Motorway Maximum speed ?

[cheezemonkhai]

You can undertake if the lane you are in is flowing at a faster speed than the lane that you are undertaking.

IIRC what you can't do it just randomly undertake then chop and change lanes to suit youreself.

Was what i was told when i learned to drive.

[TeflonTom]

You can undertake if the lane you are in is flowing at a faster speed than the lane that you are undertaking.

IIRC what you can't do it just randomly undertake then chop and change lanes to suit youreself.

Was what i was told when i learned to drive.

i know i'm gonna get a flaming for this but.......

if the road is empty and sombody is cruising in the middle lane at say 60mph i wouldnt hesitate in churning past them in the inside lane at 70mph!!

[johnjohnhealy]

i know i'm gonna get a flaming for this but.......

if the road is empty and sombody is cruising in the middle lane at say 60mph i wouldnt hesitate in churning past them in the inside lane at 70mph!!

Thats the sort of thing i'd do,

Although to be honest i'm more likely to go from the inside lane, quite close to the back of their car across all the lanes to the outside (obviously only when no other traffic around) and then back across the front of them to the inside lane again, making sure they get the point without actually causing any danger.

[ScoobyChris]

You can undertake if the lane you are in is flowing at a faster speed than the lane that you are undertaking.

That only applies to queueing I think. If there is a single car in lane 2 and you are travelling faster than them in lane 1, you would not be permitted to undertake them

AFAIK, you can only legally undertake in a queue of traffic or when vehicles are signalling right, eg looking to take a turn on a dual carriageway

Chris

[greg2302]

Talked to a traffic cop friend a while back who told me that he believes that mobile safety camera vans are set to 85mph

My wife got busted by a scamera van for 81mph on the M6 2 months ago, ridiculous, but looks like that 85mph figure isn't right.

Plus the receptionist at a van hire place in Stirling reckons she got done by a van for 77mph ! I thought you get +10% +2mph i.e. 79mph before you get lifted.

A speed limit of 80-85 mph on motorways would be realistic in my opinion - I would be happy with stricter enforcement if this were the case.

[ScoobyChris]

I thought you get +10% +2mph i.e. 79mph before you get lifted.

These are the ACPO guidelines, but anything over 70mph is breaking the law so forces are well within their rights to prosecute anyone driving above this.....

Chris

[Gillywibble]

Overtaking on the inside or 'undertaking' is not illegal. However, it can be construed as driving without due care and attention.

Tailgating is probably the main problem. The other really annoying thing is when cars do overtake on the inside to try and sneak back into the fast lane further up, cars tend to drive closer together, increasing the risk of accidents and also causing increased congestion.

If anything, speed limits should be governed by congestion, as per the M42. If it is clear and 3am, why not do over a ton?

[apd007]

A few people in this thread has said that undertaking isn't illegal. Could the nice police officer from earlier in this thread please clarify the position, when I learnt to drive you could only over take on the right, overtaking on the left was only allowed in slow moving traffic queues, if the car in front was turning right and there was something about one way streets. :confused: :confused: :confused:

[ScoobyChris]

A few people in this thread has said that undertaking isn't illegal. Could the nice police officer from earlier in this thread please clarify the position, when I learnt to drive you could only over take on the right, overtaking on the left was only allowed in slow moving traffic queues, if the car in front was turning right and there was something about one way streets. :confused: :confused: :confused:

I think Mr Wibble has a point in that it isn't illegal, but as the HC advises otherwise, doing so could be construed as dangerous driving/driving without due care

Chris

[cheezemonkhai]

If anything, speed limits should be governed by congestion, as per the M42. If it is clear and 3am, why not do over a ton?

I'd be more than happy with that and weather conditions

If the limits are sensible, people won't be tempted to break them, except for a few ar$es who can be nicked

[fluffmeister]

Do it like the Germans!!!!!!!!!!!

Drink Steins, wear leather shorts, eat large sausages and sport huge porn star moustaches ........ sorry ... wrong forum

Seriously though, our roads are actually better quality than the majority of Autobahns so with better driver education (which will never happen, this country is brainwashed into thinking that Speed is an anagram of al queda) there is plenty of scope for unlimited sections on our motorways.

Some flexibility perhaps, unlimited limits on certain sections during quiet periods, with the limit dropping when the roads are busier.

thats what I would do

VOTE FOR ME!!!!!! :D :D

[johnjohnhealy]

Seriously though, our roads are actually better quality than the majority of Autobahns

Actually it's the other way around, German Autobahns that are de-restricted (not many of them are any more) are constructed to incredibly high standards with very strict rules relating to the radius of bends, gradients of hills, porosity of road surface, drainage and quality of lighting, (all german autobahns that are de-restricted are lit up with street lights)

Every inch is also monitored by CCTV 24/7 and they have a dedicated emergency response on standby 24/7 with helicopters as well as ambulances etc, as well as quick response recovery to stop vehicles standing on the hard shoulder.

The police also take a very hard line on anyone they consider to be driving dangerously, I.E. tailgating, undertaking, etc etc

[fluffmeister]

Actually it's the other way around' date=' German Autobahns that are de-restricted (not many of them are any more) are constructed to incredibly high standards with very strict rules relating to the radius of bends, gradients of hills, porosity of road surface, drainage and quality of lighting, (all german autobahns that are de-restricted are lit up with street lights)

Every inch is also monitored by CCTV 24/7 and they have a dedicated emergency response on standby 24/7 with helicopters as well as ambulances etc, as well as quick response recovery to stop vehicles standing on the hard shoulder.

The police also take a very hard line on anyone they consider to be driving dangerously, I.E. tailgating, undertaking, etc etc[/quote']

Ok, I must have missed something from almost 15 years of living over there and hammering up and down the autobahns on a regular basis. I was referring purely to the surfacing, not on the emergency services etc etc etc

[SteVRs]

Undertaking is not a specific offense but is still illegal, just as beating someone to death with a banana is not a specific offense but is still against the law.

Edit: Just looked and they do you under Dangerous Driving.

[MC Bodge]

If it is clear and 3am, why not do over a ton?

Because, even on an empty 4 lane motorway, if you drive at over 100mph you are instantly going to crash and cause massive damage.

Or not.

Rightly or wrongly, the government has managed to create that impression.

Unfortunately there's a lot of terrible driving at 70-90mph on busy motorways, which I suspect causes much more in the way of problems than somebody 'seeing how their car handles' at 150mph at night.

[cheezemonkhai]

I believed you could undertake but if you did it in cicumstances where it was considered dangerous you would get done.

Eg you shouldn't really do it, but if the traffic is v slow moving (eg a queue) or some tit is in overtaking lane doing 40 you could with due caution get away with it.

If you want to reduce problems concentrate more on the 7.5 tonne vans doing 95 then tailgating cars to move, and the f**kwhit who just pull on without looking. While you are at it you could also do the idiots who still persist in using their phone, even while pulling onto a motorway.

EDIT: Oh and to add to this middle lane captains too

[gilesk]

Undertaking to get past a car is both stupid and dangerous, undertaking in heavy traffic because your lane is going faster not withstanding. Usually I find that a few seconds of patience and perhaps a quick flash of high beam does the job. :drivesaf:

[cheezemonkhai]

Undertaking to get past a car is both stupid and dangerous, undertaking in heavy traffic because your lane is going faster not withstanding. Usually I find that a few seconds of patience and perhaps a quick flash of high beam does the job. :drivesaf:

So if i am in three lanes of traffic, my lane is doing 50 and the others 30, what you are saying is i should slow to 30 and slow the lane i am in down too?

I'm not suggesting undertaking is ok as something to do on a regular basis, however there are occasionally circumstances where it is safer to do that. eg middle lane captain, do you slow, swing out behind them, swing out past them and then back into the correct lane every single timre regardless of the other cars on the road and the traffic behind you.

Just that the middle lane captains etc are more problem than those who try to get around them in a sensible fashion. Specifically NOT including the lane jumpers.

A single falsh of the high beam may occasionally work, however that is also illegal according to the HC. Also if you try that quite often people just give you the finger or just start driving like an idiot as if they are trying to make a point.

[keddzs]

I'd go with the 80mph. But a lot of people just aren't up to the task of driving safely at that sort of speed. I agree with a previous post that harder tests and regular retests are part of the answer. The IAM one is probably the best start as they put a lot of empahsis on observation and anticipation. I did both the car and bike IAM tests many years ago, and still try my best to live up to the requirements. Not that I am goody two shoes! - my max ever speed topped out a 134mph on my VFR in the highlands - nice wide, empty A road witha 2 mile straight. Wouldn't do it again though:rolleyes:

Doubt the government will ever want to change anything though!

Cheers

[ScoobyChris]

So if i am in three lanes of traffic, my lane is doing 50 and the others 30, what you are saying is i should slow to 30 and slow the lane i am in down too?

Yes, the main reason behind this is that people do not expect to be undertaken and may well pull across (without looking!) because they are not overtaking anything. In practice though, I try to assess what kind of driver they are as to whether continuing at a faster speed past them is a good idea!

Chris

[ScoobyChris]

A single falsh of the high beam may occasionally work, however that is also illegal according to the HC.

It's not illegal if it's used to alert people of your presence - I usually give a couple of short flashes

Chris

[cheezemonkhai]

I'd agree, but if i have other traffic comming up behind me should i shoe on the anchors so I don't undertake, surely that would be more dangerous?

All hypothetical anyway

[cheezemonkhai]

It's not illegal if it's used to alert people of your presence - I usually give a couple of short flashes

Chris

Well if you are using the flash to get them to move, i guess it depends on your flashing technique

Seriously though, yeah you are right

[fluffmeister]

It's not illegal if it's used to alert people of your presence - I usually give a couple of short flashes

Chris

It is in Germany thats why you see M5's etc flying down the autobahn with the rh indicator on ...... to alert you to their presence

[johnjohnhealy]

Ok, I must have missed something from almost 15 years of living over there and hammering up and down the autobahns on a regular basis. I was referring purely to the surfacing, not on the emergency services etc etc etc

Must have had your eye's shut for 15 years then! far superior roads to anything we have in my experience.

You can see how much effort they put into building the Autobahns on discovery channels Megastructures, theres an hour long programme dedicated to German Autobahns.