To say the fast lane doesn’t bloody exist?

[Brigleylake]

I’ve been driving back to work recently on an A road with two lanes, usually doing 70-75 max. I don’t want to drive in the “slow lane” and do 50/60 with tractors and lorries etc but I don’t want to be doing 90 either.

For the last week, every single day I’ve been tailgated dangerously and swore at twice! Doing 70 in the “fast lane”. Friend says it’s because that lane is for doing 80 plus!

That isn’t the law though, 70 is the law, and the “fast lane” doesn’t exist. I’m really sick of feeling forced on the other side to trudge along slowly when all I want to do is abide the law!

AIBU?

It's the overtaking lane. Everyone should be be the left hand lane unless they're overtaking a slower vehicle.

Drivers should only move out when overtaking. I am amazed how much some drivers struggle with that concept

Two lanes.. one for driving, one for overtaking. In practice, the overtaking lane may be 'full' constantly if there are lots of lorries, but you are supposed to pull over into the driving lane after passing the slower traffic.

The speed limit is 70. No one accept blue light vehicles should be going faster. But it's not up to normal people to police.

It’s the overtaking lane, not fast lane.

You should always pull back in when not overtaking.

You clearly don't know how to drive.

70mph became law in the 1960s, if does need to be updated in line with modern car capabilities.

You should be in lane 1 unless you're overtaking. It's a fairly simple concept. If you're tootling along in lane 2 because you're doing the speed limit and there's nothing to your left I'm not surprised you're getting sworn at.

As noted above, there is no fast lane or slow lane. Everyone should drive on the left unless their overtaking.

It is not up to you to police the speed other people are driving at.

They’re*

Unless things have changed since I passed my test there is no fast lane.

Your friend is an idiot.

@TeachesOfPeaches

70mph became law in the 1960s, if does need to be updated in line with modern car capabilities.

I think it's madness you are allowed to drive at the same speed on a motorway with hard shoulders, no cyclists and proper slip roads and dual carriageways wher you can do u turns and right turns, can cycle along them and small lay-bys. In that context, 70 is fine on UK roads. (And I've driven on unrestricted Autobahns. The driving and road standards were a lot better. I know my car can safely go at 100mph...)

@Brigleylake

As has been said, the 'overtaking lane' (or fast lane) is for overtaking. It is NOT there, for you to stay in - because you don't want to be behind slower traffic.

And where the F are you that has tractors on the motorway? They are not allowed on the motorway!

Also, upping the motorway speed limit to 80 or more is a terrible idea. People do 80-85 mph regularly as it is. If it was raised to 80, people would be doing 90-95!

Yes but you can’t stay in that lane! I wouldn’t tailgate but understand folk doing it when someone is using it for more than overtaking. And yes sometimes you need to go above 70 to overtake, then slow as you find a space. YABU.

If you are overtaking at 70 and a car comes up faster and being an arse that’s not ok but you should still move out of their way as soon as you have overtaken.

Equally, there is no ‘slow’ lane. It’s just the lane you should be driving in unless you need to overtake. It sound like you have just driven along in the outside lane and remained there. If that is the case then YABU I’m afraid.

[quote littlepattilou]@Brigleylake

As has been said, the 'overtaking lane' (or fast lane) is for overtaking. It is NOT there, for you to stay in - because you don't want to be behind slower traffic.

And where the F are you that has tractors on the motorway? They are not allowed on the motorway!

Also, upping the motorway speed limit to 80 or more is a terrible idea. People do 80-85 mph regularly as it is. If it was raised to 80, people would be doing 90-95![/quote]
She says she's on an A road, not a motorway, so that's why the tractors are there.

If you are driving in the outside lane and failing to move across when the inside lane is clear it is no wonder you are pissing other drivers off.

The problem is (in my local area anyway) that people sit in the overtaking lane making it impossible for anyone wanting to overtake a vehicle in the 'slow lane' to do so.

[quote littlepattilou]@Brigleylake

As has been said, the 'overtaking lane' (or fast lane) is for overtaking. It is NOT there, for you to stay in - because you don't want to be behind slower traffic.

And where the F are you that has tractors on the motorway? They are not allowed on the motorway!

Also, upping the motorway speed limit to 80 or more is a terrible idea. People do 80-85 mph regularly as it is. If it was raised to 80, people would be doing 90-95![/quote]
It’s a A road that goes off into country roads.

Assuming you are overtaking something in the left lane as you do 70mph YANBU, if you are sat in the right lane doing 70mph with nothing to your left, YABU.

You're doing it wrong. Left lane only unless overtaking.

Oooh A roads, not motorway!

Whoops, sorry. I need to read posts better!

OP, have you been overtaking at the times you have been tailgated? If not, YABU, but if you haven’t pulled in because there is a steady stream of slower traffic on the inside lane, YADNBU.
You shouldn’t have to brake if you pull in, so unless there is enough room to pull in and continue with a two-second gap between you and the next car in the inside lane, then you shouldn’t do so.

If you are doing 70-75mph and there isn’t enough room to pull in without braking, you’re doing nothing wrong.

You're both wrong, there's no such thing as slow and fast lanes.

There are outside and inside lanes.

Unless you are overtaking, you should drive on the leftmost lane (in the UK), regardless of how fast you're going.

If you're not overtaking anything, move over to the left.