An epidemic of insanely slow drivers
Discussion
matchmaker said:
Travelling along the M80 out of Glasgow a few weeks ago. 70mph limit, road fairly clear. I came upon a line of 3 cars doing 60 in the outside lane, behind a P plated Nissan. Nothing in the inside lane for at least half a mile. f
k it I thought, I passed all four on the inside giving a long and sustained blast of the horn as I passed the Nissan. They got the hint and moved left.
As they were on P plates, presumably they had recently passed their test. How the juddering fk did they pass? 
Is motorway driving part of the test process now? It wasn't in the way way back... k it I thought, I passed all four on the inside giving a long and sustained blast of the horn as I passed the Nissan. They got the hint and moved left.As they were on P plates, presumably they had recently passed their test. How the juddering f
k did they pass? It always seemed to be a bit of a failing TBH that learners weren't allowed on motorways until they had their license, and once they had it, had no requirement to undertake any instruction on motorway driving before giving it a go.
If you think about it, many people who learn to drive around a busy town or city (especially those who don't own a vehicle to practice on and only drive on the learner car) probably have very few hours clocked up on any major roads at all, let alone motorways. Not surprising then if those people are a bit baffled on lane etiquette / rules when they start attempting motorways.
Shouldn't take a brain surgeon to figure it out fairly sharpish though.
-Lummox- said:
matchmaker said:
Travelling along the M80 out of Glasgow a few weeks ago. 70mph limit, road fairly clear. I came upon a line of 3 cars doing 60 in the outside lane, behind a P plated Nissan. Nothing in the inside lane for at least half a mile. fk it I thought, I passed all four on the inside giving a long and sustained blast of the horn as I passed the Nissan. They got the hint and moved left.
As they were on P plates, presumably they had recently passed their test. How the juddering fk did they pass?
Is motorway driving part of the test process now? It wasn't in the way way back... k it I thought, I passed all four on the inside giving a long and sustained blast of the horn as I passed the Nissan. They got the hint and moved left.As they were on P plates, presumably they had recently passed their test. How the juddering f
k did they pass? It always seemed to be a bit of a failing TBH that learners weren't allowed on motorways until they had their license, and once they had it, had no requirement to undertake any instruction on motorway driving before giving it a go.
If you think about it, many people who learn to drive around a busy town or city (especially those who don't own a vehicle to practice on and only drive on the learner car) probably have very few hours clocked up on any major roads at all, let alone motorways. Not surprising then if those people are a bit baffled on lane etiquette / rules when they start attempting motorways.
Shouldn't take a brain surgeon to figure it out fairly sharpish though.
simon_harris said:
Motorway driving isn't AFAIK but keep left unless overtaking has always been a thing.
Agreed, but there will be people (especially ones who do those intensive 1-2 week courses) who pass their test having never even driven on a dual carriageway, let alone a motorway. P-plates generally indicative of someone with limited experience, limited confidence, or both.
Motorway and dual carriageway slip roads are a nightmare these days. The amount of people that amble along slower than the HGVs in lane 1 then expect to merge into a lorry or slam on the brakes because of no forethought whatsoever is terrifying. These people haven't pressed their throttle pedal more than 20% of it's travel in their entire life.
-Lummox- said:
Is motorway driving part of the test process now? It wasn't in the way way back...
It always seemed to be a bit of a failing TBH that learners weren't allowed on motorways until they had their license, and once they had it, had no requirement to undertake any instruction on motorway driving before giving it a go.
If you think about it, many people who learn to drive around a busy town or city (especially those who don't own a vehicle to practice on and only drive on the learner car) probably have very few hours clocked up on any major roads at all, let alone motorways. Not surprising then if those people are a bit baffled on lane etiquette / rules when they start attempting motorways.
Shouldn't take a brain surgeon to figure it out fairly sharpish though.
Have you ever been to Reading, Berkshire? You can learn and pass a test chugging around Whitley Wood housing estate at 30mph in an old Nissan Micra, then you get a licence to take a Range Rover onto the M4.It always seemed to be a bit of a failing TBH that learners weren't allowed on motorways until they had their license, and once they had it, had no requirement to undertake any instruction on motorway driving before giving it a go.
If you think about it, many people who learn to drive around a busy town or city (especially those who don't own a vehicle to practice on and only drive on the learner car) probably have very few hours clocked up on any major roads at all, let alone motorways. Not surprising then if those people are a bit baffled on lane etiquette / rules when they start attempting motorways.
Shouldn't take a brain surgeon to figure it out fairly sharpish though.
Not sure whose "fault" that is.
M4cruiser said:
-Lummox- said:
Is motorway driving part of the test process now? It wasn't in the way way back...
It always seemed to be a bit of a failing TBH that learners weren't allowed on motorways until they had their license, and once they had it, had no requirement to undertake any instruction on motorway driving before giving it a go.
If you think about it, many people who learn to drive around a busy town or city (especially those who don't own a vehicle to practice on and only drive on the learner car) probably have very few hours clocked up on any major roads at all, let alone motorways. Not surprising then if those people are a bit baffled on lane etiquette / rules when they start attempting motorways.
Shouldn't take a brain surgeon to figure it out fairly sharpish though.
Have you ever been to Reading, Berkshire? You can learn and pass a test chugging around Whitley Wood housing estate at 30mph in an old Nissan Micra, then you get a licence to take a Range Rover onto the M4.It always seemed to be a bit of a failing TBH that learners weren't allowed on motorways until they had their license, and once they had it, had no requirement to undertake any instruction on motorway driving before giving it a go.
If you think about it, many people who learn to drive around a busy town or city (especially those who don't own a vehicle to practice on and only drive on the learner car) probably have very few hours clocked up on any major roads at all, let alone motorways. Not surprising then if those people are a bit baffled on lane etiquette / rules when they start attempting motorways.
Shouldn't take a brain surgeon to figure it out fairly sharpish though.
Not sure whose "fault" that is.
808 Estate said:
Recently I have seen people slowing doown in L1 on a motorway prior to taking the off slip. This results in traffic in L1 concertinaing down to 50 mph.
Yep, that was one of the things my eldest brother, long time on traffic, drilled into me, maintain pace, be established in lane 1 in good time, signal left for slip road absolutely no later than the 300 yd sign, maintain pace, enter slip road, then and only then start to knock speed off. (Caveat, assumes no queuing traffic on exit slip to compromise that plan.)Blue One said:
It is worse in London where a politically motivated 20mph limit has been imposed. This is an artificially slow speed for cars, and, thankfully most drivers seem to have intelligence to show some discretion on how much they abide to it where there aren’t cameras and clear roads.
I go through a lot of these every day. I sortof understand why stickered up vans and HGVs have to stick to the 20mph bit. Their employers will have mandated it and I dont want people risking their jobs.But everyone else who sits at 20mph on a main road, that until 6 months ago was 30mph quite safely, is quite simply part of the problem and should be removed from the gene pool permanently!
Its even more ridiculous when you look at the side roads that are narrower and have cars parked down both sides but they display a 30mph sign!I've long since thought of the British as a nation of chancers and pirates. Its part of what makes us great. (and obviously part of what makes us bad) But I never thought I'd see the day that so many people blindly follow orders from stupid stupid politicians*. I suspect it started in early 2020 when Covid hit and advertising that you were terrified and would follow all instructions became a virtue! How very 1984
*What always amuses me is those people for years that told anyone that listened that they hated "the toriez as they are liars and dishonest" (which is not always an incorrect assessment) But when Bojo or Hancock said "do this, its for your own good" even though it was plainly not thought out. They ignored their hatred of the government and did exactly what they said!
So much for their principles...Edited by BunkMoreland on Monday 17th June 22:20
FiF said:
808 Estate said:
Recently I have seen people slowing doown in L1 on a motorway prior to taking the off slip. This results in traffic in L1 concertinaing down to 50 mph.
Yep, that was one of the things my eldest brother, long time on traffic, drilled into me, maintain pace, be established in lane 1 in good time, signal left for slip road absolutely no later than the 300 yd sign, maintain pace, enter slip road, then and only then start to knock speed off. (Caveat, assumes no queuing traffic on exit slip to compromise that plan.)BunkMoreland said:
Blue One said:
It is worse in London where a politically motivated 20mph limit has been imposed. This is an artificially slow speed for cars, and, thankfully most drivers seem to have intelligence to show some discretion on how much they abide to it where there aren’t cameras and clear roads.
I go through a lot of these every day. I sortof understand why stickered up vans and HGVs have to stick to the 20mph bit. Their employers will have mandated it and I dont want people risking their jobs.But everyone else who sits at 20mph on a main road, that until 6 months ago was 30mph quite safely, is quite simply part of the problem and should be removed from the gene pool permanently!
Its even more ridiculous when you look at the side roads that are narrower and have cars parked down both sides but they display a 30mph sign!I've long since of the British as a nation of chancers and pirates. Its part of what makes us great. (and obviously part of what makes us bad) But I never thought I'd see the day that so many people blindly follow orders from stupid stupid politicians*. I suspect it started in early 2020 when Covid hit and advertising that you were terrified and would follow all instructions became a virtue! How very 1984
*What always amuses me is those people for years that told anyone that listened that they hated "the toriez as they are liars and dishonest" (which is not always an incorrect assessment) But when Bojo or Hancock said "do this, its for your own good" even thought it was plainly not thought out. They ignored their hatred of the government and did exactly what they said!
So much for their principles...I can be very flexible on motorways and NSLs, but I see very little in the way of gains in terms of enjoyment or journey time from breaking 20s and 30s - what’s the point?
Foss62 said:
BunkMoreland said:
Blue One said:
It is worse in London where a politically motivated 20mph limit has been imposed. This is an artificially slow speed for cars, and, thankfully most drivers seem to have intelligence to show some discretion on how much they abide to it where there aren’t cameras and clear roads.
I go through a lot of these every day. I sortof understand why stickered up vans and HGVs have to stick to the 20mph bit. Their employers will have mandated it and I dont want people risking their jobs.But everyone else who sits at 20mph on a main road, that until 6 months ago was 30mph quite safely, is quite simply part of the problem and should be removed from the gene pool permanently!
Its even more ridiculous when you look at the side roads that are narrower and have cars parked down both sides but they display a 30mph sign!I've long since of the British as a nation of chancers and pirates. Its part of what makes us great. (and obviously part of what makes us bad) But I never thought I'd see the day that so many people blindly follow orders from stupid stupid politicians*. I suspect it started in early 2020 when Covid hit and advertising that you were terrified and would follow all instructions became a virtue! How very 1984
*What always amuses me is those people for years that told anyone that listened that they hated "the toriez as they are liars and dishonest" (which is not always an incorrect assessment) But when Bojo or Hancock said "do this, its for your own good" even thought it was plainly not thought out. They ignored their hatred of the government and did exactly what they said!
So much for their principles...I can be very flexible on motorways and NSLs, but I see very little in the way of gains in terms of enjoyment or journey time from breaking 20s and 30s - what’s the point?
Foss62 said:
That’s just daft. 20 limits are imposed for all sorts of reasons (not primarily safety) and are generally popular with local residents. They are not on ‘main roads’ in any normal sense of the term. Unless 30mph greatly thrills you (maybe your vehicle is a Honda SS50 from 1975?) there seems little to gain from ignoring the 20s and that is why most people observe them.
Sure, 20 mph limits are popular with residents, but it's false to say most peopleobserve them.
The UK Gov's own figures say the 20 mph limits are widely ignored.
UKGov said:
As shown in Figures 13a and 13b, under free flow conditions, 85% of cars exceeded the speed limit at 20mph sites.
More detail on https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/vehicle-s...
Given the large degree of non-compliance with 20 mph limits,
they do look pointless to me.
FiF said:
nickfrog said:
^^ isn't that taught when you learn to drive?
Not when I learnt.It's a UK driver's education problem at source.
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