HeadOfTheQueue wrote:
How can I be a serious risk when I am observing the speed limit?? Surely the procession behind me were creating their own risk? Should I have pulled over and aided and abetted 3rd parties in breaking the law?.
I considered not replying to this part, but on reflection, I believe the points to be so very critical to road safety that I must reply.
1) On best estimates, over 90% of roads fatalities take place entirely within the speed limit. When you say:
"How can I be a serious risk when I am observing the speed limit?" I am extremely concerned about the complacency that
might underlie the statement. I sincerely believe that we now have millions of drivers who check their speedo and assure themselves that their speed must be safe because it is within the speed limit. Nothing could be further from the truth. A pedestrian struck at 30mph has only a 50% chance of survival. 30mph is frequently a deadly speed and keeping within the speed limit does virtually nothing to ensure that your speed is not deadly.
2) You said:
"Surely the procession behind me were creating their own risk? Should I have pulled over and aided and abetted 3rd parties in breaking the law?" Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: Your duty to safety is to minimise risk. You have told us that you felt drivers behind were becoming frustrated. Let's imagine the worst based on your present stance:
After 15 minutes of following one idiot behind makes an ill advised lunge to pass you. There's oncoming traffic and the idiot isn't going to make it. Somewhere a few feet to your right there is a god almighty offset frontal collision with an innocent oncoming driver. Idiot to the right's car spins clockwise and pushes you off the road as well. Innocent family in the oncoming car is wiped out. This is a very bad outcome indeed, and is commonly the result of frustration. Yes. The idiot is to blame, but if you had pulled over to let the idiot past would the accident have happened?
I'll defend your right to travel at any speed you feel is safe and appropriate. If that's 20mph slower than the other traffic, then so be it. But please please please consider danger that may arise though the thoughts and feelings of other drivers. If you sense that they might be getting frustrated,
smell the danger and use your superior understanding to reduce the risk by letting them past.
You might find it useful to imagine that someone in a following queue may have a genuine emergency need for speed - perhaps there's a pregnant lady or injured child in the car are they are rushing to hospital. Imagine how they would feel caught in a queue. One day it might be true. One day there might be someone behind with a genuine emergency.
It makes sense to accommodate the desires of other road users whenever you can. I would also like to recommend
Highway Code rule 145 which states:
Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently, and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic pass.
Finally, you are
not responsible for the actions of other road users and allowing them to pass does not aid or abet them in any offences that they may or may not commit. However you should take responsiblity for the direct and indirect consequences of
your own actions when driving.
Approaching driving with pessimism and foresight tends to produce the right result.