An epidemic of insanely slow drivers

[Monkeylegend]

popeyewhite said:

I don't know whether this is the same thing as described [above] but I've noticed on the M6 several times now as I approach a car on the outside lane doing, say, 78 on the clock, they speed up to 80 and keep me there for several miles. Eventually they let me past and immediately reduce their speed back to where they were before I arrived behind them. Why? Why not, in the interest of smooth travel, let people past when they're going quicker than you? What primitive element of human psychology is being demonstrated here. Surely not a simple resentment of [perceived] alpha driver passing, that would be too pathetic for words.

In for a penny in for a pound, you might as well undertake as well as speeding

[popeyewhite]

Monkeylegend said:

In for a penny in for a pound, you might as well undertake as well as speeding

Never in a million years. I know I'm treading a thin line to castigation even posting that.

[5s Alive]

swisstoni said:

I think they’d rather edge up their cruise control settings to overtake than knock it off and drive like a human for half a mile.

You don't even have to knock it off, a quick prod of the throttle (electron?) pedal, back in, ease off, then settle back to set speed. Easy, at least it should be...

[swisstoni]

popeyewhite said:

Monkeylegend said:

In for a penny in for a pound, you might as well undertake as well as speeding

Never in a million years. I know I'm treading a thin line to castigation even posting that.

It’s just second nature to me now. If I didn’t undertake regularly I wouldn’t get anywhere around my way.
If i’m feeling virtuous and its not too busy I might make a pilgrimage to the outside lane to overtake, as an occasional penance.

[Steve-B]

andy43 said:

Off topic a bit but has anyone noticed The Edge? Cars stop early in traffic or at lights, leaving a good half a cars length of space in front of them. A few seconds later they edge forward to where they should have originally stopped. Then the numb nuts behind them all do the same, all edging forward by six feet or so. Result = a full car space or more in front of me until the traffic actually gets moving properly. Idiots. I’m sure all they are concentrating on is the tailgate of the car in front.

Sounds exactly like the nightmare known as Handy Cross J4/M40 on the south side. Full yellow boxes, f@ckwits running red lights, amber means block junction. TVP do absolute b@gger all about it but moan instead of sitting there in an unmarked vehicle dishing out tickets.

[popeyewhite]

swisstoni said:

popeyewhite said:

Monkeylegend said:

In for a penny in for a pound, you might as well undertake as well as speeding

Never in a million years. I know I'm treading a thin line to castigation even posting that.

It’s just second nature to me now. If I didn’t undertake regularly I wouldn’t get anywhere around my way.
If i’m feeling virtuous and its not too busy I might make a pilgrimage to the outside lane to overtake, as an occasional penance.

I find I undertake more on DCs now where joining the inside lane for going right at the next roundabout (in 2 miles) seems to have become common. I think it's simply people don't give toss about anyone else, or are incapable of considering anyone else.

[Whataguy]

andy43 said:

That’s what the six foot cyclist clearance rule together with the 20mph limit gets you.
Time exposed to danger = minutes not seconds.

Off topic a bit but has anyone noticed The Edge? Cars stop early in traffic or at lights, leaving a good half a cars length of space in front of them. A few seconds later they edge forward to where they should have originally stopped. Then the numb nuts behind them all do the same, all edging forward by six feet or so. Result = a full car space or more in front of me until the traffic actually gets moving properly. Idiots. I’m sure all they are concentrating on is the tailgate of the car in front.

I used to do this to make sure I wasn't hot spotting the brake discs after coming down from 70 to 0 on the slip road - but it's not needed in normal urban driving.

[bigothunter]

andy43 said:

croyde said:

Another driver doing 17 in a 20 and then wishes to overtake a cyclist doing 16.99999mph.

Doesn't increase his speed to lower the time spent in proximity but does move over in to the opposite carriageway thus causing oncoming traffic to avoid or stop.

Just worries me how oblivious/daft many have become.

That’s what the six foot cyclist clearance rule together with the 20mph limit gets you.
Time exposed to danger = minutes not seconds.

There's always the option of not overtaking the cyclist because it would be too dangerous even at a genuine 20mph.

[andy43]

Whataguy said:

andy43 said:

That’s what the six foot cyclist clearance rule together with the 20mph limit gets you.
Time exposed to danger = minutes not seconds.

Off topic a bit but has anyone noticed The Edge? Cars stop early in traffic or at lights, leaving a good half a cars length of space in front of them. A few seconds later they edge forward to where they should have originally stopped. Then the numb nuts behind them all do the same, all edging forward by six feet or so. Result = a full car space or more in front of me until the traffic actually gets moving properly. Idiots. I’m sure all they are concentrating on is the tailgate of the car in front.

I used to do this to make sure I wasn't hot spotting the brake discs after coming down from 70 to 0 on the slip road - but it's not needed in normal urban driving.

Fair point but it's not applicable for Karen in her Juke.

[bigothunter]

Whataguy said:

I used to do this to make sure I wasn't hot spotting the brake discs after coming down from 70 to 0 on the slip road - but it's not needed in normal urban driving.

"Hot spotting the brake discs" sounds intriguing. Never heard of that phenomenon before

[PlywoodPascal]

bigothunter said:

Whataguy said:

I used to do this to make sure I wasn't hot spotting the brake discs after coming down from 70 to 0 on the slip road - but it's not needed in normal urban driving.

"Hot spotting the brake discs" sounds intriguing. Never heard of that phenomenon before

if you keep the brakes applied once you’ve stopped, and they are hot, pad material can transfer onto the disc surface. This results in a spot on the disc with higher friction and is often felt as pulsing through the brake pedal or ‘wobbling’. This is what most people are experiencing when they describe having “warped discs”.

Easily avoided in circumstances like ‘end of sliproad’ by just using the handbrake though…

[bigothunter]

PlywoodPascal said:

if you keep the brakes applied once you’ve stopped, and they are hot, pad material can transfer onto the disc surface. This results in a spot on the disc with higher friction and is often felt as pulsing through the brake pedal or ‘wobbling’. This is what most people are experiencing when they describe having “warped discs”.

Easily avoided in circumstances like ‘end of sliproad’ by just using the handbrake though…

Happens on race circuits after multiple brake applications from high speed (can be over 150mph).

Believing transfer of pad material will occur after single brake application from 70mph is farcical.

Fundamental rule with track driving is never apply the handbrake when the brakes are hot, because the pads are prone to sticking.

[andy43]

…and I’ve just been behind a Fiat 500 with edging syndrome. Stop short, move forward, stop short, move forward… just GET OUT OF MY WAY.
… and then a peugeot 20-something doing a very wobbly kerb to white line ping pong at a Vmax of 25mph for about three miles with constant touches of the brake pedal… just GET OUT OF MY WAY.
Thanks for listening

[PlywoodPascal]

Back brakes on a road car pretty unlikely to ever get particularly hot, though, as you say.

[popeyewhite]

andy43 said:

…and I’ve just been behind a Fiat 500 with edging syndrome. Stop short, move forward, stop short, move forward… just GET OUT OF MY WAY.
… and then a peugeot 20-something doing a very wobbly kerb to white line ping pong at a Vmax of 25mph for about three miles with constant touches of the brake pedal… just GET OUT OF MY WAY.
Thanks for listening

Thanks for sharing.

Thread can be quite cathartic

[bigothunter]

PlywoodPascal said:

Back brakes on a road car pretty unlikely to ever get particularly hot, though, as you say.

Recently sold an ex-Toyo race series BMW 320 E30. Driving hard on track, it cooked its small rear pads even with EBC Blue material. They lasted about 1.5 track days. Handbrake is a separate drum within the disc bell.

On the road, wear rate would have been far more acceptable. So would brake temperatures.

[Oilchange]

Rear pads on my Esprit last about 1/3 the time my fronts do, Ferodo DS3000 compound!
Small size doesn't help but there's lots of braking going.

[PlywoodPascal]

Mid engined though so you would probably expect greater rearward brake bias.

Edited by PlywoodPascal on Saturday 30th March 16:54

[Hoofy]

Oh, I drove along the M3 this week and where there was light traffic, people tended to behave well. Weird, even surprising, I know. Sure, there were a handful of MLMs but you could overtake them safely. I guess there were more muppets the closer I got to home (SW London).

[bigothunter]

PlywoodPascal said:

Mid engined though so you would probably expect great rearward brake bias.

Effect of forward weight transfer will still bias braking force to the front wheels, even for mid or rear engine cars.