AMEN to that!
UK is not the only place where driving too slow (compared to set limit and conditions) makes you liable for "driving without due consideration" or even "dangerous driving" (depending on severity of speed). Ireland has similar rules and means an automatic court appearance if a Guard writes you up for it.
My take for what it is worth:
It is just seldom enforced by the Gardaí though; Management doesn't push on it, hard to get convictions and limited time and resources don't help either.
This is of course because the Gardaí management are hugely influenced by political pressure and hence motivation. Speeding is a "feel good - look at me, I am doing something about road safety" thing for politicians. Most of them haven't a clue about a lot of stuff and will just say anything, correct or blatantly wrong, if they think it makes them sound good with the electorate (or at least the biggest percentage of voters).
Also, one has to drive significantly slower than the set speed limit to be in breach - the rule of thumb is 30% below the signed limit. Even if you do go more than 30% slower you can always argue there was a valid reason for doing so (it was very windy Judge, or I was planning to pull over, the road surface was very poor, etc). Given the above you can see why for the average Guard on the road it just isn't worth bothering - especially as there are plenty other things to get on with where you will get a conviction with a whole lot less paperwork and hassle and which you might be targeted on for your performance reviews.
The RSA aren't much better and over-focus on speeding - as opposed to speed - that is, appropriate speed.
What about Muppets who:
- drive in the fast lane or middle lane, slowly, when there is no traffic in a lane more left to where they are driving?
- drive with their fogs on when there's no fog (front or back, makes no difference - just blinds people and no benefit if no fog)?
- drive without any lights on when there's it's raining / gloomy (dusk/dawn) / foggy?
- drive all over the road, or slow etc, because they are too busy doing other things like make-up, shaving, phone, kids, reading a book (YES see that regularly in traffic in the mornings)?
- will not drive within their lane and straddle lanes / middle of the road on country roads - stops you from passing or take off your mirror if you are coming the other way.
ETC.
Why can't the RSA do educational infomercials on TV/Radio about all of the above including the slow speed thing?
ANSWER: simple... because it is not politically attractive for them as suddenly the majority of political voters would be "guilty" and pissed at being judged for what they think is perfectly ok and acceptable. The majority of voters probably doesn't speed and feels good about blaming all traffic safety on speeding - this way they don't need to look at their own horrendous driving and level of culpability. -and lets face it RSA management is motivated by the hand that feeds them - politicians.
Road safety here isn't so much about the deaths, or high / low speed, or good roads / bad roads, or good driving behaviour / bad driving behaviour... It is all about the politics and window dressing.
- Does this make me a cynic, or am I totally misreading the situation?
