driving slow : your views ?

Weyoun

prowla wrote: »

Yes, it is selfish.

Regarding holding up other traffic and being overtaken, the Highway Code states:


{SNIP}


Deliberately driving slowly and aggravating (or not caring whether you do) other users is not driving with reasonable consideration.

Please don't confuse any of the above with people who are speeding (ie. wish to drive above the speed limit); that is a different matter.

NOWHERE in my post did I indicate that I make life difficult for people trying to overtake me, so I'm not sure why you feel the need to point out what the Highway Code says about driving with consideration.


You refer to "deliberately driving slowly". How do you define "slowly"? It's entirely subjective! Is 60 in a 70 limit "slow"? 65? 69.9?


And the matter of people who drive above the speed limit is NOT a different one. I wish I had a pound for every time I've been driving at 30 in a 30 limit and had someone SELFISH, whose time is far more important than mine, nearly slam into the back of me because they were going significantly faster and clearly not concentrating. Note, SIGNIFICANTLY faster - we're not talking about the margin of error on speedometers vs. sat navs here. And before you suggest it, yes I am certain that the limit is 30 on these occasions.

AdrianC

Weyoun wrote: »

And the matter of people who drive above the speed limit is NOT a different one. I wish I had a pound for every time I've been driving at 30 in a 30 limit and had someone SELFISH, whose time is far more important than mine, nearly slam into the back of me because they were going significantly faster and clearly not concentrating. Note, SIGNIFICANTLY faster - we're not talking about the margin of error on speedometers vs. sat navs here. And before you suggest it, yes I am certain that the limit is 30 on these occasions.

Are you suggesting that the exceeding of the speed limit is the most serious problem there?

prowla

Weyoun wrote: »

NOWHERE in my post did I indicate that I make life difficult for people trying to overtake me, so I'm not sure why you feel the need to point out what the Highway Code says about driving with consideration.


You refer to "deliberately driving slowly". How do you define "slowly"? It's entirely subjective! Is 60 in a 70 limit "slow"? 65? 69.9?


And the matter of people who drive above the speed limit is NOT a different one. I wish I had a pound for every time I've been driving at 30 in a 30 limit and had someone SELFISH, whose time is far more important than mine, nearly slam into the back of me because they were going significantly faster and clearly not concentrating. Note, SIGNIFICANTLY faster - we're not talking about the margin of error on speedometers vs. sat navs here. And before you suggest it, yes I am certain that the limit is 30 on these occasions.

If you are doing 30 in a 30 limit (which is what I aim for) then anybody who wants to go faster can sod off.

If you are preventing other people from driving up to the speed which they are legally allowed to (ie. the speed limit) (subject to conditions, etc.), then you are driving slowly.

White_Rose_Tight_ThaKnows

I've read the first half of this thread with interest, then I thought I'd dump my thoughts here:

First of all, no-one thinks they're a rubbish driver and in turn everyone thinks they are right. This in itself causes all kinds of problems on the road. (Including the "self-righteous" drivers I know who will happily speed on the motorway but cut across anyone hogging the middle lane, or who take a gap but don't make a gap)

Secondly, in my situation I usually car share with the above self-righteous driver but when I use my car I sit with the wagons too - I also drive earlier in the morning than usual - but I'm submissive/overly-considerate by nature - I will always be aware of those around me so I don't hold anyone up, I'll speed up or move over to allow someone past. I drive slower than the majority on the motorway because this saves me fuel, my little 1.2 is quieter and the difference in time over my 45 mile journey is only 5-10 minutes. I won't speed on normal roads for anyone though.

As for the drivers who plod along too slowly, I grin and bear it; I won't take risk in my or any other car, the choice between the momentary stress and the potential aggro, cost or injury for acting rashly isn't worth it. However, as a driver or passenger I'm always aware it only takes one 'ladypart' to go too far and the consequences can be catastrophic... basically I am quite paranoid of others on the motorways, which is why I keep out of everybody's way!

DirectDebacle

Weyoun wrote: »

NOWHERE

And the matter of people who drive above the speed limit is NOT a different one. I wish I had a pound for every time I've been driving at 30 in a 30 limit and had someone SELFISH, whose time is far more important than mine, nearly slam into the back of me because they were going significantly faster and clearly not concentrating. Note, SIGNIFICANTLY faster - we're not talking about the margin of error on speedometers vs. sat navs here. And before you suggest it, yes I am certain that the limit is 30 on these occasions.

Are you suggesting that the exceeding of the speed limit is the most serious
problem there?

Are you suggesting it isn't. If so what do you think is the most serious problem?

almillar

Hypothesize:
Car 1 is too selfish to drive at a reasonable speed, doing say 30 in a 60.
Car 2 is misfiring on one cylinder and is just trying to get home.
Car 3 is too nervous to overtake more than one vehicle.
Car 4 is powerless to overtake because there is unlikely to be a long enough safe stretch or cars in the opposite lane.

As I think has been pointed out - this isn't a problem. All the above hypothetic drivers are of course, perfect in every way, and therefore will be observing the correct braking distance.
This means that car 5 can safely overtake them one at a time. Or 2 or 3 or 4.
Does this happen in the real world?

AdrianC

DirectDebacle wrote: »

Are you suggesting it isn't.

<boggle>
I most certainly will do.

If so what do you think is the most serious problem?

Well, we could start with the abysmal lack of observation and consideration for other road users. Careless Driving would be a more appropriate charge than Exceeding the Speed Limit, if not Dangerous Driving.

This is where all the "Oooh! Speed kills!" arguments tend to break down completely. People get utterly hung up on a number, forgetting that that's usually merely a small part of the problem of bad driving. Bad driving can easily happen below the speed limit as well as above it - and, for "Exceeding the Speed Limit" to be the most serious offence being committed, there can be no element of carelessness or inconsideration - because that brings it into that whole raft of more serious offences. By definition, "Exceeding the Speed Limit", in and of itself, is an utterly victimless adminstrative offence of comparing two numbers.

This whole thread is not about "the speed limit", but about driving without due consideration for other road users - and that original offence now comes under careless driving. The very fact that most people seem unable to get their heads around that difference is a large part of the problem, and shows exactly where all the government campaigns and messages have gone so dangerously wrong.

BillJones

nobbysn*ts wrote: »

So, you're saying the consensus of at least four drivers is it's not safe to overtake, but the bleating sheep in fifth place has decided they should all go, so it can follow? I think you'll find it's you that is more than stupid, you're probably actually dangerous. Hopefully, you'll just wipe yourself out, and not take a decent driver with you in your stupidity.

Oh dear.

What if the three cars in front are just happy sitting with the flow, and don't wish to overtake? Does that mean that no-one else must?

Also, it very much depends on the car in question. I'm pleased to have a car which will go from 0-100mph in around 9 seconds. This means that an overtake can be carried out in a shorter time than in many other cars, so can be done, safely, where a 1.0 litre corsa would never be able.

I've also a bike, which does it in more like 7 seconds. There are places where it's a safe pass on the bike, where even in the car it would not be.

Please, just because you, in your car, prefer not to, or cannot execute a safe overtake, don't assume that that applies to me, and don't stop me doing it in a couple of stages, if that's the safest way.

Weyoun

AdrianC wrote: »

Are you suggesting that the exceeding of the speed limit is the most serious problem there?

No, but it is a major contributing factor. The most serious problem would be a lack of concentration, something which you (I think, genuine apologies if it wasn't you) attributed to slower drivers in a previous post.

prowla wrote: »

If you are preventing other people from driving up to the speed which they are legally allowed to (ie. the speed limit) (subject to conditions, etc.), then you are driving slowly.

Why would I be preventing people from going faster? If I'm doing 60 and the limit is 70 then there must be at least one additional lane which other people can use to overtake me.

DirectDebacle

AdrianC wrote: »

<boggle>
I most certainly will do......

The only reason the incident described by Weyoun occurred is because the other driver exceeded the speed limit. If that driver had travelled at or below the speed limit then the vehicle would not have caught up with Weyoun and the incident would not have happened. It really is that simple.