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AIBU?

To expect people to drive in the correct lane on the motorway?

214 replies

Sidge · 27/08/2007 21:42

Drove back from Yorkshire today - 250 miles, most of it on the M1.

Couldn't believe how many people seem incapable of driving in the correct lane - often there was a virtually empty inside lane, then the traffic was all stacked up in the outer two lanes.

What's that all about? Is it because there's a lorry about a mile and a half ahead that you might have to pass in a couple of minutes, so they just sit in the middle lane instead to save having to actually steer the car?

Or is there an invisible force field surrounding the inside lane that only certain cars can break through?

Grr, bloody idiot drivers.

And don't get me started on how many knobheads still use their mobiles whilst driving...

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littlelapin · 27/08/2007 21:44

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Wilkie · 27/08/2007 21:44

Ha ha ha - you sound just like me!!!

I honestly think people should have to take a motorway test before passing.

It drives me INSANE!

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TheArmadillo · 27/08/2007 21:44

don't bother me - I have an easy drive in the nearly completely empty inside lane.

Mobiles while driving is something that completely infuriates me though

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frazzledbutcalm · 27/08/2007 21:45

Agree completely!! Drivers make me so mad at times, not saying i'm perfect but i use lanes, roundabouts, INDICATORS etc properly!!! It's not rocket science!!

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galaxy · 27/08/2007 21:46

Quite agree. I do a lot of driving for business and have also just come back from Cornwall holiday. The number of people middle lane higging was apalling. Really pees me off especially when they aren't even doing anywhere near the speed limit.

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FussyGalore · 27/08/2007 21:47

especially holiday and weekend traffic - people not used to motorway driving.

we should have public information films (remember them??) which tell people how to do motorway driving imo

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littlelapin · 27/08/2007 21:51

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BigGitDad · 27/08/2007 21:53

Bugbear for me too, what's the point of putting an extra lane on the motorway if you get two drivers hogging the middle two lanes. I agreee to with Fussy on public education on motorway driving, and now the police are nowwhere to be seen in their cars you can get away with anything on the motorways these days.

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chocolatekimmy · 27/08/2007 21:54

No you are not. I'm always moaning about my husband 'poodling' along in the middle lane.

He can be in the left lane and just pull out to drive in the middle lane instead - I often ask him if he is overtaking the freshair!

It drives me nuts - along with many other things to do with driving - I am a dreadful passenger obviously.

Got a 'told you so' in yesterday though when he got stopped for speeding by a guy with a speed gun! 39 in a 40 limit! Thankfully only got a warning but I hope it makes him learn.

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Sidge · 27/08/2007 21:56

I find it awkward though - if you are driving (correctly) at say 70 mph in the inside lane, which is quite clear, then some twonk is doing 60 mph in the middle lane, and the outside lane is wedged, then do you stay where you are and pass them or is that classed as undertaking? I would say not, as you are not deliberately trying to get past them but merely continuing in your lane at a steady speed.

My DH disagrees and ends up virtually lane weaving to get past them - I am sure we do an extra 40 miles when he drives!!

Littlelapin - I live fairly near you - do I need to look out for you then on the roads? What do you drive?

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frazzledbutcalm · 27/08/2007 21:56

erm ... got stopped for doin 39 in 40 limit?

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Sidge · 27/08/2007 21:58

Chocolatekimmy - how did he get a warning for driving under the speed limit?

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littlelapin · 27/08/2007 21:58

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littlelapin · 27/08/2007 21:59

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Sidge · 27/08/2007 22:02

LL - are fluufy dice extra fluffy then?

Don't forget your tissue box (with a frilly cover on) to go on the parcel shelf, accompanied by 37 small cuddly toy animals and a neatly folded tartan blanket...

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policywonk · 27/08/2007 22:03

OK - so tell me: if I want to drive at 70mph on the motorway, which lane should I use?

Not the outside lane - average speed about 60mph. Not the inside lane - average speed about 85mph.

The only lane in which you can average the maximum legal speed is the middle lane.

Why should drivers who want to drive within the legal minimum make way for drivers who want to break the law?

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ShrinkingViolet · 27/08/2007 22:03

there was talk not long ago about a new driving test which would include motorway driving - it caused a fair bit of consternation in Scotland as for a lot of people the nearest motorway would be a three or four hour drive away.
In defence of the middle lane hoggers (if I dare ), what are you supposed to do if you can see a slower vehicle in the inside lane up ahead, but you know (through experience) that it's going to be almost impossible to get round it if you move into the empty lane behind it, once you've got beyond the "hogger" on the inside, as no-one will let you out? I include lorry drivers as the worst (certainly on the M25) - I sat for a full two and a half minutes on the slip from the A2 to the M25 waiting for a space - and once you're stationery, obviously you need a bigger space, but mo-one woudl move over. (5 minutes might not sound very long, but technically you're not supposed to be stationery on a slip, and I caused a massive hold-up)

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littlelapin · 27/08/2007 22:06

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galaxy · 27/08/2007 22:07

I think the argument about not being able to use the outside lane is rubbish. I manage to use all 3 lanes appropriately as OK, sometimes, I may have to stay in the outside lane driving more slowly than I want to for a while but at least I'm not contributing to the traffic jam in the other lanes.

Worse than motorway driving though is the idiots that get into the overtaking lane on our bypass and sit there for the whole 2 miles not overtaking anything, because they want to turn right at the end of the road. If you don't have the confidence to use the correct lane and pull out into the correct lane when you are nearing your turning, use a different road (or better still, take the bus)!!

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JodieG1 · 27/08/2007 22:09

Unless you're overtaking you should drive on the inside lane ie the left one, it's not about what speed you're doing. Anyone just driving along should be doing so in the left lane all the time unless overtaking.

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policywonk · 27/08/2007 22:10

LL - it's a nice idea in theory, but in practice you can only ever go about a mile in the outside lane without coming up against a lorry/nervous driver and having to swerve around them. I prefer to make the drivers who want to drive at illegal speeds do the slalom-ing.

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policywonk · 27/08/2007 22:11

Oh, so all those people doing 85 in the inside lane are overtaking are they? Oh, I see - it's the world's longest mass overtaking manoeuvre.

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Wilkie · 27/08/2007 22:12

Policywonk - it's not about different lanes for different speeds. The inside lane (lefthand lane) is the lane you should ALWAYS drive in. If there is then a lorry ahead of you you go into the middle lane to pass and straight back into the inside lane if clear.

The outside lane (right hand lane) is for overtaking people in the middle lane where they should be driving if overtaking someone in the inside lane.

You should never just pootle along in the middle lane if the left hand lane is clear.

Sidge - yes that is classed as undertaking and you should go round them to overtake. It is safest to do this cos they may pull in without looking and not see you. Is v dangerous.

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littlelapin · 27/08/2007 22:12

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JodieG1 · 27/08/2007 22:13

You don't have to swerve around people you just have to change lanes, everyone should be driving on the inside lane (left lane) unless overtaking.

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