To think it’s better to drive at 31 than 25?

[xla]

When I was learning to drive my driving instructor told me it was always better to be five miles an hour under the limit than one over. I’ve been driving three years and it seems like most people actually seem to subscribe to this method of thinking?! I drove into work this morning and spent most of it sat at 24/25, despite the roads being clear, and at one point was actually undertaking people because otherwise I would be driving at 20 miles an hour. On a 30 road! Surely I’m not alone in thinking this is insane?

It's the dangerous overtaking that's the problem!

I've been teaching my DD to drive using the PAS method. It stands for 'People are Stupid'. This thread highlights it nicely. People are impatient, intolerant and think their journey is more important than anyone else's.

Going at 10 mph under the limit in a 30 mph limit is not dangerously slow.

And a lot of 30 limits are IMO too fast. The estate I live on going round blind bends at 30 when there are cars parked up, kids zooming around on bikes, pedestrians crossing and cars coming the other way is crazy.

Going at say 30 mph on a 70 limit, that presents an issue because of the speed differential, and my guess is you would get pulled up for it.

The speed limit is a limit and not a target to be attained.

Do people think that The Highway Code is also always the law? It's not, you know. Certain bits of it are, but the bit about driving past people on their left is not. It all depends on the precise wording. It''s advised against because it can be dangerous, but it is not de facto illegal if carried out in a sensible and controlled manner.

Last week I drove down a motorway 50mph behind a car in a 70mph limit because I needed the lane as it split off onto the next motorway.

That motorway is 60mph.

I was NOT impressed when said car then slammed in their brakes to drive at 35mph 🤦🏼‍♀️🙄

luckily once we’d got on the main carriageway I could safely overtake but this car continued this speed in the middle lane.

It’s dangerous.

"nobody has a speedometer 5 mph out"

Many vehicles have very innacurate speedometers. My motorbike shows 36 when it's doing 30, and 88 at 70.

That 88 mph at actual 70 mph probably makes it illegal.

I thought it was max 10% + 6.25 mph, which would suggest a top limit of 83.25 mph for 70 mph.

Not 100% sure though.

In my experience I find the opposite and most people are trying to drive way too fast. I've got a speed limiter in my new car but in my old car there were certain roads if avoid because it was very difficult to go 30 in a 30 limit with everyone else trying to go at least 40 and if get pushed to fast. Now I find it easier as I set my speed limiter to 30 and that's how fast I can go. I'm surprised the number of newer cars that are speeding as they presumably have automatic speed limiters and have to go to real effort to actually speed. Occasionally I get stuck behind someone going 30 in a 50 which is frustrating (especially if I've gone that way especially to drive faster as my car is a diesel and doesn't like to only do 30 for too many journeys)

I was driving on the M25 this morning and moved into the left hand lane in readiness to turn off at my junction. Sitting behind a car pootling along at about 50 mph 👀 with nothing in front of it. Lorries next to me etc in middle lane so I couldn't overtake this slow car. As soon as we'd both turned off onto a stretch of dual carriageway at the junction (downhill) this car then sped up to 75 mph. I just don't understand some people 😕

yes I would agree that most of the smaller residential roads where I live shouldn't be driven at 30 mph whatever the speed limit says. Very dangerous as there are parked cars everywhere and people randomly crossing the roads without looking.

It would be legal when type approved - on the manufacturer specced tyres. But the bike is 27 years old so you've got to use anything that fits.

The motorcycle type approval regs 2003 (after this bike was made even) state "The vehicle shall be fitted with a speedometer capable of indicating speed in miles per hour at uniform intervals not exceeding the relevant miles per hour at all speeds up to the maximum speed of the vehicle and be capable of being read by the driver at all times of the day or night."

No requirement for a maximum over reading limit.

The motorway near me is a smart motorway and we're really lucky if we are able to join it at 60 mph! Conditions dictate speed and people should be more patient, not everyone is a confident driver eg new drivers, older people wish people were more kind on the roads.

I was taught to do correct Speed going under could result in failure in test this was 30 odd years ago. Due to my job im on the road most of the day and people's driving skills are a joke and getting worse people drive too slowly now motorways are 70 but people drive at 50 most drive below speed and it's frustrating especially when your trying to get somewhere with deadlines people have become very selfish. Going below speed limits causes more congestion as tail backs behind slow drivers slows everyone down which builds traffic up along as roads are ok no reason to do proper speed limit

I’m confused about people saying 30mph roads only have 1 lane. In Belfast plenty of the bigger inner city roads have 2 lanes. See attached. And OP I get you, people drive in the right hand one at like 18mph because they don’t know where they’re going or are insane or for whatever reason. I definitely move past them in the left hand lane and tbh I never even thought of this as undertaking! I do on a dual carriageway or motorway but how would that work on a road where people are turning off right - to avoid undertaking do I have to slow with them?! Surely not

I’m confused about people saying 30mph roads only have 1 lane. In Belfast plenty of the bigger inner city roads have 2 lanes. See attached. And OP I get you, people drive in the right hand one at like 18mph because they don’t know where they’re going or are insane or for whatever reason. I definitely move past them in the left hand lane and tbh I never even thought of this as undertaking! I do on a dual carriageway or motorway but how would that work on a road where people are turning off right - to avoid undertaking do I have to slow with them?! Surely not

If it wasn't a dual carriageway then that person could have been slowing down as about to turn right. They didn't hinder you at all and you can just carry on in your lane.
Someone was irritated at my speed, which was about 1mph under the 40 limit, so around 39mph, they sped past me and almost hit a central bollard, sounds like you are a similar person.
Drive safely it's not a competition, or cool to be going fast.
Also no one makes others drive unsafely, that choice is yours.

A Citroen C1 can easily do 80+mph. Don't be scared of the revs, you need to actually drive it through the gears.

It's a speed limit, not a target!
and the OP's attitude sucks.

There are plenty of reasons why somebody (of any age - not just the elderly) might choose to drive, or end up driving, at 25mph on a road that's got a limit of 30.

As someone who frequently cycles on such roads, or walks along beside them, I welcome careful, patient, non-speeding drivers, who are paying attention to their surroundings and road conditions (which could well include things like pot-holes, puddles, pedestrians, ponies, puddles...), and aren't filled with road rage and ageist assumptions.

The choice shouldn't be between 25 and 31. If the road is clear, and you feel comfortable going at a higher speed, why not stick to 29-30?!

Any decent driver really should be able to reduce their speed to match other road-users without ever 'slamming on' the brakes. I recommend that the OP considers improving their skills by taking an advanced driving course.