Worthy of a reply?
Discussion
FFS - people astound me at times. This letter was in our local rag this week.
Got half a mind to pen a reply. If someone was following me for 20 minutes I think I would have pulled over and let them pass.
Plus 40 mph on an NSL A road - good on that Copper I say.
Mrs J J Braintree said:
I would like through your columns to record my anger at the actions taken by Essex Police on Saturday night, when I was driving with my husband from Sudbury to Halstead at 11pm. I was pulled over and criticised for allegedly driving too slowly and possibly causing 'road rage'.
The roads were narrow and winding, it was pitch black and I kept to a steady 40 mph. I had a police car follow me for 20 minutes, which was very intimidating and to top it all, I am heavily pregnant with our first child so didn't feel like driving like a 'boy racer'.
Surely the police should be catching real criminals, not persecuting law abiding motorists.
Got half a mind to pen a reply. If someone was following me for 20 minutes I think I would have pulled over and let them pass.
Plus 40 mph on an NSL A road - good on that Copper I say.
& 
IOLAIRE said:
Why on earth was this woman driving when she was heavily pregnant? What the hell is wrong with her husband?
Too right, she should be kept behind closed doors and out of public view until the shame and embarrasment has blown over, and the baby's been born and shipped off to a state run boarding school in Northumbria.
Imagine having a baby, whilst you're married......IN ESSEX! The shame
IOLAIRE said:
Why on earth was this woman driving when she was heavily pregnant? What the hell is wrong with her husband?
Probably pissed up
IOLAIRE said:
Have any of you ever seen what a seat belt does to a pregnant woman in an accident?
Yes. A couple of times. It saved both their lives and their unborns too!
>> Edited by gone on Thursday 20th January 23:26
Big_M said:
FFS - people astound me at times. This letter was in our local rag this week.
Mrs J J Braintree said:
I would like through your columns to record my anger at the actions taken by Essex Police on Saturday night, when I was driving with my husband from Sudbury to Halstead at 11pm. I was pulled over and criticised for allegedly driving too slowly and possibly causing 'road rage'.
The roads were narrow and winding, it was pitch black and I kept to a steady 40 mph. I had a police car follow me for 20 minutes, which was very intimidating and to top it all, I am heavily pregnant with our first child so didn't feel like driving like a 'boy racer'.
Surely the police should be catching real criminals, not persecuting law abiding motorists.
Got half a mind to pen a reply. If someone was following me for 20 minutes I think I would have pulled over and let them pass.
Plus 40 mph on an NSL A road - good on that Copper I say.
Whoops, I hope it wasn't our Dibble on a PH inspired numpty education extravaganza
I think the
acted in the interests of the great majority of the population. Well done that man 
Yes it is worthy of a reply. In support of Trafpol's actions.
BUT.
If she wants to drive at 40mph I don't see the problem, provided she was considerate about it. i.e. made it straightforward for others to get past by pulling over if necessary just as tractor drivers do...(when being polite..)
Clearly she wasn't being considerate otherwise Trafpol wouldn't have been following for so long!
BUT.
If she wants to drive at 40mph I don't see the problem, provided she was considerate about it. i.e. made it straightforward for others to get past by pulling over if necessary just as tractor drivers do...(when being polite..)
Clearly she wasn't being considerate otherwise Trafpol wouldn't have been following for so long!
If the road was narrow and twisty, did she really maintain 40 mph for the whole time?
Was it really not possible for the police car to overtake?
I'm not really sure which side to come down on here, but I think the important considerations are:
a) Don't travel at an excessive speed.
b) If you appear to be delaying other traffic, then make some arrangement to help them to get past.
So long as those conditions are met, I don't see that one should feel obliged to achieve any particular rate of progress.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
Was it really not possible for the police car to overtake?
I'm not really sure which side to come down on here, but I think the important considerations are:
a) Don't travel at an excessive speed.
b) If you appear to be delaying other traffic, then make some arrangement to help them to get past.
So long as those conditions are met, I don't see that one should feel obliged to achieve any particular rate of progress.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
I think we should have a thread on here for cretinous letters from the local. I know there are at least 1 or 2 howlers in our local rag every week, talking about "brainless moron speeders" and suchlike.
To get back to the topic though, definately write a concise reply explaining why such a speed is inappropriate and most importantly, why they have been "pulled" and how it benefits road safety.
To get back to the topic though, definately write a concise reply explaining why such a speed is inappropriate and most importantly, why they have been "pulled" and how it benefits road safety.
ok, might get flamed here, but what is the real problem with her doing 40mph in a NSL? It was dark, she might not have known the roads and she was being followed (+ she was pregnant)? The speed limit is exactly that - a limit (officially ), not a target or minimum speed. Id sooner she was doing 40mph and was comfortable rather than being pushed to do 60mph - especially if she was coming the other way to me.
Its a pain when someone is doodling along on a decent road (I drive an elise and love nothing more than a spirited blat on NSL roads where conditions allow), but with a little consideration on their part and some observation on yours an overtake is usually possible.
I do, however, think their is probably more to this story than has been printed - she might have been weaving or drifting etc.
), not a target or minimum speed. Id sooner she was doing 40mph and was comfortable rather than being pushed to do 60mph - especially if she was coming the other way to me. Its a pain when someone is doodling along on a decent road (I drive an elise and love nothing more than a spirited blat on NSL roads where conditions allow), but with a little consideration on their part and some observation on yours an overtake is usually possible.
I do, however, think their is probably more to this story than has been printed - she might have been weaving or drifting etc.
wolves_wanderer said:
I think we should have a thread on here for cretinous letters from the local. I know there are at least 1 or 2 howlers in our local rag every week, talking about "brainless moron speeders" and suchlike.
There already is one....
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=23&h=&t=150380
I do think it should be renamed to your suggestion though - cretinous letters from the local rag
I would imagine uesd his judgement and decided she was travelling too slowly for the conditions based oh his assesment of what a competent driver would do.
Drive below the limit by all means, but make it easy for following motorists to pass. If you have a queue behind you, I would say it's only corteous to pull over to allow them past.
uesd his judgement and decided she was travelling too slowly for the conditions based oh his assesment of what a competent driver would do. Drive below the limit by all means, but make it easy for following motorists to pass. If you have a queue behind you, I would say it's only corteous to pull over to allow them past.
BliarOut said:
I would imagine
Drive below the limit by all means, but make it easy for following motorists to pass. If you have a queue behind you, I would say it's only corteous to pull over to allow them past.
Plotloss - interesting idea, but like most of the current highway code, unenforceable without trafpol - can't see a camera coping with that one.
I totally agree with the Trafpol 110%.
Ok, you don't have to do 60 in a 60, but it takes little to show some consideration for others. If the Trafpol has made her aware of this, then brilliant.
Maybe it wasn't safe to overtake, but safe to do over 40 for a more confident driver (understandably, she may have been reluctant to drive quickly due to her condition???).
So many times (on the way to work especially) do we get stuck behind a totally ignorant (or arrogant) Self-righteously w*nker sitting in the fast lane doing 65 - 70, with a seemingly endless queue of cars behind them - These people need educating that they can pull in between overtaking and let others pass and to use their mirrors.
These people are a massive contribution to congestion, encourage undertaking which in turn contributes to accidents relating to road rage and impatience.
Ok, you don't have to do 60 in a 60, but it takes little to show some consideration for others. If the Trafpol has made her aware of this, then brilliant.
Maybe it wasn't safe to overtake, but safe to do over 40 for a more confident driver (understandably, she may have been reluctant to drive quickly due to her condition???).
So many times (on the way to work especially) do we get stuck behind a totally ignorant (or arrogant) Self-righteously w*nker sitting in the fast lane doing 65 - 70, with a seemingly endless queue of cars behind them - These people need educating that they can pull in between overtaking and let others pass and to use their mirrors.
These people are a massive contribution to congestion, encourage undertaking which in turn contributes to accidents relating to road rage and impatience.
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