driving slow : your views ?

greensalad

I do wonder what peoples opinions are on this:

I was once driving along a long, winding country road. Speed limited varied between 50 and 60 at various points along the road. Personally I feel 60 is far too high for such a road... lots of twists and narrow bits with walls...

It was pouring with rain and the visibility was low. Also this route is used by a lot of big lorries that really shouldn't be allowed down there... so I was driving 45.

I thought that was an acceptable speed especially in the rain. But after doing so for about 10 minutes I got overtaken (dangerously) by a people carrier and then the guy stuck his finger out the window at me! Best of all he had a "baby on board" sign in the back!

Was I in the wrong or was he just an impatient !!!!!!?

Cornucopia

One of the issues with this topic is the different requirements of different kinds of roads.

We've discussed mostly dual-carriageway driving so far, and I think the issues there are pretty clear. Drive in the left-most lane available and make reasonable progress for the conditions is the gist of it. Consider speeding up to overtake, but don't feel obliged to.

Single-carriageway national speed limit roads vary hugely in terms of width, maintenance and twistiness. They provide a much more challenging environment than dual carriageways in many respects.

Their nature is that overtaking opportunities may be few and far between, and some will be marginal. For those reasons, I would always advocate pulling over to let someone pass if the situation appears to warrant it. You will enjoy the drive more and be suffering less stress without some idiot driving inches from your exhaust pipe.

marlot

greensalad wrote: »

I do wonder what peoples opinions are on this:

I was once driving along a long, winding country road. Speed limited varied between 50 and 60 at various points along the road. Personally I feel 60 is far too high for such a road... lots of twists and narrow bits with walls...

It was pouring with rain and the visibility was low. Also this route is used by a lot of big lorries that really shouldn't be allowed down there... so I was driving 45.

I thought that was an acceptable speed especially in the rain. But after doing so for about 10 minutes I got overtaken (dangerously) by a people carrier and then the guy stuck his finger out the window at me! Best of all he had a "baby on board" sign in the back!

Was I in the wrong or was he just an impatient !!!!!!?

If you're holding traffic up then you should look for opportunities to pull over and let them past.

You're in the right to make your own risk assessment, but so is the other driver.

marlot

Iceweasel wrote: »

So you really are saying I should break the law?

Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men.
Douglas Bader

We all make our own assessments. I'm likely to drive past the primary school at 10mph, but on a quiet motorway I may choose to do 80. Yes, I recognise that is above the speed limit, but if I can do it safely then most police enforcers will also see the bigger picture.

A work colleague had a crash, and she said there was no way it could be her fault "as she was driving within the speed limit"!!! Talk about outsourcing responsibility!

Iceweasel

marlot wrote: »

Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men.
Douglas Bader

We all make our own assessments. I'm likely to drive past the primary school at 10mph, but on a quiet motorway I may choose to do 80. Yes, I recognise that is above the speed limit, but if I can do it safely then most police enforcers will also see the bigger picture.

A work colleague had a crash, and she said there was no way it could be her fault "as she was driving within the speed limit"!!! Talk about outsourcing responsibility!

Yes - Douglas Bader was a great man - two artificial legs - but he still had his own feet you know - not many people know that, he kept it a secret!

(Just in case anyone thinks that is offensive to his memory - I was told by an old RAF type that Bader himself once told that story)

But back to the speed limit topic -

There are so many unmarked traffic cars around, especially in Scotland - the M74, the M9, the A9, the A90, and the A92 especially that I would need to have a completely clear and empty road, not just a quiet road before I went much over the limit.

fed_up_and_stressed

BillJones wrote: »

And on Bike Safe, the police instructors taught a different approach.

IAM is not the be-all and end-all of advanced driving. As you say, they teach to a system, irrespective of whether the system is always best practice.

IAM is a cop out not sqying their memebers are carp or anything but passing an advanced test once in their life means they are "advanced drivers forever" is a fallacy.

Once the test is passed, the candidate is an advanced driver for life - unlike RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders (RoADAR), which requires a 3-yearly re-test. He or she is not subject to re-testing by IAM, even if their licence is suspended by the government ! Just the pathethic notion than relevant motoring convictions must be disclosed on annual renewal of membership. That gives me zero confidence in IAM

Give me Rospa with it's mandatory 3 yearly re takes anyday. The bike riding skills of my local Rospa Gold riders exceed by far the quality of the IAM f1rsts. Even that view has been taken more than one ex Police Motorcycle trainer . One privately told me (he tests for both Rospa motorcyclist (Roadar) and also IAM riders that of approached for recommendations for advance training he refers clients to Rospa and doesn't even mention Iam he thinks so little of them.

Bike Safe is ok but it is a bit hit and miss really with the quality of the courses and to be honest its not long enough or in depth in my view unlike the weeks / months of training / pre assessments of an advanced trainer before the actual assessment of Rospa.

nobbysn*ts

UsernameAlreadyExists wrote: »

Indeed, we're the average motorists. There's loads of us ... try looking in your mirror, they're the ones scowling at you

No, you're not the average. But it would be funnier I guess to see your little scowling face turning redder and redder when your speed limit has been upped to 80, so you're desperate to cruise along at 90, as that's your self declared maximum now, and I'm still doing 70mph overtaking the 68mph'er. Or even worse for you, behind me at 65mph on the dual carriage ways, while I'm overtaking the trucks in the first lane.

DUTR

Gents I urge you to view this video, probably older than the majority if not all of the readers, especially between 55seconds to 1'30 lane hogging is far from new (as is road rage)

almillar

Conrucopia:

I'm pretty sure none of that is true. "Making progress" is not the same as driving at the speed limit.

All of my comments were true to the best of my knowledge, and applied to taking your driving test, NOT after your driving test. I hope you don't hold other people up whilst overtaking lorries at 5mph, because that would be inconsiderate to other road users. If you're worried about fuel, considering following the lorry at 60, that would be considerate.

Cornucopia

almillar wrote: »

Conrucopia:

All of my comments were true to the best of my knowledge, and applied to taking your driving test, NOT after your driving test. I hope you don't hold other people up whilst overtaking lorries at 5mph, because that would be inconsiderate to other road users. If you're worried about fuel, considering following the lorry at 60, that would be considerate.

I don't know where this idea of dictating terms to other road-users comes from. It's a very bad starting point in terms of one's attitude to road use.

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