M6 Cheshire lane discipline…

[Trebor1970]

Anyone else travel here regularly?
Smart motorway, 4 lanes no hard shoulder.

So Sunday afternoon, motorway has a usual amount of traffic, not that busy really.
Inside lane is virtually empty, occasional HGV.
2nd lane ditto
3rd lane, full of what would be middle lane hoggers if it was a three lane motorway.
4th lane, quite busy with those in a hurry but it's probably running a constant 65/70mph nose to tail.

So potentially I'm driving 75-ish, on the inside lane and I'm undertaking three other lanes! Occasionally I'll pull into the second lane to overtake an HGV or caravan.

I know that's not right either but it's incredibly poor lane discipline from 80% of drivers.

It feels like two separate dual carriageways side by side.

[Sigmamark7]

I think that the problem is Sunday afternoon. I loathe driving at the weekend, because so many people who don’t usually use motorways, are on the road, apparently oblivious to how they are supposed to be used.

[the-norseman]

Its not just the M6 Cheshire that its an issue, its all over the country.

[SydneyBridge]

M3 and M4 were same earlier, some people will just not use lane 1 and others cruise in lane 3 and cannot imagine they are doing anything wrong-

[Vasco]

It's the same everywhere - just more notable on Sundays with few HGVs in lanes 1-2. Those cars in 3-4 are the same, 7 days a week.

[BananaFama]

I'd be more surprised if the lanes were being used correctly .

[Trebor1970]

the-norseman said:

Its not just the M6 Cheshire that its an issue, its all over the country.

Yeah you're right actually but the four-lane smart motorways seem to be exacerbating the issue..

Particularly giving rise to the white knuckle TLC... Third Lane Cruiser.... "I like this lane and I'm sticking to it"

[mac96]

I have often wondered whether 4 lane roads actually have more capacity than 3 for this reason . At the very least, additional lanes do not add capacity in proportion. Very noticeable heading in to London that where M40 gains a 4th lane, traffic all drifts right and if anything slows down .

I think once beyond 3 lanes it would only work properly if the rule were to pass on either side.

[TheDrownedApe]

Vasco said:

It's the same everywhere - just more notable on Sundays with few HGVs in lanes 1-2. Those cars in 3-4 are the same, 7 days a week.

This. I witness it on the M6, M3, M25 (although hardshoulder) 70% don't care how they drive.....psst and probably don't know the rules either.

I gave up caring about 5 years ago and undertake them without prejudice. They ignore me and I ignore them (rant like a baby until Mrs Drown tells me to shut up).

[sherman]

Its fun to do a circle round a car on the motorway every now and then when its quiet.
If the car you want to pass is in lane 2 overtake in lane 3 and pull back into lane 1 when complete. Slow down a touch and then reovertake by pulling over to lane 3 and heading off on your merry way.

Usually wakes them up enough to pull back in correctly and stop midle lane motoring.

[Trebor1970]

sherman said:

Its fun to do a circle round a car on the motorway every now and then when its quiet.
If the car you want to pass is in lane 2 overtake in lane 3 and pull back into lane 1 when complete. Slow down a touch and then reovertake by pulling over to lane 3 and heading off on your merry way.

Usually wakes them up enough to pull back in correctly and stop midle lane motoring.

Or they just don't even notice

[Mr Tidy]

It's the same on most Motorways.

I've noticed it on the M3, M25, M40, M42, M5 and M6 in the last month. The only bits where there is some lane discipline seem to be the 2 lane stretches of the M42 and M20.

[Trebor1970]

Oh and don't get me started on cars driving in the dark with no rear lights!!

Yes you have front DRLs but that don't mean your rear lights are on...

As my History teacher used to say.... "Dumb Bunny!"

[mmm-five]

I'm not travelling on that stretch as frequently as I used to, but when it first opened (and maybe for a year afterwards IIRC) that 4-lane stretch was lanes 1-3 for elephant racing lorries and lane 4 for cars.

[HTP99]

Yep, it's the same on all motorways or multi lane roads, what I find odd is the ones entering the motorway from an on sliproad, going straight to lane 2 regardless if lane 1 is occupied or not.

[SydneyBridge]

HTP99 said:

Yep, it's the same on all motorways or multi lane roads, what I find odd is the ones entering the motorway from an on sliproad, going straight to lane 2 regardless if lane 1 is occupied or not.

This..
I often wonder if certain makes of car will physically not let you into lane 1

[HTP99]

SydneyBridge said:

HTP99 said:

Yep, it's the same on all motorways or multi lane roads, what I find odd is the ones entering the motorway from an on sliproad, going straight to lane 2 regardless if lane 1 is occupied or not.

This..
I often wonder if certain makes of car will physically not let you into lane 1

It happened the other day on the A3 going over the M25, it is a 50 limit, my limiter is set to 53, I go over the M25, the M25 - A3 slip becomes L1 of the A3, L1 of the A3 over the M25 becomes L2 after the M25.

A van is coming along the slip, immediately it goes to L2 infront of me cutting me up, I'm coming off at the next jct; Painshill, I pull into L1 and just breeze past him on his inside, just so odd, there was absolutely no need as L1 was free flowing with no build up of traffic coming up to the Painshill jct.

It is a common occurance.

[ARHarh]

Many years ago I was driven by a colleague to a meeting down the M3. He insisted on staying in the middle lane. When I asked why he did it he said he was doing 65mph so that was the lane he should be in at that speed. Apparently lane 1 for lorries at 56, lane 2 for 65, lane 3 for faster. Bit of an eye opener that was. Never bothered getting a lift from him again.

[SydneyBridge]

The overhead gantry on the M3 sometimes says 'keep left unless overtaking', if i was in charge of gantries it would say something different.....

[the-norseman]

They need to run adverts on TV about lance discipline.