Driving in Caithness

**outsidethebox** · 26-Oct-12, 12:16

Originally Posted by Even Chance

Dont agree there Im afraid. Your still holding up the flow of traffic and causing frustration. How many folk overtake you whilst on a regular trip I wonder? That can be dangerous in its own right. Have a look in yer mirror and see the line forming, then have a wee think to yourself. I know fuel is dear nowadays, but the difference in consumption between driving at 50, and 60 is marginal. At least I presume your one of the ones that slow down when you get to a 30 zone?

last week a white van pushed me through Watten at 30mph glued to my rear bumper, and was even wandering over the road as if to pass me! Yet when I accelerated back up to 60 again, they were just a speck in my mirror!

Eejit!

The problem is not that someone drives slowly, but the idiots that are content to simply sit behind them no matter how good a passing opportunity presents itself.

People need to accept that if they wish to drive faster than a vehicle in front then they need to pass them.

If they choose not to pass then they need to leave plenty of space between them and the car in front, and be prepared for other drivers to pass them and pull in behind the vehicle they refuse to overtake. Much safer passing one vehicle at a time and when they stick themself to the bumper of the car in front they make it far more difficult for any other drivers to overtake safely and drive the speed they wish.

**Koi** · 26-Oct-12, 12:20

Originally Posted by Even Chance

Dont agree there Im afraid. Your still holding up the flow of traffic and causing frustration. How many folk overtake you whilst on a regular trip I wonder? That can be dangerous in its own right. Have a look in yer mirror and see the line forming, then have a wee think to yourself. I know fuel is dear nowadays, but the difference in consumption between driving at 50, and 60 is marginal. At least I presume your one of the ones that slow down when you get to a 30 zone?

last week a white van pushed me through Watten at 30mph glued to my rear bumper, and was even wandering over the road as if to pass me! Yet when I accelerated back up to 60 again, they were just a speck in my mirror!

Eejit!

Fair enough you don't agree. There is never a long line and I usually help anyone who's showing signs of wanting to overtake me but isn't sure a helping hand. Its a great deal more for my car so I'll just carry on doing what i'm doing. There are times when I too decide the extra cost is worth it though if i'm running a bit behind for work. Saves me an extra 5 minutes but sometimes that is a crucial 5 minutes.
I have a little boy and I would never dream of going above any speed limit and of course i slow down for a 30/20/40 zone. Outside mount pleasant school last year A driver stormed past me while i was doing the 20mph in the 20 zone at the time. Made me really angry as the kids were coming out of school. The driver had no regard at all to the safety of the kids. It only takes a second for a kid to fall in the road. On my street the kids play about at the top of the road and can come out of nowhere. I never go above 10 mph coming up my street for this very reason.
The very same thing has happened to me in watten too. Its just crazy!

**Koi** · 26-Oct-12, 12:21

Originally Posted by outsidethebox

The problem is not that someone drives slowly, but the idiots that are content to simply sit behind them no matter how good a passing opportunity presents itself.

People need to accept that if they wish to drive faster than a vehicle in front then they need to pass them.

If they choose not to pass then they need to leave plenty of space between them and the car in front, and be prepared for other drivers to pass them and pull in behind the vehicle they refuse to overtake. Much safer passing one vehicle at a time and when they stick themself to the bumper of the car in front they make it far more difficult for any other drivers to overtake safely and drive the speed they wish.

Well said!

**Even Chance** · 26-Oct-12, 12:28

Originally Posted by Koi

Well said!

Agreed there! Good post by outsidethebox!

**ducati** · 26-Oct-12, 13:21

I tend to drive about 50 for fuel saving too. What does use a horrendous amount of fuel is overtaking a very slow car. I dont. I just drive about a 1cm from their bumper.

**mi16** · 26-Oct-12, 13:24

Driving at 50 in a 60 zone is a fail for the driving test

**ducati** · 26-Oct-12, 13:26

Originally Posted by mi16

Driving at 50 in a 60 zone is a fail for the driving test

Who cares? You're not taking a test.

**mi16** · 26-Oct-12, 13:34

Indeed but you are not driving to a satisfactory standard either

**outsidethebox** · 26-Oct-12, 13:41

Originally Posted by mi16

Driving at 50 in a 60 zone is a fail for the driving test

As far as I am aware the above is not correct. You might fail for failing to keep up with traffic if you drive at 50 and all around are doing 60. Conversely if you are trying to pass every vehicle on the road that are all doing 50 in a 60 limit you are equally likely to fail.

Driving (and passing tests) is all about driving appropriately to the circumstances, not some arbitrary limit as you have stated above.

**mi16** · 26-Oct-12, 13:43

It was a fail in my day
You would not fail for overtaking vehicles as long as your manoeuvre was safe and within the constraints of the law

**ducati** · 26-Oct-12, 13:58

Originally Posted by mi16

Indeed but you are not driving to a satisfactory standard either

Again, who cares?

**sids** · 26-Oct-12, 18:03

Originally Posted by mi16

Indeed but you are not driving to a satisfactory standard either

Yes you are.

How fast should mopeds go in a 60 limit?

**Alrock** · 26-Oct-12, 18:35

Originally Posted by mi16

Driving at 50 in a 60 zone is a fail for the driving test

When I first did my bike test about 15 years ago one of the things I failed on was not speeding up to 40 when the limit on the road I was on changed from 30 to 40, the trouble was that by the time I realised it had changed to 40 it changed back to 30. Ironically it was a stretch of road that I travelled down quite often & would have normally been doing about 50.

**focusRS** · 26-Oct-12, 18:52

Originally Posted by ducati

Can't see that. Yer average 10 year old family car had about 90 BHP then. Now more like 120. Assuming, like me, your first car is about 10 years old. What has changed is that a 10 year old car then was a wreck. Where as now they can be quite reasonable.My first car was a 10 year old Austin 1300. That was a wreck!

Series 2 RS turbo 130 BHP in good nick back in 1999 purchased, insured and on the road for under £2200. You would pay that in insurance alone now for a fiesta 1.25 zetec as your first car.

**sids** · 26-Oct-12, 19:48

Apart from during tests, where someone is interested in whether or not you are able to drive at 60, what would be a reasonable speed on a road where it is illegal to exceed 60?

How about 50 mph?

**mi16** · 26-Oct-12, 20:12

Originally Posted by ducati

Again, who cares?

You do realise this thread is related to the standards of driving don't you?

**mi16** · 26-Oct-12, 20:14

Originally Posted by sids

Apart from during tests, where someone is interested in whether or not you are able to drive at 60, what would be a reasonable speed on a road where it is illegal to exceed 60?How about 50 mph?

60mph would be quite reasonable

**mi16** · 26-Oct-12, 20:17

Originally Posted by ducati

Can't see that. Yer average 10 year old family car had about 90 BHP then. Now more like 120. Assuming, like me, your first car is about 10 years old. What has changed is that a 10 year old car then was a wreck. Where as now they can be quite reasonable.My first car was a 10 year old Austin 1300. That was a wreck!

Modern cars are considerably heavier than older ones, I would bet that the power to weight ratio would be similar between the two