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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think if you're being undertook, you might be driving wrong.

193 replies

theundertakersmate · 14/10/2023 01:41

NC for unpopular opinion.

I don't undertake on the motorway, for a disclaimer. But I do drive long distance on a smart motorway where there are 4 open lanes. I find it insanely frustrating the amount of people who do not move to the left. I understand it's hard when there are no hard shoulders but as I don't undertake, I fully go round people in overtaking and get back into the left lane, as we are meant to.

A colleague does a similar route and instead of my problems, he constantly complains about people repeatedly undertaking him. He says it always happens.

AIBU to think that, while undertaking is dangerous and not my way of driving, if you are ALWAYS being undertaken, to the point you rant about it always happening in your workplace... maybe you are the problem and are sitting middle lane??

Surely, if a person can physically undertake you, you aren't using the lanes appropriately?

OP posts:
NoMor · 14/10/2023 07:13

Pipsquiggle · 14/10/2023 07:08

Yes, he is the issue. He needs to move over to the left

I do wish we were more like Germany. I think they are taught how to drive on motorway and are strict on lane management

I've found that they move over too fast after overtaking, right into your stopping distance! And as soon as there's a middle lane rather than just two, plenty of people start middle laning. I've also noticed that if someone is going extra fast they stay in the 'fast' lane the entire time, they do not move over as they know they're going too fast to safely change lane.

bozzabollix · 14/10/2023 07:14

PS again with driving instructor hat on, if you’re on a test, the limit is 70 in good conditions you have to demonstrate that you can drive at 70. This is to show that a) you can do it to not hold traffic up and b) you know the speed limit of the road you are on. Anyone thinking they’re being good at 55 is not being good, they’ve adapted rules in their head to suit the levels of their competence.

@SunsetsAndSandwiches my qualifications mean I can tell you you’re wrong, you need to revisit the Highway Code. It’s never ok to undertake unless you have ‘stay in lane’ signs and flashing lights is only to show that you’re there, not to express annoyance. Getting annoyed in a car has an awful effect on your quality of driving. Take the emotion out of it. Yes frustrating for someone not to be using the correct lane discipline to drive too slowly in the middle lane, but use effective observations and move out to overtake them before returning to the left hand lane. It might even remind them to return to the lane they should be in (that does work sometimes).

Thisismynewusernamedoyoulikeit · 14/10/2023 07:22

What gets me is when there's a wall of middle lane traffic and a couple of massively spaced out lorries in the left lane. I tend to move into the left lane because:
A) It what Highway Code tells you to do
B) I can maintain a safe braking distance in the left lane but not the middle or right lane. If I do maintain a safe distance in these lanes, someone cuts into it.

But then I'm stuck in the left lane, going at lorry speed eternally.

I don't know what would happen if everyone followed the highway Code in this situation, but I can't help but think it would be better and safer.

LuisVitton · 14/10/2023 07:26

I would say your friend is not looking in his mirrors. Few people seeing a radiator gril speeding into their r v mirror will just ignore.

Almondandhoney · 14/10/2023 07:26

SunsetsAndSandwiches · 14/10/2023 01:46

Agree. I hate going in the fast lane so I do sometimes resort to undertaking cars. I do usually drive alongside them, occasionally glaring, having flashed my lights at them first.

Jesus Christ. Don't drive on the motorway then!

rocknrollaa · 14/10/2023 07:29

No one should undertake.

But also, no one should be in the middle lane for a prolonged period if the left lane is free.

Obviously the former is more dangerous and causes more accidents. So undertakers are more in the wrong... but both are against the highway code.

Saschka · 14/10/2023 07:31

Circumferences · 14/10/2023 01:51

Surely everyone should just drive up to the speed limit to facilitate the flow of traffic but go no faster, and no one should need to dramatically speed past another driver. I don't understand the need to undertake on motorways unless you actually want to speed or drive dangerously.

The problem is people driving at 55-60 in the middle lane and refusing to pull in. Anyone doing anywhere near 70 will want to get past them, and if the outside lane is full of people doing 75+, you are going to get undertaking.

This thread is making me glad I no longer need to do any regular motorway driving!

ButterMyParsnip · 14/10/2023 07:35

Globules · 14/10/2023 06:57

I'm going cross country in an hour. This thread has just reminded me what I've got to put up with on the motorways

ARGH.

BLOODY MIDDLE LANE HOGGERS.

I always find it interesting when this comes up on MN, as no one ever admits to doing it!

I'll admit to it. I did it the first time I went on a motorway. I was approaching a busy slip road so moved over to the middle but then everyone who was joining filed over to the middle too. There were no vehicles in the left lane at all. I worried that I'd missed a sign and the lane shouldn't be used so I stayed there. I spent a good 5 minutes (felt like an eternity) eyeing up the left lane and wondering why we couldn't use it. Eventually I saw a few cars using the left lane in the distance so I moved over and stayed there until I got off. I felt like an idiot after that.

bonzaitree · 14/10/2023 07:38

I have a teeny tiny car with a 1 litre engine. Lots of smart motorways around me.

When people are middle lane hogging I am faced with either undertaking or changing lanes 5 times, going in the 4th lane with really fast cars with big engines who can speed up quickly.

Neither choice is really great!

I look at people going at 55-60 in the second lane sometimes. They’re in a world of their own. Not one solitary care in the world. La la la 🙉

Sisterpita · 14/10/2023 07:40

I undertake regularly on the M25 as frequently cars are sat in the 3rd lane with nothing in lanes 1 and 2. Undertaking by driving in lane 1 means there is a whole lane between me and the car in lane 3. My rationale is the whole empty lane between us is sufficient to not be dangerous or careless driving and the person in lane 3 is clearly driving without due care and attention as they can’t see the 2 empty lanes.

Maddy70 · 14/10/2023 07:47

Its as much of an offence to middle lane hog as it is to undertake. Undertaking is very dangerous though

SirCharlesRainier · 14/10/2023 07:49

SunsetsAndSandwiches · 14/10/2023 01:46

Agree. I hate going in the fast lane so I do sometimes resort to undertaking cars. I do usually drive alongside them, occasionally glaring, having flashed my lights at them first.

Please hand your licence back.

Graciebobcat · 14/10/2023 07:49

EBearhug · 14/10/2023 02:55

I think some sort of exception needs to be made for the eastbound M25 at J5 because the two exit lanes are on the right, which is totally not like any other motorway junction I've come across, and very confusing the first time you have to use it as i did in May.

But I agree that drivers sometimes don't seem to know about keeping left except when overtaking.

I'd also like to ban lorries from overtaking each other on dual carriageways going uphill like that bit of the northbound A34, where they seem to wait till then to do it just in front of me.

Clearly you have to be in the correct lane to exit. The M25 also often has two lanes chock full of lorries and two lanes of everything else, as no-one wants to get stuck between them. Not the least because you can miss things like being in the correct lane at a junction. It's also often so busy that it's unsafe to keep changing lanes and you just carry on maintaining the correct speed and trying to maintain a good stopping distance.

SuprisingHorse · 14/10/2023 07:54

These threads never fail to surprise me on the number of people who
A) boast about something that is against the Highway Code or illegal
b) seem adamant something is fact when it provably not.

But I always feel drawn into comment as hopefully they’ll take something from the thread and make the roads a bit safer for everyone.

Before we talk about undertaking it seems some people on the thread need reminding of the very basics:

  1. there is no such as a ‘fast lane’
  2. there is no such thing as a ‘slow lane’ (there are crawler lanes, but that is different)

If you disagree, you shouldn’t be driving until you’ve had a chance to read the Highway Code.

If you drive in lane 2 as you ‘don’t like’ using lane 1 or 3 then you should hand your driving license back and make the roads permanently a safer place for yourselves, competent drivers and their passengers.

WrongSwanson · 14/10/2023 07:56

Middle lane hogging is awful, it makes the whole motorway more dangerous

WrongSwanson · 14/10/2023 07:57

I do think having motorway driving lessons should be mandatory before people are allowed to drive on them

I was so glad I did some after I passed my test (I had a toddler already and felt a huge responsibility to be a safe driver for him)

marshmallowfinder · 14/10/2023 08:01

It's undertaken, not undertook!

HereForTheFreeLunch · 14/10/2023 08:02

Mintyy2 · 14/10/2023 05:55

I can forgive people for not wanting to use lane 1 on a smart motorway. It's just so fricking dangerous.

Why particularly lane 1 ? (assuming the inside lane?)

ChampagneLassie · 14/10/2023 08:03

Yes thread is hilarious. I was wondering if I was in the wrong as I regularly “undertake” when middle lane drivers are dawdling generally I’m just flowing along in traffic. Glad to be vindicated

bonzaitree · 14/10/2023 08:04

WrongSwanson · 14/10/2023 07:57

I do think having motorway driving lessons should be mandatory before people are allowed to drive on them

I was so glad I did some after I passed my test (I had a toddler already and felt a huge responsibility to be a safe driver for him)

I mean, part of the issue is that for lots of drivers in the UK there were no motorways (or very few) when they learned to drive.

plus the government built smart motorways without sufficient communication with the public on how to drive on them.

Augustus40 · 14/10/2023 08:04

Being undertaken you mean.

43ontherocksporfavor · 14/10/2023 08:04

In my town it’s a ring road that causes problems because lanes have been created for one stretch and junction only so cars enter for one junction in the left lane but go faster than those already on the road going straight on.. It’s really off putting .

Dwappy · 14/10/2023 08:05

I often do what people describe as undertaking. Especially on the m25. I'll have sped up on the slip road to merge, the lane I enter on (Lane 1) is empty so I can pull on nicely. But then lanes 2 and 3 (and sometimes 4 if there is one) are rammed and everyone doing about 50/60. My lane (1) is empty. Should i then slow down to under 50 so I don't go past the cars in lane 2? Especially as there isn't room to get into lane 2 without squeezing in (after waiting for ages for someone to let me in), then do the same again to get into lane 3, then once I'm in lane 3, all I've done join all the others crammed in doing 50. And lane 1 is still totally empty.
I can judge the situation of the road I'm on. I'm not going to slow down to 50 in an empty lane. And I'm not going to go woohoo empty road and speed past everyone at 80. You need to be aware of your surroundings and act accordingly.

Daffodilsandtuplips · 14/10/2023 08:06

SunsetsAndSandwiches · 14/10/2023 01:46

Agree. I hate going in the fast lane so I do sometimes resort to undertaking cars. I do usually drive alongside them, occasionally glaring, having flashed my lights at them first.

This is dangerous and aggressive driving, use the overtaking lane to the right. Your actions are no better than the lane hogger, in fact you’re just as bad. The outside lane aka the ‘fast lane’, is perfectly safe to use if you signal to let other drivers know you intend to move into that lane, use your mirrors to assess when safe to move over, keep up with flow of traffic, overtake, then move back to the left.