motorway driving

[Dollie]

Is there a minimum speed at which you should drive on a motorway? I'm not very comfortable on motorways, but believe myself a careful and safe driver. I usually stick in the first lane and do between 50 - 60mph. Last night a huge lorry came right up behind me in this lane, flashing lights and nearly touching my bumper (or at least it seemed that close) and was tooting his horn as if to tell me to get a move on. He had every opportunity to overtake me but obviously couldn't be bothered. I was following another big lorry. Was I doing something wrong?

[bob57]

what motorways do you normally drive on and at what time so as I know when and where I can avoid you

[bob57]

the problem there is the lorry driver can only do between 53mph to 56mph and if the lorry driver in front was doing the same speed then the one behind you would not be able to overtake without holding other drivers up behind him

I know this for a fact as I drive hgv's myself and come across the same problem aswell

you also have the hgv vehicles that seem to pass everything in one go these vehicles have either faulty or no speed limiters which is compulsory on all hgv registered after a certain date (something like 1980) or if they are going down hill the speed limiter overruns hope I haven't confused you because I'm confused myself

[derekpara]

If HGV's can't do more than 57 mph why is Dollie being bullied by one when she is doing 50-60, especially if she is driving in lane one ? He should either overtake or keep his distance. Dollie is perfectly within her legal rights and is not sitting in the middle lane like many mindless drivers. You carry on as you are, Dollie, you are dong nothing wrong.

However, I wouldn't recommend doing less than 55mph.

[Buenchico]

There are very few roads which have minimum speed limits. (These generally apply only to tunnels, e.g. the Dartford Tunnel). There is no legal minimum speed on normal motorway roads.

It's important to remember, however, that the same principles which applied in your driving test should continue to apply to all of your driving. For example, if you drove at 40mph within a 50mph speed limit, on a driving test, (with dry roads, good visibility, etc), you might well fail the test for 'failure to make good progress'. i.e. it's possible to go too slow even if there's no legal minimum speed.

However, given that articulated lorries have speed limiters set to 90kph (=56mph), it's obvious that the speed of the inside lane will normally be around 56mph. I can think of no reason why car drivers who wish to travel at this speed shouldn't be able to join the procession of trucks EXCEPT where there is a specific restriction against this. e.g. If the nearside lane is marked as a 'crawler lane' (as it often is on inclines), then car drivers should stay well clear of it. (Lorry drivers will want to 'get a run' at the hill. They don't want to move to the second lane because they know that their speed will be dropping rapidly very shortly).

In the situation which you describe, the lorry driver was definitely at fault for his aggressive driving. You were only also at fault if you were driving in a crawler lane (or other lane with a 'lorries only' indication).

Chris

[markja]

i believe the min speed limit on a motorway is 30. not advisable to test it thou' some knob will rear end you. they think 'motorway, no need to keep a real level of allertness'

[weekutch]

Learner drivers have to keep to 45 MPH and so do restricted drivers. When I pass my test I wont be allowed to do oer 4 for one year, even on motorways so I'm sure your fine at 50-0 MPH dollie :)

[weekutch]

50-60* lol

[Dollie]

Thank you all for your informative and civil answers - gratefully received (except from rude ronnor of course!)

Dollie

[bob57]

she had good valid thread

I am not condoneing the actions of hgv driver I was just pointing out the reason why the hgv driver done what he done

of course it is wrong for anyone to tailgate another driver but put yourself in the drivers seat of a hgv and you would see what I mean trying to get from one place to another safely and in the short time allocated to the driver it can at times be impossible

enjoy your drive but allow others to get on with their work as safely as possible