Banned For Driving Too Slowly

[J4MIE]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/7171154.stm

Quite right I think, surely something like this is much more dangerous than speeding?

Surely public transport is an easier alternative for her if she has a fear of driving :s

[Daniel]

Definitely. It's differences in speed that cause accidents. If every car on the motorway was doing 70mph it would make it difficult to crash into each other. Do a reasonable speed or get off the road. Period.

[J4MIE]

Yup, if you're going along doing 70 behind another car doing the same, and the car in front suddenly has to brake/swerve to avoid this woman, you probably have less chance to react.

(yes I know you shouldn't be driving too closely but this does happen regularly on motorways when "obstacles" such as this are not forseen)

[Drew]

Straddled the hard shoulder?! So that means she wasn't even completely in the hard shoulder and lorries and cars passed her at 60/70mph?!

She's lucky she wasn't killed or injured, she should be banned until she doesn't have a fear, otherwise who knows what crazy / stupid thing she'll do if she panics.

[AndyRAC]

'Slowing' should have as big a stigma as speeding, in fact, it's probably more dangerous. She shouldn't drive again!!!

[Captain VXR]

And the law states that anyone who rear-ends someone is at fault :confused: - someone doing for example 40 in a 60 limit round a blind corner could be smacked into
Anyone see the Mexican video on YouTube where a slow car causes a coach to crash and roll over?

[jim mcglinchey]

someone doing for example 40 in a e law states that anyone who rear60 limit round a blind corner could be smacked into
Anyone see the Mexican video on YouTube where a slow car causes a coach to crash and roll over?


I always thought that Driving Rule #1 stated Dont drive so fast that you cant stop in the distance that you can see in front of you.

[Daniel]

I always thought that Driving Rule #1 stated Dont drive so fast that you cant stop in the distance that you can see in front of you.
Not true.
[sarcasm]
Driving Rule #1 States that if you have an accident and you were going too fast for the conditions or not paying attention it's always the other person's fault if you are doing the speed limit.[/sarcarm]

[Brown, Jon Brow]

And the law states that anyone who rear-ends someone is at fault :confused: - someone doing for example 40 in a 60 limit round a blind corner could be smacked into
Anyone see the Mexican video on YouTube where a slow car causes a coach to crash and roll over?

Going 60 mph round a blind corner isn't particularly wise ;)

[Daniel]

Going 60 mph round a blind corner isn't particularly wise ;)
See my rule 1 :p It's obviously the fault of the person you crash into if you can't stop in the distance you can see within.

[Drew]

Anyone see the Mexican video on YouTube where a slow car causes a coach to crash and roll over?

There are so many videos like that, but this one is special:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CYTBhIs6i_c

The driver of the Volvo didn't even stop, I so hope he/she got fined or put in gaol!

[MrJan]

Unconfident drivers are the most dangerous out there. This womanshouldn't be allowed to drive if she can't even do a few miles at 60 on the motorway until a slip road because she is a huge danger to the public. If we got all the nervous drivers off the road the world would be a much safer place.

[Mark]

Unconfident drivers are the most dangerous out there. This womanshouldn't be allowed to drive if she can't even do a few miles at 60 on the motorway until a slip road because she is a huge danger to the public. If we got all the nervous drivers off the road the world would be a much safer place.

Quite. I can't count the number of times I've been stuck behind an old guy doing 20mph and braking all the time when otherwise I would be doing 60mph easily.

[J4MIE]

Overtake Mark, it's the way forward :p :

[Mark]

Overtake Mark, it's the way forward :p :

Oh I do :p . But there is the small matter of oncoming traffic to consider :p

[SEATFreak]

I am just writing because I am wondering how many people who are recovering in hospital from RTA's would tell you the person who cause the accident was travelling at less than 15mph even though they were.

And I also wonder, following on from above, and having read Daniels comment, whether they would tell you they would have survived better had they went into the back of the car of the man or woman who caused the accident at 70mph and not at they 10mph they did do.

I feel for the woman. She, who people have conveniently neglected to mention has MS, like many people who drive slowly, is being tarred with the same brush as those who who drive with shocking excessive speed. Those idiots you see on those motoring documentaries like Road Wars on SKY3 I think it is or Alistair Stewarts "Police, Camera, Action" on ITV.

[Drew]

I am just writing because I am wondering how many people who are recovering in hospital from RTA's would tell you the person who cause the accident was travelling at less than 15mph even though they were.

And I also wonder, following on from above, and having read Daniels comment, whether they would tell you they would have survived better had they went into the back of the car of the man or woman who caused the accident at 70mph and not at they 10mph they did do.

I don't think that the person driving 10mph would directly cause the accident but indirectly so. To avoid that person driving at 10mph and you're driving at 70mph, you're either going to have to brake and pray or swerve and pray, perhaps causing an accident then. Plus I'd much rather be hit from behind doing 60mph whilst the other person was doing 70mph than doing 10mph and being hit at 70mph, ask whiplash victims that.

[306 Cosworth]

Quote from the news article which I find shocking
"North Avon Magistrates' Court had previously heard that Mrs Cole's GP had been treating her for "fear of driving" for the past three-and-a-half years. "

If that's the case she shouldn't have been on the road in the first place! She wont be back on the roads now though if she has to take her driving test again, she's fooked :p :

[Easy Drifter]

My parents had a very self opinionated retired school teacher friend. This was when the speed limits on Ont. multi lane highways was 70mph. She felt this was far too fast so when on these highways would get in the fast lane and drive at 45. She was never pulled over and was very proud that she had never had an accident. How many she left in her wake we will never know.

[Mark]

She may well have had MS but that does not gibe her the right to be a danger aif you can't drive properly then you should not be on the read. Besides it was her physcological problems that were causing her to drive too slowly.

[MrJan]

I feel for the woman. She, who people have conveniently neglected to mention has MS, like many people who drive slowly, is being tarred with the same brush as those who who drive with shocking excessive speed. Those idiots you see on those motoring documentaries like Road Wars on SKY3 I think it is or Alistair Stewarts "Police, Camera, Action" on ITV.

Illness shouldn't mean that she should be subject to more leniant treatement than anyone else. Dangerous driving is dangerous driving no matter what the situation. Besides the MS was not a factor in this case, yes she suffers from it but it had no bearing on her doing a stupid speed or being scared of driving. To be honest I don't think it was an issue that needed raising.

[Daniel]

I am just writing because I am wondering how many people who are recovering in hospital from RTA's would tell you the person who cause the accident was travelling at less than 15mph even though they were.

And I also wonder, following on from above, and having read Daniels comment, whether they would tell you they would have survived better had they went into the back of the car of the man or woman who caused the accident at 70mph and not at they 10mph they did do.

I feel for the woman. She, who people have conveniently neglected to mention has MS, like many people who drive slowly, is being tarred with the same brush as those who who drive with shocking excessive speed. Those idiots you see on those motoring documentaries like Road Wars on SKY3 I think it is or Alistair Stewarts "Police, Camera, Action" on ITV.

I don't see what you mean. Two cars travelling on the same bit of road at 70 and the same direction won't hit each other. Hence there won't BE an accident.

I bet there aren't many people in hospital right now because of people driving too slowly and that's because most people drive at an appropriate speed.

I don't care if she's got terminal eczema. If she's a danger to others on the road she's a danger to others and shouldn't be on the road.

What you fail to recognise is that it's not necessarily excessive speed that causes accidents but differences in speed which cause collisions. Ever seen an F1 car coasting around a track or stopped on the starting grid? That's what I'm talking about.

[schmenke]

...She, who people have conveniently neglected to mention has MS, like many people who drive slowly, is being tarred with the same brush as those who who drive with shocking excessive speed....

I have a sister-in-law suffering from MS who gets so many speeding fines that she is in jeopardy of losing her license :mark:

[SEATFreak]

I have a sister-in-law suffering from MS who gets so many speeding fines that she is in jeopardy of losing her license :mark:

And what does she think about speeding drivers?

What does she think about the idea many drivers seem to have that other slow drivers are more of a threat than people who driver 70mph+?

[Mark]

And what does she think about speeding drivers?

What does she think about the idea many drivers seem to have that other slow drivers are more of a threat than people who driver 70mph+?

I'd risk getting myself shot down here but I would say that slow drivers are more of a risk than people doing 80mph on the motorway.

[306 Cosworth]

I'd risk getting myself shot down here but I would say that slow drivers are more of a risk than people doing 80mph on the motorway.

I completely agree Mark, it's even worse when you have Lorries overtaking cars!!

[Mark]

I was just reading driving requirements for France and it says that there it's illegal to drive any slower than 49mph on the motorway (if conditions allow of course)

[Daniel]

And what does she think about speeding drivers?

What does she think about the idea many drivers seem to have that other slow drivers are more of a threat than people who driver 70mph+?
While you're at it Schmenke. Does she think I'd look better in a pink mini-skirt or a black mini-skirt? :mark:

It's about as relevant to this thread as the opinion of one person with a disorder who speeds and gets speeding tickets on whether people going slower or faster on a motorway are more dangerous.

Mark. I would put money on your statement being true. I don't mean to be rude SEATfreak but you strike me as a person who doesn't actually drive.

[SEATFreak]

I don't mean to be rude SEATfreak but you strike me as a person who doesn't actually drive.

Close. I CANNOT drive. I would be too crap to have a go.

[Daniel]

Close. I CANNOT drive. I would be too crap to have a go.
Again I don't mean to be rude but how can you make comments which clearly differ from that of people who have levels of experience ranging to more than or a lot more than yours :mark:

[Mark]

I would be too crap to have a go.

You'll never get anywhere in life with a defeatist attitude.

[Daniel]

You'll never get anywhere in life with a defeatist attitude.
Very true. My suggestion would be to jump in a slow go kart on an empty track and see how it feels.

[Robinho]

10 MPH on the Motorway is suicide - even if the traffic was obeying the limit that potentially gives a closing speed of 60mph.

can you imagine if there were random car sized objects built on roads with a 60mph limit that filled a lane, this is worse cos she could move accross the carriageway.

on top of that if there was a line of lorries "only" doing 55mph they'd be swerving out of the slow lane and leaving anything behind totaly blind to the hazard until potentially too late - you might as well build all bridges so they stick out halfway accross a lane and change the limit to 60mph!

[Drew]

I was just reading driving requirements for France and it says that there it's illegal to drive any slower than 49mph on the motorway (if conditions allow of course)

Am I right in thinking you're not allowed to drive a car on the motorway that isn't capable of doing 55mph?

Shame that's not the minimum speed limit, then.

[Mark]

Yeah cos that's going to be cheap :eek: although if SEATFreak wants to go down to Dunston karting I'd probably go and watch :p

Just get a couple of driving lessons, there is nothing to be lost except a few quid, oh and your sanity.. but who wants that anyway?

[Mark]

Am I right in thinking you're not allowed to drive a car on the motorway that isn't capable of doing 55mph?


The law states that:
(v) in the case of a motor vehicle, that it is so constructed as to be capable of attaining a speed of 25 miles per hour on the level under its own power, when unladen and not drawing a trailer.

[GridGirl]

Close. I CANNOT drive. I would be too crap to have a go.

Unless your Lewis Hamilton everyone is crap when then start to learn to drive. You wouldn't be any different to the rest of us, hell some people stay rubbish but they still have a license and no one can take it away unless they have medical problems or they get themself banned. :)

[MrJan]

I'd look better in a pink mini-skirt

I never said you wouldn't sweetcheeks :p : ;)

Ahh, you can't beat a bit of mis-quoting at lunchtime :D

[SEATFreak]

Again I don't mean to be rude but how can you make comments which clearly differ from that of people who have levels of experience ranging to more than or a lot more than yours :mark:

Their is another seat adjacent to the drivers seat in a car you know. And their is two soft round things in your head called eyes.

Just because I am not a driver don't mean I cannot see the behaviour of others. You can see the behaviour of others from the passenger seat also.

More so. Passengers, as rare as they are to find invited on journeys these days, don't have the ressponsibility of observing the slightest thing that moves or farts incase it is a hazzard whilst at the same time controling the car because some geek in a suit at the DVLA told them they have to do it.

They are free to look and move where they want without fear of putting the 30k motor in the ditch so yes they are able to also observe just as much if not more so than the drivers beside them.

[MrJan]

When you drive you learn a lot more. I can no longer sit in a passenger seat without pushing an imaginary brake or driving the car in my head. Before I learnt to drive I could sit in a car happily without caring.

As for observing more, forget it. The driver has to constantly know where everything is around them while the passenger pricks about with the radio or stares out the window at cows and fields.

[Daniel]

I'm sorry Seatfreak but no amount of being a passenger prepares you for actually driving a car on the road with the rest of the public like this woman.

[Daniel]

When you drive you learn a lot more. I can no longer sit in a passenger seat without pushing an imaginary brake or driving the car in my head. Before I learnt to drive I could sit in a car happily without caring.

As for observing more, forget it. The driver has to constantly know where everything is around them while the passenger pricks about with the radio or stares out the window at cows and fields.
Same here. Caroline is forever pushing the imaginary brake in my car :p Same with me.

[Drew]

And also there is a huge difference between just driving a car around a field and driving a car on the road.

And I seem not to be too bothered whilst I'm a passenger :p :

[Mark]

Take it from someone who knows. Being a passenger teaches you NOTHING about driving. I was a keen observer for 17 years with my Dad driving and found it to matter little when taking to the wheel unless you have done it you don't know the level of situational awareness required. When I first started learning I used to get headaches and my driving instructor said that was common as your brain jutting is not used to having to process that much input.

[GridGirl]

Being a passenger is a lot different to driving, my mum drives but it's not untill someone else is driving that she realises how fast 30mph is for example. She will happily drive along at 30mph if thats the speed limit, but if I do that on the same piece of road and she's in the passenger seat it wont be long before she's shouting for me to slow down and to stop speeding. I'm not speeding but her view is that she hasn't got time to look and take note of things (ie. be noesy) so I must be driving too quickly.

It wasn't untill I learnt to read the road so to speak that I actually felt confident when driving. :)

[schmenke]

I was just reading driving requirements for France and it says that there it's illegal to drive any slower than 49mph on the motorway (if conditions allow of course)

Similar to the province of Québec where a minimum 60kph limit is imposed on highways.

[J4MIE]

When you drive you learn a lot more. I can no longer sit in a passenger seat without pushing an imaginary brake or driving the car in my head. Before I learnt to drive I could sit in a car happily without caring.

This constantly annoys me whenever I am in a car but not driving :( I have not been the same since the summer before I started learning to drive when an ambulance went into the back of my dad's car when coming back from holidays in France :s

Although my mum is the worst passanger ever! Recently when I was driving her somewhere, there is a long straight bit of road outside the village, and as we went round the bend at the end of it she suddenly screamed. So, after a plummet from the sky due to the fright, I asked her why on earth she'd done that, and she said "well I didn't know if you were going to try to go round the corner"! :\ WTF??!!! :eek:

Control freaks 'R' Us :p :

[GC8Subaru]

Mrs Cole only received a seven day ban? I think the police have been kind to her, really she should have had her driving licence revoked & if she wants it back she must sit the test again. I emphasised the government on insisting elderly people at a certain age must sit a driving confidence test free of charge for pensioners of course.

She seems like a nice old lady but really a ink cartridge is not an emergency is it. For example my father no longer drives any more as he’s no longer confidant on the roads & he doesn’t want to endanger other road users, even old people must take responsibility at times and know when to quit.

Yes I’m new to this site so “Wave to All”
Looks like a interest site & heaps of good topics to read.
Enjoy your day…...unfortunately I must return to work now

[J4MIE]

Mrs Cole only received a seven day ban? I think the police have been kind to her, really she should have had her driving licence revoked & if she wants it back she must sit the test again. I emphasised the government on insisting elderly people at a certain age must sit a driving confidence test free of charge for pensioners of course.

According to the news page she will have to retake her driving test before she can drive again.

Currently the DVLA only require people to self certify that they are fit to drive. For instance, I have to renew my license every three years because I am diabetic. I'm sure it would be impossible to check everyone is telling the truth, more likely there is a random test done to check with the person's doctors etc to try to ensure they really are able to drive.

Welcome to the forum :)

[SEATFreak]

while the passenger pricks about with the radio or stares out the window at cows and fields.

Without trying to take the topic to much toward the topic of passengers that is a sweeping stereotype to make.

I can use any long haul journey as an example but as we all follow the BTCC, down the motorway on my way to Croft with my father, despite the overwehelming presence of fields and cows in County Durham and North Yorkshire I am not in the slightest bit interested in our bovine friends or fields. Nor am I the slightest bit interested in the radio.

I have always, ever since I first sat in the passenger seat been far more interested in looking at other drivers and the cars they drive. When I was little my interest in cars was patently obvious as I was always pointing out the different makes. But now it is more a case I cannot avoid them. My father spends almost the entire journey in the middle lane where I see car after car overtake him by those in the faster inner lane. Not because he himself is a slow driver but he wants to stick the speedometer as close on 60mph for as long as possible. Some crap about fuel conservation.

So it seems from the stereotype I am different from the norm. But I like to think I am just more aware and concious of other drivers too.

[Mark]

My father spends almost the entire journey in the middle lane where I see car after car overtake him by those in the faster inner lane.

Couple of problems with that. Firstly, what the hell is he doing spending the entire journey in the middle lane.

Secondly, over 95% of the A1(M) between where you live and Croft is two lane motorway, so there is no middle lane, only inside (left) and outside (right).

[GridGirl]

Why would you spend an entire journey in the middle lane doing 60mph? I'm sure lane hoggers have been mentioned numerous times in the pet hates of driving thread.

That just means the rest of us have to move from the inside into the middle and then to the outside and all the way back so we don't end up undertaking you if we travel at the 70mph limit.

[Daniel]

Without trying to take the topic to much toward the topic of passengers that is a sweeping stereotype to make.

I can use any long haul journey as an example but as we all follow the BTCC, down the motorway on my way to Croft with my father, despite the overwehelming presence of fields and cows in County Durham and North Yorkshire I am not in the slightest bit interested in our bovine friends or fields. Nor am I the slightest bit interested in the radio.

I have always, ever since I first sat in the passenger seat been far more interested in looking at other drivers and the cars they drive. When I was little my interest in cars was patently obvious as I was always pointing out the different makes. But now it is more a case I cannot avoid them. My father spends almost the entire journey in the middle lane where I see car after car overtake him by those in the faster inner lane. Not because he himself is a slow driver but he wants to stick the speedometer as close on 60mph for as long as possible. Some crap about fuel conservation.

So it seems from the stereotype I am different from the norm. But I like to think I am just more aware and concious of other drivers too.

I'm sorry but yet again I have to say that there is no substitute for actual experience of driving a car yourself.

All things being equal if you had two identical people and one sat in the front and observed everything and the other sat in the back and slept then you gave them the same amount of training then the one who sat in the front observing will probably be a better driver. But that's beside the point. If you've never put a car in gear and actually gone driving down a road then it's really irrelevant.

The trick with driving is that you have to be aware of everything as well as actually driving. It's the same with flying. Back when I was doing my flying training I had no problems flying and landing but to actually do all the checks as you fly, all the radio calls, look out for other planes as well as keeping yourself in the air was not easy at all. The individual bits of flying and driving are pretty bloody easy and anyone with any level of co-ordination could do them. But put them all together and it's another can of worms entirely.

Thing is SEATFreak. You don't know how to drive. No matter how much you think you do you don't unless you've actually done it which you haven't.

[SEATFreak]

Couple of problems with that. Firstly, what the hell is he doing spending the entire journey in the middle lane.

The hell Conserving fuel. That answer was short and sweet.

btw my father does NOT spend the entire journey in the middle lane. He does move to the faster inner lane when the car infront is slower that he is going.

That is they way he likes to do it. I don't like it either but that is the way he likes to drive. If you have an issue with that I am happy to give you my address and you can take it up with me personally.


Secondly, over 95% of the A1(M) between where you live and Croft is two lane motorway, so there is no middle lane, only inside (left) and outside (right).

Your point is? :confused:

The number of lanes doesn't matter. If theirs 3 lanes it is the middle one. If theirs 2 then obviously the lane nearest to the hard shoulder.

Fact is is that I see enough cars pass through the fast lane to see others.

But everything I have said is immaterial anyway.

I have clearly no grounds to make any opinion. I see that now. I was blinded by my thought I was putting something of value forward.

I am sorry for what I have said and I will not contribute to the thread any more

[GridGirl]

I think the main issue I have with your original comment is that you don't need to conserve fuel in the middle lane. You could just as easily conserve the same amount of fuel in the inside and slower lane without lane hogging and frustrating alot of other drivers.

[MrJan]

Although my mum is the worst passanger ever! Recently when I was driving her somewhere, there is a long straight bit of road outside the village, and as we went round the bend at the end of it she suddenly screamed. So, after a plummet from the sky due to the fright, I asked her why on earth she'd done that, and she said "well I didn't know if you were going to try to go round the corner"! :\ WTF??!!! :eek:

Control freaks 'R' Us :p :


I thought my mum was bad. Apparently both me and my Dad 'reverse too fast'. I reversed a few feet down the drive one time and you'd have thought someone was choping her arm off from the noise she made. It's bloody dangerous driving her anywhere because she spends the whole journey shouting at me.

Just a final point on what SEATFreak has been saying (don't mean to have a go but you're wrong :p : ) I also spent a lot of time in the passenger seat driving to BTCC events and rallies and like you spent a long time watching other drivers (still do it as a passenger now) but what I've realised since then is that although I thought I knew about driving in reality I didn't know jack.

[Malbec]

I'm sure it would be impossible to check everyone is telling the truth, more likely there is a random test done to check with the person's doctors etc to try to ensure they really are able to drive.

If you're thought to be unfit to drive your doctor has a responsibility to inform the DVLA.

[Mark]

SEATFreaks dad drives in a correct manner. He is confused as to the meaning of middle lane.

[Malbec]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/7171154.stm

Quite right I think, surely something like this is much more dangerous than speeding?

Surely public transport is an easier alternative for her if she has a fear of driving :s

I've been reading a bit about her and actually I feel quite sorry for her. She's clearly scared of driving and really didn't want to go on the motorway but felt she had no choice. After all this I suspect she'll be too scared to go on the motorway at all. She certainly had good insight into what was going on.

A few years back I remember watching a news article about a guy who owned a Morris Marina and drove along the motorway somewhere near Bristol everyday at about 5-10 mph causing huge tailbacks and the occasional accident. The police then were less able to charge him with dangerous driving and could only let him go with warnings. Problem was that he was totally convinced he was right and everyone else was wrong. People like us shouldn't be driving at 70 on the motorway but doing safe speeds like him. I found him a lot more dangerous, or 'Maureen' from driving school who had absolutely no insight whatsoever into her total lack of driving ability and seemed to find it all quite amusing.

[Erki]

Being a passenger is a lot different to driving, my mum drives but it's not untill someone else is driving that she realises how fast 30mph is for example. She will happily drive along at 30mph if thats the speed limit, but if I do that on the same piece of road and she's in the passenger seat it wont be long before she's shouting for me to slow down and to stop speeding. I'm not speeding but her view is that she hasn't got time to look and take note of things (ie. be noesy) so I must be driving too quickly.

This is interesting. It's the same way to me too. I mean that when someone else drives, speed feels faster than when I am behind the wheel. No screaming though. :) When I was learning, it was the other way around - speed always felt faster when I was driving and slower when someone else(most often my dad) was driving. Guess it's because I'm now used to driving and trust myself more. :)

@SEATFreak: yes and no. depends. :) Nothing can beat actual experience. It's always handy to have two more eyes, but the passenger's eyes are always half blind to the driver. Although, yes, driving with a passenger is different than driving without one. (At least to me, as I haven't done much driving alone. This is constantly changing now. ;) )

[Erki]

Oh, and I also wanted to add that how do you differentiate between constantly slowing and driving a car slowly for a limited because it has a problem and you want to get it to somewhere where you can check/repair it? I had to drive 30-40km/h for a few miles today before I had the idea to check the wheel nuts. :idea: