An epidemic of insanely slow drivers
Discussion
Networkgeek said:
Hoofy said:
Re saving money, if that's the reason, then from observation they're s
t at hypermiling. I like to hypermile and they're using their brakes far too much to be doing it properly. I've also seen them brake going down hill (40 down to low 30s) and accelerate hard up hill (back up to 40) when I've followed them in a 50 zone. 
There is one fairly steep NSL road near me where I regularly overtake people who brake for no good reason. I've often wished cars had intercom, as I would love to find out why the heck they're braking on this stretch of road. They're typically doing 30-40mph in either direction, and it drives me (pun intended) potty. The worst are the people who brake while going up the hill, not lifting off, actually braking in a straight line while driving uphill.... The mind boggles. t at hypermiling. I like to hypermile and they're using their brakes far too much to be doing it properly. I've also seen them brake going down hill (40 down to low 30s) and accelerate hard up hill (back up to 40) when I've followed them in a 50 zone. This stretch of road is straight, has good visibility in either direction and surprisingly no potholes.
Sometimes I see if I can drive to and from work, in London, without using my brakes apart from a dab when coming to a stop for lights, junctions etc.
otolith said:
This wasn't slow moving. The exit was clear. All the exits were clear. I'm wary of going without the car in front moving, but they had moved onto the roundabout and decided for whatever reason to stop dead. I will however be more aware of the possibility of morons in that situation in future.
My post was more directed to the previous poster where the roundabout is very busy.I've been in a very similar situation you describe. It is wise to drive defensively and just accept we are not all the same.. Being less capable or overly cautious as a driver does not make someone a moron.
croyde said:
Would be useful over here if they used those giant dot matrix signs that warn of non existent animals crossing the highway to just constantly flash 'Keep Left, unless overtaking'
They've started doing this on the smart section of the M4 between Reading and London.Makes absolutely no difference. Don't think most of these idiots can read.
croyde said:
When my last car went in for services the dealer couldn't work out how come my brakes weren't very worn
Sometimes I see if I can drive to and from work, in London, without using my brakes apart from a dab when coming to a stop for lights, junctions etc.
I don't tend to use the brakes much as it's generally more relaxing to lift off a little earlier. Interestingly, my current car doesn't like this sort of behaviour and I keep getting a bit of front brake wobble which needs clearing off with a spot of proper activity now and again. Being an Audi, I've just assumed it has been engineered to prefer hurling itself up the back of someone and endless emergency braking so that it's big grille fills the poor bugger's mirrors as efficiently as possible. Need to work out which pads will be better when it's time to change them. Sometimes I see if I can drive to and from work, in London, without using my brakes apart from a dab when coming to a stop for lights, junctions etc.
laroche said:
Crikey. Where is that in Guildford?
I’ve lived there for 20 years and never spotted it (which is kind of the point you were making!)
The roundabout next to the police station. No signs or anything, just lines on the roundabout that look like stop lines.I’ve lived there for 20 years and never spotted it (which is kind of the point you were making!)
Edited by laroche on Friday 15th March 16:15
I live in North Norfolk which is full of geriatrics in Micras and Jazzs and these days I dread going out.
I constantly hear people say 'I was stuck behind a tractor'. Well I'm sorry but the tractor is never the cause of the tailback.
It's the bellends that won't overtake the tractor that cause the tailback.
Overtaking should be part of the driving test, and if done more often would ease congestion.
It's also been mentioned several times that we assume we are passing an O.A.P. only to discover someone young.
That begs the question of how many people are dawdling along smacked off their tits.
I constantly hear people say 'I was stuck behind a tractor'. Well I'm sorry but the tractor is never the cause of the tailback.
It's the bellends that won't overtake the tractor that cause the tailback.
Overtaking should be part of the driving test, and if done more often would ease congestion.
It's also been mentioned several times that we assume we are passing an O.A.P. only to discover someone young.
That begs the question of how many people are dawdling along smacked off their tits.
Tycho said:
They've started doing this on the smart section of the M4 between Reading and London.
Makes absolutely no difference. Don't think most of these idiots can read.
It is refreshing that the signs are reporting actual issues though rather than the usual “queue ahead” (that never materialises), “debris in the road” (that never materialises), “animals in the carriageway” (that never materialises), etc etc.Makes absolutely no difference. Don't think most of these idiots can read.
No wonder the signs are ignored!
Chris
Not read the full the thread, so may have been mentioned but could this be due to the epidemic of people sat looking at their phones whilst driving? Have seen it on motorway, someone clearly looking at phone doing 50 then they suddenly speed up again when they're done.
I often look at drivers when I'm walking to get my lad from school, crawling traffic about 10/20 - ridiculous amount of people quite obviously looking up and down to the phone on their lap. Dreadful behaviour, smartphones have zombified people.
I often look at drivers when I'm walking to get my lad from school, crawling traffic about 10/20 - ridiculous amount of people quite obviously looking up and down to the phone on their lap. Dreadful behaviour, smartphones have zombified people.
Got to agree with the observations that drivers who didn't pass their test in this country, if at all, have terrible lane discipline.
Some of the time it's young people as well, who I charitably assume, are driving with a black box.
At my last speed awareness course we were asked what speed we should drive at on a motorway junction limited to 40mph. We all shouted 50! , so there is some hope. The instructor almost gave up at that point.
Some of the time it's young people as well, who I charitably assume, are driving with a black box.
At my last speed awareness course we were asked what speed we should drive at on a motorway junction limited to 40mph. We all shouted 50! , so there is some hope. The instructor almost gave up at that point.
Just to throw in another example of bad driving, often when I am cycling (boo hiss) I find people trying to overtake in 5th gear going about 15mph uphill. You can hear the poor engine bogged down to buggery as they limp slowly past, probably muttering to the passenger about how their car is so slow.
Very near to us and on the way to our business is two 60mph roads, most days I travel im lucky to get over 20mph in the first section, then in the second one its a fast bit of road between two fields, what's pissing me off is being flashed at for daring and having the cheek to overtake them, I mean I could sit behind you and trundle along at a safe 25-30, or I could get on with life and overtake you.
Also, a new trend is people who brake when another car comes towards/past them, that is infuriating too.
Also, a new trend is people who brake when another car comes towards/past them, that is infuriating too.
Tim Cognito said:
Just to throw in another example of bad driving, often when I am cycling (boo hiss) I find people trying to overtake in 5th gear going about 15mph uphill. You can hear the poor engine bogged down to buggery as they limp slowly past, probably muttering to the passenger about how their car is so slow.
Or being polite and not wanting to pull high revs next to a cyclist. Most sensible drivers will sit in a higher gear when passing someone on a bike out of courtesy for a fellow road user and reflecting their vulnerability. ScoobyChris said:
Tycho said:
They've started doing this on the smart section of the M4 between Reading and London.
Makes absolutely no difference. Don't think most of these idiots can read.
It is refreshing that the signs are reporting actual issues though rather than the usual “queue ahead” (that never materialises), “debris in the road” (that never materialises), “animals in the carriageway” (that never materialises), etc etc.Makes absolutely no difference. Don't think most of these idiots can read.
No wonder the signs are ignored!
Chris
Alex_225 said:
But of late he's been using an app which scores your driving and the last time he visited he went on about it quite a bit. Clearly he's out to set some high score on it, but the problem is his driving is now painfully slow.
We live set back from a main road, so get to the end of our drive and you're pulling out onto a 40. He pulled out so gently, so as to not upset the app, where I'd be up to speed, he was still at 20. I'm keeping an eye in the rear view mirror as I had a feeling people would be bearing down on us as often people aren't doing 40 let's be honest. Felt so precarious.
He doesn't seem to correlate that driving super gently is one thing, but it's not by default good driving when you're a hazard!
It’s not possible for an app to successfully judge how good your driving is. We live set back from a main road, so get to the end of our drive and you're pulling out onto a 40. He pulled out so gently, so as to not upset the app, where I'd be up to speed, he was still at 20. I'm keeping an eye in the rear view mirror as I had a feeling people would be bearing down on us as often people aren't doing 40 let's be honest. Felt so precarious.
He doesn't seem to correlate that driving super gently is one thing, but it's not by default good driving when you're a hazard!
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