I've noticed several examples recently of this growing category of motorist, perhaps a symptom of the ageing population.
Yesterday I had to follow for most of my journey home an oldish looking man who at first sight appeared to be another of those ultra-cautious dead to the world types who never go more than 35 mph.
When we went through a village with a 40 limit, he drove at 30. In a 30 limit he went at 20. On the rare occasions he touched 45, he braked whenever a car passed coming the other way.
When we finally got to a derestricted section where he/we could go faster, he slowly accelerated up to about 45, so I pulled out to overtake. He waited until I was alongside, and then suddenly put his foot down. The faster I went, the more he would try to match my speed. I was just at that point of nearly completing the overtake where it is really dangerous to try and abort and drop back, and I sensed that if I had, he would have braked too.
Yet once I was past, I saw at the next village he was back to driving at 20 with a queue behind him.
I have seen other examples of this behaviour. Once I was deliberately baulked by an old man who indicated right whenever I tried to overtake.
I don't mind old men in hats in comparison to this kind.
Edited by Cliff Pope on 24/10/2009 at 09:01
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This must have been extremely frustrating. What type of car was he driving? (Small hatch, large saloon, etc)
I have not really encountered this sort of behaviour outside built-up areas (though have pulled alongside a very slow driver at traffic lights only for him - it is almost always a him - to engage in a drag race).
The usual behaviour I encounter is a driver travelling at around 40mph no matter what the speed limit, slowing to 35 when he or she encounters bends and speeding up to around 55 if there happens to be a long straight. He or she is usually driving a car which can shift if necessary, so if it can out accelerate mine, I'll never get past.
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The usual behaviour I encounter is a driver travelling at around 40mph no matter what the speed limit slowing to 35 when he or she encounters bends and speeding up to around 55 if there happens to be a long straight.
That's actually what I thought the OP was going to say. These muppets are absolutely everywhere.
My parents live in a small village which is a 30 mph limit end to end, going to NSL as soon as you exit the village. The number of idiots who amble along the NSL roads at 40 and then continue into the village at 40 is quite scary.
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Muppet is just the word - though a bit harsh on Kermit, etc., perhaps.
No wonder there are so many accidents on A roads, particularly the single carriageway variety.
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This is driving of the most dangerous sort in my view; I'd rather have an encounter with an aggressive tailgater than the type of irresponsible maniac you encountered.
That he'd rather put you in a position of extreme (or mortal) danger than let you legally overtake, would make it tantamount (love that word!) to attempted murder in many people's interpretation of natural jurisprudence.
I've noticed it too - often in the same demographic group as you encountered. Is this some deep seated long-held resentment (..perhaps triggered by their growing awareness of impending senescence) that rears up whenever their deflated sense of self perceives a threat or challenge? Maybe it's just a general hatred of a world passing(!) them by & an acute sense of where their miserable talents have led them to (or not).
I would quite happily see this sort of driving bracketed with, or defined as 'dangerous driving with intent' & punished accordingly.
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When driving on local B roads I have noticed the same sort of person braking every time the word "Slow" appears on the road, even though (as has been said previously) the driver in question is going 20-30% slower than the posted limit.
On one occasion two cars in front of me were going 45-50 in a 60 zone (good straight road, but lots of blind crests so no over-taking for the mostpart) for 10-15 minutes; one pulled off, the other continuing at 50 mph until I found a decent, safe spot to overtake. Needless to say he took great offence to this (I had been behaving well and not tailgating) and decided to floor it as I was passing. In the end I only just got past him before a car passed the other way - what did I do to him?
Somehow I think these people sem to enjoy doing this - I just hope they don't end up on the wrong end of things next time in case their "stunt" goes wrong.
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Funny but the criminals (should be classed as) who find amazing power from somewhere when accelerating to prevent someone overtaking can't find that pedal when they enter a slip rd or pull out of any junction.
Since i was a lad i've thought that accelerating to prevent someone overtaking should result in very harsh punishments.
It's this sort of behaviour that has resulted in my overtaking becoming more stealthy and very rapid, catch them unawares and don't give 'em a chance to do this....tends to upset them a bit though.
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I do a fair few business miles a year and know too well this kind of individual,normally a
gentleman of retirement age ,think Victor Meldrew with all time in the world,but if anyone else
attempts to get by because they are working for instance, then that bitter resentment comes
out,hope i don't get that way...sad.
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If you know the road then the best way to deal with these hostiles is to hang right back, when you know the opportunity is approaching, drop a cog, get your toe down and by the time they realise what you're doing you are normally nearly alongside them/passed them.
Even relatively brisk cars won't be able to fend off a "stealth" overtake like that. :-)
It normally results in an indignant flash of the lights though as you pull back in!
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My guess is that these types were once fast, impatient drivers but their eyesight, hearing and general reaction times have declined and they have lowered their speeds in the interests of self-preservation. And yet they haven't quite lost that competitive streak and it breaks through as resentment of other drivers.
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People are being a bit ageist here. Provocative, dangerous, rubbishy driving of the sort described is not uncommon. It doesn't seem to correlate with any age group.
I am 'of retirement age'. The people I see doing this are often apparently younger than I am.
I neither know nor care whether they are wearing hats. I understand some perfectly respectable people wear them although I seldom do myself.
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People are being a bit ageist here. ......
I neither know nor care whether they are wearing hats.
You are quite right Lud. It's just that as generalisations go, this one does seem to have more validity than most.
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I think that's exactly it s-s.
They are quite different from the kind who go their own pace and don't notice anyone else. This specimin must have been watching me like a hawk. He knew exactly when to frustrate the queue of cars behind him in places where it was impossible to overtake, and then how much to speed up by so as to continue the frustration when the road got a little clearer. Then finally he held back just long enough to tempt me into trying to overtake, but deferred hitting the gas until I was committed to the overtake.
There was no real chance to get a run up for a sudden manoeuvre, because if I tried to drop back he just slowed right down again.
It was a 2008 mini people carrier - spacewagon? It seemed to have quite a brisk performance (by Volvo 240 standards!) - at any rate he knew how to use it when he wanted.
The other kind, with hats, usually drive 10 year old small saloons, in dark maroon, and don't understand how to use the controls to make them go more than 40.
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Clearly a sad individual if this is how he get his kicks.
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