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Original poster

To think I had every right to be in the right hand lane when driving the speed limit on a dual carriage way

539 replies

P3kingDuck · 24/05/2024 19:55

Dh thinks not.

So I’ve had to do a speed awareness course a while ago so do my best to keep to speed limits at all times.

Driving home on a curving dual carriage way on a slight tilt. 50 limit signs every few yards and a speed camera sign. The lane on the right turns into a fly over which I needed to keep on. So I was in the right hand lane driving at 50. A car came right up to my bumper and kept flashing. I stayed in the lane and pointed at the signs. He kept flashing then overtook me in a dramatic fashion, zoomed off( so breaking the speed limit) then slowed down so ended up driving not that faster than me but still over the limit.

Dh said I should have pulled over. I don’t understand why. Nobody on that road should be doing over 50 so what would be the benefit of me pulling over if I’m doing 50?

OP posts:
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9
MrsTerryPratchett · 24/05/2024 20:51

It was waaaay less than a mile.

A mile would have been 1.2 minutes. Waaaay less is what, 40 seconds? In which time he had to time to reach you, you had time to notice him, get peeved, gesticulate, more over, let him past, get back into the lane and leave safely.

DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 24/05/2024 20:51

Salledebain · 24/05/2024 20:48

Sounds like the South Devon Highway. The bane of my commute.

Knobheads People like to dawdle along at 40mph in the right-hand lane the entire way from Torquay to the flyover at Newton Abbot. They shouldn’t be driving on the dual carriageway if they’re not comfortable with staying left until they need to move over.
It causes a hell of a lot of congestion and frustration, which isn’t the recipe for safer roads.

So yes, you were being unreasonable. But seeing as you keep arguing that you weren’t, I’m not sure why you posted!

Whats that word with the line through😂 it??

Londonrach1 · 24/05/2024 20:51

Outside lane is very overtaking...once down you pull in. The other cars speed isn't your problem...that's for the police or cameras to sort out. You should have pulled over...

Original poster
P3kingDuck · 24/05/2024 20:49

Everanewbie · 24/05/2024 20:34

Hi OP. Folks on here are loving the opportunity to pile in with “unless you are overtaking, stay left” Yes. That is the general rule. But motorways split and it isn’t good driving to stay in lane 1 when you need to be in lane 3 or 4 in half a mile. This really depends how long it was until the point you needed to be in the correct lane for your exit. 5 miles, yes, you’re wrong. 1 mile, maybe 2 miles? You were right.

It’s not your job to police other people’s speed and that is dangerous. But neither should you be forced to take a dangerous last minute manoeuvre or miss your turning because some meat head thinks the motorway is their personal race track.

It was waaaay less than a mile.

OP posts:
Everanewbie · 24/05/2024 20:48

@Topofthemountain hard work, isn’t it? It’s not as conveniently black and white as the pile on suggests. OP, you can clear up your unreasonableness by quantifying how close your required exit/lane split was.

Salledebain · 24/05/2024 20:48

Sounds like the South Devon Highway. The bane of my commute.

Knobheads People like to dawdle along at 40mph in the right-hand lane the entire way from Torquay to the flyover at Newton Abbot. They shouldn’t be driving on the dual carriageway if they’re not comfortable with staying left until they need to move over.
It causes a hell of a lot of congestion and frustration, which isn’t the recipe for safer roads.

So yes, you were being unreasonable. But seeing as you keep arguing that you weren’t, I’m not sure why you posted!

Topofthemountain · 24/05/2024 20:46

Everanewbie · 24/05/2024 20:34

Hi OP. Folks on here are loving the opportunity to pile in with “unless you are overtaking, stay left” Yes. That is the general rule. But motorways split and it isn’t good driving to stay in lane 1 when you need to be in lane 3 or 4 in half a mile. This really depends how long it was until the point you needed to be in the correct lane for your exit. 5 miles, yes, you’re wrong. 1 mile, maybe 2 miles? You were right.

It’s not your job to police other people’s speed and that is dangerous. But neither should you be forced to take a dangerous last minute manoeuvre or miss your turning because some meat head thinks the motorway is their personal race track.

Yes, it is almost as if people never actually drive on stretches of road like this.

AliceCallous · 24/05/2024 20:46

Obviously you're in the wrong. It's fine to get in the lane early if traffic is conducive to that, but you can't deliberately prevent other vehicles from using it for the correct purpose - overtaking. It's blatant lane hogging. Other people's speed is irrelevant.

Arlanymor · 24/05/2024 20:44

Also your original post says overtook, presumably he had to undertake you because you didn’t budge and kept gesturing at signs instead? Undertaking is horribly dangerous. Please just move over. Everyone has told you now including your DH.

SuzySizzle · 24/05/2024 20:44

@P3kingDuck

When you drive it's best to chill and not get het up by other drivers. Getting into spats with other drivers is pointless and can be unsafe. If other people want to speed and hustle I just get out their way and let them crack on with it. If people want to push in or queue jump I let them and I don't let it worry me. 🧘🏻‍♀️

MrsTerryPratchett · 24/05/2024 20:42

@DistinguishedSocialCommentator I gave an example earlier.

BingoMarieHeeler · 24/05/2024 20:42

It’s not your problem if he’s speeding. Literally nothing to do with you. You seem hung up on the ‘WHY is he speeding?’ but it’s of no relevance really. It’s none of your business. How can you be so very certain there was no good reason for it - and even if he was speeding for no reason, it’s not your problem.

neilyoungismyhero · 24/05/2024 20:41

P3kingDuck · 24/05/2024 19:59

I wasn’t controlling the limit I was doing what was on the sign.

Show quote history

You were controlling the limit by not allowing him to overtake. It's not your job to police the speed limit. You were both being ridiculous. I really really hope you haven't got a similar mindset about speed limits if you drive on motorways.

lemonmeringueno3 · 24/05/2024 20:41

Stop talking nonsense about how your choice was between hogging the outside lane or 'weaving in and out of traffic on approach to a bridge.' If he undertook you, there was room for you to pull in safely and then safely pull back into the outside lane as you approached your junction.

Arlanymor · 24/05/2024 20:40

Flandango · 24/05/2024 20:39

I don't understand when OPs post threads like this. They ask if they are being unreasonable. Everyone says they are being unreasonable. They then try and argue they are in the right.

And OP, you need to read the highway code

Yup five pages of ‘you were wrong’ with explanations as to why. Still arguing?

MonsteraMama · 24/05/2024 20:40

If you really struggle this much with how to use lanes correctly I'm not convinced you should be driving at all.

It doesn't matter that he was speeding and you think he's an arsehole for that, you still get out of the way if you're not overtaking someone. Hogging the outside lane is never correct regardless of how morally right you think you were. Your DH is correct, you should have moved.

Flandango · 24/05/2024 20:39

I don't understand when OPs post threads like this. They ask if they are being unreasonable. Everyone says they are being unreasonable. They then try and argue they are in the right.

And OP, you need to read the highway code

AwfullyWeeBillyBigchin · 24/05/2024 20:39

P3kingDuck · 24/05/2024 20:04

So we don’t need to adhere to the speed limit?

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You're only driving your car. It's not your place to police others 🤦‍♂️

DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 24/05/2024 20:38

spannered · 24/05/2024 20:22

I must have missed the posts where people were saying drivers should speed 🤔 two things can be true at once.

  1. Drivers shouldn't speed (with few exceptions)
  2. You should drive in the left hand lane unless overtaking or directed to by road signage
Show quote history

What are the "few exceptions"???? There are none for the ordinary driver and that is a fact

Original poster
P3kingDuck · 24/05/2024 20:38

MelanzanaPatata · 24/05/2024 20:35

Doctor or way to emergency, baby crowning?

It wasn’t a doctor. If it was I feel for his patient. He just pulled in front then stayed in the right hand lane just in front of me. Didn’t disappear off to an emergency.

OP posts:
Itloggedmeoutagain · 24/05/2024 20:37

P3kingDuck · 24/05/2024 20:27

It’s confusing because everybody sits in that right hand lane due to where it’s going .

No it's not
Left hand lane = driving
Right hand lane = overtaking
It really is not confusing.

Onabench · 24/05/2024 20:37

P3kingDuck · 24/05/2024 20:35

So I should have weaved in and out in the run up to it going down to one lane over a bridge when both lanes had cars in because an arsehole wanted to be in front speeding with cars in front of him and behind on both lanes?

Show quote history

Why would you be weaving? Just stick left until you NEED to be right. That's the rule.

Onabench · 24/05/2024 20:35

P3kingDuck · 24/05/2024 19:58

But why did anybody need to overtake if I was doing the speed limit? We would both be getting off at the same place.

Because they were going faster than you? Just move over. They wanted to overtake and you were hogging the lane

Itloggedmeoutagain · 24/05/2024 20:35

P3kingDuck · 24/05/2024 20:20

This wasn’t a lorry or an emergency vehicle it was an arsehole. He clearly had no reason to overtake, he just wanted to be in front. He then stayed in the right hand lane!!! Why did he have more right to be there than me?

Show quote history

No one is saying he should have been there
Your question was should you have been there
The simple answer is no

MelanzanaPatata · 24/05/2024 20:35

Doctor or way to emergency, baby crowning?

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