Towing in the outside lane.
Discussion
What is the likely outcome of getting caught with a trailer in the outside lane? (Not necessarily exceeding the speed limit at the same time.) I assume 3pt/£60 but have no idea.
I ask as I am new to towing and got caught up by a series of elephant racers on the motorway the other day, one of whom bullied his way out in front of me so he could sit along side his mate for ten minutes
The motorway was pretty clear and I could have passed them both easily without hindering anyone else.
And could you plead temporary insanity on the grounds those bastard elephant racers drove me to it occifer
I ask as I am new to towing and got caught up by a series of elephant racers on the motorway the other day, one of whom bullied his way out in front of me so he could sit along side his mate for ten minutes
The motorway was pretty clear and I could have passed them both easily without hindering anyone else. And could you plead temporary insanity on the grounds those bastard elephant racers drove me to it occifer
pdV6 said:
R_U_LOCAL said:
Was it a two-lane or 3-lane stretch?
Hopefully 3 in order for there be room for an elephant race and and overtaking opportunity.
I know it's illegal, but what is the likely penalty? Particularly if I wasn't totally taking the piss. I've seen someone in the outside lane at 80+ with his trailer bouncing away in busy traffic, he deserved the book throwing at him (Incidentally 'twas a 3 series towing a Z3, twice the usual BM knobjockeyness
) My question is; how would a brief dip into the outside lane on an otherwise quiet motorway be viewed by the BiB?
I know somebody who whilst towing a trailer overtook a slow, wide-load that had a police escort on a motorway. (You do not know how hard it was to get that all in the right order - I had a motorway with an escort for a minute...anyway...)
Police escort pulled him over. Asked what he thought he was doing in outside lane with a trailer, and donated 3 points and a fine. V kind. Bit of a bummer for him.
Police escort pulled him over. Asked what he thought he was doing in outside lane with a trailer, and donated 3 points and a fine. V kind. Bit of a bummer for him.
In the UK you are not allowed to use the outside lane of a three or more, lane motorway when towing, except where there are lane closures which restrict the lanes to two or less, or when instructed to do so by the Police or its 3 points and £60 fine like my dad got last year when he overtook a truck - silly boy
There was a newspaper report a while ago about a artic' driver driving southbound in lane 2 of the M74 on an uncongested three lane stretch.
He was overtaking a line of atric's in lane 1 and noticed a funeral procession joining the motorway from a slip road a bit ahead.
In order that the procession could merge onto the motorway gracefully, he was courteous enough to briefly move into lane 3 so the trucks in lane 1 could move to lane 2 to allow the procession to merge.
He was only in L3 for about 3 or 4 hundred yards and yet the BiB's threw the book at him.
He was overtaking a line of atric's in lane 1 and noticed a funeral procession joining the motorway from a slip road a bit ahead.
In order that the procession could merge onto the motorway gracefully, he was courteous enough to briefly move into lane 3 so the trucks in lane 1 could move to lane 2 to allow the procession to merge.
He was only in L3 for about 3 or 4 hundred yards and yet the BiB's threw the book at him.
tigger1 said:
I know somebody who whilst towing a trailer overtook a slow, wide-load that had a police escort on a motorway. (You do not know how hard it was to get that all in the right order - I had a motorway with an escort for a minute...anyway...)
Police escort pulled him over. Asked what he thought he was doing in outside lane with a trailer, and donated 3 points and a fine. V kind. Bit of a bummer for him.
Police escort pulled him over. Asked what he thought he was doing in outside lane with a trailer, and donated 3 points and a fine. V kind. Bit of a bummer for him.
...while the HGVs got away with it, I bet. So was he expected to sit behind the slow wide load for 100 miles?
Big Rod said:
There was a newspaper report a while ago about a artic' driver driving southbound in lane 2 of the M74 on an uncongested three lane stretch.
He was overtaking a line of atric's in lane 1 and noticed a funeral procession joining the motorway from a slip road a bit ahead.
In order that the procession could merge onto the motorway gracefully, he was courteous enough to briefly move into lane 3 so the trucks in lane 1 could move to lane 2 to allow the procession to merge.
He was only in L3 for about 3 or 4 hundred yards and yet the BiB's threw the book at him.
He was overtaking a line of atric's in lane 1 and noticed a funeral procession joining the motorway from a slip road a bit ahead.
In order that the procession could merge onto the motorway gracefully, he was courteous enough to briefly move into lane 3 so the trucks in lane 1 could move to lane 2 to allow the procession to merge.
He was only in L3 for about 3 or 4 hundred yards and yet the BiB's threw the book at him.
I find that very depressing. When courtesy and common sense are considered less important than the letter of the law, the law is -- shall we say -- missing the point.
Peter Ward said:
I find that very depressing. When courtesy and common sense are considered less important than the letter of the law, the law is -- shall we say -- missing the point.
And that my man, was why it made the paper. Yet another victimless crime being dealt with more severely than necessary.
mechsympathy said:
What is the likely outcome of getting caught with a trailer in the outside lane? (Not necessarily exceeding the speed limit at the same time.) I assume 3pt/£60 but have no idea.
I ask as I am new to towing and got caught up by a series of elephant racers on the motorway the other day, one of whom bullied his way out in front of me so he could sit along side his mate for ten minutes The motorway was pretty clear and I could have passed them both easily without hindering anyone else.
And could you plead temporary insanity on the grounds those bastard elephant racers drove me to it occifer
I ask as I am new to towing and got caught up by a series of elephant racers on the motorway the other day, one of whom bullied his way out in front of me so he could sit along side his mate for ten minutes
The motorway was pretty clear and I could have passed them both easily without hindering anyone else. And could you plead temporary insanity on the grounds those bastard elephant racers drove me to it occifer
You were firmly in the middle lane when I passed you on the M4 yesterday
! Just as I noticed you up ahead I also noticed the white van on the bridge! In answer to your question, bearing in mind that you are towing a racing car with a V8, I imagine you might get away with crucifixion for a first offence...The boss of a company i recently worked for was returning from holiday with a small trailer behind his BM. He got himself in the outsaide lane of the M1 overtaking someone at about 0.8 leptons. He was pulled over by the BiB in Lane 1 for towing in Lane 3. He's one of those cocky type's, took it to court and argued that he was forced into Lane 3 as a HGV "cut him up" (complete fabrication) and he got let off and granted compensation for his trip to court plus working time lost for him and his wife (witness).
Got spotted by an Essex female traffic officer while I was towing an empty car transporter trailer in lane 3 of the M25 a few years ago. While dealing with an Essex Girl in uniform at the side of the M25, I figured telling her that I'd just towed it back from the South of France and had forgotten it was there, probably wasn't the best defence. However, at the time I couldn't think of anything else....
MW10 on my licence, 3 points and £60 fixed penalty.
MW10 on my licence, 3 points and £60 fixed penalty.
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff