Please someone tell me the logic of sitting in the outside lane of the motorway when the inside lanes are clear.

I do several Horsham to Southend trips a week, so I have to contend with M23, M25 and A127. The other day there was this old fart in a ML270 CDi doing 70mph in the fast lane over taking nothing, so I began the flashing sequence... nothing.. I would usually at this point just pull into the left lane go around the inside and just stay there. But I though no, let's see how long he will stay there for.

So I keep flashing him, waving to the left, even tried the horn. He just wouldn't move, even though I was clearly right behind wanting to get past. After about 5 mins and a whole bunch of cars behind me now. I pull onto the white line (where it bumps) and flash my light so it catches his mirror, he drifts over to the left without indicating, looks at me as if I've shot his cat, as soon as I'm clear of his bumper he moves over again cutting someone up who was about to overtake him aswell..

WTF was he thinking?

PLEASE tell me why he did this?

He was doing the speed limit.

That's why it's the "fast" lane....

But this does show why regular testing for people who (no offence) learned to drive when the roads were a lot emptier and slower than they are today. My Grandad drove a truck up and down an airstrip to get his license, during WWII....

Yeah, the speed limit fair enough. But perhaps he could consider doing the speed limit on the left lane.

But it's the fact the didn't move to let me past...

You can usually tell weather the person will move or not by what car they drive. If it's a rep's car they will always move, even if it is busy they will give you a little gap to squeeze by, because they know what it is like to be in a rush! That's my findings anyway.

I was being sarcastic toward the merc driver with my speed limit comment. No excuse!

I have to say, given long enough, and with obvious intentions of never getting out that lane, I'd have undertaken, preferably on the inside lane so as to further avoid any possible collision during the illegal manouvere.

they think they are perfcetly right, i have learned this for certain from watching oaps on asbos's.

bu the highway code says to keep to the left most lane unless overtaking so they are clearly wrong. ignorant sods

Dunno why the Merc driver was doing it. If it was a Jaguar I would understand as they come with a God given right to drive-at-100mph-in-the-outside-lane-regardless-of-traffic from the factory!

I am sure he appriciated you continuesly flashing your lights and even beeping your horn.

Ok he may be in the wrong but it sounds as if he didnt know he was.

He probably felt quite intimidated by you.

yeah, for sure he would not have known he was wrong..... I taught an old man who was banned by the poice for causing an accident on a roundabout... the police said he would have to do a police driver improvement scheme to get his licence back, he thought he'd have a few lessons before he did the scheme. Now, he had no idea how to use roundabouts. What he was doing was going straight ahead in the left hand lane, but indicating right as he was doing so! obviously causing all the people in the right hand lane going straight on to panic and swerve! Obviously I fixed his faults and he passed the police scheme and is safely back on the road, but the point is there were NO roundabouts when he passed his test, actually think he didn't do a test, was driving before they were introduced (no motorways either, he was ninety something!)! no one ever taught him how to use them, so he was making it up as he went along....

maybe it was him! lol...

I agree with the point someone made above, re-test people every ten years!

It'll be the only lane going in his direction I suppose.

Oh and he was driving a Merc ML so he was better than anyone else on the road so he deffo wasn't gonna let a Skud past was he.

****ing losers pi$$ me off - It's my biggest pet hate. How to turn a three lane motorway into a single carraigeway.

bengie - you are completely right, contravening the Highway Code. Do the Rozzers stop them and tell them?? I don't think so.

I do 100+ miles a day, mostly motorway. Whilst I agree that the standard of driving by joe public is abysmal, we're all guilty of doing things wrong.

If people get on my bumper and flash, they'll NEVER pass me unless they've got serious power, as I'll go out of my way to stop them - bad driving by someone else is no excuse to act like a hooligan.

If people get on my bumper and flash, they'll NEVER pass me unless they've got serious power, as I'll go out of my way to stop them - bad driving by someone else is no excuse to act like a hooligan.

There'd would be no need to flash/beep if people checked their mirrors occasionally and thought of other drivers Nice to see you "deal" with hooligans in a nice safe manner

Chris

I have always failed to understand why some people buy huge cars with huge engines and then tootle around.Nothing worse than being stuck behind ,for examole,an Audi A8 4.2 quattro massively fast monster car piloted by a noob doing 30 in it.

This is very bad driving though.Can cause accidents (people 'having' to undertake)

Definately lots of bad motorway drivers.I notice lorry drivers doing their best to entice 'middle laners' back to the inside lane with a flash.Bad driving contributes greatly to a non free flowing motorway

Slightly off topic...but it concerns 'the older generation'. I am puzzled by why their insurance premiums are so cheap?!

Surely its common sense that the older you are, (we're talking 70+ ), the slower your reactions, poorer vision etc. Would this not be more of a hazard?

And also, i saw this woman do 50mph on the motorway at night, surely this would be considered dangerous?

Reason i bring this is that i get so annoyed when paying an extortionate amount for insurance (im 18 yrs old) when i see plenty of dangerous driving from old people.

Sorry if i have caused offence to anyone All Skoda Senior drivers are cool

Middle lane & right hand lane hoggers really p!ss me off.

If I'm coming up to someone who is blatantly hogging the lane, I give them 10 seconds, & then if safe to do so, I use the left lane to overtake.

Yeah, I know it's wrong, but it's clearly states in the Highway Code, you must pull over to the left hand lane after overtaking!

Middle lane & right hand lane hoggers really p!ss me off.

If I'm coming up to someone who is blatantly hogging the lane' date=' I give them 10 seconds, & then if safe to do so, I use the left lane to overtake.

Yeah, I know it's wrong, but it's clearly states in the Highway Code, you must pull over to the left hand lane after overtaking![/quote']

I sometimes end up doing that. I think if you're reasonably careful and sensible about it (i.e. not weaving in and out like you're playing Gran Turismo), then you'll probably be OK as if stopped you could argue that by being able to pass safely on the inside, the lane hog you were passing therefore had plenty of room to move over and should have done so.

Although it's strictly against the Highway Code, I think many traffic police would probably share your point of view. (Although not all, so I'm not necessarily recommending 'undertaking'!)

Slightly off topic...but it concerns 'the older generation'. I am puzzled by why their insurance premiums are so cheap?!

Surely its common sense that the older you are' date=' (we're talking 70+ ), the slower your reactions, poorer vision etc. Would this not be more of a hazard?[/quote']

Interesting topic. My current views on UK drivers is that the driving is very bad. Go to France and driving, for me, is such a pleasure. There is genuine on road etiquette. People know to pull in when a car wants to get past - and not get on their soap box because someone wants to pass - bliss.

I feel that if you pay road tax - you can do what you like. I am no better than each of you reading this, and it is your right to sit in the outside lane. Yeah sure it could be considered illegal for whatever reason - but no one is perfect. I appreciate you were experimenting on how long it would take for this numpty to notice you, but i figure if that person wants to stay there, let them. I just go up the inside of them - yes it is illegal and dangerous, but rather than analyzing this crap - I just get on with it. Make "Reasonable progress".

As for what you said sofung - i pay just under

Although it's strictly against the Highway Code

Pretty sure that's not actually the case - IIRC, if you are in a faster moving queue of traffic, then you are allowed to overtake on the left.

If there are two queues of traffic side by side, each consisting of one car, one travelling to right at 65mph and one to the left at 70mph, then this is in accordance with the Highway Code...

It's also not illegal to overtake on the left (hasn't been since the 70s) - you'll only get done for it if an officer deems you to be driving without due care and attention.

Rob.

I agree with the general theory that where and when possible you should let a faster travelling vehicle past in the fast lane. But what about those ignorant drivers who sit on your tailgate flashing and trying to get by when you are in a queue of traffic all travelling at the same speed? I have found on my journey home (m/way) i can be in a queue of traffic, 2 seconds from the car in front, with cars ahead as far as i can see, and some people still insist on trying to intimidate you to move out of their way! :confused:

JD

I was once travelling up the M40, totally empty apart from a pair of middle ages women in a fiesta - in the middle lane. I came up behind them and flashed (I know I could have just gone past in lane 3)

She moved over to lane 1 and I passed her in lane 2.

Once I had passed she pulled back into lane 2 (still empty road), flashed her lights and gave me "the finger"

I must confess i owned a Suzuki Vitara 'wide boy' when i passed my test. It was a short wheel base with 255 tyres. The problem i had on the motorway was when wagons went up hill they left deep tram lines. My Suzuki wasn't quite wide enough to sit in them, and would fall in one or the other - making it look like i was swaying or snaking down the inside lane. It was a horrible feeling and very dangerous - so i used to sit in the middle lane going uphill on the motorway when i owned that car.

I can't imagine the majority of the middle lane hoggers are suffering with the same design issues - but i know i ****ed a few people off - if only i could have explained !

I see this every day and am of the opinion that there is some sort of bubble around specific peoples cars and anything outside that bubble just doesnt matter!!!!!!

Its all about courtesy and observation, i am of the belief that if i'm in the second overtaking (fast) lane and come up behind someone at speed and they move over to let me past i say thankyou and if they dont i ease off for a short time just in case they have poor observation skills, if they still dont move over (note no traffic in other lane) then full beam comes on until they do and i continue on my way.

People need to get beyond 'Slow' and 'Fast' lanes - there's only one driving lane and 2 overtaking lanes. The only time it is ever ok to be in either lanes 2 or 3 is if you are overtaking.

Cruising in lanes 2/3 is bad driving, anyone who doesn't use them on a journey of >1 junction is invariably driving badly unless traffic is heavy.

The gov't did a 'Keep Right' campaign with the electronic billboards recently and it made driving so much more pleasant, as well as faster (and undoubtedly safer).

The whole undertaking thing is only ever ok when it's expected - ie in a country where it's legal, not the UK, do so at your own risk (physical and financial).

The gov't did a 'Keep Right' campaign with the electronic billboards recently and it made driving so much more pleasant, as well as faster (and undoubtedly safer).

Maybe that was their mistake..... 'Keep Left' would have been better

Chris

Tricky thing is knowing if to go past in lane 2 - because if they havent seen you behind them are they going to bother looking when they pull over? I think not!

if they havent seen you behind them are they going to bother looking when they pull over?

But then, are they going to bother pulling over?

That said, you can usually anticipate by instinct drivers who are going to pull across without looking. Usually if they can't figure out how to ventilate a car and are driving along with steamed up windows...

Rob.