People driving at 50mph on a 60mph road

[impossibldream]

I have to use an A road most days which has a national speed limit (60mph). It seems like I’m always stuck behind some idiot driving along at 50mph. I find it so hard not to get wound up. It just results in people trying to overtake (sometimes taking risks so I think it increases a chance of accidents) and generally increasing levels of stress. Why do people do this? AIBU to find it rude and annoying?

This.

You are not going anywhere that you're in a 60mph zone for an hour that is straight, with no bends, no 30 or 40mph sections, no opportunity to safely pass, no roundabouts, no traffic lights, no horses, no cyclists, no vans limited to 50mph, no road works, etc. This is a made-up situation. In reality you'll be "stuck behind" someone driving slower than you like for a couple of minutes, tops. And then they're very likely to catch you up at the next set of traffic lights. So you're acting like an emotionally unregulated idiot over... what? A desperate need to be home at 5:43:25 instead of 5:43:59? Because that's a lot closer to reality than what you've described.

Given the right conditions its safe to drive at 100mph.

I live in a semi-rural area with a lot of narrow roads which are NSL but where it would be suicide to drive at 60mph. Plus lots which are wide enough for 2 cars to pass at all points, but there are bends which are not safe to take at 60.

I was on one such road, coming away from a bend onto a straight stretch, and accelerated away, but the white van behind me decided I wasn’t accelerating hard enough. I was up to 56mph when he started his overtaking manoeuvre - and I could see the oncoming traffic. I think it’s only because I slowed down that he was able to pull in in time to avoid the car coming the other way, which also had to brake to avoid a collision.

By the time we reached the junction 2 miles further on, he was all of 200 yards ahead of me. So his dangerous overtake didn’t really gain him anything.

I find 50 is much more fuel efficient for my car so tend to stick with that. You don't need to take risks to overtake me, just wait until it is actually safe to do so.
This is true, I got very low on my battery the other day (a one off fault where it didn't charge overnight and I didn't notice) and drove at 55 in a 70 for fuel efficiency. Perfectly safe as people had three other lanes to overtake. People could be more mindful of the cost and environmental issues with driving at higher speeds.

Because if I drive at 60 not feeling safe just to please the random person behind me, and something bad happens to me, the random person won't pay for my car (or tend to me while I'm broken).
So, I'll drive at the speed I feel safe. And if other people don't like it, it's their problem.

But not even close to being legal.

Dunno, might feel a bit twitchy if another lorry popped itself behind me as well.

Given the right conditions its safe to drive at 100mph.

Oh well if @Agrudge says it’s safe to drive at 100mph then it’s fine. Don’t forget to quote them when you’re in front of the magistrate.

You drive along the a9 at 50 because it's much more fuel efficient , better for the climate , and you are stuck behind a truck anyway which can't go faster

"Given the right conditions its safe to drive at 100mph."

But not legal in the uk. If caught you could lose your licence.

I didnt say it was legal. I said it was safe

@Hrpuffnstuff1 100 miles per hour on a UK motorway? And you're bragging and joking about it? It was an entitled (actually I'll redact what I'd actually like to call you and go with "person") like you that killed my best friend - her boyfriend believed he was an "excellent" driver in a powerful car who, but it turns out, he was not immune to physics. You cannot stop or swerve a car going 100 mph in time to safely avoid debri falling off another vehicle. I wish to god you were forced to see the mangled and decapitated body of my friend and talk to the man who killed her and walked away with a broken arm and some stitches on his face. Your elderly motorway pal would be welcome to join, as well.

@Agrudge my last comment should @ you, as well.

As I've been told on a speed awareness course, 60 is a limit, not a target!

Ok, so if it's safe to travel at 30mph faster than most traffic, then it's equally safe to drive at 40mph on the motorway right?

You remove me of those idiots who insist that is safe for them to drive when drink because they are so competent they are still safe.

I'm sorry to hear about your friend 😢

Its such entitled arrogance from some drivers that they think safety limits don't apply to them because they are so good at driving.

If they were to only risk their own life, that's their choice, but to risk other people's lives a huge degree of selfishness.

Given the right conditions its safe to drive at 100mph

It's not safe to drive that fast. Nobody, other than people who've done an advanced driving course eg with the police, or Fi drivers, have adequate control of their cars at that speed.

Anyway, happily the limit in the UK is 70. Sadly, it's considered stupid to keep to it.

Sorry but I dont believe its unsafe to drive at 100mph in the right conditions. Whether it on a uk motorway or roads it other places where it would be perfectly legal

Hmm, I am definitely someone who feels your pain here. Do they turn out to be fairly elderly drivers?
Also, they may not be as familiar with the area as you are. Twisty roads, blind bends etc? Even I slow right down when I'm driving in the Lakes ( district, not actual water 🤭) for example.. Then I get Mr Landrover Dude immediately up my backside 😡

Yes. If everyone would just drive sensibly it would be great, but you get idiots who want to do 40 in a 60 limit; and idiots who want to do 80 in a 60 limit. How about just driving to the road conditions and if safe, close to the speed limit but not over it? And don't hassle people in front of you. And if someone is caught behind someone going too slowly, let them out to overtake?

Some people are incompetent drivers and shouldn’t be on the road. My Grandfather was still driving when he could barely see (drove headfirst into a skip once), he had no concept of what speed he should be going on different roads.

Sorry but I dont believe its unsafe to drive at 100mph in the right conditions. whether it on a uk motorway or roads it other places where it would be perfectly legal

Where would it be legal? Other than some motorways in Germany I can't think of a country that has such high speed limits. For very good reason. And in Germany they don't have accidents on motorways, just fatalities. Sadly the speed limit thing in Germany is like gun control in the US - all about their rights and not so much about the safety of others (or reducing pollution).

I suppose if you are on an empty motorway in the height of summer when it is light at 4am it might be safe if nobody else is around and if you do have an accident fatality it will only be you affected. But it is illegal. For very good reason. People who drive that fast deserve a ban. I don't think speeding causes all accidents but it makes them worse, and it is also intimidating for other people, as well as wasting fuel.

Ive never said it was stupid to stick to the limit.

I just said it's safe to go over it in the right conditions

This. It’s a max restriction, not an order to go faster than you would prefer.