Was this an acceptable undertake?
Discussion
trashbat said:
If I'm confident that an HGV is deliberately in L2 because of an upcoming motorway split or whatever, I might pass on the left, usually at the point that the dashed road markings indicate separation. When learning to drive I was told that this is legitimate as it's "a separate road" but I think that's probably meaningless b
ks.
Confidence in that comes from lots of situational factors, mostly how they ended up there.
Dangerous advice too.........., if they were advising you to undertake there. This is exactly the point (if I understood your description clearly) where I would avoid an undertake. Junctions are an area of huge hazard potential.ks.Confidence in that comes from lots of situational factors, mostly how they ended up there.
Drivers often swerve without warning at junctions when they realise they should be taking an exit and not continuing. I would advise extreme caution in these areas and try to triangulate the position your vehicle so as to anticipate and avoid a situation where a sideswipe, or another vehicle braking and swerving, etc, could occur.
joelpython said:
Thank you for the interesting replies. I think the lorry driver had plenty of time and space to move to L1 before I got to him if he’d wanted to. It could be that he was staying in L2 because he knew that L1 became the exit slip road (J9) in about two miles.
I didn’t want to slow down and hang back because then I would have been doing about 55mph on a motorway, which sounds dangerous to me on an unobstructed stretch.
I feel you have answered your question.I didn’t want to slow down and hang back because then I would have been doing about 55mph on a motorway, which sounds dangerous to me on an unobstructed stretch.
1) If leaving at J9, then hang back in the correct lane to leave.
2) If not leaving at J9, then move early to L3, make the pass and move back to L2.
The speed differential between 55 and 70mph is the important factor. Per mile, the speed difference is around 15 seconds - not a great difference to pass legally and return to L1 if you are exiting at J9, and 30seconds is not a lifetime to hang back safely for 2 miles in L1, as ideally you should be in L1 at the mile marker.
How do you handle people driving slowly (50 in a 70 slow) in the far right lane?
I normally hang back to give them chance to notice followed by moving a bit closer then indicating and flashing lights but at some point it starts to become dangerous as more fast moving traffic starts flying past on the left and I would rather be the first to undertake than to be caught behind the slow car unable to get into the left lane (if the motorway is pretty empty I'd also try to keep a lane between myself and the slow car when undertaking)
I normally hang back to give them chance to notice followed by moving a bit closer then indicating and flashing lights but at some point it starts to become dangerous as more fast moving traffic starts flying past on the left and I would rather be the first to undertake than to be caught behind the slow car unable to get into the left lane (if the motorway is pretty empty I'd also try to keep a lane between myself and the slow car when undertaking)
Bryanwww said:
How do you handle people driving slowly (50 in a 70 slow) in the far right lane?
The law is still the same...... they are also committing an offence, not that it helps.I'd generally pass them quickly and carefully - if they decide to pull in, you're in the wrong, so keep that in mind all the time.
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