Who Are Those People Who Drive Slowly in Single Lane Highways and Then Speed up When You Get to Overtaking Lanes?

Odin on 15/01/2021 - 14:08
Last edited 15/01/2021 - 16:31 by 1 other user

Seriously, just did a bit of a trip over Christmas, and noticed this so frequently on the country roads.

It would be a single lane road, and you'd get people (in all sorts of cars) driving at changing speeds (going from 100km/h down to 70km/h) with no rhyme or reason, then as soon as you get to an overtaking lane - BAM, they're pumping 110km/h for the whole thing. When it ends, they're back to their usual random speed.

It drives me mental.

I always thought that the considerate thing to do is to realise that if someone catches up behind your car - the logical conclusions is that you're going slower than them on average, so the polite and considerate thing to do is to allow them to pass as early as possible.

Does no one else feel this way?

Automotive

Comments

    • Homr on 18/01/2021 - 14:07
      +1

      wow, people use the GPS speedo instead of the car speedo now?

      • maiuspala on 18/01/2021 - 14:27
        +1

        This is common knowledge that speedos are out by avg 10%, but gps is not. Ofcourse you want to use a more accurate device.

        • Homr on 18/01/2021 - 17:44
          -1

          What if your 4g connection is bad? Will my GPS speedo still be accurate?

          • maiuspala on 18/01/2021 - 18:02

            @Homr: Stop trolling mate

            • Homr on 18/01/2021 - 18:06

              @maiuspala: what? I'm serious

              • DazMon on 18/01/2021 - 23:33
                +2

                @Homr: Whats 4G got to do with it?

              • penguin286 on 19/01/2021 - 04:23

                @Homr: All you really need to do realistically is figure what speed on your Speedo is needed for actual GPS speeds of 60, 70, 80, 100 or 110km/h

  • [Deactivated] on 16/01/2021 - 20:40

    Just out accelerate them and then cut them off by a few centimetres.

    • bobbified on 19/01/2021 - 09:57
      +1

      …and then cut them off by a few centimetres.

      No point in potentially provoking the other driver or even causing a collision. Just get away and stay away. You're unlikely to ever see them again anyway.

      • bobwokeup on 19/01/2021 - 10:06

        I highly doubt it’d provoke them if they can’t drive in the first place. Might make them realise you are pissed off with them though.

        • bobbified on 19/01/2021 - 11:00
          +1

          …if they can’t drive in the first place.

          I'm not sure what's worse - you might cause an incompetent driver to panic and hit the accelerator. If there's a collision, you'll technically be at-fauit because you merged in front.

          Either way, it's better to just let it go and drive on.

          • bobwokeup on 19/01/2021 - 11:34

            @bobbified: Good point no point in scaring them by the near miss but if they did react it would be to let go of the accelerator and brake. I’ve seen it so many times, they are usually so unaware of traffic around them. Being an ex motorbike rider it’s a habit to know what is going on all around you so I can see the signs.

            If they did hit the accelerator it’s because they are being a pain in the butt and you’d see them doing it as you overtake so you can adjust accordingly.

  • haggertm on 16/01/2021 - 21:51
    +1

    I drive 120ks to work and back each day and I hate this. There are no overtaking lanes but people tend to speed up on the spotty lines and slow down on the solid. The worst ones are truck drivers who seem to not like people overtaking and the people who speed up as you try to overtake. Drives me nuts. I just set my cruise control and coast.

    • Ultimate Gattai on 17/01/2021 - 01:09
      +4

      I find truck drivers tend to be pretty good personally, everyone else, not so much.

    • El cheepo on 17/01/2021 - 02:19
      +2

      I hate it when 100 ton speed limited vehicles rapidly accelerate 😂

    • bobbified on 18/01/2021 - 13:01
      +5

      The worst ones are truck drivers who seem to not like people overtaking and the people who speed up as you try to overtake.

      Whenever I drive long distances, I find truck drivers are the most courteous. If I'm stuck behind, I just stay way back so they can see me in their mirrors and I just be patient. It's a big truck and obviously they're not as nimble as the smaller cars so no point getting annoyed or frustrated. Often going up a hill or something, they'll move as far to the left as they can and wave me through. I always give a wave in return when I pass them. It would be great if everyone was like that.

      • haggertm on 19/01/2021 - 09:47
        +3

        Most truck drivers are great. I probably didn't articulate myself very well. But there are a couple who take my route often that are a nightmare to drive behind.

        • bobbified on 19/01/2021 - 09:53
          +1

          There's always going to be bad apples, but the majority of them are great! I've seen people do stupid things around trucks and not only do they put themselves and their passengers in danger, they also put the truck driver in danger when they're forced to swerve their rig to avoid killing the idiot.

  • ConsumerAffairs on 16/01/2021 - 22:00
    +7

    What's worse about this is when your towing a caravan or large trailer and those overtaking lanes are usually the only chance you can pass these slow pricks, even if you've been stuck behind them for 10-15km waiting for the chance to pass.
    The amount of times I've had no choice but to force my way past them at the end of the overtaking lanes because they were so adamant they needed to stay in front of the car with the caravan regardless if I've been up their arse for tens of kilometres.

    • stumo on 17/01/2021 - 10:58
      +2

      Same. i drive a big Sprinter campervan. It can eventually do 120kph+ but I shouldnt f-ing have to do that speed just so I can drive at the limit the rest of the time.

      I sometimes give the van a little swerve/wobble just after I make it past them, just to give them a little shot of adrenaline.

  • prinsenhof on 16/01/2021 - 22:01
    +3

    A big part can be perception. Lets say there are 15 cars queued behind a slow car. During the overtaking section the first two will overtake and increase speed. The next cars will all stay in the left lane but all increase their speed as well until the gap shortens to then overtake. This amplifies, your the 15th car who then feels the need to go 200km/hr to overtake the 15 "slow" cars.

    Basically the capacity of the road doubles, creating double the space, so everyone speeds up.

    Another one is the general ozbargainer in the toyota camry. Now these guys can only push about 80km/hr uphill, maybe 90km/hr if they opted for the gold badging. Overtaking lanes are usually up-hill, so these guys will try and get a run-up by going about 130km/hr before the hill, so they can be on the speed limit by the time they reach the top.

  • Kranbone on 16/01/2021 - 22:10
    +2

    I'm not in a hurry and nearly always in the left lane. If I see you closing the gap but you're not a jerk about it and I'm in the country, I'll quite often pull over and let you through if it's safe to do so.

    If I am going the speed limit and being tailgated, I'd be less inclined to be polite, but I won't speed up to prevent you overtaking.

  • CheeryCheapskate on 16/01/2021 - 23:18
    +1

    Only rarely, once or twice I slowed down to block for dangerous drivers (i.e. if there's one switching lanes and close-call cutting people off a lot, I'd block them in). I just go at the legal speed but if there's a tailgater that's dangerously close, then I slow down to let them take the next lane to overtake me. I don't care if people overtake me, it's not like I get a deflated ego.

    • ATangk on 17/01/2021 - 01:17

      Legal speed is quite contentious for each driver due to the inaccuracy of the spedometers. If you have a fancy high range BMW or Merc, youd bet the speedo is only off by maybe 1-2kph at 110, whereas on my old toyotas, 117 on the speedo would give true 110 kph. Used the same GPS app to track over the same stretch of the M1.

      So if everyone had 110 on the speedo, someone could be doing 103 whereas another doing 109.

      • ccrap on 17/01/2021 - 03:21
        +1

        Haha my fancy high range merc is actually 4 off at 110. Just tested on the M1 over the break. Beamer before that was exactly the same. Not sure if there’s any cars out there that are only 1-2 clicks out.

        • ATangk on 17/01/2021 - 04:12

          2020 X7 is actually only 1km off. Wonder if they use GPS to calibrate or something.

    • Architectonic on 21/01/2021 - 04:35

      If there is a dangerous driver, I'm not going to block them, I want them the hell away from me!

  • Zawoooo on 16/01/2021 - 23:35
    +2

    Use to happen to me all the time, I would still overtake just at a higher speed.

    The only logic I can use to justify them doing it is the fact that overtaking lanes are generally on straights or better parts of the road where you can drive at a higher speed.

  • tomleonhart on 17/01/2021 - 08:28
    +2

    With these manyyyyyyyy competent drivers on here calling other driver stupid, I wonder where the actual stupid drivers are?

    • stumo on 17/01/2021 - 11:02

      I also wonder this. It often happens to me and seems to be such a common thing to happen to other people judging by the responses, yet where are all the perps?

      I'd love to hear their side of the story. And to punch them in the face.

      • Caped Baldy on 17/01/2021 - 20:58

        Many of these people are probably tailgaters too.

        It's funny cos there's normally a 50/50 split on the pro and anti speed camera threads.

  • tomleonhart on 17/01/2021 - 08:44
    -3

    Once a while you go on a road trip and get stuck behind a slow driver and you go mental? Just relaxxxxxxx and enjoy the trip.

    Say if you were to drive 400 kms that day and got stuck behind that driver the whole way, you are only 42 mins behind schedule when you get to your destination. This assumes you can keep driving 100km/h the whole way without slowing down. It also doesn’t take into account any break.

    Adding break and realistic driving speed, you are most likely 20 mins behind schedule if you were to stuck behind him the whole way for 400kms.

    Now I doubt you drove 400kms that day and doubt you will be able to drive 100 the whole time. So enjoy the trip and don’t go mental for such minor issue.

    • maiuspala on 17/01/2021 - 09:06
      +6

      Its not that they only are slower than speed limit, but they are also dangerous to everyone around them by:
      .not letting anyone overtake them,
      .dont drive with a constant speed (80-115 in a 100 zone is common)
      .are sometimes all over the road (swerve in and out their lane with no reason
      .probably never look in the mirrors (totally oblivious of their surroundings)
      Etc

      All that makes them very dangerous to anyone who gets close to them, therefore everyone should overtake them and leave them do their own thing, but the problem is they wont let you (when they notice you from their side window they suddenly wake up and and jump on the accelerator).

      • tomleonhart on 17/01/2021 - 11:22
        +1

        I fail to see the logic in “I see a potentially dangerous driver, let’s overtake them”.

        Surely it’s easier to just hit the brake and slow down giving them space instead of overtaking them at all cost to gain a potential rear end.

        Myself As a person whom in control of vehicle going in excess of 200km/h regularly, the vehicle behind always have more control of the situation than the one in front. So if you want to want to be in front of a dangerous driver, be my guest, I rather be going slow behind.

        • cashless on 17/01/2021 - 11:42
          +2

          As a person whom in control of vehicle going in excess of 200km/h regularly

          Ahh, got it, you’re on your red P’s😊

        • El cheepo on 17/01/2021 - 12:28
          +5

          Tom, it is fatiguing to sit behind an unpredictable slow driver guessing what stupid thing they will do next.

          You can’t set cruise control, you can’t relax, you need to keep a close eye on their stupid behaviour to avoid running in to them and that just makes your grumpy and irritable.

          (Talking country roads/long drives, not in the city)

          And what the hell are you doing at 200kmh regularly?

          • tomleonhart on 17/01/2021 - 17:15
            +1

            @El cheepo: Maybe it’s just me but I don’t find it that tiring sitting behind slow driver. I’ll just slow down and give them room. I’ll over take when there’s a safe chance coming up. If that fails, try again. Fact is you can’t control what others do on the road. If I get stuck behind a slow driver whom won’t let me pass, so be it. My safety and my passenger’s safety are more important than going mental because of an incompetent driver, even if that means increased wear and tear on my car. Why? Because that’s just the reality of thing.

            If someone is driving you mental because of their driving, then you’re not that good of a driver like you think you are. A good operators keep a cool head at all time.

            And to answer your last question, it’s a plane . When my planes go in a circuit, it travels at 216 km/h in a 3 kms downwind span, and usually we have 6-8 planes in that space, all doing different speed, most of them student. No point getting mad because of some idiot not doing the right thing.

            • El cheepo on 17/01/2021 - 19:02
              +3

              @tomleonhart: In a car i never have an issue, I’ll relax and sit back and wait for the overtaking lanes. If they speed up, meh. I’ll get them on a straight with broken lines if i really need to.

              But i spend the majority of my time in a truck, its not that simple.
              Pulling 2-3 trailers coming in around 70-100 ton.
              I have dead lines, i have fatigue laws, i have a speed limiter and i have very bad braking ability.

              To sit behind someone screwing around at 80 on a 110kmph road is dangerous. I want to pass but they speed up…

              People like that generally have no awareness of their surroundings and do stupid things.
              Eg: stop suddenly, turn suddenly, brake suddenly.

              I’ve seen it all.

              In a truck you need to be on the ball and concentrating hard on cars in front of you if you don’t want to squash them. Its tiring especially when it’s slowing you down.

              Me trying to be a nice guy will set cruise control lower than their speed, leave a big gap, then, about 2kms before an overtake lane start acceleration to try pass them and what do they do? Speed up or stay side by side with me…

              Tell me how one can keep their cool when that happens multiple times? And because you have slowed down so many times or been forced to a lower speed limit, your now spending the night on the side of the road with no toilets or showers because you didn’t make it to a roadhouse and your schedule is thrown out by an extra day because your out of legal driving hours…

              • tomleonhart on 17/01/2021 - 19:16

                @El cheepo: All very valid points.

                But now tell me, what are you going to do about it? Nothing, yup nothing you can do about it. S**t happens and as an operator of a vehicle, we can only deal with what is given at the time.

                Reading through this thread, majority of the comments are just crying out for what the other drivers “should have done, could have done”. Nothing these commenter could do about it, they’re wasting energy worrying about somethings they have no control over. To me at least, that makes no sense.

          • Brick Tamland on 18/01/2021 - 09:21
            +1

            @El cheepo: and then it creates further danger when the person behind you wants to get past and now they have to overtake multiple cars to get around.

            • El cheepo on 18/01/2021 - 11:01

              @Brick Tamland: Spot on ewan.

              And people rarely want to overtake one thing at a time so they will go for everything they can and push it to the limit.

        • WeeDeePotato on 18/01/2021 - 15:50

          You fail to factor in that there might be numerous vehicles banked up behind the one in front. Each person might make a mistake - some don't leave appropriate gaps, some aren't concentrating enough, some are frustrated, each are fatigued from having to make more micro-adjustments than they usually would. As you add more and more cars into the mix the risk increases. It's much safer to have drivers get past the slow one, increase the inherent gaps between vehicles and reduce anger / frustration (a quality we can't really get rid of in drivers).

          Sure, the inconvenience is minimal by going slower, but that's not really the point.

          And as to the dismissive 'What are you going to do about it?' - well maybe if issues like this get enough momentum in the public discourse, they could become a safety campaign telling people to let people overtake? Or perhaps more education when drivers are being trained? (which is sorely needed with the poor quality of drivers around).

          • tomleonhart on 18/01/2021 - 16:42

            @WeeDeePotato: I didn’t fail to factor in anything. Of course it’s safer to overtake the slow driver but we’re talking about driver whom speeds up and therefore no one can overtake. If that’s the case, getting angry at such driver literally solves nothing. In the list of actions you listed above, every single of those drivers are incompetent and yet every single one would blame the car in front.

            The inconvenience is minimal by going slower is exactly why this issue doesn’t get any momentum. It’s not even an issue.

            I’ve been driving on country road for 3 years now, 100kms return a day. most drivers are competent. Encounter driver like OP stated a couple of time, literally not worth my time getting mad at them.

            • WeeDeePotato on 18/01/2021 - 18:17

              @tomleonhart: You're changing the subject. Your comment was not about being angry and I was not responding to that. My comment relates to how you said "I fail to see the logic in “I see a potentially dangerous driver, let’s overtake them”." - essentially here you're dismissing the benefits of overtaking which i have explained above - it's multi-factored and so you cannot simply dismiss the person trying to overtake. There's nothing to say they cannot overtake, it's just harder to do so (and the law is unnecessarily rigid in this regard, but i digress). Sitting behind someone who is unpredictable is inherently dangerous. Sitting in front of them is less dangerous considering the slow driver will fall behind and the faster car will increase the distance between them.

              I agree that getting angry won't solve anything in the heat of the moment (but that wasn't the discussion, and don't change the story)

              • tomleonhart on 18/01/2021 - 18:32
                -1

                @WeeDeePotato: Nope. My comment refers to the specific kind of driver mentioned in this thread by OP. We're talking about an operator whom speed up while coming up to a overtaking lane, not a normal person whom would just move left and let you pass.

                I'm not that stupid to purposely get stuck behind a slow drive. I'll overtake if there's a safe chance. But if the guy in front is driving like a d**k, I'll stay behind.

                I didn't change the subject, you just took my comment out of context.

                • WeeDeePotato on 18/01/2021 - 18:40

                  @tomleonhart: No. Re-read your comment. You're putting mine out of context. You dismissed their real experience and oversimplified the situation. They weren't talking about being angry but overtaking to get out of the situation which they see as dangerous (possibly going a little over the limit?). You're the one that mentioned anger.

                  • tomleonhart on 18/01/2021 - 18:58
                    -1

                    @WeeDeePotato: I dismiss the perceived “benefit” of overtaking a dangerous driver. The easiest way to get away from a dangerous driver is stay behind, to slowdown and give them room. We’re talking about a driver whom won’t let you pass and yet “competent” driver on here agree the safest way is to pass them.

                    Heck the comment I replied to even stated:

                    All that makes them very dangerous to anyone who gets close to them, therefore everyone should overtake them and leave them do their own thing, but the problem is they wont let you (when they notice you from their side window they suddenly wake up and and jump on the accelerator).

                    Such a safe manoeuvre when the driver is actively not letting you pass. But then again like I said, feel free to drive however way you’d like.

    • stumo on 17/01/2021 - 11:06
      +2

      Are you one of them?

      The worst part about following these knobs is the random unnecessary braking. I don't want extra wear and tear on my vehicle just because you are retarded and shouldn't be on the road.

      • tomleonhart on 17/01/2021 - 17:24

        And realistically what are you going to do about it stumo? Let me guess, nothing, or at most a dangerous overtake.

        You get angry because someone is retarded and shouldn't be on the road. In reality the person in front of you don't even care, all you are doing is wasting your own energy getting mad whilst the person in front of you give 0 f**k.

    • Architectonic on 21/01/2021 - 04:37
      +1

      If the 'slow' driver isn't in a hurry, why can't they just slow down for 20 seconds to let people pass as part of general courtesy and respect to other drivers?

      • tomleonhart on 21/01/2021 - 07:49

        If everyone drives like that then we wouldn’t have this thread now do we?

  • lunartemis on 17/01/2021 - 09:14
    +1

    Here is my thoughts: slow drivers don't always realise that they are driving under the speed limit and when they see someone behind them change lane, they quickly realise that they are driving below the speed limit and speed up, which is often interrupted as "I am not going to let you go in front of me".

    • maiuspala on 17/01/2021 - 09:27
      +3

      Yeah but thats exactly what makes them dangerous drivers.
      Driving is all about paying attention, but in this situation they didnt pay attention to their speed and their surroundings

  • cashless on 17/01/2021 - 09:44
    +6

    Years back when living in WA was driving to Albany from Perth (400km). Albany Hwy was, at that point, 110kmh limit, single lane each direction. I set my cruise at 110kmh. Got stuck behind slowbie doing 90 to 95kmh. Being patient, I followed them for 10kms or so, waiting for overtake lane.
    As soon as we reached overtaking lane, the slowbie accelerated up to 110kmh.
    To get past them I pumped the throttle as the lane was running out at the crest of the hill. Just as I made the overtake, a Highway Patrol came from opposite direction.
    Blue & Red lights.
    I slowed down, he pulled me in, told me I was clocked at 120kmh.
    After I told him the story he booked me at 119kmh.
    That was a $90 fine, no points.
    Meanwhile slowbie trundled off into sunset.
    Have never tried that manoeuvre again. Not worth it.
    Now I just accept the idiot in front of me.

    • tomleonhart on 17/01/2021 - 17:29
      +2

      More people should adopt your attitude. Just accept there is di**head on the road and don't give them the energy they don't deserve. Try to overtake when safe, if that fails, try again.

  • Brick Tamland on 17/01/2021 - 10:48
    +1

    Lots of good points raised so far. I think it’s one of a few reasons.

    1. Some drivers lack situational awareness that’s exacerbated by the isolation from the environment in modern cars. People are happily tootling along at whatever speed oblivious to the line up of traffic behind them. Then all of a sudden they are being overtaken which zaps them back to the real world and they speed up. You don’t see motorcycles pulling this stunt. They are very situationally aware and appreciate the danger of this behaviour due to being more vulnerable in traffic.

    2. Lack of confidence in dealing with moderately winding or undulating roads so they drop the speed but when the nice straight road opens up they drop the hammer.

    It’s one of my big frustrations that you get stuck behind someone at 90kmh and you finally get the chance to overtake but by the time you manage to get past then you are really travelling. Or you are behind a car that that is trying to overtake the offender and they can’t overtake due to the speed up and the overtake lane is clogged for the entire stretch.

  • Cluster on 17/01/2021 - 11:13
    +1

    This is quite common behaviour in South Australia. People do 90km/h on normal sections of the road with very slight bends that require no braking at all, but when the overtaking zone arrives they go 110km/h, and then slow down to 90 again for the rest of the trip. It makes no logical sense, there is no reason to do it, but many people do anyway.

    Drivers who slow down and frustrate other drivers don't realize they are driving dangerously. They are going to cause more overtaking, and all overtaking maneuvers have an element of risk.

    I would add another frustration: the Southern Expressway in Adelaide. Heading north before the Reynella turn off there's a slight hill section on the road. For reasons that cannot be explained, many drivers slow down from 100 to 90, and sometimes 80km/h, causing the whole road to bunch up and slow down. It's like people don't realize you can press the accelerator slightly harder to maintain speed, or if you have an underpowered car it's possible to change gear.

  • darkmoss on 17/01/2021 - 13:30
    -2

    your mummy

  • StalkingIbis on 17/01/2021 - 13:30

    Zone out while driving.
    See someone pass you and realise you're too slow.
    Speed up.
    Realise that now you've blocked them off and feel dumb.
    Make a mental not to stay the right speed and let them pass next chance.
    Zone out.
    Repeat.

  • Subere on 17/01/2021 - 15:31
    +3

    Happened to me so many times driving from Sydney to Mudgee. Not a car in sight, so if you end up catching up to someone, clearly they are going slower. Sure enough cruising between 10-20kmh under the limit.
    So you bide your time and overtake safely on broken lines, and then suddenly all these old people in a Yaris or Camry decide to drive over the limit forcing you to speed up even more to pass them.

    Good thing about owning a sports car is that you'll always pass them and they'll be a speck in your mirror soon after.

    Happened every single time.

    I hate people sitting behind me so if they're clearly going faster, I let them pass (or change lanes whatever the circumstances). These people that do everything they can to stop you overtaking even though they are doing 20 under the limit do my head in.

    • CocaKoala on 19/01/2021 - 11:44
      +1

      Agreed 100% with you on a high powered car being your best friend in these circumstances. One thing to watch out is for is that the road is clear and straight as far as the eye could see as I don't want any surprises like a cop car coming in the other direction just past a bend ahead.

      This manoeuvre used to be no effort at all with the ssv, and easy enough with the Maxima (V6). Now I've a 4 pot liberty which I love for the safety features but have to time it just right in it to overtake like that. :-(

      Will still get the Yaris and the likes before the overtaking lane ends though. Can't wait for the next car to be honest, which will most certainly be far more powerful than my current car.

  • Jalif on 17/01/2021 - 17:55
    +3

    I call them Australians.

    It seems like everyone on the road does it

  • qwijibo on 17/01/2021 - 18:01
    +5

    I've also had the opposite happen on occasion - you're doing the speed limit (or a teensy bit over … its in the country) - some prick right up your arse for miles, then when you get to an overtaking lane and you slow down a bit so they can easily pass, they just sit behind you until the lane ends.

    Usually women in SUVs.

    • Eeples on 17/01/2021 - 19:03
      +1

      I think some people 'driving style' is to sit in close behind the vehicle ahead of them.

      • bobbified on 18/01/2021 - 13:11

        Could it be an Ozbargainer sitting close behind another car because they think the car in front acts as a wind-breaker and they save fuel by sitting behind? 😆

        • qwijibo on 18/01/2021 - 13:50
          +2

          Drafting/slipstreaming does work if the vehicle in front is a truck - but it is still dangerous AF (and since it is technically tailgating, illegal).

      • CocaKoala on 20/01/2021 - 12:07
        +2

        I think some people 'driving style' is to sit in close behind the vehicle ahead of them.

        Which is stupid, dangerous, and illegal.

        I absolutely hate those pricks. I keep slowing the car down in gradual slots of 5kph in those cases until the imbecile driver will have to pass me. I'm not going to let a dingbat tailgate me for hundreds of kilometers with my family in the car just because this dangerous behaviour happens to be their "driving style".

        F$& them, may be they could find a b double and tailgate it instead to keep up with their driving style. Or better yet have the b double tailgate them so they know how dangerous tailgating actually is.

  • Eeples on 17/01/2021 - 18:56

    I drove to Mudgee from Gosford and back in a van.
    I was overtaken quite a few times.
    What amazed/annoyed me was the lack of right blinker and then left blinker used by these overtaking vehicles.
    Right blinking very rare, left blinking 50-50.

    One time when there was an overtaking lane I went around a truck as did the car behind me.
    I moved back to the left lane, he stayed in the right lane, and almost ran me off the road (I had my right blinker on, had to brake and tooted him).
    Pathetic.
    (He either needed to speed up or drop in behind me, its not rocket science… I was doing the speed limit).
    I think perhaps he had cruise control on.

    Next time I'll stay in the right lane.

    • jv on 18/01/2021 - 12:05

      I drove to Mudgee from Gosford in the back of a van.

      Did they take a mug shot?

      • Eeples on 18/01/2021 - 22:20

        Lets just say a particular vintage of wine in the near future will have a bitter sweet taste.

  • GLO on 17/01/2021 - 20:57

    Sounds like my Father in Law (facepalm)

  • bobolo on 17/01/2021 - 23:41
    -2

    I just overtake them then slow right down in front of them and do what they're doing….makes an otherwise boring trip more interesting

  • Stevecro on 18/01/2021 - 07:40

    I usually drive 90 in a 100 zone on a freeway with 3 lanes each way. I always stick to the left lane, am never in the middle or right (overtaking lane). What really gets me is people who come up behind me and tailgate for long distances. The times I usually drive, the freeway has very few cars on it and they could easily and safely overtake me. What else boggles my mind is the freeway is fairly straight, they could see me from a great distance and decide to overtake well before they get to me.

    • bobbified on 18/01/2021 - 13:13

      What else boggles my mind is the freeway is fairly straight, they could see me from a great distance and decide to overtake well before they get to me.

      How does someone overtake you well before they get to you?

  • Orico on 18/01/2021 - 08:38
    +2

    Happens all the time in western Sydney. THere's a certain ethnicity that loves to prove that their car is the fastest and drive as fast as possible to get to the next red light. It's usually someone in a German sports car.

  • Eeples on 18/01/2021 - 09:14

    If you have been tail gating for miles why wouldn’t you expect the lead car to play silly buggers and speed up when you want to overtake ?

    (And if you are tail gaiting why wouldn’t you expect the lead car to go even slower in response to your dangerous driving).

  • RocketSwitch on 18/01/2021 - 09:41
    +2

    I have had the opposite experience. I only drive on country roads a few times a month, going the exact speed limit, maybe going 1-2 over, give or take. I ALWAYS get some guy tailgating me several times on the road. These guys eventually fly past me. Never really have drivers going below the speed limit on those roads.

    • kokita on 18/01/2021 - 12:48
      +1

      All the time mate especially they are locals to the area.

  • playswithfire on 18/01/2021 - 10:40
    +3

    They're called Passholes.

  • dogboy on 18/01/2021 - 11:41

    Because the average person is a lot dumber than we give them credit for. Common sense is anything but common.

  • djmm on 18/01/2021 - 12:02

    That's why you need high performance investment 180 Merc AMG

    • EnALup on 18/01/2021 - 13:40
      -1

      It becomes dangerous as sometimes these c**nts drive like 10-20 km/hr over speed limit in overtaking lanes.

      • [Deactivated] on 19/01/2021 - 12:51
        +1

        Must be because you accelerate in the left to not let them pass.

        • EnALup on 19/01/2021 - 12:54

          what? I am talking of people speeding up in left lane when we try to overtake.

  • jv on 18/01/2021 - 12:03

    Who Are Those People Who Drive Slowly in Single Lane Highways and Then Speed up When You Get to Overtaking Lanes?

    They are called Victorians…

    • hopper on 19/01/2021 - 13:34

      lol

    • bobbified on 19/01/2021 - 16:54
      +2

      The worst I've noticed in Victoria is when drivers go side by side on an otherwise empty road, blocking up the road and not letting anyone else through. All I can do is hang back until someone decides to go a bit faster or slower to create a gap. I didn't really come across this much in NSW (where I grew up) at all.

      • jv on 19/01/2021 - 17:10
        +1

        I guess I'm used to it now, but notice how much more courteous the drivers are when I go interstate…

        • bobbified on 19/01/2021 - 17:12

          I would say that you're right. Some drivers are a little crazier, but they seem to know what they're doing and are more courteous.

      • maiuspala on 19/01/2021 - 18:55

        Happens in NSW too

  • mynamegeoff on 18/01/2021 - 12:56
    -1

    Hey, yes this is me! Thank you so much for creating this post so I could post to acknowledge that I am one of this people who does this. I have been holding out for it.

  • EnALup on 18/01/2021 - 13:39

    Happened to us multiple times in these holidays. So annoying. Thought multiple times to honk them. Going 70-80 in 100 road. I had to overtake little over speed limit as they will cruise too everytime there is overtaking lane or dotted line in middle which is illegal.

  • suchan on 18/01/2021 - 21:10
    +2

    If I may add my two cents here. I think I may have read somewhere that a study was done that argues exactly why instead of a maximum speed limit (especially in a highway), there should be a minimum speed limit being applied instead. I believe this would be the solution to the conundrum that OP was faced with.

    The case in point was the Autobahn highway in Germany. There isn't a maximum speed limit so you're allowed to drive at whatever speed you (and your car) is comfortable with. There is, however, a minimum speed limit of 110 km/h on the left lane (the fast lane in Germany, because the driver's on the left) and 90 km/h in the middle lane.

    The problem, according to the study, with the maximum speed limit is you're distracted by trying to ensure you're below the speed limit, keeping an eye at the speedometer at all times (taking away from what you should be looking at - the road in front of you!) and also a higher risk of boredom or getting sleepy due to monotone driving. On the other hand, when you drive faster and not distracted by the limit/boredom/dashboard, you are more focused on the actual driving.

    It is one of my bucket list, to be able to drive on the Autobahn and flooring it. Though, sadly, that may never be realised as the government starts applying maximum speed limit to various parts of the Autobahn.

    But I digress here, my point is, people should learn to drive closer to the maximum speed limit instead of holding the traffic and yes, I've come across drivers like the ones OP described.

    • Odin on 19/01/2021 - 16:30
      +1

      Sadly I think the australian populace is far to indoctrinated with decades of anti-speed government ads for that to work here.

      In saying that, god how I enjoyed driving on the autobahn. Everyone followed basic etiquette, you're happily cruising along at 180km/h without any worries at all, it's beautiful.

      Funny story I was driving on an unlimited section one day there and would've been doing about 220-240km/h in the middle lane - not many vehicles on the road, was really nice, just happily cruising, then along my left side comes a Mercedes station wagon, mum+dad and 2 kids in the back, would've been doing 260km/h +. Totally casual. Really made me laugh.

    • syousef on 20/01/2021 - 12:20
      +1

      No. A collision at higher speed is always going to be more catastrophic.

      E = 0.5mv^2
      p = mv

      The physics doesn't lie and you can't change the laws of physics.

      I am constantly amazed that people complaining about the poor driving of everyone else on the road wants to force them to drive faster (just so they can justify their own speeding).

  • MontyMacaw on 19/01/2021 - 08:58
    +2

    I can’t believe this discussion is still going. It might be a clue as to why there is such a lot of road rage on our roads.

    • GG57 on 19/01/2021 - 11:20
      +1

      I know.
      And the majority of responses believe they are totally correct in their behaviours and everyone else is at fault.

  • hopper on 19/01/2021 - 13:34

    I blame cruse control as people forget to up

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