A12 today, disappointed and embarassed!!

[car1tref]

If I was bothered by any of the replies I would not be bothered to post on here, everyone has their own opinions and are welcome to them. This post was mainly as an observational one and not meant to instruct anyone on points of the law, points which we as adults and qualified drivers on here are more than aware of, I'm quite happy with the friendly banter of most of the replies and that is why I posted on here!!
The point I'm making is that anyone can harp on about the law for days on end but the point of the post was one of embarrassment due to a C class Merc. being similar to mine causing it's own obstruction and me being behind it makes it look like I was part of the procession.

 

[Doodle]

Edit post - Duh...not paying attention...doing too many things at the same time!

 

[GRAV888]

By the way, lorries are limited to 56mph by law and inforced by VOSA

 

[davidjpowell]

The drivers in this link was believed to have been racing / competing / having fun. Neither of them are now.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=682156&mid=148928&nmt=A%20year%20in%20prison%20because%20the%20car%20behind%20crashed?!%20WTF?

Which is not to say that I am whiter than white when held up by a right lane hogger.

 

[car1tref]

By the way, lorries are limited to 56mph by law and inforced by VOSA

Unless your driving some of the foreign lorries!!!

 

[GRAV888]

Unless your driving some of the foreign lorries!!!

They are all limited to 56mph (90kph). If they chose to overide the limiter, that is their own doing and if caught, face severe consequences.
Why do you think there are somany foreign lorries pulled inton roadside checks?
Many run well over their hours too.

 

[glojo]

I was driving along the A38 the other day at exactly 70mph when I slowly caught up with a similar coloured E-class that was blocking the outside lane. Boy was I frustrated, this driver paid no heed to the fact that the road in front was clear, plus I had politely flashed my headlights to politely warn him of my presence. They just stubbornly refused to pull across to the nearside lane and be blowed to all other road users.

On checking my rear view mirror I saw that the BMW 5 series which had been folowing me for some miles, pull across to the nearside lane and undertake both myself and the E-claass that I had been following.

To really make matters worse the BMW driver lowered their drivers window and gave both me and the ignorant driver of the car in front of me 'The finger'

I hate lane hoggers and this Mercedes driver bought major embarrassment to both myself and the marque, I just hope that the 'finger man' did not think I was associated to the idiot in front of me.

 

[Phil Thomas]

Some interesting stuff here. Some well written stuff too. As I drive a lot in South Africa, undertaking is a major feature of my life. You do get used to it. It still alarms you on occasion.

When done particularly badly it is irritating, but as someone else says above, you need to switch off and let it wash over you.

I used to drive very fast at times. (By fast I mean I got my 500SE in South Africa up to 240 kph (about 150mph) twice. It felt safe and rock steady. I have travelled up the M6 at 0300 doing 130mph in a CX, with nothing else in sight. I have had the E300td up to its limit in Germany, taking full advantage of the 'Mercedes right of way'.)

But not now. Too many cameras, too high a risk of being lectured at by a judge on a mission, and made to feel like a pariah. Fuel got expensive too. Here in SA they are going the same way as the UK. But here the penalties were not so severe: no endorsements for one. (That is coming.) The accident rate is higher here too.

My brother in law was nearly killed by two well known business men in rear drive sports cars,- one german, one american - both killed, who were dicing on the M way in London and lost it. (Somewhere near Fulham.) Even I would not push it there.

It is all down to judgement. When young and confident you rely on it. But you must weigh the consequences. Every so often you will surely get it wrong. What do you say to the man in the wig when you survive and someone else does not?

I don't claim the wisdom of passing years: I have just re-assessed the present risks of non compliance with the law.

But yet I think the UK speed limits too low in some circumstances. There is nothing magic about the figure '70' - a point all the clearer to me as I am now 69!!! Speed limits in some countries are higher, in others lower.

On the other hand, when in the Netherlands en route to Germany, the traffic flow was very steady, as everyone was travelling at the same speed -the speed limit. No ducking and weaving, just orderly and it felt safe: but you could average the speed limit for many miles. The change as we crossed into Germany was marked!

My pet hates include the 'Speed kills' signs: no, it doesn't. Travelling too fast for the conditions, the car, and your own skill can well kill you.

Am I a split personality? Could be!!

 

[car1tref]

They are all limited to 56mph (90kph). If they chose to overide the limiter, that is their own doing and if caught, face severe consequences.
Why do you think there are somany foreign lorries pulled inton roadside checks?
Many run well over their hours too.

Totally agree with you, I have a friend who works for the vehicle Inspectorate and he spends all his time stopping and processing their illegalities!! His overtime has increased dramatically over the past few years.

 

[car1tref]

Some interesting stuff here. Some well written stuff too. As I drive a lot in South Africa, undertaking is a major feature of my life. You do get used to it. It still alarms you on occasion.

When done particularly badly it is irritating, but as someone else says above, you need to switch off and let it wash over you.

I used to drive very fast at times. (By fast I mean I got my 500SE in South Africa up to 240 kph (about 150mph) twice. It felt safe and rock steady. I have travelled up the M6 at 0300 doing 130mph in a CX, with nothing else in sight. I have had the E300td up to its limit in Germany, taking full advantage of the 'Mercedes right of way'.)

But not now. Too many cameras, too high a risk of being lectured at by a judge on a mission, and made to feel like a pariah. Fuel got expensive too. Here in SA they are going the same way as the UK. But here the penalties were not so severe: no endorsements for one. (That is coming.) The accident rate is higher here too.

My brother in law was nearly killed by two well known business men in rear drive sports cars,- one german, one american - both killed, who were dicing on the M way in London and lost it. (Somewhere near Fulham.) Even I would not push it there.

It is all down to judgement. When young and confident you rely on it. But you must weigh the consequences. Every so often you will surely get it wrong. What do you say to the man in the wig when you survive and someone else does not?

I don't claim the wisdom of passing years: I have just re-assessed the present risks of non compliance with the law.

But yet I think the UK speed limits too low in some circumstances. There is nothing magic about the figure '70' - a point all the clearer to me as I am now 69!!! Speed limits in some countries are higher, in others lower.

On the other hand, when in the Netherlands en route to Germany, the traffic flow was very steady, as everyone was travelling at the same speed -the speed limit. No ducking and weaving, just orderly and it felt safe: but you could average the speed limit for many miles. The change as we crossed into Germany was marked!

My pet hates include the 'Speed kills' signs: no, it doesn't. Travelling too fast for the conditions, the car, and your own skill can well kill you.

Am I a split personality? Could be!!

I totally agree with your Speed Kills paragraph- very annoying and too easy to get the "public" believing it wholeheartedly, I have too many family members and friends who insist that speed causes all deaths on our roads!!!!

 

[car1tref]

I was driving along the A38 the other day at exactly 70mph when I slowly caught up with a similar coloured E-class that was blocking the outside lane. Boy was I frustrated, this driver paid no heed to the fact that the road in front was clear, plus I had politely flashed my headlights to politely warn him of my presence. They just stubbornly refused to pull across to the nearside lane and be blowed to all other road users.

On checking my rear view mirror I saw that the BMW 5 series which had been folowing me for some miles, pull across to the nearside lane and undertake both myself and the E-claass that I had been following.

To really make matters worse the BMW driver lowered their drivers window and gave both me and the ignorant driver of the car in front of me 'The finger'

I hate lane hoggers and this Mercedes driver bought major embarrassment to both myself and the marque, I just hope that the 'finger man' did not think I was associated to the idiot in front of me.

Very funny and to the point I'm sure, just shows how many years you've been on here!!!

 

[glojo]

I totally agree with your Speed Kills paragraph- very annoying and too easy to get the "public" believing it wholeheartedly, I have too many family members and friends who insist that speed causes all deaths on our roads!!!!

What annoys me is that when we read about aircraft that crash, then the chances are that we will read the cause as possibly being pilot error, speed will rarely be the main cause even though the aircraft might be travellling at excessive speed. We should be discussing 'driver error' far more often

If you log onto the government site that records statistical information then an extremely low percentage of fatal incidents on our highways are attributed to the driver actually exceeding the speed limit. Speed might kill, but what speed??? the statement is factually correct but absolutely meaningless.

The advert that talks about reducing speed from 40mph to 30 is accurate and correct, but the huge, huge percentage of child deaths on our roads happen at speeds less than 30mph. Again it is down to us road users driving too fast for the prevailing conditions.

i agree about the 70mph limit on motorways.... It is farcical

 

[Phil Thomas]

I was driving along the A38 the other day at exactly 70mph when I slowly caught up with a similar coloured E-class that was blocking the outside lane. Boy was I frustrated, this driver paid no heed to the fact that the road in front was clear, plus I had politely flashed my headlights to politely warn him of my presence. They just stubbornly refused to pull across to the nearside lane and be blowed to all other road users.

On checking my rear view mirror I saw that the BMW 5 series which had been folowing me for some miles, pull across to the nearside lane and undertake both myself and the E-claass that I had been following.

To really make matters worse the BMW driver lowered their drivers window and gave both me and the ignorant driver of the car in front of me 'The finger'

I hate lane hoggers and this Mercedes driver bought major embarrassment to both myself and the marque, I just hope that the 'finger man' did not think I was associated to the idiot in front of me.

It is all in the presentation! Nice one. And no sideswipes at BMW drivers either: dignity prevails.

 

[Phil Thomas]

Very funny and to the point I'm sure, just shows how many years you've been on here!!!

Hey, hang on now, GLOJO looks quite young to me!

 

[219]

I understand what you are saying and there is nothing worse than lane hoggers that tarvel at 50mph or so in the offside lane and clearly either deliberately obstructing the free flow of traffic, OR not driving with due care and attention or perhaps reasonable consideration for other road users.

However

If the speed limit is 70mph and the car in the outside lane is travelling at the national speed limit, then quite clearly we are being duped into agreeing with boy racers playing games and wanting to take laws into their own hands.

Two wrongs will never make two rights. The clown in the outside lane travelling at 70mph is quite clearing Mr Meldrew out to ensure no one breaks the law.

The problem with lane hoggers who think " I'm doing the maximum permitted speed - and to hell with anyone who wants to go faster " is ( besides causing frustration and the potential for serious incidents involving those who simply do want to go faster regardless of the law ) that they may be holding up the expectant father taking his heavily pregnant wife to the hospital ; someone with some other serious medical emergency case on board ; there may be an actual emergency vehicle further back in the queue being impeded and having to clear all the slower moving vehicles out of the way one by one - probably all sorts of 'genuine' cases ( perhaps 'once in a lifetime' for most people ) - but how would these lane hoggers feel if they found out that someone had died because they were delayed getting to the hospital ????

 

[glojo]

The problem with lane hoggers who think " I'm doing the maximum permitted speed - and to hell with anyone who wants to go faster " is ( besides causing frustration and the potential for serious incidents involving those who simply do want to go faster regardless of the law ) that they may be holding up the expectant father taking his heavily pregnant wife to the hospital ; someone with some other serious medical emergency case on board ; there may be an actual emergency vehicle further back in the queue being impeded and having to clear all the slower moving vehicles out of the way one by one - probably all sorts of 'genuine' cases ( perhaps 'once in a lifetime' for most people ) - but how would these lane hoggers feel if they found out that someone had died because they were delayed getting to the hospital ????

Hopefully NO ONE will condone lane hoggers and I condemn them, I hate the middle lane hogger with a vengeance but we must simply accept that two wrongs will never make a right.

We can try to justify our actions as much as we want but I would like to see these ignorant, selfish drivers prosecuted as opposed to drivers breaking laws and undertaking, but no doubt we would then start reading about police harrassment, big brother etc etc.

 

[219]

I would like to see these ignorant, selfish drivers prosecuted as opposed to drivers breaking laws and undertaking

I would agree 100% with that . More motorcyle patrols on motorways and dual carriageways would probably be the best way to root out these offenders rather than car-based patrols ( probably cheaper to implement than 2x officers in a car anyway ) .

The other approach would be for the government to start making those 'public information films' we all used to know and love so well : we need to EDUCATE the public that outside lane hogging isn't smart , isn't clever and those who do it are at least as much in the wrong as those who feel obliged to 'undertake' them .

Here's a little blast from the past to illustrate the sort of thing I mean ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_4770000/newsid_4770800?redirect=4770818.stm&news=1&bbwm=1&nbwm=1&nbram=1&bbram=1