Why do people pointlessly drive slowly?

[TheDean]

I had some bloke do the classic 'my car is bigger than yours, and if I want, I'll pull into your lane' the other day. He expected me to break heavily to let him in. I didn't and he had to massively swerve back into his lane.

Makes me laugh...if he wants to crash into me at 40, fine, but it'll be his no claims he loses.

 

[Gaygle]

I sometimes drive 45-50mph if there is no one following me - trying out this whole new "economy" thing atm.

And it's lucky i am, at least, for the 3 ****ing moron bikers who all decided to overtake a car round a bend. Had to slam the brakes on like hell, and if i had been doing my normal 65mph - i would have a new biker shaped bonnet.

And you'd think a close shave like that would have slowed them down a bit, as afterall, we've all done silly things on the road. Nope. My gf was following me half a mile behind and she told me they came round a bend over the white line, leaning into the corner and she had to swerve over.

No wonder so many of the ****ing idiots become statistics.

Note: Yeh i know not all bikers are like this blah blah blah. But the amount of tailgating and weaving i see from bikers is truly stunning. I think many bikers are struck by the "invincibility complex" tbh.

 

[miniyazz]

If they think 40 is fuel efficient it isn't most cars are most efficient at 55 but driving technique usually blows that out of the water. If people are worried about using fuel get a more efficient car.

Andi.

In my (admittedly limited) repertoire of cars, one a small hatchback and the other a large estate, neither is most fuel-efficient at 55 - more like 45, and probably lower than that on average (i.e. if it's hilly different inclines are more efficient at different speeds). I very much doubt most cars are most efficient at 55

If they're doing 50, they may have a problem - I was in that category the other month since I was on a spare wheel. I have to say though, that these days I usually cruise on the motorway at 60/65, since you just don't have to worry about all the speed cameras everywhere, it's much more relaxing.

At 50 on a motorway it's time to put the hazards on IMO. Also, where are all these motorway speed cameras? I come across one or two from time to time, but rarely outside of roadworks?

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Well for starters thats the maximum speed, road conditions and driver skill should be taken into consideration, ie its not a target speed

But saying that I totally agree, used to frustrate the hell outta me that people couldn't drive at the limit but then wth just live with it, lifes too short to really stress about it. My other post about the pointless overtaking was becuase that was exactly what it was pointless, I completely understand and often overtake myself when there is soemthing to be gained.

Your right though, people that seem to do 40 down the 60 limits then carry on at the same speed into the 30s do my head in. I once followed someone down a stretch of twisty 60 that I didn't know at 40ish mph as I had no idea where was safe to overtake and it was busy and evening so not good times. We hit some 30 limit and they sped up because it was now nicely lit for them. Mad.

 

[Matt82]

they are trying to save all their pennies by driving mega slow

 

[griffo_001]

Equally annoying are the people who drive along at 60, then catch up with a something going a lot slower like a caravan then just sit there and accept that 40 or whatever is now the speed of the road. Are they all under the impression that overtaking is illegal?

Some people don't like overtaking, but some people just can't

On my favourite country road in my Dads cars you could pass in one of 10 or 15 places safely and with ease, in my Panda, its more like 1 or 2 because I simply don't have the power/torque to overtake without a massive run-up

 

[5abr3]

In my (admittedly limited) repertoire of cars, one a small hatchback and the other a large estate, neither is most fuel-efficient at 55 - more like 45, and probably lower than that on average (i.e. if it's hilly different inclines are more efficient at different speeds). I very much doubt most cars are most efficient at 55

I think the 55mph thing comes from owners manuals stating the fuel economy at 55mph in a set gear and set engine RPM, this is based on the results of the combined cycle tests which take on of the measurements on fuel economy at 90kmh (which is about 55mph) and as a result I think a lot of people assume this is the most economical speed to drive at.

 

[MattTheTall77]

two cars that do that on the road I commute on, and not many places to overtake. Small old nissan micra, and an old renault megane, both male drivers! If only I had a bond car with missiles, would quite happily blow them up.

and talking of crappy drivers, overtook a tractor and got flash by a car coming the other way even though it was a pure straight road and she was over 200m away! She even took her hands off her wheel to gesture at me as she went by, far more dangerous than what I had done lol

 

[The Mad Rapper]

Speed limiters......

LOL

 

[Rich_L]

Its always mildly entertaining when you are behind someone impatient who is constantly twitching to each side of the car in front before doing a seat of the pants overtake - only to then 10 mins later they are all of 1 car ahead at the next traffic lights or queue of people. Moral of the story, on most journeys overtaking someone going a bit slower is of negligible benefit so just chill Winston and enjoy the ride

 

[ubersonic]

Sometimes when people do that to me I think if I had enough money I'd just drive into the back of them, not braking, to teach them a lesson. It is unbelievably infuriating, one of the most annoying and frustrating things anyone can do on the roads. Especially when there is nothing behind you and nothing coming the either way so they'd only have to wait a few seconds.

+1

 

[Hawk Tuah]

Fuel economy.

 

[matt_fsr]

I've found that a lot of people don't know what the national speed limit is. Even my parents (aged 59-60) - I asked what the national speed limit on a single carriageway road is. They both thought it was 40mph.

I reckon you've hit the nail on the head. A white sign with a black line through it means nothing to anyone in all fairness. People forget, get confused, get told/convinced by family members etc that the NSL is 40.

Cannot see any reason why we couldnt replace the / signs with ones that say 60, it must really confuse foreign drivers!

 

[MeEsH BaKkA]

Can't agree more. When I had the 525i shed on roundabout if people tried cutting into my lane I'd just not move and just say to myself if you want to crash then I am game. Obviously in the EVO I'd rather not take the risk of them forcing their way in, but in the 525i I just held my ground.

Don't get me wrong if they put their indicator on, politely manevoured I will happily let someone in. But its the ones who seem to do it on purpose and its those when I was in the 525i or even the 306 I just hold my ground as I don't care if they crash into me, they are in the wrong.

Roundabouts you see it a lot people seem to use the whole roundabout not caring if they might cut you up or cause you to move out of their way, it was times like this where the 525i was very useful.

Ahh the joys of having a company van insured by the company, worry free motoring shall we say...

 

[ubersonic]

The should be a law that if a trucker/caravanner sees more than 10 cars behind him he must pull in at the next opportunity to let them past lol

 

[miniyazz]

I reckon you've hit the nail on the head. A white sign with a black line through it means nothing to anyone in all fairness. People forget, get confused, get told/convinced by family members etc that the NSL is 40.

Cannot see any reason why we couldnt replace the / signs with ones that say 60, it must really confuse foreign drivers!

Seeing a 60 sign gives the impression the road is safe to do 60 on, whereas an NSL sign gives the impression the road has not been 'assessed' for a safe speed so pay more attention to a safe speed. IMO, of course. TBH if you can't remember what a common road sign means, you shouldn't be on the road. Also, lorries have different speed limits in NSL areas - if you got rid of those areas (or made them less clearly defined) by removing NSL signs, it would complicate things for them.

The should be a law that if a trucker/caravanner sees more than 10 cars behind him he must pull in at the next opportunity to let them past lol

Nice though that would be, I'd not support such a move. Would be a right pain for those that need to pull over and would cause more of a hazard when a lorry has to accelerate up to speed from standstill on an NSL road with limited visibility. Recipe for a crash, you'd come round a corner and find a lorry doing 10mph 30m up the road.

 

[ubersonic]

you'd come round a corner and find a lorry doing 10mph 30m up the road.

Which would give you ample stopping distance, and yes I am so bored in work I worked it out lol, but yeah I see your point

 

[Kutter]

someone tailgated me for about a mile in a 30 i was doing about 35. he then over took me and within 30 yards had to stop to turn right. I then had to stop behind him while i waited for him to turn.

over here you see a lot of divers stick their hand out and give people the finger, usually they have massachusetts plates on so its a big give away for being a knob.

 

[realscot]

The worst offenders for driving slow that i've noticed recently, people with uneconomical cars. Why buy a car with a big engine then drive everywhere slow, if your that bothered about saving fuel get a diesel. The insult is being stuck behind a passat diesel that also is doing 40mph and at that point you wish you were driving a snow plough.

 

[vsmora]

Fuel economy, comfort, safety, less mental stress, less wear on the vehicle, vehicle capability, unfamiliar with the road, looking for a turning etc. The limit is the maximum not a requirement so I don't understand the hostility towards drivers who aren't always doing the maximum. I can see the problem when someone is significantly slower e.g. half the limit in good conditions, but most here seem to be complaining about drivers doing 40ish in a 60. Just because you and your vehicle are willing to travel faster, doesn't mean everyone is.

The worst offenders for driving slow that i've noticed recently, people with uneconomical cars. Why buy a car with a big engine then drive everywhere slow, if your that bothered about saving fuel get a diesel...

Your statement is as daft as me saying that if you like driving fast so much why don't you drive a Koenigsegg everywhere? Maybe the "offenders" need the practicality of the bigger car. Diesels tend to cost more initially which low mileage drivers won't recoup. On a tight budget it is quite often cheaper upfront to buy a big old exec barge rather than an overpriced poverty spec small eco family car. Why shouldn't one get the best mpg out whatever engine they have?

The comments berating the new driver about pulling out into traffic seem a bit one sided. If the oncoming traffic is significantly speeding and there aren't other opportunities then I don't have much sympathy for the speeders if slower traffic pulls out in front. Hint: maybe the lower limit is in place to allow traffic to pull out safely! By the same token presumably some posters think that pedestrians deserve to be run over if they don't allow enough space to cross a road in front of a driver doing 50 in a 30 (even though there would have been enough time at 30). Although in the particular case mentioned it does sound like the new driver was at fault

I drive according to the conditions and in some circumstances that does mean going slower than the limit. In good conditions I would prefer be at or (in theory m'lud) a little over the limit because the car and I are capable. With a big torquey diesel I enjoy plenty of great overtaking opportunities. However I just don't seem to get as bothered by slightly slower traffic, even if I can't overtake.

Now it's a different matter if we talk about people who tailgate, are too lazy to indicate (esp on roundabouts), don't show any etiquette at lane reductions, block box junctions, generally drive erratically...
Last time I drove to Gatwick, had some proper a-hole sitting on my bumper even flashing his lights and sounding his horn at me for about 20mins. Before someone says "don't be selfish pull over", realise that this was in heavy rain, heavy traffic in all lanes (nose to tail standing still at times) and most significantly I spent the entire time behind the same other vehicle anyway i.e. it's not like prevailing traffic was going faster or there was anywhere for him to go, without him harassing every vehicle on the road to get out of his way.