Slow drivers

Just thinking. If the speed limit is 30 ie that’s the maximum. What speed then considered too slow? If there is nothing else on the road.
Or if on the motorway without other traffic in your lane.

It is as much a driving offence to drive too slowly as it is to drive too fast

Whilst in America I was told that, if you have more than 5 cars behind you, you must pull off and let them pass. "Pull-offs" are provided on a lot of the roads.

This is a red rag to a bull to me. I'm usually a very mild person, but I can feel my blood pressure rising when I get stuck behind a slow driver. They make me SO cross. I'm trying to learn to control it.

Esspee

We are both in our 70s. My OH has driven throughout the world and he always categorises bad drivers by guessing "what their problem is." It is scary the way he is right 90% of the time. I try to make him realise it is no longer politically correct to class people according to age, race, gender or nationality etc. but his accuracy allows him to insist he is being factual.
It is infuriating when we overtake to avoid the danger of being behind the poor driver to see that he was 100% correct with his assessment.

By the same token does he not take evasive action if he sees someone driving towards him overtaking other cars on single lane roads? Imo a good driver is someone who thinks they’re probably a good driver themselves but are driving on roads where everyone else is capable of doing something stupid and dangerous. I’d assume that most fast drivers think they’re brilliant drivers and slow drivers think they might not be. I agree that it’s important when following some drivers, to take evasive action and either get past them as quickly as possible or pull back and get more distance away from them when instinct tells you they’re likely to do something dangerous.

Sorry Esspee: I was replying to henetha. I agree with your husband. Although I’m a nervous driver myself when DH is driving we usually spot a situation like that at the same time and take evasive action.

I was taught by my driving instructor to speed up when we left the 30mph limit. He told me I would fail my test if I didn’t. My Mother-in-law was pulled over by the police for driving too slowly.
But I worry more about drivers who go too fast, who brake too late, who don’t signal, who overtake dangerously.
As for older drivers, yes, a specific retest would not hurt. If not at 70, then 75 , 80, then every two years. I know we all age at different rates but most of us restrict ourselves to roads we know. I would not drive in a strange city, but am happy to drive to places I know, including on motorways. My least favourite place is a supermarket car park!

Probably as blind as a bat and refusing to give up his licence. He will when he kills someone. Why are they the ones who always think they are super safe crawling around yet have either never taken a test or did so 50 years ago!

GraceQuirrel
I passed my test over 50 years ago. I still drive at 70 mph on the motorway and still drive in Europe.
My OH ( the same) plus he still races at Santapod. We also drive a large motohome towing a Smart car, all over Europe and beyond.

This is why I always have my dash- cam and rear camera on , provides all the evidence you need .

18 months ago (pre-Covid) we took my stepfather over to visit his brother in Edgbaston, Birmingham. The 4 of us were going out for a mid week lunch. The SF’s brother drove us to the restaurant in his very comfortable car. He will be 95y next month!

He drove well, went with the flow of traffic and I felt quite safe. Apparently he is still driving. We hope to visit this summer. I’m sure he will drive us to lunch again.

I think we should all have some sort of test - perhaps the reactions/hazards test that people have to take before the practical test these days. The first one should be taken at seventy, the second at seventy-five and the third at eighty. After this it should be taken annually. It should be two strikes and you’re out. If this was implemented, it would be a fairer way of assessing driving ability and would apply to everyone. It is reactions that often seem to deteriorate the most as people get older and this is potentially very dangerous.

I cannot agree that slow drivers are necessarily less dangerous than speeding drivers as the frustration they cause can provoke drivers behind them to take unnecessary risks.

Sarnia

Although I am in my 70's I think everyone intending to drive once they reach 70 should sit a small driving test. It wouldn't have to be qualified examiners all time. I think members with credentials from Advanced Driving schools are permitted to sit as passengers to observe driving skills.

I have been saying this for years and it should be at each renewal.

It's very difficult for older people to lose their independence. Don't forget some councils are removing the free bus pass for senior citizens just to save money. London is taking away the free bus pass and I am sure many other boroughs will follow suit so if people do not have a car and no free bus pass does that mean they are confined to the house.

My pet hate is drivers who slow right down at the bottom of a slipway and try to join a dual carriageway at slow speed absolute nightmare and dangerous

kevincharley

Maybe his car had developed an issue and he was on his way to the garage.
Or maybe you were the reason... Maybe he felt you were driving too close and trying to force him to go faster.
Once you turned off he probably speeded up.

We didn't tail gate him. We stayed a safe distance behind him and we can see the main road when we turn off. He didn't speed up but the tailback was long.

On country roads it’s the small horse boxes that should pull in and let people pass and occasional tractors as neither can go very fast

How very dare country folk drive their horse boxes and tractors on country roads........

songstress60 I appreciate the problems but if they seriously injure or kill someone because they are determined to keep driving what then?

As I said up thread having had just such a slow failing driver drive into the side of my car, I am not sympathetic.

We’re very used to being behind slow drivers round here. At this time of year there are numerous farm vehicles on the move - one yesterday was so huge that it took up three quarters of the width of the road so no chance of passing.

Then there are the MAMIL cyclists who hunt in packs in the better weather and now the campervans and caravans are out in force.

We just have to exercise our patience and make sure we leave plenty of time if we’ve a deadline.

Coco51

In a supermarket car park a child could unexpectedly run out at any moment. Well done that driver for taking that into consideration. The speed LIMIT is just that - it is not a target!

The responsibility for that child is its parent/guardian, the logical end-point of your argument is that we should drive at a speed of 0, to allow poor parenting to thrive.

My husband drives slow sometimes and it’s usually when his team are playing. So I usually offer to drive! I the;leave him to listening to the radio and hoping they’ll win!

It is not slow drivers in supermarkets that are a cause for concern. It is slow drivers on roads where the average speed is higher.

Farm vehicles are also not a problem. They are not usually going very far. Cyclists are more of a problem and I think there should be a limit on how many people can cycle together in a group. - and they should obey traffic lights. Too many cyclists in this area think traffic lights are for everybody except them.

It’s worth remembering that there are MAXIMUM speed limits on our roads but, as far as I know no MINIMUM limit. Someone driving -or for that matter cycling or walking - at a very slow speed may be annoying but they aren’t breaking the law. I imagine there are more drivers going too fast than too slow.

I try and keep to the speed limit. Other drivers don't like it.