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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think driving standards are abysmal?

123 replies

Pihrd · 21/04/2025 18:38

On the motorway, two lorries in front of me so I begin to overtake. I’m not keen on overtaking in my little car, but have to when stuck behind lorries. Just as I was about to overtake, one lorry suddenly pulls out in front of me, causing me to break hard then wait for ages as it edges pass the other lorry at about 1mph faster. This happens numerous times a month. WHY do lorries wait till you’re just about to overtake then suddenly pull out?

And why do driver tailgate you on the motorway? If I have to break for any reason, we’re both fucked. What is wrong with people?

OP posts:
Original poster
Pihrd · 23/04/2025 16:17

Staringatthestars · 23/04/2025 13:33

I drive hundreds of miles every week up and down the country on the motorway. 20 years in this job.

No, I do not tailgate. I do not flash my lights. Does this even happen as I have never had this happen to me?

What I do see, very regularly is:
Drivers overtaking at only a couple of miles faster (including lorries, as you have mentioned). Slow moving vehicles are dangerous as it causes drivers to brake, slam on.
Drivers sticking in the middle lane with nothing either side causing others to make unnecessary lane changes.
Indicating to pull out to overtake someone at the last moment, instead of reading the road and pulling out and overtaking when it's safe and early.
Tailgating.

You said tailgating. I asked the question whether you were driving too slow. Whether it's a car or another vehicle, it's dangerous. However, some instances of tailgating are because the driver infront is driving too slow and is causing a danger to cars coming up from behind. You have assumed I am getting at you and have been very defensive which makes me assume that you could be in the wrong but you wouldn't admit it anyway. Also, the fact that you're getting flashed from behind on a motorway does make me think you're not getting the speeds up to overtake safely.

So what's the point.

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No instances of tailgating is because a driver is too slow. If they’re too slow it’s annoying, frustrating, and sometimes dangerous, but it never, ever causes someone to ram their car so close to the back of the one in front that they’ve got no chance of stopping.

It’s the dangerous, aggressive arseholes who wait until they’re an inch from your rear to overtake because they’re playing dodgems or who want you to get out of the way in the outside lane when you’re overtaking at 70 because they’ve zoomed up at 90.

But those who do it when you’re in the inside lane are the worst. Like, where the fuck do these people think you can go when there is traffic in front of you?

OP posts:
Original poster
Pihrd · 23/04/2025 16:30

nyancatdays · 23/04/2025 15:14

I drive this road often too and yes, a lot of the time it’s just wall to wall lorries in the left lane going at 55-60 and cars in the right hand lane. It’s a twisty two-lane fast road and not always that safe, with some difficult entrances and exits, so if all the cars were constantly popping in and out of the lorries in the left lane it would cause mayhem. But that is exactly where you often see lorries playing the first-one-then-the-other overtaking game that OP describes — drives me mad on that road!

@Staringatthestars yes the tailgating and lights flashing does happen. You could even be going at 80 on the A14, and some berk in an Audi will still start hovering right behind your bumper flashing his lights at you to make you move over — often when he can see there’s no safe gap to do so, so what’s the point? And it is always men.

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Yes. I have never, ever seen a woman do it.

OP posts:
Locutus2000 · 23/04/2025 16:32

QueefQueen80s · 21/04/2025 19:29

Yes the tailgating at speed is insane, they are bullies who love risk taking

Said bullies in modern cars annoy me even more due to the cacophony of in-car warnings when you get too close to the car in front. It's a deliberate choice.

Winifredtabago · 23/04/2025 16:48

Pihrd · 23/04/2025 16:12

Er, you what now? It’s okay to break the law but obviously stop if the police see you? 70 is the limit.

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No police car or speed camera will go off if you are doing 77. There is a 10% allowance.

Original poster
Pihrd · 23/04/2025 16:55

Winifredtabago · 23/04/2025 16:48

No police car or speed camera will go off if you are doing 77. There is a 10% allowance.

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No there isn’t.

There are guidelines for police, and then there is the law which drivers should follow.

OP posts:
cantkeepawayforever · 23/04/2025 17:10

There are situations where ‘I was doing exactly 70’ is dangerous, though.

No police will pull you over for briefly doing more than 70 to complete an overtaking manoeuvre safely.

Nor, if a whole lane of traffic is doing 75 and you are moving into it at matched speed, would you be the one penalised - whereas you might be if you deliberately pulled out into that lane and caused a dangerous situation by deliberately doing exactly 70 and causing others to brake.

A driver who is utterly pedantic about speed limits and laws and does not respond appropriately to the situation around them is not necessarily a great driver. Pulling out into an outer lane early for a predictable overtaking manoeuvre is actually better driving than driving right up behind, popping out and cutting rapidly back in, for example. Equally, good drivers may go faster or slower than the speed limit to respond to specific situations.

Lifeofthepartay · 23/04/2025 17:15

Yes..I just saw a video on my local Facebook page today of someone going on a roundabout the wrong way 🤣🙈 they were lucky the incoming traffic managed to avoid them and that it wasn't a lorry (there are lots of lorries normally on that roundabout as there is a sawmill nearby)

Winifredtabago · 23/04/2025 17:45

Pihrd · 23/04/2025 16:55

No there isn’t.

There are guidelines for police, and then there is the law which drivers should follow.

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Well if you never let it go even 1 mph above the speed limit when overtaking then I can see why people might get frustrated and why the lorry driver at the last minute thought oh no a dilly dallyer I'm going to pull out now (as lorries are all about keeping momentum going)

justasking111 · 23/04/2025 18:41

Try living in Wales. We've confused drivers doing 20 mph on dual carriageways set at 70 🙈

JackGrealishsCalves · 23/04/2025 19:06

Just come on to say that people who think staying in the middle lane of a 3 lane motorway the whole way, as they think it's safer than the inconvenience of having to pull out to overtake, there is a special place in hell for you.
It's not safer, it's just easier for you but it just causes tailbacks for the rest of us and means people on the inside lane can't pull out when they need to since there's a bloody mile long queue of lazy bastards sat in the middle lane

nyancatdays · 23/04/2025 20:22

JackGrealishsCalves · 23/04/2025 19:06

Just come on to say that people who think staying in the middle lane of a 3 lane motorway the whole way, as they think it's safer than the inconvenience of having to pull out to overtake, there is a special place in hell for you.
It's not safer, it's just easier for you but it just causes tailbacks for the rest of us and means people on the inside lane can't pull out when they need to since there's a bloody mile long queue of lazy bastards sat in the middle lane

So you think everyone should be going at 55-60 in the left lane, then? That’s the speed of that lane because the lorries have limiters on. I’d never get anywhere if I had to drive at 55mph on every motorway I’m on.

Original poster
Pihrd · 23/04/2025 21:16

cantkeepawayforever · 23/04/2025 17:10

There are situations where ‘I was doing exactly 70’ is dangerous, though.

No police will pull you over for briefly doing more than 70 to complete an overtaking manoeuvre safely.

Nor, if a whole lane of traffic is doing 75 and you are moving into it at matched speed, would you be the one penalised - whereas you might be if you deliberately pulled out into that lane and caused a dangerous situation by deliberately doing exactly 70 and causing others to brake.

A driver who is utterly pedantic about speed limits and laws and does not respond appropriately to the situation around them is not necessarily a great driver. Pulling out into an outer lane early for a predictable overtaking manoeuvre is actually better driving than driving right up behind, popping out and cutting rapidly back in, for example. Equally, good drivers may go faster or slower than the speed limit to respond to specific situations.

We’re not talking about people doing 73 wanting to overtake someone doing 70, though, are we? We’re talking about dickhead tailgating having woven through and undertook at 90mph now being up your arse.

But claims that 70mph is an optional maximum on the motorway is daft. It’s the law.

OP posts:
Original poster
Pihrd · 23/04/2025 21:19

Winifredtabago · 23/04/2025 17:45

Well if you never let it go even 1 mph above the speed limit when overtaking then I can see why people might get frustrated and why the lorry driver at the last minute thought oh no a dilly dallyer I'm going to pull out now (as lorries are all about keeping momentum going)

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Fuck me.

Yes, those famous lorry speeds make it sensible for them to go first.

OP posts:
Original poster
Pihrd · 23/04/2025 21:22

JackGrealishsCalves · 23/04/2025 19:06

Just come on to say that people who think staying in the middle lane of a 3 lane motorway the whole way, as they think it's safer than the inconvenience of having to pull out to overtake, there is a special place in hell for you.
It's not safer, it's just easier for you but it just causes tailbacks for the rest of us and means people on the inside lane can't pull out when they need to since there's a bloody mile long queue of lazy bastards sat in the middle lane

This, 100%.

People claiming it’s safer to be in the middle lane if there are any lorries in sight, safer to speed, and that poor frustrated drivers are forced to tailgate - you are the problem on our motorways.

OP posts:
Staringatthestars · 23/04/2025 21:26

Pihrd · 23/04/2025 16:17

No instances of tailgating is because a driver is too slow. If they’re too slow it’s annoying, frustrating, and sometimes dangerous, but it never, ever causes someone to ram their car so close to the back of the one in front that they’ve got no chance of stopping.

It’s the dangerous, aggressive arseholes who wait until they’re an inch from your rear to overtake because they’re playing dodgems or who want you to get out of the way in the outside lane when you’re overtaking at 70 because they’ve zoomed up at 90.

But those who do it when you’re in the inside lane are the worst. Like, where the fuck do these people think you can go when there is traffic in front of you?

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Fully agree.
Some drivers shouldn't ever be on the road. These do cause huge massive accidents.
As it stands, now I have understood, I don't think yiu were in the wrong.

Winifredtabago · 23/04/2025 21:26

Middle lane hoggers are the worst. Once you have overtaken get back into the left lane. Obviously if there is a never ending queue of lorries then you would need to stay in the middle lane but middle lane hoggers just stay there regardless of how clear the left hand lane is.

Original poster
Pihrd · 23/04/2025 21:29

nyancatdays · 23/04/2025 20:22

So you think everyone should be going at 55-60 in the left lane, then? That’s the speed of that lane because the lorries have limiters on. I’d never get anywhere if I had to drive at 55mph on every motorway I’m on.

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Overtake lorry. Pull back into inside lane. Get to next lorry. Indicate, overtake, move back left.

Yes, there are sometimes occasions where you’ll overtake two in one go if they’re bumper to bumper, but if they’re not, move, even if you’ll be overtaking again in a minute or two.

OP posts:
WonderingWanda · 23/04/2025 21:32

I wonder if you were in his blind spot when he pulled out?

Original poster
Pihrd · 23/04/2025 21:35

WonderingWanda · 23/04/2025 21:32

I wonder if you were in his blind spot when he pulled out?

Maybe. I was the black marking on this diagram, but I guess not all lorries are the same.

To think driving standards are abysmal?
OP posts:
WonderingWanda · 23/04/2025 21:40

@Pihrd it looks like he should've seen you from that diagram. I have seen lots of lorries have cameras instead of mirrors and wonder if that reduces visibility. I have heard that left hand drive lorries tend to pull out more because of reduced visibility from a friend who lives near Dover.

mum11970 · 23/04/2025 22:59

Pihrd · 22/04/2025 12:22

You only move out of the inside lane when you’re overtaking. Not whenever you spot a larger vehicle in your lane.

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If you wait until you drive right up behind a tractor before attempting to pull out you’ll be sat behind it for a very long time if the road is busy. Read the road. If it’s busy and you’re approaching a slower moving vehicle you’re going to have to pull out earlier than if it’s empty. I’m not suggesting you pull out half a mile back and trundle along holding everyone up. Believe me, living in an area where we only have two lanes maximum I get mightily fed up of people who sit in the overtaking lane

Original poster
Pihrd · 23/04/2025 23:09

mum11970 · 23/04/2025 22:59

If you wait until you drive right up behind a tractor before attempting to pull out you’ll be sat behind it for a very long time if the road is busy. Read the road. If it’s busy and you’re approaching a slower moving vehicle you’re going to have to pull out earlier than if it’s empty. I’m not suggesting you pull out half a mile back and trundle along holding everyone up. Believe me, living in an area where we only have two lanes maximum I get mightily fed up of people who sit in the overtaking lane

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Tractors aren’t allowed on motorways, but that’s sage advice.

OP posts:
mum11970 · 24/04/2025 06:55

Pihrd · 23/04/2025 23:09

Tractors aren’t allowed on motorways, but that’s sage advice.

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I live in Wales where the main trunk road through the North is an A road with motorway restrictions. You will find tractors on it daily.

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