People who drive under the speed limit, then speed up when someone is trying to overtake you... why?
Posted by Boogaaa@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 176 comments
Seriously, I know some of you are here. Why do you drive 40 in a 60 for miles, then miraculously get a lead foot when someone is parallel with you in the oncoming lane?
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South_Leek_5730@reddit
Two schools of thought.
If they are doing it maliciously then we can narrow it down to
There's your answer.
Paul2377@reddit
I think it’s an ego thing. I once tried overtaking someone who’d been going very slow - but they accelerated. Then when I dropped back behind them they put their hazard lights on briefly as if to mock me.
The54thCylon@reddit
Or to say sorry?
Boogaaa@reddit (OP)
Absolute wanker
Purp1eMagpie@reddit
1: being overtaken wakes them up/takes their eyes off their phone for 30 seconds
B: their fragile ego got hurt
GourangaPlusPlus@reddit
The use of 1 & B is top notch work here
Disgruntled__Goat@reddit
“OK you can be universe A. We’ll be universe 1”
20127010603170562316@reddit
I love making lists with increasingly obscure bullet points. Only ever got called out on it once, said to my boss - they're all different so serves the same purpose.
GourangaPlusPlus@reddit
Could we just go back to point æ?
20127010603170562316@reddit
We will circle back to that, but we do need to get △ and 😵💫 out of the way first.
Purp1eMagpie@reddit
Thanks. I was going to split 1 into two options and introduce a iii as well but I'd already typed it and it felt like too much effort pre caffeine.
eggs_and_ham_i_am@reddit
I got In my first ever Uber last weekend whilst on holiday in Portugal.
I told the driver to stop watching tiktok whilst driving. He turned it off. I mean seriously, are people's attention spans that short that they can't go without for a 7 minute journey.
Then in the airport on the way home, I was having a piss in a urinal and a guy steps up to the one next to me, phone in hand (cock in the other I guess) And scrolls non stop for the minute it takes to piss, he didn't even watch any of the content, just scrolled up, up, up.
What is wrong with people???!!!!
(Didn't wash his hands either)
R2-Scotia@reddit
Habit, he probably did not know he was doing it
Purp1eMagpie@reddit
It absolutely does my tree in. I saw several people using their phones while driving just while walking the dog yesterday. People's brains are just mush these days
shredditorburnit@reddit
Always B.
likeyournamebutworse@reddit
Speak for yourself
jlb8@reddit
I found myself doing 1 without noticing (or being on my phone) when I was in a hire car that I couldn't work the cruise control on.
Drath101@reddit
You aren't going to get an answer on this thread because they either won't realise or won't admit to being this type of person. There's no incentive because they're just going to get attacked in the comments relentlessly. "People who steal candy from babies, why do you hate babies?"
Boogaaa@reddit (OP)
Good point. It just fries my fucking noodle. It's dangerous and infuriating
Leather_Wolverine249@reddit
But it's so satisfying when you have 400 horsepower. I can't even tell that they're doing it as I pass, it's only afterwards... "wait a minute, they've sped up haven't they!"
PennyBunPudding@reddit
While yours is not dangerous, it's no where near as annoying as someone driving really slow only to speed up at an orange light and you have to stop while watching them pooter through the red light
Simba-xiv@reddit
Every fucking uber on the planet
PennyBunPudding@reddit
Memba when taxis used to speed everywhere. Now they are slower than learners.
discoveredunknown@reddit
I once saw someone out themselves as one of those people who drive in the far overtaking lanes at 70mph holding up massive tailbacks of cars. They simply mentioned ‘70mph is the speed limit and I’m doing the speed limit, what’s the issue?’. This is how they think.
People who do what the OP do suffer from what is known as TPS, it can happen for a variety of reasons, but daring to overtake someone really affects the masculinity of them and puts them at fear.
TPS being tiny penis syndrome.
FunPie4305@reddit
They get especially infuriated if you try to overtake them in a smaller car
eggs_and_ham_i_am@reddit
Linking someone's twatish behaviour to the size of their penis is more annoying and childish than the behaviour from the type of people you're talking about.
But it's ok to take the mick out of men's penises I guess, that's a free pass.
Though why you're thinking about their cock when they are acting like twats though is absolutely beyond me.
northyj0e@reddit
Dude chill, it's okay to have a tiny cock.
eggs_and_ham_i_am@reddit
You're absolutely right, it is ok, which is why I don't feel the need to cast aspersions about other people's genitalia. But don't you think it's a bit weird going around thinking about other people's cocks?
Why not associate crap driving with big ears, or a small nose, or chubby fingers?
Drath101@reddit
Yeah! I've got a tiny penis and I'm a lovely bloke
discoveredunknown@reddit
It’s a joke mate
iffyClyro@reddit
It’s definitely a tiny penis thing, most of the time.
Munchkinpea@reddit
Or why do you sit in the middle lane when there are no cars for you to overtake?
Octoboy1@reddit
I just think babies have had too good for too long and they deserved to be knocked down a peg or two
R3DSmurf@reddit
Babies are awful though admit it
ClacksInTheSky@reddit
This is true. I can never finish a full one
TonyStowaway@reddit
Amateur ;)
mypostisbad@reddit
I steal candy from babies because they should not be eating candy at that age and I am trying to safeguard their health
your-mum-joke@reddit
I do it to piss people off, its quite simple. Life can suck and this cheers me up 😀
Low_Understanding_85@reddit
I wouldn't have answered but now you're challenging me I will.
I do it because it pisses people off and that's funny to me.
Clutzle@reddit
Find a hobby, bro.
Low_Understanding_85@reddit
Just a joke about reacting to being challenged being the same as speeding up when people overtake.
Obviously not a funny one tho looking at the downvotes.
Drath101@reddit
Proved my point excellently though. Thank you for your sacrifice
Low_Understanding_85@reddit
Haha anytime.
AdonisCarbonado@reddit
All the answers are below but the main one is they are significantly under stimulated in their real life. They don't have the social skills or ability to judge certain situations where they are physically detached. The car you drive will determine how long they keep it up & if I have time I will just slot in behind them, no hand signals no beeping no outrage but just follow them & mimic their every move. With the intention of following them home/ to their destination. In the past year I've had at least 3 'take' me to the local police station car park once I start playing my 'game'.
zwifter11@reddit
It’s a bit weird following them home. I’m not surprised they went to a police station.
AdonisCarbonado@reddit
It is. That’s the point. Ante up. Play silly games & all that. You will eventually come across someone like me who will almost always be willing to go too far / above and beyond to make a point.
unabatedshagie@reddit
The ones that get me are when they drive at 40 in a 60, then stay at 40 when they hit a 30.
AirlineSevere7456@reddit
I had a bizarre incident today with a white van driver doing 50 in a 70, I overtook on a dual carriageway at 70 leptons and he had a go at me for driving too fast at the next junction shouting out the window. I shouted "it's f-ing 70" back.
Avionykx@reddit
I asked this question of someone once and got a, what I think is, honest reply.
I'll quote as much as I remember:
"At 50mph there's a nice clear road ahead of me, I can see the potholes and things that might run out infront of my car, I'm doing a speed I feel safe at and I know I can react to things.
If a car overtakes doing 60 and then suddenly slows to 55, as they often do, I've now got some unknown entity in front of me and have to deal with their erratic driving"
Now as much as some of this didn't make too much sense there's some logic in there.
The person taking the risk (even when done safely) of overtaking someone who feels like the've got control of the situation is an unkown to them and you might slam the anchors on or slow down even slower than they are going.
The answer is probably that they feel safer with you behind them.
Rowdy_Roddy_2022@reddit
All these answers are correct but there's also the obvious one.
Some cars and drivers are better and faster at driving round the corners and bends of rural roads than others. Then when they hit the straight, they feel the confidence to put the foot down again - which just so happens when the car behind them, who was faster round the bends, also thinks they're faster on the straight.
SWITMCO@reddit
Story of my life. All I want to do is set the cruise control at 60 and chill, but the cars in front always vary between 40-70 because they think a slight bend will roll their car.
pruaga@reddit
I came to say this. I was the second car off a ferry in the Highlands of Scotland. The car in front would go crazily slowly on the windy bits of roads, but as soon as any straight section where an overtake was even remotely possible they floored it. Then back to 30 mph for the next corner.
They had an entire ferry behind them for about an hour.
Boogaaa@reddit (OP)
That makes sense, but there have neen so many times where they have had ample straight road to speed up, but just dont until you're side by side after following them for 10 minutes. It's madness
Cam2910@reddit
If this is happening to you a lot, is it possible you're tailgating or being otherwise aggressive before overtaking?
Boogaaa@reddit (OP)
It doesn't happen that much, but when it does it boils my piss. Even when I'm a passenger. It's just needlessly dangerous
Grenvallion@reddit
They don't want you to be in front of them. That's it. The same reason that they don't let bikes filter
Albert_Herring@reddit
There's an edge case for vehicles with highly unstable loads needing to drive abnormally slowly round corners and then accelerating a lot on straight sections where people want to overtake them (horse boxes being the prime examples). But mostly it's just reflexive twattery.
Anxious_wank@reddit
There are a lot of emotionally unstable people driving.
handtoglandwombat@reddit
If you’re tailgating me, I’ll slow down to make your chosen stopping distance a safe stopping distance. If you then stop tailgating me, I’ll go back to driving at the speed limit. I could not give any less of a fuck if your goal is trying to overtake me at twice the speed limit on an unsafe corner.
Radiant-Mycologist72@reddit
I guess theyre the same people who are in a real hurry until they get past you and then all of a suddnen aren't in a hurry no more.
Mysterious-One1055@reddit
This happened me not long after I passed my test.
One evening, I was overtaking a car doing 50mph using the temporary overtaking lane on a slight incline. When I did, the other car sped up. I felt like I had to commit as there was another car behind me and with the overtaking lane ending, we ended up doing near 80mph before I finally got back in, which involved me going onto the dashed white line/box area.
As I was passing the car, I was white knuckled and my heart was pounding, I looked over at the driver and couldn't believe it was a mother with two kids in the back seat!!!
She looked raging and I have no idea why. I nearly had to pull over as I felt like I was almost killed.
Bacon4Lyf@reddit
There’s a road near me that goes 30 40 70. People tend to already be doing 70 by the time they hit the 40 section, but I refuse because I know for a fact that th one time I join in there will be a speed van. I speed up when I pass the signs, and sometimes I think people think I’m doing what you’re describing
worldworn@reddit
It's been asked before, the only rationale answer was that they weren't paying attention and suddenly realised that they were driving slowly.
Other than that, idiots who don't like being overtaken.
LordBlackass@reddit
I assume you're a rational person. Imagine you're the person who realises they're being overtaken. Do you speed up, or maintain speed and let the people pass, then speed up to the limit when the cars have passed and the road is back to one lane.
I'll answer for you. You maintain your speed because you're a reasonable and rational person. That means the speed up people are cunts.
Flimsy-Sheepherder98@reddit
Not paying attention I’d imagine and then all of a sudden see a car in their peripheral- look at the Speedo- and speed up
Sad_Cardiologist5388@reddit
I imagine this is largely the truth, i've done it on occasion myself.
RadicalDog@reddit
I'll let them finish the pass at least
tomgrouch@reddit
I realised I did this the other day
Driving home on the motorway, in lane 1, didn't realise I'd slowed down until someone overtook and I glanced at my speedo
WealthMain2987@reddit
I think this is the case. I imagine 95 percent of people are like that.
Asleep-Software-4160@reddit
Sorry, too charitable, we'd prefer people are maliciously trying to ruin our day.
WealthMain2987@reddit
Sorry, I will rephrase.
95 percent of people are egotistic twits who doesn't like people overtaking them.
ohnoitshimagain10@reddit
Because it's fun, adds a frisson of excitement to an otherwise boring drive, i also think it's important to test the other drivers decision making and bravery or foolhardiness ie, shall I press on with the overtake or drop back before that big truck wipes me out. Well did you expect any serious answers?
thatsacrackeryouknow@reddit
I am willing to bet for the 100% of the time you've been behind them, they haven't once looked at their speed. Then because you have change the parametiers of their driving circumstance, they look down and see they're below the speed limit.
Of course by them speeding up they're breaking Rule 168 of the Highway code.
Frequent-Cobbler4232@reddit
I get it all the time, it’s 90% crossover vehicles, 90% people aged 40-60, and 90% avid members of local Facebook groups. It’s fun though, as they’re not going to keep up with a CBR at 12k rpm.
BillyBlaze314@reddit
It's a similar phenomenon to people who park around a car at the back far end of a car park. Some people feel the need to group with other people, and when you overtake them, they speed up to stay with you.
I don't think it's deliberate 99% of the time, and I've seen people throw on the brakes as they've sped up to a speed they weren't comfortable doing as I tried to pass and suddenly notice.
Still a fucking pain in the arse though.
RMMastin@reddit
I find that these anchors also do 40 in a 30 limit.
antimathematician@reddit
I live semi rural so there’s a fair bit of going from 60mph to 30mph, and I always seem to get stuck behind the twats who drive 40 the entire time. Bonus points if they do 35 in the 60 and 40 in the 30…
Boogaaa@reddit (OP)
Maybe they just really love doing 40...
Buddy-Matt@reddit
I've done this once.
The car in front of me was turning right. So naturally I slowed to allow them to complete their manoeuvre without, you know, having someone smash into the back of them at speed.
The Range Rover behind me didn't like this. They probably also didn't like the fact the buy I'd been following had been doing 40 while looking for the turning. So of course they started to overtake as soon as the guy in front of me had finished turning. Despite the fact I was also accelerating back up to 60.
In hindsight, I probably should have slowed down and let them past. But tbh, their aggressive to the point of being an asshole driving annoyed me, so I smashed the accelerator as well. They weren't impressed, they got on the horn. I genuinely dont remember who backed off, because the whole thing was rather silly, and I regret my part in it (^but ^they ^started ^it)
Chiselfield@reddit
They are unable to remain present enough to adequately control their actions and be conscious of the rules of the road.
Nandor1262@reddit
Can’t speak for people doing 40 in a 60, or speeding up whilst being overtaken but occasionally I’ll slip in auto pilot brain mode whilst driving and it won’t have dawned on me that I’m not doing the speed limit. Someone else coming up on my faster usually snaps me out of that and makes me realise and increase my speed to not hold them up.
Swimming_Crow_9853@reddit
Maybe you are right on their tail and they don't like it.
Brettstastyburger@reddit
Sometimes you don't realise that you've been driving 5-10mph below the speed limit until you see the overtake...
Tenstone@reddit
Because they didn’t realise they were going so slowly until they see a car overtaking.
Kizzieuk@reddit
Happend to me once. I was miles away in my head and then this blast from a lorrie's horn behind made me realise my speed had slowed, slow enough for the lorry to catch up but not slow enough for them to overtake.
I was brought up by lorry drivers, spent my childhood in lorry's and should have known better. I was suitable embarrassed and have never done it again.
GourangaPlusPlus@reddit
Lorry Bane over here
iffyClyro@reddit
“you merely adopted the lorry”
Quiet_Flatworm_350@reddit
Simple answer..... they are cunts
Kazvicious@reddit
Bonus shoutout to the ones who carry on doing 40 even when going through villages where it drops to to a 30 speed limit….
Diligent_Craft_1165@reddit
Probably the same people who park in parent/child spaces at the supermarket without having kids. Some people are just selfish cunts
baldeagle1991@reddit
It's either.....
Boogaaa@reddit (OP)
Its number 3. Its always number 3.
scorzon@reddit
I'll be honest, if I start to overtake someone and they suddenly speed up for me it quite often ends up with a number 2.
Gun_Beat_Spear@reddit
anonnymouse2025@reddit
Still a learner, but for me it's always number 1. I always worry the other driver will think I'm being a dick, but I'm genuinely just trying to get up to the speed of the road.
BulldenChoppahYus@reddit
I'll go.
I don't do this. But I HAVE done this in the past. As a younger, sillier and less attentive driver that didn't want to "lose" because I wasn't paying attention to my speed. In the moment it made sense.
Now I drive the speed limit - usually 20 where I live. And I totally understand why it's that low and why it makes sense to stick to it. When I get honked and passed by an aggressive driver who I then catch up to at the next red light I just get on with my life. The same mentality that does this is responsible for the phenomena you're talking about. "Me first".
BackgroundShallot5@reddit
The simple answer is that they are not paying attention - being overtaken is what makes them pay attention again and they realise that they were doing 40.
shazhazel@reddit
They are just imbeciles that think they own the road and that they can do whatever they want
These are the same people that will tailgate you for doing 28 in a 30, and will treat the speed limit like a target and not a limit
These people have no awareness of others, everything is all about me me me and my comfort
aj_speaks@reddit
Especially when you undertake them
ben_jamin_h@reddit
The people you're addressing in your post will never see this because they can't read
Unhappy_Exchange5607@reddit
The worst is when this happens when I'm towing on the motorway. Come up behind some person doing 50 in Lane 1, I pull out to go past with the cruise control on at 60 (as fast as I can legally go) and they suddenly race away. Just stop it!
Marshmallowmind2@reddit
Sometimes, I've unintentionally slowed down to 55-60mph on dual carriageway/ motorway and realise I'm holding up traffic. I then try to slowly build speed back up to 65-70mph but fully aware that cars are trying to overtake so try to be considerate of those too. It's for the greater good and no malice
busbybob@reddit
There arent many people that do this intentionally. I do observe alot of people that slow from 60 to 40 for a corner (not needed) as they arent very good drivers, then speed up to 60 on the next straight
DamoclesBDA@reddit
Everyone is supposed to drive under the speed limit, it's a limit. It's not a target or a guideline.
Couple of days ago I was on a 40 that felt like it should have been a 60 (A road, local councils probably dialling things back).
I was hanging back, just below limit, because a camper van was in front of me and if you can't see his wing mirrors he can't see you.
Then this utter bell end who I'd spotted leap frogging cars behind me decided to pass me, above speed limit.
Did I tap the accelerator? Hell yeah.
1995LexusLS400@reddit
You have to drive appropriate to the conditions. So many people drive at 40 in a 60 when it’s safe to do 60 and even recently I’m noticing people doing 15-20 in a 30 when it’s safe to do 30.
“It’s limit, not a target” is an appropriate phrase in conditions where if you do the speed limit, you’ll crash. If you don’t drive the speed limit when it’s safe and reasonable to do so during a driving test, you’ll fail for “appropriate speed”.
ClacksInTheSky@reddit
Who told you it was safe to do 60? Did you decide it was safe for them to drive at 60?
DamoclesBDA@reddit
It was a 40.
It was marked as a 40.
I was doing a tad below 40.
It felt like a 60. Many local councils are slowing things down in order to effect traffic calming.
Dizzy-Permit1919@reddit
Deliberately obstructing another vehicle is far more dangerous than driving at the speed limit.
I hope you are aware of this, but I'm sure if you reply you will try to justify your dangerous driving.
DamoclesBDA@reddit
How was he obstructed? He overtook me and moved into a dangerous position on the road behind the motorhome (which seemed to actually slow a little) which he dangerously tried to overtake before the road opened up and he dangerously sped off.
Boogaaa@reddit (OP)
I understand that, but I mean when there is open road ahead of them. Its perfectly understandable to be holding back behind a large vehicle.
But why bother accelerate? If that person is being a dick, fuck them, but just let them pass. Its so dangerous and unnecessary for you to speed up because someone else is driving like a dick.
DamoclesBDA@reddit
They were driving recklessly and dangerously already. And had been for some time.
I'd seen them.
A little tap might have scared them into easing back a bit.
Instead they were speeding and inserting themselves into the blindspot behind the camper, and they'd come out contrary to the road line markings.
I did nothing wrong.
They gained a car length before the road opened up to a 60 and a dual a few miles down the road.
Lockhearts_@reddit
"I did nothing wrong"
Rule 168 "If a driver is trying to overtake you, maintain a steady course and speed, slowing down if necessary to let the vehicle pass. Never obstruct drivers who wish to pass. Speeding up or driving unpredictably while someone is overtaking you is dangerous. Drop back to maintain a two-second gap if someone overtakes and pulls into the gap in front of you."
I'm not trying to defend the other driver you described, but saying you did nothing wrong while also saying you sped up thinking it might have scared them into easing off is also wrong, all you did was close a gap they could have used if a car appeared coming the other direction (again I'm not defending the other driver, just saying)
DamoclesBDA@reddit
There was always space in the blindspot (which he shouldn't have been trying to move into) there was nothing coming the other way. I put no one in danger. Only the other driver was repeatedly putting himself and other road users in danger.
silentv0ices@reddit
Absolutely agree it's not our job to police other drivers it's our job to be safe drivers.
MickHucknallsMumsDog@reddit
So there were 2 bellends then.
CineRanter_YouTube@reddit
Probably ego
SnooCakes1636@reddit
There’s a few irritating behaviours that I know I’ve developed by letting the cars systems do their thing.
For example, adaptive cruise control is great…until it spots a car in front 100yds away slow down slightly so it applies the brakes and slows me down too. (This might answer the other common question of why do people seem to brake on the motorway for no reason).
Generally, I’ll override and overtake as that slowing down kicks in. But on a long journey after a few hours, fighting the automation is quite tiring so I find myself occasionally driving at an inappropriate speed in a lane I shouldn’t be in. As soon as I notice this, I will either move over or speed up.
kernowjim@reddit
Fragile ego.
ClacksInTheSky@reddit
Let's flip the question:
Why do you think you need to drive at the speed limit for the entire duration of your journey? Are you aware that it's the limit and not the goal?
I'm prepared to be downvoted for it, but we're always all "why don't you let me overtake you" and never "why the fuck are you driving so fast and why do you need to pass someone driving 40MPH on a NSL country road?"
Superspark76@reddit
I live in a very rural area so windy roads are common, there are only a few places that would be considered safe for overtaking with good visibility of the road ahead. I do see a lot of slower drivers speeding up on these parts, seemingly because they can see it's safer to speed up.
It is a pain but sometimes it's just a coincidence that they are speeding up. Always because they are ignorant of cars around them.
Skubbags@reddit
Even worse are the stupid cunts on B roads that drive at 40 when its 60, then when going through a village thats 30.... they just keep doing 40.
JeffSergeant@reddit
I assume it's inattention, i.e. they're pootling along at 40, see someone overtaking them and think 'Oh, it must be 60 because everyone is going faster than me' and speed up to the limit.
Do_not_use_after@reddit
If this is happening to you, you shouldn't be trying to overtake in the first place. You need to be going at least 10-15 MPH faster than them by the time you're level, with the option of going another 15 MPH faster still, if they muck about. Anything less than that is not enough to overtake in a safe time, so you shouldn't even try. If you do have sufficient speed differential, you won't have too care what they do, it will be behind you anyway.
Lockhearts_@reddit
For me personally it's not even the speed that's the issue, it's the people who just can't keep a steady speed, even when no one is overtaking them, they'll be driving in a 60, doing 40, then decide to speed up to 50, then drop down to below 40, then hover around 40 for a bit, then speed up to 50 or even 60, then slow down a bit then speed up, then slow down... just pick a damn speed, I don't even care what speed you pick, just pick one, half the time I overtake someone it's because I got sick of trying to keep a steady distence from them while having to constantly change my speed to make up for whatever the hell they were doing.
Ok-Bag3000@reddit
Also while we’re here………..people who try to join a dual carriageway/motorway from a slip road at 40mph…why?
MaverickMcdoodle@reddit
Its usually ego.
Its very common when overtaking BMW's.
Leather-Shoulder-674@reddit
I think ink it's subconscious some times, I was on the A1 yesterday with cruise set at 70 and I'd catch up to people pretty quick and then sometimes have to give it a bit more pep to do the actual pass but when I get a little in front of them I check the mirrors and they are miles behind as if they realised what they where doing and let off the accelerator/ pressed the brakes .
MrDibbsey@reddit
I'll routinely be rolling along on cruise control and pass the same vehicles 4 or 5 times, my speed remaining unchanged. I think folk just aren't capable of maintaining speeds when faced with such rareties as gentle hills.
silentv0ices@reddit
This is just a guess but they are probably oblivious to the jam building up behind them due to their slow driving. Not everyone feels comfortable on fast nsl roads. Remaining oblivious they speed up in the straights not even knowing someone is overtaking.
Boogaaa@reddit (OP)
That's fair. Not everyone is comfortable on the limit, but then why speed up instead of just letting the overtaking vehicle pass?
silentv0ices@reddit
Some of them are oblivious look how many cars you used to see driving along with the wing mirror folded in.
-Rhymenocerous-@reddit
No ones going to answer that honestly out of being chastised and downvotes to oblivion
kipha01@reddit
I have done it by accident, I will ride within 5mph under the speed limit. I drop down just before the sign posting and only increase after the sign post as you are supposed to do. On a few occasions I can think of I have had people accelerate to over take just before the sign post as I am increasing only to find they fail to out pace a motorbike increasing speed. Now normally I look for it's doing this but sometimes there are hazards ahead that means that's where my focus is not on someone trying to over take someone when they can predict that person is going to accelerate.
But yeah I would not ride at 40 in a 60 with other traffic around, holding them up only to accelerate when someone attempts to overtake, that's just sociopathic.
terryjuicelawson@reddit
People may just be messing with you. Or they realised they were going slow and get back up to the limit. But it may just feel like they are speeding up, as you are sweating a bit with your foot on the gas on the wrong side of the road.
the01li3@reddit
I can admit I've probably done it once or twice when someone overtaking me makes me realise the speed limit is actually X not Y... But I've only ever sped up after they have overtaken to match their speed rather than not allowing them to overtake.
GalacticDoc@reddit
Riding a motorcycle i find people do this at any speed and I just wait until we get to some traffic and wave bye bye.
Boogaaa@reddit (OP)
I'm always on a bike, unless I'm a passenger in a car.
The thing people really hate from bikers... filtering at low speed/ staric traffic jams or red lights. I've had so many people pull their car over to block me, or just shout abuse at me for doing something perfectly legal.
RealLongwayround@reddit
In my experience, more people actively get out of my way in slow moving traffic than actively get in the way. Of course, there are those who just do nothing, but that’s fine with me. I have only once had someone get genuinely aggressive. He pursued me all the way to the gatehouse at work before changing his mind on seeing which emergency service I work for.
Boogaaa@reddit (OP)
Yeah, more people are indifferent, or move/ wave you on, to be fair!
GalacticDoc@reddit
I'm in the UK (I ride almost every day including winter) and cars are generally OK (or oblivious). I have had a rare incident of someone trying to block me.
I find it a little annoying when motorcyclists filter without acknowledging people who move out of the way, please spread some good vibes!
sockeyejo@reddit
They haven't read the Highway Code for decades but are convinced they know every word.
Fact is, they'll get one hell of a shock the day they discover what it really says!
Lumpy_Ad104@reddit
Someone did this to me and almost killed me. Driving 30 on a 60, tried to overtake, almost past them, they put the foot down, went from easily getting past to holy fuck.
space_guy95@reddit
The best thing about having a fast car is seeing the tantrums of these people when they try and fail miserably to stop you overtaking. Hands flailing around, beeping, flashing, etc, its great to see (in the mirror).
Boogaaa@reddit (OP)
It's so dangerous and completely unnecessary.
pelvviber@reddit
If I'm doing 39 in a 40 and the national speed limit sign appears I'm not speeding up to annoy anyone I'm just accelerating up to around the new limit and you are just being an impatient driver.
Purp1eMagpie@reddit
Clearly not the scenario OP is referring to
pelvviber@reddit
I have responded to OP regarding that.
Boogaaa@reddit (OP)
I'm not talking about this situation. I mean when your on a national speed limit road for quite some time and you're going way under the limit
silentv0ices@reddit
Not ever NSL road is safe at 60.
pelvviber@reddit
Ok. I see what you mean. That hasn't happened to me much. The only time I can recall it happened because I overtook a young lad in a souped up Corsa who felt lessened.
Pedantichrist@reddit
As a motorcyclist, it is amazing how often a car will fill up the gap and hanger on the horn, as they deliberately make my overtaking dangerous for everyone.
Nothing here was generous until you deliberately made it dangerous, Carl.
Boogaaa@reddit (OP)
I'm a biker too. So many car drivers hate us for existing, but then, I guess a lot of bikers do make us look bad with the way they ride
International-You-13@reddit
Do you expect drivers to be aware of what's going on around them? /s
Boogaaa@reddit (OP)
I know. Fuck me, I guess!
R400TVR@reddit
Everyone should drive under the limit, that's what it's a limit for!
Boogaaa@reddit (OP)
I'm not asking people to exceed the limit, I just want people to continue at their current speed if being overtaken, rather than speed up and put someone else in danger in the oncoming lane
karlosfandangoIII@reddit
I see on the M5 quite regularly people driving as fast as lane 2 allows them to - be it 50 something by behind a truck, or 70 something in the clear. They never pull back into lane 1, presumably out of fear or risk of momentary inconvenience. They never venture into lane 3, presumably out of fear or the risk of exposing incompetence, and so, instead, when you drive to a set speed on cruise, you overtake them every few minutes, only for them to pull in in front of you again when lanes 1 & 2 are clear, and slow down when the next obstacle presents itself…
Absolute weapons. Anyone who drives like that should be nowhere near a motorway
Purp1eMagpie@reddit
I'm half convinced some of the people that do this are on adaptive cruise and are too thick to realise that their car has slowed them down to the speed of the traffic in front. Then when it clear they go back up to what their cruise control is set to
karlosfandangoIII@reddit
That is lateral thought in action :) I’d not thought of that at all.
The end result, of course, is they’re still absolute weapons 😂
Purp1eMagpie@reddit
Oh yeah, regardless of the reason, their weapon status is fully intact
karlosfandangoIII@reddit
When the EV revolution is complete, the collective noun for them could be a battery
Purp1eMagpie@reddit
A battery of weapons. Like it
Depress-Mode@reddit
Steering wheel attendants who get woken up by a passing car.
SGRiggall@reddit
This or people flashing and beeping as you pass, fucking boils my blood
Brilliant_Sound_5565@reddit
I've always asked this question before, I think sometimes it feels deliberate, but sometimes I'm sure they just don't have the speed control. Many cars that have done this to me in the past, say I'm sat there with my cruise control once.yluce past them sometimes come driving past 10 mins later say doing another 5mph, then you catch up to them again
kimlesim@reddit
Or similarly my car takes a while to get up to speed but once I do I’m good. Some people shoot past you after just leaving a roundabout, just for them to act shocked when I catch up to them and need to overtake them doing 60
Happily-Incorrect@reddit
I had a car for a year that had awful acceleration so it almost certainly looked like I was doing this sometimes. In reality I'd been trying to get up to speed since I left the last roundabout or whatever, but sometimes I'd feel the frustration of the person behind me when it didn't happen immediately.
Now I have a proper working car again I'm the guy getting caught out trying to overtake someone who has suddenly sped up.
louse_yer_pints@reddit
I remember one guy in a van who was definitely ego driven when he sped up so I let him go because meh, who cares. I do sometimes think the speeding up is subconscious. When they see a car overtaking they slowly accelerate to match without even thinking about it.
Voodoopulse@reddit
Small testicles (or no)
Schmicarus@reddit
Because they’ve spent the last 53 miles driving down a beautifully empty road with no traffic.
The last thing they want is the 16 mile queue of cars being them to start ruining their experience.
lanky_doodle@reddit
Same question to the people who speed up approaching a junction to deliberately stop someone else getting out when without you speeding there'd be loads of time.
Then beep at them.
EcoNorfolk@reddit
Always look for a dashcam when this happens. They invariably have them.
BowiesFixedPupil@reddit
Just realized how slow I was going, thanks for the reminder. You can pull back behind me now.
OwineeniwO@reddit
People daydream then slow down and when they notice someone overtaking they realise they're driving slowly and speed up.
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