to ask you about driving on the motorway?

[RoastitBubblyJocks]

Can anyone explain motorway driving etiquette to me? I shall give some scenarios that I wonder about.

Say there are 2 lanes. Inside lane, or lane one, is full of cars or lorries doing 56-60.

Lane two is moving at 70mph ish.

If someone tanks it up behind you at 80, should you take your foot off the accelerator/brake in order to slot into the slower lane and let the fast car past?

If there are 3 lanes, Lane 1 doing 60ish (eg lorries etc), Lane 2 doing, say 70mph, if a car comes up behind at 75-80, who should move? Me, therefore having to brake to get into the slower lane? Or the other car into the outside lane?

Or should they go into Lane 3 to overtake?

If there are two lanes, inside doing 56-60, me in lane 2 doing 70 or just over, someone comes up behind me at 80, should I move in even though they shouldn't be going so fast?

DH says if you are driving correctly on a motorway you shouldn't ever need to brake (unless there is an incident to avoid, obviously).

Can I clarify that I'm not talking about middle-lane-hoggers on an empty motorway. I'm talking about medium traffic than is freely flowing.

[juneybean]

As far as I am aware one should only be in lane 2 or 3 to overtake

[Alisvolatpropiis]

You should move out of the way when it is safe to do so. Breaking on motorways causes tailbacks.

[wowfudge]

Lanes 2 and 3 are for overtaking. You shouldn't be in them unless you are overtaking traffic in lane 1.

I would say you should pull into lane 1 in your scenario for a two lane motorway to let the faster car pass and in your second scenario the faster car should use lane 3 to overtake BUT neither of these should arise because the speed limit is 70. However it does.

[radiobedhead]

You should only ever be in lane 2 or 3 to overtake.

If it's only two lanes and you're in lane two doing 70, it is up to the person behind you to slow down. You move over to lane one once you've overtaken whoever is doing 60 and there's space for you.

[RoastitBubblyJocks]

Yes but if the traffic in the inside lane is going a lot slower so I would be overtaking constantly in lane two, unable to pull in without braking.

[Theoretician]

The people telling you not to be in lane 2 are smug bastards who probably live in the outer Hebrides and have only ever seen a motorway on TV or in a driving simulation.

If you're on the M25 you just stay in lane two permanently, as there'll never be gap in lane 1 long enough for you to move in and out of it without being forced to slow down. Lane 1 will always have virtually nose to tail vehicles that are limited by law and technology to 55mph. Unless it's the middle of the night, you're unlikely to be able to get your speed up to 70 in any lane. (I may be exaggerating a little. )

[PurpleWithRed]

If you are overtaking in lane two then carry on overtaking - nobody should drive in such a way as to alter the plans of other drivers, so if some numpty comes up behind you they can just wait until you've done your overtaking and pulled over before they overtake you. Nobody should be forcing you to slow down and move over for them if you are driving reasonably.

[chockbic]

Whatever you do, please don't stay in the middle lane. That causes hold ups too.

[radiobedhead]

Yes op... That's what we said. If you are doing a speed that means you are constantly overtaking then stay in lane two. You should not slam on your brakes because of someone behind. Failing to see how driving like that makes you a smug bastard.

[elephantspoo]

Yes, you should always be in lane 2 or 3 to overtake.
No, you should never sit in lane 2 if there is a space in lane 1.

The two biggest problems with UK roads are AHs who want to drive everywhere way too fast, and AHs who drive everywhere in the middle lane because they are too lazy or too scared to move over, or just ignorant.

In your situation, I'd move over, let the speeder past, and hopefully you'll get to see him further down the road parked at the side with some blues and twos.

[jollygoose]

sorry but it sounds to me that you shouldnt be driving 0n the motorway at all as you obviously havent got the confidence.

[DurhamDurham]

I rarely leave the slow lane, that way I feel safe and don't get in anyone else's way.

[Catswiththumbs]

If you are overtaking and making good progress, stay in lane 2- the other car uses lane 3 to overtake you.

If you are making slow progress, you need to move back into lane 1.

The issue is you cause a bottleneck of people coming up behind someone in lane 2 "overtaking" at a consistentish 65mph who then have to dive out to overtake, or brake.

If you can move over you should.

Speed limit is pretty irrelevant TO SOME DEGREE IMO- much safer to go with the flow of the traffic. If that means doing 80 to get to a good gap where you can then reduce your speed naturally to go with the flow in that lane until the next option to overtake- do that!

[Theoretician]

Just to clarify: the smug bastards are the ones saying get out of lane 2, even though you can't (without slowing down a lot.)

[KnackeredMerrily]

Yes you should move over if you are constantly overtaking and someone wants to go even quicker than you.

If all lanes are full though inc outside lane I don't always - what's the point? When traffic eases I will let them pass

[Alisvolatpropiis]

Just because someone is going faster than you/wants to do so in the outside lane doesn't meant there is magically a space for you to slot into in the slower lanes.

Only move when there is a gap. Tough tits if the person behind doesn't like it. You only move when you have stopped over taking.

[chockbic]

You can be fined for hogging the middle lane.

In theory anyway.

[RoastitBubblyJocks]

Elephantspoo that happened once! It was very satisfying, the guy had been driving dangerously then about 15 minutes later I saw him puked over

[RoastitBubblyJocks]

Pulled!! Not puked.

Both would be funny though

[LurkingHusband]

Of all manoeuvres (except joining), changing lanes is the most risky. Therefore you need to balance the risk of changing lanes, against the risk of staying where you are.

It's far safer to stay in lane 2, even if there is a gap to the left, if by moving in, you would be moving out in a few seconds time.

That was what I told my ex-copper boss, when he asked me why I wasn't pulling in, when we had to drive to London. He smiled and said "correct answer".

[chockbic]

Even when there's cameras, people still speed.

[RoastitBubblyJocks]

Sorry Radio I just meant that I'm not just hanging out in the middle lane for no reason, in reply to people saying only be there if you're overtaking.

[NoArmaniNoPunani]

The safest place for a tailgater is in front of you. If someone is up your backside breaking the speed limit, it's not your job to police their speed. Move over and let them past.

[mrsminiverscharlady]

If I'm overtaking at 70mph then the twat who wants me to pull in to overtake me at 80mph can fuck off. When I've finished overtaking I will happily pull into lane 1.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

As others have said you can be ticketed for staying in lanes 2 and 3. Kent police started ticketing for this on 1st November they issued 800 fines in their first month.