Colleagues complaining I'm too slow

[Stuffedandbloated35]

In driving- I'm not, I'm just actually doing the speed limit. We're in a community-based role where we have clients who need two carers and we all have to drive as part of the role.
I've only been driving a few months but I seem to be one of the few who actually does 20 in a 20 (I know the speedometers and sat navs are probably slightly off) and I'm definitely not doing below the limit, I'm doing 30 in 30s and so on.

But I've been in the car with these colleagues e.g. when i was shadowing, and most of them go a few miles over the limit so it looks like I'm slow in comparison. We meet at people's houses and they're always there before me, also because I'm new I have to find the address on my sat nav, I don't yet know the way by heart.

I've had one member of staff ask me if I can go a bit quicker, and often now carers go into the call before I'm there, so it makes me look late even if I'm not. I'm not getting lost or going the wrong way, I must only be a min or two slower at most and sometimes we do arrive at the same time.

It's stressful but I'm not willing to risk points over it, not sure what to do?

I don't think there's an e learning but there's something in the contract about safe responsible driving and so on.

This.

Heavy vehicles always have to have accurate speedos and whem I drive them I notice that they align with Google maps. My car can look like I'm doing just shy of 80 and GM will tell me something like 71.

Just keep going what you’re doing. As a new driver the penalties are probably higher anyway.

I do call outs as part of my role.

I sometimes get there later than others or vice versa, no sweat.

It isn’t because I’m doing anything wrong or they are doing anything wrong it just is what it is.

If you are pulling over to let a car pass. Even though you are doing the speed limit. Then it’s going to take you forever to get anywhere

Speedos overestimate speed, not underestimate.

The 10% 'allowance' isn't actually true.

I got sent on a speeding course for doing 32 in a 30 and we were told cameras were more advanced now so the old teen percent leeway didn't apply. Lots of people going a bit over 20 there too

They shouldn't be doing that! The client pays for full hour and that's what they should be getting. The care agency needs to plan accordingly and they need to be told that they are putting their carers at risk by encouraging dangerous driving.
Not that they would listen. I always used to say to my partner that I love the job but I hate "the office". Honestly, they were causing me so much grief, it made the whole job absolutely unnecessarily awful. With staff shortages what they are, you'd think they look after their employees better.

I've just looked at my rota and travel time is 5 minutes between calls regardless, and sometimes 1 minute travel time. I've worked for previous companies and it's always the same sadly.

The satnav will be displaying the correct speed, speedos are usually over especially in older cars.
Also although speeding is an absolute offence the tolerance in most forces is 10% + 2. So in a 20 you can do 24, a 30 35 etc, before any action is taken.
I'm not suggesting you wizz around like Jeson Button between calls, but you can probably afford to unclench a little bit.

Just keep doing what you are doing. If you are driving at the speed limit, then you can't (or at least are understandably unwilling) to go any faster. But don't pull over for faster cars, that really is wasting your time, and is unnecessary - let them wait.

If colleagues moan about it, just tell them you are driving at the limit, and are not happy to do more than that. If the time between visits isn't sufficient, you should raise this with your manager, as that is totally unacceptable.

Same. I was doing just over 20. I'm not sure there's any leeway these days. I think they're pretty strict.

GPS is far more accurate for speed. It uses satellites and even uses Einstein's theory of relativity to keep the timing accurate!

Cars tend to be just under.

I live in an area of 20 mph limits and other than down residential streets where it's sensible to do 20 (usually less), most people ignore them on the main trunk roads as they're tedious. In my area we usually say it's only old people who have too much time on their hands or people with a black box in their car that stick to 20 mph!

I'll probably get shot down in flames but I think that a common issue is that people aren't capable of sticking to a particular speed which can be incredibly frustrating to those behind. In a 30mph zone for example, people rarely drive at 30mph. They will often drive anywhere between 24mph and 28mph. I always set my cruise control for 32mph as I know that it equates to 30mph. I've been through enough VAS's (Vehicle activated speed signs) to know this and 32mph always flashes up as 30mph and a 'thank you'.

The problem is that if the car in front of you is doing 25mph in a 30mph (especially if they dont keep that speed but drop even slower or increase and decrease their speed constantly) it can be frustrating.

If your worried about going over the speed limit try using your cruise control (it can be stopped at any time by changing gear, touching the switch or braking). Its best for traffic that moves at a constant speed and not stop/start traffic. Or you can put your speed limiter on so you literally can't go faster than 30mph for example.

Just stick to the speed limits. If a colleague complains to you or your company you simply reply I am driving at the legal speed limits and I am not prepared to break the law. Is that really what you are asking me to do?

I don't have any cruise control or limiters sadly as it's a 2012 car, but I'll try going off sat nav speed from now

Yeah this.

How cheeky of them to tell you to speed up. Regardless of if you’re a few miles under the limit or not!
And I say this as an impatient arsehole!

I'd tell your manager/HR that colleagues are pressuring you to break the speed limit, and ask what you should do about it.

I feel like if these colleagues are all telling you to hurry up and you’re finding you are commonly tailgated etc…is it not maybe a “you” problem..?

I mean I get it it’s a limit not a target etc but…going at less than 30 is really really slow…

Car speedometers have to show that you’re doing more than you are. They are set up that way.

Car speedometers are not precision instruments. I can drive at 32 mph in my car but actually am driving at 30 mph.

It sounds likely you've actually been driving a little slower than you think, and pulling over to let tailgaters pass will be compounding this. Just driving at the limit as reported by satnav and not letting impatient drivers bully you could make a big difference.

This!!

Yanbu in any way but esp as a new driver. Don't you have to resit the entire test if you get 6 points in the first 2 years. Just say that.

Stop this for a start, unless you’re not in the left lane on an A or M road. Only worry about what’s in front of you and stick to the speed limit. Anyone behind you that wants to go faster than you, then they need to work out how to do that themselves.

having recently done a speed awareness course (instead of 3 points), my lightbulb moment when bothering about people pleasing other drivers or passengers was -

will they pay your fines and the increase in insurance for 5 years if you get clocked by a speed camera?

will they be the ones dealing with the sleepness nights and trauma if you cause a fatal accident through speeding?

no they wont. Fuck what they think.