Keep left when not overtaking!

[weemalkie]

Hi, just back from a New Year tour of the Lake District, with a 5 night stop in Scotland returning via Bristol back to West Sussex. Lots of rain and eventually snow and at times moderate wind gusts! Which were quite scary. Enjoyed the trip and making use of the time available. However, the most frustrating part of the jouney was not the constant rain (really to be expected) but the 2nd and third lane hogging to be found journey wide. We found it so common that we started to question whether the Highway code had been updated to make it an acceptable and legal driving practice. Intrestinghly, before we passed over the borders back to England we came across a bridge with a graffiti slogan highlighting the statement. Two bridges down it moved on to state that if you were still in the middle lane you were now a "moron" which did make me smile!. Further on, the motorway signs were now suggesting the same without the Moron reference. I tend to cruise where possible just slightly faster than the commercial traffic , so will takeover regulary, however, we came across numerous vehicles either travelling at the same speed of the commercial traffic or even slightly slower, at times with several vehicles blocking both 2nd and third lanes. Pulling out in an attempt to overtake was basically adding myself to the compounding issue. Outside lane if possible was now the only option which personally seems a long way out for a vehicle travelling at around 65-70mph which in practice (speedo is always ahead) in reality slower than indicated, although carried if required indicating all the way back to the left inside lane as a watch me! This is what you should be doing. I know this is nothing new, but for this trip away in the motorhome it was particularly annoying and more obvious than previously, and clearly not just limited to the M23 or M25 which are my regular routes.

Seems to me that 50% of the driving public needs a memory jog!

Rant over. Happy motorhome travels for 2022.

I totally agree. Dont know if its just a British thing but when driving in France, motorists always (nearly always!) drive in right hand lane. Overtake then move back in. Was quit a revelation first time I drove there.

 

[HariSeldon]

There are situations where you may have overtaken in lane 2 but are very close to a junction with traffic joining , makes sense to stay in lane 2 until you are past the joining traffic.

 

[bigtwin]

Talking of 2nd lane hoggers, what does everyone think of 'smart' motorways? I for one can't relax on the nearside lane if I'm following an HGV and can't see what's happening ahead. If he indicates to overtake, is he overtaking or avoiding a broken down vehicle which I can't yet see?

I never like to be so close to a vehicle (irrespective of the road type) that I can’t see what is happening ahead of that vehicle. My behaviour isn’t dictated by what the vehicle in front is doing but rather by what is happening about 3 - 4 vehicles ahead of me. If I can’t see ahead of the vehicle immediately in front of me I drop back to improve my visibility ahead.

Ian

 

[bigtwin]

There are situations where you may have overtaken in lane 2 but are very close to a junction with traffic joining , makes sense to stay in lane 2 until you are past the joining traffic.

That isn’t lane hogging, that’s being an observant and courteous driver. Keep doing what you’re doing.

Ian

 

[Conniedriving]

You're 100% bang on! It's one of my pet hates and it does clearly state in the Highway Code, keep left except when overtaking. A concept a lot of driver have no idea about.

I'll undertake on the nearside lane if I'm going faster than lane 2 cause its safer for me not to pull out behind them in lane 2 and sit there like them. The lane huggers d'narf get the ump and try to get past you even if it means they're up the jacksie of the car in front of them.

Other trucks might be in lane 2 for a longer period of time while trying to overtake another truck, but they don't tend to just sit in lane 2 for the sake of it? When your truck is limited to 54, 55 or 56mph and you try to overtake a truck who may be doing half a mile an hour less than you, it takes a bit of time

The truck being overtaken should lift his foot of the gas for a second giving the other truck to get by but they don’t

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[poppycamper]

This is much more interesting than talking about which motorway lane I should be in

Possibly so but thread title is "Keep Left When Overtaking"and not "Tractor Anoraks With Silly Useless Machines"

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

I never like to be so close to a vehicle (irrespective of the road type) that I can’t see what is happening ahead of that vehicle. My behaviour isn’t dictated by what the vehicle in front is doing but rather by what is happening about 3 - 4 vehicles ahead of me. If I can’t see ahead of the vehicle immediately in front of me I drop back to improve my visibility ahead.

Ian

I hear what you're saying, I always drive in such a way which would allow me enough stopping distance. The problem with dropping back further is that someone will drop into that space with the result of me having to create a safe stopping distance again.
Thankfully living where I do, I don't have to use 'smart' motorways very often. In my 12 years as a lorry driver, although the majority of my driving was on motorways there wasn't a time when I had to drive on the hard shoulder except going through road works.
The whole concept is alien to me. I certainly feel very vulnerable in my small Peugeot 207, if you break down and there's a hard shoulder, you're relatively safe. Around 3 years ago, we had two locals killed on their way to Gatwick after breaking down on a smart motorway.

 

[Ginster]

So in effect you are no better than them... states in Highway Code not to do that...
On the subject of the Highway Code... when was the last time most of us have read it... I ain't no saint but I read it every couple of years and it is amazing what you do forget.
A lot of questions Funsters ask are answered in the Highway Code.....NOW don't get me started on roundabouts

I wonder how many know abouth the new rule coming into force on 19th Jan, regarding pedestrians and cyclists at junctions!

 

[Squeak]

Hi, just back from a New Year tour of the Lake District, with a 5 night stop in Scotland returning via Bristol back to West Sussex. Lots of rain and eventually snow and at times moderate wind gusts! Which were quite scary. Enjoyed the trip and making use of the time available. However, the most frustrating part of the jouney was not the constant rain (really to be expected) but the 2nd and third lane hogging to be found journey wide. We found it so common that we started to question whether the Highway code had been updated to make it an acceptable and legal driving practice. Intrestinghly, before we passed over the borders back to England we came across a bridge with a graffiti slogan highlighting the statement. Two bridges down it moved on to state that if you were still in the middle lane you were now a "moron" which did make me smile!. Further on, the motorway signs were now suggesting the same without the Moron reference. I tend to cruise where possible just slightly faster than the commercial traffic , so will takeover regulary, however, we came across numerous vehicles either travelling at the same speed of the commercial traffic or even slightly slower, at times with several vehicles blocking both 2nd and third lanes. Pulling out in an attempt to overtake was basically adding myself to the compounding issue. Outside lane if possible was now the only option which personally seems a long way out for a vehicle travelling at around 65-70mph which in practice (speedo is always ahead) in reality slower than indicated, although carried if required indicating all the way back to the left inside lane as a watch me! This is what you should be doing. I know this is nothing new, but for this trip away in the motorhome it was particularly annoying and more obvious than previously, and clearly not just limited to the M23 or M25 which are my regular routes.

Seems to me that 50% of the driving public needs a memory jog!

Rant over. Happy motorhome travels for 2022.

We're bikers, if we have to do motorways then it has been know for the kind general public that are hogging the outside lane not overtaking anyone to indicate right. They think that in doing this it is giving us the right to undertake them safely. Get out of the lane you morons, you think I am putting my life & decisions in the hands of a idiot that doesn't know the highway code

 

[NRCharman]

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Paulypaul]

The truck being overtaken should lift his foot of the gas for a second giving the other truck to get by but they don’t

I do this purely on a self preservation basis cause I don't want to be boxed in. Although I tend to do this as standard practice when loaded with a wide load.

 

[Mclouis700]

I had to pop Down to Bristol last night.

I have to admit I came across a few middle lane knobs.

I just under took them.
I know I shouldn’t but there ya go

Should make it legal to undertake the same as Australia & USA problem solved!

 

[poppycamper]

I wonder how many know abouth the new rule coming into force on 19th Jan, regarding pedestrians and cyclists at junctions!

Yes indeed as stated in my post #39 got new highway code ordered... think however it changes on 29th and not 19th.
Still it will make no difference to many out there who have not read the current Highway Code never mind bothering to read the new one because they think they are above the law and "rules of the road" don't apply to them.

 

[bobnick]

Gonna make 200 posts surely

 

[donkey]

"Tractor Anoraks With Silly Useless Machines"

I will remember that the next time I am asked to tow someone's vehicle out of a muddy field or, as has happened a couple of times, out of a drainage ditch

Geoff

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Kevin R]

Motorists are fined in Germany for using for using the two outside lanes other than overtaking.

 

[donkey]

Motorists are fined in Germany for using for using the two outside lanes other than overtaking.

That's all well and good, but in the UK we do not have the resources to police such laws. It would need a whole fleet of motorway police units and they would need to follow to monitor drivers for several miles to gather enough evidence for prosecution. Also police are reluctant to pull drivers over on motorways, as that in its self creates a dangerous situation.

Geoff

 

[bigtwin]

That's all well and good, but in the UK we do not have the resources to police such laws. It would need a whole fleet of motorway police units and they would need to follow to monitor drivers for several miles to gather enough evidence for prosecution. Also police are reluctant to pull drivers over on motorways, as that in its self creates a dangerous situation.

Geoff

I think the point being made was that the importance of the rule is properly recognised there.

Ian

 

[Otter Spotter]

I would have thought that with the new APNR cameras, enforcement could be easier, successive cameras along a motorway could monitor as the traffic cameras do now, and NIPs could be sent flying.

 

[Peter and Julie]

That's all well and good, but in the UK we do not have the resources to police such laws. It would need a whole fleet of motorway police units and they would need to follow to monitor drivers for several miles to gather enough evidence for prosecution. Also police are reluctant to pull drivers over on motorways, as that in its self creates a dangerous situation.

Geoff

That's true! Where would the Police pull them over to? Won't be the hard shoulder.....

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[poppycamper]

That's all well and good, but in the UK we do not have the resources to police such laws. It would need a whole fleet of motorway police units and they would need to follow to monitor drivers for several miles to gather enough evidence for prosecution. Also police are reluctant to pull drivers over on motorways, as that in its self creates a dangerous situation.

Geoff

donkey ... Thought this thread was too boring for you!!!!🛣🛣🛣🛣🛣

 

[donkey]

I don't think I said boring, just not as interesting as discussing old tractors.

Geoff

 

[St3v3]

I wonder how many know abouth the new rule coming into force on 19th Jan, regarding pedestrians and cyclists at junctions!

I'm aware.

And pretty sure it's a really bad idea!

 

[Silver-Fox]

Should make it legal to undertake the same as Australia & USA problem solved!

Then they should enforce left setting just like they do in Australia

 

[bobnick]

200 PLUS

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Kevin R]

That's all well and good, but in the UK we do not have the resources to police such laws. It would need a whole fleet of motorway police units and they would need to follow to monitor drivers for several miles to gather enough evidence for prosecution. Also police are reluctant to pull drivers over on motorways, as that in its self creates a dangerous situation.

Geoff

You’re not pulled over in Germany unless the car the car is stolen etc.. The photographic evidence is sent through the post with the fine, the same with speeding. There’s also cameras to deal with this but I don’t know if the coverage is widespread. Most Germans tend to follow the rules, so I find Autobahn driving quite pleasurable compared to most other motorway networks. There’s also not the density of traffic as experienced in the Netherlands and the UK.

 

[Vipar]

Interesting reading here

Broken Link Removed

 

[kevenh]

Interesting reading here

Broken Link Removed

The weightmans’ site looked pretty authoritative.

“Tracy on Facebook”* had news of an odd scenario where cyclists have right of way on a roundabout - using the longest outside edge route to get to their exit.
Wearing my cyclist head that sounds wrong.

Edit: *- as in its unreferenced

 

[poppycamper]

Turning left at junction and giving way to crossing pedestrians
That surprises me because I thought that was already in Highway Code... something I have always done.
But then again I am the besterest driver ever

 

[kevenh]

Turning left at junction and giving way to crossing pedestrians
That surprises me because I thought that was already in Highway Code... something I have always done.
But then again I am the besterest driver ever

What’s changed is that now we’ve to give way to pedestrians preparing to cross.
The old rule was that pedestrians already committed to crossing had right of way, imo

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}