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

Sorry police officer, I heard somewhere that speedometers underestimate your speed, so I decided to disregard the instrument panel and go faster?

Speedometers are very consistent in how much they overestimate your speed, so once you know the percentage for a particular car, you can adjust your speed consistently without further reference to the satnav. For example, my previous car was wrong by 10%, so I could use the speedometer to drive at 33 in a 30, 55 in a 50 etc and know I was never actually over the limit. The scenario of explaining why I was driving over the limit (according to the speedometer) would never happen, because I wouldn't ever actually be over the limit.

I get what you are saying OP, but sounds like you are moving over too quickly, and that can be extremely annoying and end up blocking two lanes and causing tailbacks to the roundabout.

How am I blocking two lanes by driving at the maximum speed limit in one lane?

Also, there are always tailbacks to this roundabout. That's one of the reasons I move to the right during the straight section approaching the bend that the roundabout is on. Once you get to the bend, it's hard to move over due to the congestion, it's harder to see due to the bend, and of course you have 14% of the poll respondents here flying round the bend at above the speed limit as you're trying to move over!

If it's the white sign with a black line then it's 70.

What if it is a circle with a 60 in it? You know, like the OP clearly says.

I have a road like this, the queue for a right off the roundabout starts round a bend about 1.5 miles from the roundabout, slip lane coming in on the left just after the bend doesn't help. 60 limit but people still speed towards the back of the queue.

Given the inaccuracy allowed on a speedo is 10%+6.25mph and the tolerance on a speed camera is 10%+2mph I'm not going to be second guessing my instrument panel, nor am I going to rely on GPS, which isnt always 100% accurate, especially in built up areas or where there's electromagnetic interference.

The tolerances on speed cameras and speedometers are in opposite directions, in other words (if those tolerances are correct) you might have to be something like 20% over the limit on your speedometer to set off the speed camera.

The other point is that you don't rely on satnav instead of speedometer for speed, that won't work at all as satnav is very slow to adjust to changes. What you do is put your car on cruise control on a flat straight empty road and work out how much your speedometer is fast by, thereafter you use the speedometer but adjust by the measured error.

Sometimes I'm in very slow or stationary traffic at this roundabout and in my rearview mirror see people absolutely flying round the bend behind me and having to brake hard, and I really cringe because there's nothing I can do except sit there and hope they don't hit me.

I hate when people in any car don't adhere to the appropriate spacing of cars. That is the biggest cause of accidents imo

I learned recently that a dual carriageway without a barrier in the central reservation has a 60 mph limit. A dual carriageway with a barrier usually has a 70mph limit unless it states otherwise. The OP has specified that there were 60 mph signs.

I think if you need to turn right and you're fairly near the roundabout then it's entirely reasonable to drive at 60 (speed limit) in the right lane. Especially since it's difficult to move over later due to congestion + bends + people speeding!

I guess it's tricky because it's the overtaking lane (how the speedies are seeing it) but also the turning-right lane (how you are seeing it).

However in answer to "everyone should drive at the speed limit" ... yes technically they should, however I think it would be a little unreasonable to sit in (say) the right lane of a 3-lane motorway doing 70. Unless you were briefly overtaking two slower vehicles of course. But in your situation I think yanbu.

I learned recently that a dual carriageway without a barrier in the central reservation has a 60 mph limit.

That's because it isn't a dual carriageway unless it has some kind of barrier. Dual carriage way doesn't just mean "two lanes on each side"

I think it would be a little unreasonable to sit in (say) the right lane of a 3-lane motorway doing 70.

I agree about not 'sitting' in the right hand lane of any road unless you have a reason to be there (overtaking or getting into the lane for another reason like turning), but I also think that everyone should drive at 70 on the motorway, and don't really understand why it's seen as so acceptable to speed that people using the road legally are seen as being in the wrong for getting in the way and stopping those who want to break the law. Just genuinely puzzles me.

It's amazing how many people don't know some of the basic rules of the road (not you OP - some of the other bizarre comments).

It doesn't matter if certain things weren't in place when you learned to drive. It's your responsibility, as a road user, to keep up to date with new rules, laws etc.

I also think that everyone should drive at 70 on the motorway, and don't really understand why it's seen as so acceptable to speed that people using the road legally are seen as being in the wrong for getting in the way

Yeah I know what you mean, I guess it's a weird situation because the law says 70 but there's a kind of unwritten rule that it's okay to go a bit faster on a clear motorway. In a way I wish they'd either enforce the limit or change it to (say) 80.

I think it makes it tricky on the motorway if the left lane is full of lorries doing 50 and the middle lane is full of cars doing 75-80 - if you want to do 70 do you constantly move between the two, or break the speed limit? (yep I know you keep left where possible but I'm thinking of when it's full of slow lorries, so as soon as you move left it's time to pull out again). Sorry bit of a derail there!

A worrying amount of ignorance on this thread. Many dual carriageways operate below the NSL. The dual carriageway where prince phil crashed was a 50 limit. There are plenty of dual carriageways with 40, 50 and 60mph speed restrictions on certain sections.

OP, ignore the tailgaters. I do pretty much the same as you every night on a DC with a 50 limit, get into the fast lane to go right at a roundabout. I go at the speed limit as you do, anyone behind me who doesn't like it can get to fuck !

I learned recently that a dual carriageway without a barrier in the central reservation has a 60 mph limit. A dual carriageway with a barrier usually has a 70mph limit unless it states otherwise. The OP has specified that there were 60 mph signs.

No barrier between the two flows of traffic means it is a single carriageway. It doesn't matter if there are two lanes, or even if there are more. No physical barrier between the two direction flows means it is a single carriageway.

A dual carriageway is a road with a physical barrier separating the two flows of traffics. Like single carriageways can have two r more lanes, dual carriageways can have one lane.

The NSL (for standard cars) on a single carriageway is 60. On a duel is 70. The amount of lanes has nothing to do with the speed limit.

Many dual carriageways have different speed limits to the NSL.

get into the fast lane to go right at a roundabout. I go at the speed limit as you do, anyone behind me who doesn't like it can get to fuck !

Where is the fast lane?

I do find it annoying that BMW and Audi drivers are always labelled as these obnoxious dangerous drivers which isn't always the case

YES! I drive a BMW and I am not an arsehole on the road.
YANBU OP to stick to the speed limit.

I agree its baffling though. I was driving along a motorway with roadworks and an average speed check (with multiple and obvious cameras up) and it was 50mph. I stuck to dead on 50 yet there were STILL lots of cars up my arse and overtaking. I was gobsmacked- they WILL get speeding tickets for that because average speed cameras do and will prosecute people going over. Yet the cars and even one lorry were gunning it down the motorway. I just shook my head and thought enjoy your post over the next couple of weeks because you'll be fined. Its weird- I dont understand why people are so desperate to speed that they'll risk fines for it. I can understand getting caught out when you aren't expecting it- thats happened to me. But to blatantly speed right in front of cameras? yeah- thats really really stupid.

A lot of people think that a four lane road with a grass verge in the middle is a dual carriageway though. I admit that I did. It needs a (usually) metal barrier between both outside lanes to be classed as a dual carriageway, not just a grass verge.

@beautifulstranger101 the stupidest ones are the ones who speed up and slow down just before average speed cameras. Like they don't understand the concept of it logging your average speed over a set distance...

Ginfordinner I suggest you go and re-read the highway code if you think that it needs anything other than a central reservation! Its section 138 you need.

the stupidest ones are the ones who speed up and slow down just before average speed cameras. Like they don't understand the concept of it logging your average speed over a set distance...

I wish I could see their expressions when they get the speeding tickets

If someone is tailgating you/flashing you and you could move lanes- just do it! All this stupid advice to hold your ground/ slow down even more/ use random lights to pretend you are braking- seriously wtf?

Refusing to budge over just builds such aggression in so many drivers you are just as bad in causing drastic, reckless actions like undercutting and lane swerving at speed to get in front of you . If you want to sit at speed limit- fine. But move over if you have the opportunity if you see someone approaching at speed who clearly doesn't. Easy.

A lot of people think that a four lane road with a grass verge in the middle is a dual carriageway though. I admit that I did. It needs a (usually) metal barrier between both outside lanes to be classed as a dual carriageway, not just a grass verge.

The physical barrier doesn't have to be a fence or similar, a grass central reservation is still a physical separation, making it a dual carriageway. The physical barriers refers to there being something in place instead of just painted lines.

@BabdocWhat gives you the right to risk other road users life ? You have no right. If you were that important there would be an allowance in the law for you.

Bloody hate all this 'BMW drivers are twats, Audi drivers are twats' - people who say this can't really be ignorant enough to think that everyone driving a particular brand of car is a bad driver?