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AIBU?

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Original poster

To wonder who all these people are, speeding?

420 replies

justonanote · 03/04/2022 02:19

Or more to the point, how they think they can get away with it, or clearly do all the time?

I do a lot of motorway driving and I see so many cars doing over 80!

See also dual carriageways near me. People do 80+!

I'll be in a lane sometimes doing 70 and I have cars behind flashing at me to speed up Shock

My question is do people not get done very much for speeding? I wouldn't really think to speed anyway but surely the strong possibility of a fine or more is a deterrent? Do people just not care?

OP posts:
sst1234 · 03/04/2022 15:07

@ivykaty44

According to the Money Advice Service, driving at 80mph can use up to 25% more fuel than driving at 70mph.

So if you fill up 50 litres for a trip and drive at 80mph you’d literally waste £20 rather than driving at 70mph, slow down to between 55-65 and you’ll save more

You’d also be driving dangerously at the lower speed getting flashed for being a nuisance and being overtaken by lorries. Everything that saves money isn’t a good or a safe idea.
sst1234 · 03/04/2022 15:09

@Fizbosshoes

I'm always surprised at the speed people travel in really poor driving conditions. When it's pelting down with rain, lots of surface spray and the windscreen wipers are on full speed and visibility is still quite poor, there are often drivers still whizzing past, at 60- 70+ mph. I can't understand how their visibility and braking distance are not affected by the weather!
There are people out there commuting 25-30k miles a year. Heavy rain isn’t an uncommon weather phenomenon in this country. If you drive that much, you learn to get good at it.
Trampitt · 03/04/2022 15:36

Why do you wonder who they are?

ivykaty44 · 03/04/2022 16:30

You’d also be driving dangerously at the lower speed getting flashed for being a nuisance and being overtaken by lorries. Everything that saves money isn’t a good or a safe idea.

the average speed on the M25 is 55mph, the speed south bound on the M6 is 60mph constantly for mile after mile due to pollution - driving between 55-65 isn't dangerous, and certainly not if your in the correct lane

DGRossetti · 03/04/2022 16:38

Everything that saves money isn’t a good or a safe idea.

Who's talking about money ? I was talking about saving the planet

No one's journey is more important than Mother Earth, surely ?

Rummikub · 03/04/2022 16:39

M602 has a 69mph speed limit to reduce pollution. So many drivers ignore that consistently,

Rummikub · 03/04/2022 16:40

⬆️ 60 mph

DGRossetti · 03/04/2022 16:48

@Rummikub

M602 has a 69mph speed limit to reduce pollution. So many drivers ignore that consistently,
The times I've been through the 60mph M5-M6 stretch in Brum, enough motorists obey it to make it work. Maybe the tight junction spacing has an effect ? Also it then leads into the variable bit which is usually less than 60, so there's a pushback which drives speeds down.
Rowgtfc72 · 03/04/2022 16:49

@alfagirl73 you drive like my dh.
When he's driving he will know what the car in front of the car in front is doing. He reads the road.
His pet hate is not driving at motorway speed on a slip road. Oh and middle lane hoggers. He drives at 80- 85 perfectly safely. His speeding ticket was for 33 in a 30 going downhill on a flyover.
You can drive quickly and safely. You can also drive slowly and dangerously.

Rummikub · 03/04/2022 16:49

I guess yes there’s a pollution reduction even if it’s not 100pc compliance.

oioimatey · 03/04/2022 16:51

The real issue on the motorway is sticking to the left unless overtaking.

oioimatey · 03/04/2022 16:52

*not sticking to the left

DGRossetti · 03/04/2022 16:57

@oioimatey

The real issue on the motorway is sticking to the left unless overtaking.
Which is a function of the appalling lack of anticipation by most drivers. You'd think it should be bleeding obvious that the faster you go, the further ahead you need to plan.
catwomando · 03/04/2022 17:06

In the macho company I used to work in they (the men) used to boast about how many points they had and how many speeding awareness courses they'd been on. Twats. One of the reasons I don't work there anymore. Macho crap . Dangerous macho crap.

I drive a small car and the agressive driving from men in fast cars is ludicrous. I usually wave my little finger at them (an a 'tiny penis ' symbol Grin).

DGRossetti · 03/04/2022 17:11

In the macho company I used to work in they (the men) used to boast about how many points they had and how many speeding awareness courses they'd been on

Working for an insurance company (with an ex-copper boss) rather makes you aware of levels of arseholery. Having to hunt around in ditches for various body parts after a speed-induced RTA wasn't really a fun part of the job apparently. And yes, speeding convictions are (unsurprisingly) proxies for shit driving.

Having gained a lot more than I expected from a speed awareness course, I think we could dramatically improve the standard of driving in the UK if all drivers were required to attend one (or similar) every 10 years. The reduction in accidents (and hence premiums) might even make it economic.

AllOfUsAreDead · 03/04/2022 18:10

But this isn't about driving 40 mph over the limit in a built up area, it's about 10mph over on a motorway -totally different things.

Well not really. Someone who is willing to speed on a motorway is willing to speed anywhere. If people on here were honest, they'd admit they speed through towns too. Don't know why they do, but so many do. As I said earlier, the most likely culprit I see speeding past the local school is parents. It's 20mph past the school, usually doing 35-40. And then after when it changes to 30 again and then up to 60, they are doing 50 before they get to the 60 part. I actually got overtaken the other day in a town while doing 30 by some tosser (don't worry I reported him to the police, I do love private number plates, much easier to remember).

Driving standards are just shite now. No one cares about anyone else. It's going to take someone's kid being killed at this school before anything is done about the shite drivers, and even then after a few weeks they won't care and will keep speeding. Tests should be redone every 10 years. I have no issue with that, I know I'll pass and if I don't, I didn't deserve to. Many on the road shouldn't be driving at all and no excuse is worthy to be on the road endangering people. You won't find your excuse worthwhile when you watch emergency services scraping the remains of someone off your car, trust me.

Oh @DGRossetti don't bother on the saving the planet stuff. No one cares really, only if it's easy things to do that doesn't affect them. Can't ask them to slow down, their journeys are far too important, way more important than living here for a long time. Smile

DGRossetti · 03/04/2022 18:35

Someone who is willing to speed on a motorway is willing to speed anywhere

If someone is willing to break one law, then where will they stop ?

BoredZelda · 03/04/2022 18:58

Oh dear OP is a 'nuisance' now.

If OP is sitting in the outer lanes at 70 and not yielding when she can (which is generally when people will flash) she is breaking the law.

Lorries take mikes to overtake each other slowly. Not sensible.

Try driving an HGV before you decide what is sensible or not.

BoredZelda · 03/04/2022 19:01

Someone who is willing to speed on a motorway is willing to speed anywhere

I sometimes drive at 76 or 77 on the motorway, on a clear day, when it’s quiet. I never speed in built up areas.

Blossomtoes · 03/04/2022 19:07

@BoredZelda

Someone who is willing to speed on a motorway is willing to speed anywhere

I sometimes drive at 76 or 77 on the motorway, on a clear day, when it’s quiet. I never speed in built up areas.

Same. 80 feels about right on a motorway in good conditions.
Isonthecase · 03/04/2022 19:55

Yeah, this speeding on a motorway is the same as speeding in a town is absolute bollocks. There are pedestrians all round in a built up area, it's obviously not the same. Personally I drive at the speed I feel it's safe to drive at and that may be more or significantly less than the speed limit.

Yellownightmare · 03/04/2022 20:01

@SucculentChalice

80 is not that fast. 130kph is standard on many motorways in Europe.

What puzzles me on motorways is people driving incredibly slowly. Like 40-50mph. I sometimes drive a small lorry and it feels ridiculous having to overtake someone on a motorway driving at 45mph.

Speeding on non-motorway roads however is really dangerous and in many places the national speed limit should be much slower than 60mph.

There are far, far more people doing over 80 in the outside lane at way lower than stopping distance than there are people doing 40-50 miles an hour in the inside lane. I've driven quite a lot recently on motorways and have been easily able to do 70+ in the inside lane for much of the journey.

How anyone can say tailgaters at 80 are less dangerous than people going at 70 in the middle lane just baffles me.

backtobusy · 03/04/2022 20:01

Someone who is willing to speed on a motorway is willing to speed anywhere

This is total nonsense.

I don't speed in urban areas as there is much more to go wrong and speed has a much higher impact if it does.

Blossomtoes · 03/04/2022 20:04

How anyone can say tailgaters at 80 are less dangerous than people going at 70 in the middle lane just baffles me

Nobody did.

thedancingbear · 03/04/2022 20:17

@BoredZelda

Someone who is willing to speed on a motorway is willing to speed anywhere

I sometimes drive at 76 or 77 on the motorway, on a clear day, when it’s quiet. I never speed in built up areas.

Exactly the same here.
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