........to overtake!
I think some people don't like being behind an old car on principle and are quite prepared to break the law as a consequence . On a couple of occassions recently I was driving (at 30mph) through a village in a 30mph limit and some tuss behind me HAD to blast past at around 60mph. And then, again obeying the speed limit on an open bit of road, another looney HAD to overtake on double white lines. And, of course, when they do this, the gravel is flying about all over the place
Rant over.............but it does annoy me!
It's their problem mate! But must admit that it's nice to surprise the 17 year old corsa driver who tries to overtake and then finds that the old car in front isn't as slow as he thought.
You're making me feel guilty, as this morning as I did something like that, but no Minors or other classics involved. We have a ridiculous 30mph limit on several miles of A Road near us, built as a turnpike with virtually no houses accessed directly from it (immediately after it is a 40mph stretch through a less affluent area which has many houses directly on it and kids crossing the road to school). As frequently happens I encountered someone rigidly following their speedometer, and taking a bit off to be safe, therefore travelling at about 25mph. So when it was safe I pulled out and passed them, probably briefly hitting 40mph before settling back to just over 30. They probably thought I was an impatient prat - well I was impatient.....
So do keep to speed limits, but please try to keep close to the real speed limit when appropriate. After all you can fail the driving test these days for not making progress at an appropriate speed - Fault 20 "Makes no attempt to achieve maximum speeds for the road when safe to do so"
This is interesting as I had thought oddly low limits on major roads were a problen local to Hampshire, which has a policy of limits 'requested by local people'. Of course ask anyone and they would like traffic to crawl past their own house. With elections due I queried this and got a reply from my local councillor, but it was just the usual platitudes. On roads with low limits observing them infuriates following white van men. The police target these oddly limited roads for easy pickings, no doubt it helps their funding through driver course fees and boosts their statistics, but mostly they just catch old ladies doing 35.
Well, unfortunately, its my problem when they cane past me at double the speed limit and I have to endure a meteorite shower of gravel flying at my paintwork! I don't mind being overtaken at all - it happens all the time - but not when its done dangerously and inconsiderately. Nobody can justify going 60 in a 30mph speed limit or flouting double white lines........
The same goes when towing a caravan. Loads of impatient drivers who see you coming along with caravan in tow have to get in front whatever the cost, either pulling out in front causing me to brake hard bearing in mind I have over a ton of van behind me or overtaking on bends or double white lines........................
I even get it in the astra. I normally stick to the limits as Iv got a clean license and want to keep it that way. Always got a car right up the rear, you can't even see the front of the car in the mirror cause they're that close. They normally can't keep up off the straights tho.
When I had my Minor back in the 80s, most of my mates had more modern 'faster' cars. Funny thing was that on a 50 mile journey on ordinary roads I'd arrive only a few minutes after them, having used less petrol and having spent much less time sprinting and braking. And I usually broke down far less often. Happy days.
myoldjalopy wrote:
I have to endure a meteorite shower of gravel flying at my paintwork!
We had one of those today in the Morris. Made a small chip barely noticeable, but took the paint off right down to the metal. Some idiot trying to race another idiot.
Drive anything slightly older than most on the road, or be on a driving lesson, or in a classic and everything else on the road HAS to get past. The times Ive been overtaken through 30 limits only to be held up by the same vehicle when the speed limit increases are too numerous to count, or driven past them at the traffic lights they roared up to while they were still on red.
If you think its bad in a Moggie, try driving a Reliant 3 wheeler. They really bring out the most vile behaviour by other road users and Reliants are not slow..
mark you've just admitted driving at 40 in a 30,hope plod isn't watching ,think I would be using the edit button but I know exactly what you mean.gets on my nerves as well.
I don't think they'll be going there!