<< I do think you are asking for trouble with aggressive behavior with other cars. >>

Haz, what do you think a driver should do? Just do nothing, which effectively rewards the wank*r behind you and just encourages them to keep driving in an offensive manner with a considerably increased risk of mishap?

Sorry, but I’m not willing to do that. Giving a signal of discontent is perfectly fair and reasonable. Doing nothing when subject to bullsh!t driving is NOT fair and reasonable, and you can’t expect people who give a damn to do that.

<< It is not your place or right to try to dictate to other drivers how fast they should drive. >>

Hey, it IS the right and indeed the responsibility of EVERY citizen to implore others to act in a sensible and lawful manner. Tailgaters and aggressive drivers are dictating to others how they would like them to drive – in a manner that is not showing due courtesy to other road-users, does not consider the speed limit, road conditions, weather, pedestrians, etc, etc. No conscientious person should allow them to do that, without at least signalling their discontent.

<< In your instance today, was it a dual carriageway? >>

No. A single-lane road. I had room to pull over into a wide cycle lane or strip of road outside of the solid white line.

Luddy my perspective on motoring comes of course from my youth.

In the early 60s I regularly drove to Melbourne or the Gold Coast from Sydney, as did many of my friends. In 50s, & 60s motorcars, on the narrow, twisty & often rough roads of the day, I would usually average something well over 70 miles/hour.

I did not speed through towns, I did not break my cars, & I did not have accidents. I regularly cruised at 80 to 90 MPH, [140 Km/h or so], which was a safe sensible speed. Unlike droning along at todays 100 Km/H, almost designed to put you to sleep, it was fast enough to help keep you awake, but slow enough to allow you to avoid trouble.

From this experience I can't see todays ridiculously low speed limits as anything but revenue raising. I have nothing but contempt for them, & comply only because it is too much hassle not to. I know it is more dangerous to drive long distances at these speeds, but can't be bothered bucking the system.

With this attitude I have no problem with others who refuse to comply with them, provided they drive safely. If they chose to risk their drivers licence, driving at higher speeds, I don't mind at all.

I can't stand hoons, spinning wheels, or street racing, there are venues where such behavior is admired, & where these clowns should go if they want to play these games.

Perhaps if I had some respect for todays speed limits I could agree with you, but a lot would have to change before I could respect them.

Hasbeen, I think you will find like minded people on this site.

http://www.carr.org.au/about%20carr.htm

I have known Ziggy for many years and he is a very intense fellow.

Hasbeen,

I drove a modified 2.5 litre 1949 Riley that cruised happily at 90mph and would do over the 100, later I had a 1951 Alvis 3 litre saloon that had been fitted with a 4 speed Rover box with electronic overdrive on top gear, this machine could and did cruise at 100mph.

Only ever booked once for speeding, in those days, and that was in a 1926 Alvis "Ducksback" Super Sports for doing 35 in a 30 zone. This was at 06:00 hours one morning passing the stockyards at Bathurst, NSW, when there were no stock anywhere near there and not a house for half a mile in any direction.

Second booking for speeding was in Tenterfield, NSW, when I passed a speed camera in a 50kph zone at a bit under 60, not long after what had formerly been a 60 zone was reclassified.

When overseas I regularly drive at the legal limits of 130 and up and on roads that are no better than ours. One advantage of such speeds is that by accelerating to 130 on the bottom of a slope then the crest of the next hill can be topped at 2.5 to 4.5 litres/100 kilometres instead of 12 to 15 Lt/100km. This in a 4 litre engined car.

Speed, properly applied, saves fuel and cuts fatigue times as well, as you say, keeping the driver alert.

<< I can't see todays ridiculously low speed limits as anything but revenue raising >>

Haz, I can sympathise with you to some extent. I see many speed zones that I think are ridiculously slow. I particularly hate the continuation of slow zones after towns and after roadworks well out onto the open road before the return to normal speed. I consider those to be patently absurd. And I hate a lot of the 50kmh zones on many straight wide flat main roads, that proliferated when 50 became the fall-back speed limit in built-up areas a few years back.

<< I have no problem with others who refuse to comply with them, provided they drive safely. >>

Again I can sort of agree. If people want to speed, safely, without increasing the risk to others, then fine, for as long as they drive safely. But tailgating or following too closely is NOT safe driving. There is no excuse for it.

On the open road I often get drivers with scant little respect for the speed limit but with the good sense not to follow too closely come up behind me when I’m sitting on 105 in the 100 zone. Not all speeders are rank tailgaters.

You've had a couple of nice cars there Is Mise. I just missed out on a 2.5L 2 seater convertible Riley about 14 years ago. By the time I found out it was for sale, someone had beaten me to it.

Still if I had got it I would not have a couple of nice Triumphs, a TR 7 & a 4.6L V8 TR8. They were a lot cheaper so I could afford a pair.

I became somewhat disenchanted with law enforcement in the 60s. I bought a new Morgan +4 in 62. I found it a bit too quick to really enjoy on the public road, so started racing it. I drove it to Bathurst for race meetings 3 times, & despite carefully complying with all reasonable road rules, I was booked each time.

The last time I had crossed a dotted center line by about 6 inches passing a pushbike & was booked for failure to indicate intentions. That cop had followed me for about 15 miles to book me for that. I think they must have had instructions to book all sports cars for something every easter.

Nothing since then has changed my low opinion of traffic branch cops.