Monday 16 January 2012

God speed

Having passed my driving test nearly nine months ago, I now feel experienced enough to offer my opinion on the nations driving. Nine months is nearly enough time to witness the blithering idiots that roam our roads every day. The main aspect of this moan, is speeding. Yet, I will bring in other arguments that get me riled up.

I understand speed limits. I understand why they exist. I understand that they save lives. Most of the time, I do adhere to speed limits, apart from when going with the flow of traffic. However, those who go significantly under the speed limit, pose just as much as a threat as those who blatantly break the limit. 


On my regular journeys to University, I drive on basically one road, all the way from Barnsley to Huddersfield. This road is set at the national speed limit of 60mph. However, I often get stuck behind some turtle doing 40mph. This means that, to actually get where I want to be, and not stuck behind this idiot, I have to knock on death's door and venture on to the other side of the road. You're all probably screaming at your computer screens by now, saying how I should just be patient and preaching the parable of the hare and the tortoise.


On the contrary, I'm very impatient. Despite only having a 1.1 litre engined car, I like to get places. I prefer to get to my destination as fast as possible, and cannot afford to be sat having tea and scones behind the idiot who's never heard of fifth gear. More often than not, if I'm stuck in traffic, I'll turn around and go a more far fetched route.


With this post, I am not condoning speeding. People just need to see that if the limit is 40, then you should be going 40, in my honest opinion. If you occasionally slip to 41 or 42, nobody is going to care. To be caught speeding and branded a speeding ticket you have to be doing significantly over the given speed limit, and you are allowed to 10% over the set limit. So don't be afraid to do 33 in a 30.


Ultimately i know that i'm still going to have overtake the snails on the road. However it would be interesting to note, how many accidents occur when one car is driving too slow, so another driver overtakes. It only takes somebody to come in the opposite direction, and it can end pretty nasty.


In retrospect, I know that you drive at a pace that you are comfortable at. Additionally, when driving in the dark, everyone drives a lot slower, or even in icy conditions. It will just always infuriate me when stuck behind a car who I know can go a lot faster than what they are doing.


My next moan: Train of thought

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