Are slow drivers dangerous?

xSkarloey

WezV said:

BenSirAmos said:

Learning to drive doesn't have to stop when you pass your driving test. You can get advanced tuition - and this will help you to improve your confidence and drive in a way that is appropriate to road conditions. 

http://www.iam.org.uk/

but how many do?

For me it was not an option as the cost of lessons and test had left me pretty much broke and any spare money was going towards a car.   Even if you do it, there will still be that first time you are driving by yourselfwhere you really start to learn without a safety net

@WezV I can recommend the book Roadcraft, which is based on the Police advanced driver training instruction. 

There's some interesting vids on Youtube as well done by advanced driving instructors/ practitioners which give some useful tips too. 

stickyfiddle

Axe_meister said:

menamestom said:

 

Yesterday I hired a 1.4l normally aspirated Vauxhall Astra.  I drove too slowly all day.

 

But hire cars are the fastest cars in the universe

Having driven a 1.4 auto Chevrolet Cruze around Jordan a year ago, I can assure you this isn't true, however much I tried...!

mike_l

stickyfiddle said:

Axe_meister said:

menamestom said:

 

Yesterday I hired a 1.4l normally aspirated Vauxhall Astra.  I drove too slowly all day.

 

But hire cars are the fastest cars in the universe

Having driven a 1.4 auto Chevrolet Cruze around Jordan a year ago, I can assure you this isn't true, however much I tried...!

Indeed, the Astramax with dried cement on the rear bumper, and rust holes is the fastest thing on the planet. Ever.

WezV

Skarloey said:

WezV said:

BenSirAmos said:

Learning to drive doesn't have to stop when you pass your driving test. You can get advanced tuition - and this will help you to improve your confidence and drive in a way that is appropriate to road conditions. 

http://www.iam.org.uk/

but how many do?

For me it was not an option as the cost of lessons and test had left me pretty much broke and any spare money was going towards a car.   Even if you do it, there will still be that first time you are driving by yourselfwhere you really start to learn without a safety net

@WezV I can recommend the book Roadcraft, which is based on the Police advanced driver training instruction. 

There's some interesting vids on Youtube as well done by advanced driving instructors/ practitioners which give some useful tips too. 

been doing it a few years now and I am relatively confident  - my point is that  all drivers will have a first time driving by themselves and all will learn more in those first few months alone than they ever did following directions. 

Clarky

I have no prob with people that drive slower rather than quicker.. and you'd generally expect less damage if they hit you.. which is ok by me..

tail-gating [at any speed an in any type of conditions] and jumping red lights are far worse.. and unfortunately I'm seeing a lot more of this... also, it's not restricted to just Panzers, white vans and boy racers any more.. seeing girls in little hatches etc and older women in people carriers [sometimes full of kids] doing exactly the same thing.. and although it can't be justified, at least your average Panzer tends to have road holding and breaking that are on the sportier side of things.. but a Xara etc ain't ever going to stop or hold it together if it has to turn suddenly [or trying to do both at the same time.. which is even worse]..

fast I have no issue with if the conditions and situation are right.. which is I admit still wrong. I know.. but I've noticed over the last 4 or 5 years that the roads are becoming increasingly aggressive in ways that are just plain stupid.. I'm now seeing at least one thing that is really fkn stupid / dangerous every single day.. and I'm a low mileage driver..

ICBM

Fatfingers said:

I agree. I often see trucks, limited to 56mph, slowly overtaking cars on the motorway. You have to ask yourself what, if anything, is going through the minds of these car drivers. Any modernish car is easily capable of doing 70mph safely, so if the trucks are going past you, what are you doing?

Using the minimum amount of fuel. Why should I go faster?

Actually if a lorry does start to overtake I will usually ease off very slightly so they can get past quicker, but that's as much for the benefit of the lorry driver as anyone behind. Frankly I don't care about car drivers who "have to get past", or that car drivers get frustrated by this or by one lorry overtaking another.

By the same token of what you're saying, if your car is capable of 70 and you want to go that fast, why not simply slow down to 56, wait for the slightly faster lorry to overtake the slightly slower one, then accelerate back up to 70 and enjoy the clear motorway for a couple of miles. You will just arrive at the back of the same traffic up ahead at exactly the same time as you would have if the lorry had "got out of your way" faster.

Evilmags

Living in Spain you pretty quickly get used to driving a lot faster, or you'd get in accidents.

Sambostar

I don't have a problem with people's speed, mainly because I leave in plenty of time and I always get stuck in traffic anyway, so speed a few or even 10 miles back makes no consequence to the arrival time at the destination.

Now, behind two lorries doing 40mph on an A road, the lorry in front can't pass and I can't pass in the Transit, ultimately, everyone will catch up in the 40mph zone down the road anyway.  If you want to bitch or make a reckless manoeuvre, then it's up to you.  But don't blame me if I ram you or turn right onto you, whilst you try to overtake on the chevrons and if you kill someone I hope you go to prison for a very long time, although I know you won't because our justice system is crap.

On rural roads, I will do the safe speed limit for the stopping distance of my Transit.  No exceptions. I do take a special joy in watching oncoming drivers in Audi's doing 5omph on a single track blind bend and then, after seeing me with a load of green waste stacked past the cab ditch themselves.

I won't be intimidated by oncoming drivers either, just because I have commercial tyres, it doesn't mean I can take a 1' deep pothole and rip the wishbone off, just so they can drive in the middle of the road because they can't judge how wide their 4x4 is or don't want to dirty their tyres, whilst driving far too fast for the road and conditions.

I think most people on the roads are selfish and wrapped up in themselves in the moment.  I especially hate hearing takes of woe about HGV's blocking up the middle lane on a motorway.  Well they have to do that as they don't always have the same power/weight ration and had you ever thought the overtaking truck might be empty?  Besides, they contribute a hell of a lot more to the economy and society per square foot than you do in your honky Audi, so shut it, you selfish C.

And as for snow and heavy rain with low visibility and the potential to aquaplane you should drive at what is safe for your car,  a Suzuki Alto is a universe away from a top of the range Audi with traction control and tyres wider than all four of the Alto's put together.

Again, mainly what bothers me is erratic braking and tailgating.  Usually tailgaters are not aggressive young men as the stereotype suggests, they are blind middle aged and elderly women with reactions so slow you know damn well they will ram you if you had to suddenly stop.

Nunogilberto

Driving to the road conditions is fine, but doing 35mph on a 50mph road when conditions are fine, is ridiculous.

It's just as antisocial as speeding in my view, and really winds me up.

Sambostar

Unless you are driving a tractor eh.

Wolfetone

I think that people should calm the feck down and slow their lives down a tad.

When I get stuck behind a tractor or an old biddy, I just select some Toots and the Maytals and cruise along behind, loving every moment of enforced chillage....

....there are loads of tractors and old biddies in Northern Ireland and I won't dying in a speed related accident anytime soon.

Emp_Fab

Bloody double-standards here are disgraceful !  When I posted about getting done for doing 37mph and 41mph in a 30 and then 79 on the motorway, you all called me a maniac who should be locked up.  Now half of you are advocating the safety benefits of keeping up with the flow of traffic.

I fart in your general direction.

littlegreenman

Emp_Fab said:

Bloody double-standards here are disgraceful ! you all called me a maniac who should be locked up. 

You sure that was just for your driving?

Drew_TNBD

Emp_Fab said:

Bloody double-standards here are disgraceful !  When I posted about getting done for doing 37mph and 41mph in a 30 and then 79 on the motorway, you all called me a maniac who should be locked up.  Now half of you are advocating the safety benefits of keeping up with the flow of traffic.

I fart in your general direction.

Read these four lines and see if you can spot the difference:

SLOW
TOO SLOW
FAST
TOO FAST