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AIBU?

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Undertaking VS middle lane hogging

112 replies

WatcherWatch · 28/12/2024 16:39

I drive a lot on this motorway so this isn’t new. But I just wonder what other people do in this situation. (I was not driving while taking the photo. My mother was)

On joining the motorway our slip road becomes a lane. We stay in our lane and are doing 70mph along the road. There are no cars in lane 2 directly to out right. Because they are ALL sitting in lane 3 or 4. And they are ALL doing between 50 and 60mph. So we are technically undertaking them. But we’d either have to cross over from lane 1 to 4 just to get past them which is absolutely ridiculous. Today we could have got in to lane 4 if needed but some days that’s just as packed and going just as slowly so overtaking would not actually be possible. So I tend to stay in lane 1 and just maintain my speed. My mother was a bit worried about undertaking and would have preferred to cross all the way over to overtake but decided not to bother as we weren’t going far anyway.

What would everyone do in this situation?

Especially on days when lane 4 is also busy so overtaking would be impossible. On those days you’d need to slow down and squeeze into lane 4 to go slower than you would in lane 1. And you wouldn’t be able to overtake in the end anyway as they all drive at the same speed. While lanes 1 and 2 stay empty.

Undertaking VS middle lane hogging
OP posts:
Tagyoureit · 28/12/2024 16:48

Carry on doing 70mph in the left lane and just be mindful of others moving down the lanes as you approach.

Hadalifeonce · 28/12/2024 16:48

I may be wrong, but I don't think you are undertaking, it's just that your lane is moving faster than the lane outside the one you are in.
In my mind, undertaking is where someone deliberately moves inside you, passes the moves out in front of you.

GrandHighPoohbah · 28/12/2024 16:47

I too would maintain my speed in that lane in this scenario. There are so many middle lane hoggers causing this problem. So irritating. They don't move over because they don't want to deal with merging traffic or moving back out again to overtake a lorry.

SensibleSigma · 28/12/2024 16:47

Maintain your speed in the lane you are in. Keep a wary eye on the cars on your left.

I wouldn’t do it with the cars in the immediate lane to your right. It would put you in their blind spot. I tend to make myself very visible there and then move through slowly, being sure not to hover in the blind spot.

WonderingWanda · 28/12/2024 16:46

Based on that photo I would've carried on in my lane, and yes I am aware undertaking is illegal but that's hardly undertaking.

Woahtherehoney · 28/12/2024 16:46

Yeah I’d stay in lane 1 until I could move over to the right hand lanes once the traffic has cleared and I’m ahead of the slower cars.

Sometimes it’s hard to not undertake when a car in the middle or right hand lane is going slower than they should as you are then slowing down in the left hand lane and deliberately slowing the traffic.

FarmerLlama · 28/12/2024 16:45

I undertake because especially prevalent on the M25 people just drive like knobheads for the reasons you have said. It's like inverse lane priority.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 28/12/2024 16:44

In that situation I’d carry on doing 70 in lane 1.

swashbucklecheer · 28/12/2024 16:44

I would stay in my lane as I'm moving with the flow of traffic.

HelplessSoul · 28/12/2024 16:43

If its clear like that pic suggests, I'd continue undertaking rather than going all the way to the right hand lane(s) just to overtake these middle lane hogging muppets.

ChildrenOfTheQuorn · 28/12/2024 16:42

If I'm feeling particularly aggrevated I'd move lanes and drive up their arse until they get the message and move over to the left.

CitiesInDust · 28/12/2024 16:41

I wouldn’t undertake as it’s illegal and dangerous. You could move into someone’s blind spot without them realising etc. I’d always go round them the right way, even if I had to just sit in lane four.

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