Sir, - Why do slow drivers always consider that all drivers should drive at their particular speed and that any driver who overtakes them is some sort of road demon ? Niall Harrington describes such demons, speeding on the wrong side of the road before suddenly lunging into a non-existent car space between other cars. The basic problem is that there should be a space between cars to allow an overtaking vehicle to filter in an orderly manner.
Any driver who catches up with a typical convoy of slow-moving vehicles is forced, not to overtake one vehicle at a time, but probably five or six. Add to that the limited opportunities to overtake on some roads and drivers will be tempted to take a risk, exceed the speed limit and drive recklessly.
In many years of driving, the greatest dangers experienced have generally been caused by slow drivers, indecisive in action, and whose range of vision and planning does not exceed beyond the rear bumper of the car in front.
What is required is courtesy, care and consideration when driving. We are not all the same. We have differing levels of driving ability, differing cars and accordingly differing perceptions of what is termed speeding and what is not.
Please leave me a gap and I will not become agitated, stressed and be tempted to take a risk: also please do not drive at 60 m.p.h. on the outside lane of the M50 just because you think that 60 m.p.h. is fast enough. - Yours, etc.,
Roger Wormald, The Golf Links, Malahide, Co. Dublin.