Speeding Cravanners.......

[Parksy]

I tow a t/a caravan with a 4x4 and although I can easily tow at the legal speed limit I've been easing off a little to between 50 and 55 mph since fuel prices went crazy. It's surprising just how much fuel I save on motorway journeys just by doing 5 mph less.

 

[ShadySadie]

Yes, well! But sorry Mr Moderator. 50 - 55mph and on Motorways. Yesterday I came across instances of this creeping along towing and the bedlam behind the oblivious caravanners and a motohome returning from Devon.

A lot of the time any vehicle type or combination travelling at 50 - 55 on traffic flowing motorways or dual carriageways is a nuisance, mobile chicane and a potential cause for accidents.

Sorry Mr Mod but your post makes me wild, what about others on the road? "I'm OK jack, I've saved a fiver or so" but with little thought for other road users who are not on holiday or a get away break.

As far as I can see this kind of attitude is just as bad as white man van taking a chance to get by you and other you have forced to slow down.

You both put others at risk.

 

[RogerL]

The speed limit is a LIMIT, not a minimum or target speed.

On a motorway trailers are limited to 60mph, HGVs to 56mph.

Anyone who complains about drivers doing 50-55 is driving without due care and CONSIDERATION for others.

No-one ever has to speed up to suit other driver's impatience.

 

[stevebrookman]

I agree with Parksy.

I tow with a car that could happily cruise at 80mph. However I tow at around 55mph - a speed I feel comfortable with. Perhaps Shady Sadie should lobby the government to increase the limit that lorris are limited to as there are far more lorries on the road than caravans.

Steve B

 

[Parksy]

So you're saying that by driving along a three lane motorway and staying with the flow of heavy goods vehicles that I'm somehow putting others at risk.

When I'm not on a three lane motorway I drive up to the speed limit where possible but if you think that I'm causing such a hold up on motorways then how do you cope with lorries?

 

[ShadySadie]

Yes, and I tow a twin axle with a car that would tow it at 80mph plus, and I have not suggested that anyone breaks the speed limit when towing.

Sorry gentlemen but if you can'r see that 50 - 55 mph on a motorway or dual carriageway can be a menace to others don't ever let me here anyone here run down us women drivers.

Typical male I'm OK Jack it's legal, so without a care for what is going on around you or behind you trundle on oblibvious.

Yesterdays drive from Brixham was a prime example of this head in the sand attitude on the road to Exeter the M5, 303 and M3, explaining would probably be beyond your understanding from the responses.

I was OK but a few poor lorry drivers and others that were delayed and put at risk by this thoughtless driving have my sympathy. Many shout when caravanners are targeted for holding up traffic and I guess you wonder why.

 

[ShadySadie]

Well excuse me. But most lorries I pass are doing 56 mph up hill and down dale of motorways when the traffic is moving, not 50-55 that you said Parksy!

Also if you are towing at a speedo indicated 55mph you are more likely to be doing 51 - 53 mph and at your 50mph you could even be nearly 10mph slower than most HGV lorries.

 

[ShadySadie]

ps.

I'll leave you boys to fight it out for a while, I may say something I regret and we can't dent fragile male ego's can we

 

[RogerL]

SS - you are suggesting that minimum speeds on motorways and dual carriageways should be equal to the vehicle's speed limit - that's simply not acceptable.

Vehicles travelling below their speed limit will normally be in lane one - lane two is always available for those that wish to travel faster.

 

[RogerL]

SS - it's nothing to do with male ego - women with sense agree as well.

 

[Parksy]

In one sentence you infer that we criticise women drivers when imo such criticism would be a stupid gender based generlisation and then in the next sentence you bang on about typical male I'm ok Jack attitudes which is imo..........a stupid gender based generalisation. Had you bothered to actually read my post you would see that I refered to three lane motorways and not dual carriageways or other roads, and I said that I keep up with the flow of HGVs, I don't hold them up or put them at risk in any way.

As for you're explanations being beyond my understanding I don't think that I'll rise to that particular bait.

 

[ShadySadie]

Sorry Parksy, I can't leave that.

The post I followed said

" I tow a t/a caravan with a 4x4 and although I can easily tow at the legal speed limit I've been easing off a little to between 50 and 55 mph since fuel prices went crazy. It's surprising just how much fuel I save on motorway journeys just by doing 5 mph less."

There is nothing about flow of traffic or HGV speed in that Parksy. You then started wriggling ;-)

RogerL. I think you must be reading another thread

 

[RogerL]

SS - trailers are limited to 60mph - you're complaining at the suggestion of towing at 50-55 - just how much lower than the limit is acceptable to you?

 

[ProfJohnL]

The current driving test can be failed if you 'Fail to make good progress'. However it is not an RTA offence in its self, but it could be construed as driving without due care and attention.

Driving slowly is not likely to be an issue if you are the only vehicle on the road, but when others join, you should not unduly impede their progress but you must stay within the legal limits applicable to your vehicle.

There should not be a problem on multi lane carriageways provided the slow vehicles populate the nearside lane only. Faster vehicles can overtake in the off side lane.

Yes a slow vehicle does constitute a hazard, But then so does rain, a junction, ice, glaring headlamps etc. Hazards are everywhere and it is up to a driver encountering a hazard to drive accordingly to either avoid it or to manage the situation safely.

A hazard itself does not cause mayhem, bedlam or incidents, they are always the result of other drivers failing to manage the situation properly.

Don't blame slow vehicles for the inadequacies of human temperament. If you allow your frustration to affect your driving, then you should not be on the road.

Long Live Slow Drivers - but please speed up a bit.

 

[RogerL]

"Making good progress" does NOT require you to travel at the speed limit.

I find it incomprehensible that reducing speed to save fuel cost appears to be unacceptable to some drivers.

 

[Parksy]

I'd rather be slightly under the national speed limit on motorways whilst incidentally saving fuel than slightly over it which could leave me open to prosecution and would still hold up other motorists who generally don't obey speed limits on motorways anyway.

 

[cooky1]

If I try to travel at 55mph (on the speedo) my car drops a gear (auto) so revs harder and uses more fuel. If I travel at 60ish The car is in top gear, happy and I pass most artics and don't hold anyone up.

Graeme.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Graham,

I am not sure that you use more fuel if the engine management finds it necessary to drop a gear, One reason that an auto box will drop is is the engine is unable to maintain or gain revs despite being fed with more than enough fuel. A labouring engine may use more fuel than the same engine in a better lower ratio.

 

[cooky1]

Hi John.

The car seems to change from 4th to 5th and back again all the time when it is at about 55mph. I don't want to fry the auto box so it seems much more content at 60mph. I could tow at the legal speeds in France but I choose not too! (also drinks a lot more diesel at higher speeds).

Graeme.

 

[weejock]

I think Sadie is rather misguided in her assertions that Parksy will be holding up lorries driving at 50-55. In her own statement she acknowledges that due to speedo error he will probally be doing under this. This on the whole makes it far easier for a limited vehicle at 56 to pass caravans rather than if they had been doing an indicated 58-60 which in reality would probally be 54-56 meaning the driver would be sitting on your tail or getting angry because he could'nt just put his foot down and cruise.

 

[Parksy]

According to my satnav my actual speed is about 4mph faster than the speedometer reading and my car is fitted with an automatic gearbox. The overdrive engages at between 45 to 50 mph depending on road conditions and I find that I can sit happily in the inside lane of a motorway during off peak driving times doing 2300 rpm at an indicated speed of about 55mph but of course this varies with road conditions but I just stay with the flow of lorries doing the same general speed as them. The fast lorries pass in the middle lane without any problems and other motorists pass by without any problems in the two outer lanes.

I don't regard myself as a particularly slow driver, I'm totally aware of the traffic and conditions around me at all times and if I felt that I was behaving in a dangerous fashion on motorways I'd change my driving style.

I'd like to add that I don't sit with my eyes glued to the speedometer or the satnav, I simply stay with the general flow of heavy goods vehicles provided that road conditions allow. In my experience many fellow caravanners do exactly the same but as Craig pointed when he started this thread there are always exceptions.

 

[Parksy]

According to my satnav my actual speed is about 4mph faster than the speedometer reading and my car is fitted with an automatic gearbox. The overdrive engages at between 45 to 50 mph depending on road conditions and I find that I can sit happily in the inside lane of a motorway during off peak driving times doing 2300 rpm at an indicated speed of about 55mph but of course this varies with road conditions but I just stay with the flow of lorries doing the same general speed as them. The fast lorries pass in the middle lane without any problems and other motorists pass by without any problems in the two outer lanes.

I don't regard myself as a particularly slow driver, I'm totally aware of the traffic and conditions around me at all times and if I felt that I was behaving in a dangerous fashion on motorways I'd change my driving style.

I'd like to add that I don't sit with my eyes glued to the speedometer or the satnav, I simply stay with the general flow of heavy goods vehicles provided that road conditions allow. In my experience many fellow caravanners do exactly the same but as Craig pointed when he started this thread there are always exceptions.

Sorry that should read that my actual speed is 4mph SLOWER than indicated on the speedometer, I'm tying myself in knots now.

 

[ShadySadie]

Sorry Parksy. But your tale has now changed from 50 - 55 or an actual 46 to 51 if you are guided by your speedo. To an out of business hours tugger sympatico with the flow of lorries and traffic

As for Johns rain snow and ice being hazards, we or they can not alter their nature and hazard ratings where as a slow driver causing a hazard can.

 

[RogerL]

What's wrong with the concept of lane one doing 50mph true speed? Those who wish to travel at slightly higher speeds can use lanes 2 and 3 for overtaking - which is their sole purpose.

Shady Sadie, it's not a gender issue, I won't be bullied into using the national speed limit as a minimum speed.

 

[Parksy]

SS you seem to be intent upon attacking anybody and everybody on the forum whatever they say. I've already said that my speedometer is about 4mph out so why would I want to tow at 46mph?

I think that because you are a wind up merchant I'll conclude my exchange with you by quoting some words that you used earlier in the thread

I'll also tow as I see fit and I don't give a damn about what others do or think as long as I continue with a clean driving slate.