Are modern cars slow on "A" roads?

[Spyder fan]

I estimated my average speed recently from Hastings to Tunbridge Wells at less than 35mph. Was I holding people up? No, but the so called modern cars were depressingly slow on otherwise good driving roads and it wasn't particularly busy. I overtook a few of the Sunday drivers, but this didn't help progress much as there would be another 2 or 3 up the road and not many good overtaking spots available without being a hooligan. The road in question is the A21 which is a major trunk road mostly single carriageway that runs from Hastings on the South Coast up to Sevenoaks before fragmenting into the M25 and out again into South London.

I think that the average modern driver has forgotten or has never learned how to deal with relatively fast single carriage roadways; I don't want to go like a loony, but I would like to make some progress on a road that has a 60mph limit. On dual carriageways and motorways even the lowliest Nissan Micra seems to get up to a license losing rate of progress irrespective of the age or experience of the driver.

Am I just getting old and grumpy?

Regards from "Frustrated of Tunbridge Wells"

[trw99]

Nope, I think you have a point.

I notice that the art of overtaking is in decline. To an extent that may be because most modern cars are able to keep up with the prevailing speed conditions and overtaking becomes too dangerous unless you happen to be in an especially fast car. However I notice fewer drivers willing to overtake even when there is a clear and safe opportunity to do so.

My other huge bug-bear with many modern drivers is their refusal to use their blinking indicators! It's as if they have not been taught that they need to show others where and what they intend to do next. Hurumph!

Tim

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

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[Elanintheforest]

Alan, yes, I think you're just old and grumpy. Nothing to do with this topic though.




Mark

[Spyder fan]

Alan, yes, I think you're just old and grumpy. Nothing to do with this topic though.




Mark

Well that's nice; I try to start an interesting topic and people take it as an opportunity to insult me, I mean really; if I wasn't so nice I'd just rant and rant on about it until everyone got bored silly or until Pete added his tuppence as well, all I need now is some stupid git mentioning MX5's or LoCorts. Go on! Go on! Go on! see if I care

[billwill]

There are far more cars on the roads nowadays, even the A roads, so the opportunities for safe overtaking are much diminished,

[Spyder fan]

Bill,
That doesn't explain why on a relatively clear road with good visibility that drivers with cars capable of running very ecomomically and safely at 56mph choose to tootle along at 40mph and brake for every minor corner in sight.

Regards

[pereirac]

Well, you did go out on a Sunday... what did you expect?
LOL

[Spyder fan]

Well, you did go out on a Sunday... what did you expect?
LOL

Carl,
It was meant to be a figure of speech, but yes you are right it was a Sunday afternoon

Please pass on this post to all Sunday Drivers

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

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[UAB807F]

An interesting topic, I was beginning to think it was just me heading for the Victor Meldrew syndrome. Over here in Lincs we don't have many fast roads but we do have lots of tractors shuffling about and I'm constantly amazed at folks who will trundle along at 25-30mph rather than go past.

I suppose fuel is one reason, plus we seem to have plenty of Gatsos sprinkled about, but if you're local you know where they are and where the mobile ones go. The biggest slow down was a year or so ago when a major A road got a blanket 50mph limit with seemingly random sections of 40mph (plus gatsos) thrown in. Heavy vehicles just can't accelerate quickly enough to pass and the general slow-down leads to steady streams of traffic on both sides. Interestingly enough, these limits were brought in under local protest on the pretext of lowering road deaths.

Has it made any difference ? Nah, in fact where they post "deaths this June/Last June" by the roadside they've gone up from 9 to 16.... frustrated drivers overtaking queues ?

[69S4]

I notice that the art of overtaking is in decline.

Tim

I'd sort of been thinking something like that (definitely maybe come to a conclusion about it ). Ok, hyper expensive fuel and speed cameras everywhere have some contribution to make but it's almost as if any overtaking on a single carriageway road is starting to feel the effects of our H&S culture and becoming, for an increasing number of motorists , a dangerous maneuver that they won't risk - not because of the care needed to do it but because it feels like it's something illegal and they shouldn't be doing it. There are of course the usual exceptions who'll overtake under any circumstances - bikers, white van men and execs who actually own the road etc, but they're not the ones holding you up. Remember - "20 is plenty" or so I'm continuously told round here on signs erected by people who don't actually drive themselves. [/rant mode off]

[Elanintheforest]

An aging population may have something to do with it, as I don't see the kids having any problem in driving fast or overtaking. It's certainly very different driving in 'rush hour' when everybody gets on with it, and driving outside that time, especially on a Sunday.

I had to take my father's car off him last year as he'd become dangerous on the road. I often see oldies driving along at 45mph in a 50 or 60, but continuing to drive at 45 in a 30 oblivious to any danger that they posed when passing parked cars a foot away or kids running around on the pavement.

It's probably about time that compulsory re-tests were introduced at 50, every 5 years up to 70, then every year after that.

Mark

[Spyder fan]

I had to take my father's car off him last year as he'd become dangerous on the road. I often see oldies driving along at 45mph in a 50 or 60, but continuing to drive at 45 in a 30 oblivious to any danger that they posed when passing parked cars a foot away or kids running around on the pavement.
Mark

Mark,
Wasn't that just an excuse to get that tasty Jag off him?

Re-tests at 50? Come on sonny there's no way some upstart 20 something is going to assess my driving skills and actually let me continue driving. Most of the pleasure I get is the look of fear on other drivers faces when they realise I'm 10 years older than the 42 year old car I'm driving and that probably I can't remember which pedal is the brakes.

But perhaps a re-test for under 50's would be appropriate so that they can learn road manners and etiquette; I refer to queue jumpers at motorway slip roads (on ramps), lane hoggers in the BMW/Audi lane and those that are generally confused by roundabouts, right hand turns at traffic lights (left turns in the US etc), and of course the whole under 40 generation that cannot exist without being on the blo*dy phone or texting/tweeting whilst driving.

Time of day is a big factor in getting around, well pointed out. Urgency of arrival and importance of journey make a big difference, therefore I propose a law is passed for non essential or low priority journeys to be banned for all cars under 35 years old, that includes the school run, make them walk and get some exercise, never did me any harm and did wonders for my general sense of well being and good nature.

[Robbie693]

that includes the school run, make them walk and get some exercise, never did me any harm

I'm with you all the way on that one - really winds me up seeing 4x4's parked on zigzags dropping off little Johnny so he doesn't get run over because of all the bad drivers around schools...

I think a large part of the reason why people don't overtake any more is because they drive so far up the car in front's arse that they can't see around them to overtake (tailgating is another pet hate).

Robbie