SLOW driving is DANGEROUS

[Eric_Collins]

I was taught to stay under up to 5mph of the speed limit on roads with traffic. But you can catch me most times just pottering around way less than that on my way to work given traffic on the roads. I'm doing national speed limit roads and when I'm the only one on the road I do 30 to 40mph , way why not save fuel. Now if someone comes up behind and I notice (300 yards away not up my trumpet ) them I do speed up to what the road speed limit is.

 

What I take anger too and wish they would take the licence of people like the other month. A doddery old fool doing 20mph from the A1 A57 right throughout to the M1 jkt31, tractors were overtaking this fool he was that slow. I'd guess the traffic jam he caused was miles long and he wouldn't budge and people were doing stupid overtaking risks to get around him.

[Keith Rich]

I was taught to stay under up to 5mph of the speed limit on roads with traffic. But you can catch me most times just pottering around way less than that on my way to work given traffic on the roads. I'm doing national speed limit roads and when I'm the only one on the road I do 30 to 40mph , way why not save fuel. Now if someone comes up behind and I notice (300 yards away not up my trumpet ) them I do speed up to what the road speed limit is.

 

What I take anger too and wish they would take the licence of people like the other month. A doddery old fool doing 20mph from the A1 A57 right throughout to the M1 jkt31, tractors were overtaking this fool he was that slow. I'd guess the traffic jam he caused was miles long and he wouldn't budge and people were doing stupid overtaking risks to get around him.

 

People should have to take a retest every 2 years or so or lose their licence. Many don't even know why it is dangerous to speed. It would never occur to them to do some reading around the subject.

[Annoni_mouse]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but....

 

If you come across someone driving at 20mph on say, a 40mph road and you overtake him on a suitable stretch of road, complete your manouver safely and without speeding then there is no problem and the slow driver is not causing any problem.

 

However if you come across the same driver and get so frustrated by the slow speed that you attempt to overtake in a totally unsuitable location and cause an accident, then it's you that's in the wrong, no matter what speed the slow driver is doing. Ultimately it's up to you to make sure that you can overtake safely and being frustrated is not a legitimate excuse to perform a dangerous manouver.

 

Also, I completely agree with KR - people should be re tested at regular intervals. It's a nonsense in this day and age that someone can pass their test at 17 and never have to be subject to any form of further assesment.

[Xt500]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but....

 

If you come across someone driving at 20mph on say, a 40mph road and you overtake him on a suitable stretch of road, complete your manouver safely and without speeding then there is no problem and the slow driver is not causing any problem.

 

However if you come across the same driver and get so frustrated by the slow speed that you attempt to overtake in a totally unsuitable location and cause an accident, then it's you that's in the wrong, no matter what speed the slow driver is doing. Ultimately it's up to you to make sure that you can overtake safely and being frustrated is not a legitimate excuse to perform a dangerous manouver.

 

Also, I completely agree with KR - people should be re tested at regular intervals. It's a nonsense in this day and age that someone can pass their test at 17 and never have to be subject to any form of further assesment.

 

 

But thats the problem,the slow drivers very often have the worse attitudes and least coutious and often go out of their way to make an otherwise safe pass into a dangerous one.

[Eater Sundae]

Dont bank on it!

 

If there is money to be made from it, the backing will come and there is.You can just as easily program a speed camera to detect slow drivers as easily as fast ones so this wont be the last you hear of it.

 

I don't see how they could realistically use speed cameras to detect slow moving vehicles. The driver could easily claim that he/she had to slow down just out of camera shot (eg for a dog crossing the road), and was still recovering their speed when they passed the camera. Similarly, they could claim they were held up somewhere between the two cameras of an average speed check. The only sensible way to pick up slow drivers would be to be followed by the police.

[Eater Sundae]

There is a law that allows the police to prosecuted slow drivers that are causing an obstruction.

 

Pensioner fined for slow driving

 

This is a very rare event, though. I doubt anyone would be fined for, say, 40 mph on a clear motorway (assuming they stayed in the nearside lane, of course).

[Eater Sundae]

But thats the problem,the slow drivers very often have the worse attitudes and least coutious and often go out of their way to make an otherwise safe pass into a dangerous one.

 

In this situation if the person being overtaken accelerates to prevent the manoeuvre, then that should be treated as dangerous driving and prosecuted as such. It is that attitude and action that is the problem, not the slow driving. Slow drivers can be annoying, and such drivers should do their best to allow drivers to pass (and pull over regularly), but slow driving in itself is not an issue.

[Annoni_mouse]

But thats the problem,the slow drivers very often have the worse attitudes and least coutious and often go out of their way to make an otherwise safe pass into a dangerous one.

 

If a slow driver goes out of his way to make an overtaking manouver more difficult this is a prime example of dangerous driving and shouldnt be confused with the slow driving.

 

The report in the original report describes slow driving as being dangerous as other drivers get frustrated and attempt to undertake or overtake innapropriately(sp?). It was this that i was directing my post to.

 

In this situation if the person being overtaken accelerates to prevent the manoeuvre, then that should be treated as dangerous driving and prosecuted as such. It is that attitude and action that is the problem, not the slow driving. Slow drivers can be annoying, and such drivers should do their best to allow drivers to pass (and pull over regularly), but slow driving in itself is not an issue.

 

Bugger you beat me to it!

[donkey]

Uneccessarily slow driving causes danger on the roads. Statistically accidents are far more likely to occur during overtaking. The slower you drive, the more people are going to overtake you. It's not rocket science.

 

It has been mentioned several times that if people only overtake when it is completely safe, then it isn't dangerous. What about the fact that it is rarely 'completely safe' to overtake? So what you slow drivers are actually saying is that you have the god given right to dictate what speed everyone unfortunate enough to be caught behind you should go at, and if this egocentric behaviour causes an accident, that is nothing to do with you?

 

A more rational view is, if you don't feel safe to drive at, or near to the speed limit, when there are no obstructions on the road, this indicates some impairment on your part, and you should not actually be on the road at all.

[alchresearch]

This is a very rare event, though. I doubt anyone would be fined for, say, 40 mph on a clear motorway (assuming they stayed in the nearside lane, of course).

 

They can be stopped by the police for "not making good progress" I think it's called. Particularly if they're forcing HGVs into the middle lane.

 

I see a lot of heavy plant machinery from this company on the motorway twice a day. Their vehicles can't do more than 30mph but apparently this is allowed. It causes major congestion and some very silly and dangerous lane changes from some drivers.