Why do you drive everywhere at 40mph?

deaston

I see them all the time, so I assume they're also active in this forum. They're those drivers that drive at a constant 40-45mph regardless of the limit.

I'm regularly stuck behind someone doing 40mph in a national speed limit zone only to watch them disappear into the distance once we enter a 30mph zone. Then, five minutes later I catch them up in the NSL zone and am stuck behind them yet again.

So what is it? Laziness? Disregard for the limits? Are these the same people who just sit in the middle lane of the motorway?

JP08

The only reason (other than them being idiots) I can think of is that they are hypermilers - 40mph is around the speed that you get the best mpg in practice.

peter_the_piper

My favourites are those that pullout in front, then go at 35 in a downhill 50limit whilst holding an animated conversation with her front seat passenger. then still stay at the speed in NSL.

bertiewhite

I think they're oblivious to other road users to be honest. Quite often I'll give them a toot (to let them know I'm there of course) and it's as if they're in their own little world.

They're probably the same people who don't work, for whatever reason but then choose to go shopping on a Saturday when people who do work are trying to shop as well.

JP08

bertiewhite wrote: »

They're probably the same people who don't work, for whatever reason but then choose to go shopping on a Saturday when people who do work are trying to shop as well.

Because - for them - this!

AdrianC

Simple - their brains are in neutral. They don't have the first clue what speed they're doing, just that it feels comfortable with the minimum actual involvement on their part.

The car's quiet and smooth, the world's not going by at a rate that actually requires thought, and everything is happy.

If you have the temerity to overtake once you get to the NSL, you'll probably wake them up a bit, so they'll either briefly realise they're bimbling, so they accelerate for a while, or they'll simply assume you're a lunatic who's come from nowhere, so they'll shake their main beam and horn at you.

deaston

Why do I get the feeling no-one who actually drives like this is going to comment? It's like how everyone moans about middle-lane drivers but no-one admits to doing it. Who the hell are these people?!

There are so many 40mph drivers - some of them must be on this forum.

DoaM

Mono Speed Morons ... that's what I've always called them.

Aylesbury_Duck

deaston wrote: »

Why do I get the feeling no-one who actually drives like this is going to comment? It's like how everyone moans about middle-lane drivers but no-one admits to doing it. Who the hell are these people?!

There are so many 40mph drivers - some of them must be on this forum.

I expect they are, but until they have an accident, cause one or reverse into a hole, they've no need to come on here for advice.

AdrianC

deaston wrote: »

Why do I get the feeling no-one who actually drives like this is going to comment? It's like how everyone moans about middle-lane drivers but no-one admits to doing it. Who the hell are these people?!

There are so many 40mph drivers - some of them must be on this forum.

They probably are. But they simply won't recognise themselves.

You won't find them reading many threads here - they're more likely to simply wander in here to ask questions about lease payments, and whose fault their collision was. They think they drive perfectly sensibly and safely, and can't understand why anybody would actually be interested in driving or cars. They probably need to check the badge on their car when the insurer or garage asks them what model it is, and their default replacement strategy is "another one the same" if they've been happy with the car over the term of the lease. By "happy with the car", they mean that it's only been near the dealer for maybe one routine service, which was cheap, and that it's economical and the tax is cheap.

interstellaflyer

They baffle me, quite often get them come hurtling up to me in a 30 mph limit then tailgate, however when I get out of the 30 to a 50 or NSL they become a spec in my rear view mirror, what's the point in being an aggressive a'hole in a 30 zone yet not take any advantage of an increase in speed limit?