If you don't drive at the speed limit why not?

[Marley&Me]

Yanno what ****s me to tears?

People who slow down for school zones......... during the school holidays. And on the weekend Why?!

Because they are morons!!

[Phteven]

Oh how I cannot stand those who insist upon doing 30 in the 50 area.

I'll do 30 in the 50 area if that's the safe speed to do - it's 50 outside our local shops and the place is crawling with children who leap out from behind cars.

TBH I like to think of the speed limit as a rough guide

People need to drive to the conditions and sometimes the conditions and the speed limit appear to contradict each other.

[Boo Boo]

Yanno what ****s me to tears?

People who slow down for school zones......... during the school holidays. And on the weekend Why?!

that could quite possibly be me...we have a private school round the corner that breaks a few days before the public school where DD goes to and I sometimes slow down then realise that they are on hols. Before kids, I never had any idea when school hols were.

Alot of the elderly do tend to drive slower than the speed limit. We have alot round here...

[Astrid]

Yes, road rage is dangerous, have been on the receiving end. Sometimes they are complete tools (as in my incident) or they are just average people who are pushed by some really frustrating driving.

We do all need to be calm, take a deep breath and sometimes just realise that the trip is going to take a bit longer. On the other side though as drivers we need to be aware of how our actions affect those on road, as well as those not on the road (pedestrians, people just living in the house on the street you are driving etc).

[Freya]

My husband has a theory that people drive 10-15k under the speed limit because it is drilled into the public about NOT speeding; and its made people paranoid. Little do they realise that going 10-15kmp or more under can be just as dangerous.

I look at speed limits as an indication of the SAFE speed that can be driven on that road. If a section of road is not safe to be driven on at say 100kph then they will have a speed limit sign change OR one of those yellow signs ie this bend 70kph. I think more needs to be done about people who are hesitate to do high speed limits; its not the slow speed limit that is just a factor in being dangerous but also that they are not confident in their driving. Hesitation can cause accidents just as much as speeding and other factors.

I dont particularly care if people choose to do 10k or more under the limit if its double+ lanes; thats what the right hand lane is for, overtaking. It does make me angry when they do it on single lane roads. That 10kph or more under can drag a trip out by hours if your travelling long distances; we just drove Townsville-Gold Coast-Townsville and this was our biggest pet peeve. And it influenced other people to do dangerous and often stupid risk taking. Not an excuse but a factor and I always worry we'll be the innocent bystanders that get taken out one day.

[Floweryfields]

I agree that in built up areas, there are very good reasons to drive slower than the speed limit, as there also can be on the open highway. But if your out on the open road and conditions are good, do the speed limit or at least close to it.

[nothing2lose]

i also hate tailgaters

[Astrid]

I look at speed limits as an indication of the SAFE speed that can be driven on that road. If a section of road is not safe to be driven on at say 100kph then they will have a speed limit sign change OR one of those yellow signs ie this bend 70kph..

There are roads though that are signed as 100 that are just not safe to do so. I live on a one lane road, it is signed at 100. You can do 80, but need to be really on the ball to pull over when another car comes in the other direction. We have petitioned Vic Roads to lower the limit, but were advise the limit is base on population. Very little population out where we are. The scary thing is some want to drive at 120 along it. One time I wish people would go under the speed limit.

I really do believe that roads to need to be assessed for safety and the limit altered accordingly, then there maybe more of chance to encourage drivers to drive close to the limit and keep the traffic flowing smoothly.

Actually my driving instructor was very insistent that I drive at the speed limit so as not to impede other drivers. (he was a scary ex army dude who had me in tears many times, but was just what I needed to learn)

[Phteven]

I hate people who tow their caravans once a year and slow down on all the narrow stretches and corners and then slam their foot down on the straights so it's really hard to overtake them. Just pull over and let people go by or maintain your snail's pace on the straight FFS!!

DH pulls over for tailgaters and then tailgates them

[Sopdet]

I try to drive at the speed limit at all times.

Driving towards Astrid's part of the world, I had to deal with drivers doing 60 in 100 zones on curvy roads and that is frelling dangerous!

I live on a 40 zone, a permanent one and yet people speed down the street. Not long ago they put up one of those portable VMS systems with speed camera and it was amazing watching the speeds of cars (and bicycles even) going down my street. These are probably the same idiots who drive in front of trams.

[Astrid]

Locally we can tell the baby boomers that grew up driving beasts of cars like Kingswoods. They now tend to drive small cars, with itty bitty turning circles, but they forget that and will swing wide when turning a corner. Very dangerous when you are in the lane next to them and when behind them it is very confusing as their indicator will be left, but then they pull right.

Actually the inconsistent speeders are right pain, at least if you are doing 90 I know what you are doing, I can choose to over take, or just sit back with cruise control. If they are doing 90, then 80, then 95. I have no idea what to do, can't use cruise control, but a the same time can't overtake as I can't trust that they will stay under 100 till I pass.

[beansbeans!]

I'll do 30 in the 50 area if that's the safe speed to do - it's 50 outside our local shops and the place is crawling with children who leap out from behind cars.

TBH I like to think of the speed limit as a rough guide

People need to drive to the conditions and sometimes the conditions and the speed limit appear to contradict each other.

Of course. But when it is an open st, with no obstructions, no risks, nice sunny day, no people around. Drive at speed limit. Not that hard to do.
Our main st is 50kms, but it is totally not possible to ever drive at that speed through there. With cars parked on both sides of the road. Then the crossings, lights, people crossing whenever they like. Well of course you are lucky if you ever hit 30kms safely.

You definately neet to drive to conditions, but when you are driving at an extremely low speed when it is not needed then that is dangerous. I always adjust my driving to accomodate the enviroment, the other drivers around me, environmental risks and all that stuff, but that doesnt mean I should always drive 10+kms below the speed limit.

[~clover~]

I don't get road rage when it comes to the speed someone is doing. I get the frustration, but I don't get the road rage.

I am shocking for road rage myself. My sister can't believe it. But the people I want to yell & swear at & abuse, are the ones who pull out in front of me. The idiots who put my kids lives at risk.

In NSW a learner drivers speed limit is 80kph. A P1 driver is 90kph. I'm pretty sure they set those limits for the safety of the occupants & other road users while these people learn how to drive & be in control of a car.

Why is it not ok for someone who doesn't feel comfortable to go a little slower? Better than them going faster than they can handle & loosing control I would think?

I do understand, & I also get frustrated, but I'm not going to push anyone to go faster than where they feel safe...

[Cranky Kitten]

Driving slower than the posted speed limit doesn't annoy me - but for Pete's sake if you're going to do it, do it in the left lane, not the right! Let people overtake you if they want to drive at the speed limit.

But my absolute bugbear is people who speed up, then slow down then speed up - I like to use cruise control for long drives, but having someone varying their speed constantly in front of me drives me bonkers. As do the annoying gits that pootle along 10-15km/hr under the speed limit but as soon as you go to overtake suddenly find their accelerator!

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

I don't mind people going slower, as long as they're aware of the people around them and let us pass if we need to. But if you insist on doing 60 in an 80 zone until you see me start to overtake you, and then you decide to go 90? I'm gonna beep your butt.

That's the extent of my road rage. Sure, I scream and yell in frustration, but always with the windows up. My whole family says I'm horn happy, but if you're being an idiot, I'm gonna call it.

At times I have a tendency to go about 10ks over, unless it's a school zone. If I come up behind someone, I will ALWAYS check my own speed, it may be that they're doing the right thing, in which case I might get frustrated, but I won't pass coz that would be norty I don't actually pass very often, I use frustrating drivers to work on my own patience.

I hate it when you toot at someone who's done something monumentally stupid in front of you, and they scream and flip you the bird. Dude, we all do stupid things sometimes - accept the criticism and move on.

[Miss.September]

DH got pulled over once for driving "suspiciously slow". He thought the policeman was joking. The truth was he was driving a beat up old Kingswood that had a dodgy speedo so he just drove carefully.

I stick to the speed limit. I find it astounding that I'm always tailgated in the 60 zones (and under) yet when it moves up to 80+, I lose the tailgater. Drives me mad. It's slower for a reason. But I also get frustrated sitting behind people who are driving 20kms+ under the speed limit - especially in an open road where there is room to the side to pull over and allow the traffic behind them to pass.

[Dansta]

not me but FIL.
we live on a road that 100km zone just before the dirt road called our street. and 80km running along the back...
FIL will NOT go above 70-80km on the road. which is reaaaaaaally bad. worse in grain season.

People who tow vans - in the middle of the road at 70km peeve me off. pull over and let me pass! i get some streches its not possable but where it is...i DONT like hammering my car at 110 - half on the shoulder to move around you and its not nice seeing a B Double do the same thing! argh.

I understand safety - but people who are holidays (or like my FIL in la-la land) but think about others who use the roads!

[Deedles]

Living in QLD I find that most drivers speed! I feel that QLD is so different to all the other states its so confusing.

I am on my L's and going for my P's next month. When I go driving I do under the speed limit by at least 5 km if not more.
I don't understand why some people speed and why some people choose to go so slow they are under the speed limit by 10-20km!
We also don't have the speed limit for L drivers, So when I do drive on the freeway I always stay in the left lane and go under the speed limit but not by too much.
Also we don't have the KEEP Left unless overtaking rule! So throughout 3 lanes people are chopping and changing lanes, going fast and super slow in the different lanes. They hardly ever use blinkers and weave and tailgate through the traffic.

Merging is my LEAST favourite thing to do, I hate it and it scares me!

I am terrified to drive really and have no enjoyment in it at all!
I have nearly been in 2 car accidents in the last 2 months due to the other driver being at fault! So just because you are an experienced driver, there is always going to be human error and misjudgemnt!

All I care about is keeping my kids safe in the car and if people tailgate me or direct road rage at me then its their problem! Of course unless I do something that is dangerous.