Country lane cruising?

[Peanut Budda]

Imho no, you are driving at an entirely acceptable speed.
There are predominantly rural roads around my home, and 50mph would be reckless on some of them (tightening corners, blind bends, deer, tractors with wide machinery attached, manic mamils etc).
On the stretches where the 60mph limit would be viable, if you know the road & someone in fromt is driving "appropriately cautiously" I can simply use my local knowledge to overtake when suitable.
I personally would never deride anyone for tootling along enjoying the views, good on them I say.*



* possible exception, large gaggles of mamils riding 3-4 abreast & delighting in forming a mobile raoadblock.

Except you don't really know that at all. You weren't on teh road with teh OP or the other users.

 

[Peanut Budda]

My take is this, there appear to be two different types of driver, ones that are considerate of road users and those that aren't.
I've found in my conversations that those that drive for a living seem to be more considerate of others when they are on holiday so to speak. Of course I don't speak to everybody.
What I mean though is that those that have jobs like Taxi driver, (not the London variety), truck driver, moblie engineer seem to do things like keep to the left on very wide single carriageway roads to allow others to pass easily. They also seem to be the ones that cross quickly at the zebras - I mean if I've just parked my vehicle an are approaching a pedestrian crossing I try to cross along with others to keep traffic flowing, too often today you get to a crossing and people on foot just cross and keep the traffic stopped for ages.
Something else I do, (that I should probably not advocate for), is if the road is visibly clear for a long distance I don't press the button. I just walk across the road.

That said, we don't know what road you're on, the time of day, what vehicle, the traffic conditions etc etc, but it would seem reasonable to do 50 on a winding lane. I go out for a drive sometimes, just to drive and if I'm in cruise mode, I pull over when I can, (not too often), to let speeders past. If the road is really unsuitable though and in poor condition, (a lot of country roads are missing kerbs and have crumbling edges and have potholes and high hedges), I position my vehicle so as to discourage overtaking and the second it improves, I keep very much to the left, slow down and indicate left. With modern vehicles and smart phones you can see in advance where the straights are.

 

[HappytalkAgain]

Tell me you're joking.......that's a bad thing to do....good drivers are constantly looking all around to spot that overtaking biker or speeding car coming up fast from behind. Clearly not an Advanced motorist....or a biker.......observation is king for safe driving.
As far as whoever said "if someone hits you from behind it’s their fault"......well I hope that will be great comfort to you whilst laying there in hospital with your broken back in traction!!!! Avoiding the accident in the first place is better worrying about who’s liable after the event.

I think you may have misunderstood my post. I didn’t say don’t look behind. I said concentrate on what’s ahead. Too much mirror looking/obsessing can take your concentration away from the cars ahead.

Apologies for my clumsy delivery.

If someone is driving too close behind I gently drop further back from the car in front so in the case of their heavy braking means mine is much more gradual giving more time for the car behind.

 

[190]

One scenario where I particularly resent have a following car up my ar$e is an unlit country road at night or particularly in fog. The leading car is doing almost all the work in terms of assessing an appropriate safe speed for visibility ahead and the following car has the much easier task. Any impatience may be be simply a lack of recognition of the leading cars role and work load in that situation. When this happens I will almost always pull in and let an inconsiderate driver pass at the first opportunity. See how you like it as it were.

 

[Tonye]

As far as whoever said "if someone hits you from behind its their fault"..

That will be me then, i said this after saying if you get to close i will slow down, doing that lessens the impact it i have to do an emergency stop and also gives me more distance to stop gently if i need to. PS, i am a very advanced driver being ex fire service and also have the maximum NCB so crack on tailgating at your peril my friend.

 

[MSG2004]

Having read the new posts since my previous post here, I would like to add:

You should always drive with due care and attention and try not to intimidate other
road users and or to put them at risk inc yourself and/or your passengers.

The speed limit is a "limit" and not the speed you HAVE to drive at and this is
also subject to the prevailing conditions the driver is encountering.

You can get fined etc if a driver is driving in such a manner that is putting other road users at risk
and one example is driving too slowly for the road conditions.

There is a minimum speed limit in one of the London tunnels that cross the river Thames.
Otherwise, driving at 40mph of a fast-flowing motorway the cops may have something to say about that.

We must not forget that not everyone is at the same level of driving ability and nor are cars.

When speeding around narrow country lanes at 60mph where permitted, people don't often consider that there may be a broken down vhecle just around the corner and braking hard even on a good road surface on at bend at those speeds can result in loss of control/impact etc.

 

[TC350]

One scenario where I particularly resent have a following car up my ar$e is an unlit country road at night or particularly in fog. The leading car is doing almost all the work in terms of assessing an appropriate safe speed for visibility ahead and the following car has the much easier task. Any impatience may be be simply a lack of recognition of the leading cars role and work load in that situation. When this happens I will almost always pull in and let an inconsiderate driver pass at the first opportunity. See how you like it as it were.

Reminds me of when I used to commute around the North Circular on a motorbike. With goggles up in the heavy fog/smog we used to get in London, my visibility was far superior to anyone in a car - but still carp.

On one occasion heading home from work I was aware of cars relying on my tail light to guide them along the road. What they obviously couldn’t see was me waving goodbye as I turned off through an alleyway that served as an excellent shortcut. Easy to get through on a bike, but ….. Crunch. Then another. I carried on my way, too scared to get the blame if I went back.

 

[BIGDOG]

I must admit to feeling frustrated by sightseers a little where I live.

I have no choice but to drive on some seaside roads and it’s astonishing how many non-locals slam on the brakes as soon as they see the sea, if I pass them the light flashing and fist waving is awesome to observe.

There’s 2 sides to every coin.

 

[BTB 500]

We have about 5 miles of very narrow lanes between us and the nearest main road. Some people do drive excessively slowly even on the straight bits when conditions and visibility are both excellent. Overtaking is impossible but I have a couple of diversions I can take depending on which way a slow car in front goes - these nearly always allow me to get in front

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

One scenario where I particularly resent have a following car up my ar$e is an unlit country road at night or particularly in fog.

Fog. There’s another opportunity for inconsiderate drivers to reveal themselves. Mist or fog in the air but visibility not actually impaired for hundreds of metres, driving in a line mile after mile with 10 metre gap between cars …and fog lights on.

How bad does the fog have to get - and how suddenly does it need to worsen - for those drivers to simultaneously not see the car in front of them and completely forget that the car in front was ever there, to justify fog lights.

I reserve fog lights for real pea soupers, and only when there is nothing behind me. When I can see there’s a car then then they can see I’m there, and then they take on the mantle of being the final car in the snake and have their fog lights on.

 

[BTB 500]

Fog. There’s another opportunity for inconsiderate drivers to reveal themselves. Mist or fog in the air but visibility not actually impaired for hundreds of metres, driving in a line mile after mile with 10 metre gap between cars …and fog lights on.

How bad does the fog have to get - and how suddenly does it need to worsen - for those drivers to simultaneously not see the car in front of them and completely forget that the car in front was ever there, to justify fog lights.

I reserve fog lights for real pea soupers, and only when there is nothing behind me. When I can see there’s a car then then they can see I’m there, and then they take on the mantle of being the final car in the snake and have their fog lights on.

Never mind that, people are so used to auto lights that they forget to put the lights on in fog and drive on just the front DRLs.

IIRC it's illegal to use fog lights unless visibility is 'seriously reduced', which is generally taken to be below 100 metres. Many people use them (wrongly) in rain.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Never mind that, people are so used to auto lights that they forget to put the lights on in fog and drive on just the front DRLs.

IIRC it's illegal to use fog lights unless visibility is 'seriously reduced', which is generally taken to be below 100 metres. Many people use them (wrongly) in rain.

Rain is the worst as you get double unnecessary glare - once from the light and once from the reflection of the light on the wet road!

 

[AnnasMerc83]

Perhaps spend a higher proportion of your time observing what’s going on on the road around you. That’ll give you more opportunity to see those other road users who know the local scenery all too well and want (or even need) to get a move on legally. That extra bit of observation will also make it easier for you to spot a convenient place to let them pass you safely.

When you’re driving, the only important bit of landscape is the road and its immediate surroundings. The general scenery is there for your passengers to enjoy.

By my self assessment I’d say I’m pretty observant and quite difficult to rile up (I have absolutely zero road rage) - meaning, if I can tell a driver is agitated (or even not agitated and just someone who obvs wants to drive faster!) behind me, and I can safely let them pass, I will. Sometimes it’s not possible and I’m sorry but if the max permitted is 60mph I really don’t feel bad pootling along and enjoying the actual act of driving at 45-50mph!

I really don’t think that’s a massive tortoise-speed insult to the locals behind me!

I avoid motorways because I find them boring and have zero need to drive at max speed. Hence I stick to small country lanes and make every long journey a bit of a ‘holiday’.

we’ve lost the ability to enjoy the journey, rather than seeing the car as just a means from a to b.

 

[Pontoneer]

I’m driving north to south, I enjoy just cruising along and taking in the scenery avoiding motorways and even dual carriageways just to take in the landscape.

Yesterday, two separate drivers got agitated at me for doing 50mph on a small, winding country lane.
Am I in the wrong here?

Does no one just enjoy a steady cruise along anymore? Is everything just about speed from a to b?

They are free to overtake when they find a safe and legal opportunity.

You are doing nothing wrong .

 

[Mickyh7]

Just indicate left, slow down slightly, let them pass, enjoy your own day.
Repeat.
Nothing complicated or stressful involved.
Just common road sense.
We don't need anymore 'Road Captains'.

 

[oldguy57]

+1

The other annoyance is the driver who insists on travelling at 20mph below the speed limit where there's no opportunity to overtake for visibility reasons yet it's safe to travel significantly faster, but as soon as the road opens up and there's visibility for an overtake they accelerate briskly up to the posted limit making it difficult or impossible to pass them.

Very common sight in my neck of the woods to see (usually) elderly drivers (like me) doing 10 to 20 mph below the speed limit (unlike me) on clear dry roads. Little if any opportunity to overtake on most roads round here but those who sometimes dangerously overtake are usually caught up at the next lights or roundabout so achieve nothing really. Frustrating but something you have to get used to and nowadays I rarely if ever have anything to rush about for but I'm thankfully no longer stressed out having to get to the next appointment etc like many drivers on the roads today. Not as much pleasure as it used to be in going for a nice drive anymore in the grim North West.

 

[Pontoneer]

Very common sight in my neck of the woods to see (usually) elderly drivers (like me) doing 10 to 20 mph below the speed limit (unlike me) on clear dry roads. Little if any opportunity to overtake on most roads round here but those who sometimes dangerously overtake are usually caught up at the next lights or roundabout so achieve nothing really. Frustrating but something you have to get used to and nowadays I rarely if ever have anything to rush about for but I'm thankfully no longer stressed out having to get to the next appointment etc like many drivers on the roads today. Not as much pleasure as it used to be in going for a nice drive anymore in the grim North West.

That puts me in mind of the old cliche : the two biggest problems on the roads are drivers over 80 doing under 20 , and drivers under 20 doing over 80

 

[190]

That puts me in mind of the old cliche : the two biggest problems on the roads are drivers over 80 doing under 20 , and drivers under 20 doing over 80

When you are 20 you have no conception of why the 80 year old is doing 20.

By the time the 20 year old gets to 80 he will understand why 80 year olds do 20 but have forgotten why 20 years olds do 80.

 

[Meldrew2]

When you are 20 you have no conception of why the 80 year old is doing 20.

By the time the 20 year old gets to 80 he will understand why 80 year olds do 20 but have forgotten why 20 years olds do 80.

This is of course assuming that the 20 year old survives - and many who do 80 fail to live that long. The Austrailans have an expression - The right foot on the wrong pedal.

 

[sgregory124]

I share the frustrations of many on both sides here, I despise tail-gating - my car is a magnet for this kind of behaviour (i.e usually male drives who think they can 'have a go' at the AMG), but I also take issue with well below limit driving on fast roads (not talking about any built-up urban areas here). I like to make fair progress, brisk/fast when the mood takes me and it seems that there are many drivers out there who object to that, purely because they want to be judge, jury and executiioner.

I've been taught to use ALL the road (there is no 'wrong' side) when fast road driving, particularly when planning and executing overtakes - this is where some people get very upset. I suppose they see a black Merc in their three quarter view, partially or fully over the white line on the other side and think 'tw*t', when in reality, all i'm trying to do is get a clear view of the road ahead, before passing. I've lost count of the amount of times i've been gestured at, threatened, flashed and then tailgated by said driver after passing - all for trying to drive safely and reduce my T.E.D.

But sadly not everyone see's it that way.