What stops you excessively speeding?
Poll: What stops you excessively speeding?
Total Members Polled: 869
Discussion
Pan Pan said:
Travelling too slowly, is also travelling at an inappropriate speed. In my view dawdlers are just as dangerous, as those who `greatly' exceed the various posted, and dynamic limits which apply to vehicle use.
I'm one of those 'dawdlers'. With a max of 45mph, when on the open road I'll always have a tail-back behind me.It's not the slow car at the front that's the problem. It's the car behind it not overtaking when it's possible to do so that causes tail-backs.
I've noticed a big change in people's ability and willingness to overtake on single carriageway roads. I've been driving this car for 30 years and have noticed a change over the years. Overtaking is becoming a lost art to many. I presume it's down to highly regulated speed limits and many more dual carriageways where old fashioned overtaking doesn't apply.
So don't always blame the dawdler at the front of the queue, blame the nervous car behind it for holding traffic up.
I will add that I assist anybody behind to get past by tucking in to the left, I don't need much space. If no overtaking opportunities present themselves, and I've a had a queue behind for a while, then I'll pull into a lay-by & let everybody past. This happened a lot on my 200 mile drive to Goodwood & back this year.
As to the OP question, when in a 'modern' car, I've resigned myself to obeying the law, fast driving, traffic and looking for cameras is too stressful. Annoyingly, they've won.
threespires said:
I'm one of those 'dawdlers'. With a max of 45mph, when on the open road I'll always have a tail-back behind me.
It's not the slow car at the front that's the problem. It's the car behind it not overtaking when it's possible to do so that causes tail-backs.
I agree with this. It may be slightly frustrating being held up by something that is forced to go slowly but it's far more frustrating when you cannot get past because there are a few drivers who would actually choose to sit behind a steam engine doing 3 mph for 20 miles rather than dare overtake.It's not the slow car at the front that's the problem. It's the car behind it not overtaking when it's possible to do so that causes tail-backs.
threespires said:
I've noticed a big change in people's ability and willingness to overtake on single carriageway roads. I've been driving this car for 30 years and have noticed a change over the years. Overtaking is becoming a lost art to many. I presume it's down to highly regulated speed limits and many more dual carriageways where old fashioned overtaking doesn't apply.
Maybe it's because they don't wish to overtake? Maybe they're in no hurry?Traffic levels have also risen over the last 30 years as has the average age of the population with a lot more retired people out an about on the roads.
I remember my father always used to talk about the 29 mph Sunday drivers that used to hold everyone up. He's now one of the 45 mph dawdlers and rarely overtakes because he has plenty of time on his hands.
I don't think the situation is actually much worse than it used to be other than there are a lot more cars on the roads.
Devil2575 said:
Maybe it's because they don't wish to overtake? Maybe they're in no hurry?
Whatever their reasons, they're contributing to the problem - every time someone declines an overtaking opportunity, they make the queue longer than it would otherwise have been for the next person. I don't know whether it's any worse than it ever was, but I do think something's wrong if overtaking when you catch a slower vehicle is seen as a sign of being in a hurry (although I accept that there are plenty of people who manage to make overtaking look like a frantic and desperate and hurried affair).SK425 said:
Devil2575 said:
Maybe it's because they don't wish to overtake? Maybe they're in no hurry?
Whatever their reasons, they're contributing to the problem - every time someone declines an overtaking opportunity, they make the queue longer than it would otherwise have been for the next person. I don't know whether it's any worse than it ever was, but I do think something's wrong if overtaking when you catch a slower vehicle is seen as a sign of being in a hurry (although I accept that there are plenty of people who manage to make overtaking look like a frantic and desperate and hurried affair).Devil2575 said:
threespires said:
I've noticed a big change in people's ability and willingness to overtake on single carriageway roads. I've been driving this car for 30 years and have noticed a change over the years. Overtaking is becoming a lost art to many. I presume it's down to highly regulated speed limits and many more dual carriageways where old fashioned overtaking doesn't apply.
Maybe it's because they don't wish to overtake? Maybe they're in no hurry?Devil2575 said:
But even if you do overtake how much further do you get before you come up behind the next slower vehicle?
Who knows? It might be measured in seconds, or you might not catch another one for the remainder of your journey. If you do catch one, you can overtake it.Devil2575 said:
The sheer volume of traffic these days frequently makes overtaking a pointless exercise.
Reducing the incidence of queues behind slow vehicles doesn't sound pointless to me. Imagine if people applied that sort of thinking to motorways. Electing not to overtake when you could is like electing not to drive up to the speed limit when you could. Not the greatest evil one can commit behind the wheel by any means, but it does have a negative impact on others so it's not the most considerate way to drive. I'd much prefer it if more people regarded overtaking slower vehicles when you catch them (and being overtaken by faster vehicles when they catch you) as a basic, fundamental, normal part of driving, like switching the windscreen wipers on when it's raining, or putting your seat belt on before you set off.Devil2575 said:
But even if you do overtake how much further do you get before you come up behind the next slower vehicle? The sheer volume of traffic these days frequently makes overtaking a pointless exercise.
My wife follows your approach, I overtake whenever possible.It takes her on average 30mins to get to school - I usually do it in 20.
I'm in the pro overtaking camp, there' no reason to sit behind a slower car for the sakes of it, once there's an opportunity I'm round them and on way my. No fuss, just simple driving. Saying that I don't doubt that anyone I overtake sees the gold wheels and big spoiler and just thinks I'm a bell end. 
Crusoe said:
Sustained high speed is hard work and tiring, especially in something other than an uber barge that is designed for it. 70ish is a decent cruising speed for a long journey so I don’t often go much faster unless keeping up with traffic.
Conversely I find that in a modern car 70 on a clear motorway is just too slow to keep me mentally engaged for prolonged stretches. I find myself losing attention and even prone to dozing off, and am more alert and attentive when driving at a higher speed.The prospect of telling the wife and my boss that I'd been banned puts me off. Probably would loose my job, having a young family would massively compromise the way we do things. We are a busy family and the car has become quite a necessary part of our lives.
If I lost the licence I'd also loose the ability to ride my pride and joy Moto Guzzi.
If I lost the licence I'd also loose the ability to ride my pride and joy Moto Guzzi.
plenty said:
I find myself losing attention and even prone to dozing off, and am more alert and attentive when driving at a higher speed.
If you are dozing off at any speed you want to look at that mate.Driving quicker whilst tired may make you feel more alert, I guarantee your reactions will not sharpen to the same degree.
V8Ford said:
plenty said:
I find myself losing attention and even prone to dozing off, and am more alert and attentive when driving at a higher speed.
If you are dozing off at any speed you want to look at that mate.Driving quicker whilst tired may make you feel more alert, I guarantee your reactions will not sharpen to the same degree.
It's not really a matter of being tired. Don't know about you, but I find it very easy to sleep as a passenger on cars, aeroplanes and buses, even if not tired and I start the journey wide awake. Unfortunately this also applies as a driver if I don't have much to do while driving, i.e. 70 mph on an empty motorway in a modern car. Something to do with the hypnotic and repetitive movement I suppose.
Fortunately in the UK the motorways are rarely empty, and journeys seldom very long. Nonetheless wherever possible I'll usually plan a route via the back roads for a less boring and sleep-inducing drive, and I'll avoid French autoroutes at all costs. And if I do ever find myself feeling starting to feel drowsy after a boring couple of hours on the motorway, I'll pull off for a catnap which sorts me out for the next couple of hours.
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