slow drivers: dangerous or conscientious?

[team rocket]

i have been thinking about making this thread for awhile but wasn't sure if it was really considered a "debate", so if not, please move to the appropriate place!

to prerequisite, i live in the US. i am unfamiliar with any specific laws about driving in other countries, but i assume they would be similar? i also have terrible road rage, but i feel like this is an issue for patient people as well.

do you think slow drivers are assholes or angels? i'm not talking about mary who goes 32mph in a 35mph area. i'm talking about the people who consistently drive 10-15 under regardless of where they are at. these are the people who merge on the highway during traffic hour at 40mph with a line of 25 cars behind them all trying to merge while the "leader" is quite literally making that impossible. in my opinion, not only are they inconveniencing everyone behind them, but they are also inconveniencing the cars who are already on the highway trying to switch lanes or waiting for others to merge before they can, making it dangerous/difficult to safely merge with the other cars going 75mph flying by.

i do realize that some people may experience driving anxiety and feel safer going slow, but in my opinion, it would be safer for both the driver and the 200 other people on the road to find a route or a way that makes them comfortable where they aren't going to cause a potential wreck.

i could go on for days about all the stuff people do while driving that pisses me off, but i really don't see how driving that slow is beneficial to anyone else. i would greatly appreciate any other input and points of view that could possibly help me better understand the reason for this nonsense, or if i'm not the only one who finds this reckless (see what i did there?).

[Buizel]

I wouldn't call every slow driver I've come across an asshole, but in certain situations, they are very dangerous. I actually had a post here on ck from a few years ago where a bad case of road rage due to a slow driver resulted in an accident.

(you need an account to see links)

It's a bit of a read, but to summarize, because of a potential left lane camper, another car that passed by decided to break check said camper and caused them to get into an accident. No one was hit or hurt other than the camper swerving out and the car that did the break checking drove away.

Like you said, some people have REALLY bad road rage and will take matters into their own hands sometimes. I'm a pretty patient person and do get upset from time to time, but I just go around them and get on with my day. Especially after that accident above since it helped me see how crazy some people are. I also feel like slow drivers could be a danger because they could potentially over react in stressful situations. Yeah, you could be driving slow, but that doesn't mean they're fast enough to react in a sudden traffic stop or something. Their anxiety could still cause an accident no matter the speed they're going.

I really don't get the point of going under the speed limit on the highway. It could be seen as "safer", but really, you're just stopping the constant flow of traffic and creating a cramped driving space. I've even seen people drive on the shoulder to get around these people haha (and sadly some of the people break check them too after they get over).

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[Cinnamoroll]

So, generally it goes without saying: the only time you should be driving slow is during bad weather. In my opinion, that’s the only time it’s acceptable to be purposefully driving below the speed limit. Because obviously if you’re going 110kmh on a road during a snowstorm, it may not end well for you. So in that case, yes driving slow is ideal so you don’t spin out/lose control of your vehicle. Always drive for the conditions and the vehicle you have. You’re never invincible.

However, if it’s a perfect condition day, or just any regular nothing special kind of day, especially on a highway? Please go at or very near (like no more than 5 below) the speed limit. Driving well below the speed limit of those around you is a hazard, it takes away from the flow of traffic and can cause collisions if others aren’t aware (let’s be honest some people are clueless) and is more often than not, a ticket-able offence. Especially if you’re in the left lane. Please stick to the right if you’re not going as fast, at the very least, so people can appropriately pass you. But please stick to the speed limit or close to it if you’re staying in the right lane. I remember when I did a road trip in the US in 2019, I remember seeing “no semi trucks in the left lane” and I absolutely loved that. I wish that was a rule everywhere!

I also agree with you! It may sound harsh, but please don’t make your personal anxiety towards driving, other drivers problems on the highways. You’ll be more likely to get into a collision. Driving with caution is one thing, but becoming the hazard is another.

[Yeri]

Where I commute to work, I find slow drivers the most annoying thing. And I mean the same as you: the ones who are doing 10-15 below. I don't drive down the motorway, which is probably my first mistake; I go the "country road" way to my work. It's 22 miles, so a 44-mile round trip every day. The thing for me is my car is not capable of going around people safely; I don't have enough power, so I am kind of forced to sit behind these people with no relief. On the rare occasion I'm let loose with my partner's car I can overtake and it's not so bad.

I was always taught that you had to have a reason for going slowly on purpose, e.g. bad weather. I remember my driving instructor being really harsh about that.

[Fiore]

I'm in LA so the roads tend to be really busy and narrow at times and you're forced to go with the flow of traffic, especially on the fwy. Hope it doesn't sound insensitive but a lot of slow drivers here are the mostly elderly and people unfamiliar with the area.

I wanna say that most drivers here aren't too sympathetic and you WILL get honked at if you're going slow. People tend to be in a hurry and while I appreciate being [overly] cautious sometimes, you really aren't afforded the time to do so in such a fast-paced environment. Hope I don't make LA sound intimidating in that sense or discourage anybody from visiting (and you SHOULD visit; the food is great!)

When my grandpa was a driver he would go 20-30 under in the fast lane and he almost caused accidents. So he mostly drove through the more chill residential areas even though it took him 10x longer to get to where he was going. He was also notorious for babysitting stop signs, but that's another story. As others have said, you should only go slow in bad weather, fog, construction, etc. Other than that, GREEN MEANS GO.

[Mama Bear]

Here in Australia, you can get ticketed for driving in a way which negatively affects others. This includes going unreasonably slowly. As others have said, depending on road/weather conditions, obviously it can be fine, but the situation you outline in the OP, with someone going like 15 below for no reason, is not ok. It's more likely to increase road rage, as others have said, as well as risk-taking behaviour, as people try to get past the block.

[Alister]

I still get jittery thinking about how one time I was driving a normal highway speed with a normal space cushion behind a large truck, who suddenly changed lanes only for me to see we had come RIGHT UP on someone going about half the speed limit that I hadn't had visibility on. The person ahead of me swerved lanes instead of braking so I had no idea it was coming. I nearly rear-ended them hard on the highway, it was really scary.

Exceptionally slow driving definitely creates hazards around other people. I'm a nervous driver myself so I get the impulse, but it's such a bad idea. Frankly I'd rather contend with the speed racers who want to zip in and out traffic on the highway since I'm reasonably confident they won't touch me if I just continue at the normal speed, compared to a slow driver that I have to react to myself.

[yesnt]

Definitely dangerous.

If I'm going the speed limit and the person in front is doing 10-15 lower, then that's the same as me doing 10-15 and there being something stationary in the road... ok maybe it's not quite that simple, but it's definitely a hazard.

I guess I can cut them a bit of slack because it is called the speed limit not just the "speed", which implies you should be able to go slower, but I think everyone doing the same speed is the safest.

[Mito]

Those against slow driving - y'all would hate me.
I have a ton of anxiety from being in roughly 3 major accidents in my life, and I always look at driving (slightly) slower as a safety precaution for myself. If I can't control those around me, the best I can do is control my own situation.

[yesnt]

Those against slow driving - y'all would hate me.
I have a ton of anxiety from being in roughly 3 major accidents in my life, and I always look at driving (slightly) slower as a safety precaution for myself. If I can't control those around me, the best I can do is control my own situation.

I don't mind slightly slower, it's 10+ that grinds my gears