My Passat cc is 2090mm wide to the mirrors having checked the dimensions. But knowing this information I intend to carry on using the 6' 6" lane.

I didn't think the Catterick roadworks had width restrictions. I know I live near them, but I don't use the A1 now there's roadworks (or not when possible anyway) He was definitely speeding though, that's for sure.

Yeah, there is a sign, the same as illustrated earlier, as you enter the 50mph limit.

 

The right hand lane has a width restriction.

Always thought the roadworks width restrictions did not include mirrors???

If they do then a huge amount of modern tin can not use the 3rd lane.

Always thought the roadworks width restrictions did not include mirrors???

If they do then a huge amount of modern tin can not use the 3rd lane.

As stupid as it sounds. The cones are lower than your mirrors arent they. So it wouldnt really make a difference?

The Width Restriction appliers to the overall width of the vehicle including any projections.

From what I can tell overall width is not including mirrors which means the Q7 (given the figure above) and at least some vans should be fine in a 2m width restriction.

 

overall width

the distance between longitudinal planes passing through the extreme lateral projecting points of the vehicle inclusive of all parts of the vehicle, of any receptacle which is of permanent character and accordingly strong enough for repeated use, and any fitting on, or attached to, the vehicle except—

(a)

any driving mirror;

(

any snow-plough fixed in front of the vehicle;

©

so much of the distortion of any tyre as is caused by the weight of the vehicle;

(d)

any receptacle specially designed to hold and keep secure a seal issued for the purposes of customs clearance;

(e)

any lamp or reflector fitted to the vehicle in accordance with the Lighting Regulations;

(f)

any sideboard which is let down while the vehicle is stationary in order to facilitate its loading or unloading;

(g)

any fitting attached to part of, or to a receptacle on, a vehicle which does not increase the carrying capacity of the part or receptacle but which enables it to be

• —transferred from a road vehicle to a railway vehicle or from a railway vehicle to a road vehicle;

• —secured to a railway vehicle by a locking device; and

• —carried on a railway vehicle by the use of stanchions;

(h)

any sheeting or other readily flexible means of covering or securing a load;

(i)

any receptacle with an external width, measured at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, which does not exceed 2.5 m;

(j)

any empty receptacle which itself forms a load;

(k)

any receptacle which contains an indivisible load of exceptional width;

(l)

any receptacle manufactured before 30th October 1985, not being a maritime container (namely a container designed primarily for carriage on sea transport without an accompanying road vehicle); or

(m)

any special appliance or apparatus as described in regulation 81© which does not itself increase the carrying capacity of the vehicle. 

The minimum absolute lane width is 2.5m with a restriction of 2m (not including mirrors) according to my road designer friend.

But yes, some people are right up against the limit and/or unable to stay off the white lines making for a 5p-50p moment at times!

The minimum absolute lane width is 2.5m with a restriction of 2m (not including mirrors) according to my road designer friend.

But yes, some people are right up against the limit and/or unable to stay off the white lines making for a 5p-50p moment at times!

You're right, but the 2.5 metre absolute at temporary roadworks refers to centre of the green stud marking to centre of the green stud marking.   It woiuld be nigh on impossible for two 7ft vehicles side by side to travel at 50 mph and maintain sufficient control not to clip each other.    Maybe that's why I see so many "White Van Sprinters" with mirrors knocked out or stuck back on with parcel tape!

I was on the M4 yesterday - the wide muppets were out in force!

50 mph posted speed limits are a maximum,

and that is often the issue,  you feel that you need to go lower than the allowed speed for your safety into a section,

and right up your jacksy is someone that thinks your 40 mph is an affront to them,

even though you see knocked over bollards or the 30 mph section you are about to enter.

50 mph posted speed limits are a maximum,

and that is often the issue,  you feel that you need to go lower than the allowed speed for your safety into a section,

and right up your jacksy is someone that thinks your 40 mph is an affront to them,

even though you see knocked over bollards or the 30 mph section you are about to enter.

 

......there are some psychological questions that need answering:

 

1.   Why do we feel intimidated when someone drives up your "Jacksy"?

2.   Why do people tailgate - do they really think it will make the vehicle(s) in front go faster?   .......or is it, as I suspect, intended to intimidate and scare the driver in front with a deliberately menacing stance - a bit like a thug squaring up in preparation to  bash somebody up.  (Indeed, the opposite is true - if you keep a good distance back, you see the opportunity to pass safely much earlier!)

3.   Why, when motorway / dual carriageway roadworks are approaching with an enforced speed limit do some drivers insist in moving to the outside lane when there is, as yet, nothing to overtake? 

Would this sort of behaviour be tolerated when we're out walking, in a cinema queue, or a queue for the toilets?   If not, why is it tolerated on the roads?

Edited 19 December, 201411 yr by bealine

We were talking Width Restrictions in Roadworks,

I thought you talked about separated lanes, coned /bollard,  narrow, 2 meter width restrictions,

single vehicles, were you talking still dual lanes?

 

The closing in quick and up your jacksy is about you having a clear view and knowing you can stop, and you should not need to worry that you are going to get 2 tonnes plus hitting you from behind.

You really should be able to concentrate ahead, and not more on your mirror,

you are in the cones until you exit them,

& its amazing how often as you leave and continue, that vehicle might not even stay with you as you pick up speed,

yet the driver wanted to be where you were.

 

Some move to the outside lane that is coned off, because it shows which vehicles can use that through the restriction,

or it goes the route they want,

and the lane inside will lead off to a slip road, or other route, or be the one for wider vehicles,

and maybe already full, and moving even slower.

So you enter a Contraflow system and a few feet away are vehicle coming in the opposite direction in their contraflow.

Edited 19 December, 201411 yr by goneoffSKi

There are two major reasons why drivers tailgate.

 

The first is that they are trying to intimidate the driver ahead into getting out of their way.  The last thing they want is for you to speed up, if you do so they will come with you (if you got to 100 mph they would still be there) with the same minimal gap because THEY WANT TO BE IN FRONT! 

 

The second reason is habit.  We get used to driving too close to the vehicle in front but, because there has never been a direct consequence, we no longer perceive that there is a major risk involved.  This is often compounded by inattention, leading them to drift in unintentionally.

 

The safest course of action is to gently grow the space ahead of you to about 4 seconds (that's 2 for you and 2 for the idiot) whilst maintaining your speed.  An inattentive tailgater will probably follow your example and drop back quite quickly.  If you can then facilitate an overtake for the 'I want to be ahead merchant', preferably as you are approaching a speed camera ( ), so much the better.  Using signals not to be found in the highway code, using your 4-ways, tapping your brake lights or brake testing them is likely to be interpreteted as hostile and lead to repercussions of some kind.  I do know of a case where a driver had been seriously tailgating a BMW 5 series estate and at a set of red traffic lights approached it with a baseball bat.  Approaching an unmarked armed response unit with a baseball bat in his hand turned out not to be a good idea!

 

The reason it happens on the roads is that we are all in our little tin boxes and feel cut off from the rest of the world, so we see no reason to be polite.

We were talking Width Restrictions in Roadworks,

I thought you talked about separated lanes, coned /bollard,  narrow, 2 meter width restrictions,

single vehicles, were you talking still dual lanes?

 

The closing in quick and up your jacksy is about you having a clear view and knowing you can stop, and you should not need to worry that you are going to get 2 tonnes plus hitting you from behind.

You really should be able to concentrate ahead, and not more on your mirror,

you are in the cones until you exit them,

& its amazing how often as you leave and continue, that vehicle might not even stay with you as you pick up speed,

yet the driver wanted to be where you were.

 

Some move to the outside lane that is coned off, because it shows which vehicles can use that through the restriction,

or it goes the route they want,

and the lane inside will lead off to a slip road, or other route, or be the one for wider vehicles,

and maybe already full, and moving even slower.

So you enter a Contraflow system and a few feet away are vehicle coming in the opposite direction in their contraflow.

 

The particular set of Roadworks we have here on the M4 at present is not coned off into separate lanes.   All three lanes run parallel with green temporary studs marking the lane boundaries.   The nearside lane is the hard shoulder, the two outer lanes are width restricted.   The cones are placed at the outer edge of Lane 3 in both directions leaving the roadworks in the centre of the motorway.   Traffic is free to move between the lanes, except when approaching Junction 10 where exiting traffic needs to be in the nearside lane. Just like the motorway proper, there is absolutely no need for anyone to occupy lanes 2 or 3 unless they are overtaking or intend imminently to overtake.

 

So i read post #1. and now you are fleshing it out, and it makes some sense now,

so are these narrow lanes Speed Restricted or still at the National Speed limit for the vehicles using them?

I shall be joining said roadworks section A1 southbound from Catterick tomorrow morning, tape measure in hand. Tailgating. It's a bit of 6 of one and half a dozen of t'other. If Percy Plonker with no lane discipline would move over as directed by highway code, then drivers behind and unable to pass wouldn't get so frustrated. If it's obvious that you cannot pull back into the nearside lane, then absolutely no need to put your vehicle into an aggressive position.

So i read post #1. and now you are fleshing it out, and it makes some sense now,

so are these narrow lanes Speed Restricted or still at the National Speed limit for the vehicles using them?

 

Speed restricted at 50 mph with Average SPECS cameras at intervals.

Sorry, post #1 was written while the road works were on the two lane section, subsequently the road works have opened on both carriageways of the three lane M4 midway between between Jct 10/11 and midway to Jct 9/10. 

Edited 21 December, 201411 yr by bealine