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Old 29th December 2019, 14:43   #16
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Re: UK: Accidents caused by slow drivers on the rise

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Originally Posted by aghate View Post
There are many examples that I can share. I will stick to a standout one on my trip to Northern Scotland. The National Speed Limit on a single carriageway in UK is 60 MPH. There was a driver doing around 35 MPH on this stretch. Be mindful that the northern section of the country has some beautiful roads. There are few curves and bends with few opportunities to overtake. This annoying slow driving continued for a good part of 10 minutes. The problem was not one slow driver, the one following the slow driver had no intent to overtake either. It is very difficult to overtake one car on a short straight stretch let alone two. Due to this slow driving pair the journey can become annoying. Per the info from my friends here I cannot force anyone ahead to drive faster. But as per the Highway Code a slow moving vehicle must allow the overtaking vehicle to perform a safe overtake.
In Scotland (and in many other European and US states where there are 2 lane roads with a double or even single divider line) you simply have to wait till the driver ahead decides to pull over at the designated road points no matter what speed he is going. You can't even honk or blink your lights. All you can do is tailgate and hope that when the driver ahead sees a 'train' of cars behind him, he has the sense to pull aside to allow the cars behind to pass.



I don't see anything wrong in this. Most drivers are reasonably sensible and pull aside at a proper opportunity. A dotted divider line on your side (or the center) means you can make an overtaking attempt. In fact Scotland has a large set of single lane two way roads and pull outs where you have to wait for the opposite side vehicle to pass
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Old 29th December 2019, 16:15   #17
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Re: UK: Accidents caused by slow drivers on the rise

Will agree. Slow movers can make things difficult for those behind. On the rare occasion that I take my Jeep on the expressway, I usually drive @ 70 to 80 kmph in the left-most lane (or middle lane if empty).

Whatever the road or traffic, it's usually best to move "with the traffic", at the same speed.
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Old 30th December 2019, 13:26   #18
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Re: UK: Accidents caused by slow drivers on the rise

Aaah, This gets my goat every time I venture on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

I hate driving on the Mumbai Pune Expressway during regular traffic because of this phenomenon.

Now with the Taxis being restricted to 80Kph, they decide to stick to the right most lane and ignore your lights, even with the second lane being empty. Thus forcing faster cars on the second lane, It is convenient for them as they stick to one lane through out their journey.

I recently had a scary experience on the long straights near Pune after Lonavla, with me on the right lane, doing 110kph, should have stuck to 90, I suddenly came behind an Alto , full with family and luggage doing 50Kph . It was a shocker for me, so much so that I just slammed on the brakes and moved to the left lane. I did not even honk. Thanked my stars and went ahead driving in the middle lane @80kph.

Slow drivers on fast lanes on expressways, for me, is a sacrilege.

-Slick
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Old 30th December 2019, 14:36   #19
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Re: UK: Accidents caused by slow drivers on the rise

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Originally Posted by sandeep108 View Post
In Scotland (and in many other European and US states where there are 2 lane roads with a double or even single divider line) you simply have to wait till the driver ahead decides to pull over at the designated road points no matter what speed he is going. You can't even honk or blink your lights.
Yes, you are right. One cannot flash lights or honk in such a situation and I didn't do that to be honest.

Quote:
All you can do is tailgate and hope that when the driver ahead sees a 'train' of cars behind him, he has the sense to pull aside to allow the cars behind to pass.
In that particular scenario I mentioned, I was the last one in the train of cars.
But 'tailgate' is an incorrect term used here. I believe you mean one just sits back maintaining a safe distance until there is a safe opportunity to pass.

Quote:
I don't see anything wrong in this. Most drivers are reasonably sensible and pull aside at a proper opportunity. A dotted divider line on your side (or the center) means you can make an overtaking attempt. In fact Scotland has a large set of single lane two way roads and pull outs where you have to wait for the opposite side vehicle to pass
Nothing wrong in driving slow if it is not affecting others on the road. What you mention there are the 'Passing Places' on UK's B roads that are placed every few hundred meters. I have not seen them on any of the single or dual carriageways. There are parking places on these roads which can be used for the same purpose.
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Old 30th December 2019, 15:59   #20
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Re: UK: Accidents caused by slow drivers on the rise

I often travel to MH KA border region for work. Most of these roads are undivided wider than normal 2 lane ones, these roads have mostly Truck and KSRTC bus traffic, a few cars and have low to moderate two wheel traffic.
KSRTC buses try to stick to 80kph, while trucks usually stick to 60, and wherever they see a stretch with no two wheelers they move to extreme left of carriage way, to allow you to overtake straddling the dividing line, oncoming vehicles also move to extreme left without slowing down.
Many times in such situations a car with driver not used to un-divided roads attempts an overtake, oncoming traffic also moves to extreme LH, and when he is almost through, and about to get in a position where all three vehicles will be parallel gets scared and brakes, quiet often there is another car attempting an OT behind this car who also has to brake.
There are few others who follow these trucks or buses, and when bus ahead moves to LH, to allow the OT, instead of doing the same they stick to the middle of their own lane and start flashing their headlights.
There is a third type who do overtake like the locals, but after the OT move to middle of the lane, and suddenly slow down for rough surfaces.


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Old 17th January 2020, 09:53   #21
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Re: UK: Accidents caused by slow drivers on the rise

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Originally Posted by Slick View Post
Now with the Taxis being restricted to 80Kph, they decide to stick to the right most lane and ignore your lights, even with the second lane being empty. Thus forcing faster cars on the second lane, It is convenient for them as they stick to one lane through out their journey.
Earlier this January, I was returning from Pune to Mumbai at a speed of approximately 100km/h and i encounter two taxis (probably OLA outstation) driving next to each other, hogging the middle and the right most lane at approx 60-70km/h. After repeated honking and flashing my lights at them, there was literally no response from either of them for the next two minutes
The worst part - the road ahead of them was completely empty but when I finally got the chance to get past both of them, one was holding his mobile and talking while the other was looking at his maps rather than the road
I can only imagine how they would have reacted had there been an ambulance behind them

Last edited by Sheel : 17th January 2020 at 10:02. Reason: Please quote ONLY the relevant bits of a post. Quoting a full, long post inconveniences our mobile readers. Thanks!
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Old 17th January 2020, 09:59   #22
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Re: UK: Accidents caused by slow drivers on the rise

In the UK these people are referred to as "Sunday drivers". They take their cars out only on Sunday and drive very slowly.

Now, it seems they take their cars out every day.
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Old 17th January 2020, 12:22   #23
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Re: UK: Accidents caused by slow drivers on the rise

That survey outcome is very much true. Slow drivers indeed make other cars/bikes violently overtake them and may sometime turn in to an accident. Honestly, I am one of them.

I also have realized, those who drive slow on the city main roads are the ones who are using a smartphone if not thinking about their personal issues while driving. I have seen cars moving slowly to right or left while I see the driver seeing the road straight.

Things to remember are, keep aside your smartphone and personal issues aside and focus on work and drive respectively.
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Old 17th January 2020, 14:16   #24
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Re: UK: Accidents caused by slow drivers on the rise

Agree that Slow drivers can frustrate and tempt others to overtake or get impatient, resulting into accidents. When I was in the UK and was appearing for my UK driving licence test, I didn't pass for the first time as I was driving too slow on a single carriageway. The explanation from the moderator was that if I drive too slow this will obstruct the behind traffic and will result into some mistakes by the other drivers.
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Old 17th January 2020, 14:38   #25
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Re: UK: Accidents caused by slow drivers on the rise

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Originally Posted by vivek_lm View Post
I myself am one such driver. Take, for example, the Bangalore-Mysore highway. I stick to the right lane there (for obvious reasons!) and stick to a speed of 80 kmph (which I feel is the safest top speed for that stretch, at least from my perspective and the car that I drive). Now, at this speed, I myself would be legally overspeeding. I still encounter so many vehicles "flying" past me, some of whom give that honk/stare as if I'm doing something horribly wrong.
80kmph for that road is just fine. If I were attempting to overtake such a vehicle I wouldn't honk or give a stare, rather wait for the safe opportunity to move to left lane and overtake. A car doing say 65 kmph or less on that stretch would definitely cause problem to others.

In some cases the legal speed is way too less to be safe. For eg, Electronic City toll road in Bangalore. Earlier it used be 80kmph but now reduced to 60kmph. Even if 20% of people were to stick to 60kmph it would make the stretch even more dangerous.


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Originally Posted by TROOPER View Post

Another hazard are slow moving trucks in the dark with no rear lights.

We call them 'black bodies' About 15 years ago when a friend bought first car and we started doing regular highway rides together, we'd give the co-driver the task of finding BlackBodies and warning the driver. I told this story to my wife once and now she does a good job of spotting them
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Old 17th January 2020, 18:45   #26
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Re: UK: Accidents caused by slow drivers on the rise

I absolutely second that fact.

Although I vouch for driving withing speed limits both upper and lower(we don't have lower speed limits, do we?) but I have to agree that slow drivers with no traffic sense are one of the many reasons that cause accidents.

Leftmost lanes (In India) are for slow vehicles. Now imagine another slow vehicle driving on the right lanes adjacent to the vehicles on the left. A classic example here could be the "tuk-tuks". They all drive at like 30kmph and constantly trying to overtake each other causing roadblocks. Situations like these cause congestion. The congestion results in impatient honking and ruthless overtaking.

Since we are talking about overtaking, slow-moving drivers also push other vehicles to overtake from the left. Pushing a fast vehicle in the left-lane would definitely create havoc.

There should be fines for people driving slow in the fast-moving lanes. It is required as much as we chalan vehicles breaking the upper speed limit.
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Old 17th January 2020, 20:01   #27
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Re: UK: Accidents caused by slow drivers on the rise

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Originally Posted by vivek_lm View Post
There's another problem here- there'll be people who stick to the rightmost lane (on a two-lane highway) or the only available lane and drive at the recommended max speed for that particular road and they'll still end up frustrating the majority of the other drivers (who'll of course be overspeeding!).

I myself am one such driver. Take, for example, the Bangalore-Mysore highway. I stick to the right lane there (for obvious reasons!) and stick to a speed of 80 kmph (which I feel is the safest top speed for that stretch, at least from my perspective and the car that I drive). Now, at this speed, I myself would be legally overspeeding. I still encounter so many vehicles "flying" past me, some of whom give that honk/stare as if I'm doing something horribly wrong.

Who's at fault in such cases? I always wonder as to whether I should start overspeeding to "fall in line" with the majority traffic on the road, thereby risking my safety.
If it's a 3 Lane+ highway, occupy the middle Lane. If am not mistaken the posted speed limit on highways is 120 and like you I stick to this. However if I see a vehicle gaining on me, I slow down to 80-90 briefly, switch lanes and make it easy for the speed fiend to overtake, once done I swing back to my speed and lane.
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Old 17th January 2020, 20:46   #28
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Re: UK: Accidents caused by slow drivers on the rise

I can relate to this.

Plenty of time, I have noticed scooter riders driving very slowly at 20 km/hr on the highways with their imaginary cruise control on. They will never accelerate their way out, nor will they slow down. Everything is fine until they decide to brake all of a sudden even if road is slightly uneven. Come on man, we are driving in India where we will never have smooth roads and one doesn't keep braking dangerously everytime when roads are slightly uneven. What are shock absorbers for? I have seen plenty of vehicles dangerously manoeuvring behind them to avoid an accident.

One of the most dangerous two wheeler drivers are those who keeps driving alongside a bus or a truck continously. It is, I feel, one of the most dangerous way to drive. What if your two wheeler tyres puncture or you skid accidentally? One is risking themselves dangerously to come under the rear wheel tyres of large vehicles in the event of an accident.
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Old 17th January 2020, 21:35   #29
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Re: UK: Accidents caused by slow drivers on the rise

Well, I believe the ratio of fast moving vehicles / mentalities / driving style have increased over the years

Few haven’t inducted themselves into this side of fast moving territory yet. They prefer to drive / ride within their acceptable speed limits. But, world has changed since then. People like fast moving objects / life in fact and it’s translating this to encountering that statement of Heath Ledger Joker - When an unstoppable force meets an immovable object - you know they result and it’s pretty much evident on the article.
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Old 18th January 2020, 00:48   #30
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Re: UK: Accidents caused by slow drivers on the rise

First world traffic patterns are different compared to third world traffic patterns.

Slow drivers on a Motorway/Freeway cause other drivers to get agitated. This irritated state of mind leads to loss of concentration resulting them in driving faster and attempting risky maneuvers which in some cases leads to accidents. They are also more prone to getting involved in road rage.

Last edited by landcruiser123 : 18th January 2020 at 00:51.
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