To drive at the speed limit

[Mamboitaliano]

OK I know in theory I'm not being unreasonable not to break the law - but why do I feel like I'm the only one then?

I drive to work along a dual carriageway. It's a clearly signposted 60mph road. The traffic in the left lane drives at 60. The traffic in the right lane drives at 70+ There's a roundabout where I have to turn off this road, taking the third exit (right), so I move into the right lane and drive at 60. Because it's the speed limit. But almost always, someone charges right up behind me and then drives intimidatingly close to the back of my car. I really really hate it. I feel like I'm being bullied each time, and I also feel very uncomfortable with having drivers so close to the back of my car. If I had to brake they'd go right into the back of me.

Am I just boring and nobody actually drives at the speed limit? Am I being unreasonable driving at the speed limit and annoying all the other drivers on their way to work?

YABU = You don't need to drive at 60.
YANBU = You should drive at the speed limit

What always bothers me on threads like this is the number of people who clearly drive badly and think they can adapt the Highway Code and law to their own purpose. Of course Op is doing the right thing in driving at the speed limit and of course that applies for both lanes of the road she's on. And... of course she's entitled to overtake at that speed and to pull out as she approaches a bend because it's close to a roundabout and she knows there is a queue coming up.

@dognamedspot but she's openly said she drives in the right hand land and she, and numerous other people, intentionally wind up other road users.

It's part of the Highway Code to drive in the left hand lane unless you're overtaking. It's common sense not to intentionally piss other road users off.

Bet she hogs the middle lane on the motorway too.

I drive fast on motorways -80ish, if the conditions/traffic requires it, I slow down. I stay in the left hand lane and only come out to overtake. I HATE people who sit at 55 (speedometer reads 60) in the overtaking lane just for the hell of it - MOVE. Don't care if people think IBU. I drive to conditions and observe limits in residential areas

Are you sure you’re checking properly in your rear view before pulling over? If there’s nothing in the right lane and you’ve pulled over to sit in front of someone coming up behind you, then I can see why they would be annoyed. Let them pass first.

Are you sure you’re checking properly in your rear view before pulling over?

And blind spot.

If you are doing the speed limit then carry on doing what you are doing! Don’t be concerned about other peoples driving as they will be the ones landed with a speeding ticket!
However definitely check your blind spot/mirrors before pulling out, as a driver this is my pet hate!
Also for the poster who is blaming BMW and Audi drivers.....really?? 🙄🙄🙄

It sounds like you are pulling into the right lane without checking the speed of the cars already in that lane.

You should be merging in, if you're going slower than then you should wait and move in afterwards

Slow drivers, especially at rush hour, are a complete Pita. Just because you sanctimoniously stick to the 60mph that doesn't give you the right to block the right lane for those wanting to make progress.

I also find those that think they are sticking to the speed limit continuously slow down/speed up around the speed limit mark, making it utterly tortuous to drive behind them.

Normal people: You are obeying the law and getting over in a reasonable amount of time to turn right.

Wanker drivers: My time is more important than yours and I clearly need to get to the inevitable queue faster than you mwah ha ha.

YANBU.

This really gets my blood boiling. Particularly since November when I was rear ended on a dual carriageway approaching a roundabout. One driver cut in at the last minute and the other didn’t leave enough space. We still haven’t been able to move on as they are arguing over liability. If everyone was just
a bit more chill while driving these types of accident wouldn’t happen.

YABU if you are moving into the lane any earlier than you need to

@giveherhellfromus but she's openly said she drives in the right hand land and she, and numerous other people, intentionally wind up other road users.

No, I've explained the good reasons for how and when I drive in the right hand lane. It also happens on other roads when I'm using that lane for overtaking a slow stream of traffic on the left, and someone tries to intimidate me into overtaking faster. I've also not said once in this thread that I wind up other road users. I've said thank you to the posters who have pointed out that it's a good idea to slow down if someone is tailgating you, for safety reasons.

@babdoc how many of your seriously injured patients were injured in traffic collisions?

OK so what about when I'm using the lane to overtake (also at 60) and someone tailgates me, wanting me to overtake faster? Am I still in the wrong then (according to some people)?

I do - of course - look before I pull out into the righthand lane. People who are doing over 70 will quickly catch you up, and it's a busy road.

If this happens frequently, I think it's safe to say you are the problem OP. Probably changing lane far too soon.

Love all the excuses for speeding on this thread. Tell that to the magistrate and see what he/she thinks.
“Oh your honour but I just wanted to make progress and it’s better to speed a little and be calm then stick to the speed limit and feel stressed”

Either put your foot down or get the hell out of the way

Seriously, you are probably moving over too early

It's far better driving to check your mirror, see if there's a lot of traffic coming up and move when you have time, rather than then having to put your indicator on at the last minute and hope someone will let you out. In any event, the OP is doing the speed limit. But even if it were 70 and she was doing 60, tough. If you need to get over to be in the right place for your journey others just have to be patient.

There are too many people driving too fast without looking ahead, and without checking what's going on behind, so they can plan their manoeuvres accordingly.

If she were doing 30 in a 60 limit you may have a point. But she wasn't.

If you're using the lane to overtake do so at whatever speed you're comfortable driving at, and then merge back in to the left lane when safe to do so. It's really not a difficult concept.

If you're putting your brakes on intentionally if someone's tailgating, you're increasing the hazard, not pre-empting one.

@willstarttomorrow Not Leeds, no. Sounds like another dodgy road.

People who've said things like, OP, it’s not your job to enforce the speed limit - I think you've missed the point. I'm not driving at 60 to enforce the speed limit. I'm driving at 60 because I think sticking to the speed limit is right for me. They're the ones trying to enforce me breaking the speed limit with their intimidating behaviour, if anything.

Anyone who has been tailgated by one of these people knows it's not always about getting you to pull over. It's about trying to make you speed up. They do it on country roads when you're doing 60 as well.

If this happens frequently, I think it's safe to say you are the problem OP. Probably changing lane far too soon

I can't see why it's an issue if the OP is dong 60 and the speed limit is 60. Why would anyone need to get past if they are not an emergency vehicle? Oh yes, because they're breaking the law. Well they can bog off then.

*Thestrangestthing

If this happens frequently, I think it's safe to say you are the problem OP. Probably changing lane far too soon

Funny enough my detective constable best friend who drives an unmarked police car a great deal and has her advanced driving has this happen to her on a regular basis as well.

I think it is safe to say she is driving very very well

If you're putting your brakes on intentionally if someone's tailgating, you're increasing the hazard, not pre-empting one

Agree with this 100% though. Sometimes I think I am behind a MNer if I come around a corner and find myself coming up behind someone quite quickly. I immediately take my foot off the gas to let myself coast to their speed but sometimes I get the distinct impression thet are slowing down to teach me a lesson. I don't tailgate deliberately but sometimes you just catch someone up because you don't see them around the corner. So just give people time and don't slow down because someone has come up behind you quickly!

Funny enough my detective constable best friend who drives an unmarked police car a great deal and has her advanced driving has this happen to her on a regular basis as well.

I think it is safe to say she is driving very very well

Bullshit. My brothers a paramedic with advance driver training and he's a shit driver. My SM is a middle-lane-hogging driving instructor.

Wonder how many people on here admitting to speeding have been up in arms about threads on here regarding stealing from self service tills or benefit fraud.

The law is the law, you can’t bend it to suit you

If this happens frequently, I think it's safe to say you are the problem OP. Probably changing lane far too soon.

I'm never in the right lane if there's nobody in the left. So I'm either using this lane to overtake or to approach the junction - either way I'm still doing the speed limit so how am I the problem?

I don't think I'm sanctimonious, though I suppose it does annoy me that speeding is seen as so 'normal' that I'm described as 'the problem' and 'get the hell out of the way' for driving at the legal limit.