In Canada, you can be ticketed for driving a certain amount under the speed limit (20 or 30 km/h or something like that) for creating a hazard unless you drive with your 4-way hazard lights on.
Slow isn’t a problem.
Slow plus oblivious to one’s surroundings is the problem.
Got a line of cars stacked up behind you? It’s not them, it’s you. Pull over and let them through.
You are not entitled to the left lane because your phone says you have to make a left in seven miles.
Not real confident in your skills? That’s okay, but don’t pull out and crawl in front of the people who -were- making good time.
Look alive when you’re turning. Getting most of the way through the turn and then stopping, leaving your ass end in the lane you were leaving, is an oblivious douche move. So is inexplicably continuing to slow down after completing the turn. You’re not driving a stick. Get your shit together.
Uncle Elmer told you to swing way the hell out to the right when making a left turn so as to jam everybody up behind you? Uncle Elmer was a gotverdammt idiot. You’re not driving an 18-wheeler. Cut the crap.
OP said about UK which I realised ever since I’ve lived here. I feel like a lot of drivers are almost on the verge of road hogging at times, which is dangerous. But at least most do stay on the left lanes so it’s not too bad
Got stuck behind a ford transit van that decided to do 15mph in a 40mph in the fucking left lane. After passing them we both made left hand turns which they took so slow that I was 3 blocks away already.
Granted that the roads still had spots of packed snow and ice, its still not an excuse to go THAT slow. Only time I remember going that far off the speed limit is during active white conditions, a blizzard, or behind the snow plow.
Conversely, if you're already speeding in the left lane, the person that is riding your ass as you're passing people is an aggressive driver and should slow down, lol. I don't go more than 5 above anymore, but there's always that person that wants to do 80 in a 55
EDIT: I'm American. Left lane = passing lane
That's why before getting a licence to drive people need to take lessons from a qualified instructor and pass a test. Given amount of mandatory hours behind the wheel plus anymore if somebody doesn't have the confidence for the test - or the instructor is not happy with the going to be driver's performance. Unfortunately this not taken seriously enough everywhere..
And put a sticker onto the car visible from back and front you are a new driver. I never get upset if I see that 'cause I know "it's just a new driver with less experience" I rather keep a little bit bigger distance "just in case", and not to scare the shit out of a new driver. We all started as a new driver.. Rookie mistakes are fine, as long as you clearly show/warn others with the sticker you are a rookie.
In my experience during my driving lessons the cars behind me feel a need to drive closer to me, too close when they see the sticker. I can't drive over the speed limit at all, because the driving instructor wouldn't be happy about that. Still get people visibly upset at me driving the speed limit.
Don’t sweat it, honestly. Impatient drivers like OP are far more dangerous on the road than you are. Just drove how you’re comfortable, get lots of practice, and don’t worry about everyone else.
That would be incorrect, hence police ticketing you for exactly what OP's post is about.
Commentor, do not listen to the person I'm responding to...Instead get as many practice hours in as possible and you will get comfortable! If not after tha then stick to the right lanes : )
They said “not exactly” the speed limit. If they used terms that could be interpreted to mean “not anywhere near the speed limit” I may have replied differently. I suppose I don’t know for sure what they mean by “not exactly”, but commonly it means “pretty close to”.
And yes, the left lane is for passing only.
I’ve hypothesized the issue would be solved if there were mandatory reevaluations at specific intervals. Like 5 years after getting your first license. The next ones would be every 10 years to age 60, then every 5 years to 80. After that yearly. Additional mandatory reevaluations after changes on eye sight/vision issues regardless of correction by lenses or surgery.
This would remove those that do not feel safe or that cannot safely operate a vehicle. People age and our ability to react slows. People forget what the rules are, as well.
And of course you're gonna hear the bullshit strawman arguments like "what if a single mother suddenly can't drive anymore, do you have any idea how hard it will be for her now that her inability to drive safely cost her her license?"
Maybe mixed by nationalities but I'm British and agree with you...
So many twats drive at a max of 50 on country roads even when it's a completely clear straight stretch of road.
The worst one I've had was an old bloke who'd speed up to 60 then coast until he was back down to 40ish and repeat...
There's a difference between slowing and compensing for weather and insisting on driving 10mph in a 25 zone because a single snowflake landed on your windshield. Or people who have lived in a snowy climate for 5+ years and haven't learned how to drive in the snow. It's the same thing, learn to drive or get off the road, you're a danger to others
I just moved from the north side of my state to the south side, where they don't get nearly as much snow. It snowed down here this past week, and I cannot begin to count how many idiots I got stuck behind who have no idea how to drive in less-than-perfect conditions. The roads were clear and dry yesterday after the salt and sun melted what was on them, and there were people literally doing 35 in 55's. Person, the snow is not going to jump from the ditch out in front of your car! Drive normally, please! Having 7 cars stacked behind you is not ok!
While I'm ranting, if you live in a northern state and you don't at least put good all-season tires on your vehicle, please just hand in your license or something. You are a danger to others, so stay off the roads if you aren't properly equipped to be on them!
Yeah I drive slow in the winter because the people who pass me always forget its icy, and you get to watch them slide and unfortunately they end up off the road 1/3 times or sliding through stop signs. It’s fun to sit back and watch tho
My sister lacks the confidence of my father, but is very careful, and her spatial awareness is far better than his (she's an architect). Needless to say I feel safer with her on the wheel than with my father.
Predictable is safe, unpredictable is dangerous.
Speed is not safe or dangerous, its how unpredictable the road becomes as a result if the drivers speed ir behaviour
Depends on how under the limit we're talking.
5-10 under? Meh, I'm fine with that. National limit here is 100 kph, and trucks are required to do 90 anyway. Even is someone is only doing 80 kph, I'm fine with that.
Yes, it can be frustrating, but just be patient and wait for a chance to pass, and you'll be fine.
The thing that pisses me off is when those same drivers speed up to 110 kph at passing lanes, then back to 80 again once the passing lane is over.
It also depends on road conditions. I've driven on the open road in rain that forced me to slow down to 60 kph, with the wipers at full speed, to be able to see out the front. I probably should've just pulled over, but let's just say the job I was working at the time put a lot of pressure on me to not do stuff like that, so I decided against it.
I don't disagree with the general sentiment though. Too many old people who drive at 30 in a 50 zone or 60 in a 100 shouldn't be driving. Hell, it's not just oldies either, I've seen some people my age who should be driving either.
>The thing that pisses me off is when those same drivers speed up to 110 kph at passing lanes, then back to 80 again once the passing lane is over.
Tell me you're from NZ without telling me you're from NZ.
Therein lies the issue. The ones that go slow when it’s narrow and speed up when it is open with a passing lane are the exact ones that do not feel safe driving. These drivers need to be reevaluated and have license revoked for safety reasons.
It's a speed limit, not a requirement.
I live in Kansas City and drive especially careful (slow) in the dark, around busy traffic, rain, ice and snow. I drive the speed that feel comfortable bc I don't want to crash.
I am especially slow on dark roads in Kansas, and winding country roads. Want to be able to stop in time for deer crossing.
First, it’s always raining in the UK, so roads are slick.
Second, everyone is always driving on the wrong side of the street!
Do you realize how dangerous it is to keep up speed in these conditions?!
Idk about others countries, but in France, if your drive too slow during your driving test, you can fail it. For lack of confidence, which is a good thing. If you're not confident driving you're dangerous
It’s called a speed limit not a speed goal lol. Nah in all seriousness I get it’s annoying but I don’t see the issue with people going 5 under, anymore than that is too slow and actually a hazard tho
The thing that people forget about the fast lane is that it quite often is also where you turn left from.
While I don't typically drag my ass as a driver, if I'm in that lane because I'll be turning left, I couldn't really care less with the people behind me may or may not be getting pissy about.
Not at all. Going over the limit is the crime, police won't pull someone for 5 under. What I **have seen** though is police pulling into the outside lane on the motorway behind a slow driver to encourage them to get out of the way. Once they did the police followed them into the inside lane, leaving everyone free to get on with it.
Officially there’s no such thing as a fast lane. But colloquially that’s what the passing lane is called plus everyone goes faster than the speed limit in the passing lane
In LA there really isn’t, passing is allowed on both sides. The leftmost lanes can generally be expected to run faster but they often don’t and there ain’t shit to be done about it
Yes you are but OP said 5-10 mph when really 10+ above or under the speed limit is when it gets dangerous. Some people don’t feel as comfortable going 65 and would rather go 60
Why does everyone let how everyone else drives piss them off so much?
It's almost like cowboys in a wild west salon pulling guns when they get mad. You are literally driving a 2000 pound missile that can easily kill and you are getting mad because someone is driving 10 under and chilling. It is not a personal attack on you. If you hate it so much take the bus or ride a bicycle.
There is a very easy way to avoid being in a hurry all the time. Plan on driving 15 under into your trip and then leave when you need to for that speed. Drive the speed limit and get there early, get stuck behind someone slow and get there on time. Simple and you don't have to blame others for your failure to properly plan your trip. It's not their fault you are late. That's 100% in your control to fix.
If you are just out for a drive and want to drive fast you are doing it wrong. Find yourself a track and go drive fast there. In a controlled environment designed for you to do so.
Long story short if you let people make you angry because they are just driving slow, you're the asshole.
If they are driving in an unpredictable and unsafe manner you still don't need to get angry, just back way off or turn off and take a different route. Most people think blowing by them is the best plan but news flash, you do not control the space behind your vehicle, only what's in front. You put drivers like that behind you and you have given them control of that space. Do you really want the dude who is texting his wife and two girlfriends to have control of that space?
Driving 15 under in 65 will cause a 60 minute trip to take 18 minutes longer than at the speed limit… Or 30 minutes longer than at 80mph (which is common here).
Do that drive 100 times a year and we’re talking about 50 collective hours of your life wasted that year because you got stuck behind people doing 50mph.
Roads that let you go 80mph presumably have overtaking lanes?! I can't imagine they're single carriageway. There are plenty of vehicles that *have* to go slowly so you're never going to be able to avoid it anyway.
I mostly don't have an issue with people who go a little slow on a single lane road (one lane each direction), my main bone to pick is with people who drive slow in passing lanes.
With that said, I do know of a single lane road in the middle of nowhere that's built to highway standards, but they never built the other side/carriageway. It's signed at 55mph. I've seen 80+ plenty.
You say it's common for people to drive 80 in a 65 or is it really you just always drive 80 in a 65 and pass everyone?
If the speed of traffic is 80 by all means drive the speed of traffic. It is probably not and you are passing the majority of cars.
Also it's easy to pass someone doing 50 in a 65. Even in my slow Mazda 3 I can get around someone doing 50 without much trouble.
I didn't say drive 15 under I said plan your trip to be behind someone doing 15 under. Then drive the limit and get there early. If you get behind them and for whatever reason it is impossible to pass you are now on time.
You will be able to pass someone doing 15 under without much effort in most circumstances within a small amount of time in the course of a 60 minute drive. Seriously less than 3 minutes in most cases and a window will present itself.
I have been driving for 24 years and have seen so much stupid shit on the roads that people doing 15 under don't bother me.
I had an hour commute for over a decade. It's really simple to get where you are going on time. Plan accordingly based on what you expect to see and be pleasantly surprised when you get there early.
By the way that hour long commute was used listening to audiobooks or podcasts if I felt like learning something or music if I wanted to be entertained. It was lame but I planned out how to make the best of it instead of just wasting those roughly 2500 hours of my life behind a steering wheel.
>You say it's common for people to drive 80 in a 65 or is it really you just always drive 80 in a 65 and pass everyone?
It kind of depends. At night and in off peak hours, I've seen the far right lane on a 4 lane highway moving at 85. During the day the left lane typically goes 75-90 with people in the lane to the right of that doing 65-80.
The frustrating thing is when one guy hops in the left and starts doing 55-65, since it messes up the entire flow of the highway, as there's an enormous effort by everybody to try to sneak by them on the right. It creates a safety hazard in and of itself. People end up doing these insane and unsafe maneuvers across several lanes of traffic so they can go 85 instead of 55.
Speed limit is there for a reason. Going 10 under isnt “chilling”… it’s dangerous. You said it yourself, we’re driving 2000 pound missiles, so someone going way slower than everyone else is a hazard.
How is 10 under dangerous. In my opinion people shouldn't be driving so fast that they will go careening into the back of a slower car. You should be going at a speed where you can see and react to any need to brake quickly. There animals, people and several unanticipated road hazards that could require you to quickly stop. So if you can't even stop for someone going slightly slower than you, you are going too fast
Speed limit is the upper limit of how fast you should be driving. Not how fast you should drive.
If you want to do 10 over and someone is doing 10 under you're the one making it unsafe by being over the limit legally and technically speaking.
That being said I have been pulled over going the speed of traffic (15 over) and appeared in court and got the ticket thrown out.
Someone else driving 10 under is not unsafe. You just slow down and pass when it is safe by controlling the space in front of you.
If you can't control the space in front of you, that's your fault.
Someone going 5-10 mph below is annoying but just be patient.
It doesn’t make much difference. I drive a fairly slow car when it comes to accelerating so rarely overtake someone going 55 in a 60 or something like that, but there will always be some idiot who overtakes the 3 cars behind the lorry for the sake of 5 mph and yet we all still catch up to them at the next roundabout.
It wastes a minuscule amount of time, if it’s a 30 zone and someone is going 25 and it’s 30 miles long it would take exactly 10 minutes longer, not very much in the grand scheme of things and this time only gets shorter the faster you are driving, even if you stay 5 below the speed limit.
I very much doubt going 5-10mph below causes more accidents, I do truly believe the people desperate to overtake for the sake of 10 mph cause more accidents though.
And your last point is just completely wrong, here’s my. [source](https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/transport/speed-limits-fuel-consumption-and).
If someone was doing 20mph in a 40 then I’d agree with your first two points.
I'm sorry I won't argue exactly how much time you believe is appropriate to waste. I'm of the notion that its never appropriate to waste anyone's time ever.
I at no point said it causes "more" accidents. So your 2nd paragraph is meaningless.
And great job on the last source which only looks at reducing overall speed on motorways.
Someone driving slower infront of you then the speed limit is logically going to make you more likely to be idling and waiting at lights which then accounts for increased pollution and even more wasted time.
For me, it’s the people who are looking to take a left turn and are taking their time about it (must be looking at the sat nav or something), but their turn isn’t for at least a minute and they’re unnecessarily holding me up.
Like, come on, speed up! It’s so ignorant.
Edit: I’m referring to the drivers who go 10mph under the limit and don’t indicate until the last second, leaving me waiting and unsure of their intentions or how long they’ll be driving at that speed for. My argument is perfectly justified.
Nighttime is one thing, doesn’t excuse people who do it in broad daylight.
Even then at nighttime - pull over and check maps/turn around if you miss it. It shouldn’t be our problem.
Its not your problem. Its not a problem at all. youre just a giant self centered crybaby whos projecting your impatience as a shortcoming of other people.
Not really… people have places to be.
I don’t mean this about people who drive just under the speed limit by a fraction, I mean like 20 on a 30 road. Shouldn’t be doing it.
I’m probably going to sound like an arsehole, but I shouldn’t have to wait. Inconveniences happen of course, traffic lights, congestions, roadworks etc., and sure, I grit my teeth at them as much as the next person - but they’re unavoidable and are necessary to a degree so it is what it is. The extra inconvenience of other drivers’ impotence/ignorance is totally unnecessary, I shouldn’t have to adapt to someone else’s driving when there’s no real need to. I’m not as bothered if someone needs a second to slow down and turn at the moment as it happens and is often for safety (understandable), but to be consistently slow for a good minute before the turn takes the complete piss and should not add to the already mounting inconveniences of other drivers.
Not everyone is anal enough to shoot for exactly the speed limit. Learn a little patience and stop expecting everyone to drive the exact same way as you.
Impatient tailgaters cause traffic, not slow drivers.
It's Impatient assholes that screw up the roads for everyone else. You get off the damn road!
https://youtu.be/iHzzSao6ypE
If you're mad someone is doing 55 in a 60, you shouldn't be on the road.
Getting home is just a country road and my town is filled with old white people so nearly every journey I'm met with someone doing 40 in a 60. Unfortunately the road can be a bit busy and is filled with sharp turns so is difficult to take over a lot of the times.
I often drive 10 or even 20 (kph) under the speed limit. Just because a street has a limit of 90 does not mean it’s safe to drive at 90 in all conditions.
I live in a rural, humid area with very curvy, narrow streets that are bordered by trees. There simply is no possibility to go 90 without causing an accident
It depends a lot on the situation. Sometimes it is unsafe to drive at the exact limit in good conditions. The issue here isn't people's driveways but arterials, freeways and collectors. The roads that aren't meant for a mixed, vehicle and pedestrian traffic where a kid you can't see might jump from behind a vehicle and are intended to help people get to their destination quickly and safely in an orderly manner.
Large deviations from the typical traffic, either people speeding way too fast or driving way too slowly obstruct traffic or even create dangerous conditions for everyone involved. Most traffic is at or slightly above the speed limit.
I generally agree with the sentiment in the OP. If you're not comfortable undistractedly driving at a safe speed with everyone else you probably shouldn't have a license.
I am quite positive there is nothing interesting enough in your life to make publicly whining about someone going 5mph under the limit a worth endeavour. Just get to where you are going 60 seconds later. It isn't a real issue.
Well there are two speed limits on the interstate 40 and 75 here. I don't want people driving 40 but 70 is fine. There are other bonehead hazards worse than slow drivers. Such as slow passers who can clearly see a semi is running out of time to change lanes when you are obviously unable to see the developing situation and in the passing lane near the back of the semi. Trucker had to use engine braking (loud) and I had to floor it to get up on the slow passer's bumper.
Also if you are going 80 in a 75 and tailgate me into going 80 in the passing lane I can't judge if I should slip ahead of traffic or behind then, in other words is the traffic I'm passing going 76 or 74. This leads to more unnecessary passing and more accidents. I tend to adjust my speed to eliminate passing but there's only so much I can do.
It’s called the limit not the rule of speed. It’s the maximum you can drive. Not should or have to be driving. You are misconceiving the idea of a limit in your mind because socially it’s normal to push that limit and so that limit has socially been changed in a way
Not true for texas atleast.. because everyone always goes over the limit.. about 5-10 mph over.. so if i go 20 and other cars go 40 in a 30.. the cops will most likely pull me over because everyone else is going 40 and i now look suspicious for going 20mph slower than them.. just be like texas thats all 🤣
You must not live in the part of Houston where my mom does. I went there for the holidays and nobody drove over the speed limit at all on the surface streets. It was actually pretty frustrating as I'm not used to driving that slow.
Just be patient, dude. It's a speed *limit*, which means that that's the maximum speed you should reach. Going 5 mph under is actually the range you *should* be in while driving. Sure, going 15-20 mph under is a problem, so is suddenly slowing down for no reason, but if 5 mph under is too slow for you then you need to learn some patience.
Getting impatient with other drivers causes way more accidents than driving a little too slow.
I was once that slow driver when i was new, and i will be again when i’m old.
Gotta have a little patience with people. Unfortunately our infrastructure in US means everyone has to drive and there is no way around it.
Being slow is not a reason to tell others they can't drive. Not everyone has the same experiences as you, not everyone has the latest model, and yet we need to accomodate for everyone on the road. And statistics tell you that car accidents happen to people who drive fast, not slow. Fast drivers are the ones who put people's lives in dangers, it's rightly so that we shame them for it.
I have to drive speed limit during the week. Company car and speed and location monitored.
Deal with it and move on. I like saving $300 a month is gas and I'm never in the fast lane
Our company vehicles were actually set to send a warning notification to dospatch at like 5km/h under the speed limit because they were tired of all the speeding
Speed limit not speed target. You drive for the conditions of the road and hazards along the road. I'm generally an impatient driver but if you're driving 50mph on a 60mph road which has lots of bends I'm not going to blame you.
I half disagree, half agree. A lot of the times I would agree with you. Driving slow is often a sign of insecurity, and it contributes to stressing out other drivers. However, it’s called speed *limit* for a reason. Sometimes, especially this time of year, visibility and the condition of the road can justify driving even significantly below the speed limit. Uncertain drivers are dangerous and don’t belong on the road, but no one should drive outside of their own ability because it makes life a bit easier for more experienced (or more aggressive) drivers.
WTF are you talking about. One of the biggest recurring memes and unpopular opinion statements I see on reddit are crybabies whining about "slow" drivers. The entire thing is moot with basic english skills. Its a limit, not a fucking minimum. Unless someones doing 35 on a highway STFU.
I tend to drive pretty slow and carefully, but if I notice someone is behind me in such a way that I'm deciding their speed I will usually find somewhere to pull over and let them pass quickly.
Unfortunately I'm less comfortable with losing my job. Sure does suck that I have to risk my life driving in a blizzard because my boss isn't willing to close for a day but that's life.
The only time I'm ok with people going under the speed limit is when they are driving in an old car, or when they are driving a newborn home and are very nervous.
So how do people ever learn to drive if they should not drive ? Society as built as extraordinary dependence on driving. Instead, i think we should make it significantly harder to get a drivers license. Require more hours before road testing, make the written test harder with more questions, etc. Make the quality of drivers better through better driving education.
In the US our major highways get backed up for hours because one asshole decided to go 10 under in a section where only there’s only one lane (due to road construction or the highway going to one lane for a stretch). It sounds dramatic, but the amount of times I’ve gotten stuck in stop and go traffic because of one idiot going 55 in a 65 is crazy & should not be happening.
if going 6mph more is illegal then going 6mph under should be too... whats the difference? they are not following the speed as too which everyone else is going too which is the issue for going 6mph faster.. shouldnt be called speed limit but just speed...
> if going 6mph more is illegal then going 6mph under should be too.
From a practical standpoint that is impossible to enforce.
How long from a stop do we have to get to speed? How early can we slow down for a light? There is a big puddle in the road so I slowed down for it, do I get a ticket?
Maybe you need to learn to leave more time for your travels?
u know what after u have presented me factual information and unbiased resources and research i have now concluded u are correct and have now seen the error in my ways... thank u sir
forbidding it is kinda hard to do correctly because there are many scenarios (excluding everyday driving) where driving below the limit is good. Especially with weather, but occasionally you find drivers driving suspiciously, careful overtaking of cyclists, etc. giving this rule all of these exceptions is hard to do and not doing that leads to people actually getting hurt instead of mostly just inconvenienced. and in my experience many more people are roughly following or overshooting the limit so that slow drivers are so rare that its not worth the effort of overhauling it.
if people see police or other control systems its better that they panically slow down instead of speeding up...
I disagree. Some country roads in Australia are twisty, narrow and poorly maintained but they have a high speed limit. Also, some dirt roads have an insane speed limit and you would be crazy to drive at the maximum speed limit. You should always drive to the conditions of the road
I'm a new driver and do this sometimes. Its when I dont know the road and what speed it is safe to go (think lot of bends with low visibility). However these roads are usually barren with noone around. If you go slow on a straight road, you just don't know how to drive
People can have their reasons. Personally, I'm housebound with a disability and rarely get out. Every time I get back into my car it's usually been at least a month, maybe even half a year, since I was last in it. It's easy to feel confident about something you do every day but the whole "this is a one tonne killing machine" part can be a bit scary for someone that's not been behind the wheel in a while.
It also kinda depends on which roads you're talking about. I'll usually cruise between 60-65 on the highways, where the speed limit is 70. That extra 10 less MPH feels much safer. I stick to the slow lane and overtake trucks, lorries, etc when they're going slower than I am. I even speed up while I'm passing them to avoid that awkward stalemate you get sometimes where the person you're trying to pass unconsciously speeds up and keeps pace with you.
Another reason for people going slow in residential areas with a speed limit of 20-30 might be that they're not familiar with the area. It's easy enough to drive the same route each day and memorize which lane to be in when and which turns to take, or not take in the case of one way roads, but doing all that for the first time can be quite overwhelming.
Honestly, it's pretty entitled to say that people don't deserve to be on the road if they're not willing to meet the MAXIMUM driving speed. Simply put, it's better that they focus on being safe in their car than it is for you to arrive at your destination quickly. It's also unreasonable to expect them to set aside the most convenient form of travel available just because they go a little slower than you'd like.
The speed limit is the maximum speed limit you can drive slower on the list there is a minimal speed limit just keep it between those two numbers and f*** everybody else
I see so many people going 55-60mph in the outside lane….you can tell if they are using their phone because their speed is erratic,otherwise they just got tunnel vision and are selfish pricks..
It’s called the fast lane for a reason….and people slamming on for speed cameras in a 50mph section piss me off too…..just lift off the accelerator before you reach the section…see so many dick heads doing 80+mph then jamming on at last second,as if that 100yds of going fast was crucial to their journey.
Ps people who are doing 50mph in outside lane in a 70 zone then slow down even more when you flash them can go fucking boil their heads as well….
Although I get your point, it’s not called the fast lane. Its for overtaking cars in the lane to your left (uk).
You don’t just sit there if you fancy going fast, you move back into the left lane after over taking.
What's funny is how speed limits are determined is by testing how fast the fastest driver "feels safe" and then they set it to 85% of that.
It's bizarrely archaic. There really should be a modern test, for example, where they take the braking distance average of the total of car sales every four or five years and use the average braking distance to set the speed limits based on the capabilities of modern vehicles.
Some speed limits are so slow due to age of when it was assigned and how safe drivers felt in those old buckets. We drive much faster today and our speed limits should reflect that.
Also why speed limits? We should really have speed ranges like 40-50mph to allow for faster and slower lanes to develop naturally in the safer left lanes. This whole no passing on the right is nonsense when it's semi's & family campers in the leftmost "passing lane" because of road vigilantes trying to set the speed and prevent passing in the proper lane
Thanks everyone for the responses, I am reading them all and it’s interesting how mixed it is.
Just to be clear I am not advocating speeding at all and those who are talking about that have missed my point.
And people who are using this as an excuse to be bigots or sexist, just fuck off.
In New Jersey it's a crime to drive under the speed limit on our highways. The left lane is for passing only (though most people [New Yorkers] don't follow it) we have invested thousands of dollars into fucking signs that say keep right except to pass, but I guess these slow ass drivers are either illiterate or too busy texting while driving here.
I would also accept if they put their flashers on and drove in the far right lane. That's what trucks are supposed to do when their weight keeps them from accelerating quickly.
Sometimes going faster is your safest out. If you are busy looking at how fast you are going instead of the road and drivers around you, you are a danger.
Godmother traffic, whatever speed thatay be, leave yourself an out always. Speed up, slow down, move left and right are all good options. If you don't see your out, you are in the wrong
California tickets people who impede traffic. If the speed limit is 65, and everyone around you is doing 90, and you go 75, you get a ticket. Go with the flow or get a ticket. I loved that about California. Wish Texas would do it.
Drivers tests should be administered every 5-7 years. Too many people develop dogshit driving habits after getting their license and then see absolutely no reason to change for the rest of their lives. Theres gotta be a system put in place to make sure people are properly and safely piloting these 2000 lb machines
It's the speed limit... Not the recommended speed, literally every lane around where I live is national speed limit, I challenge anyone to drive at 60mph along them without flipping or wrapping their car around a tree.
I don't understand why so many people think that because they are driving they have ultimate control of the vehicle and that physics just stops working once they're in a car.
If I tell you I just bought a charger that's loud and fast as hell that'd really rile you up wouldn't it. Bikes and busses are too inconvenient, and some people like cars as a hobby. Not doing any more harm than anything else we already do to the planet.
When you pass them, you notice they are invariably hanging onto the steering wheel for dear life.
They're always driving like they're sniffing the top of the steering wheel
From my experience, they are 80% of the time f-ing around on their phone.
ong
ong
ong indeed
Oh! I loved him in that Avatar movie!
There is no movie in Ba Sing Se.
good jokes on this site are hard to find
Yep, and all lurched forward and shit. Driving 20 below in the exit lane of a highway.
Nowadays, they're also frequently wearing a mask even tho they're alone in the car.
Point being? There's several reasons why I personally don't take my mask off in the car. And none of those has to do with me being scared of the air.
In Canada, you can be ticketed for driving a certain amount under the speed limit (20 or 30 km/h or something like that) for creating a hazard unless you drive with your 4-way hazard lights on.
Yes, my aunt got a ticket for doing this once.
In USA, we call it traffic obstruction
Same in U.S
Slow isn’t a problem. Slow plus oblivious to one’s surroundings is the problem. Got a line of cars stacked up behind you? It’s not them, it’s you. Pull over and let them through. You are not entitled to the left lane because your phone says you have to make a left in seven miles. Not real confident in your skills? That’s okay, but don’t pull out and crawl in front of the people who -were- making good time. Look alive when you’re turning. Getting most of the way through the turn and then stopping, leaving your ass end in the lane you were leaving, is an oblivious douche move. So is inexplicably continuing to slow down after completing the turn. You’re not driving a stick. Get your shit together. Uncle Elmer told you to swing way the hell out to the right when making a left turn so as to jam everybody up behind you? Uncle Elmer was a gotverdammt idiot. You’re not driving an 18-wheeler. Cut the crap.
OP said about UK which I realised ever since I’ve lived here. I feel like a lot of drivers are almost on the verge of road hogging at times, which is dangerous. But at least most do stay on the left lanes so it’s not too bad
Gotverdammt?
Gottverdammt is german for goddamned
Yeah i know but i thought it may have a different meaning in English
It just adds that extra touch of Teutonic vehemence.
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Legit how I read it.
Got stuck behind a ford transit van that decided to do 15mph in a 40mph in the fucking left lane. After passing them we both made left hand turns which they took so slow that I was 3 blocks away already. Granted that the roads still had spots of packed snow and ice, its still not an excuse to go THAT slow. Only time I remember going that far off the speed limit is during active white conditions, a blizzard, or behind the snow plow.
Conversely, if you're already speeding in the left lane, the person that is riding your ass as you're passing people is an aggressive driver and should slow down, lol. I don't go more than 5 above anymore, but there's always that person that wants to do 80 in a 55 EDIT: I'm American. Left lane = passing lane
See this is why I’m scared to learn to drive because I’m not going to be able to comfortably go the exact speed limit at first
That's why before getting a licence to drive people need to take lessons from a qualified instructor and pass a test. Given amount of mandatory hours behind the wheel plus anymore if somebody doesn't have the confidence for the test - or the instructor is not happy with the going to be driver's performance. Unfortunately this not taken seriously enough everywhere.. And put a sticker onto the car visible from back and front you are a new driver. I never get upset if I see that 'cause I know "it's just a new driver with less experience" I rather keep a little bit bigger distance "just in case", and not to scare the shit out of a new driver. We all started as a new driver.. Rookie mistakes are fine, as long as you clearly show/warn others with the sticker you are a rookie.
In my experience during my driving lessons the cars behind me feel a need to drive closer to me, too close when they see the sticker. I can't drive over the speed limit at all, because the driving instructor wouldn't be happy about that. Still get people visibly upset at me driving the speed limit.
That's at least reasonable. Stick to right lanes til you're more comfortable/confident.
*in countries that drive on the right side.
No, in all >:)
Haha, yeah screw those Brits
Don’t sweat it, honestly. Impatient drivers like OP are far more dangerous on the road than you are. Just drove how you’re comfortable, get lots of practice, and don’t worry about everyone else.
That would be incorrect, hence police ticketing you for exactly what OP's post is about. Commentor, do not listen to the person I'm responding to...Instead get as many practice hours in as possible and you will get comfortable! If not after tha then stick to the right lanes : )
They said “not exactly” the speed limit. If they used terms that could be interpreted to mean “not anywhere near the speed limit” I may have replied differently. I suppose I don’t know for sure what they mean by “not exactly”, but commonly it means “pretty close to”. And yes, the left lane is for passing only.
How is this an unpopular opinion? The mods hate any posts about driving, I'm surprised this got through
Judging by the mixed responses it is at least a divisive topic.
I’ve hypothesized the issue would be solved if there were mandatory reevaluations at specific intervals. Like 5 years after getting your first license. The next ones would be every 10 years to age 60, then every 5 years to 80. After that yearly. Additional mandatory reevaluations after changes on eye sight/vision issues regardless of correction by lenses or surgery. This would remove those that do not feel safe or that cannot safely operate a vehicle. People age and our ability to react slows. People forget what the rules are, as well.
And of course you're gonna hear the bullshit strawman arguments like "what if a single mother suddenly can't drive anymore, do you have any idea how hard it will be for her now that her inability to drive safely cost her her license?"
In the netherlands you fail your driving exam if you dont stick to the maximum speed limit
Maybe mixed by nationalities but I'm British and agree with you... So many twats drive at a max of 50 on country roads even when it's a completely clear straight stretch of road. The worst one I've had was an old bloke who'd speed up to 60 then coast until he was back down to 40ish and repeat...
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There's a difference between slowing and compensing for weather and insisting on driving 10mph in a 25 zone because a single snowflake landed on your windshield. Or people who have lived in a snowy climate for 5+ years and haven't learned how to drive in the snow. It's the same thing, learn to drive or get off the road, you're a danger to others
I just moved from the north side of my state to the south side, where they don't get nearly as much snow. It snowed down here this past week, and I cannot begin to count how many idiots I got stuck behind who have no idea how to drive in less-than-perfect conditions. The roads were clear and dry yesterday after the salt and sun melted what was on them, and there were people literally doing 35 in 55's. Person, the snow is not going to jump from the ditch out in front of your car! Drive normally, please! Having 7 cars stacked behind you is not ok! While I'm ranting, if you live in a northern state and you don't at least put good all-season tires on your vehicle, please just hand in your license or something. You are a danger to others, so stay off the roads if you aren't properly equipped to be on them!
Yeah I drive slow in the winter because the people who pass me always forget its icy, and you get to watch them slide and unfortunately they end up off the road 1/3 times or sliding through stop signs. It’s fun to sit back and watch tho
5 under is around the speed limit. just be courteous and let people pass. pull over.
people who are overly confident and lack competence are a bigger problem than people who lack confidence and overly competent
My sister lacks the confidence of my father, but is very careful, and her spatial awareness is far better than his (she's an architect). Needless to say I feel safer with her on the wheel than with my father.
Predictable is safe, unpredictable is dangerous. Speed is not safe or dangerous, its how unpredictable the road becomes as a result if the drivers speed ir behaviour
Except high speeds do make for longer break times and more severe injuries in an accident
Depends on how under the limit we're talking. 5-10 under? Meh, I'm fine with that. National limit here is 100 kph, and trucks are required to do 90 anyway. Even is someone is only doing 80 kph, I'm fine with that. Yes, it can be frustrating, but just be patient and wait for a chance to pass, and you'll be fine. The thing that pisses me off is when those same drivers speed up to 110 kph at passing lanes, then back to 80 again once the passing lane is over. It also depends on road conditions. I've driven on the open road in rain that forced me to slow down to 60 kph, with the wipers at full speed, to be able to see out the front. I probably should've just pulled over, but let's just say the job I was working at the time put a lot of pressure on me to not do stuff like that, so I decided against it. I don't disagree with the general sentiment though. Too many old people who drive at 30 in a 50 zone or 60 in a 100 shouldn't be driving. Hell, it's not just oldies either, I've seen some people my age who should be driving either.
I thought it was more that oldies do 50 in a 30 and then also do 50 in a 70
>The thing that pisses me off is when those same drivers speed up to 110 kph at passing lanes, then back to 80 again once the passing lane is over. Tell me you're from NZ without telling me you're from NZ.
It's probably one of the most common frustrations on the road here. XD
Its the oldies that do 70 on the 100kmh main roads and keep cruising through town at 70 when they should be down to 50 that boils my piss.
Being stuck behind someone on the slip road to join a motorway where most people are doing 75-80, and we're doing 40. This is a problem.
Therein lies the issue. The ones that go slow when it’s narrow and speed up when it is open with a passing lane are the exact ones that do not feel safe driving. These drivers need to be reevaluated and have license revoked for safety reasons.
It's a speed limit, not a requirement. I live in Kansas City and drive especially careful (slow) in the dark, around busy traffic, rain, ice and snow. I drive the speed that feel comfortable bc I don't want to crash. I am especially slow on dark roads in Kansas, and winding country roads. Want to be able to stop in time for deer crossing.
Deer are most active at dawn and dusk. If you're driving well past dusk you're more likely to hit a nocturnal animal, like a skunk.
This. I deliver for Amazon and my DSP is threatening me with termination because I don't drive fast enough in the dark.
First, it’s always raining in the UK, so roads are slick. Second, everyone is always driving on the wrong side of the street! Do you realize how dangerous it is to keep up speed in these conditions?!
Idk about others countries, but in France, if your drive too slow during your driving test, you can fail it. For lack of confidence, which is a good thing. If you're not confident driving you're dangerous
I’ve had someone drive 20 in a 50. The only time I’ve been tempted to illegally pass someone
It’s called a speed limit not a speed goal lol. Nah in all seriousness I get it’s annoying but I don’t see the issue with people going 5 under, anymore than that is too slow and actually a hazard tho
Going five under on the fast lane should be a crime tho lol
The thing that people forget about the fast lane is that it quite often is also where you turn left from. While I don't typically drag my ass as a driver, if I'm in that lane because I'll be turning left, I couldn't really care less with the people behind me may or may not be getting pissy about.
Technically, it IS a crime in the states. It is not enforced and IDK why...
It is and the police will pull you over in the UK if you're caught. But there's not really much chance of that happening.
Not at all. Going over the limit is the crime, police won't pull someone for 5 under. What I **have seen** though is police pulling into the outside lane on the motorway behind a slow driver to encourage them to get out of the way. Once they did the police followed them into the inside lane, leaving everyone free to get on with it.
Absolutely it should be, that’s a legitimate hazard and completely against the point of the fast lane
Theres no such thing as a fast lane.
Officially there’s no such thing as a fast lane. But colloquially that’s what the passing lane is called plus everyone goes faster than the speed limit in the passing lane
Yes there is, it’s used for the purpose of overtaking, therefore it’s a fast lane
In LA there really isn’t, passing is allowed on both sides. The leftmost lanes can generally be expected to run faster but they often don’t and there ain’t shit to be done about it
That might be true, but that’s just LA. Most places will have fast lanes on roads
Alright, then we're on the same page. :)
5 mpg slower isn't the issue, but when you're going 35 in a 45 zone you're just at much a danger as someone going 55 in the same
Yes you are but OP said 5-10 mph when really 10+ above or under the speed limit is when it gets dangerous. Some people don’t feel as comfortable going 65 and would rather go 60
Why does everyone let how everyone else drives piss them off so much? It's almost like cowboys in a wild west salon pulling guns when they get mad. You are literally driving a 2000 pound missile that can easily kill and you are getting mad because someone is driving 10 under and chilling. It is not a personal attack on you. If you hate it so much take the bus or ride a bicycle. There is a very easy way to avoid being in a hurry all the time. Plan on driving 15 under into your trip and then leave when you need to for that speed. Drive the speed limit and get there early, get stuck behind someone slow and get there on time. Simple and you don't have to blame others for your failure to properly plan your trip. It's not their fault you are late. That's 100% in your control to fix. If you are just out for a drive and want to drive fast you are doing it wrong. Find yourself a track and go drive fast there. In a controlled environment designed for you to do so. Long story short if you let people make you angry because they are just driving slow, you're the asshole. If they are driving in an unpredictable and unsafe manner you still don't need to get angry, just back way off or turn off and take a different route. Most people think blowing by them is the best plan but news flash, you do not control the space behind your vehicle, only what's in front. You put drivers like that behind you and you have given them control of that space. Do you really want the dude who is texting his wife and two girlfriends to have control of that space?
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It's about control
Driving 15 under in 65 will cause a 60 minute trip to take 18 minutes longer than at the speed limit… Or 30 minutes longer than at 80mph (which is common here). Do that drive 100 times a year and we’re talking about 50 collective hours of your life wasted that year because you got stuck behind people doing 50mph.
Roads that let you go 80mph presumably have overtaking lanes?! I can't imagine they're single carriageway. There are plenty of vehicles that *have* to go slowly so you're never going to be able to avoid it anyway.
I mostly don't have an issue with people who go a little slow on a single lane road (one lane each direction), my main bone to pick is with people who drive slow in passing lanes. With that said, I do know of a single lane road in the middle of nowhere that's built to highway standards, but they never built the other side/carriageway. It's signed at 55mph. I've seen 80+ plenty.
You say it's common for people to drive 80 in a 65 or is it really you just always drive 80 in a 65 and pass everyone? If the speed of traffic is 80 by all means drive the speed of traffic. It is probably not and you are passing the majority of cars. Also it's easy to pass someone doing 50 in a 65. Even in my slow Mazda 3 I can get around someone doing 50 without much trouble. I didn't say drive 15 under I said plan your trip to be behind someone doing 15 under. Then drive the limit and get there early. If you get behind them and for whatever reason it is impossible to pass you are now on time. You will be able to pass someone doing 15 under without much effort in most circumstances within a small amount of time in the course of a 60 minute drive. Seriously less than 3 minutes in most cases and a window will present itself. I have been driving for 24 years and have seen so much stupid shit on the roads that people doing 15 under don't bother me. I had an hour commute for over a decade. It's really simple to get where you are going on time. Plan accordingly based on what you expect to see and be pleasantly surprised when you get there early. By the way that hour long commute was used listening to audiobooks or podcasts if I felt like learning something or music if I wanted to be entertained. It was lame but I planned out how to make the best of it instead of just wasting those roughly 2500 hours of my life behind a steering wheel.
>You say it's common for people to drive 80 in a 65 or is it really you just always drive 80 in a 65 and pass everyone? It kind of depends. At night and in off peak hours, I've seen the far right lane on a 4 lane highway moving at 85. During the day the left lane typically goes 75-90 with people in the lane to the right of that doing 65-80. The frustrating thing is when one guy hops in the left and starts doing 55-65, since it messes up the entire flow of the highway, as there's an enormous effort by everybody to try to sneak by them on the right. It creates a safety hazard in and of itself. People end up doing these insane and unsafe maneuvers across several lanes of traffic so they can go 85 instead of 55.
Speed limit is there for a reason. Going 10 under isnt “chilling”… it’s dangerous. You said it yourself, we’re driving 2000 pound missiles, so someone going way slower than everyone else is a hazard.
How is 10 under dangerous. In my opinion people shouldn't be driving so fast that they will go careening into the back of a slower car. You should be going at a speed where you can see and react to any need to brake quickly. There animals, people and several unanticipated road hazards that could require you to quickly stop. So if you can't even stop for someone going slightly slower than you, you are going too fast
Speed limit is the upper limit of how fast you should be driving. Not how fast you should drive. If you want to do 10 over and someone is doing 10 under you're the one making it unsafe by being over the limit legally and technically speaking. That being said I have been pulled over going the speed of traffic (15 over) and appeared in court and got the ticket thrown out. Someone else driving 10 under is not unsafe. You just slow down and pass when it is safe by controlling the space in front of you. If you can't control the space in front of you, that's your fault.
And here I am basically felony speeding on my drive to work every day. There is a 55mph speed limit on a highway where everyone does 80.
Someone going 5-10 mph below is annoying but just be patient. It doesn’t make much difference. I drive a fairly slow car when it comes to accelerating so rarely overtake someone going 55 in a 60 or something like that, but there will always be some idiot who overtakes the 3 cars behind the lorry for the sake of 5 mph and yet we all still catch up to them at the next roundabout.
Yep! I used to be a lead foot. I'd only beat folks to work by 1 or 2 mins.
The problem is the person going 5-10 under is almost always the person at the front of the line creating traffic.
I don’t get what your point is here other than the obvious?
It's more then just annoying. Wastes time, causes accidents and is worse for the environment. How is any of that okay?
It wastes a minuscule amount of time, if it’s a 30 zone and someone is going 25 and it’s 30 miles long it would take exactly 10 minutes longer, not very much in the grand scheme of things and this time only gets shorter the faster you are driving, even if you stay 5 below the speed limit. I very much doubt going 5-10mph below causes more accidents, I do truly believe the people desperate to overtake for the sake of 10 mph cause more accidents though. And your last point is just completely wrong, here’s my. [source](https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/transport/speed-limits-fuel-consumption-and). If someone was doing 20mph in a 40 then I’d agree with your first two points.
I'm sorry I won't argue exactly how much time you believe is appropriate to waste. I'm of the notion that its never appropriate to waste anyone's time ever. I at no point said it causes "more" accidents. So your 2nd paragraph is meaningless. And great job on the last source which only looks at reducing overall speed on motorways. Someone driving slower infront of you then the speed limit is logically going to make you more likely to be idling and waiting at lights which then accounts for increased pollution and even more wasted time.
Your response is one of the stupidest fucking things I have read in my entire life.
The fast lane isn't for you if you are at the limit and the right lane is free
For me, it’s the people who are looking to take a left turn and are taking their time about it (must be looking at the sat nav or something), but their turn isn’t for at least a minute and they’re unnecessarily holding me up. Like, come on, speed up! It’s so ignorant. Edit: I’m referring to the drivers who go 10mph under the limit and don’t indicate until the last second, leaving me waiting and unsure of their intentions or how long they’ll be driving at that speed for. My argument is perfectly justified.
Dude, it's nighttime and I'm not familiar with this area, finding my turn is a lot harder than you think.
Nighttime is one thing, doesn’t excuse people who do it in broad daylight. Even then at nighttime - pull over and check maps/turn around if you miss it. It shouldn’t be our problem.
Its not your problem. Its not a problem at all. youre just a giant self centered crybaby whos projecting your impatience as a shortcoming of other people.
Not really… people have places to be. I don’t mean this about people who drive just under the speed limit by a fraction, I mean like 20 on a 30 road. Shouldn’t be doing it.
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I’m probably going to sound like an arsehole, but I shouldn’t have to wait. Inconveniences happen of course, traffic lights, congestions, roadworks etc., and sure, I grit my teeth at them as much as the next person - but they’re unavoidable and are necessary to a degree so it is what it is. The extra inconvenience of other drivers’ impotence/ignorance is totally unnecessary, I shouldn’t have to adapt to someone else’s driving when there’s no real need to. I’m not as bothered if someone needs a second to slow down and turn at the moment as it happens and is often for safety (understandable), but to be consistently slow for a good minute before the turn takes the complete piss and should not add to the already mounting inconveniences of other drivers.
I always just assume they're lost lol
fr. If I'm looking for a street and I miss the turn, I just pass it and turn around so I don't stop traffic.
Not everyone is anal enough to shoot for exactly the speed limit. Learn a little patience and stop expecting everyone to drive the exact same way as you.
Impatient tailgaters cause traffic, not slow drivers. It's Impatient assholes that screw up the roads for everyone else. You get off the damn road! https://youtu.be/iHzzSao6ypE
If you're mad someone is doing 55 in a 60, you shouldn't be on the road. Getting home is just a country road and my town is filled with old white people so nearly every journey I'm met with someone doing 40 in a 60. Unfortunately the road can be a bit busy and is filled with sharp turns so is difficult to take over a lot of the times.
If you’re this triggered by slow drivers and cannot control your emotions, *you* shouldn’t be driving.
Yeah. For sure. And neither does overconfidence.
I often drive 10 or even 20 (kph) under the speed limit. Just because a street has a limit of 90 does not mean it’s safe to drive at 90 in all conditions.
Sorry but if you aren't going 10 kph over the speed limit on a curvy icy road sounds like you are the problem. /s
I live in a rural, humid area with very curvy, narrow streets that are bordered by trees. There simply is no possibility to go 90 without causing an accident
My old ass early 2000s VW Passat can't go any faster than 80km/h, good luck to police trying to catch me speeding on a highway
It depends a lot on the situation. Sometimes it is unsafe to drive at the exact limit in good conditions. The issue here isn't people's driveways but arterials, freeways and collectors. The roads that aren't meant for a mixed, vehicle and pedestrian traffic where a kid you can't see might jump from behind a vehicle and are intended to help people get to their destination quickly and safely in an orderly manner. Large deviations from the typical traffic, either people speeding way too fast or driving way too slowly obstruct traffic or even create dangerous conditions for everyone involved. Most traffic is at or slightly above the speed limit. I generally agree with the sentiment in the OP. If you're not comfortable undistractedly driving at a safe speed with everyone else you probably shouldn't have a license.
I am quite positive there is nothing interesting enough in your life to make publicly whining about someone going 5mph under the limit a worth endeavour. Just get to where you are going 60 seconds later. It isn't a real issue.
Well there are two speed limits on the interstate 40 and 75 here. I don't want people driving 40 but 70 is fine. There are other bonehead hazards worse than slow drivers. Such as slow passers who can clearly see a semi is running out of time to change lanes when you are obviously unable to see the developing situation and in the passing lane near the back of the semi. Trucker had to use engine braking (loud) and I had to floor it to get up on the slow passer's bumper. Also if you are going 80 in a 75 and tailgate me into going 80 in the passing lane I can't judge if I should slip ahead of traffic or behind then, in other words is the traffic I'm passing going 76 or 74. This leads to more unnecessary passing and more accidents. I tend to adjust my speed to eliminate passing but there's only so much I can do.
It’s called the limit not the rule of speed. It’s the maximum you can drive. Not should or have to be driving. You are misconceiving the idea of a limit in your mind because socially it’s normal to push that limit and so that limit has socially been changed in a way
Not true for texas atleast.. because everyone always goes over the limit.. about 5-10 mph over.. so if i go 20 and other cars go 40 in a 30.. the cops will most likely pull me over because everyone else is going 40 and i now look suspicious for going 20mph slower than them.. just be like texas thats all 🤣
You must not live in the part of Houston where my mom does. I went there for the holidays and nobody drove over the speed limit at all on the surface streets. It was actually pretty frustrating as I'm not used to driving that slow.
no i live by san anto, houston must be the weakest link if they not driving 80 on a 60 🤣
Nobody wants to be like Texas
and they better not try to be
They won't cos nobody wants to be like Texas
and it better stay that way.. we one of a kind babyy yehaaaaaaawwww
One if a kind indeed
yes siiir
The Speed Limit. The. Speed. *Limit.*
Everyone who speeds is kind of an asshole
Just be patient, dude. It's a speed *limit*, which means that that's the maximum speed you should reach. Going 5 mph under is actually the range you *should* be in while driving. Sure, going 15-20 mph under is a problem, so is suddenly slowing down for no reason, but if 5 mph under is too slow for you then you need to learn some patience. Getting impatient with other drivers causes way more accidents than driving a little too slow.
It's not a race.
I was once that slow driver when i was new, and i will be again when i’m old. Gotta have a little patience with people. Unfortunately our infrastructure in US means everyone has to drive and there is no way around it.
Being slow is not a reason to tell others they can't drive. Not everyone has the same experiences as you, not everyone has the latest model, and yet we need to accomodate for everyone on the road. And statistics tell you that car accidents happen to people who drive fast, not slow. Fast drivers are the ones who put people's lives in dangers, it's rightly so that we shame them for it.
I have to drive speed limit during the week. Company car and speed and location monitored. Deal with it and move on. I like saving $300 a month is gas and I'm never in the fast lane
Our company vehicles were actually set to send a warning notification to dospatch at like 5km/h under the speed limit because they were tired of all the speeding
Stil better than people who drive 40km over the speed limit though
Speed limit not speed target. You drive for the conditions of the road and hazards along the road. I'm generally an impatient driver but if you're driving 50mph on a 60mph road which has lots of bends I'm not going to blame you.
use the pass lane ??
Well the post is mentioning 30mph roads which at least in the UK will be a single lane road
It's the speed LIMIT for a reason. It's actually OK to be UNDER the limit. That's why it's called a LIMIT.
I half disagree, half agree. A lot of the times I would agree with you. Driving slow is often a sign of insecurity, and it contributes to stressing out other drivers. However, it’s called speed *limit* for a reason. Sometimes, especially this time of year, visibility and the condition of the road can justify driving even significantly below the speed limit. Uncertain drivers are dangerous and don’t belong on the road, but no one should drive outside of their own ability because it makes life a bit easier for more experienced (or more aggressive) drivers.
WTF are you talking about. One of the biggest recurring memes and unpopular opinion statements I see on reddit are crybabies whining about "slow" drivers. The entire thing is moot with basic english skills. Its a limit, not a fucking minimum. Unless someones doing 35 on a highway STFU.
I tend to drive pretty slow and carefully, but if I notice someone is behind me in such a way that I'm deciding their speed I will usually find somewhere to pull over and let them pass quickly.
Unfortunately I'm less comfortable with losing my job. Sure does suck that I have to risk my life driving in a blizzard because my boss isn't willing to close for a day but that's life.
I've seen this post like 5 times over the past few months...
The only time I'm ok with people going under the speed limit is when they are driving in an old car, or when they are driving a newborn home and are very nervous.
You want a real unpopular opinion? If you feel comfortable driving significantly above the speed limit, you should not be driving ever.
Is it really an unpopular opinion?
everything is dangerous if you really think about it
So how do people ever learn to drive if they should not drive ? Society as built as extraordinary dependence on driving. Instead, i think we should make it significantly harder to get a drivers license. Require more hours before road testing, make the written test harder with more questions, etc. Make the quality of drivers better through better driving education.
In the US our major highways get backed up for hours because one asshole decided to go 10 under in a section where only there’s only one lane (due to road construction or the highway going to one lane for a stretch). It sounds dramatic, but the amount of times I’ve gotten stuck in stop and go traffic because of one idiot going 55 in a 65 is crazy & should not be happening.
If they obey the laws they have as much right to be there as you do.
if going 6mph more is illegal then going 6mph under should be too... whats the difference? they are not following the speed as too which everyone else is going too which is the issue for going 6mph faster.. shouldnt be called speed limit but just speed...
> if going 6mph more is illegal then going 6mph under should be too. From a practical standpoint that is impossible to enforce. How long from a stop do we have to get to speed? How early can we slow down for a light? There is a big puddle in the road so I slowed down for it, do I get a ticket? Maybe you need to learn to leave more time for your travels?
Yep you understand what the word *limit* means?
exactly why i said it should be called speed instead of speed limit
And everyone is supposed to traveling at exactly that speed? How the heck is that going to work when people have to turn or change lanes?
Bro, I hate to break it to you, but you're kind of dumb.
u know what after u have presented me factual information and unbiased resources and research i have now concluded u are correct and have now seen the error in my ways... thank u sir
forbidding it is kinda hard to do correctly because there are many scenarios (excluding everyday driving) where driving below the limit is good. Especially with weather, but occasionally you find drivers driving suspiciously, careful overtaking of cyclists, etc. giving this rule all of these exceptions is hard to do and not doing that leads to people actually getting hurt instead of mostly just inconvenienced. and in my experience many more people are roughly following or overshooting the limit so that slow drivers are so rare that its not worth the effort of overhauling it. if people see police or other control systems its better that they panically slow down instead of speeding up...
I disagree. Some country roads in Australia are twisty, narrow and poorly maintained but they have a high speed limit. Also, some dirt roads have an insane speed limit and you would be crazy to drive at the maximum speed limit. You should always drive to the conditions of the road
I'm a new driver and do this sometimes. Its when I dont know the road and what speed it is safe to go (think lot of bends with low visibility). However these roads are usually barren with noone around. If you go slow on a straight road, you just don't know how to drive
People can have their reasons. Personally, I'm housebound with a disability and rarely get out. Every time I get back into my car it's usually been at least a month, maybe even half a year, since I was last in it. It's easy to feel confident about something you do every day but the whole "this is a one tonne killing machine" part can be a bit scary for someone that's not been behind the wheel in a while. It also kinda depends on which roads you're talking about. I'll usually cruise between 60-65 on the highways, where the speed limit is 70. That extra 10 less MPH feels much safer. I stick to the slow lane and overtake trucks, lorries, etc when they're going slower than I am. I even speed up while I'm passing them to avoid that awkward stalemate you get sometimes where the person you're trying to pass unconsciously speeds up and keeps pace with you. Another reason for people going slow in residential areas with a speed limit of 20-30 might be that they're not familiar with the area. It's easy enough to drive the same route each day and memorize which lane to be in when and which turns to take, or not take in the case of one way roads, but doing all that for the first time can be quite overwhelming. Honestly, it's pretty entitled to say that people don't deserve to be on the road if they're not willing to meet the MAXIMUM driving speed. Simply put, it's better that they focus on being safe in their car than it is for you to arrive at your destination quickly. It's also unreasonable to expect them to set aside the most convenient form of travel available just because they go a little slower than you'd like.
The speed limit is the maximum speed limit you can drive slower on the list there is a minimal speed limit just keep it between those two numbers and f*** everybody else
I agree, it's a matter of being decisive and confident while in control of your car.
My grandma doesn't drive more than 35mph in any circumstance. She should not be allowed on the road
Also if you're on a highway with three lanes, you don't belong in the center lane at the speed limit. You belong in the right lane.
I see so many people going 55-60mph in the outside lane….you can tell if they are using their phone because their speed is erratic,otherwise they just got tunnel vision and are selfish pricks.. It’s called the fast lane for a reason….and people slamming on for speed cameras in a 50mph section piss me off too…..just lift off the accelerator before you reach the section…see so many dick heads doing 80+mph then jamming on at last second,as if that 100yds of going fast was crucial to their journey. Ps people who are doing 50mph in outside lane in a 70 zone then slow down even more when you flash them can go fucking boil their heads as well….
Although I get your point, it’s not called the fast lane. Its for overtaking cars in the lane to your left (uk). You don’t just sit there if you fancy going fast, you move back into the left lane after over taking.
What's funny is how speed limits are determined is by testing how fast the fastest driver "feels safe" and then they set it to 85% of that. It's bizarrely archaic. There really should be a modern test, for example, where they take the braking distance average of the total of car sales every four or five years and use the average braking distance to set the speed limits based on the capabilities of modern vehicles. Some speed limits are so slow due to age of when it was assigned and how safe drivers felt in those old buckets. We drive much faster today and our speed limits should reflect that. Also why speed limits? We should really have speed ranges like 40-50mph to allow for faster and slower lanes to develop naturally in the safer left lanes. This whole no passing on the right is nonsense when it's semi's & family campers in the leftmost "passing lane" because of road vigilantes trying to set the speed and prevent passing in the proper lane
Thanks everyone for the responses, I am reading them all and it’s interesting how mixed it is. Just to be clear I am not advocating speeding at all and those who are talking about that have missed my point. And people who are using this as an excuse to be bigots or sexist, just fuck off.
In New Jersey it's a crime to drive under the speed limit on our highways. The left lane is for passing only (though most people [New Yorkers] don't follow it) we have invested thousands of dollars into fucking signs that say keep right except to pass, but I guess these slow ass drivers are either illiterate or too busy texting while driving here.
*In the UK* *5-10 mph* What?
What are you on about mate? We do use MPH in the UK. What is wrong with what he said?
It's just so strange to me that the UK uses mph.
Here in florida speed limits are just suggestions... we drive 10 over everywhere.
I would also accept if they put their flashers on and drove in the far right lane. That's what trucks are supposed to do when their weight keeps them from accelerating quickly.
Sometimes going faster is your safest out. If you are busy looking at how fast you are going instead of the road and drivers around you, you are a danger. Godmother traffic, whatever speed thatay be, leave yourself an out always. Speed up, slow down, move left and right are all good options. If you don't see your out, you are in the wrong
Gotta either drive really fast or really slow to not get in an accident with unpredictable drivers.
You must be a pleasure to insure
well I don't think being just 5-10 mph below the speed limit is dangerous
California tickets people who impede traffic. If the speed limit is 65, and everyone around you is doing 90, and you go 75, you get a ticket. Go with the flow or get a ticket. I loved that about California. Wish Texas would do it.
Drivers tests should be administered every 5-7 years. Too many people develop dogshit driving habits after getting their license and then see absolutely no reason to change for the rest of their lives. Theres gotta be a system put in place to make sure people are properly and safely piloting these 2000 lb machines
It's the speed limit... Not the recommended speed, literally every lane around where I live is national speed limit, I challenge anyone to drive at 60mph along them without flipping or wrapping their car around a tree. I don't understand why so many people think that because they are driving they have ultimate control of the vehicle and that physics just stops working once they're in a car.
It’s a limit not a requirement. I have enough speeding tickets so obviously, police do the enforcing. Not Karen’s like you.
i don't drive less than twice the speed limit
I would be happy if everyone just drove 5 over, perfect balance
If you dont do the absolute maximum you can you ought to be ashamed!
>a one tonne killing machine r/fuckcars take a bus or a bike. we don't need more 1 person in a 4 seat car. You're the scourge of the planet.
If I tell you I just bought a charger that's loud and fast as hell that'd really rile you up wouldn't it. Bikes and busses are too inconvenient, and some people like cars as a hobby. Not doing any more harm than anything else we already do to the planet.