Driving at the speed limit

PikeyPriest · 27 Sep 2010 at 16:50

60 or 70 may be the `limit`, but you are also expected to make progress. So going at half the speed limit without a reason is as poor driving IMO as speeding. The people doing ~30 on a motorway need to have mandatory retraining IMO.

Dsteviedee · 27 Sep 2010 at 16:52

When I was learning to drive (many years ago I might add)

I was told if I did not drive at, or close to the speed limit I would fail my test.

InvaderGIR · 27 Sep 2010 at 16:54

Dsteviedee said:
When I was learning to drive (many years ago I might add)

I was told if I did not drive at, or close to the speed limit I would fail my test.

Well you were told incorrectly.

You are expected to make progress but to also drive at a speed you deem safe for the conditions...this may mean you do 20mph on a motorway if it's thick and foggy with minimal visibility.

Dsteviedee · 27 Sep 2010 at 16:58

Should have added dependant on conditions.

Think my instructor wanted progress, as the test center I used was one of the strictest
in the country, especially for slow drivers, and were very strict on timing of the tests.

InvaderGIR · 27 Sep 2010 at 17:01

Speed is still irrelevant, you are not expected to be sat at the limit on your test...most people will have the confidence to do so and indeed if they don't, should not pass imo but I can't see it being a fail at all.

Dsteviedee · 27 Sep 2010 at 17:04

Was over 20 years ago, but I can see your point.

On tests I think it is a confidence thing, if you are going along on a clear road at 25mph,

holding up traffic behind you, I can see that being a black mark.

TruffleShuffle · 27 Sep 2010 at 17:05

Dsteviedee said:
When I was learning to drive (many years ago I might add)

I was told if I did not drive at, or close to the speed limit I would fail my test.

I was told the same thing.

InvaderGIR · 27 Sep 2010 at 17:11

I was never informed of such a thing 6 years ago, but being a young male I wanted to drive at/near the limit anyway.

Burnsy2023 · 27 Sep 2010 at 17:13

The speed you should go at is under the limit, whilst driving safely for the conditions and trying to keep up worth the flow of traffic.

It's that 'simple'.

TruffleShuffle · 27 Sep 2010 at 17:17

Not quite that simple.

Remember that speedometers tend to over-read your speed

Casdawer · 27 Sep 2010 at 17:17

Apologies for not posting this in the correct section.

Anyway, i think i should have put a bit more information when i created this thread.

Obviously i don't expect people to drive at 60mph down country lanes, but driving at 30/40 is greatly annoying. If you are unable to contol your vechile or have the confidence to drive it then you should not be driving it.

Conditions etc. also apply to what i said.

If it's a clear sunny day and the roads are dry then i expect the person in front of me to drive at 60mph or close to - minimum of 50.

SKILL · 27 Sep 2010 at 17:19

I got a minor in my test (2004) for going too slowly, I was doing 25 in a 30, this was on a clear/dry day etc so 30 was easily doable for that road, hence it was rightly a minor...

The OP issue does annoy me though, I drive down the A46 to/from work and the bit above the motorway at least is mostly NSL single-carriageway with only 1 or 2 'tight' corners (still doable at 60, in my ancient mr2 at least) and it irritates me to follow people who fail to do more than 50 on the straights and then break for the 'corners' to 35-40 ish.

I can understand it kinda if you don't know the road, but some of these people I see several times a week, doing exactly the same, frankly it's easy to go down that road at the speed limit without coming close to pushing the limits...

thepeganator · 27 Sep 2010 at 17:21

ChrisJSY said:
Yes but slowing people down isn't the target either.

So you drive at 60mph on all those NSL windy country roads?

It's a limit, if it's not safe to drive at the limit then you shouldn't be driving at that speed, different people have different interpretations of what is "safe". Most people do not know the limits of their car and have no intention of doing so.

You have the option of overtaking if you want.

BigglesPiP · 27 Sep 2010 at 17:22

Viper² said:
It's a limit, not a target.

Not doing 60mph in a NSL section without good reason is considered "not making progress", which is a major infraction in your driving test.

Basher · 27 Sep 2010 at 17:23

thepeganator said:
So you drive at 60mph on all those NSL windy country roads?

... different people have different interpretations of what is "safe".

You have the option of overtaking if you want.

That's the issue. Someone who thinks it is only safe to drive at 40 in a 60 on a perfectly clear day, should not be behind the wheel.

InvaderGIR · 27 Sep 2010 at 17:25

thepeganator said:
You have the option of overtaking if you want.

On many, many roads I drive on that is not the case actually, unless you can see round blind bends etc. etc.

BigglesPiP · 27 Sep 2010 at 17:27

InvaderGIR said:
On many, many roads I drive on that is not the case actually, unless you can see round blind bends etc. etc.

You just need a couple more cylinders.

InvaderGIR · 27 Sep 2010 at 17:31

BigglesPiP said:
You just need a couple more cylinders.

No, just to be a complete retard.

div0 · 27 Sep 2010 at 20:27

Pyscho_Si said:
Wrong... Speed limit on a Dual carriageway for a van is 60MPH

It does actually depend on the type of van. But I think you may be right, most vans probably fall under the reduced limits.

Howard · 27 Sep 2010 at 20:33

TruffleShuffle said:
I would also appriciate it if a motoring organisation did a qualitative study to see how many people actually know what this sign means:

(

It means drop a couple of gears and mash the throttle pedal to the floor, doesn't it? :confused: