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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Please tell me this pisses you off too?

232 replies

WaitrosePigeon · 03/08/2016 06:53

I do a lot of motorway driving.
Can someone please enlighten me as to why people don't indicate when changing lanes? People just drift in and out of the lanes, cut in front of me etc.

I guess it's laziness but how is it hard to indicate? Surely it's just an ingrained thing you do without really thinking about it?

It's really starting to piss me off.

OP posts:
Sirzy · 03/08/2016 07:01

Not indicating pisses me off in general.

My biggest annoyance on the motorway is lane hoggers though

Ditsy4 · 03/08/2016 07:07

Me too. Occasionally lanehog if there are lots of lorries and caravans because otherwise you are switching every 5 minutes. Also the Sunday drivers who think it is ok to tootle along at 30-40 mph. There is such a thing as going too slow on the motorway as someone I knew was told by the police. He was most indignant.

Original poster
WaitrosePigeon · 03/08/2016 07:15

Oh good, not just me then.

Oh and non indication at roundabouts! Just why! You are a bastard.

OP posts:
Sirzy · 03/08/2016 07:18

No lane hogging is never acceptable, certainly not if you can go 5 mins without overtaking! (Which I am hoping is an exaggeration) if your not overtaking move in!

ShatnersBassoon · 03/08/2016 07:20

Occasionally lanehog if there are lots of lorries and caravans because otherwise you are switching every 5 minutes.

5 minutes is a really bloody long time on the motorway! You're supposed to change lanes often if the motorway is busy Confused

albapunk · 03/08/2016 07:21

Things I hate about drivers on motorways:

Lanehogging
Driving less than 60mph unless in the left hand lane since its the slowest and some lorries etc are limited
Not indicating
Undertaking

But YANBU indicators let other drivers know your intentions, it's just poor driving and laziness. YABU to lanehog at times, as frustrating as slower traffic can be. I have a friend who drives a tiny car, in the middle lane at 50mph and it is terrifying and infuriating!

Felyne · 03/08/2016 07:36

Not bothering to indicate (in my experience) strongly correlates with not bothering to look properly before moving lanes as well.

lovelybangers · 03/08/2016 07:39

Yes - you need eyes all around to advance guess who is going to switch lanes on a whim.

Middle lane hoggers make me angry too.

DM admitted that on the rare occasion she uses the motorway she sticks to the middle as she is afraid t keep switching ! Shock

I am just glad that I don't have to drive on motorways on a daily basis - I would be a very angry, wound up person.

TattyCat · 03/08/2016 07:43

If you're being undertaken on the motorway then it's generally because you're lane hogging! Doesn't make it acceptable, or legal, but certainly on the M6 around B'ham, it's actually a necessity and incredibly difficult not to because of the stop/start traffic - the police do turn a blind eye to it.

There have been times where the outside lane is 'full' and the middle and inside lanes empty. In those cases, I absolutely undertake on the inside lane - I have plenty of warning of anyone in the outside lane moving in, because there's a whole middle lane between us. It's ridiculous.

OohMavis · 03/08/2016 07:44

I'm a full-time pedestrian and non-indicators get on my fucking wick. I need to know which way you're turning out of the junction so I know if I can cross... if none of the stream of cars coming out of it indicate I can be stood there like a muppet for ten minutes.

Or I can guess/try to read their mind, start to cross, get it wrong and get a mouthful of abuse for daring to step foot on the road.

Angry
BluePitchFork · 03/08/2016 07:46

Occasionally lanehog if there are lots of lorries and caravans because otherwise you are switching every 5 minutes

so what? just switch lanes. it's not difficult and much safer and keeps the flow of traffic running.

ShotsFired · 03/08/2016 07:48

Undertaking

if there is enough time and space for someone to pass on the inside, then the person being passed shouldn't be sat in an outer lane anyway, surely?

My pet hate is people who insist on calling them slow or fast lanes. NO.
They are Lanes 1, 2 and 3.

Or Driving Lane and Overtaking Lane/s if you want.

albapunk · 03/08/2016 07:49

[Tatty] definitely not a lane hogger but there is always that one driver that thinks the commute to work is a scene from a Fast and Furious movie. I think undertaking is probably acceptable in some cases like you've mentioned though.

TheNaze73 · 03/08/2016 07:49

YANBU. It does my head in

ProfessorPreciseaBug · 03/08/2016 07:50

If you are unaware when someone is about to change lanes, you are not paying attention.

cheminotte · 03/08/2016 07:51

I was going to say that Mavis - cars that just turn into roads without bothering to indicate are annoying and dangerous. You can see me and DC stood at the edge waiting to cross, you could at least indicate!

IdaDown · 03/08/2016 07:51

In no particular order

*Motorway - using any outside lane when the inside is free.
*Motorway - using outside lane, driving slower than persons on inside lane.

It's keep left, unless overtaking or moving to allow others to filter onto motorway. There's no slow/fast lanes. It causes hold ups, undertaking and others to change multiple lanes to get around you.

TrivialPursuit · 03/08/2016 08:15

Lorries overtaking over lorries at exactly 1 mph faster is annoying but what really bugs me is when drivers undertake or weave about dangerously.

TrivialPursuit · 03/08/2016 08:17

I'm I the only one who thinks of it as the slow lane, the middle lane and the fast lane?
Which one is the inside lane - is that the same thing as the fast lane?

OliviaStabler · 03/08/2016 08:17

I've undertaken through no fault of my own. On the M4, inside lane is clear so I am doing just under 70, car in the middle lane is slower than me so I undertake them without meaning to.

TheCrumpettyTree · 03/08/2016 08:20

Worse though are people who do indicate and think it means they can just pull out. Like the person who nearly went into the side of my car yesterday.

ample · 03/08/2016 08:21

It's down to plain laziness.
That and the assumption all other drivers have ESP

Original poster
WaitrosePigeon · 03/08/2016 08:27

ESP?

OP posts:
NoobThebrave · 03/08/2016 08:31

Not everyone has a new shiny car, mine does 60 on a good day (downhill, following wind😂) but I would also stay out of the overtaking lanes unless behind a v slow lorry. But the non indicating drivers are driving me insane on every journey!! I am now commenting rude muttering lady. The point of indicators is to express your intention for other road users, how much more flow would we have if people bothered 😡 Especially in rush hour when you would have so many more chances to exit junctions. There just seems so much more lacking in awareness of other people.....and don't get me started on the people who must check their smart phone at every set of lights, Amber - put phone down......Green - put into gear, more green release hand break......go through just as light change back 😤😡🤐 shuffles off muttering

TattyCat · 03/08/2016 08:43

I do think that the driving test now needs to include an additional step. Once a driver has 'passed', there should be another sense check on the motorway, following which a driver has fully completed the test. Really, it's so simple, but those sitting in the middle lane because they daren't move is actually quite worrying.

Not sure what to do about non-indicating. Perhaps cars should be made to indicate automatically if the wheel is turned a certain degree!!