What do you think of my driving instructor forcing me to do 82mph on a motorway?

[HappyPeach]

I had a pass-plus lesson on motorway driving to build my confidence. It was with the AA driving school, not my original instructor. I am an absolute stickler for the limit being the limit & not wanting to get fines or lose my reaction time. The instructor said I had to 'do 70 + 5mph + 10%' so I wasn't allowed to drive below 82mph as he called it 'failure to make progress' and I would piss off the other drivers. I'm really unhappy about this and I'm thinking of reporting him. I know many people drive at 80mph and above but that doesn't mean I have to. What d'you think?

Yeah I think this is very poor advice from a driving instructor, he probably shouldnt be actively encouraging you to speed.

If this is true that's just wrong, but I'm not surprised.

Gems I had when I did advanced driver training at work were that he wanted me to pull out of junctions without stopping or looking properly 'because it saves fuel' and that I was supposed to crawl along the 70 MPH limit dual carriageaway at 30 to 40 MPH 'because there was a green light about half a mile up the road that might turn red before I get to it'

I was shouted at for stopping because my view was obscured by hedges and I thought I'd seen a cyclist coming and for accelerating past 40 MPH when the limit was 70 and I'd already been beeped at twice and 'angry overtaken' by frustrated motorists wondering why the hell I was going so slowly.

let me the first to tell you... driving too slowly is actually deemed as an offence, coming under the category of ‘inconsiderate driving’.

I never get the "limit not a target" thing. Surely it's both. You should be aiming to drive at the limit if conditions allow in order to allow for other traffic progression etc. So it is both a limit and a target.

Oh I know. I drive as quickly as the conditions permit and do break the limit on the motorway.

But on every single thread about speed people trot out the same old cliches about it being a LIMIT and not a TARGET. 🙄 Usually to justify their own hesitancy or poor driving, and their lack of knowledge about how a motorway "works".

I think that would be breaking the law. The speed limit is there for a reason Not to go above it. Report him he was probably getting a kick out of seeing you stressed out. Sick bastard

50mph in the middle lane of the M6? That's fine, because it's A LIMIT NOT A TARGET. And because everyone knows the inside lane is for the lorries, the middle lane is for the proper, sensible drivers and the outside lane is for the speed freaks. It's not ME who can't drive, bimbling along at 50, it's EVERYONE ELSE.

I got a speeding ticket for doing 81 in a 70...so if you carry with his "advice" you will loose your license.

In general there is a consensus that you won't get a ticket if it's speedlimit + 10% but that isn't actually a fact and the limit is the limit.

I've always assumed the "fast lane" I know it's not called that. Was the inside as it's the inner part of the motorway. But I stand corrected.

You could of that's not the inside it's the outside instead of the faux confusion . You clearly knew what I meant

This is utter nonsense. I got a speeding ticket for 74mph. Anything above the limit (ie. 70mph) is speeding. Otherwise it would not be a 'Speed Limit' would it?

OP, your instructor was wrong and you should report them/ complain. I had a dodgy instructor from the AA as well and wouldn't use them again.

I drive at 60-65mph max. Sometimes I’m on 50mph on a 70 motorway.
If it’s pissing off people, I move to left lanes. If I’m on the left most lane and still pissing off people, it’s their problem.

It’s far more important for me to be safe than pleasing others.

My husband got a ticket for doing 77. I’d change instructor OP.

This isnt safe

I've always assumed the "fast lane" I know it's not called that. Was the inside as it's the inner part of the motorway. But I stand corrected.
I think that's more logical too. I can't ever remember which way is right though. When people say inside/outside lane I don't know which they mean.

Same with nearside/offside. Near to what? The kerb? Or the middle of the road. As the middle of the road is the side nearer to the driver it makes more sense to me that would be the nearside but I think that's wrong.

I stick to left, middle, right and driver's side or passenger side as descriptors.

Near side to the kerb

I believe you. But I can't say I'll remember this confirmation by tomorrow and I'll still be confused by the term!

Or as you look at it lane 1, 2 and 3. You should be in lane 1 - the one to the left - if you are not overtaking.

It really doesn't matter what the lanes are called. The basic principle is that you stay left unless you are overtaking. You do not bimble along for miles when the lane to the left of you is empty because you are scared of lorries.

50 mph on a 70mph motorway isn't safe unless this is the speed of the surrounding traffic.

You should maintain a speed that is reasonable for the conditions. If your driving is considered a hazard, and at 50 in a 70 I'd expect it would be, you could be fined and classed as 'inconsiderate driving' for 'dangerous driving' it could be disqualification.

Around 60 is more fuel efficient & environmentally friendly than 70, so there are strong 'green' arguments for not reducing the motorway speed limit.

In less than 20 seconds googling his formula I proved he's asking you to break the tolerence for speeding.

I am well aware of that and use lanes correctly. I just find it immensely confusing if following verbal directions from someone directing me somewhere unfamiliar who tells me to "move into the nearside lane" and I have to quickly say I have no idea what that means and can they just say left or right.

rogue "not" there
Obviously, it should read - for reducing etc

Ridiculous. I thought the 10% thing was meant to take into account the discrepancies in some speedos, not adding yet more!

And since when do you need to be doing the speed limit in order to make progress? 60 is perfectly fine on a motorway and should arguably be the limit to reduce pollution.

I'd report him and take your business elsewhere. He should not be teaching if he truly believes that nonsense!

My instructor, an ex-police instructor, had me tailgating at 80 down the nearest dual carriageway 'to get the buggers to move over.' As he forgot to take the pyramid off the roof with the Ls on (had passed test a few months) it must have startled a few outside lane hoggers. I found it quite exhilarating!

Driving this slow is just as much an issue as speeding fyi