Page 5 | Learner doing 25mph in a 30

Hullabaloo9 · 2022-04-03T12:35:39+00:00

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

amusedbush · 03/04/2022 21:05

The speed limit is the target - as long as road conditions permit it. Easing off a little on roads lined with parked cars, or in poor weather, or when your view is obscured, etc is much safer than pelting along a narrow road at 30mph.

And 25mph in a 30 zone is absolutely fine. A few weeks ago I got trapped for several streets behind a learner in one of those dual control private rental cars (i.e. not with her driving instructor) who was consistently doing 13mph in a 30. It was in a residential area but wide roads, no cars parked, hardly any other cars on the road, and a lovely clear, dry day. When I was learning, my instructor would never have allowed me to pootle along like that and though I wasn't annoyed at her, I was annoyed at the person with her for not correcting it.

HomeHomeInTheRange · 03/04/2022 21:08

Of course it is ok!

You are not a professional driving instructor, you haven’t got dual controls, he has told you that is the speed he feels safe with at the moment and encouraging him to think of the speed limit as a target is not a good idea IMO.

Young male drivers and the accident stats and all that…

SixteenTwelve · 03/04/2022 21:09

It’s probably a bit annoying but personally wouldn’t bother me. I have far more patience for learners driving slowly than I do for old people doing a perpetual 40mph in a 60.

Hesma · 03/04/2022 21:15

It’s a maximum speed not a target 😊

This

cowskeepingmeupatnight · 03/04/2022 21:19

I have just passed my test this week (hurrah!) so feel I have something to offer here. Please don’t rush your son, he’s only 5 miles below the limit. He definitely wouldn’t be penalised for that in a test because it’s so slight and if he’s driving to road conditions (parked cars, residential area, raining etc) then he’s spot on going slightly lower.

Also, your son is probably driving faster with you than he does with his instructor, if he has one. This was certainly my experience when I was practising with my husband, I’d have to recalibrate when I got back in the car with my instructor and dial things down a bit 😆

I now have P plates and a white van tailgated me for ages yesterday, with a horrid woman in the passenger seat flailing her arms about. She can get to f*ck, quite honestly, because I was driving to the limits of the road conditions and my experience. Please don’t make your son feel like he has to please other drivers. If you get any grief just shake it off, and then he will be much more confident in his own decisionmaking when he passes.

Clymene · 03/04/2022 21:19

@Hesma

It’s a maximum speed not a target 😊

This

But that isn't true. As multiple posts have shown.

FFS no wonder driving is so bad in this country

surreygirl1987 · 03/04/2022 21:22

That's okay for now and I would expect him to build his confidence quickly and go faster soon. However, I would avoid busy times like rush hour, school pick up time etc as you will then get drivers in a hurry and frustrated that they are risking being late... this might panic your son further.

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 03/04/2022 21:22

Why do people keep saying "it's a limit not a target".

The Highway code says that if you are holding up traffic and driving too slowly, you should be pulling over regularly and allowing traffic to pass.

gogohm · 03/04/2022 21:27

On a road that's narrow with parked cars 25 is fine but on urban arterial routes he should be doing 30 if safe to do so. I would avoid commuter times especially if he's nervous - a learner going slowly on a main route is very difficult when people are going to and from work

Prometheus · 03/04/2022 21:35

The only thing to consider is whether he will be marked down in his driving test for this. When I was learning to drive my instructor told me that I approached roundabouts too fast. So in my test I made sure to approach roundabouts very slowly…..I passed but had too faults for approaching roundabouts too slowly. I suspect in a driving test he would receive a fault for driving too slow because it could provoke people to overtake and thus cause a danger.

OneTC · 03/04/2022 21:36

You are supposed to pull over regularly and allow traffic to pass if you are driving a wide or slow-moving vehicle

25 in a 30 is not a slow moving vehicle

Clymene · 03/04/2022 21:38

@OneTC

You are supposed to pull over regularly and allow traffic to pass if you are driving a wide or slow-moving vehicle

25 in a 30 is not a slow moving vehicle

It is if the route is clear and the weather is good. It's nearly 20% below the speed you should be driving at.

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 03/04/2022 21:38

@OneTC

You are supposed to pull over regularly and allow traffic to pass if you are driving a wide or slow-moving vehicle

25 in a 30 is not a slow moving vehicle

That depends entirely on what speed everyone else is doing.

Someone going 5mph below the speed limit on a clear road can absolutely be holding up traffic.

DisforDarkChocolate · 03/04/2022 21:42

Generally my driving instructor was very keen on making sure I didn't hold up other road users. You will fail your test if you do this. However, lots of urban areas it is appropriate to drive below the speed limit because of the risk of children /cars pulling out/wide loads etc. So, it's sometimes appropriate and sometimes not.

Luredbyapomegranate · 03/04/2022 21:56

Fine.

Ignore the impatient and hold the road, pulling over if someone has been waiting for a bit when it’s safe.

EricScrantona · 03/04/2022 22:00

Trainee driving instructor here. He needs to go at 30. If he is unable to drive at the speed limit safely and consistently when able to do so, he is not a competent driver and cannot expect to pass.

Whilst it's true that it's a limit not a target, the limit is a designated safe speed to travel on that road at. You need to prove you're able to drive at that speed therefore making it the target speed for that road.

Luredbyapomegranate · 03/04/2022 22:03

@EricScrantona

Trainee driving instructor here. He needs to go at 30. If he is unable to drive at the speed limit safely and consistently when able to do so, he is not a competent driver and cannot expect to pass.

Whilst it's true that it's a limit not a target, the limit is a designated safe speed to travel on that road at. You need to prove you're able to drive at that speed therefore making it the target speed for that road.

He’s not taking his test. He’s practising for it.

How is he suppose to learn??

Of course he needs to drive at the upper limit for his test.

While he’s learning of course it’s OK to drive a bit under and pull over periodically.

Or what do you suggest?

Blossomtoes · 03/04/2022 22:04

@EricScrantona

Trainee driving instructor here. He needs to go at 30. If he is unable to drive at the speed limit safely and consistently when able to do so, he is not a competent driver and cannot expect to pass.

Whilst it's true that it's a limit not a target, the limit is a designated safe speed to travel on that road at. You need to prove you're able to drive at that speed therefore making it the target speed for that road.

But he’s not able to do so because the street is lined with parked cars. If you’re telling your pupils a speed limit is a target, you’re not going to get many of them through their test.

HomeHomeInTheRange · 03/04/2022 22:12

@EricScrantona

Trainee driving instructor here. He needs to go at 30. If he is unable to drive at the speed limit safely and consistently when able to do so, he is not a competent driver and cannot expect to pass.

Whilst it's true that it's a limit not a target, the limit is a designated safe speed to travel on that road at. You need to prove you're able to drive at that speed therefore making it the target speed for that road.

Needs to go at 30 from when? First lesson? First practice with his not-an-instructor Mum? After he masters an emergency stop? As he approaches taking his test? At which point must he drive at 30 through car lined narrow streets?

EricScrantona · 03/04/2022 22:31

@Luredbyapomegranate yes he's practicing. So he needs to practice driving at the appropriate speed for the road in order to practice being able to pass his test. I'm not sure the point of your post other than to be negative about mine. He obviously isn't taking his test with his mum in the passenger seat. He obviously needs to push himself to get better. Of course people will have patience with a learner but it can't be seen as "ok" because it isn't. If it's seen as ok now, why bother improve?

@Blossomtoes have we seen an image of the road? There are plenty of streets that have cars parked at the side and are safe to do 30 and plenty that aren't. We can't judge because we aren't there. I've said "if able to do so" and you've said "he isn't able to do so". If he actually isn't, then it won't be causing a problem will it because nobody will be able to and this whole thread and question is irrelevant. You must be an experienced driving instructor to expect that you know what I should be telling pupils I can get to pass? I'm receiving current training and practices from experts in the industry. Perhaps I should have come to see you?

@HomeHomeInTheRange yes, if he isn't safe on the road he shouldn't be practicing on it. It doesn't sound like he is unsafe, just perhaps could learn more confidence and control of the car. Perhaps if it's an issue, he should only be learning with professionals who will only take him on roads suitable to his ability rather than his mum. All of this is subjective as we don't know whether 25 or 30 is the more appropriate speed.

DdraigGoch · 03/04/2022 22:40

@fairylightsandwaxmelts

Why do people keep saying "it's a limit not a target".

The Highway code says that if you are holding up traffic and driving too slowly, you should be pulling over regularly and allowing traffic to pass.

25 in a 30 isn't "driving too slowly". 25 in a 40 would be.

DdraigGoch · 03/04/2022 22:46

@EricScrantona

Trainee driving instructor here. He needs to go at 30. If he is unable to drive at the speed limit safely and consistently when able to do so, he is not a competent driver and cannot expect to pass.

Whilst it's true that it's a limit not a target, the limit is a designated safe speed to travel on that road at. You need to prove you're able to drive at that speed therefore making it the target speed for that road.

Many roads in built-up areas are officially 30mph, but no one on earth could argue that it would be safe to do that speed in many cases. The OP's son is driving with due consideration for the conditions of the road (parked cars etc.).

Will you be telling your future pupils that they should always be doing 60 on an NSL road because that limit "is a designated safe speed"? Doing 50 on an NSL road wrote off my first car. Lesson learned, Newton's laws still apply, no matter what the signs say.

EricScrantona · 03/04/2022 22:56

@DdraigGoch I have said when able to do so. It's really important that it's safe to do that speed at that time. For example snow/rain/low sun could have an effect. Of course, visibility from parked cars but we haven't seen the roads OP is talking about.

I'm not saying just go at 30 or whatever speed and that's that. There will always be things you need to adjust speeds for. Im saying where able to do so, you go at the limit. I'm sorry you had a serious accident. Was that speed too fast for the road/that part of the road or were there other things at play?

NSL is slightly different as it's not always the designated safe speed for that road. There simply haven't been enough deaths for the road to go from unclassified/NSL to a designated speed.

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 03/04/2022 22:56

@DdraigGoch as has been said, that depends entirely on the road and what the other traffic is doing.

25 in a 30 is almost 20% below the speed limit. That's not a tiny percentage by any means. It's the equivalent of going 45-48mph in a 60, or 55mph on the motorway.

EricScrantona · 03/04/2022 22:57

there may not have been enough deaths to reduce the limit.