Hindhead Tunnel
Discussion
60mph in the Hindhead tunnel. Overtook an unmarked car and got the blue lights. As I came out of the tunnel the Officer in the passenger seat gesticulated at me no idea what he was trying to say but they then just carried on their way. I can't understand why they needed to flash me as I hadn't broken any law, the limit is 70.
Clipper22 said:
Lazadude said:
Isn't the HH tunnel "No lane changing"..?
No it's not. One of my pet hates are people who sit in lane 2 at 60mph or less, and don't move over when you come up behind them.(OP - was the limit 40 mph at the time???)
Mooks said:
60mph in the Hindhead tunnel. Overtook an unmarked car and got the blue lights. As I came out of the tunnel the Officer in the passenger seat gesticulated at me no idea what he was trying to say but they then just carried on their way. I can't understand why they needed to flash me as I hadn't broken any law, the limit is 70.
They were just saying "hi, nice car"? 
Mooks said:
60mph in the Hindhead tunnel. Overtook an unmarked car and got the blue lights. As I came out of the tunnel the Officer in the passenger seat gesticulated at me no idea what he was trying to say but they then just carried on their way. I can't understand why they needed to flash me as I hadn't broken any law, the limit is 70.
I'm constantly baffled by this. The speed limit in the tunnel is variable, 'NSL' or '40', governed by the electronic signs on the approaches, although I've never seen them set to anything other than 'NSL'. There are signs warning of an 'Average Speed Check', but this doesn't change the speed limit.Yet...
There is a constant flow of idiots in the Hindhead tunnel who will sit at 60mph (or less) in both lanes, holding up traffic, yet on either side of the tunnel, these same placentas are the ones tailgating other drivers and charging around at >85mph.
With regard to the lines on the road, the white paint changes from 'normal' lane divider lines, to 'longer' hazard lines beyond the first average speed camera, and then 'appears' to become a single 'solid' line just before it enters the tunnel, although it is in fact 'dotted' by the presence of the coloured studs/reflectors. http://goo.gl/maps/QcGtK
From the Highways Agency's own site... http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/a3-... ...
"Q. Are you allowed to over take in the tunnel?
A. It is legally allowed to overtake in the tunnel, if the driver deems it safe to do so and conditions permit. The line markings comprising a 4m line and 0.5m gap are similar to those used at right turn ghost island. And a similar principle applies you may cross them if it is safe to do so. If a tunnel is in two way operation then the lane control signs ban you from using the right hand carriageway and that message is enforced by all the catseyes being illuminated as opposed to every other one in normal operation."
So in essence, the 'more paint, more danger' rule is to be observed, and overtaking/lane changing is evidently discouraged, but, according to the HA, the OP has committed no offence. The only explanation I can see is that the Police Officer may have felt that the OP's overtake was 'borderline unsafe', or he misjudged the OP's speed, or he was unaware of the rules himself.
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