[Closed] Is it just me or are there more slow drivers on the road?

Driving slowly isn't dangerous. Lot's of places have 20mph limits as there is a school. Overtaking in built-up areas is what adds the danger element. Learn some patience...

I think there is, yes. It's great isn't it.

driving dangerously slowly

Only dangerous if impatient f***wits take unecessary risks to get past them. The speed limit is the maximum speed, not a mandatory speed at which you must travel. As hels says, learn some patience and enjoy the ride.

Driving slowly isn't dangerous.

Then this morning I had another - 15mph (but there were speed bumps on the stretch of road, but FFS I can go over them at 30mph in my (very firmly suspended) car without issue.

Perhaps they were carrying a goldfish bowl full of water and didn't want an in-car accident!

just dawdled along at <20mph. I eventually overtook them (without speeding - I generally won't speed in built up areas).

Sightseeing? Lost?

I personaly hate the to55ers who try to make me go faster, chill dude! 😉

(but there were speed bumps on the stretch of road, but FFS I can go over them at 30mph in my (very firmly suspended) car without issue.

I normally take speed bumps to mean it's probably not a good idea to be driving at 30mph anyway. But you go on ahead...

chill dude!

+1

[i]I just don't understand why people drive so slowly[/i]

Because they just don't understand how important it is that you get to your destination unimpeded at exactly the speed you want to go at. This is because they are stupid, selfish, inconsiderate, ignorant bastards. There are more cyclists on the road too, and they're even worse because they can't go faster than 30mph even on the really straight bit of road with no speed bumps on it. Which is so annoying because if you really hit the gas as you come into that section you can hit 55mph and still be able to brake for the camera. 🙂

I've noticed an increase in slower drivers too, until a few weeks ago I had a daily drive of 60 miles to a nospital appointment. Every day there would be an element of congestion caused by vehicles in lane 1 having to overtake cars travelling between 40-50 mph. Worse obviously for the HGVs & buses etc that are speed limited.

My wondering about this is whether people are attempting to improve fuel consumption in the "current economic climate" ❓

I'm sure if they realised how important Mastiles was they would have speeded up, or at least pulled over.

/Edit
Bollocks! Beaten far more eloquently by BD 🙂

Only dangerous if impatient f***wits take unecessary risks to get past them. The speed limit is the maximum speed, not a mandatory speed at which you must travel.

The people who set the driving test must think differently, as I failed one for not overtaking a tractor soon enough, and a lot of people fail by not managing to do 60 on NSL roads. One of the criteria for passing is roughly paraphrased as "making adequate progress".

The 40mph everywhere types seem most common around my way - NSL: 40mph, 30 limit: 40mph, Speed humps: 40mph with an emergency stop before every hump.

I'm sure if they realised how important Mastiles was they would have speeded up, or at least pulled over.

Nah, they must have another excuse. [i]Everybody[/i] (at least in that particular backwater of Yorkshire) knows how important Mastiles is.

EDIT: I'm suspecting a troll here...and if I'm right, I fell for it 😳

Bollocks!

Nah, I reckon you've got that sewn up perfectly Ian. 🙂

Driving slowly isn't dangerous. Lot's of places have 20mph limits as there is a school. Overtaking in built-up areas is what adds the danger element. Learn some patience...

You would fail a driving test driving like either of the cars I described in my post.

I wouldn't have failed a test for overtaking like I did as it was a safe place to pass, the road markings allowed me to cross the central divide and I stayed within the limit.

EDIT:
[i]The people who set the driving test must think differently, as I failed one for not overtaking a tractor soon enough, and a lot of people fail by not managing to do 60 on NSL roads. One of the criteria for passing is roughly paraphrased as "making adequate progress".[/i]
Precisely.

the road markings allowed me to cross the central divide and I stayed within the limit.

So the problem is..?

If people tailgate me because I'm doing the speed limit, I drop to 5 mph below the speed limit. Childish, but it'll learn 'em!

There are a lot more of them. There seems to be a rule that if you've just bought a new Renault then you MUST do half the speed limit.

It's unfair to the majority of motorists who can drive at a reasonable speed to keep holding them up, and quite frankly not pulling over is disgraceful.

If you're not confident at the speed limit, you shouldn't be driving. You're holding people up and (a little less importantly) taking the fun out of driving.

Slow drivers are a much bigger problem than speeding ones as it creates more of an issue.

So the problem is..?

Then they should definitely be banned from driving. I'd call the police if someone had disrespected me in the way you describe.

They probably don't have children either. 🙂

There are a lot more of them. There seems to be a rule that if you've just bought a new Renault then you MUST do half the speed limit.

Only dangerous if impatient f***wits take unecessary risks to get past them. The speed limit is the maximum speed, not a mandatory speed at which you must travel. As hels says, learn some patience and enjoy the ride.

I guess that's why there are lots of signs on the A9 telling slower vehicles to pull over to let queues ease 🙄

Being able to safely control a car at 60 is an important part of the driving test, and you'll probably be required to demonstrate your ability to do so. If these people can't (when it should be appropriate for them to be doing so), then perhaps they should take the bus, as their reactions and/or observational skills probably aren't up to controlling a ton of metal any more. Just as roads aren't 'your personal race track', they aren't your place to dawdle and look at the view. They are routes of communication, and should be used as such. If you want to look at the hills / wonder where you are on a map / do your makeup, then perhaps you should pull over and do so at your leisure.

Being able to safely control a car at 60 is an important part of the driving test

Well said. So is being able to control a car at 35mph in a 30 limit. Going any slower makes you gay.

Yes, and Rover 45s.

We were up round Glencoe a few weeks back and OH MY GOD GET YOUR BLOODY CAMPERVAN OFF THE ROAD TO LET THE MILE OF QUEUE PASS...

Hesitant, slow driving IS very dangerous and causes loads of accidents - it's just hard to convict someone doing it.

Ever been driving on a dual carriageway and suddenly seen a JCB/tractor? If they weren't covered in flashing lights people would crash into them. Extremely slow drivers don't have these lights and it takes the brain a little while to "compute" that someone is going very slowly indeed.

Slow drivers often drive at low speeds because they have no confidence, often have slow reactions and are generally a danger to others.

Fast drivers (speed limit breakers) are bad too, especially in 30 zones - but we all know that anyway. I saw someone doing around 80 in a 30 yesterday in a car - I'd be surprised if they hadn't crashed somewhere. Motorbikes are the worst offenders though (in 30 zones) and seem to think they are immune from speeding laws.

There's a minimum speed limit on motorways (40 IIRC) but not on other roads because you should be able to deal with someone driving slowly (or riding a bike, or on a scooter that is limited to 30-40, or walking into the road). While they annoy the hell out of me, they have every right to drive at that speed and they don't cause me any danger at all so I have no room to complain.

I'd rather someone drove slowly and within their confidence level than quickly and out of control. I'm a decent driver, I have no trouble overtaking them when it's safe. Same as bikes.

I always drive at speed limits.

(Low) Speed Kills!

I miss Smee, but m_f makes up for our loss sometimes 🙂

True there is no minimum speed limit on roads so it is not an offence, but as has been said before, you would fail a driving test driving in the manner of the OP description.

I did kinda expect to find a few people opposing my thoughts on this one though 😉

Why so proud of the fact you don't drive at a speed appropriate to conditions?

Cop training taught us how to go much slower than "expected" in certain conditions (narrow road, blind bend, etc) as well as "briskly" when appropriate.

Always expect a child/bike/tractor around every bend and you'll probably never crash.

We don't have motorways down here - always a novelty going "abroad" and hopping onto the M5/M4...

Oh, by the way, the word for wilfully driving below the speed limit for no apparent reason is [b]slowing[/b].

slow driving IS very dangerous and causes loads of accidents

My friend failed his driving test for driving too slow. 15mph in a 30 and 20 in a 40 limit, 2nd time failed for speeding.

Milkie - methinks your friend has pretty pants speed perception!

True there is no minimum speed limit on roads so it is not an offence, but as has been said before, you would fail a driving test driving in the manner of the OP description.

Quite, but without video footage we've no idea whether they might have another reason for driving more slowly - wet roads, blind bends, kids seen playing nearby, maybe they have engine problems and are limping home. Try not to be too judgemental and try to just get on with your own life, I'm sure you're more than able to overtake happily 🙂

FWIW speed bumps are the devils work - you either drive over them slowly and accelerate/brake between them or stick at a slow speed. I tend to stick at a slow speed assuming theres not a massive distance between, as I'm not wearing my brakes and wasting fuel for the sake of ~5mph average over a half mile section.

Quite, but without video footage we've no idea whether they might have another reason for driving more slowly

You are not tested on your ability to drive at 60 mph - you can and often do do your entire test at 30 mph.

More car drivers driving slowly - good - that will reduce casualties. i just hope all teh fast dangerous impatient twonks are prosecuted.

Of course MF you are so important you must not be held up for a momnet

FWIW speed bumps are the devils work - you either drive over them slowly and accelerate/brake between them or stick at a slow speed. I tend to stick at a slow speed assuming theres not a massive distance between, as I'm not wearing my brakes and wasting fuel for the sake of ~5mph average over a half mile section.

There are some near me (the cushion type) that get better the faster you go over them. 30mph and lined up right, you barely feel them. 5mph and your car rocks all over the place. Above 30mph, they might as well not be there.

They do force people into some very odd road positions though.

More car drivers driving slowly - good - that will reduce casualties. i just hope all teh fast dangerous impatient twonks are prosecuted.

I'd love to see a calculation of life expectancy increase due to lower speeds against time wasted over a lifetime. Not sure which way it'd go.

time wasted only applies to the car drivers - increased life expectancy applies to all road users - including cyclists

I think you are correct, there are not only more slow drivers around but the rest seem to have either forgotten how to overtake, or just don't.

But then there was a survey around a while ago and been 'overtaken' was in the Top Ten of British drivers hates...

Now one persons 'dangerous overtake' is another persons no-problem.

And we've a lot a single carrigeway A roads around here, and people will quite happily follow a car at 40mph - consequently any overtake requires you to overtake the 'queue'.

a clear run into work this morning and what a difference.

10 minutes quicker than normal, about 10% better fuel economy and I was well over the speed limit 90% of the way.

You are not tested on your ability to drive at 60 mph - you can and often do do your entire test at 30 mph.

Were you there when I had my test? I was tested on my ability to 'make progress' in an NSL, as was just about everybody I know. In fact, when a section of road in Bangor was reduced to a 40 zone, the local test centre protested against it as it screwed up some of their routes.

Don't let facts get in the way of anything though... 🙄

I'd rather someone drove slowly and within their confidence level than quickly and out of control.

The point is, if they don't have the confidence to do a fairly basic task of driving competently at 60 mph in an NSL, then they probably [b]shouldn't be driving at all[/b]. The usual culprits seem to have no ability to read the road, little awareness of what's going on around them, and usually then bimble on at 40 when they reach a village. If their reactions aren't fast enough to allow them to drive at 60 in an NSL, how do they suddenly improve so that they can drive at 33% above the limit in an area where they're more likely to have to stop suddenly?

I was "stuck" of the road from the M5 to Wells last Thursday.

I think it might be the worst road in the entire country. It connects some major towns and a city yet has nowhere to overtake, is full of 30 zones and traffic lights and also has no dedicated lanes for turning right on (so a right turner stops all traffic) is is clearly designed for cart horses, not cars.

Don't often get frustrated on a road but even in the "overtake many cars at a time when it's safe to" Bimmer, there was no choice but to grit my teeth, crank up the stereo and average less than 30mph over 22 miles.

The A14 in Lincs is similar but not as bad.

You are not tested on your ability to drive at 60 mph - you can and often do do your entire test at 30 mph.

More car drivers driving slowly - good - that will reduce casualties. i just hope all teh fast dangerous impatient twonks are prosecuted.

Of course MF you are so important you must not be held up for a momnet

[i]You are not tested on your ability to drive at 60 mph - you can and often do do your entire test at 30 mph.[/i]

I have a strong feeling this is complete rubbish.
IIRC the examiner will be looking to see how you drive on all roads bar motorways. If you can do your entire test at 30mph then I suspect it was one passed in 1954 🙂

What were the speed bumps put in for? I think the council put them in just to piss Mr "I'm so important" Fanylion off.

Yep I seem to get stuck behind them all the time, randomly dabbing their brakes for absolutely no reason, compulsory retests for all I say.

And I failed my first driving test for doing 30mph in a 40mph zone.....