I've only just read this thread as I suspected it would mostly be full of what it was. I wasn't disappointed. So many issues.
I always said that folk who just drove cars ought to be made to drive a juggernaut, tractor, ride a motor/bike and and horse before being let loose on the roads.. Course it won't happen.
Most of the issues raised arise from two things.
1. Britain is a dog eat dog place where people haven't got a minute to spare and everyone feels they are the most important thing on the crowded road. You aren't.
2. Unfortunately people have become for whatever reason blind to the needs of others. For example a 70 year old man going home from visiting his sick mother inhospital has different needs from a 25 year old full of testosterone needing to get back home and change before going out on the pull/razz.
Going back to some practicalities. Juggernauts are limited to their speed but on a schedule from head office. So what if they pull out at 56 mph to overtake another juggernaut limited to 50 mph. You wait a few minutes then accelerate on. Your journey time is hardly hindered but theres would be.
Sadly there will always be bad driving. Folk happy to bumble on at 40 in a convoy nose to tale making ity impossible to overtake. They should leave a reasonable distance. Folk who when being overtaken leave their lights on dipped instead of main beam to help the overtaker. Folk who feel threatened by some lunatic who has been on his boot lid trying to get past for the last 3 miles with dodgy headlights or worse auxilliary lights too.
There I have said it an argument for the sitting at 40 man (or woman).
Oh and by the way since living here I have had to accept that you often get stuck behind vehicles travelling at 20 mph on open roads. I suspect they think they ar still riding a mule!!
