If you speed...?

[friedeggsandcustard]

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?

I drive a 15 year old Peugeot 206! And still don't get this much aggression

People are definitely more aggressive to me in it than when I drive DPs MX5, but it's more on motorways. Some drivers really can't stand to be overtaken by a rickety Peugeot! You definitely get the going along at 60..omg a shitty car is overtaking me must speed up to 100! Or the must overtake before this Peugeot overtakes me as I am on their rear bumper. But I don't find drivers are aggressive in 30 zones. They still cut me up in DPs car though, and still tailgate.

I did get annoyed today when I was stuck behind a learner doing 13mph in a (very quiet and wide road) 20 zone so that probably witnessed a bit of angry arm waving. Didn't beep or overtake though, I'm not a massive dick.

I hate people who do the same speed regardless of the rules or conditions so in a clear national speed limit road, they do 40, head into a twisty 20 zone though a village, they still do 40. Idiots.

I did when (stupid) much younger then I went on a speed awareness course doing 35 in a 30. The trainer was brilliant, and I found it so informative and shocking that I haven't since except on motorways where I do 75 to keep the flow going (which he said was actually preferable to doing 69 and causing more accidents ). When I see people speeding in towns now they're usually younger or audi/BMW drivers and I get really angry. I think speed awareness should be part of the driving test.

I'll go up to maybe 75-80 when I'm overtaking on a motorway. But in general, no, I stick to the speed limit. If someone chooses to tailgate me then I'll either slow down a bit to leave extra room to the car in front, or I'll give my windscreen a wash. That often gets them to back off a bit.

I agree that it’s partly about the car you drive. When I had my Fiat 500 people would roar past me even if I was slightly over the limit, it’s like they just can’t bear to be behind a ‘girly’ car.

If someone chooses to tailgate me then I'll give my windscreen a wash

People always say this but why would your screen wash be shooting over the whole of your car? Why wouldn't you direct them so the water actually cleans your windscreen?

I'm a reformed speeder... I suppose I just wanted to get there. And I didn't like being pressured by others wanting to go fast. So I let them pressure me into going faster.

Now I drive the limit, other drivers are right up my bumper all the time. I grit my teeth. Especially in the 1/2 mile long 20 zone on my commute.

I've noticed that white cars tend to be more aggressive on the roads and speed, white Audis in particular.
It's true!

@Biancadelrioisback But why the hell would you drive like that? Can't you see that driving along at 30mph is your right, but then accelerating rapidly to 50mph so that he can't overtake is selfish behaviour, and bound to wind him up? And what good do you do creating an angry driver? Why not just let him get past, then accelerate to 50mph?

It really isn’t your job to enforce the speed limit for following drivers, OP. If they are clearly in a hurry and need to overtake you, you should tuck in or pull over and let them.
They may have a very good reason for hurrying. Perhaps a loved one seriously ill/dying in A and E, and they’re trying to get there in time to see them. Perhaps they’ve been held up in traffic and risk missing their flight at the airport. Perhaps they’re a midwife rushing to attend a home delivery.
Or a hospital doctor on call from home for emergencies. That used to be me before I retired, and I got incensed by people like you holding me up!

I used to think that Audi drivers were bad but now I actually think that drivers of beige minis are worse!!!

I have endless arguments with my partner about this, as he is impatient, and speeds often. I have in fact stopped him from driving my car altogether, as I said to him if you insist on speeding and putting other people's lives at risk, I'll be damned if you're using my car to do it.

I said to him last night that I will never speed (apart from sometimes on the motorway when it creeps up without me noticing - but as soon as I do I slow down again) because the limits are there for a reason, and if someone walks out in front of you, how could you ever live with yourself if you killed them while speeding? If you'd been going the right speed you might have either a) been able to slow down or b) caused lesser injuries if you did still hit them. I sort of think I got through to him, but I guess we'll see the next time we drive anywhere with him at the wheel.

I hate those people who get right up your backside when you're doing the speed limit, too. There's a road I have to drive on regularly that's a 30mph limit, that feels incredibly slow as it's just off a motorway. It's bendy so you can't overtake at any point, and it goes on for a couple of miles. I always do bang on 30, often with cruise control to make sure because there are cameras up there, and there have been a few occasions where people have beeped or flashed at me to speed up. Absolutely no way. It makes me feel awful, but I won't be intimidated into dangerous behaviour.

I quite often pull in and let tail gaters pass because I can't cope with them distracting me from behind. I drive at the speed limit most of the time, maybe a little over on the motorway.

I live on a 30mph bit of A road and people over take on it at high speed most mornings. There's just no patience anywhere.

I don’t speed but I enjoy going the national limit as permitted on my local country lanes. Cocks that do an even 40 through the 30mph villages and the national speee limit areas between arse me off no end.

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.

Yes same here! I've had cars pull over into laybys to let me go past too ( and no I don't tail gate). People routinely let me out into queuing traffic and it's a joy to drive.

So different from when I had the Porsche. That just brought out the worst in every other driver. I only kept in a few months and would never have another one.

Because rules are for the guidance of the wise, and the obedience of fools.

Yes to that too! I’m late to driving so in my thirties all I can afford is a tiny beat up old car which I do like to thrash on the dual carriageway. Much more aggro than when I’m driving dh’s ‘Grown ups car’ which is a silver estate.

What speed do you do in a 60? I have to admit, I do get REALLY annoyed when driver's do 40 in a 60 if there is no reason to (e.g. good weather conditions, no bends,food visibility etc...)

I don't tend to get annoyed when people are actually chugging along at the speed limit. Do people actually get annoyed with that? Are you SURE you r doing close to the limit or are you be annoyingly v slow (I have been stuck behind someone recently doing about 15 in a 30, almost actually stopped a couple of times. It drove me insaaaaane)....

food visibility? ... I mean good visibility!!

@babdoc wow, just wow. There is no excuse for driving like that because you're late (the example of missing flights) - that's why people should build contingency into their plans. OP wasn't enforcing other road users, she was complaining about being hassled by people who didn't like her following the rules of the road. Totally different.

As for medics in a emergency situation, isn't that what the green flashing light is used for? Otherwise usually paramedics are usually sent who have had proper training to drive under those conditions.

It is the car you are driving. I get this constantly now I drive a Nissan note. When I used to have a bigger/' nicer ' car, it hardly ever happened.

People see the cat I think an d make assumptions about who is driving it and this colours their perception of whether you are driving at a reasonable speed ( even if you are driving a couple of mph over the speed limit).

I

Can I just clarify that there are no parts of my commute which are national speed limit.

Funnily enough I have no issues on the 40 sections (ever since they introduced the average speed cameras on there). It is mostly one particular 30 section every time. It comes after the a average speed bit and is not obviously built up. It is down a steep hill, a notorious (fatal) accident hotspot and is 30 due to the number of badly aligned junctions that come onto it.

The speed limit is clearly marked, with roundels, painted on the road, flashing up signs etc. It is only about a mile and a half... and in any case there is no where safe to pull over on its entire length. - although why I should enable idiots right to speed is beyond me!