How slow is too slow?

[aussie muscle]

is there a limit as to how slow you can go on a highway?

I have to wonder at the audacity of driving your fifty year old cattle truck on the open road, when it's speed drops extremely low or it's power so low that it can barely make the grade. The other day I came up on a slow moving ute, but in front of him was a cattle truck (4-5 tonne) travelling at 18-25 km/h in a 100 zone as it struggled up the slight incline. The ute overtakes and gets flashed by an oncoming car as he tried to get past this mobile road block. I had to turn off in 3kms, so i didn't want to overtake, so had to sit behind him as he struggled on. Nothing like breathing diesel fumes to make my patience wear even thinner.

Thanks for the vent.



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[1970galaxie]

Yep, happens all too often, but unfortunately I don't think a lot can be done about it.

[lucas2]

I'm pretty sure there is a limit to how slow you can go. If it is disrupting the flow of traffic and causing a danger to other motorists it is 'reckless' imo.

[XR Martin]

Originally Posted by lucas2

I'm pretty sure there is a limit to how slow you can go. If it is disrupting the flow of traffic and causing a danger to other motorists it is 'reckless' imo.

I think only freeways have a minimum speed (80?)

Otherwise if there was a minimum on highways, then oversize loads would never be allowed on them.

Oh and if people were willing to pay more for their food, then the farmer might be able to afford a new truck.
But when you keep buying at colesworth, this will end up being the norm.

[Vesper Martini]

What I dislike is how they speed up and not move over when there is a chance to overtake.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Bevsta007

What I dislike is how they speed up and not move over when there is a chance to overtake.

I got stuck behind some gronk in a done up Torana on the way home tonight, he was doing 70 in a 100 zone, wouldn't move over to the left for anyone to pass and then he sped up in the one overtaking lane on the 30km stretch of the road.

I was stuck behind him for about 15km.

[Ben73]

Grey nomads do this all the time on the Golden highway. Lucky to hit 70 on the hills and bends, then they do 105 once the overtaking area come up.
Trucks are the same, but many of them are considerate when it comes to letting you pass.

[Sprint]

more than 20km under the posted limit is illegal

[Focused]

Originally Posted by Sprint

more than 20km under the posted limit is illegal

But that would have to be over an extended period of time otherwise you'd be driving illegally whilst accelerating from turning onto the road.

I do a fair bit of rural driving and I agree that it's an issue. NSW's stupid idea of limiting L-platers to 80km/h is just as dangerous.

[Spammy]

Originally Posted by Sprint

more than 20km under the posted limit is illegal

got a refernce for that?

[Spurious]

Glass houses people!

The day you can honestly say that you've never been distracted & held someone up, that's the day you have the right to whine about others.

What about a guy that drives a GT to work then he drives the bosses truck all day. Does he have the right to whine about slow drivers or is someone like him more understanding of the circumstances.

Next time you "get stuck" behind a slow driver why don't you follow them 'til they stop & ask them why. Then you will understand, or you could keep on after they turn off & just be a whiny baby.

I drive slower in the rain, I drive slower when I'm towing my box trailer, I drive slower when I'm towing my boat & I drive slower when I've got my mother in the car.
I don't drive slower to **** you off. If you're in a hurry or running late then you should have left earlier.

The OP made the right call by kicking back & waiting for his exit, if he rounded up the truck then turned off HE would of looked like the knob.
Look at the up side, at least you don't run the risk of a severe crash if your stuck behind a slow vehicle. Enjoy the moment.

Also people don't slow up hill & speed up on overtaking lanes just to annoy others. Passing lanes are either uphill or on a long flat stretch of road so obviously someone with an older or under powered vehicle will go slow up hill 'cause the vehicle & incline restricts the speed, then they speed back up on a flat section so they DON'T hold traffic up.

IF WE PAY OUR ROAD USER FEE'S THEN WE ALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE ON THE ROAD, BE IT GRANNY IN THE COROLLA OR SUPER MARIO IN THE GT.

You are responsible for YOU when you're driving. Ignore farmer john & concentrate on your own business!

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by FlivverFord;4****43

Glass houses people!

The day you can honestly say that you've never been distracted & held someone up, that's the day you have the right to whine about others.

What about a guy that drives a GT to work then he drives the bosses truck all day. Does he have the right to whine about slow drivers or is someone like him more understanding of the circumstances.

Next time you "get stuck" behind a slow driver why don't you follow them 'til they stop & ask them why. Then you will understand, or you could keep on after they turn off & just be a whiny baby.

I drive slower in the rain, I drive slower when I'm towing my box trailer, I drive slower when I'm towing my boat & I drive slower when I've got my mother in the car.
I don't drive slower to **** you off. If you're in a hurry or running late then you should have left earlier.

The OP made the right call by kicking back & waiting for his exit, if he rounded up the truck then turned off HE would of looked like the knob.
Look at the up side, at least you don't run the risk of a severe crash if your stuck behind a slow vehicle. Enjoy the moment.

Also people don't slow up hill & speed up on overtaking lanes just to annoy others. Passing lanes are either uphill or on a long flat stretch of road so obviously someone with an older or under powered vehicle will go slow up hill 'cause the vehicle & incline restricts the speed, then they speed back up on a flat section so they DON'T hold traffic up.

IF WE PAY OUR ROAD USER FEE'S THEN WE ALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE ON THE ROAD, BE IT GRANNY IN THE COROLLA OR SUPER MARIO IN THE GT.

You are responsible for YOU when you're driving. Ignore farmer john & concentrate on your own business!

well said. I believe impatient people are the BIGGEST danger on the road.

[Mulga]

Originally Posted by wildrider;4****62

well said. I believe impatient people are the BIGGEST danger on the road.

I agree to a point.....but I believe the biggest issue is inconsiderate drivers that believe it is their right to drive at whatever speed, whether it be holding up traffic, hogging the overtaking lane or tail-gating.

My wife often tows a horse float and she sits on 100kph on the highway.....so that's 10ks below the posted speed limit, but she often gets frustrated when she moves to overtake a slower car in front to have that car speed up.......for what reason who knows.

Tolerance and being considerate go hand-in-hand.

[Jallopy]

Originally Posted by FlivverFord;4****43

Also people don't slow up hill & speed up on overtaking lanes just to annoy others. Passing lanes are either uphill or on a long flat stretch of road so obviously someone with an older or under powered vehicle will go slow up hill 'cause the vehicle & incline restricts the speed, then they speed back up on a flat section so they DON'T hold traffic up.

Sorry to say but you do hold traffic up doing this, as we all have to sit behind you as you piddle along again when the road is too challenging for your talent.(or lack of it in this case)

Some drivers are just so inconsiderate.

[FGX-351]

Originally Posted by FlivverFord;4****43

Glass houses people!

The day you can honestly say that you've never been distracted & held someone up, that's the day you have the right to whine about others.

What about a guy that drives a GT to work then he drives the bosses truck all day. Does he have the right to whine about slow drivers or is someone like him more understanding of the circumstances.

Next time you "get stuck" behind a slow driver why don't you follow them 'til they stop & ask them why. Then you will understand, or you could keep on after they turn off & just be a whiny baby.

I drive slower in the rain, I drive slower when I'm towing my box trailer, I drive slower when I'm towing my boat & I drive slower when I've got my mother in the car.
I don't drive slower to **** you off. If you're in a hurry or running late then you should have left earlier.

The OP made the right call by kicking back & waiting for his exit, if he rounded up the truck then turned off HE would of looked like the knob.
Look at the up side, at least you don't run the risk of a severe crash if your stuck behind a slow vehicle. Enjoy the moment.

Also people don't slow up hill & speed up on overtaking lanes just to annoy others. Passing lanes are either uphill or on a long flat stretch of road so obviously someone with an older or under powered vehicle will go slow up hill 'cause the vehicle & incline restricts the speed, then they speed back up on a flat section so they DON'T hold traffic up.

IF WE PAY OUR ROAD USER FEE'S THEN WE ALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE ON THE ROAD, BE IT GRANNY IN THE COROLLA OR SUPER MARIO IN THE GT.

You are responsible for YOU when you're driving. Ignore farmer john & concentrate on your own business!

You should be free to do all that.........as long as you keep left on roads 80km+ as required by law.

Stubborn drivers(as above) are likely just as bad as impatient drivers.

Impatient drivers can and have been proven to be prone to episodes of road rage but stubborn attitudes as above just go to amplify potentially dangerous situations when it's just as easy to let someone who's showing signs of road rage simply pass.

And then as you say continue enjoying the moment.

[Sprint]

Originally Posted by Spammy

got a refernce for that?

I was told this some 10-20 years ago when I asked, it made sense to me but its one of those laws that are never enforced unless the policeman wants you is my understanding.

You cannot be doings 40kmh on a 100kmh for obvious reasons, there is merit to this under 20kmh.

[Spammy]

Originally Posted by Sprint

I was told this some 10-20 years ago when I asked, it made sense to me but its one of those laws that are never enforced unless the policeman wants you is my understanding.

You cannot be doings 40kmh on a 100kmh for obvious reasons, there is merit to this under 20kmh.

How woudl that work when L plates were 80kmh limit and freeways are 110??

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Sprint

more than 20km under the posted limit is illegal

No such law for highways & roads.

Only law that prevents slow vehicles from using roads is Freeways when sign posted.

Slow vehicles must keep left at all times.

[danzvtil]

Originally Posted by Sprint

more than 20km under the posted limit is illegal

Hardly, as quoted by the SA police commisioner-"the signed speed is a LIMIT and not a TARGET or MINIMUM speed"
Motorists can drive 20kays under the limit because THEY believe they are driving at a speed suitable to their (perceived) road/vehicle condition.


I agree its annoying when people go slow, i cover a lot of kays per year, but you get used to it.

Here are the major culprits:
Country/Farmer- drivers who have no intention of reaching the limit (they may be driving from one paddock to the next) this driver is identified by the way they straddle the shoulder/line which flicks rocks on your windscreen.

Grey Nomads-will cruise at 90 NO MATTER WHAT, known for randomly pulling over to let their cavalier king charles take a wizz

The bipolar-Usually city based drivers who occasionally use country highways.Their vehicle may be cruise control equipped but they never use it. They will do 90,100,110,80,90,120.
You pass them going slow then they overtake you further along only to slow down in front.

I have learnt the following:
I have studied the phenomenon of the slow car speeding up at a overtaking lane-this is where the road becomes straight, so they feel safe to increase speed!
You cannot give a slow driver the finger as you pass as in the country (esp remote) you WILL pull up at the next road house at the same time, it seems manners here is a must.
Truckies i find are excellent at signalling for you to pass when safe to do so, i always give em the 2 hazard flash when i pull back infront as thanks.

[vanman_75]

The truck that the farmer owns , does very few kms in but holds up traffic on the odd occasion , ...nope I don't have a problem with that ,do you suggest all vehicles must maintain max speed or is it the inconvenience ?

Ps just showing other side of argument ..not too serious ..

[Mulga]

I often see a mobile crane on the Hume hwy (which has a posted speed limit of 110ks) with a sticker on the back of the crane stating maximum speed 45kph. I have no idea what it's doing on this road driving at such a speed below the limit.

[my_gxl]

We're allowed to shoot slow drivers right? lol

Keep left people.

Personally I think you need to have a specific reason why you are driving slow. Old clapped out truck not really an excuse. Tells me its unroadworthy.

Lose a point every time you are booked 10% under the limit for no reason. No fines.

I do agree about colesworth-but that's not the point of the thread.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Mulga

I often see a mobile crane on the Hume hwy (which has a posted speed limit of 110ks) with a sticker on the back of the crane stating maximum speed 45kph. I have no idea what it's doing on this road driving at such a speed below the limit.

The Hume is dual carriage & he will be sitting in the left lane as the Law dictates so it will be easy to pass, so what is the problem?

[2011G6E]

Nothing like coming over a rise when you're doing 110 and being confronted with a caravan doing maybe 70kph...happened to me in the Celica a while ago. Not nice. Some people say "why would you go over the crest of a hill at 110 anyway if you can't see what's on the other side?".
Really? So...every time you're driving down the highway and there's a crest in the road you slow down severely and then speed up again? How about blind corners on the highway? Do the same? Keep slowing down every time you can't see a few hundred meters ahead? Don't be stupid...it's up to those people to sit at or as damn close to the speed limit as they possibly can.

Trucks are generally good out here and give you notice when it's safe to pass, but we do seem to have an awful lot of cowboys giving the few good ones a bad name. yes, I said "few good ones", as most trucks manners out here is atrocious. I'm probably being nasty...it's actually more like "half and half", and you can hear the good ones talking about the bad ones on the two way...they're just as frustrated with them as the rest of us.

Caravans are a menace out here on the Capricorn Highway too at certain times of the year...I followed one simply massive Bushtracker van a while ago doing 70 on the 110 section, on a day when there was a fair bit of traffic coming the other way. He had his right indicator on, and I knew there was a lot of side roads and farm turn in's in that area, so even when there was a gap in the oncoming traffic I patiently sat there for a while and didn't attempt to overtake in case he suddenly turned right in front of me...until it dawned on me that there wasn't any intention of turning right...his indicator was just "on" for no reason.
I called on the two way and identified him, and politely said "Hey mate, your right indicator is on in case you didn't realise". His answer was one for the ages...

"Well it's stopping you ****** from overtaking me...hahahahahah."

Honestly...

[Iggle Piggle]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Nothing like coming over a rise when you're doing 110 and being confronted with a caravan doing maybe 70kph...happened to me in the Celica a while ago. Not nice. Some people say "why would you go over the crest of a hill at 110 anyway if you can't see what's on the other side?".
Really? So...every time you're driving down the highway and there's a crest in the road you slow down severely and then speed up again? How about blind corners on the highway? Do the same? Keep slowing down every time you can't see a few hundred meters ahead? Don't be stupid...it's up to those people to sit at or as damn close to the speed limit as they possibly can.

Look, I agree with the point you are making...but I don't get why you weren't looking up the road ahead of you to have seen the caravan go over the crest and know that it was there. Surely he must have only just crested the hill if you have arrived on him just on the other side when your closing speed was only 40km/h.

Or was it a: "CAUTION, 5 left into blind crest jump, don't cut!" sort of thing???

Having said that I refer back to the first part of my post - I agree with the point you are making.

I'm not calling BS - I reckon the van would have likely been doing less than 70km/h, or possibly you don't take the Celica out on weekends to sit at or below the limit and may have been just every so slightly over 110km/h at the time

[SJG351]

Every year there are more cars on the road systems that can barely cope, increased traffic loads, public transport, accidents, speed cameras, bicycles, all these things make your journey more difficult, so, it is important that your own driving does not impede others without good reason, don't you think, or are you part of the problem?

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Nothing like coming over a rise when you're doing 110 and being confronted with a caravan doing maybe 70kph...happened to me in the Celica a while ago. Not nice. Some people say "why would you go over the crest of a hill at 110 anyway if you can't see what's on the other side?".
Really? So...every time you're driving down the highway and there's a crest in the road you slow down severely and then speed up again? How about blind corners on the highway? Do the same? Keep slowing down every time you can't see a few hundred meters ahead? Don't be stupid...it's up to those people to sit at or as damn close to the speed limit as they possibly can.

Trucks are generally good out here and give you notice when it's safe to pass, but we do seem to have an awful lot of cowboys giving the few good ones a bad name. yes, I said "few good ones", as most trucks manners out here is atrocious. I'm probably being nasty...it's actually more like "half and half", and you can hear the good ones talking about the bad ones on the two way...they're just as frustrated with them as the rest of us.

Caravans are a menace out here on the Capricorn Highway too at certain times of the year...I followed one simply massive Bushtracker van a while ago doing 70 on the 110 section, on a day when there was a fair bit of traffic coming the other way. He had his right indicator on, and I knew there was a lot of side roads and farm turn in's in that area, so even when there was a gap in the oncoming traffic I patiently sat there for a while and didn't attempt to overtake in case he suddenly turned right in front of me...until it dawned on me that there wasn't any intention of turning right...his indicator was just "on" for no reason.
I called on the two way and identified him, and politely said "Hey mate, your right indicator is on in case you didn't realise". His answer was one for the ages...

"Well it's stopping you ****** from overtaking me...hahahahahah."

Honestly...

If I'm approaching a steep crest where you really cannot see over until you are on top I err on the caution side & slow down in case of that scenario you described, you got to think ahead otherwise you are going to be an accident statistic taking out some one else with you.

It is not just caravans out there that are slow, trucks & cars are just as bad.

[paule11]

As longa s they pull over when they get 10 vehicles behind them its ok but they don't most of the time

[mburnz236]

I don't think it should just apply to highways.
I live in Yellow Rock, and I'll just say I wish they enforced some rule against slow drivers.
Ever since we had the fires come through, weekend and afternoon traffic is all rubberneckers that come to awe at all the burnt bush and lost houses.
It's a 70 zone, and all these tourists drive through at 20-30. Seriously gives me the sh*ts.
It's only an 8km road, but when you have to use it multiple times a day it's very frustrating.

[Iggle Piggle]

On SA roads you need to be within 106% of the pole time to avoid the cut-off.