Zooming up and then slowing down
Discussion
Something that has increasingly been happening over the last few months - you can see a car/van coming up behind quite a way off at speed.
Maybe they are doing 90 or so on a dual carriageway, when the other traffic around you is 70.
You move over ready for them to shoot past, but instead they crawl past or pull in and slow down to under the speed limit.
What's that about?
It's not like I'm driving a X5 or something that looks like an unmarked car - just a plain old golf.
Strange.
Maybe they are doing 90 or so on a dual carriageway, when the other traffic around you is 70.
You move over ready for them to shoot past, but instead they crawl past or pull in and slow down to under the speed limit.
What's that about?
It's not like I'm driving a X5 or something that looks like an unmarked car - just a plain old golf.
Strange.
Whataguy said:
Something that has increasingly been happening over the last few months - you can see a car/van coming up behind quite a way off at speed.
Maybe they are doing 90 or so on a dual carriageway, when the other traffic around you is 70.
You move over ready for them to shoot past, but instead they crawl past or pull in and slow down to under the speed limit.
What's that about?
It's not like I'm driving a X5 or something that looks like an unmarked car - just a plain old golf.
Strange.
Speed cameras.Maybe they are doing 90 or so on a dual carriageway, when the other traffic around you is 70.
You move over ready for them to shoot past, but instead they crawl past or pull in and slow down to under the speed limit.
What's that about?
It's not like I'm driving a X5 or something that looks like an unmarked car - just a plain old golf.
Strange.
Yup, seems to be very common now on the motorways.
The other lot are the ones who potter along in an empty outside lane for ages, eventually move to the left and immediately accelerate to the speed all the traffic stuck behind them was trying to do in the first place. And then when they come up behind another vehicle move out again - and slow down.
The other lot are the ones who potter along in an empty outside lane for ages, eventually move to the left and immediately accelerate to the speed all the traffic stuck behind them was trying to do in the first place. And then when they come up behind another vehicle move out again - and slow down.
POIDH said:
I just think so many people are driving with a lack of awareness, and another group probably distracted by phone or turning down the heat on a touchscreen. The last thing they do is look at speedo, mirrors and traffic around them.
Don't touchscreens just stay at an ambient temperature?If they running Waze or Google maps, there are many more speed camera warnings than actual speed cameras so they could be responding to that.
I think it's more likely though that they think the OP is an unmarked police car. Do you often drive wearing a hi-vis jacket or in a white shirt with a dark tie? The combination of that and driving properly could be enough to make people suspicious you could be.
I've found it happens to me if I'm wearing hi-vis whilst driving in a car, particularly at night - but doesn't when I'm in a marked company van.
I think it's more likely though that they think the OP is an unmarked police car. Do you often drive wearing a hi-vis jacket or in a white shirt with a dark tie? The combination of that and driving properly could be enough to make people suspicious you could be.
I've found it happens to me if I'm wearing hi-vis whilst driving in a car, particularly at night - but doesn't when I'm in a marked company van.
SkodaIan said:
If they running Waze or Google maps, there are many more speed camera warnings than actual speed cameras so they could be responding to that.
I think it's more likely though that they think the OP is an unmarked police car. Do you often drive wearing a hi-vis jacket or in a white shirt with a dark tie? The combination of that and driving properly could be enough to make people suspicious you could be.
I've found it happens to me if I'm wearing hi-vis whilst driving in a car, particularly at night - but doesn't when I'm in a marked company van.
Usually just wearing a short sleeve shirt or occasionally a dark coloured jacket without a tie. The rear windows have factory tint, so they can't see clearly what I'm wearing.I think it's more likely though that they think the OP is an unmarked police car. Do you often drive wearing a hi-vis jacket or in a white shirt with a dark tie? The combination of that and driving properly could be enough to make people suspicious you could be.
I've found it happens to me if I'm wearing hi-vis whilst driving in a car, particularly at night - but doesn't when I'm in a marked company van.
The unmarked police around here tend to favour Audis and BMW, I haven't seen them in a VW before.
Perhaps they assume a golf will be driven by a certain type doing a high speed, and think because I'm not either I'm a cop or I've spotted a hazard so they are copying.
Another one that happens is the magnetic car. You are doing a GPS correct real 70mph and passing cars that are doing maybe 60.
They have been doing that speed for miles, otherwise you wouldn't have caught up.
Yet after you pass, they throw their car (violently) into the lane behind you and speed up to follow. They may either usually keep up at 70 for a while before dropping back, or a very few are actually then shooting off into the distance at 90+.
Some strange people about.
Only noticed it since I've had a golf. It's ordinary and not a GTI or R, but maybe to someone that doesn't know about cars they think it is.
I've noticed this too. When I'm overtaking in the outside lane with a car behind glued to my rear bumper I move over when there is a gap but then they just dawdle past. I end up catching up with another vehicle and end up braking before I can get back into the outside lane behind them. 
Also can't believe how many times I see brake lights appear on dual-carriageways and Motorways when a simple lift off the throttle would work fine!
Also can't believe how many times I see brake lights appear on dual-carriageways and Motorways when a simple lift off the throttle would work fine!
I see this a lot, don't think it is a new thing. Car comes up behind you in the outside lane, then slows down and sits in your blind spot for ages as the big artic in front of you gets closer and closer. It's like they have some kind of death wish. Indicating right usually wakes them up, driver floors it, storms past at 120 then pulls into the left lane and slows down to about 5 mph less than the speed I am doing. Some people are very special.
Mr Tidy said:
Also can't believe how many times I see brake lights appear on dual-carriageways and Motorways when a simple lift off the throttle would work fine!
I read that some newer hybrids and EVs will throw on the brake lights if the driver lifts completely off and the regen kicks in above a certain level, ie. if it is effectively braking.That said, I've seen cars which definitely aren't EVs doing it, presumably just really poor driving, the sort who don't look much further than the end of their bonnet and drive using the pedals like on and off switches.
Edited by Gareth79 on Thursday 29th June 01:02
Gareth79 said:
I read that some newer hybrids and EVs will throw on the brake lights if the driver lifts completely off and the regen kicks in above a certain level, ie. if it is effectively braking.
That said, I've seen cars which definitely aren't EVs doing it, presumably just really poor driving, the sort who don't look much further than the end of their bonnet and drive using the pedals like on and off switches.
I always assumed it was people cancelling their (non-adaptive) cruise control.That said, I've seen cars which definitely aren't EVs doing it, presumably just really poor driving, the sort who don't look much further than the end of their bonnet and drive using the pedals like on and off switches.
Edited by Gareth79 on Thursday 29th June 01:02
They should probably be cancelling it from the button which turned it on, but haven’t worked out how to do that, so they tap the brakes instead.
I it frequently on single carriageways.
In a line of traffic moving at a constant speed, there will be one or two cars or small vans (rarely see HGV doing this) that progess along the road by: Accelerate up close to the vehicle in front, brake, drop back, repeat.
It's just crap driving.
In a line of traffic moving at a constant speed, there will be one or two cars or small vans (rarely see HGV doing this) that progess along the road by: Accelerate up close to the vehicle in front, brake, drop back, repeat.
It's just crap driving.
and31 said:
SkodaIan said:
I've found it happens to me if I'm wearing hi-vis whilst driving in a car, particularly at night - but doesn't when I'm in a marked company van.
Why on earth are you wearing a hi-vis whilst driving?
Surely it reflects off the screen?
I've also seen the opposite a few times, especially on the M6T.
I'll be doing my usual - cruise control set to just over 70. At some point, I'll overtake a slow-ish moving car and think nothing of it. Shortly afterwards, the car I've recently overtaken will come blasting past at a speed that makes me look like I'm standing still. Can never quite work out what this is all about though - I just carry on at the same speed.
I'll be doing my usual - cruise control set to just over 70. At some point, I'll overtake a slow-ish moving car and think nothing of it. Shortly afterwards, the car I've recently overtaken will come blasting past at a speed that makes me look like I'm standing still. Can never quite work out what this is all about though - I just carry on at the same speed.
Magnum 475 said:
I've also seen the opposite a few times, especially on the M6T.
I'll be doing my usual - cruise control set to just over 70. At some point, I'll overtake a slow-ish moving car and think nothing of it. Shortly afterwards, the car I've recently overtaken will come blasting past at a speed that makes me look like I'm standing still. Can never quite work out what this is all about though - I just carry on at the same speed.
I've seen a couple on the M11, an old Honda Jazz and a new model Toyota Yaris (the ordinary hybrid, not the GR) - both disappeared far into the distance at presumably their absolute top speed 100+ after previously sitting at 60/65.I'll be doing my usual - cruise control set to just over 70. At some point, I'll overtake a slow-ish moving car and think nothing of it. Shortly afterwards, the car I've recently overtaken will come blasting past at a speed that makes me look like I'm standing still. Can never quite work out what this is all about though - I just carry on at the same speed.
Wills2 said:
and31 said:
SkodaIan said:
I've found it happens to me if I'm wearing hi-vis whilst driving in a car, particularly at night - but doesn't when I'm in a marked company van.
Why on earth are you wearing a hi-vis whilst driving?Surely it reflects off the screen?
In summer we use Hi-Vis T-Shirts, so unless there is somewhere to get changed I end up driving about between sites whilst still being excessively visible.
If it's the big waterproof coat, I'll take that off - though even just having that in the boot of an estate car seems to cause the slowing down sometimes.
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