Motorway lane discipline

[imadoofus]

Coventry has a little ring road (about two miles long), upon which you are supposed to drive in the right-hand lane (the left being used for entries / exits every few hundred yards).

All the overhead signs clearly state that you should be in the right-hand lane, and yet I think it must the only road in the country on which people actually do keep to the left

It drives me nuts!

PJ

 

[Shude]

On a couple of bits of road I use quite regularly, the M60 -> M61/A666 junction and the end of the M602 where it becomes the A57 that people "get into lane" literally about 5 miles before they need to. One of these stretches is a two-lane motorway for a few miles. One of my friends was in the passenger seat while I was driving and he said "you might as well stay in the outside lane, that's what I always do". That's what everyone else does as well, about 5 minutes before they need to! Needless to say you get miles of a single lane doing about 60 because right at the front is a truck that's just (correctly) got into the appropriate lane and due to traffic being bunched up no-one can move or even see what's happening.

Usually a black mercedes flies past them all on the inside, eventually his lane splits off to the left anyway so if they're in the correct lane then so is he...

 

[Dryce]

So now you've been told twice! (see post#3)

Urban ones often have such a close succession of junctions that it does makes sense to avoid the inside lane forever dodging slip road traffic. It appears to be the rule that traffic entering the motorway now assumes right of way .

On the M8 through Glasgow, many sections of the inside lane simply becomes the slip road for the next junction so if you start at the left, it becomes near impossibe to move over into the next lane on your right! Incidently, there is one slip road which exits from the outside (3rd) lane. Are there any others like that in the UK?

In the case of the M8 there are two outer lane on/off ramp
combinations (one in each direction). These should be marked
continously with thick short dashed lines in my view. The
use of them should also be restricted to drivers entering
and leaving the motorway (ie. not legal to use them for
the purpose of overtaking).

Most other sections where the middle lane becomes the inner
lane and the other becomes a filter are marked with the
short dashed lines so they clearly are filter lanes.

Too many drivers choose to become mobile chicanes several
miles away away from the centre. I am frequently well p*ssed
off that at quite times when the motorway is clear I'm in
the correct lane when not far ahead of me a car will enter
the motorway and then immediately move into the middle lane
to ultimately force me to change two lanes instead of one
to make a legal passing manoeuvre. GRRR!

 

[anarchy-inc]

So, what are you supposed to do in this situation?

If I got pulled for "undertaking" this guy, I'd fight it in court. There is NO way I'd do anything other than pass on the left.

 

[Tigger]

So, what are you supposed to do in this situation?
If I got pulled for "undertaking" this guy, I'd fight it in court. There is NO way I'd do anything other than pass on the left.

You could just go up behind him, fill his rear view mirror up with Avantgarde grill and lay on the high beam and horn!

You could also try a couple of clicks of the headlamp washers as you pass him / her to erm... keep your headlamps clean.

 

[Swiss Toni]

So, what are you supposed to do in this situation?

If I got pulled for "undertaking" this guy, I'd fight it in court. There is NO way I'd do anything other than pass on the left.

Put your camera away for a start.

If you were driving when you took the pic, you're the one in the wrong, not the Corsa that just over took you...

 

[Shude]

you're the one in the wrong, not the Corsa that just over took you...

Yeah! Give the poor corsa a break! It's taken him about an hour to get up to speed and pull into the outside lane, let him enjoy it for a minute before his 998cc engine doing about 9000rpm explodes!

 

[anarchy-inc]

Yeah! Give the poor corsa a break! It's taken him about an hour to get up to speed and pull into the outside lane, let him enjoy it for a minute before his 998cc engine doing about 9000rpm explodes!

ROFL!!!!!! As it happens, I did not take the picture, I nabbed it from the middlelanemoron website listed above.

 

[anarchy-inc]

You could just go up behind him, fill his rear view mirror up with Avantgarde grill and lay on the high beam and horn!

You could also try a couple of clicks of the headlamp washers as you pass him / her to erm... keep your headlamps clean.

Although I agree that's the most satisfying thing to do, the safest would be to pass on the left. I do think this may not be the best example photo thinking about it now. There appears to be traffic far up ahed in the left lane but I have seen this very situation before partucularly in the M6 Toll road.

 

[glojo]

So, what are you supposed to do in this situation?

If I got pulled for "undertaking" this guy, I'd fight it in court. There is NO way I'd do anything other than pass on the left.

Hi anarchy,
I don't think you are posing a fair question, apart from taking the picture, I wonder what your speed is? A pound to a penny you will say the vehicle in the outside lane was only travelling at 60mph?

The answer I will give is that as I pulled out to the offside lane the driver in front would pull over.

Failing that the Highway Code states that we can use our headlights to warn others of our presence? At least it said that in 1908 when I took my test

John

 

[scumbag]

So, what are you supposed to do in this situation?

.

kill yourself in shame, fancy being overtaken by a corsa and then attempting to make it look like he was going slower than you.

 

[kensalriser]

I think in this instance I would open the sunroof, load the RPG and fire, taking care to avoid the debris on passing.

 

[scumbag]

Hi anarchy,
At least it said that in 1908 when I took my test

which test was that?. i didnt think we got a proper test till the '30's when you were far too old to drive!

it is a difficult question as i dont like to flash people who do what the piture says. but I have to agree, flash your lights but be nice about it! smile, but dont gesticulate wildy. mind you, this guy is probably a 70mph roadblock and will inist you cant pass no matter what as he is doing the speed limit.

idiots. the highway code says you should move out of other peoples way if they are intimidating you! let them break the law if they want.

i saw some attrocious driving up the M5 on my way home. worse was and AUDI and a Ford Escort. I moved over and let the escort past and pulled back ino the overtaking lane to continue at my pace ( I was passing people), then this audi came up a tad too fast, i did get out of his way when i could , but the escort didnt, he was so infuriated that this audi (A8 06Reg) was right behind him he stayed in the righhand lane. it came to a brake test at one point which is plain dangerous, especcaiily when the 2 black mercs behind could easily slow as did the audi, the 106 behind me did a go job as she was paying attention, however a mondeo driver had some smoke off his car as he pounded on the brakes, he stopped and with shock he did move off the left lane to recover his thoughts. both the 2 mercs and the 106 kept a sane distance apart throughout this whole episode so we werent that affected.

adimittley i did upset an X5 on the uphill bit of the M62. he got too close so i pulled over, but i decided to have a laugh and just increased my speed annoyingly for him at about 0.5mph faster than he could manage.

he learnt after about 3 miles when he was banging on 500yrds behind me in the righthand lane.

 

[anarchy-inc]

Hi anarchy,
I don't think you are posing a fair question, apart from taking the picture, I wonder what your speed is? A pound to a penny you will say the vehicle in the outside lane was only travelling at 60mph?

ARRRGGHHHH!!!!! I wish I'd never posted that picture. As stated above, I DID NOT TAKE THAT PICTURE!!!!!!1

The answer I will give is that as I pulled out to the offside lane the driver in front would pull over.

Maybe a driver who was paying attention but so often these drivers are oblivious to their surroundings and flashing etc would do little. Besides, imagine you are approaching this numpty from a distance, is it really safe to cross 2 lanes of traffic just to end up at least 2 car lengths behind him? And the hope, vainly that he is paying attention enough to move over? I don't think so.

Failing that the Highway Code states that we can use our headlights to warn others of our presence? At least it said that in 1908 when I took my test

Why do people always quote the highway code and say that you should flash your lights to make your presence known? Sure that's what the book says but in reality on the roads it means just the opposite; "hey, you go ahead, I'm giving you the right of way, cause I'm really nice like that". Right or wrong you know it's true.

 

[Rose Chap]

Corsas have no business being on a motorway, let alone in the outside lane.

 

[219]

I think in this instance I would open the sunroof, load the RPG and fire, taking care to avoid the debris on passing.

That's only allowed if your name is Robert deNiro and you're in your 6.9 chasing a guy in a french car with a silver box

 

[glojo]

Why do people always quote the highway code and say that you should flash your lights to make your presence known? Sure that's what the book says but in reality on the roads it means just the opposite; "hey, you go ahead, I'm giving you the right of way, cause I'm really nice like that". Right or wrong you know it's true.

Hi anarchy,
I appreciate your defending your corner, but from your picture, if you are travelling faster than the car in the offside lane, then clearly you are committed to breaking the law (yes breaking the law) I am NOT defending the driver in the offside lane, but you have clearly decided on your actions.

Why do people always quote the highway code???
I hate to sound obnoxious, but sometimes we forget the good advice this book offers.

I fully accept that 'In Town' driving, then a short flash of the headlights generally means 'after you!!!' BUT.... It can mean 'hi' as you see someone you know coming to-wards you, this is a major cause of accidents where drivers see a car flash their headlights and they pull out!!!

However...... In the circumstance you have highlighted your remark is totally out of sync!! I would respectfully suggest that HGV's or I believe they are called LGV's will flash their headlights to let fellow drivers know it is safe to regain their correct lane, or thanking a fellow driver. BUT car drivers generally flash their headlights to INFORM OTHER ROAD USERS of their presence, hence my quotation.

You claim you never took the picture and I accept your claim, we are all totally honest and none of us have ever broken traffic laws. (I can honestly say I have NEVER undertook at speeds in excess of 30 - 40mph except when leaving motorways and I am already in the filter lane.

Please accept I am NOT having a go at you, live and let live.

Take take,
John

 

[anarchy-inc]

Hi anarchy,
I appreciate your defending your corner, but from your picture, if you are travelling faster than the car in the offside lane, then clearly you are committed to breaking the law (yes breaking the law) I am NOT defending the driver in the offside lane, but you have clearly decided on your actions.

Sorry but if I'm doing 70 in the left lane, I'm NOT breaking the law. Imagine if you came round a long left hand bend on the motorway and then after the bend you come to this guy doing 60. How the hell would I have intentionally broken the law? Sorry mate but your argument doesn't hold up.

Why do people always quote the highway code???
I hate to sound obnoxious, but sometimes we forget the good advice this book offers.

Sorry, I didn't mean it to sound so flippant. I only meant it in relation to the flashing headlights issue. It's just that I feel strongly that there are some errors in the book and for me this issue is fundamentaly wrong in the code.

I fully accept that 'In Town' driving, then a short flash of the headlights generally means 'after you!!!' BUT.... It can mean 'hi' as you see someone you know coming to-wards you, this is a major cause of accidents where drivers see a car flash their headlights and they pull out!!!

However...... In the circumstance you have highlighted your remark is totally out of sync!! I would respectfully suggest that HGV's or I believe they are called LGV's will flash their headlights to let fellow drivers know it is safe to regain their correct lane, or thanking a fellow driver. BUT car drivers generally flash their headlights to INFORM OTHER ROAD USERS of their presence, hence my quotation.

You see my problem? You have just pointed out that in the real world there are different interpretations of the highway code, one for cars and another for trucks. Which leads me back to my original point, please don't spout the highway code as the gospel truth as it clearly is not the way things happen in the real world. And as it happens, I rarely see another car use the lights to "inform others of their presence", it's usually to give some one the right of way at a junction . . .

You claim you never took the picture and I accept your claim, we are all totally honest and none of us have ever broken traffic laws. (I can honestly say I have NEVER undertook at speeds in excess of 30 - 40mph except when leaving motorways and I am already in the filter lane.

Please don't use that argument in this case. If I had said, I never go above 70 etc etc, then yeah you are correct, I "never" break the law. (wink wink) But with something as seriously dangerous as taking a picture while driving, then no, I've never done it. (without the wink wink) No really, I've never done it.

Here is the link to the page where I got the picture from . . . http://middlelanemorons.com/script/middle_lane_moron.php?moronKey=79

 

[Dryce]

Sorry but if I'm doing 70 in the left lane, I'm NOT breaking the law. Imagine if you came round a long left hand bend on the motorway and then after the bend you come to this guy doing 60. How the hell would I have intentionally broken the law? Sorry mate but your argument doesn't hold up.

The behaviour of other people does not excuse your behaviour.

And if you are somehow surprised by the idiot in the outer lane
which 'forces' you to take some ilegal action the question arises
how you put yourself in that position. (The term 'due care and
attention' comes to mind -- which doesn't involve intent).

You see my problem? You have just pointed out that in the real world there are different interpretations of the highway code, one for cars and another for trucks. Which leads me back to my original point, please don't spout the highway code as the gospel truth as it clearly is not the way things happen in the real world. And as it happens, I rarely see another car use the lights to "inform others of their presence", it's usually to give some one the right of way at a junction . . .

I don't think it says anywhere in the highway code that you flash
your lights to do anything other than give warning of your presence
apart from overttaking truicks.

Truckers and motorcyclists are not supposed to flash each other
when oncoming.

If you react to another driver flashing you to indicate that he/she is
giving way then if an accident happens you are at fault. You either
misinterpreted the warning (bad) or reacted to an unauthorised signal
(oh dear, that's bad too).

The implementation of the headlight flashing rule on the road differs
from the real world. When problems don't occur then fine. However
if it leads to an accident the : "weren't my fault, he flashed me to
say I could turn" doesn't stand up and you're in hot water.

 

[Dryce]

I fully accept that 'In Town' driving, then a short flash of the headlights generally means 'after you!!!' BUT.... It can mean 'hi' as you see someone you know coming to-wards you, this is a major cause of accidents where drivers see a car flash their headlights and they pull out!!!

And just as bad: a car flashes to indicate to someone he/she is giving
way to allow them to pull out and they take the signal to mean it's
safe to pull out and ignore traffic in the other direction or filtering
round the nearside of the car that flashed them.

The use of the headlight signal in these circumstances is technically
a bad thing yet it's actually a mechanism that is abused in order to
be courteous. It's a pity there isn't a legitimate form of signal and
official protrocol.