area but on a clear, empty motorway I'll happily tootle along at 180kmh. No cameras, very few police patrols and the sheer joy of driving.

EskewedBeef · 06/09/2019 18:43

I see threads like this fairly often. I usually stick to speed limits (never more than 10% over), but I've never encountered this sort of aggression from other drivers. Is it possible you're doing something else that annoys other road users? Unnecessarily hesitant or something? I don't know, it's just unusual when it happens often to the same drivers.

BogglesGoggles · 06/09/2019 18:46

Is it not clear that it’s a thirty zone maybe? I always get tail gated through a particular village but that’s because it’s a twenty and it’s easy to miss the sign. I just flash my rear fog lights and go along at 20.

yulet · 06/09/2019 18:48

Funny how everybody talks about different speedometer and then slows to the exact same pace whenever there's a camera though, isn't it.

Original poster
friedeggsandcustard · 06/09/2019 18:48

I have a nissan micra... I never get the same aggression when I drive DH’s car - actually drive that one quite hesitantly as it is twice the size and I am not very familiar with it. Maybe its just the car?

OP posts:
PumpkinPie2016 · 06/09/2019 18:51

I don't speed and mostly don't have issues from other drivers.

You get odd ones of course but to be honest, they are probably the same no matter what speed you do. Usually the same ones who don't want to give way etc.

Generally speaking, I try to ignore it. I know I am doing the speed limit, if they want to break the law by speeding or take risks by overtaking then on their head be it.

Choice4567 · 06/09/2019 18:52

I never understand that either. Sat in my car shouting in my head ‘you can break the law if you like but stop getting cross with me because I don’t want to break the law!’

BlueCornsihPixie · 06/09/2019 18:53

I do speed on motorways but not in built up areas. I wouldn't go above 30 in a 30 or 20 in a 20

I have never had this behaviour. Sure the occasional tailgater. I think I've had one person flash me in the last year, and this was when I was doing 80 on the motorway

No one has ever overtaken me in a built up area

Are you sure you are going 30? Are you doing anything else? I have lived in lots of places so it's not like my region is particularly placid

SushiGo · 06/09/2019 18:57

I think a lot of it is about the car you drive.

DH gets cross driving my obviously a family car because it brings all the wankers out. (have checked the speedo and its only a max of 3mph out, so easy to correct for)

I pass lots of incident spots on my commute so it is definitely not safe to speed whatever the tailgaters think.

smileylottie87 · 06/09/2019 18:57

My OH hates driving my car, he said the way he is treated by other road users is different when he does, so I do think you car can make a difference

MsMightyTitanAndHerTroubadours · 06/09/2019 18:58

a lot of it is car dependant....I used to have a fiat 500, and people just cannot bear to be behind one. Sadly for them mine was the twin turbo so I did a good deal of leaving tail gating pricks for dead as I zipped off up the dual carriage way.

Today I was cut up by two audi drivers, I think they were racing between themselves as well tbh....I was driving dh's Doblo.

When I drive my MX5 I have none of this malarkey at all, it is very noticeably a hugely different driving experience, no tail gating, almost never get stuck behind anyone who just won't pull back in, rarely have anyone pull out in front on motorways when there is a clear massive gap behind me.

StealthPolarBear · 06/09/2019 18:58

I've never seen anyone do 20 in a 20. I do but feel incredibly awkward. These are the flashing light ones around schools, right?

DCIRozHuntley · 06/09/2019 19:06

@StealthPolarBear we have a few mandatory 20 mph zones round here (East Midlands). Usually on busy high streets and 24/7 limits with repeater signs etc. The flashing light school ones are advisory I think. You wouldn't get done for speeding by doing 30 but would get done for dangerous driving if an incident occurred - the advisory limit gives drivers fair warning and all that.

Biancadelrioisback · 06/09/2019 19:10

I had this tonight. Straight off the A1 onto a 30, so I drive at 30. Red car behind me up my arse, flashing etc. It's single lane so I pootle along at 30 absolutely refusing to speed up. The road goes into a 50 so I put my toe down and get to 50 as fast as I can (long, straight, clear road, no traffic) and he's now a way behind be. He catches up, up my arse again. I slow down to approach the 30 zone and a roundtable, he's on the horn! So I make a huge point of driving absolutely perfectly and I can see him flapping his arms, gesturing at me, flashing etc. Were now in the town and I'm heading to a shop and it seems he's heading to the same one. Right up my back. When I park up, he does too, beetroot red in the face and heading over to my car. As I step out he realises I'm a 5foot female and stops in his tracks and head for the shop instead.

So I collared him and asked him to keep his distance in future when driving as I don't appreciate his failed form of intimidation and I won't be speed because someone else wants to speed. Well, he then let me have it! Apparently I was stuck on 20 the whole way, other people have places to be, calling me a selfish arsehole etc. The staff had to step in as he was getting really aggressive.

Qwerty19 · 06/09/2019 19:12

I have a road very close by that had a trial of a 20 from 30.. The road doesn't warrant a 20 however it is and that's that. Its a hill even the busses go over 20 to get the power to get up.
I stick at 20..ivw seen the police speed cameras there a few times.
People get really really shitty when I stick to 20..even had one man in a van follow me into my road.. Which is a turn off the 20 and shout at me when I got out. Saying why the f was I going 20! I said because that's the limit and yes it's silly but it's the law. He was so Aggressive and sped off.. I then heard a screech.. He'd only mounted the kerb and hit a post in his anger. Glad no one was hurt. He was a cock

SignOnTheWindow · 06/09/2019 19:18

@Biancadelrioisback just have a nice little think about the days/weeks/months/years he's taking off his own life by being such an angry aggressive bastard. All that cortisol can't be good for him...