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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:
Original poster
WaitrosePigeon · 03/08/2016 20:43

*Surely it's just an ingrained thing you do without really thinking about it?

That's even more dangerous!

"Thinking about it" should be part of your driving. You shouldn't be changing lanes if it means someone else has to change their course/speed to accommodate you. You should only indicate when there is a message to send.

Indicating automatically is a signal that you're driving automatically and not thinking about what you're doing*

You've misunderstood me. I don't think I would still be live if I did the above.

I can't believe I'm having to state the obvious here but of course I look before I indicate. What I meant was that surely it's ingrained in people to look and signal, it's what we've been taught from the start.

OP posts:
Original poster
WaitrosePigeon · 03/08/2016 20:43

Oh for gods sake don't know what's happened there

OP posts:
Original poster
WaitrosePigeon · 03/08/2016 20:45

I find motorway driving v tiring because you have to be constantly alert, checking mirrors, judging the speed of traffic ahead and behind you
confused
Shouldn't you be doing this wherever you are driving?

Just to explain myself here. I think we both know that this poster means you have to be extra careful and switched on whilst on the motorway..

OP posts:
DappledThings · 03/08/2016 20:45

I had an argument with DH this week about indicating to move to the left lane. He's adamant he was taught there's no need and I was adamant you have to if changing lanes. Whichever way you are going surely if changing lanes you must indicate.

I maintain he is confusing lane changing with overtaking on a single carriage road where I agree it would be wrong to indicate left when returning to normal driving position.

Tried to use the Highway Code to prove I was right but couldn't find anything in there either way

ProfessorPreciseaBug · 03/08/2016 22:09

Of course one of the real problems is that most of our major roads are carrying about ten times as much traffic as they were designed to carry.

The Government is the only employer in the country that can overload something by ten times and walk away from any responsibility for the inevitable accidents.

Queenbean · 03/08/2016 22:40

"Signal to the left isn't mandatory but a good idea on a busy motorway"

www.drivingtesttips.biz/motorway-overtaking.html

TheGruffaloMother · 03/08/2016 22:49

You've taken that quite out of context Queen. In fact, you've removed it from the sentence before saying to indicate. Most of us are talking about safety rather than what you can legally get away with.

Queenbean · 03/08/2016 23:02

Oh sorry - I was specifically referring to the debate of whether a signal was needed to move back in after overtaking. Admit that without that context it does look rather odd, I'm not endorsing never using a left signal!

FankEweVeryMuch · 03/08/2016 23:29

I remember reading/ watching something once that went into why motorway driving is more tiring than slower driving. It's because the brain has to process more information (surroundings/ signs etc) at a quicker speed because of the increased MPH compared to non motorway driving.

TheGruffaloMother · 03/08/2016 23:59

I think things like this (whether or not to signal when moving left on a motorway) are great indicators of how good a driving instructor you had.

My driving instructor once told me he couldn't care less if I passed my test or not. He didn't care if I was driving legally, he cared that I was driving safely and with good judgement. He was instilling good habits to take with me 10-50 years down the line.

IMO, and that of any decent drivers and instructors I know, failing to indicate left when changing to a lane to your left on a motorway is extremely risky even if the highway code technically allows it. The only time I'd consider not doing it would be if the motorway was very empty.

ProfessorPreciseaBug · 04/08/2016 07:35

By way of info, I am always driving at the limit of forward and rear visibility. I am looking ahead all the time to see if someone is about to change lanes and if they do, will the person who is about to pass me going to slow down and make it difficult for me..

Catsize · 04/08/2016 07:46

Drives me bonkers.
Lane hoggers, non-indicating people, 'I am indicating so I can pull out' people, lorries who overtake at snail's pace, people who can't join a motorway properly, and finally - people who don't thank you when you let them in following any of the above.

ProfessorPreciseaBug · 04/08/2016 07:52

Talking about not joining the motorway properly...
My auntie once stopped on the slip road to the M1... I was terrified when she finally plucked up the courage to crawl out into the fast moving traffic...

I swore to my mum (then age 11) that I would never sit in a car again with said auntie... never did.

Janecc · 04/08/2016 08:27

thegruffalomother. My driving instructor was like this. He was an ex copper and he taught me very very well. He was always telling me to "give it some wellie" lol. I see some of the learner drivers in instructor cars and I'm appalled.

AnotherPrickInTheWall · 04/08/2016 10:08

I can strongly recommend reading " Road Craft". It is the driving Bible and was given to me by an ex copper.

Ticks84 · 04/08/2016 17:35

I drive 300 miles a week along the m4 and m40! The amount of people who don't indicate, lane hog, don't put lights on when it's foggy and you can hardly see the end of your bonnet, move lanes and somehow manage to just miss other cars! I hate driving Grin

AnnabelC · 04/08/2016 17:37

If you are doing the max speed in the middle lane, I think it is safer than constantly changing lanes. I use the M4 and M25 nearly every week. The traffic is very heavy. It's best to keep put.

Kathandkim1 · 04/08/2016 18:06

On motorways you only have to indicate if your moving to the right but not to the left. Don't know why?

IFinishedTheBiscuits · 04/08/2016 18:09

My pet hate on the motorway is when you pull back into left hand lane after overtaking, and the vehicle behind you in right hand lane neither pulls in behind you, or overtakes you, but just drives next to you for half a mile until you catch up with the next lorry. And then you either have to slow down to let the car past, or speed up and get in front of them, to pull out again. Drives me nuts.

AnotherPrickInTheWall · 04/08/2016 18:40

I used to drive an average of 2500 kilometres a week. It didn't take me long to predict an impending pile up on the motorway; inexperienced drives hogging the " fast lane" in the hope they would arrive at their destination sooner.
Oh and don't get me started on " rubber neckers"..

AndreaKaren123 · 04/08/2016 18:41

Oh yes definitely

FVRM · 04/08/2016 18:54

BORING!!!

IveAlreadyPaid · 04/08/2016 18:55

Where I live our driving problems are more like this dailygael.com/police-scotland-searching-for-driver-who-didnt-wave/

MumsTheWordYouKnow · 04/08/2016 19:07

Really pees me off when people talk about lane hogging so were expected to zip in and out of the slow to medium lane even though we are going faster then all the cars in the slow lane Hmm In Germany they have speed lanes so that people stick in the lane that is the speed they're going at. Much less dangerous and sensible imo Grin

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