Do you have a speed limiter function? On some cars with that you can override it by doing the equivalent of a kick down.

Ah! Yeah, there is a Limit function next to the cruise control. I’ve never used it as I don’t really see the point, I’d use the CC in preference. You might be on to something there.

People instinctively change up through the gears to 5th or 6th after pulling away.

Seriously? 😯

I’d have thought most people’s instinct would be to change gear later, especially if they were prone to speeding. It’s behaviour you’re expressly taught out of in driving lessons, at 30mph you should be changing up into 4th unless you’re going uphill.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone driving around in 6th at 30mph, though I suppose people are capable of anything.

As far as I am aware you can be prosecuted for doing less than 30(any speed deemed inappropriate for the conditions) in a 30 zone as I am sure our STW Highway code and legal experts can confirm. This is something that they would probably teach you on a speed awaerness course.

You can fail your test for failure to make progress, you’re expected to drive at or near the posted limits unless conditions suggest otherwise. But you can’t be prosecuted for driving too slowly on regular roads in and of itself, though if you were bimbling about everywhere without good reason then there might be a case for driving without due care / dangerous driving. There is a ‘minimum speed limit’ roadsign in THC but in a quarter of a century of driving I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in the flesh.

On motorways even, there’s generally no minimum speed limit beyond not being dangerous. “Slow moving vehicles” are prohibited, is all.

I was never taught to drive in a certain gear at a certain speed; you drive in the correct gear for the road conditions.

It’s a fair while ago now, but I remember being taught to change up to 2nd at around 10mph, up to 3rd at 20mph and into 4th at 30, all other things being equal. As you say, it’s dependent of road conditions of course; I don’t think it was ever supposed to be a hard-and-fast rule, just an idea for when a learner should be changing gear.

Alway makes me chuckle the amount of people who don’t drive who reply to these sort of things.

Why?

Alway makes me chuckle the amount of people who don’t drive NEVER SPEED! who reply to these sort of things.

I certainly don’t see these people driving around. 😆

I remember being taught to change up to 2nd at around 10mph, up to 3rd at 20mph and into 4th at 30

So in a 30 limit, do you choose 4th and try to drive at 30 only? or drive in 3rd at 29 or less?

There is a ‘minimum speed limit’ roadsign in THC but in a quarter of a century of driving I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in the flesh.

Only one I’ve ever seen was for the Mont Blanc tunnel (obviously not the one in the Highway Code.)

Oddly enough, THC tends to make people drive very slowly indeed (although again, not the THC you were talking about 😉 )

Re the above what mileage in what gear. EVERY car is different depending on gearing and torque. For instance in a 6speed VAG diesel I was up into 6th long before I would in a petrol. In my 2.0 petrol I hang onto gears alot longer before shifting up. Partly because I like hearing the engine and whine of the parts 8)

Which is the reason I don’t change into 5th in a 30 zone, not because I’m worried about speeding.

People generally will accelerate a bit to the point where the engine is ‘happier’ rather than change back to a more suitable gear.

Well people are idiots aren’t they, and this simply reinforces my impression of the level such courses are aimed at.

I remember being taught to change up to 2nd at around 10mph, up to 3rd at 20mph and into 4th at 30,

me too.

However since those dim and distant days, in my case 40 years ago 😳 , cars have gained an extra 2 gears and it was the view of the awareness trainer, and I can see his point, that the old ‘top gear’ i.e. 4th and 30 mph, is now 5th/6th and 40 mph. Obviously not all people fall into that simple subconscious behaviour, but the a fair percentage must , given that they made it a key point of the training…

But you can’t be prosecuted for driving too slowly

Crossed wires methinks,that’s not what I meant.I meant that driving at 25mph in a 30 zone can be classed as dangerous and result in prosection dependant on the road conditions.Judging by some of the drivers we all see, some seem to think that 30 is compulsory regardless.

Alway makes me chuckle the amount of people who don’t drive NEVER SPEED! who reply to these sort of things.

I certainly don’t see these people driving around.

I didn’t say I never speed, but I don’t do it by much very often, and certainly not in urban areas. If I hold people up, sorry.

So in a 30 limit, do you choose 4th and try to drive at 30 only? or drive in 3rd at 29 or less?

Well, I was talking about how I was taught, not how I now choose to drive 20-odd years later. “Cruising” at a steady 30mph you’d be in 4th, if you’d to slow down for some reason then you’d downshift accordingly (though a variation of 1mph is neither here nor there, I don’t think anyone was ever really suggesting that you hop between 3rd and 4th everytime you go marginally either side of the threshold. It’s just a rule of thumb.)

I meant that driving at 25mph in a 30 zone can be classed as dangerous and result in prosection

I think you’d have to be pretty unlucky to get done for dangerous driving just for doing 25 in a 30. 25mph in the middle lane of a free-flowing motorway, perhaps.

What if the 30 MPH zone was covered in snow turned to ice by passing traffic, no grit down and it is at 8.50 am outside a local school?
25mph under those conditions could be construed as dangerous driving. If it wasn’t it is certainly pretty dumb. I think something like that may be the point being made.
I know, the school would probably be closed, but it is hypothetical

I’m no longer sure what point is being made if I’m honest.

I’ve explained the advice I was told umpteen years ago in order to give a learner driver a basic idea of what sort of gear they should be in at a given speed under normal conditions, and been presented with a bunch of situations where that wouldn’t apply.I’ve never suggested that it’s a one-size-fits-all approach or even that it’s particularly good advice once you’ve been driving longer than it takes to pass your test.

My point was simply that “choose a lower gear to prevent accidental speeding” is the exact opposite of what a driving instructor will teach you, and “people instinctively shift up into higher gears” is counter to both my experience and that early teaching. Hence, I was surprised that it was something taught on an Awareness course.

Any speed can be considered “dangerous,” be that too fast or two slow, given the right (well, wrong) conditions, but going 5mph under the limit is unlikely to net you a dangerous driving conviction in isolation (ie, normal driving conditions and you not doing something else stupid at the same time).

Do people go on these courses so that they don’t get points on their license? Any time i was done for speeding (motorbike only btw, but lots of times 😀 ) my insurance was not affected. This was years ago mind, before someone invented these courses as a way to make more money educate drivers.

This was years ago mind, before someone invented these courses as a way to (make more money) educate drivers.

Well as it seem that fining drivers isn’t improving their driving education might be better. Most of these threads pop up a common light bulb moment from the driver that perhaps they were not perfect and that maybe they could learn something. Sounds like a good thing, if you don’t learn from the course then back to points and ban to make them think.

Anyway OP your a bad-ass criminal…

But theres a bloke on pistonheads looking at 12pts+6pts further looking for advice (mainly phone use). So the OP aint a crim..

Ah! Yeah, there is a Limit function next to the cruise control. I’ve never used it as I don’t really see the point, I’d use the CC in preference. You might be on to something there.

I use mine all the time in town. It’s a bit of a weird sensation though when you floor the accelerator and nothing happens!

There is a ‘minimum speed limit’ roadsign in THC but in a quarter of a century of driving I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in the flesh.

There are loads in Spain on hills, indicating minimum speeds in middle and inside lanes.

I do love these threads…

My Car’s got a Limiter which I do use, always left set to 30 turn it on every time I enter a 30 limit and off as I exit…

This morning I noted the A1 in front of me for about 10 miles, through various villages, along country roads between various 30/40/50/Nat limits, every 30 limit he pulled away from me and sat half a car length from the bumper in front (also obviously speeding). invariably at the next Junction/roundabout/set of lights I’d catch up at my leisurely pace, every time the limit increased I’d Still catch back up within 1/4 mile (because there’s almost always someone who’ll go 50 in a 60, 40 in a 50, etc a few cars ahead)…

The OP is not alone in driving a bit above the signed limit in a 30, but it doesn’t actually save you any time or improve your MPG so why bother when you’re simply putting yourself at greater risk of points and a fine?

Why people seem so keen to justify/wriggle out of it when they’re caught I don’t really know, take your lumps, accept you are a fallible Human being and try to adjust your driving decisions with that in mind, that’s really all the course is really trying to teach…

“Progress makers” are always quick to denigrate “sensible drivers”, focus on minutiae (like gear selection in a 30 FFS…) or set up various straw man arguments for why they should be allowed to blast about at x% above the limit… Have at it Lads, you’ll win the whole internetz debate, but it won’t save you the points or fines and you will need to tell your insurer’s (whatever the impact might be). Personally I’ve just decided it’s easier to comply with the rules more often and keep a clean licence, dull I’m sure but I can live with that.

just did my awareness course yesterday. no excuses, i knew i was speeding but…. sneaky sneaky. i went through the village at 30 as i always do, once through theres the national speed limit signs slightly downhill about 100 yards away and i accelerated before reaching them. unmarked car hid behind a hedge not even a car length away from the signs! they must get so many people like that!

like i say, i obviously knew the 60 didnt start til the signs, but thought its safe enough to up the speed a little before i got to them. costly mistake, so……

Personally I’ve just decided it’s easier to comply with the rules more often and keep a clean licence, dull I’m sure but I can live with that.

thats me now. i dont feel too hard done by as im sure ive had a charmed life so far, over the last 33 years ive regularly exceeded limits where ive felt its safe to do so (no accidents or convictions), but the course drives home to you the consequences to you, your family and possibly other families if youre involved in an accident due to speeding.
increase in insurance premiums due to the points, loss of job if youre banned, break up of family due to money problems, eternal guilt should you harm or kill another person, suicidal thoughts etc etc. certainly makes you think.
like most people i consider myself a good driver, and unlikely to ever have an accident due to my fault, but you just never know. even if its someone else to blame, if youre driving faster than the limit you may find yourself in a world of pain, so at least being caught now will slow me down.

The OP is not alone in driving a bit above the signed limit in a 30, but it doesn’t actually save you any time

It can on quiet roads. Drive at 30 and catch light changing to red. Drive at 34-35 and get through on green saving the time taken for the lights to cycle.

I’m fairly sure that nobody on this thread has attempted to argue why they should be allowed to blast along at x% above the limit (nor as far as I can work out is anybody arguing about gears in 30 limits suggesting that breaking a 30 limit is a sensible thing to do). You know what that makes your statement? I’ll just go and find you a pic… 😆

this seems a relevant thread to ask about cruise control…..

ill often set mine at 60 on a long stretch of road, but when i get into a 40 zone say, is there any way of re-setting it to your new speed once youve braked (without using the CC to slow down)?
if that sounds confusing, what im saying is once ive braked down to 40, the CC is still set at 60 so if i activate it again itll start accelerating again.
id like to know if its possible once im at a new speed, to re-set it to that speed. (57 octavia btw)

Slow to 40, press SET, 40 is your new speed. (Press RES to tell the car to accelerate from 40 back up to 60).

Greatape, you’re a star thanks a lot 🙂

My pleasure sir

OP, you were a bit over the limit. Nobody really cares if it was 31, 34, 35, 60 or 100 mph. You were given the option of a speed awareness course. You never bothered to answer (probably too busy). Now you have been summonsed? Suck it up buttercup. By the way, you’ll probably get a fine, court costs and points. If only you’d just booked the course.

I was on a speed awareness course yesterday. Very useful I thought. The only downer was the idiot know it all top gear fanatic who spent the whole 4 hours telling everyone about what a great driver he was and how the laws are all wrong. Do they all have these people?

nope, ours was real friendly, no idiots there, we all contributed sensibly and we were thanked by the instructors afterwards for making it enjoyable. he mentioned a lot of courses dont go like that 😀

The problem with the 70% at 40 and 20% at 30, rhetoric is that if you are racing long at 40 and someone steps out, by the time you’ve jumped on the brakes, albeit too late, you will be going at a ‘safe’ speed’ before you hit them.

Do they all have these people?

mine did plus the rich knob who made sure everyone know he got caught in his Bentley, the dizzy mom who didn’t have a clue what speed they were going and the cyclist hater. It would have been a boring day without them!

I am bored to tears with this speed kills rubbish. Speed has never killed a single person. We are yet to find the limit to what the maximum speed the human body can survive. So instead of worrying about whether a vehicle is going a few or several miles per hour above an arbitrary limit why don’t the authorities spend more time trying to prevent accident happening instead? If 2 vehicles or a vehicle and a pedestrian can avoid occupying the same space St the same time then speed becomes irrelevant as the won’t hit each other.

I realise that this isn’t popular for the authorities for 2 main reasons

1. It’s a hard message to sell compared to the speed kills rhetoric
2. It costs money to do it rather than making money for the speeding industry