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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

Graciebobcat · 14/10/2023 08:07

What really annoys me more than middle lane hoggers is when I am legitimately in the middle or fast lane, over taking slower traffic, but still not going fast enough for an Audi coming whistling up behind me with flashing lights, and I'm still completing the manoeuvre and there is nowhere safe yet to get in. Oh sorry, mate, I'll just press the "levitate" button, shall I?

Middle lane hogging is crap and can be dangerous but I'd say angry and too fast driving tops it by some way.

43ontherocksporfavor · 14/10/2023 08:07

I can’t believe some of you undertake because you ‘don’t like’ the right hand lane!! You should not be driving!

theduchessofspork · 14/10/2023 08:09

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.

Seriously, do not do this - undertaking is dangerous driving, as is bullying slow drivers (however annoying they may be.)

Either use the fast lane and overtake or put up with the slow driver.

Ggttl · 14/10/2023 08:12

In my experience, there is a correlation between people who complain a lot about other people’s driving and people who have traffic accidents. Maybe it is a coincidence but they do seem to drive around with a sense of entitlement and righteousness which can’t be safe. There are always going to be lane hoggers and slow drivers on the road. Just as there are always going to be undertakers, traffic weavers and speeders.

Sirzy · 14/10/2023 08:12

43ontherocksporfavor · 14/10/2023 08:07

I can’t believe some of you undertake because you ‘don’t like’ the right hand lane!! You should not be driving!

Very true. But neither should those who sit in the middle lane leaving themselves in a position where undertaking is a possibility.

Merrilydancing · 14/10/2023 08:13

I have a two lane stretch of motorway and it is scary how many times I’ve undertaken a car in the outside lane dawdling at 50 when it’s a 70 limit.

Have watched a whole line of cars and trucks undertaking a dawdler who just carried on their merry way at 50.

Middle lane hoggers really shouldn’t be on a motorway.

McBethany · 14/10/2023 08:19

Undertaking is dangerous, I don’t do it but I agree that if it’s happening to you, then you shouldn’t be in the lane you’re in because you’re not overtaking anything. Middle lane joggers are the worst.

Erivo · 14/10/2023 08:21

Where I am in a world of smart motorways the first lane is just a continuous lane of slip roads so the HGVs and slower cars tend to stick to the second lane to avoid the constant need of fighting faster cars to get over. The first lane is now an undertaking lane. The other three lanes tend to work as normal. Smart motorways are just shit.

cartagenagina · 14/10/2023 08:26

It’s even worse if it’s just two lanes and you have no way to go around the idiot driving at 20 in the right hand lane where the limit is 40.

I experienced this last night, and slowly undertook the driver by maintaining my 37mph speed. Cars behind me did the same. I don’t believe this is illegal. You would have to prove careless driving.

Do some posters really pull over to the left lane without MSM? Very dangerous.

Passepartoute · 14/10/2023 08:29

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.

No-one will ever notice you glaring if you are driving beside them on a motorway. Don't bother.

Daffodilsandtuplips · 14/10/2023 08:30

We have a caravan and our speed is restricted to 60 when towing. My DH stays in the left lane but occasionally comes across a driver in front driving at 40/50 mph, he overtakes the slower car, moving into the middle lane but can’t increase his speed above 60, bearing in mind it takes him longer to complete the manoeuvre due to the combined length of car and caravan we might be one of the slower moving vehicles in the middle lane. The same applies to lorries, We can’t use the outside lane when towing at all.

PlasticineKing · 14/10/2023 08:30

JFC these threads get me every time. The absolute entitlement of idiots who don’t understand how motorways work and how to adhere to the bloody rules. I grew up and learnt how to drive in an area with loads of 3+ lane motorways and I’m confident using them. I now live somewhere where 2 lanes is the max. Even in 2 lanes people regularly sit making no/slow as F progress in the overtaking lane. Makes my blood boil.

jotunn · 14/10/2023 08:31

whatdoidonowffs · 14/10/2023 04:46

Hgvs can’t overtake on a three lane motorway bearing in mind they are limited to 56 mph if you’re being undertaken by them you’re probably going to slow

Or on a dual carriageway with a 50mph limit which hgvs don't seem to be able to see.

Stroopwaffels · 14/10/2023 08:32

YANBU.

Although you will get people on here defending their bad driving by saying how dangerous it is to "weave in and out" of lorries and that's why they prefer to pootle in the middle lane than do manouevres.

chachachachangesoolala · 14/10/2023 08:36

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.

Do you mean you undertake rather than going into the fast lane to overtake? You possibly need some motorway driving lessons!

ToadOnTheHill · 14/10/2023 08:38

Theres a saying...

If theres time for someone to undertake you then there was time for you to pull in.

Halfemptyhalfling · 14/10/2023 08:39

I did a test on a busyish motorway. I remained in the rather slow fast lane. Another distinctive car was weaving in an out of all the lanes and undertaking every now and again. In the end I was ahead and threatened fewer accidents

Ducksinthebath · 14/10/2023 08:46

Where I commonly drove on the motorway (just off the M25) there is so much traffic at rush hour that no one would be able to join if we all correctly stayed in the left lane at the usual speed. As such, people move into the middle lane or second of the four lanes to allow cars to merge in with the lorries. I get that’s technically wrong but there is literally no other option. Then within about two miles (so less than two minutes at 70mph) there are four separate exits so no point trying to move back over even if it’s physically possible. 🤷🏻‍♀️

ReturnOfTheRainMac · 14/10/2023 08:48

I drive on many motorways every day and what I've learned is that everybody hates middle lane hogging but there are still a shit load of people who do it! I don't know if people say "yeah I hate it" because it's cool, they don't know what it is or they know it's the correct thing to say but in practice it doesn't relate to what people are saying.

FebruaryOnMyMind · 14/10/2023 08:50

Yes some people just sit there and make it difficult to pass. Your friend sounds like one of those drivers.

itwasdifferentinthe90s · 14/10/2023 08:51

@SunsetsAndSandwiches

You sound like a terrible driver, and dangerous, if you can't drive in motorways please don't

ReturnOfTheRainMac · 14/10/2023 08:51

Graciebobcat · 14/10/2023 08:07

Middle lane hogging is crap and can be dangerous but I'd say angry and too fast driving tops it by some way.

I had this but a bmw recently. I was overtaking so had no where to go but he was up my arse flashing. I will move over as soon as I can but you're going to have to wait because I can't go anywhere else! The car is literally to my left and he's not going anywhere. Argh!!!

jenpil · 14/10/2023 08:54

"Undertook"...?

Surely you mean undertaken?

ChocolateCakeOverspill · 14/10/2023 08:55

ToadOnTheHill · 14/10/2023 08:38

Theres a saying...

If theres time for someone to undertake you then there was time for you to pull in.

I don’t think that’s a saying other than being repeated on mumsnet but I do agree with the sentiment.

At the end of the day there is a special place in hell for middle lane hoggers, but even when people are hogging the middle lane you still shouldn’t undertake (unless there is a queue of traffic and the inside lane is moving faster than the next one)

CrotchetyQuaver · 14/10/2023 08:56

whatdoidonowffs · 14/10/2023 04:46

Hgvs can’t overtake on a three lane motorway bearing in mind they are limited to 56 mph if you’re being undertaken by them you’re probably going to slow

Would agree with this, also HGV's often set themselves up early in the "correct" lane where motorways split or become filter lanes.

Often makes me jump when I get undertaken by something roaring past on the slip road as I'm bowling along at 56.

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