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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:
unlucky83 · 05/08/2016 08:23

gruffalo does that mean you have never pulled down your pants and slapped the loo seat with your fanny -cos you weren't expecting it to be be down? Or never sat on the bare porcelain with the seat up cos you were expecting it be down?
I know I've done both - only once or twice in my life - usually when I'm not thinking cos it is automatic...which is also a cause of driving accidents when you stop concentrating and go into autopilot. There was a TV advert about that a few years ago.
I'm generally a courteous, cautious driver but I have forgotten to indicate etc. We all make mistakes. I've been through a red light twice. Once was a pedestrian crossing -dark, raining, strange road - no one was using it. I actually thought 'red means go' and realised at the last second, too late to stop safely (although I would have tried if anyone was using it). Second time after driving in the countryside with no traffic lights for a few weeks back in town I went up to a junction and very carefully gave way and pulled out ignoring the red light Blush.

TheGruffaloMother · 05/08/2016 08:53

Nope, though I've sat on bare porcelain before when I went to a student ex's house and he didn't have a look seat Grin and I do sit on the loo lid out of choice sometimes. Either might happen in a power cut I suppose.

Ditsy4 · 05/08/2016 09:00

Blue pitch fork
I am not holding up traffic there is nothing behind me. I am driving at 70 and if there is space and another car coming up of course I move over. I am driving very early in the morning so hardly any traffic at all. I have all ready said the " 5 minutes " was a figure of speech/ exaggeration. I am respectful of other drivers but yes I admit I don't zip in and out the traffic in lane 1 all the time and neither do a lot of other people up north. The traffic is flowing perfectly well it is not Birmingham which we find a nightmare if we go down south. I travel twice a month early in the morning in fact I can sometimes drive a couple of miles without seeing anything but wagons on a Sunday which is when Shock shock horror I do sometimes drive in the middle /lane 2 to avoid weaving in and out the wagons which are slower especially on the steep bits.

Slap my wrists.

I have had two accidents in 35 years of driving. One in a village where a girl didn't look or indicate and pulled out of a side road straight into my car and one where I hit a bad patch of black ice and drove my car off the road to avoid hitting the car in front.

StaceyMummyof3 · 05/08/2016 10:58

*Not indicating- road or roundabout
*Going too slow or too fast
*Not letting cars into a road (politeness..If each car lets 1 in..traffic flows better)
*dangerously cutting in front because you realise you're in the wrong lane
People overtaking when you are doing the speed limit
*impatience and rudeness

Jaxhog · 05/08/2016 11:36

Not signalling, pulling out without looking/too close etc. is all indicative of not paying attention when driving. It gets so bad sometimes, that I sometimes think my car is invisible. And it's bright green!

My driving instructor pounded it into to me that you should drive with courtesy and attention. That was 30 years ago, and I still try to do it.

EyeRollChampion · 05/08/2016 11:56

My mother never used to indicate. It scared the bejesus out of me and my brother and for good reason. She wrote off several cars.

The picture of the Virgin Mary on the dashboard was meant to protect us. Confused Wonder if all these other eejits are equally invulnerable.

wasonthelist · 05/08/2016 12:37

People overtaking when you are doing the speed limit

No objection to this if done safely - I'd rather they were out of my hair racing to cause their next crash than sitting up my chuff.

Badbadbunny · 05/08/2016 12:59

My driving instructor pounded it into to me that you should drive with courtesy and attention. That was 30 years ago, and I still try to do it.

My driving instructor always said you have to treat everyone else as a complete idiot, including pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, never to assume anything and always be ready for the unexpected. That was 35 years ago. I don't think things are worse now, except that there are more people - but they still do stupid things just like 35 years ago!

starfishmummy · 05/08/2016 13:49

I took an advanced driving course. Indicating on the motorway is not considered necessary unless you are leaving the motorway.
Most of the time if there are vehicles close enough that you need to indicate then they are too close for you to do the manouevre.

Offyougo · 05/08/2016 13:57

I am a lane hogger! Much safe doing 70mph then keep changing. Not going to bother anyone unless they want to go over the sped limit.

Offyougo · 05/08/2016 13:58

speed

ShotsFired · 05/08/2016 14:03

Much safe doing 70mph then keep changing.

For who?

Not you because you'll get so bored and mentally tried from doing nothing all the time, you'll lose focus and concentration more quickly (than if you were alert to the road conditions and other users, and using your brain to actually drive rather than just pointing the car in a direction).

And not for anyone else on the road because they now have to perform a 2 lane overtake out and a 2 lane change to get back to where they started.

It's certainly more selfish, but I can't see how it's safer. I urge you to reconsider this approach.

bimbobaggins · 05/08/2016 15:38

Some of the replies on here are unbelievable. If you are hogging the middle lane you are turning a three lane motorway into a two lane motorway. It doesn't mAtter that you can't be bothered changing lanes or it's not doing anyone any harm , or the road was quiet. it states clearly keep to the left unless overtaking in the Highway Code. And it is now also a driving offence. Google middle lane hogging and you will see.

Cubtrouble · 05/08/2016 15:53

I agree some unbelievable things on this thread,
Use your indicators
Learn which lane is which or stop driving altogether. Jesus someone actually asked that.
Keep up with the flow of traffic or move over don't sit there at 60 mph wondering why there's a car two inches from your bumper.
Don't tail gate
Use your lights appropriately- get your sodding fog lights off.
Don't police the speed I'm doing.
Don't use your mobile phone EVER you absolute twat.
Don't cut people up
Courtesy costs nothing, put your hand up if someone lets you in

bimbobaggins · 05/08/2016 16:14

Great list cub' . If only everyone followed it. Sadly so many think it doesn't apply. Oh the road was quiet, can't be bothered etc. Oh it's a bit of rain better get my fog lamps on.

Ditsy4 · 05/08/2016 18:03

😘
Ok so tomorrow morning I will risk driving between wagon drivers instead of driving in the middle lane when there is NO traffic behind me just on the off chance that a car doing 90 miles an hour might appear...eurgh I think I would notice! I think I would move over between the lorry convoy and the odd caravan. I do not stay in the middle lane forever for goodness sake. I weigh up the safety. You don't even know which stretch of road we are talking about. You may indeed never have driven on it.
[ halo] to all of you wonderful drivers who never come out of lane 1 except to overtake one car and zip back in using your indicators or not as there is now a dispute over whether this is correct or not. At least I am honest. I have never met so many perfect people till I came to Mumsnet.Halo

bimbobaggins · 05/08/2016 18:18

The point is ditsy if you are not overtaking any of the wagons there is no need to be in the middle lane. Not sure what the risk is. Yes if someone is joining on the motorway by all means move over to let them on.

Wagon drivers also get pissed off with middle Lane hoggers. If someone is dawdling along in the middle lane then they can't actually pass them because they are not allowed to drive in the third lane.

wasonthelist · 05/08/2016 18:36

Agree with cub - and as for all the people with foglights on and illegal HID kits from ebay (and an occasional cyclist with WWII anti aircraft retine-burning searchlight/nausea inducing flashing white light brighter than the sun) - if you can't see in the dark, go and get an eye test - now.

there is now a dispute over whether this is correct or not
No there isn't, being in any lane on a UK motorway when there's a clear lane to your left is incorrect and illegal.

Ditsy4 · 07/08/2016 03:32

But there isn't a clear lane.
But I am over-taking but not each single vehicle.
The risk is wind, stopping distances, drivers on the phone.
I said OCCASIONALLY.
I said there was NO-ONE behind me.

Today I left later than usual at times there was no traffic behind me for over a mile when I was in the middle lane OVERTAKING!
I overtook. I stayed in the middle lane long enough to overtake those vehicles needed which was lorries, a caravan and the very occasional car oh and two horse boxes. The longest time I spent in the middle lane was 2 minutes I timed it. It was just on the two minutes because I couldn't safely get back in. So yes 5 minutes was a bloody exaggeration/ figure of speech for the last time.
I don't sit there if people are coming up behind me.I move.
I'm not dawdling. I'm doing 68-70. The wagon drivers are not going to sit behind me for GS I am going faster than them. I overtake I move back when it is a safe stopping distance to do so.
If there is a long line of wagons which there sometimes is because they are on the road early on, caravans (occasional early birds) and horse boxes going to shows and events I over take several not one at a time. This is acceptable driving if you read the Highway Code/ Motorway driving.
I had a lovely drive this morning the views were amazing because it was such a beautiful morning. I was on the Motorway for a whole 45 mins. I didn't cause an accident, I didn't annoy anyone, I indicated every time. I didn't piss anyone off because when I was in the middle lane there was NO TRAFFIC for as far as I could see behind me and when it was safe to do so I moved back in. OK!
On the way home there was more traffic and a wagon driver that had overtaken another wagon nipped back in causing me to slow and he flashed a thank you so I can't be all bad.
Anyway I won't be going there anymore my course has finished so you can all relax and I'll stick to the country roads where idiots think the passing places are somewhere to park. Happy now!

ginplease83 · 07/08/2016 04:38

Oh my goodness I hate this too!!! You are often travelling at speed, why is it ok to not let everyone else know what you are planning to do?!!

Original poster
WaitrosePigeon · 07/08/2016 07:22

Pure laziness, that's all it is. They are also the same people that don't wash their hands after going to the toilet because they can't be arsed to do that either!

OP posts:
FasterThanASnakeAndAMongoose · 07/08/2016 09:25

cubtrouble completely agree! I would add to that:

-Stick to a consistent speed. It's not hard! So annoying when you're maintaining a speed and overtake someone pootling along at 60, and for some reason they get offended and suddenly decide to fly past you. Why?

I hate middle lane hogs. So arrogant.

Ditsy you sound very annoying. How do you know you didn't annoy anyone?

If you can't follow the highway code then don't drive a car. It doesn't just apply when there's heavy traffic Hmm

ShotsFired · 07/08/2016 10:56

So ditsy, if you are actually performing an overtake of multiple vehicles in one go, why have you kept saying about lane-hogging? They are different things.

Although I think 2 mins is quite an excessive gap to be sat in lane 2 with nothing in lane 1 (if that is what you meant? Or did you mean you were actively overtaking vehicle/s for 2 minutes?).

Cubtrouble · 08/08/2016 00:27

You can add roundabouts. Look at the sign and get in the right lane. Not hard.

Ditsy. Don't be ditsy and get over. You can be done for it. Not worth three points is it.
And do calm down, it's not good for ones blood pressure 😘

KirstyLaura · 08/08/2016 17:28

I refuse to keep moving lanes to get stuck in slow speed traffic and unable to get out again, when i'm driving the speed limit (and making due progress) on the outside lane. I don't care if you want to drive 80 up my backside - slow down. I find that far more arrogant than people driving the speed limit and 'hogging' the outside lane, if they're actually making due progress to overtake.
Indication is a given.