Self Appointed Speed Monitors!

[John N]

I travel to Cambridge most working days and have the A14 Roadworks to contend with only TWO Years left until they are finished (Allegedly)

There are long stretches of roadworks with 40 MPH Signs and Average Speed Cameras, rightly or wrongly, I set my Cruise Control to 42 MPH! And pass most traffic in lane 2, some want to pass me so I pull into lane 1, no problems with that!

Nearly every morning, as I am about to pass certain cars the driver suddenly decides that he is the Self Appointed Speed Monitor!

Get level with the back-end of their car/vehicle and they pull into the 2nd lane, (Indicators? must have a permanent exemption Certificate!)
Then they speed up until they are parallel with a truck and slow down to exactly 40 MPH!

When the A14 eventually opens up into 3 lanes, the Self Appointed moves into lane 2, or if you move to lane 1, they do their best to ensure that in no way are you going to pass them in ANY LANE

I have even had someone leave the A14 on a slip road by mistake while keeping me in my place, and having to use the Diagonal White Lines and somewhat dangerous driving to get back on to the road they were travelling

Is it just me? Or are others experiencing similar situations? All I want to do is get to Work in the morning, ffs!

 

[Mattns]

I also meet some drivers who do this, it's very odd and I rationalise it as "extremely risk averse" while I, and it would appear you, will tolerate a 2mph over risk. I smile and reflect on whether he/she would take his trousers down to fa%t?

 

[SCRL]

I'm genuinely in two minds about this.

My first reaction is to agree with you: "What business is it of yours what I'm doing? You're not the police." This is probably what I'd think if I was on the receiving end of "self-appointed" law enforcers.

But then I also remember that a civilised society (one in which all its members benefit from the rule of law) depends on social enforcement. What made drink-driving reduce so much was not the law or the police but that it eventually became socially unacceptable, at least to most people. So when I'm on the giving end, I tend to think "Hang on, it's my duty to stand up for what's right here.".

Of course, all this is independent from any discussion of whether there should or should't be a speed limit, whether going a tiny bit over it is or isn't breaking it, and whether breaking it is indeed "wrong" in the first place.

 

[geraldrobins]

The other issue is how accurate is your speedo. On mine I set cruise to 42 and according to tomtom its a true 40, so if someone is going slightly faster or slower they may not be.

 

[Alex225]

So when I'm on the giving end, I tend to think "Hang on, it's my duty to stand up for what's right here.".

I do agree with you to a point. There are certain things in life that are fundamentally wrong, if you see someone attacked or robbed then it's unquestionably wrong and society should step up. As you say drink driving has rightly become socially unacceptable which is a huge deterrent for people.

There is a fine line though and when it comes to driving, there's safety and competency to consider. Keep in mind that many users of the road pass their test and never consider improving their driving, keeping up to date with the highway code. In turn they develop their own sense of right and wrong, thinking how they drive is right and how dare others deviate from that. Despite often being wrong themselves they are the self appointed best drivers on the roads.

There have been a few occasions in my 18 years of driving where someone has done something so wrong yet been utterly convinced they are in the right. I mean take those drivers that blocked a lane because they were adamant it was a closed motorway lane, yet all the drivers following had seen the sign saying it was now open.

I 100% agree that society should step up but I don't want my driving policed by anyone but the actual Police.

 

[John]

I don't see it often actually but do occasionally see drivers marginally overtaking someone at +1 / +2mph.

I'm not sure of the point of that really but not everyone is considerate of other road users.

 

[zipdip]

Well I think we all have found something like this on the roads that have these average speed cameras,slightly annoying but then I am not going to work like you,what puzzles me is the number of motorists who do not seem to know about average speed cameras,we have a few on the A12 and last time I used that road I moved over at 72 mph for a older women driving a Renault doing at least 78,I wonder if she got a ticket,but honor was saved because on the A12O I caught her up and passed her on that lovely road with no bridges and roads joining I did have to do 102 to pass her.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

It would annoy me - they are w@nkers but how much quicker will you get there with the extra 2mph. I'd guess it is not more than a minute or two so I'd suggest you avoid the aggravation.

 

[E55BOF]

I don't see it often actually but do occasionally see drivers marginally overtaking someone at +1 / +2mph. I'm not sure of the point of that really but not everyone is considerate of other road users.

The point of that is that when the speed limit reverts to the NSL, you are able to get back up to cruising speed more rapidly. I'm not sure why you regard the practice as inconsiderate; unless the overtaking driver impedes the progress of the overtaken one, I don't.

Perhaps I'm just lucky. I'm usually part of the cohort of drivers who, knowing the way the speed cameras are set up, keep to an indicated 55 mph in a 50 roadworks limit unless it is unsafe to do so. I can't recall ever being baulked by somebody deliberately doing so to stop me passing them, but of course they're fully entitled to stick to the posted 50 mph limit.

What I don't understand is why so many drivers seem to think the Highway Code provision relating to moving to a vacant lane on your left unless you are overtaking another vehicle does not apply to 50 mph roadworks limit areas. 'Thumb in bum, brain in neutral', to quote an old Air Force expression.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

What annoys me more is where lanes merge and reduce in number and the idiots are queued for miles back in the leftmost lane (actually creating a hazard) and the outer lanes are empty. Then I go down the empty lane (as I am supposed to do) and some brainless monkey moves over to block me.

We have a perfect example near York on the Scarborough road. A dual merges into one and everyone gets into the left lane and the traffic backs up through the roundabout.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

What annoys me more is where lanes merge and reduce in number and the idiots are queued for miles back in the leftmost lane (actually creating a hazard) and the outer lanes are empty. Then I go down the empty lane (as I am supposed to do) and some brainless monkey moves over to block me.

We have a perfect example near York on the Scarborough road. A dual merges into one and everyone gets into the left lane and the traffic backs up through the roundabout.

See lorry drivers straddling lanes.

 

[Deadly Dave]

It would be wrong to have a laser pointer to point at their mirrors

 

[zipdip]

What annoys me more is where lanes merge and reduce in number and the idiots are queued for miles back in the leftmost lane (actually creating a hazard) and the outer lanes are empty. Then I go down the empty lane (as I am supposed to do) and some brainless monkey moves over to block me.

We have a perfect example near York on the Scarborough road. A dual merges into one and everyone gets into the left lane and the traffic backs up through the roundabout.

Yes you have put your finger on the one thing that the british driver is not good at,the standard of driving on our crowded roads is on the whole a high one,but in one respect the Italians have us beat and that is what you are angry about be it a road works or just two lanes into one,the italian's go one for one and quickly,they I think see it as a art form to get through the obstruction as quickly as they can

 

[markjay]

If I am in the wrong, e.g. in the outer lane while the inner lane is free, I'll move over even if I travel at the highest permissible speed and the car behind comes at me like a bat out of hell.

But if I am in the middle of a legitimate manoeuvre - e.g. overtaking slower traffic, or just driving in dense traffic where all lanes are in use - I will move when I am good and ready. But I won't make a point of obstructing the other vehicle in any way simply because it is speeding.

My rationale is that I am using the road the way it was intended to be used. Anyone who wants to abuse it, can do so based on availability of a free stretch of road... but not at the expense of others' right to lawfully use the road.

Said that - I would not insist on 'going about my lawful business' in the event that it may give rise to a potentially dangerous situation - in such eventuality, I will move over.

But yes, it is irritating when you are driving in the outer lane overtaking a slower vehicle at the highest permissible speed and a faster car behind you is nudging your rear bumper... what do they expect me to do, crash into the car to my left so that they can sail by?

 

[Deleted member 6183]

But yes, it is irritating when you are driving in the outer lane overtaking a slower vehicle at the highest permissible speed and a faster car behind you is nudging your rear bumper... what do they expect me to do, crash into the car to my left so that they can sail by?

I would imagine that they have figured out that they can do a higher speed without fear of penalty and wish you to do the same, maybe that's why lorry drivers with accurate speedos and greater intimacy with the road are often culprits?

 

[Vintage Racer]

Fully agree with you John, but as a member of the 'emoji' police, I have to take you to task with the serious overuse of 'emoticons'!



.

 

[E53AMG]

The point of that is that when the speed limit reverts to the NSL, you are able to get back up to cruising speed more rapidly. I'm not sure why you regard the practice as inconsiderate; unless the overtaking driver impedes the progress of the overtaken one, I don't.

Perhaps I'm just lucky. I'm usually part of the cohort of drivers who, knowing the way the speed cameras are set up, keep to an indicated 55 mph in a 50 roadworks limit unless it is unsafe to do so. I can't recall ever being baulked by somebody deliberately doing so to stop me passing them, but of course they're fully entitled to stick to the posted 50 mph limit.

What I don't understand is why so many drivers seem to think the Highway Code provision relating to moving to a vacant lane on your left unless you are overtaking another vehicle does not apply to 50 mph roadworks limit areas. 'Thumb in bum, brain in neutral', to quote an old Air Force expression.

Many of the roadworks 50mph limits also have a stay in lane warning....

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

 

[Yugguy]

Aye, we don't quite understand the idea of zip merging in the UK, to the point where people doing it correctly will be blocked by idiot lorry drivers. The idiots don't seem to have a consistent scale either of how near to the lane closure is acceptable to block.

 

[markjay]

Aye, we don't quite understand the idea of zip merging in the UK, to the point where people doing it correctly will be blocked by idiot lorry drivers. The idiots don't seem to have a consistent scale either of how near to the lane closure is acceptable to block.

A civil engineer I once met and who worked for Highways England, told me they were basing their calculations on the premises that cars will keep using both lanes up to the point where the cones 'usher' them over into a single lane.

And he said they were buffled as to why drivers form a single file miles ahead, i.e. as soon as they see the roadworks sign.

Ultimately it does not affect overall traffic flow, because the bottleneck remain the same (i.e. the rate at which cars emerge from the other side of the traffic restriction).

But it does mean that the disruption to normal traffic starts much earlier on the road than it should have.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Yes you have put your finger on the one thing that the british driver is not good at,the standard of driving on our crowded roads is on the whole a high one,but in one respect the Italians have us beat and that is what you are angry about be it a road works or just two lanes into one,the italian's go one for one and quickly,they I think see it as a art form to get through the obstruction as quickly as they can

......British are too polite and move left too soon but resent it when others do not ;-)