Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Learner doing 25mph in a 30

137 replies

Hullabaloo9 · 03/04/2022 13:35

I'm taking my son out driving to consolidate what he learns on his professional lessons. We drive round residential areas at non peak times.

Is it acceptable for him to be driving generally at 25mph on residential 30mph roads?. I encourage him to go a little faster but with lots of road parking etc he says he only feels confident to go at that speed at the moment. Are we a total nuisance or is this OK? Xxx

OP posts:
JackieCollinshasnoauthority · 03/04/2022 13:37

Sounds fine.

Forshorttheycallmecomp · 03/04/2022 13:38

Sounds a safe speed in those sort of areas.

ChiselandBits · 03/04/2022 13:39

On built up roads with cars parked 25 mph is fine. You probably will get impatient twats tailgating but it's fine. In that kind of area you could have doors opening, kids or cats darting out, all sorts.

NannyR · 03/04/2022 13:39

Sounds ok to me, maybe encourage him to pull over if there is a huge queue behind him, but on residential roads with lots of parked cars, 25 mph is probably a sensible speed to drive at.

FiveGoMadInDorset · 03/04/2022 13:39

Let him drive at the speed he is safe at, 30 is max and a lot of residential places round here are pushing for 20

Cosmosgrowinmygarden · 03/04/2022 13:40

It’s a maximum speed not a target 😊

OvOvO · 03/04/2022 13:42

This wouldn't bother me if I was behind him - we were all learners once and 25 mph sounds like a sensible speed when there's lots of parked cars because you never know if a small child or animal could suddenly dash from behind one.

Gizacluethen · 03/04/2022 13:43

YABU to be trying to make him go faster tbh. If there's cars parked on the road then he probably shouldn't be going 30

gunnersgold · 03/04/2022 13:47

People are arses to learners ! My dd has just passed and the amount of people that have tailgating us while practicing doing thr actual speed limit is shocking!
Everyone was a learner once ffs and should remember this !

She has decided on P plates because she is still a bit nervous understandably and it's even worse ! Humans can be horrid sometimes !

You are fine doing 25 , as above if there is a big queue then pull over . He has to learn on the roads so there is no other choice ! Good luck

Blossomtoes · 03/04/2022 13:49

I do 25 under the circumstances you describe and I’ve been driving for over 30 years. There are some residential streets where 25 isn’t safe.

hybridoaties · 03/04/2022 13:52

Theoretically that's fine. However he could potentially fail his test if he consistently drives under or over the speed limit.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 03/04/2022 13:54

@hybridoaties

Theoretically that's fine. However he could potentially fail his test if he consistently drives under or over the speed limit.
You would fail a driving test for driving in excess of a speed limit but not for going slower speed limit. 25mph in a 30 zone sounds fine to me
Mummywantsaweewee · 03/04/2022 13:58

You pay tax and insurance, same as everyone else, you have as much right to the road as everyone else, as long as you’re not a danger to others and not breaking the law you can do whatever speed you like. We’ve all got to start somewhere! When I first started I did 20mph along a 60 😂😂😂 I was terrified!
If you get an arsehole just pull in to let them pass or loop round a roundabout. Ta-ta tailgater!

ComtesseDeSpair · 03/04/2022 14:07

It’s fine for a learner in practice. As his confidence builds hopefully he’ll feel able to drive to road conditions. You can be penalised in your driving test for not driving to speed: being too cautious or driving too slowly are potentially dangerous habits.

girlmom21 · 03/04/2022 14:08

You would fail a driving test for driving in excess of a speed limit but not for going slower speed limit.

You can fail for driving below the speed limit if it's consistent and unnecessary. It's not a sign of a safe and competent driver and frustrating other road users without being aware of it is driving without due care and attention.

Saying that, 25 in a residential area is generally fine.

LegMeChicken · 03/04/2022 14:09

If it’s a built area hea probably doing the correct speed. But don’t worry about being slow as an early learner anyway!

We were all there once. Most people are patient (in my area anyway) barring impatient honking twats.

FloralsForSpring · 03/04/2022 14:09

You would fail a driving test for driving in excess of a speed limit but not for going slower speed limit. 25mph in a 30 zone sounds fine to me you absolutely can be driving too slowly on your driving test.

ProseccoStorm · 03/04/2022 14:10

I wouldn't mind a learner doing 25 in a 30 residential area, completely fine.

I was told to stay within 10% of the limit so I'd gently encourage him up to 27/28 when conditions allow

WhatTheWhoTheWhatThe · 03/04/2022 14:11

25 miles an hour on a residential road with parked cars is fine.

You would fail for doing 25 miles on a country road with a national speed limit of 60 if there were no obstruction causing you to need to slow down

LegMeChicken · 03/04/2022 14:12

@Mummywantsaweewee

You pay tax and insurance, same as everyone else, you have as much right to the road as everyone else, as long as you’re not a danger to others and not breaking the law you can do whatever speed you like. We’ve all got to start somewhere! When I first started I did 20mph along a 60 😂😂😂 I was terrified! If you get an arsehole just pull in to let them pass or loop round a roundabout. Ta-ta tailgater!
Don’t do 20 mph in a 60 though it’s very dangerous, unless everyone else is due to rain, traffic or whatever.

There’s no hard and fast rule but about 10 mph off the speed is fine I’d say. You’re advised to match the speed of traffic but so many people speed , that advice is useless…

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 03/04/2022 14:12

25mph in a built up area, roads narrowed by parked cars, potential for people to appear suddenly... sounds safe

25mph on the A1... dangerous.

The twat who overtook me when I was slow g for a pedestrian crossing this morning... dangerous idiot.

BornIn78 · 03/04/2022 14:12

You would fail a driving test for driving in excess of a speed limit but not for going slower speed limit.

Actually you can fail a driving test for driving too slow for too long.

Faevern · 03/04/2022 14:12

@Cosmosgrowinmygarden

It’s a maximum speed not a target 😊
That’s what I used to say to my DD.

However they are encouraged to get to the speed limit as soon as possible, apparently they can fail for driving slower.

I would think 25 in a built up area and cars parked would be reasonable, many of these type of roads where I live are 20mph.

OP get him to ask his instructor, but maybe he needs longer to gain his confidence?

balalake · 03/04/2022 14:13

Perfectly OK. If it annoys men who have never satisfied any woman in the bedroom, so be it.

ZerotwoZero · 03/04/2022 14:14

Despite what some claim, driving to slow will contribute to failing your test.

The test marking guidance says on test you needed to show that you can drive at a realistic speed appropriate to the road and traffic conditions. You needed to approach all hazards at a safe, controlled speed, without being over cautious or slowing or stopping other road users.

Driving at 5-10mph (or more) below the speed limit on a 30mph road. If it’s safe to do 30mph, then your speed should be between 28-30mph to avoid being marked down in this section.