driving slow : your views ?

sma11person

You were taught to pass a test. I expect you were also taught not to exceed the 30mph speed limit. Do you stick to that.?

NOrman. Yes, I do stay within speed limits. Do you have a problem with that, too?

I was taught to drive with consideration for other road users, same as most of us were raised to live with consideration for other people.

In terms of driving, that includes not driving so slowly that anyone else is delayed. The OP is being selfish, and imposing their will and philosophy on every other driver they encounter. Would you be so quick to defend OP if they were driving at 10-15mph everywhere? I wonder how OP would react if they had to drive behind someone else applying the same philosophy but at 15 mph...

sma11person

http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/fact_sheets/dangerous_driving/

"A person drives carelessly or inconsiderately when the way they drive falls below the minimum acceptable standard expected of a competent and careful driver." So, by driving as slowly as OP claims to, they are guilty of the above. Unnecessarily slow driving is classed as dangerous driving.

matttye

sma11person wrote: »

http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/fact_sheets/dangerous_driving/

"A person drives carelessly or inconsiderately when the way they drive falls below the minimum acceptable standard expected of a competent and careful driver." So, by driving as slowly as OP claims to, they are guilty of the above.

The page you linked to actually says:

"Examples of inconsiderate driving include:

flashing lights to force other drivers to give way;
misusing lanes to gain advantage over other drivers;
unnecessarily staying in an overtaking lane;
unnecessarily slow driving or braking;
dazzling other drivers with un-dipped headlights."

Norman_Castle

sma11person wrote: »

NOrman. Yes, I do stay within speed limits. Do you have a problem with that, too?

If you stick to the 30 limit you are in a tiny minority and will have a queue of cars behind you. Are you being inconsiderate?.
I'm not defending the op. I'm stating there is no obligation, legal or otherwise, to drive at the speed limit.

I was taught to drive with consideration for other road users, same as most of us were raised to live with consideration for other people.

In terms of driving, that includes not driving so slowly that anyone else is delayed. The OP is being selfish, and imposing their will and philosophy on every other driver they encounter.

Have you considered your insistance that others drive at the maximum allowable speed might be inconsiderate?.

Tilt

Bollotom wrote: »

If you're on a motorway and doing 60 that's okay in the nearside lane as lorries travel at that speed. If you're a middle lane hogger at that speed you'll ruffle a few feathers. As long as you don't impede the flow of traffic you have right on your side. Be a giggle when all these cities start to introduce the 20mph limit a la Islington. Also on a roundabout, speed sufficient to be able to stop to give way if necessary. Might be good to observe others' GOOD driving habits:cool:

As well as committing an offence.

Tilt

KatieDee wrote: »

My mother and I always have this conversation...although she isn't a slow driver in general, she will often drive on the middle lane of the motor way at about 60mph. When I suggest she moves over, she is always very defensive, saying it's not an aim, but a limit. She does have a point but I've received so many glares from other drivers, I honestly don't know how she stays so ignorant.

Does she not realise that unless she is overtaking, that she could be committing an offence? Middle lane hogging now comes under driving without due care and attention. But that aside, it is plain stupid and irresponsible.

Norman_Castle

dada44 wrote: »

hi.

i like to drive slow. in that, if its a 30 road zone, i prefer 25. if its a roundabout, i prefer 15 or 20 mph. if it's a motorway of 70, i prefer 60, maybe even 55.
just wondering, is there a legal view on how slow to drive in roads ? would i be considered to be doing the right thing, legally ?

25 in a 30 limit is only 5mph under the limit so legally is fine. As most people travel at 35-40 in a 30 limit they will hate you for slowing them down. Most motorists resent anything that slows them. I personally find a speed camera insisted 30mph limit very slow.
15-20 on a roundabout depends on the roundabout but is unlikely to delay anyone for long and makes joining the roundabout easier for others.
The slowest sensible speed on motorways is a genuine, not indicated, 56mph which matches the hgv's. If you match the speed of the hgv's and drive in convoy with them no-one will complain. If you drive much slower on a motorway than the average slower vehicles you could legally be considered a hazard.

Tilt

prowla wrote: »

Oi! What about us beemer drivers????!

What about you beemer drivers?

I had one tailgating me a couple of weeks back on the M40 while I was doing a steady (AHEM!) 69 in lane 3 (while overtaking traffic in lane 2) in my V6 Alfa 159 Q4. So I put on a tiny bit more acceleration and dropped it down to 5th to get me up to (AHEM!) 75ish and hey presto! he wasn't tailgating me any more....

prowla

matttye wrote: »

So where does the slower speeds = more inattention bit come in? You haven't addressed that in your post.

I had two accidents some years back; in one an old lady ran into the back of my car on the exit ramp of a car park (she said she'd pressed the wrong pedal!), in another I ran into the back of someone who started to pull out from a roundabout and then stopped (my mistake - I was watching the gap on the roundabout I was going for instead of the car in front who didn't have the confidence to pull out). Both were probably 10-15 mph.

My perception of many people who drive significantly below the speed limit is that they are not fully with it, either not noticing the road signs or understanding the rules of speed limits, not having the confidence to drive faster, being distracted by something in the car; I've also noticed that they often seem to have a peculiar puzzled expression on their face when you do pass them.

prowla

Tilt wrote: »

What about you beemer drivers?

I had one tailgating me a couple of weeks back on the M40 while I was doing a steady (AHEM!) 69 in lane 3 (while overtaking traffic in lane 2) in my V6 Alfa 159 Q4. So I put on a tiny bit more acceleration and dropped it down to 5th to get me up to (AHEM!) 75ish and hey presto! he wasn't tailgating me any more....

Should've been doing that extra 1 mph!:)