To wonder how so many people are comfortable breaking the speed limit?

[AngeloMysterioso]

Is it just me? I’m pretty vigilant about sticking to the speed limit but more and more I’ve noticed recently that I’ll be doing 70 or just below on a dual carriageway or the motorway and someone will go flying past. God forbid I be driving at the limit on the outside lane, even if I’m going faster than everyone in the middle lane it’s only a matter of time before some knob is either flashing their headlights at me or driving up my arse (or both) while I wait for a big enough gap to move across so they can shoot off before doing the same to the next car in front.

It tends to be most often 4x4 drivers or Mercedes/BMW/Jaguar etc types. Maybe they just don’t think they should have to see the back of a 16 year old Fiesta!

I mean after passing their test how many people do you think actually read the highway code on a regular basis ?

I mean I am sure there will be someone who pops up and says they read it every week, but for most people they have other things to do with their time ?

@GasPanic
But if you read the Highway Code before you take your driving test, surely you don't immediately forget everything you've read? Knowing speed limits and motorway discipline are pretty basic things. And yes, I woukd expect people to re-read the Highway Code from time to time. I've been driving for over 30 years and have always bought a copy when I'm aware that it's been updated and yes, I do skim through it.

If you read the comment you replied to again, you’ll see I said I’m not ducking in behind cars that are a short distance apart. I’m not going to squeeze into a gap that doesn’t allow either me or the car behind me sufficient braking space, making us both less safe, just so a speeder can carry on speeding. They’ll just have to slow the fuck down (to 70mph) until I can move across safely.

I think you are a rarity.

And yes most people do forget stuff after they have done their test, which may be many years ago.

IIRC, when I took my test all you had to do was answer what a couple of road signs were and that was that. There was no theory test.

If I murder someone but don't get caught, have I really committed a crime? No criminal record, no further action taken.

@Silvers11 No, the person coming up behind at over the speed limit should be slowing down.
The person in the right lane going at the speed limit should move to the left, when it's safe to do so. That may not be immediately as there might not be space.
If an accident happens because someone is "frustrated" that they can't drive at over the speed limit then that's solely their fault, they're the ones breaking the law and the Highway Code. Absolutely not the fault of the person who is driving correctly.

Why? If you are overtaking a stream of traffic in lanes 1- 2- 3 etc you may well be in the 'fast lane' for quite sometime before pulling back to the left.

All the more reason for regular re-testing then, to actually force people to re-read and re-learn the Highway Code and take heed of changes etc.

Indeed they should. I'm not disagreeing with that. But they don't. Yes they are at fault, but all advice from motoring organisations is to get out of their way as soon as you can safely.. 'As soon as you can safely' are the operative words. I suspect people are replying to this according to what they are seeing in their minds from the OP. She now says that there isn't safe room for her to move over in the scenarios she was talking about - which is fair enough. The definition of what constitutes 'a short distance' is subjective and not a specific definition

When people do this to me I just ease off to increase the gap in front to compensate. If they don't get the message and drop back, I think "oh well, with someone following that close I guess it's not safe to be overtaking" and slow down until I can slot back into a suitable gap in the cars I was overtaking. Of course I won't force myself into a gap that's too small, so sometimes it takes quite a long time until there is a suitable opportunity to move aside.

But one thing I won't do is be bullied into speeding up when I was travelling at a perfectly safe speed of my own choosing.

It’s small car bullying, OP. Just pull over and give them a cheery wave as they blaze past (and pray for karma)!

I generally drive at the speed limit where I judge it to be safe to do so. The sole exception is motorways and motorway-standard dual carriageways (with slip roads etc) where, if traffic is light, I do drive at about 80-ish. I wouldn't do this on lower standard dual carriageways where vehicles have to turn right across traffic or where traffic has to join with high speed differences though.

I do judge my speed based on my GPS, and not the car's speedometer which under-reads by a fair bit. For example, if I drive at 70mph my speedo reads about 75.

I agree with others who estimate that a 16 year old fiesta's speedo will likely read 70 when you're actually doing about 63-65 mph. In my experience the most accurate speedometers tend to be in larger premium, higher performance and especially German cars. I genuinely think this difference in speedometer accuracy plays a significant part in the reputation drivers of cars like BMWs have for being in a hurry everywhere. If a smaller/cheaper car is sitting on a national speed limit road with the speedo reading 60mph, they may well only be doing 55mph while someone in a car with a more accurate speedo is sitting frustrated behind them with their speedo reading 56-57mph, looking for a chance to overtake.

I skip red lights as a matter of course on most major roads. I do so safely (I have a Bikeability Level 3 and a British Cycling racing licence) and only where the circumstances are appropriate. I do most of my cycling during quieter hours on the road and my bikes are more faster than the average (I am built for speed).

In 30 years averaging 25-30k miles a day I’ve never once had a ticket, a talking to, or an accident.

Where I live the majority of people drive far too irresponsibly, are hesitant, have poor lane discipline and observation. I want those people behind me, not in front of me.

I should have said btw, YANBU to drive in the overtaking lane at 70mph (or indeed a lower speed) as long as you're overtaking slower moving traffic. Vehicles behind you need to be patient and wait for their opportunity to overtake. The same would applies to you if someone in the outside lane is driving at 60: if they're overtaking something in the lane to their left, they're in the correct lane. Even people driving at say 80 will hold up other drivers who want to exceed the limit by a bigger margin.

@GasPanic I don't think I'm a rarity at all in trying to keep up with the basic rules of the road. I passed my test in 1987 and there was no written test at that time. But when I took my test, the examiner spent between 10-15 minutes grilling me on aspects of the Highway Code. Because there were no past test papers to look back at, you had to have a fairly thorough knowledge of the Highway Code because you had no idea what questions you might be asked, and my driving instructor always spent several minutes at the end of each lesson asking questions as well. Apart from learning the Highway Code for my own driving test, I can always remember friends and people at work asking to be tested before their driving test, which helped to reinforce what I I'd already learnt.

There is so much bad driving, and it's so easy to pick up bad habits, that I would really like to see everyone tested again every five years.

Well there's a pretty big difference, because in my example I said if caught, you still won't get a criminal record if you just pay the fine. As far as I know that's not an option for murder. Speeding convictions also won't show up on a DBS, but hopefully a murder would.

But we are digressing. The OP asked why people were comfortable breaking the speed limit. The answer is that it's becuase they know they won't be prosecuted, unless (in the case of a motorway) they go faster than 96 mph

You are saying that shoudn't be the case - and you are entitled to that view. But, as the police won't enforce low level speeding it I don't think its for anyone else to do so either

Speed isn't the cause of most accidents. The statistics are for "speed being a factor", not the root cause. That's a very important distinction. Most deaths are due to carelessness, incompetence, medical episodes, drunk/drugged driving, etc. - I hope we can agree that all those other causes of accidents that you have listed are far more dangerous at excessive speed. It is a no brainer. That is why we have speed limits - to allow for all these human failings.

I exceed the speed limit as a matter of course on most major roads. I do so safely (I have an advanced driving licence and a racing licence) and only where the circumstances are appropriate. I do most of my driving during quieter hours on the road and my cars are more powerful than the average (and built for speed).

And there is the problem in a nutshell: arrogant tossers who think the law does not apply to them and who treat their vehicles as toys rather than a means of transport - and fail to recognise that they are actually lethal weapons.

I worked for many years for a trauma service - maybe you should volunteer at one and see what the realities are.

I am filled with disgust.

I worked for many years for a trauma service - maybe you should volunteer at one and see what the realities are.

save me save me - do something please, as he literally held his guts in his hands

that was the aftermath of the driver speeding on a road, he overtook us on a straight clear road.

the arrogance is astounding

go and sit in any crown court and you'll find at least one if not two driver cases where the driver has killed or maimed someone - go and take a listen, especially to the victims family statements

Slow driving can get you a CD30 endorsement, 100 quid fine and 3 points.
Driving without due care and attention and without reasonable consideration for other road users.
IE pissing about creating a rolling roadblock and forcing others who are (or were before you turned up) to sit behind you while you carry on impeding the flow of traffic and assuming that you're a safe driver.

That must be why there are hurry the fk up awareness courses running up and down the country.

You will not get done for driving without due care and attention for going 70mph on the motorway, are you high?

Fuck me, can you not tell the difference between a broad statement regarding the dangers of both slow and fast driving and someone stupidly saying that you can be done for driving at 70 on a motorway? Are you thick?

Must be why when indulging in terrible lawbreaking you get to go and have a cup of tea and listen to somebody with a power point for 3 hours.

As an alternative to losing your license and possibly your livelihood. Of course repeated or extreme speeding is serious.