Are slow drivers getting slower?

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by Keepleft

Slower? Yes - its all deliberately engineered.

It took you three pages to come aboard?

There are definite indications of increased official nannying over recent years which has led drivers to abandoning their critical faculties and drive like zombies staying under the speed limit and between any lines that may be painted on the road. I mention the latter specifically because, as a user of European roads over the years I note different attitudes on the two continents.

The European driver is always observing the rear-vision and ready to let a faster driver past and will even move over the painted verge line to facilitate an overtake. Slower driving is OK in Europe because a slow driver will always keep watch behind to ensure they aren't holding someone up and will act asap to let them past. In Australia (a few truckies excepted) drivers won't do this probably because:
(a) they think they will be arrested and go to jail for crossing the unbroken line and the don't want to risk the initiative
(b) they don't care who they're holding up, they're right Jack (probably don't even use their mirror)
(c) they are prigs and have a moral duty to uphold the law by ensuring that everyone behind them stays below the speed limit (we're not even talking "at" the speed limit here)
(d) they like to be "first" and will do anything to ensure they remain "first" (I even saw a bumper sticker the other day saying "I'm first, you're behind, accept it!")

But hey we're told by those clever guys at Monash etc that it keeps the road toll down, so such behaviours must be OK.

Enjoying living in the country now where there is still at least a greater appreciation (at least among country folk as opposed to the city morons who pass through) of overtaking regimes and keeping left and observant to facilitate this safely. Still get the occasional 60 in a 100 zone zombies and the kilometre long tailback though - and yes the lead car does speed up in the overtaking lanes. Part of the "staying in front at all costs" syndrome. Really, maturity and psychological aptitude tests need to be part of the driving test since society as a whole doesn't seem to inculcate these values.

My best personal observation recently was in Sydney (of course) where I found some clown managing to block Mona Vale Rd all the way from Mona Vale to St Ives (about 10 km?) by forming "rolling blockades" with cars alongside on this multilane road. Every time someone would come up and try to pass him in the right lane he would move into it and hold position alongside a car in the left. At first I though he was just thick, but after a while it seemed that he was actually playing a deliberate game, keeping the speed of the traffic about 5 km/h below the limit.

Roll on psychological aptitude testing (or is it just plain immaturity?).

[whynot]

I wonder if the problem is more the speedometer calibration in the current crop of Japanese cars. In my Forrester an indicated 100 kph compares with 93 kph on the satnav. This scaling error is across the working range of the speedometer.

I have noticed similar (if not as bad) errors with Toyota and Mazda; to the point that I doubted my satnav. However, a second GPS agrees with the calibration of the first (which appears to rule out problems with the satnav). The G6E consistently read 100 kph with 97 kph showing on the satnav.

I think the core problem is poor police enforcement of speeding (i.e. radar traps on gentle downhill gradients on high quality roads). This environment has generated a culture of “heads down in the cockpit watching the speedometer” and not watching the road.

[ef_jet]

i have noticed that drivers especially going up hills must just forget to put their foot down. the other day i was towing my brothers crumbledore with my patrol and nearly ran into the back of a daewoo and had to brake as i was doing the speed limit but didnt want to slow down as it was a steep hill it anoyes the crap out of me

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by TheInterceptor

No, its because the closer they get to the magic number (1km over limit), the more dangerous and life threatening it is therefore they drive at a safe speed...

Here in Vic the slow drivers won't speed but seem to love running red lights. I doubt safety is on their mind....unless the TAC hasn't told them enough of the dangers.

Originally Posted by whynot

I have noticed similar (if not as bad) errors with Toyota and Mazda; to the point that I doubted my satnav. However, a second GPS agrees with the calibration of the first (which appears to rule out problems with the satnav). The G6E consistently read 100 kph with 97 kph showing on the satnav.

Good point. The work Hilux is really bad for this. I know I'm driving under 100 but because I don't wanna deal with the BS if I get a fine I'm normally slower and in the left lane even with the needle a few k's over 100.

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by new2ford

(d) they like to be "first" and will do anything to ensure they remain "first" (I even saw a bumper sticker the other day saying "I'm first, you're behind, accept it!")



).

If the car in front of me had that sticker on I would pass them, then slow down. Then speed up again if it looked like they were going to attempt to pass me.
I'm a smartass, theY can learn to accept that.

[Ben73]

Here's an example of a slow braindead moron.
One night I was on the Charlestown bypass 90 zone. Car in front of me was in right lane doing about 70. I gave them a quick flash of highbeam because I like doing the speed limit. They didn't like that so they tapped the brakes. Few seconds later flashed highbeam again. This time they slammed on the brakes slowing to below 50.... In the 90 zone.
By now I'm ****ed so I just leave highbeam on and lay on the horn as I pass them on the left.

I look in mirror when I'm about 100m ahead and they move into the left lane. Why couldn't this idiot be in left lane originally! Morons.

[my_gxl]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Here's an example of a slow braindead moron.
One night I was on the Charlestown bypass 90 zone. Car in front of me was in right lane doing about 70. I gave them a quick flash of highbeam because I like doing the speed limit. They didn't like that so they tapped the brakes. Few seconds later flashed highbeam again. This time they slammed on the brakes slowing to below 50.... In the 90 zone.
By now I'm ****ed so I just leave highbeam on and lay on the horn as I pass them on the left.

I look in mirror when I'm about 100m ahead and they move into the left lane. Why couldn't this idiot be in left lane originally! Morons.

Although I hate to ask the police to enforce rules, its really up to them to book people like that.
The law is you must travel in the left lane on a multilane road if the limit is above 80km/h, unless you are entering or leaving the road, or there is congestion.
Most people travel in either lane in the city since almost always congested. However this stays in their brain when the limit hits 90km/h (since it says ABOVE 80km/h.
This is QLD anyway.

I know in NSW the police are good at booking people in the right lane continuously on freeways.

[RAREV8]

Originally Posted by my_gxl

Although I hate to ask the police to enforce rules, its really up to them to book people like that.
The law is you must travel in the left lane on a multilane road if the limit is above 80km/h, unless you are entering or leaving the road, or there is congestion.
Most people travel in either lane in the city since almost always congested. However this stays in their brain when the limit hits 90km/h (since it says ABOVE 80km/h.
This is QLD anyway.

I know in NSW the police are good at booking people in the right lane continuously on freeways.

Really? I've never seen it before and I do 65000kms a year! I hope you are right though.......it is staggering how little drivers understand about the laws- I was attending a Murcotts defensive driving course last year and was shocked to see that most people there knew virtually none of the questions asked of them. At least these guys were getting trained- what of all the others out there who just don't seem to care or think they don't need it?

[Riksta]

I had another clown in front of me last night.

Doing 60 in an 80 zone on a highway, finally got a chance to overtake and he pulled into the right lane in front of me to continue doing 60.

I then realised why he pulled out to the right lane, he was turning down the street to the right of the highway that I was. 60 zone, but sat on 40 the whole way.

Clown ended up then turning down my street, 50 zone, but he somehow thought that 30 would be more appropriate.

Absolute mong. I would never get out and hit/threaten/beat up anyone over this kind of thing, but it does get me angry, and I can see why those with anger management issues might get up and take a swing. There was no reason for it, dry roads, normal night visibility, not foggy or anything.

[OzJavelin]

I came into work earlier than usual today .. and a big difference in the driving behaviours. Most drivers just drove at about 80km/h in 60/km/h zone. Obivously I was the slow driver (doing 65km/h) as I had some dude in a Hiluz roar up behind a car in the LH lane I was passing, then pull in behind me then roar past me because I'd slowed down his progress.

There was however much amusement when I watched the same tool roar thru a combined red-light/speed camera and got his picture taken!

[Franco Cozzo]

Interesting morning going to work yesterday, got to the ring road entrance from the Tullamarine freeway and someone thought it was a good idea to go 30km/h up the entry ramp and ONTO the freeway at 30 and then slowly pick up speed.

My god, I was sitting in 3rd gear doing 1100rpm slowly crawling up the onramp at 30km/h, I didn't care that I was going to get to work like 2 minutes later, its just that its FREAKING DANGEROUS and the fact that the three others in front of me where getting extremely ****ed off, and thats when road rage and even more dangerous driving occurs.

Especially over there where you have traffic going 80-100km/h, of which who want to get over to the left lane from the right lane to get off at either the Tulla, or further on at Melrose drive exit ramp, even driving at the speed limit you get some hairy moments there, let alone jump on the freeway at 30km/h.

[T-Pak Addict]

Dont even get me started about slip lanes......

The number of people that sit on the end of these and "wait for a gap" is friggin rediculas..... And people get ****** when I sit at the start looking for a gap and nail it when I see the oppurtunity to slip in at speed.... Only to look back and they are at the end......

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by my_gxl

The law is you must travel in the left lane on a multilane road if the limit is above 80km/h, unless you are entering or leaving the road, or there is congestion.

I must point out in my story there were no roads on the right. It's a freeway styled road with on and off ramps on the left only.
Defiantly no congestion since it was night time and in Newcastle.

[Supercharged]

Title of this thread perhaps should have been are drivers getting slower rather than are slow drivers getting slower!

[ILLaViTaR]

I've noticed in my town of Berwick that ever since the floods everyone seems to have developed the intent to drive as slow as possible whilst flocking to the right lane like the ignorant sheep they are. As if they weren't already driving bad enough, it's just ridiculous.

[93EB_SXR6]

Noticed tonight a Subaru Forester with it's parkers/fog lights on... I could barely see the bloody thing.

This was on country roads.

Surely it must be illegal!

[kim and james]

Men in their 50's usually driving a European oil burner or a Korean 4cyl............ I think they are geography teachers. They are very hesitant on the road and aren't aware of any life beyond they windscreen.

[TheInterceptor]

This morning on the way to work, had an express van going 60 in a 70 zone then continued to go 60 in the 80 zone the 70 turned into. Good thing the road went into 3 lanes.

Some people should seriously be rammed off the bloody road. Oh wait i cant say that can i...