Nearly didn’t get back in to UK! & UK roads vs European roads… (1 Viewer)

[Carpmart]

Yesterday, Dieppe passport (French side) ended up having a 15 min discussion with me (and themselves separately) if I should be allowed through… last border transit I had was 2nd Jan into Spain. It took quite some explaining to cover how Directive 2004/38 should be applied to me travelling with my wife.

I’m still not sure they are convinced with my explanation; but I got the stamp!

So after passport discussion, we are finally back in the UK. I have to say, the motorways in the UK are very nice to drive in a large Motorhome. They definitely have lanes that feel nearly a foot wider than Spanish and French motorways.

As for the traffic… yeah, not missed that!

The road surfaces, or lack of, yeah not missed that either! The concrete on the southern section of the M25 has deteriorated very badly! Needs sorting desperately!

Lane discipline - terrible in the UK.. I spent most of my time (when it wasn’t a car park) undertaking yesterday as the inside lane on M23/M25/M1 was devoid of traffic! I just carried on at 60mph.

Oh well, 80 days in the UK then off again!

 

[dunnah01]

I spent most of my time (when it wasn’t a car park) undertaking yesterday as the inside lane on M23/M25/M1 was devoid of traffic! I just carried on at 60mph.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Undertaking. undertakers

 

[PP Bear]

Highway Code States:



Overtaking on the nearside (left) is legally acceptable if you are driving on a multi-lane carriageway in congested conditions and the lane to the left is moving at a faster speed than lanes to the right.

 

[gus-lopez]

It isn't 'undertaking ',your lane is just going faster than theirs.

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[Carpmart]

Highway Code States:

Overtaking on the nearside (left) is legally acceptable if you are driving on a multi-lane carriageway in congested conditions and the lane to the left is moving at a faster speed than lanes to the right.

Exactly this…

 

[MichaelT]

I always say to Mrs T what's the point in the taxpayer paying to build 4 lane motorways and ignorant tw4ts hog the outside lanes so reducing 4 lanes down to 2.

 

[Carpmart]

I always say to Mrs T what's the point in the taxpayer paying to build 4 lane motorways and ignorant tw4ts hog the outside lanes so reducing 4 lanes down to 2.

That’s exactly it… really poor behaviour and discipline! Let’s have some automated detection and fines around this on the highways, as opposed to the fixation on just speed!

 

[MichaelT]

That’s exactly it… really poor behaviour and discipline! Let’s have some automated detection and fines around this on the highways, as opposed to the fixation on just speed!

Another thing I always mention.

 

[WESTY66]

That’s exactly it… really poor behaviour and discipline! Let’s have some automated detection and fines around this on the highways, as opposed to the fixation on just speed!

Or just make it like America, use any lane to over/undertake

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[JockandRita]

Lane discipline - terrible in the UK.. I spent most of my time (when it wasn’t a car park) undertaking yesterday as the inside lane on M23/M25/M1 was devoid of traffic! I just carried on at 60mph.

I absolutely detest middle lane hoggers. In Cambs, we have a long stretch of the A1M which has 4 x lanes. It is amazing how many car/van drivers seem to think that lane 1 is only for HGVs.

Highway Code States:

Overtaking on the nearside (left) is legally acceptable if you are driving on a multi-lane carriageway in congested conditions and the lane to the left is moving at a faster speed than lanes to the right.

Agreed, but to that I would add the words, "However, drivers should proceed with caution", as the lane hogging idiots clearly don't read the Highway Code since passing their driving test, and are highly unlikely to even be aware of your presence.

Jock.

 

[dunnah01]

The state of the nearside lane on many stretches of motorways in the UK does make you wonder if using the next lane might reduce your dental bills

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

The Highway Code - What Does it Say About Undertaking? - RED Driving School

Is undertaking illegal? Find out whether you’ve been breaking the law and what The Highway Code has to say.

www.reddrivingschool.com

We're you still driving on the Right as the EU and overtaking on the left?

 

[Emmit]

Yesterday, Dieppe passport (French side) ended up having a 15 min discussion with me (and themselves separately) if I should be allowed through… last border transit I had was 2nd Jan into Spain. It took quite some explaining to cover how Directive 2004/38 should be applied to me travelling with my wife.

I’m still not sure they are convinced with my explanation; but I got the stamp!

So after passport discussion, we are finally back in the UK. I have to say, the motorways in the UK are very nice to drive in a large Motorhome. They definitely have lanes that feel nearly a foot wider than Spanish and French motorways.

As for the traffic… yeah, not missed that!

The road surfaces, or lack of, yeah not missed that either! The concrete on the southern section of the M25 has deteriorated very badly! Needs sorting desperately!

Lane discipline - terrible in the UK.. I spent most of my time (when it wasn’t a car park) undertaking yesterday as the inside lane on M23/M25/M1 was devoid of traffic! I just carried on at 60mph.

Oh well, 80 days in the UK then off again!

Bu&&er!!!

I'll be wanting that bung back from those tossers at Dieppe.
They were only supposed to let Serena back in.

 

[Carpmart]

Bu&&er!!!

I'll be wanting that bung back from those tossers at Dieppe.
They were only supposed to let Serena back in.

They did let her in… and me, eventually!!

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[Riverbankannie]

Why were they difficult about re-entry to UK.? I would have thought the Schengen rules are to prevent people entering Shengen area not leaving.

 

[Carpmart]

Why were they difficult about re-entry to UK.? I would have thought the Schengen rules are to prevent people entering Shengen area not leaving.

They thought I had overstayed by a couple of months, which I had, but I’m allowed to!

 

[PaddyM]

The worst road ive ever travelled on is the A49 in Spain from Seville to the Portuguese border , had to endure it there and back this week . Worse than ANY UK road .

 

[bellabee]

Yes, it took me around 15 mins to persuade them to let me back through at the tunnel, last year. (Although I don't have the luxury of a spouse with an EU passport)

We'd arrived in Schengen at Santander and spent around 85 days in Spain. Although Graham's passport was stamped on arrival in Spain, mine wasn't.

I was able to show them my Brittany Ferries ticket to Santander, but the French border guard was distinctly unimpressed. Eventually, he very grudgingly, let me through. I know that he made some notes about me on his record though.

Lesson learnt - always check that you've had your passport stamped on entry.

 

[Just smiffy]

The M25 is the only motorway where I stick to the inside lane at 60 because everyone else is in the outside lanes….

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[Littlewheels]

Exactly this…

Theirs is always a but! You must not exceed the legal limit when undertaking on a carriageway.

 

[pappajohn]

It is amazing how many car/van drivers seem to think that lane 1 is only for HGVs.

But in my opinion the HGVs are the reason for center lane hogging.
Trucks are speed restricted so being in lane 1 means constant pulling into lane 2 to pass a truck then a little later repeating the same thing ......again........and again.
Lane 1 really should be restricted to HGVs and people that are terrified of motorway driving.

 

[Otter Spotter]

Had to laugh last night. We travelled down to Devon overnight and on one stretch we were doing 65MPH in the nearside lane of the M6 and watch a tussle with a BMW sat in the outside lane doing around 70 with 3 cars all up each others arses behind him and no one in the middle lanes, looked like a conger line until a transit van shot up the middle lane then positioned himself in front of the conger line then started slowing down all in the outside lane.
All were driving like sheep and at one point I undertook them all, not sure what was going on but it was funny how the transit was playing the other cars.

 

[nicholsong]

They thought I had overstayed by a couple of months, which I had, but I’m allowed to!

I ave been in Schengen for years and have no entry stamp because I entered as a UK/EU Citizen.

I assume if I leave France for UK at some stage my Polish Residency Card will protect me against allegations of overstay.

It seems that it may be some time before border guards grasp the details of the new rules. Maybe the ETIAS and EES will assist them when implemented.

 

[royandsharont]

I suspect many won’t use the near side lane on a 4 lane smart motorway with no hard shoulder because they have been proven not to be safe, so they stay in the second lane

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[pelican]

I suspect many won’t use the near side lane on a 4 lane smart motorway with no hard shoulder because they have been proven not to be safe, so they stay in the second lane

That's what we do.

 

[The Wino]

But in my opinion the HGVs are the reason for center lane hogging.
Trucks are speed restricted so being in lane 1 means constant pulling into lane 2 to pass a truck then a little later repeating the same thing ......again........and again.
Lane 1 really should be restricted to HGVs and people that are terrified of motorway driving.

It's not just that it's the people overtaking in the next lane out who are unwilling to move into the next lane out to allow someone to pull out and overtake if they're stuck behind slower traffic. I think it's generally people who don't look ahead and are only bothered about themselves

 

[royandsharont]

One trait I have observed over recent years of driving up and down to the Thames along the M1 is that there are quite a lot of drivers, of all ages and sex, who appear to not want to change lanes to overtake. They are happy to exceed the speed limits but if they pull up behind a slower vehicle then they don’t move lanes to overtake, just slow down, and when the vehicle in front moves over they speed up again. I’ve heard about this as well but my observations of this are too frequent to be just a coincidence.

Most drivers don’t read the road conditions far enough in advance either, react to what’s in front of them and almost no one indicates these days.

I try to maintain a safe constant speed for the road conditions but also keep at the national speed limits as far as possible and make safe progress. So I change lanes a lot but avoid the smart motorway near side lane if traffic is busy, reduce the risk I say.

 

[Bailey58]

Back to the 90/180 subject. After much discussion in this thread it's anyone's guess.

 

[JockandRita]

Lane 1 really should be restricted to HGVs and people that are terrified of motorway driving.

As a driver of HGVs John, I can only agree with the latter part of your sentence.

Cheers,

Jock.

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