Any Surrey traffic cops lurking 1095

Brimstone

Surely it's the inattentive driver that is 'driving without due care and attention' at that point?

I see your point. Slower moving vehicles ARE a hazard, in much the same way as bridge supports, broken down vehicles, debris, wide loads, etc, which drivers have to cope with in the normal course of events. Certain vehicles have to drive slowly. Driving 6 mph slower than most traffic in L1 doesn't, on the face of it, look exceptionally more hazardous than driving 15mph over the speed limit in L3, which many people do routinely, as this seems to be the top end of the leeway police appear to give. Your argument has merit - if other drivers are not expecting the slower vehicle, then it is necessarily hazardous. One might argue, on the other hand, that the more people that do drive at 50 mph in L1, the less hazardous it becomes, as other drivers begin to expect it more. Many cars are at their most fuel efficient somewhere between 50-60 mph, so as fuel prices increase, I'd expect more people to drive in a more fuel efficient manner.

Perhaps there should be a minimum speed limit on motorways, with exceptions for vehicles appropriately festooned with flashing lights, fluorescent signs and police outriders as necessary? Given the maximum speed for HGVs is 56 mph, what would an acceptable minimum be - 56 mph, 50mph, 40mph? If introduced, minimun speed regulations would have to take fog, rain, snow, ice, traffic jams and other untoward events into account, so it could be a bt tricky to enforce.

Anyway, thanks for enlightening me.

Regards,

Sid