[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.....

Ian - how can you do a test in one of the major cities then?

I suspect it was one passed in 1954

Which is IIRC about right for TJ 🙂

Regarding people not overtaking when they should- sadly I usually can't. I'm crap at it because my old car lacks the gumption to overtake without 5 miles of clear space.

my old car lacks the gumption to overtake without 5 miles of clear space

Well, if I were you, I'd keep well clear of the roads when m_f and some of his supporters are on the road. You don't want to be inconveniencing them now...

5mph (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.

Surely this is trolling?

Are people driving slower because of the price of petrol? Generally a good thing imo.

I do find driving in the Lakes infuriating sometimes though - lots of people who've seemingly never driven on narrow, windy roads before and slow down to 10mph for every bend.

Maybe they were lost or looking for some shop and hence driving slow.

Life is too short...

Regarding people not overtaking when they should- sadly I usually can't. I'm crap at it because my old car lacks the gumption to overtake without 5 miles of clear space.

With practice, you can back off (opens up your sightlines and gives you room), eyeball a spot for overtaking then put your foot down in anticipation of the overtake. If someone comes the other way, you can just brake or lift off the throttle. Hopefully I'm not teaching you how to suck eggs 😆

I know the theory and am happy doing it in modern cars with engines rather than 300 mice in wheels but my car won't accelerate past someone doing 50 without a huge distance.

I remember our hire car in SW France - a Hyundai Getz 1.0. Luckily there are huge long straights there because it genuinely needed a quarter of a mile++ and merciless thrashing to overtake anything.

Handy to have a bit of oomph - reduces your TED and is (if sensibly used) safer.

Are people driving slower because of the price of petrol? Generally a good thing imo.

Wikipedia suggests Turtle Exclusion Device for TED?

TJ, you're ace, bang on.

I wonder how many people have been killed because a motor vehicle was going too slow? Not many I'd wager. As a driver, you should always expect a cyclist or other road user to be travelling at anything from 1-20mph or whatever, unless you are on a dual carriageway or motorway.

Nope - Turd Excreting Donkey.

Or Time Exposed to Danger 😉

Time Exposed to Danger

Someone's been watching repeats of Driven...

As a driver, you should always expect a cyclist or other road user to be travelling at anything from 1-20mph

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 shouldn't be driving at all.

Not true, I know a few drivers who'd be cautious of driving at 60 in a 60 as they'd rather err on the side of caution. They'll happily use the motorway at 60-70 but don't want to blast around the NSLs at the limit allowed by the law, they have no urgency and no need to do so, so why should they? Because you can't overtake for toffee?

Of course the flip side is that they WOULD, when they spotted a lot of traffic behind, pull over and let people pass if they wanted to. The roads are there for all, not just those who want to drive to the limits allowed.

While I find them annoying to get stuck behind, as I said, and I rarely have a queue of traffic behind me, I never complain when stuck behind someone driving lower than the limit unless they're driving *erratically* - dabbing the brakes with oncoming traffic, braking for every bend despite not changing speeds or actually needing it. Likewise if I'm cruising along at 40-50 in the sun on an NSL and you sit up my arse and get upset at me I'll laugh in your face, lifes too short.

I can see where you're coming from, I really can, but I think you have to accept that roads are not for getting from one place to another as fast as legally possible, not everyoen is in a rush and anyone with any level of skill should be able to pass them soon enough to not build up a queue.

The people that annoy me the most are those who drive up the bum of the slow car, too close to see past, and can't overtake meaning anyone behind has several cars to pass and to deal with the unpredictable moron in 2nd place who's popping left and right trying to see past the leader.

Someone's been watching repeats of Driven...

Never seen it.

Someone's actually done IAM and Cop training actually....

Well, I passed my test towards the backend of last year and can confirm that in a minor city at least (derby) driving on a dual carriageway was a necessary component and that going too slow would have been a problem.

Someone above has mentioned the thing that annoys me most - people who, for whatever fearful reason, have to slow down [i]dramatically[/i] for corners that don't warrant it.

And people with ABS fitted - Arbitrary Braking Systems.

Arbitrary Braking Sytems - love it, and bang-on!

I can see where you're coming from, I really can, but I think you have to accept that roads are not for getting from one place to another as fast as legally possible, not everyoen is in a rush and anyone with any level of skill should be able to pass them soon enough to not build up a queue.

On the A roads in Lincolnshire and Norfolk, this kind of attitude causes big problems - there are no motorways, and they're mostly single carriageway. One articulated lorry doing the mandatory 40mph or slow driver has a large queue form behind it very quickly, making it very dangerous for people to overtake.

The roads are there for all

Wrong, the roads are there for those competent to use them. This is why we have driving tests. If you can't drive at a speed suitable for the conditions (which is what we're talking about here), then perhaps you should go and have a chat with the DVLA about handing your license in. After all, you are quite likely to have had to demonstrate your ability to handle a car at speed to pass said test in the first place.

Well said Zokes.

It is interesting to note that all the decriers have ignored my comment about WHY the driver was travelling at 20mph when the road was clear and safe to travel at 30mph on.

Hesitant, slow driving IS very dangerous [b]for people who are not concentrating[/b] and causes loads of accidents [b]because people are not concentrating[/b] - it's just hard to convict someone doing it.

HTH. 😉

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.

totally agree.

Wrong, the roads are there for those competent to use them. This is why we have driving tests. If you can't drive at a speed suitable for the conditions (which is what we're talking about here), then perhaps you should go and have a chat with the DVLA about handing your license in. After all, you are quite likely to have had to demonstrate your ability to handle a car at speed to pass said test in the first place.

You fail simply because you assume that driving below the limit suggests you're not capable of driving AT the limit. There is no minimum limit, driving below the limit is not a crime and is in no way a problem if everyone else possesses the skills they were required to have when passing the test (overtaking) just the same as the slow driver. Obviously the slow driver should, if a queue of idiots builds up or the road doesnt allow overtaking, pull over to allow others to pass where safe.

m_f - I didn't ignore the reason for driving at 20, I simply defended peoples ability to drive at that speed should they want to, as it is entirely legal and only a problem if other people are idiots. I don't condone driving slowly if it's solely because you're faffing in the footwell and unable to concentrate on the road.

Obviously the slow driver should, if a queue of idiots builds up or the road doesnt allow overtaking, pull over to allow others to pass where safe.

You fail simply because you assume that driving below the limit suggests you're not capable of driving AT the limit.

Given that most are also incapable of seeing the 30mph signs and reducing their speed when they get to villages, then yes, I do quite rightly make that assumption. Most also exhibit the other tendencies mentioned on this thread: unnecessary braking, swerving / veering around, no obvious perception of anything happening around them. Quite a few actually seem surprised to be driving a car if you glance sideways whilst overtaking.

Ultimately, roads are a means of transport, designed to get people from A to B. If you're not in a rush, great, pull over and look at the view; but please bear in mind there are other people with more exciting things in their lives at A and B, and quite rightly don't need some self righteous twonk driving at 40 when 60 is quite safe.

I normally get 380 miles out of a tank of fuel, I managed 483 this week by driving slowly. I made sure I wasn't holding anyone up though!

Wrong, the roads are there for those competent to use them. This is why we have driving tests.

Oh, and for cyclists who don't need to pass a test at all, oh and horse riders, who also don't.

As a cyclist, I'm far more scared of fast drivers who think their speed and how close they can overtake is representative of their virility, than of someone driving slowly.

To hell with forum etiquette - I'll quote myself frome the bad drivers thread...

I've always thought that the Italians are rather good.

Yes, they drive with a certain panache - but in general seem to pull it off. A mixture of nerve and skill?.....(and luck?)

[b]On returning from one trip to Italy I concluded that in the UK we had all been bored / subdued into a skill free, attention free, ability free moron zone [/b]

This was from a few years ago, but I had already taken the view that years of nanny state mollycoddling, speed is bad, driving is reeeeaaaallly dangerous do-gooder propaganda had turned this country's drivers into a collective comatose state - driving along aware only of the car xm in front, whether bunched on the M-Way at 90 in fog or driving in town with multiple hazards and distractions

Zokes, I never disagreed, people who are unsafe are a bad thing, my point is that if you want to drive at 40 in a 60, you can. It's fine. If you've more important things at A or B, learn to overtake. If there's no-where to overtake then sure it's the slow drivers responsibility to pull over to let you past.

How do you cope with cyclists at 15mph? Do you get bent all out of shape with them too? Throw a fit because they're daring to cycle on a road with double whites at less than the speed limit? The "I want to be there now and you're in my way" attitude really is a bit pathetic. No-one condones poor driving, but slow does not necessarily mean poor. (as as I've said in the past, I own a 300hp sports car, I'm not one of the slow drivers in question).

the decriers have ignored my comment

It's a classic Trolling Zoo Fighter move. Additional information is introduced once the thread has got going to prove beyond doubt that the OP is in the right. Masterfully done. 🙂

I'm certainly driving slower 'coz of fuel prices. Only to keep the rev range .. I still drive as near speed limits as economic driving permits .. i.e. may start to slow a little sooner, change down a gear on bendy hills yadda yadda.

29 going on 92 me.

but I can't really afford to run the car I'm driving

I think they fail you if you go 'too slow' in tests as they want you to show appropriate confidence in your ability.

NB we took my granny off the road when she said she never used any higher gear than 2nd and that's the truth. Bear in mind that 1/2 - 1 mile in any direction of her house she's in NSL zones.
.... the next service we told the local village mechanic to lie as she was only going to keep driving as long has her then current little old car did.

When I drive to work I regularly follow drivers in NSL @ 45mph, 50 limit @ 45, 30 limit into village @ 45. I think there are those golden oldies that are scared of 5th gear.

Manonsoul and Coffeeking, you are being particularity pedantic about a small part of the argument. To assume that anyone driving at whilst paying attention 60 would not give you enough room, whilst those bimbling along not paying attention to anything at 40 would is simply naive. I'd rather be overtaken at 60 by someone who was reading the road, saw there was room and passed with plenty of space; as opposed to someone at 40 who didn't see me until the last second and squeezed past.

No-one condones poor driving, but slow does not necessarily mean poor.

But usually, it does. In 7 years of driving in North Wales, most cars I catch up and overtake have some doddery old bloke peering through the wheel gripping it in terror. The exception to this is summer, when the roads are full of people pointing at sheep when they should be looking where they're going. Having recently moved to the moors above Bolton, I've not seen much of a change to this demographic.

I admit all this may sound self important, but it's not meant as such. Just how sad can your days be if the highlight of it is neither where you came from, nor where you are going, but the boring bit in between? As said, if you want to look at the scenery. Pull over and admire at your leisure...

If you've more important things at A or B, learn to overtake. If there's no-where to overtake then sure it's the slow drivers responsibility to pull over to let you past.

I can, have a car that allows it pretty easily, and do. If a slow driver is unwilling to pull over, then they fit firmly in the 'unaware of what's going around them' category, and are therefore a poor driver. The point is, in your test you are expected to 'make good progress'. If a driver is not doing so, they're driving in a manner that would cause them to fail their test, and are therefore a poor driver.

On returning from one trip to Italy I concluded that in the UK we had all been bored / subdued into a skill free, attention free, ability free moron zone

lol - I saw some terrible terrible driving in Italy. They also have significantly more deaths/person than we do. Only if you think there is something clever about being aggressive and macho would you think driving was better in Italy.