An epidemic of insanely slow drivers

[Blib]

Everyone who drives slower than me is a dawdling fool, who doesn't know how to drive.

While, everyone who drives faster than me is a speeding lunatic who doesn't know how to drive.

[swisstoni]

Blib said:

Everyone who drives slower than me is a dawdling fool, who doesn't know how to drive.

While, everyone who drives faster than me is a speeding lunatic who doesn't know how to drive.

If you are any good as a driver, that may well turn out to be the truth.

[Blib]

swisstoni said:

Blib said:

Everyone who drives slower than me is a dawdling fool, who doesn't know how to drive.

While, everyone who drives faster than me is a speeding lunatic who doesn't know how to drive.

If you are any good as a driver, that may well turn out to be the truth.

I'm the best driver ever. Never had an accident. Though, I've seen loads in my rear view mirror.

[Gordon Hill]

croyde said:

Saleen836 said:

On most occasions the driver coming the other way doesn't just flash, they hold main beam on!

Funny that! can turn a safe overtake into a dangerous one as you are suddenly blinded during a very crucial moment.

I still think that you must have held a motorcycle licence for at least 2 years and have proof that you've covered at least 10k miles in that time on a bike of 60 plus bhp, before driving a car.

You'll learn a lot about self preservation and observation, plus constantly knowing that you can be blinked out of existence just like that...

Focusses the mind and makes you a far better car driver (if not prone to more speeding and overtakes )

I'm literally like the Terminator when I ride/drive. Everything in my vision has a red outline with lots of info scrolling underneath each image.

And like on a motorbike, I'm constantly moving my head and body position in my car to get the best views in my mirrors and around these modern huge A pillars.

I'm not a perfect driver by a long chalk but thanks to riding a bike I have an almost psychic idea of what is going on around me and what everyone is going to do.

Touch wood, now I've said that

I'd been on a motorcycle for a year before I passed my driving test and I think that it helped me immensely as I learned about self preservation before I even had my first driving lesson.

[croyde]

Blib said:

Everyone who drives slower than me is a dawdling fool, who doesn't know how to drive.

While, everyone who drives faster than me is a speeding lunatic who doesn't know how to drive.

That's me in a nutshell

[Pan Pan Pan]

Monkeylegend said:

I am loving the frothing on this thread

Especially from the ones who try to make out, that anyone who does not want to dawdle, and who wants to travel legally at the posted limits, is some kind of speed freak.

[swisstoni]

Blib said:

swisstoni said:

Blib said:

Everyone who drives slower than me is a dawdling fool, who doesn't know how to drive.

While, everyone who drives faster than me is a speeding lunatic who doesn't know how to drive.

If you are any good as a driver, that may well turn out to be the truth.

I'm the best driver ever. Never had an accident. Though, I've seen loads in my rear view mirror.

I probably should have said ‘If one was any good …’ but that always seems poncy.

[CLK-GTR]

Had a classic one today. Overtook a white Audi doing 40mph on an arrow straight, clear NSL road. Half a mile further down the road and the same car is an inch from my rear bumper trying to play Schumacher.

[popeyewhite]

CLK-GTR said:

Had a classic one today. Overtook a white Audi doing 40mph on an arrow straight, clear NSL road. Half a mile further down the road and the same car is an inch from my rear bumper trying to play Schumacher.

As a psychologist/therapist I've never understood the psychology behind this behaviour. I'll admit sometimes I've felt irritated when overtaken and increased my speed to catch up with the overtaker to 'show him' he only overtook because I let him i suppose. Ego threatened, ego calmed. Petty. But what of these people who keep the chase going? Over the years I've been followed home a couple of times so much so that I had to pull up beyond my house and confront the other driver. What makes people reroute their original journey, sometimes by miles, to chase another driver just because they've been overtaken? Similarly you overtake a car and they tailgate weaving side to side and flashing their headlights. What do they really want? an acknowledgment of their masculinity? Some kind of apology for your nerve in overtaking because you didn't realise who they were?

[bigothunter]

popeyewhite said:

CLK-GTR said:

Had a classic one today. Overtook a white Audi doing 40mph on an arrow straight, clear NSL road. Half a mile further down the road and the same car is an inch from my rear bumper trying to play Schumacher.

As a psychologist/therapist I've never understood the psychology behind this behaviour. I'll admit sometimes I've felt irritated when overtaken and increased my speed to catch up with the overtaker to 'show him' he only overtook because I let him i suppose. Ego threatened, ego calmed. Petty. But what of these people who keep the chase going? Over the years I've been followed home a couple of times so much so that I had to pull up beyond my house and confront the other driver. What makes people reroute their original journey, sometimes by miles, to chase another driver just because they've been overtaken? Similarly you overtake a car and they tailgate weaving side to side and flashing their headlights. What do they really want? an acknowledgment of their masculinity? Some kind of apology for your nerve in overtaking because you didn't realise who they were?

One solution is to carry more speed into bends than they can cope with. Having frightened themselves, tailgating soon loses its appeal.

[CLK-GTR]

popeyewhite said:

As a psychologist/therapist I've never understood the psychology behind this behaviour. I'll admit sometimes I've felt irritated when overtaken and increased my speed to catch up with the overtaker to 'show him' he only overtook because I let him i suppose. Ego threatened, ego calmed. Petty. But what of these people who keep the chase going? Over the years I've been followed home a couple of times so much so that I had to pull up beyond my house and confront the other driver. What makes people reroute their original journey, sometimes by miles, to chase another driver just because they've been overtaken? Similarly you overtake a car and they tailgate weaving side to side and flashing their headlights. What do they really want? an acknowledgment of their masculinity? Some kind of apology for your nerve in overtaking because you didn't realise who they were?

Can't say I let him stay on my bumper for long so I don't know what his eventual plan was

I'd rather get away from road ragers as quick as I can one way or another.

[Foss62]

Pan Pan Pan said:

Especially from the ones who try to make out, that anyone who does not want to dawdle, and who wants to travel legally at the posted limits, is some kind of speed freak.

Where are these posts? I can’t recall anyone on this entire thread saying this, and bearing in mind the nature of the forum I doubt that there are any contributors to this discussion who don’t regularly ‘stretch’ the posted limits.
All that those arguing against you are pointing out, is that constant travel at posted speed limits at all times is neither possible nor particularly desirable. Everyone, including you, will be judged a ‘dawdler’ at some point, by someone and providing you are following HC rules in interactions with other vehicles, there is no problem with that.

[popeyewhite]

CLK-GTR said:

popeyewhite said:

As a psychologist/therapist I've never understood the psychology behind this behaviour. I'll admit sometimes I've felt irritated when overtaken and increased my speed to catch up with the overtaker to 'show him' he only overtook because I let him i suppose. Ego threatened, ego calmed. Petty. But what of these people who keep the chase going? Over the years I've been followed home a couple of times so much so that I had to pull up beyond my house and confront the other driver. What makes people reroute their original journey, sometimes by miles, to chase another driver just because they've been overtaken? Similarly you overtake a car and they tailgate weaving side to side and flashing their headlights. What do they really want? an acknowledgment of their masculinity? Some kind of apology for your nerve in overtaking because you didn't realise who they were?

Can't say I let him stay on my bumper for long so I don't know what his eventual plan was

I'd rather get away from road ragers as quick as I can one way or another.

Well I'd rather too, but sometimes road ragers have very fast cars, which is often what causes the problem in the first place. I've been chased for distance by a supercharged Rangie (objected to me overtaking him in a RS Clio), Porsche 911 turbo (outbraked him on a country road corner in a 911 Carrera S, Caterham (off a roundabout, tuned EVO VI) etc etc. I think there's a kind of person who buys a fast car and thinks they're untouchable, without realising an average driver in a sorted hatchback/saloon could overtake them lol.

[Heaveho]

I'm generally surprised and usually impressed if I'm overtaken. It would have to be genuinely dangerous or cause me to take evasive action to be something I'd get annoyed about. I was absolutely flat out in my van on a peculiarly quiet stretch of the M1 a couple of years ago and was overtaken by a large capacity motorcycle who was also probably getting on for being flat out. It made my heart sing to realise I'm not still the only one.

[Glenn63]

popeyewhite said:

CLK-GTR said:

popeyewhite said:

As a psychologist/therapist I've never understood the psychology behind this behaviour. I'll admit sometimes I've felt irritated when overtaken and increased my speed to catch up with the overtaker to 'show him' he only overtook because I let him i suppose. Ego threatened, ego calmed. Petty. But what of these people who keep the chase going? Over the years I've been followed home a couple of times so much so that I had to pull up beyond my house and confront the other driver. What makes people reroute their original journey, sometimes by miles, to chase another driver just because they've been overtaken? Similarly you overtake a car and they tailgate weaving side to side and flashing their headlights. What do they really want? an acknowledgment of their masculinity? Some kind of apology for your nerve in overtaking because you didn't realise who they were?

Can't say I let him stay on my bumper for long so I don't know what his eventual plan was

I'd rather get away from road ragers as quick as I can one way or another.

Well I'd rather too, but sometimes road ragers have very fast cars, which is often what causes the problem in the first place. I've been chased for distance by a supercharged Rangie (objected to me overtaking him in a RS Clio), Porsche 911 turbo (outbraked him on a country road corner in a 911 Carrera S, Caterham (off a roundabout, tuned EVO VI) etc etc. I think there's a kind of person who buys a fast car and thinks they're untouchable, without realising an average driver in a sorted hatchback/saloon could overtake them lol.

It’s very odd behaviour. I had similar today, first in while, off a white Range Rover evogue. Approaching some lights, 2 lanes both going right, I was a distance away when they changed to green so I gave it some beans, not too silly, to make sure I got through on green. When the RR in lane one who was happily pottering at a slow speed, saw me quickly closing in in lane 2 decided he’d accelerate and cut across hogging both lanes to block me passing. Unfortunately for him my car is significantly faster and I just went around him and off into the distance while he desperately tried to catch me while flashing his lights. Why? You were happily pottering along at a speed you were happy with so why the sudden change in attitude when someone passes that wants to go faster?

[Pan Pan Pan]

Foss62 said:

Pan Pan Pan said:

Especially from the ones who try to make out, that anyone who does not want to dawdle, and who wants to travel legally at the posted limits, is some kind of speed freak.

Where are these posts? I can’t recall anyone on this entire thread saying this, and bearing in mind the nature of the forum I doubt that there are any contributors to this discussion who don’t regularly ‘stretch’ the posted limits.
All that those arguing against you are pointing out, is that constant travel at posted speed limits at all times is neither possible nor particularly desirable. Everyone, including you, will be judged a ‘dawdler’ at some point, by someone and providing you are following HC rules in interactions with other vehicles, there is no problem with that.

Where are the posts which stated constant travel at the posted limit at all times is possible? You seem to be guilty of doing exactly what you are accusing me of doing.
I do however disagree with the idea that travelling at the posted limit is not particularly desirable. It is just that owing to road, visibility, weather, and traffic conditions it is not always possible, but at least `trying' to travel at the posted limit, is always highly desirable.
What is particularly offensive, is people deliberately dawdling, and holding up huge numbers of other road users, when travelling at the posted limit is entirely possible, but they just don't care about the effect that their dawdling has on other road users.

[Acuity30]

Glenn63 said:

It’s very odd behaviour. I had similar today, first in while, off a white Range Rover evogue. Approaching some lights, 2 lanes both going right, I was a distance away when they changed to green so I gave it some beans, not too silly, to make sure I got through on green. When the RR in lane one who was happily pottering at a slow speed, saw me quickly closing in in lane 2 decided he’d accelerate and cut across hogging both lanes to block me passing. Unfortunately for him my car is significantly faster and I just went around him and off into the distance while he desperately tried to catch me while flashing his lights. Why? You were happily pottering along at a speed you were happy with so why the sudden change in attitude when someone passes that wants to go faster?

Some people just think they can set their own speed limit that everyone else has to adhere to. No different from the drivers who will speed up and try and close the gap when you go for an overtake. They were happy doing 40 in a 60 but suddenly they're doing 65 to try and prevent you getting ahead.

[Monkeylegend]

Pan Pan Pan said:

Where are the posts which stated constant travel at the posted limit at all times is possible? You seem to be guilty of doing exactly what you are accusing me of doing.
I do however disagree with the idea that travelling at the posted limit is not particularly desirable. It is just that owing to road, visibility, weather, and traffic conditions it is not always possible, but at least `trying' to travel at the posted limit, is always highly desirable.
What is particularly offensive, is people deliberately dawdling, and holding up huge numbers of other road users, when travelling at the posted limit is entirely possible, but they just don't care about the effect that their dawdling has on other road users.

You missed out the bit where you say if they can't or won't drive at the maximum permitted speed they should hand in their licences

[Guybrush]

I've little doubt that those who get raged up when overtaken are exhibiting a reflection of their opinion about their own lives, in which they have failed or feel inferior in some way. On the road, being in charge of their vehicle, is one of the few (or only) way they are able to have any influence on others.

[MightyBadger]

Acuity30 said:

the drivers who will speed up and try and close the gap when you go for an overtake. They were happy doing 40 in a 60 but suddenly they're doing 65 to try and prevent you getting ahead.

These are the dangerous ***** that need banning, always fun to see them fuming in the rear view mirror though