I'm just wondering why some people resolutely drive 10km/hr below speed limit.
The ones I have seen are not scared of speed, as they go from doing 50 in a 60 zone, to 85 in a 100 zone.
I understand that the limit is only the maximum limit, but I am still curious.
or poor driver ability.
I can't see how driving under the speed limit translate to poor driver ability.
With your opinion, I can see it translates to YOUR ignorance, however. (yes I understand speaking the truth will draw negatives, and so be it)
I can understand it can be quite annoying when you're behind someone driving under the speed limit when you're in a rush. But unfortunately you don't own the road. You can overtake the person when it's safe to, but it would be at your risk.
There's been plenty of cases when I drive at it slightly above the speed limits yet still gets border line gated. It's ridiculous.
There is no obligation to, but sometimes i'd pull over to let the guy/gal pass me.
@berry580 Agree with you.
It's called a speed limit, upper limit, right? Wonder why so many people think everyone needs to drive at the maximum permitted speed?
Maybe because there are so many frustrated people driving around, always eager to get to places the quickest way.
It is when both lanes are going 10k under the limit - side by side
I can't see how driving under the speed limit translate to poor driver ability.
its not that complicated. if someone isnt a confident driver they might drive slow to be more cautious, give themselves more time to react, and avoid going beyond their ability to control the car. just like how everyone drives slower in the rain, but some people always drive like that
in fact if someone isnt good at driving, or isnt confident, then they SHOULD be driving slow. its a good thing. because the alternative is driving faster than they can handle and having a high risk of an accident. its why L and P platers have lower speed limits
i dont know why you would need to call someone ignorant for bringing it up as a potential reason
@crentist:
The person didn't bring it up as a potential reason, it was brought up as 'the reason', there is a difference.
If that's the only reason the person is able to come up with, I stand by the comment that s/he is ignorant, however harsh the comment may sound.
We live in a society where people do the same thing for different reasons.
Just food for thought.
But unfortunately you don't own the road.
Precisely.
The road is shared, and the majority of people fail to understand this.
However, this also applies to users who drive slowly. If you wish to drive slowly (but still at a reasonable speed, too slow is blatantly dangerous) do so in the left lane. Avoid blocking traffic from passing.
Driving slowly can also make the roads more dangerous for several reasons. First, having a bunch of cars doing different speeds (below or above the limit) is dangerous. It causes people to change lanes frequently, and reduces predictability. Furthermore, driving slowly can frustrate other users. Is their frustration justified? No. But we know for a fact that other users can become frustrated. And when someone is annoyed and frustrated their sense of rationality goes out the window. They may speed up and maneuver dangerously to overtake, they may start tailgating etc. Under no circumstances do i condone these actions in response to a slow driver. But we need to acknowledge that driving slowly can indirectly make the roads more dangerous. So, if you're driving slowly - be aware of it. Stay in the left lane, avoid blocking traffic, allow cars to safely pass you if possible.
There's a bunch of people being downvoted here for saying driving slowly is dangerous, but it is.
Driving safely is all about being able to predict what's going on around you, and adjusting to that to ensure a smooth flow. If you're doing 10+ kph under the speed limit, in clear conditions, with no other reason for going slowly that's unexpected to me and any other car on the road, making it harder to drive smoothly and to predict what the hell you're up to.
Drive the speed limit unless you have a good reason not to do so. Otherwise you're just as dangerous as someone speeding.
If you sit for your probationary license and the examiner catches you driving 10km below the speed limit for a prolonged time, and if conditions are clear with no good reason to drive slow, they can fail you.
Studies show that risk of accidents increase when people drive too slow, I anticipate exponentially
https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa15/2015/09/18/is-driving-faster-ā¦
People driving slowly/cautiously in the left lane is one thing, people driving slowly while being distracted by passengers, talking on the phone, not keeping to their lanes, texting, or doing anything apart from concentrating on driving is a whole other issue
The main gripe people have is that others drive slowly without considering those around them who have places to be at. I think it's just mutual respect required for both parties
Studies show that risk of accidents increase when people drive too slow, I anticipate exponentially
https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa15/2015/09/18/is-driving-faster-ā¦
With those anticipation skills you shouldn't drive.
The person didn't bring it up as a potential reason, it was brought up as 'the reason', there is a difference.
Not true.
Do you know what "or" means? š
@Krizy: one could also then argue "people with such a low confidence or driving skills, they shouldn't drive".
Yep old people always drive really slow, can be annoying at times.
I think always allowing sufficient space to stop in an emergency is common road sense.
If they aren't safe to drive fast, then slow is the sensible option.
Because, carrying something fragile in the car.
Baby, new TV, bag of fish from the local aquarium etc. I'd drive a little slower if going around a bend or road was a little bumpy.
User name checks out
Driving too slow is a hazard and driver can get a fine for that (generally).
IMO, 10km below the speed limit is not 'too slow' and I could accept that most of the time.
PS: 85 in a 100 zone is a little bit slow but it depends on the road conditions + other factors. Generally those drivers should stay on the left lane….
Correct, it's drive to the conditions, not the speed limit. And conditions means all conditions, not just the condition of the road.
While that is true, I'd like to hear from anyone who has gotten a fine for going too slow.
I'd like to see more people getting fined for not keeping to the left though, its a bigger problem than someone doing 15kph below the limit.
Dude, watch highway patrol.
I'd like to hear from anyone who has been fined for tailgating!
Very dangerous on the freeway, if you try to overtake onto the left lane, imagine if someone was changing a tyre on a freeway, your usally on the left lane emergency lane. If your already on the left you can easily see it. If your on the right and You go onto the left to overtake and bam you hit them. sometimes you cant see them as they are 200 metres infront and if your going 90 you only have a few seconds to react.
Drive 15km/h below the speed limit if you like just STAY OUT OF THE RIGHT HAND LANE YOU INCONSIDERATE BASTARDS
It sounds harsh but sometimes these people really have no idea what is going on around them. I find giving them a quick flash of the high beams gets the message across when needed and they move across to let others overtake. Would NOT get away with sitting in the overtaking lane like that driving through Europe.
People have no idea, when you have to undertake a car sitting in the right lane doing 100km/h in a 110 it is dangerous. They wouldn't move even after constantly flashing high beams… Some people shouldn't be allowed on the road lol
And then there are those who still want you to go FASTER even if you are doing 110 or even 120, whilst passing another vehicle. I'm sick to death of the "me first me first" mentality.
Quote from my wife:-
"everyone drives like zombies in this country" and I have to agree
FYI, high beam flash is actually illegal from what I read, I think coppers can pull you over for that.
What if both lanes are congested and we all are 15kmh under the speed limit?
Lack of confidence, not sure where they're going, combined with a "I don't care about anyone else" attitude.
If you're not a confident driver, you should not be driving at all. Drivers who drive slowly, hesitate in lane changes etc are the biggest hazard on the road.
haha, thats funny.. how else you think a not-so-confident driver will become a confident driver? Weren't you a not-so-confident driver once?
Probably by taking lessons, accruing 120+ hours of experience and passing a test.
Well, that's how I got confident but maybe I'm just old fashioned.
Yeah, when I was learning, I had a special "Learners" license and everything. Weird huh.
And where do you get that? In your driveway?
No, you get it on the roads under the supervision of a fully licensed driver.
On regular roads, with a licenced driver supervising? You know, by following the rules that are in place in order to get a licence?
Drivers who drive slowly, hesitate in lane changes etc are the biggest hazard on the road.
Really ………. so all that stuff about excessive speeding, DUI, passing on bends and hills, is just bullshit?
Well they didn't say they're the only, just the biggest and I kind of agree to a certain extent.
From personal experience, those that drive slowly and hesitate to change lanes when needed to have very erratic movements when they do decide to change lanes.
Drivers who drive slowly, hesitate in lane changes etc are the biggest hazard on the road.
MUARC study of 340 casualty crashes in VIC and NSW 2000-2011
13.5% Intoxication
11.8% Fell asleep
10.9% Fatigued
3.2% Failed to look
3.2% Passenger interaction
2.6% Felt ill
2.6% Blacked out
1.8% Feeling stressed
1.5% Looked but failed to see
1.4% Animal or insect in vehicle
0.9% Using a mobile phone
0.9% Changing CD/cassette/radio
0.9% Adjusting vehicle systems
0.9% Looking at vehicle systems
0.3% Searching for object
source: http://www.keepyoureyesontheroad.org.au/pages/Accident-statiā¦
Notably absent from the list: driving too slowly.
Fatigue appears to be the biggest hazard. (combining #2 & #3 on the list)
Nice one!
Haha at:
1.8% Feeling stressed
1.4% Animal or insect in vehicle
Drilling down, 1.3% of 1.4% were huntsmen spiders crawling across the windscreen. :p
This would probably be higher now:
0.9% Using a mobile phone
That's only 56.4% so I don't think you can reach that conclusion.
Notably absent from the list: driving too slowly
but
11.8% Fell asleep
The above 11.8% are those who were stuck behind slow drivers!
lol yeah but just because they're not in the accident does not mean they can't be the cause.
I wonder how many actually caused by a a sex act? would that come under passenger interaction or searching for object?
Notably absent: speeding
I wonder how many actually caused by a a sex act?
The life-changing accidents caused by the above will appear 9 months later.
I wonder if "kids" are included in the animal/insect in vehicle category or the "passenger" category. Seems like both.
I also wonder if madly flashing full beam lights from tail gating car (ute?) driven by crazed driver is covered by adjusting vehicle systems, feeling stressed or passenger interaction. I don't notice travelling under the speed limit anywhere.
Work hard and be the VICROAD director so that such drivers never get the license.
Lack of confidence, not sure where they're going, combined with a "I don't care about anyone else" attitude.
Typical incompetent elderly driver attitude.
Hate when people are 3 to 4 meters apart from the car in front at a set of traffic lights getting worse and worse and im sure if they sticked to the limit there would be less traffic worst of all right lane hoggers are the worst
I think there was a study where leaving a gap of 2-3meters was beneficial for traffic flow, but only if people knew lights were going to go green, and accelerated at same time. Hence need for visible timers on lights
Beneficial for traffic flow dont no where they come up with these studies but i no for a fact it creates more traffic especially when your that far back and notice the green arrow to turn right turns on and only two cars go thru before it goes red where another six could of gone thru :(
I always leave a larger gap at the lights so that when the lights go green, I can immediately start rolling forward instead of waiting for the backwards shockwave to reach my vehicle. If everyone actually did this, traffic would actually flow more efficiently.
But if you are not paying attention, doing this actually makes traffic worse.
It's all about maintaining a constant and consistent time gap of 2 or 3 seconds.
The 'not paying attention' part is where pretty much everything falls apart on driving efficiency. You just need one to not do the right thing for a traffic jam to start.
@Cheapo333:
Yes! I do this, I thought it was common sense, why isn't everyone doing it?
Another thing I see done a lot is accellerating TO a red light, what's the point? I actually got flashed by the car behind me because I was rolling to a red light and not speeding up.
the gap for traffic flow study was for freeway traffic. For roads with a lot of stop & go, its better to have a quicker response time to traffic lights
I've cut in front of people who leave 1-2 car spaces when stopped at the lights, they still had room to move up even after I cut in. I assume they were leaving a spot for me.
I do the same best feeling :)
If that's the case, i wonder what they will do if you start reversing to close the gap
Assuming you signaled or had your car angled in that direction, I would think they would have.
They were already stationary, I was approaching the cars on my lane ahead, I saw the huge gap on the right lane so I signaled and pulled in without stopping. Just to give you an idea of how much space this guy left, I was able to get my mid sized sedan in the spot, straight ie. my car was not at an angle, nor was my rear poking out of the lane, and this guy still had room to move up.
Many years ago my employer sent me on a defensive driver course and one thing they taught was to leave a gap from the car in front when stopped in traffic. That way if you get rear ended you'll reduce the chance of hitting the car in front as well. Or if you are observant enough of whats going on behind you might even have time to move forward a little and avoid an accident altogether.
Anyway back on topic, I think people put too much faith in the accuracy of their speedos, which almost always read faster than you are actually going.
I think people put too much faith in the accuracy of their speedos, which almost always read faster than you are actually going.
Not everyone has/uses a GPS though. In the absence of that, the speedo is the next most accurate thing. Our brains aren't conditioned to be able to judge the difference between a few km/h, relative to the speeds we driving at.
I leave the window down and let the force of the wind indicate my current speed.
I also stick my tongue out and howl!
I use my volt meter to see how much I am charging my battery.
It depends. If you're already in the middle of a stopped/almost stopped inner-city traffic queue you should pack closer to the car in front of you to help clear intersections behind you.
But if you're in a queue to exit a highway or something then leaving a larger gap is fine.
Yep - drives me nuts. The only time Adelaide drivers won't tailgate is when they are leaving lights.
I try to stay back far enough to see tyres on the road. I've never stepped out to measure it though.
This annoys me a lot, because it's typically in the scenarios where, two main lanes, and a turn out lane, where it's dedicated for turning right (for example). Then you have this vehicle that's blocking people getting into the turning right lane, and leaving 3 vehicle spaces, jesus that's annoying as.
Perhaps they have a baby/child in the car.
That would explain high speeds definitely. But its strange this happens in a 60 zone
With a baby/child, It's a safer option, especially when there are cars around you.
Maybe if you need to brake suddenly, but unfortunately with drivers today, they can do some stupid things when impatient. Some of these stupid things may lead to you being in an accident.
Red light ahead, so I'm coasting.
I dont mind this practice as sometimes you can time the light change to your arrival (thereby actually going faster by not coming to a standstill). The ones that shit me are the ones with 200m free road between them and the car ahead. I see this daily on my short drive back home from the train station. As much as I hate to say this, 90% of the time its either an Asian or Indian (Im Indian) driver who has blinkers on and is travelling at whatever speed they see fit.
Thats not racist at all, cuse you added "Im Indian".
Its an observation Ive made. Just like most tailgaters are Aussies/tradies in utes.
I am neither Asian nor Indian but I do agree with you, they seem to have a very high percentage of slow drivers and even fewer of them seem to know how to park a car. My excuse for going under the speed limit was actually a shortage of demerit points.
Could be elderly drivers or people driving to road conditions when raining or poor visibility.