Are slow drivers getting slower?

[FAT245]

either they are getting slower, or we are getting faster.

the other day i had to drive 250K's for work and basically i noticed i couldnt keep the fairlane under the speed limit, but in saying that i was still too slow for other drivers (even the police!)

Driving around the city, i swear people drive at 25KM/H or just slightly over, with car's getting faster and the drivers accepting this as a new norm, the slower generation of cars just seem to be getting slower but infact, we are getting faster (with a few exceptions ... CAB DRIVERS!! )

[GreenR]

Originally Posted by FAT245

CAB DRIVERS!!

Don't get me started on cab drivers. That would need a whole new thread of it's own

[FAT245]

the amount of them that have tried to merge into me or force their way in front of me is amazing.

a quick roll down of the window and abuse usually sets them straight!

[DJR-351]

No, as a society in whole we are just getting more and more impatient and less tolerant of others...........

[|Nate]

Originally Posted by FAT245

the amount of them that have tried to merge into me or force their way in front of me is amazing.

a quick roll down of the window and abuse usually sets them straight!

I mean this in no racist way, but most of them probably wouldn't understand what you yelled out.
i tried conversing with one but he just didn't know what I was saying, pretty dissapointed.

[FAT245]

most of them yell back at me in sydney .... so they know what im saying

actually got into a punch up with one that rear ended my sisters car and then tried to blame her for it while she was sitting at the lights..

brand new holden cruze and he says he couldnt see the brake lights.. which still worked after he hit her

[Citric GT]

10-15 years ago everyone in Sydney did about 10kmh over the limit everywhere with very few exceptions, but in the last 5 years or so it seems to have gone the other way - 10 under all the time!

[SEZ213]

Originally Posted by Seduce XR6

I have to ask how does slowing down help the situation?

Does it make you feel safer, does it make the car behind increase or decrease the gap, does it make the driver behind even more cranky than he or she was in the first place, are you more likely to have the driver behind go past you when they can & make sure they get even so to speak for your deliberate antagonising of them or worse pull you over & attack you.

Yes I have at times eased off a bit if I am being tailgated but only & this makes all the difference if I am at the time doing the speed limit or just above because in that case they have no justification for getting annoyed at me because I am going fast enough & as fast as you can anyway.

If though I come across a car doing 40 ish in a 50 zone with no cars in front of him & a non built up area & get a bit close as I am annoyed that they are not doing 50 only to have them slow to 30 just to be even more annoying my blood boils, so where as before they slowed even more I was just annoyed when they slow further just to annoy me I am then furious so is it really a good thing for them to do or a really silly thing?

On the HWY I don't get overly annoyed at cars doing 80 in a 100 zone though I will still pass them when I can as I can understand it if they are say old & don't feel safe doing 100 but if a driver cannot do 50 on an easy open road & only feels safe at 40 then in my opinion they need to hand in there license.

Firstly, where did I say that I personally slowed down? Just because I have the necessary equipment it doesn't mean I do it...

My assumption is that people do it because they want to let you know that you're not going to push them down the road...I do the speed limit, and when someone tries to push me up the road, I hold steady at the same speed as before. I don't care how important they think they are, providing I'm doing the speed limit, I won't be pushed. I don't slow down, but I sure as hell don't speed up to satisfy them...because when and if the ticket comes, it's sure as hell not in their name is it?

There's a couple options as to why they would do 40 in a 50 zone, but why does that annoy you? Half you blokes will end up having heart attacks one day...any idea what annoyance/anger does to your blood pressure? I know everyone is in such a hurry these days, and to be held up, even momentarily seems to jack people off...but I don't understand it, what benefit does it have getting cranky?

Perhaps there needs to be signs with minimum speed limits on them, not just maximums...? That way people will understand that them doing far below the posted limit isn't helpful either. In saying that, I'm not aware of any states actually booking you for going too far under the limit...but what would be satisfactory in a 50 zone as a minimum limit? You end up putting more restrictions in place, and even more people get cranky...

I admit, at times I'm a little cranky in the car, usually when someone is tailgating the car in front of me, and continually puts the brakes on because they're too close (on a dual lane road, peak hour traffic)...if they just backed off a little...the result would be much different, and their trip wouldn't be quite so stressful for them, or anyone else...

[DBourne]

Originally Posted by xpl0sive

I've also noticed this, and general sh!tty driving in general by a lot of the public these days and total disregard for other drivers. It's become a pet hate of mine. Forget it if a few drops of rain hit the road, everyone sh!ts themselves and drives 30k's under the limit lol.

Amongst this, I also hate:

- people who turn onto a main road with other cars flying down, only to drive very slowly and force the on-coming car to hit their brakes to slow down in time. If you are going to cut people off, at least speed up and move along with the traffic

- people who drive in the middle of the road on a wide road instead of keeping to one side to allow others to overtake if need be, especially annoying when they are doing this AND driving very slow, and not moving out of the way when you beep/flash them. Have also seen people do this while indicating to turn left/right on a busy main road, having to wait for traffic to clear before they can turn, forcing you to sit behind them and also wait because they are too inconsiderate to keep to their appropriate side of the road and allow the cars behind them to keep moving

- people who take off extremely slowly when the lights turn green, especially in a turning lane, in an attempt to save their 2c worth of fuel. This gets really annoying on those lights that don't stay green for long

Agree 100%

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by Citric GT

10-15 years ago everyone in Sydney did about 10kmh over the limit everywhere with very few exceptions, but in the last 5 years or so it seems to have gone the other way - 10 under all the time!

And do you think the proliferation of speed cameras in the time periods you mention may have something to do with it.....?

[JC]

Originally Posted by Sezzy

......I do the speed limit.......

Not to single you out, but you had the text I wanted.

A question to all who claim to do the speed limit - do you really?

In my daily driver, if I am sitting on indicated 100 on my speedo in a 100 zone, then I am actually only doing 95. At indicated 60, this equates to 57, and at 80, it's 76. So unless you are doing the speed as verified by GPS - you are/maybe in fact holding up a car that has a more accurate speedo.

Now in bumper to bumper traffic, that won't make a difference, but in flowing traffic it will. My advice, on a multi lane road, stick to the left and let "faster" cars pass (note that these "faster" cars may still be under or at the speed limit, and are faster than you because your speedo is out). I'll bet no-one who claims to be driving at the speed limit actually thinks of the built in speedo error when claiming this!

[SEZ213]

Originally Posted by JC

Not to single you out, but you had the text I wanted.

A question to all who claim to do the speed limit - do you really?

In my daily driver, if I am sitting on indicated 100 on my speedo in a 100 zone, then I am actually only doing 95. At indicated 60, this equates to 57, and at 80, it's 76. So unless you are doing the speed as verified by GPS - you are/maybe in fact holding up a car that has a more accurate speedo.

Now in bumper to bumper traffic, that won't make a difference, but in flowing traffic it will. My advice, on a multi lane road, stick to the left and let "faster" cars pass (note that these "faster" cars may still be under or at the speed limit, and are faster than you because your speedo is out). I'll bet no-one who claims to be driving at the speed limit actually thinks of the built in speedo error when claiming this!

Haha, I'm glad I could be of assistance. I have recently started using the GPS (apparently it's bad to read a brisways/melways, etc while you're driving, so now I just take my eyes off to see where I am) but it says I'm doing the limit too. Whether or not either of those are accurate is a different story...

[Seduce XR6]

Sarah good reply & valid points (I was expecting something else in reply) like a roasting

I umm did not mean you, yes I know I said a you at the start (sorry).

I cant answer for anyone else as to why it annoys them however for me I am working, have made times to see clients & am always running late as in my Business things often take longer than you expect, I am calmer when I am Sunday driving although it would still annoy me.

And as you have said people are too impatient in general these days, I have clients ring me at a few minutes past there appointment times saying in a cranky voice "where are you I thought you said 2pm" for example & I may only be around the corner & this is even when I say 2ish or 3 ish etc but all they hear is the exact time.

Also it is not just the fact that the car in front is doing 40 in a 50 on a road that used to be 80 for many years it is the fact that they then slow down to teach me a lesson or to show they wont be pushed to the actual speed limit etc

Yes I have high blood pressure & am on medication for it lol so I totally agree as I can feel it rise when these things happen but I guess that is me & it is hard to not be yourself.

Lastly I am mostly a calm driver (Honestly) if everyone drove at or near the speed limit I would stay a happy chappy & give them all the room they need

[Seduce XR6]

Originally Posted by JC

Not to single you out, but you had the text I wanted.

A question to all who claim to do the speed limit - do you really?

In my daily driver, if I am sitting on indicated 100 on my speedo in a 100 zone, then I am actually only doing 95. At indicated 60, this equates to 57, and at 80, it's 76. So unless you are doing the speed as verified by GPS - you are/maybe in fact holding up a car that has a more accurate speedo.

Now in bumper to bumper traffic, that won't make a difference, but in flowing traffic it will. My advice, on a multi lane road, stick to the left and let "faster" cars pass (note that these "faster" cars may still be under or at the speed limit, and are faster than you because your speedo is out). I'll bet no-one who claims to be driving at the speed limit actually thinks of the built in speedo error when claiming this!

According to a couple of GPS units I have owned I am only 1 k slower than indicated & I am fully aware of this, my last car was 4 k's slower etc etc

Thinking about the slower drivers however maybe there speedo is 4 or more k's slower than it reads so maybe they think they are sitting on 45 or 47 instead of 40?

[2011G6E]

We also get the "always being overtaken" feeling heading down to Rockhampton from out here along the Capricorn Highway.
We'll be sitting happily on 104 or so in the 100 zone, or just over 110 in the 110 zone, and yet everyone...everyone...overtakes us. Especially mine utes...they really flog along. It isn't often you see cops out here...but knowing my luck the moment I think "Hmm, maybe I should go at 120 as well...", there'd be a cop coming over the next hill.

The problem is that they do it all the time...rain or shine, dark or daylight.

Time and place...time and place. Only a fool doesn't slow down in the rain, and given the wildlife out here of the hopping variety, only a fool screams around the highway at night.

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by Uranium_Death

people crawl at 80km/h in the RHL and refuse to move to the left even with a car coming up behind them.

at least in NSW overtaking lanes they have a dotted line to guide cars into the lhs lane.

Originally Posted by Sezzy

My mum was in an accident a couple of years back, going around a bend in the Impreza, .

most imprezza's have a bend in them! driving an impreza would drive me around the bend too!

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

They lumber along with their simply massive caravans at 70

their used to be an 80kph speed limit when towing a van. does this still apply? It's one of those stupid rules that gets enacted and repealed all the time that no one really knows.

*

i'm mostly affected by slow semi's that struggle up hills at 30kph. i h8 that.

[gtfpv]

Originally Posted by FG Turbo Ute

Are slow drivers getting slower? I have noticed that since the 50km/h for suburban areas came in some time ago many drivers in the noddy type of cars now travel at 50 and less in 60 and 70 km/h areas holding up the traffic flow more so than before and getting worse.
Out on the open roads they seem perfectly happy to travel at 60 or 70 in 100km/h zones and they often travel in packs requiring me to overtake 2 or more in one go travelling too close to allow another vehicle to overtake one at a time as they don’t leave enough room between them.
They travel so slowly that I wonder if they are driving with one eye on their litres per 100 kilometres to minimize their fuel usage with little regard for other road users.
The thing I find strange is if I am in the Falcon or Ranger they don’t pull to the left and let following drivers go even when the road side allows but when I am on the bike solo or more so in a group of bikes they just about jump out of the way to let you past.
I don’t drive as fast as I used to and now rarely exceed the speed limit but the amount of these slow drivers I come across in even the Ranger which is no sports car seem to me to be increasing.

The answer to your thread title IMOP, is yes slow drivers are getting slower , i am what you call a slow driver , havent been booked for speeding in about 15 years . i use cruise control , and always set at the posted limit , i find cars are always flashing me , tail gating etc etc . . people dont realise that the speed limit means maximum limit , not the minimum limit . . most people i have noticed drive at around 15kms over the speed limit .

the frustrating thing i find is people varying thier speed all the time eg between 90 and 120 in a 100 zone , often i'll creep up on people on cruise at 100kms an hour in a 100 zone , pull into the right lane to overtake someone sitting on 95 only to have them speed up as i'm pulling past, by then someone sitting on 120 has slammed the brakes on my rrrrs and giving me the finger , i cannot slow down to pull back in as i have a tail gater , and a car doing 105 next to me now , so i just grin and see it out rather than speed up to 120 to please the bloke behind , very often when the huffle is over the 120 driver will speed up to 130 toot overtake and shout , only to be nabbed by the unmarked car that was 20 metres in front .

[Seduce XR6]

Originally Posted by gtfpv

The answer to your thread title IMOP, is yes slow drivers are getting slower , i am what you call a slow driver , havent been booked for speeding in about 15 years . i use cruise control , and always set at the posted limit , i find cars are always flashing me , tail gating etc etc . . people dont realise that the speed limit means maximum limit , not the minimum limit . . most people i have noticed drive at around 15kms over the speed limit .

Your not a slow Driver as I do the same as you & I have not been booked for speeding since 1988 coming back from Sydney overtaking a bus on the freeway in an overtaking lane lol & I don't consider myself a slow driver.

What the OP & others mean are people going 10, 15, 30 k's under the max limit

[SEZ213]

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

most imprezza's have a bend in them! driving an impreza would drive me around the bend too!

Not new model, old model, '94/95. The car went, really well actually, mechanically and acceleration wise, nearly 400,000 k's on the clock before it nearly killed her.

I see your humour as the new one's are puss to look at (never driven one, so I wouldn't know), but really didn't find it funny at the time. Replaced it with a Forrester...I'm trying to convince her to hand it over to me and get a smaller car...but it makes her feel 'safe' now, and she won't part with it.

I have noticed that the slower vehicles tend to be specific, as do the faster vehicles...always overtaken by mazda 3's, nissan xtrails, vw polo's (not the late model ones), etc. For the most part, the Fords are usually pretty good. VT's have the ability to tailgate real well, not so good at doing it in a straight line though, and tend to move from one side of the road to the other as they do it...

If that 80km/h is accurate still (I don't think it is though), there should be a lot more people towing caravans booked! Hooking past people at 120...just because they can...

[Seduce XR6]

Originally Posted by Sezzy

I have noticed that the slower vehicles tend to be specific, as do the faster vehicles...always overtaken by mazda 3's, nissan xtrails, vw polo's (not the late model ones), etc.

These are what I call slow vehicle types, you have not been overtaken till you have been overtaken by Seduce XR6

Originally Posted by Sezzy

If that 80km/h is accurate still (I don't think it is though), there should be a lot more people towing caravans booked! Hooking past people at 120...just because they can...

No its not in NSW anyways, a few years back we had a Jayco Eagle camper hooked in behind my BFII XR6 Ute & I remember doing approx 140 kmh at one stage in a passing lane with no issue at all however it was only that one time & mostly I would sit on 100 or 110 depending on speed limit.

It towed so well I kept forgetting it was there lmao

Side Note: I gave myself the afternoon off as all this chat about slow drivers put me off going into the nearby town to do my jobs lol, they will wait till Monday

[The Snout]

It's all state of mind. Traffic and commuting doesn't bother me anymore, just roll with the punches and move on.

So a guy in front is doing 40 in the 50 zone, he's just doing me the favor of not having to spend as much time at that red light just up ahead. It may even have turned green by the time we get there he's gonig so slow. See, it's just attitude and a bit of humour.

There's always going to be really bad driving that will tick you off, but a lot of people seem to get ticked off at sweet FA really.

[Supercharged]

Originally Posted by JC

Not to single you out, but you had the text I wanted.

A question to all who claim to do the speed limit - do you really?

In my daily driver, if I am sitting on indicated 100 on my speedo in a 100 zone, then I am actually only doing 95. At indicated 60, this equates to 57, and at 80, it's 76. So unless you are doing the speed as verified by GPS - you are/maybe in fact holding up a car that has a more accurate speedo.

Now in bumper to bumper traffic, that won't make a difference, but in flowing traffic it will. My advice, on a multi lane road, stick to the left and let "faster" cars pass (note that these "faster" cars may still be under or at the speed limit, and are faster than you because your speedo is out). I'll bet no-one who claims to be driving at the speed limit actually thinks of the built in speedo error when claiming this!

Spot on,
The FG falcons are about 1% under indicated speed, the two Rangers are 5% under so changed the tyres from 245/70-16 to 265/70-16 and are now 1% under, have a Subaru that is spot on, the worst I have seen were XF Falcons as they were about 8% under. Only ever came across one car that was over and that was a Police pack AU Falcon which was 1% over. These vehicles were measured with their original fitted tyres when new. Most of the standard type Falcons such as EF, EL, AU2, AU3 and BA were 2.8% under when new.

[munners]

Originally Posted by DJR-351

No, as a society in whole we are just getting more and more impatient and less tolerant of others...........

...and more aggressive. How many times has someone cut you off, or almost changed lanes on you or whatever so you beep them (because they are clearly in the wrong and you don't want to hit them) and then you get the finger and an angry tirade! The world is getting angrier and angrier.

Munners

[LXL15]

I completely agree with this, ever since I got my Ps three years ago, I've noticed a drop in the standard of driving in Melbourne. Every day now I'm having to avoid accidents, and most of the time the only reason I do avoid it is because I pay VERY close attention to cars that move even a little in their lanes or when turning.

Also, the past couple of days it has been raining down here (raining on and off, it only poured once, otherwise just normal rain) and this apparently means a 30km/h drop is necessary. I would expect 5km/h under for safety reasons with a larger gaps between cars, but no. And this is every lane on a three lane, 80km/h road with cars, bikes and trucks all refusing to go faster than 55km/h.

And also the people who are fine to drive 80km/h in a 100km/h zone, but only 60km/h in a 80km/h, especially when I would say most drivers would not recognise the difference in road quality/deisgn that contitutes the speed difference (other than the whole 'freeway' thing...)

PS it's not about a 'time' thing for me, it's the fact that these people are not driving safely (despite what they think) and that they are endangering themselves, me and other road users by causing an obstruction.

[DoreSlamR]

I had a leisurely drive this morning stuck behind a gray haired fellow who felt the need to do 30 in a 50 area.

I guess he figures he was being safe, I suppose this is why he couldn't maintain a straight line either, kept drifting over to the right then would jerk it back to the left to correct it, his poor wife in the passenger seat must have been getting sea sick.

Oh and forget about indicating correctly on roundabouts, I guess it's safer to crawl through them at 20 and not bother to indicate than it is to maintain flow and indicate properly...

[InfernoSR]

Slow drivers endanger my life!

[Brute 33]

People don,t look at their speedo,s or any other guages in the car ,they only drive to edge of the cars bonnet .....never look ahead and definitly don,t look or care what is behind them......they think they are the only car on the road .....and when it rains...well the wiper blades are crap and smear the screen and the inside of the windscreen is all fogged up from smoke haze or just lack of cleaning ......sunlight first thing of a morning driving to work and bamm they can't see out ...so almost come to a stop and wonder why people abuse them.....

And at this time of year with less daylight hours the amount of vehicles that only have one headlight working ......FFS fix it.....

But lately the cool thing to do at night is to drive with parking lights on and fog / cornering lights on......dumb as....

And when going from a single lane to dual lanes well look out the accelerator works as they have more space around them so they can go warp speed.....and stop anyone overtaking them ......till they get back to a single lane again .....then same thing back to 20 ks under the limit....morons...

And all of this happens in a 1/2 hour of driving to work......

[wackyv8]

Originally Posted by just_pazz

Another favorite practice off the common driver which really riles me up is entering freeways at 60km/h. It's not dangerous at all.

just had that experience tonight!
Bell St onto the tulla . i was in the truck , he/she was 15 cars in front and entered the highway at 50-60km/h into the 100 .
its a nice gentle slope on the off ramp , good to boot it 1/2 way down , then i can be close to 100 at the top of the hill , unfortunately for me , while the column of cars slowly pulled away , i was then holding up traffic doing 80 at the top of the hill..

just do the speed limit /drive to the conditions , please.

[Seduce XR6]

OMG Brute 33 you must drive in the same area as I do LMAO... same, same, same same lol

On my daily journey (20-30 minutes) is 1 overtaking lane with a 60 limit & guess what the slow drivers all speed up to 80 ish so you cant pass them (well I still do but don't tell anyone)

[rjk74]

Just spent the last 4 months working around Melbourne (live in Bendigo), and theres heaps of drivers who sit on 90-95 on the ringroads. Not sure why they're probably all camera shy.