Country road etiquette. Am I doing it wrong?

[JensonsAcolyte]

I have a new twice daily commute which is mainly country roads. Very twisty and windy, most of it is wide enough for two cars to pass but not all. Lots of up and down hills as well.

I’ve done the journey three times now. It’s 40mph until it hits the two villages then it’s 30.

Every single time I’ve had a car right up my arse for nearly the whole way. I’m starting to think it’s me.

So I drive at 40 along the straight bits with good visibility ahead. I brake coming into sharp turns and then accelerate coming out. I slow right down if I think I’m going to struggle with the gap with an oncoming car. I sometimes have to tap the brakes on a downward steep hill to stay at 40. I slow down to 30 approaching the village.

Every single time I slow down, the car behind pushes right up to me. It was a big white van this morning and yesterday morning (thinking about it, it could be the same guy) and an Audi SUV thing yesterday evening. The Audi overtook me when we got to the dual carriageway and GLARED at me. I’m in a mint green fiat 500, girly little car which I think is half the issue.

Am I being over cautious? Do I need to just thunder round the lanes at a steady 40?

If you are the sort of driver who would be pissed off with me can you explain why?

The locals may well know every twist and concealed entrance but that doesn't help them to see what's coming round or out of them ... they still need to slow down.
They still need to go under the speed limit on corners.
Don't be bullied OP. The country roads need more drivers like you.

You are right, the people hassling you are wrong. Just because people know roads well, they don't know what is going to be round the corner every day.

I believe the most common accident on country lanes is someone driving too fast going into the back of a tractor, so it's a pretty stupid thing to do as the speeder is most likely to come of worst!

It's the car size, I'm sure of it. I never get bothered in DH's Tiguan but in my C1 people tailgate me, vans try to run me off the road. Ironically, I drive faster in the little car because it corners and holds the road much better than the big car.

Once I got so angry after the plumber's van seemed to want to kill me and DS that when we finally stopped at traffic lights I jumped out of my car, tapped on the window and yelled at him to get the F*CK off my bumper, there's a little boy in my car and that his boss lives over the road from me (true) and I'm going to tell him about your driving. He seemed very shocked and shaken - and said sorry. I didn't tell on him as I think I'd woken him up. But honestly, how stupid to do that in a van with the company name on it. (Bit daft of me also admittedly- wouldn't have done it if I hadn't known who owned the van.)

Don't let the shitty drivers force you to break the speed limit - you dont want a skid or a speeding ticket. My sympathies though

I drive the lanes all year round there are always a few twats. Just turn your radio on and thank your lucky stars you don’t live with them.

@MiddlesexGirl

The locals may well know every twist and concealed entrance but that doesn't help them to see what's coming round or out of them ... they still need to slow down. They still need to go under the speed limit on corners. Don't be bullied OP. The country roads need more drivers like you.

This.

There’s a 50 mph country lane on the way to my mums. I’ve driven it a million times but I still slow down around the few blind corners. You’d have to be a moron to not slow down if you can’t see what’s ahead of you whether you drive that road daily or not.

You need a bumper sticker :

the closer you get, the slower I go

don’t exceed the speed limit, go slow in corners and if someone’s right up your rear, pull over when it’s safe to let them past. Some people just see country roads as a race track unfortunately.

This happens to me on country roads all the time! It really pisses me off! People driving up my arse when I'm going plenty fast enough grrrrrrr

@SonnyWinds

Are they actually 40mph speed limits? I grew up in the countryside and the vast majority were 60mph. Are you breaking on every bend and every hill? Sounds to me like you're driving too slowly and erratically (constantly breaking for no valid reason) and are likely to cause a crash. City drivers will tell you that you're being safe to be extra-cautious but I'd like to see how "safe" they'd think a driver going around a city and breaking every four seconds for no apparent reason is...

You mean braking

As somone who lives on a narrow country lane, I thank you OP.
I get sick of idiots who zoom by at 60, just because there is a short straight (but then a blind bend)

I could have written your post OP.
Twisty windy roads half of my commute and clear 40mph speed limit.
I often get people tailgating me. They’re f’ing idiots. I slow to 35 and they back off usually.
You get some overtaking at 45/50 and they literally take their life (and the life of oncoming traffic) into their hands by doing so. I love it when I get stuck behind a bus in this route. They go a steady 30 all the way.

You need a bumper sticker
the closer you get, the slower I go

I like this! 😆

Just to add, nobody in their right mind (or who has actually driven the road before) would take the bends even at 40 - despite it being the speed limit. Not all country roads are 60 or 70 for good reason.

@TedisnotH

As somone who lives on a narrow country lane, I thank you OP. I get sick of idiots who zoom by at 60, just because there is a short straight (but then a blind bend)

Me too and I love your name!

The 'I'll slow down deliberately' driver is also using their car to prove points and using their car in a way to deliberately prevent other drivers making progress. They're just doing it in a passive aggressive way,

If you have been on a driving awareness course you will have been taught that the correct response to tailgating is to reduce your speed. This is so that the tailgater has more time to react and if they don't react in time the collision will be at a lower speed.

If you have been on a driving awareness course you will have been taught that the correct response to tailgating is to reduce your speed. This is so that the tailgater has more time to react and if they don't react in time the collision will be at a lower speed.

I’ve not done a driving awareness course but was told this many years ago by my driving instructor.

@TheNorthWind

No, they are twats. They think the road is empty because it's a country lane. And it probably mostly is, until it isn't and there's no visibility and no time to stop.

Absolute bellends.

This all day long. I used to drive a particular country route and the majority of cars think they can do 70/80 because the roads aren't busy 🤷🏽‍♀️

@JensonsAcolyte can’t see if this has been suggested but check that both your back brake lights are working and give them a wipe to make sure they are super clean.

Just drive safely OP at the speed you feel most comfortable with and tune out the drivers who are trying to intimidate you.

Just slow right down at the beginning of a straight so they can over take you if they wish, and you can carry on safely and hassle free.

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

(also, not saying you are driving wrong, but is it definitely 40 not NSL? The majority of country lanes are 60 even if it's not safe to drive anywhere near that fast)

This. I’d be gobsmacked if it was all 40. Rural roads (no street lights) are 60 unless there are repeater signs every 30 seconds or so.

You’d be gobsmacked?

That a ten mile stretch of narrow (but not single track) road in a random part of the country has a well signposted 40mph limit?

Blimey.

@AnUnoriginalUsername

If its happening that regularly then I'd say it's your problem. They can't all be arseholes.

I'd guess they know the road better than you and you're over cautious. But, if you're not confident, better to be over cautious than fall off the road.

DP comes from a Dartmoor village. They really can be.

This. I’d be gobsmacked if it was all 40. Rural roads (no street lights) are 60 unless there are repeater signs every 30 seconds or so.

There are a few roads in my county that have speed limits below NSL. Usually with high accident rates (not that many care and still drive like idiots)

In this type of situation you need to (and i have myself in similar) pull over and let them past.

They know the roads better than you and know what speed they can take the corner at. Its easier for everyone here if you let them past, and then they can do them, and you can do you.

There should be a ban on intimidating drivers. I have this constantly and they try make me feel pressured to go at a speed I'm not comfortable with.

But to answer your question, most country lanes are 60mph - way way too fast.