Exiting motorways from lane 2 or 3
Discussion
Driving on the motorway today, someone came racing up the outside lane, and exited in one fell swoop, crossing both lane one and two to do it. I read somewhere that some police are trained to do this. Is that true? What are peoples thoughts on it - is there a legitimate reason to do it, and is it legal?
erdnase said:
Driving on the motorway today, someone came racing up the outside lane , and exited in one fell swoop, crossing both lane one and two to do it. I read somewhere that some police are trained to do this. Is that true? What are peoples thoughts on it - is there a legitimate reason to do it, and is it legal?
Racing of course is illegal on a motorway.Sometimes i find that the first two lanes are blocked by nose to tail lorries for half a mile before the exit. In which case i may accelerate to see a gap ahead and then cross all two lanes in one manouver.
Pork_n_Beem said:
erdnase said:
Driving on the motorway today, someone came racing up the outside lane , and exited in one fell swoop, crossing both lane one and two to do it. I read somewhere that some police are trained to do this. Is that true? What are peoples thoughts on it - is there a legitimate reason to do it, and is it legal?
Racing of course is illegal on a motorway.It's not like its going to be a major corner, often manouveres like such only a require a tiny imput on the steering so dynamically its not really an issue. Agree though with 2 lanes of elephants its often a requirement to do this, not to cause issue behind by slowing down which I'd say is a far worse manouver.
CommanderJameson said:
I think that as long as there's room to do it safely, why not?
I've done this numerous times. I treat each lane change individually - even though it might look to other drivers like I'm doing a single manoeuvre.
I suppose that's the key point - safely. I've done this numerous times. I treat each lane change individually - even though it might look to other drivers like I'm doing a single manoeuvre.
All too often I see this happen and it's not done safely - you know they're coming off at the junction - there is slow moving traffic in lanes 1&2 for all they know this is caused by a queue at the junction they want to exit onto the sliproad at a vast number of leptons...
Oh and this taken to it's ultimate extent is just an example of the queue jumpers at work - you know up the fast lane to within 20yards of the junction then pull into the queue of stationary or slow moving traffic blocking the lanes of traffic trying to go straight on...
This is why the 3/2/1 marker boards are out to allow you plenty of time to get into the right lane for exiting. If you hang out you must take the chance that you can't make the junction safely and have to carry on to the next one & turn back...
Simes.
streaky said:
Pork_n_Beem said:
erdnase said:
Driving on the motorway today, someone came racing up the outside lane , and exited in one fell swoop, crossing both lane one and two to do it. I read somewhere that some police are trained to do this. Is that true? What are peoples thoughts on it - is there a legitimate reason to do it, and is it legal?
Racing of course is illegal on a motorway.I have a badge for pedantry.
Surely the problem with cutting from Lane 3 to the sliproad is that you won't necessarially be able to see what is on the sliproad.
If I remember correctly the sliproad is legally a different road and therefore you can overtake the traffic in Lane 1 of the road you have exited.
It is therefore entirely possible that on a busy motorway with lots of trucks nose to tail in lane 1 and 2, there will be two car drivers wanting to make progress. One cuts round the back of the trucks into the slip road, and accelerates past them on the inside, whilst the other goes up Lane 3 braking at he last minute and cutting through lane 2 and 1 into the sliproad, only to meet the first guy who has already arrived there by a different route.
This won't happen at every junction as most sliproad aren't long enough, but loner sliproads appear to beoming more common.
If I remember correctly the sliproad is legally a different road and therefore you can overtake the traffic in Lane 1 of the road you have exited.
It is therefore entirely possible that on a busy motorway with lots of trucks nose to tail in lane 1 and 2, there will be two car drivers wanting to make progress. One cuts round the back of the trucks into the slip road, and accelerates past them on the inside, whilst the other goes up Lane 3 braking at he last minute and cutting through lane 2 and 1 into the sliproad, only to meet the first guy who has already arrived there by a different route.
This won't happen at every junction as most sliproad aren't long enough, but loner sliproads appear to beoming more common.
51mes said:
you know up the fast lane to within 20yards of the junction then pull into the queue of stationary or slow moving traffic blocking the lanes of traffic trying to go straight on...
Or even worse, the ones who park in L2-3 alongside the stationary traffic to their left whilst they wait for someone to open up a gap, despite there being several gaps *clearly* visible further down the queue into which they'd have no problem fitting...But the ones that particularly heat up the contents of my bladder are the complete idiots who, on approaching the tail end of such a queue, dive onto the hard shoulder and use that as their personal queue-jumping lane. I can't recall the last time I was sat in a queue and *wasn't* passed by at least half a dozen such morons, it's becoming FAR too common for my liking. Oh for the day when I finally get to the head of such a queue to find a trafpol car sat at the end of the HS with a long line of HS-abusers pulled over behind it...
Agree post above. Lane 1 from 300m point. If not then either this is a MLM (lane is empty) or it is likely to be (at the least) higher risk.
If you cause other vehicles on m'way to change speed or course as a result of such manouver then I would expect DWDCA if seen.
If you cause other vehicles on m'way to change speed or course as a result of such manouver then I would expect DWDCA if seen.
Edited by Eliminator on Friday 25th January 11:08
The only time I find it necessary to exit from L2 is at M5 J16 (Cribbs Causeway) Southbound at peak shopping times.
Traffic for the shopping centre @ Cribbs backs up all the way onto L1 of the motorway and tails back a long way.
The sliproad here is initially 2 lanes and then splits to 4, with the leftmost 2 heading off to Cribbs.
The result is that the initial RH lane on the slip is empty and then where it splits into 4, the 2 rightmost lanes are empty. You have to use the RH lanes in order to go straight on to Bristol.
Therefore if heading into Bristol, rather than queue for hours on the M5 it makes perfect sense to pass the L1 stationary traffic, cut from L2 to the RH lane of the slip at the junction and be merrily on your way.
Traffic for the shopping centre @ Cribbs backs up all the way onto L1 of the motorway and tails back a long way.
The sliproad here is initially 2 lanes and then splits to 4, with the leftmost 2 heading off to Cribbs.
The result is that the initial RH lane on the slip is empty and then where it splits into 4, the 2 rightmost lanes are empty. You have to use the RH lanes in order to go straight on to Bristol.
Therefore if heading into Bristol, rather than queue for hours on the M5 it makes perfect sense to pass the L1 stationary traffic, cut from L2 to the RH lane of the slip at the junction and be merrily on your way.
pdV6 said:
stuff about exiting M5 J16S
:chuckles:You know I did something vaguely similar to this on an observed run with an examiner, not sure if I would have had the bottle to do it on a test or formal check drive.
One could sense the examiner's thought process and certain body language but a combination of observation and local knowledge led him to conclude in the post match review "Oh yes, and the exit from M* J*, I did wonder WTF at one point but, hmmm, good call there actually. I'll give you that one you git!"
mark69sheer said:
Its poor driving if you are not in the inside lane before you hit the three hundred metre marker then you are guilty of bad planning.
I would argue that, if you pull across from the middle or outer lane straight up the sliproad, that is excellent planning 
Quite regularly one encounters something slow moving in the final half mile before one's junction. No point in holding yourself up - drive round them and take the exit; perfectly safe if you have the visibility. The Merc C-class on the Channel 4 sting between programmes is an example of how not to do it (bizarre thing to have as a channel ident).
CommanderJameson said:
I think that as long as there's room to do it safely, why not?
I've done this numerous times. I treat each lane change individually - even though it might look to other drivers like I'm doing a single manoeuvre.
A multi-coloured Volvo estate did a similar thing to me yesterday at J2 on the M57 south bound but he was joining the motorway from a short slip road, he was about 40 yards in front of me but he decided to go from the slip road to lane 2 in one move WITHOUT indicating, he doesn't know how lucky he was because a car was in the process of overtaking me and there is no way the Volvo driver could see the car on my off side.I've done this numerous times. I treat each lane change individually - even though it might look to other drivers like I'm doing a single manoeuvre.
When we got to leave at J1 there was a truck then him then me, we were all in the left lane which is for turning left but there are 2 left turns so you don't signal until you have passed the first left turn so as not to confuse those waiting at the first left turn that are coming on (if you know what I mean). Anyway the first truck went for the second left same as me, it's the M62 east bound,the Volvo driver took the first left and didn't indicate again, If he had bothered to indicate at least one of the cars waiting to join the roundabout could have got on inbetween me and the other truck.
SJobson said:
mark69sheer said:
Its poor driving if you are not in the inside lane before you hit the three hundred metre marker then you are guilty of bad planning.
I would argue that, if you pull across from the middle or outer lane straight up the sliproad, that is excellent planning Quite regularly one encounters something slow moving in the final half mile before one's junction. No point in holding yourself up .
You much prefer to sythe round the outside of the truck which may be blocking your view of another reason he is slow. what if when you swoop accross there is a car in front of the slow traffic that has just joined the sliproad leaving you nowhere to go...what then?
Drive on the stripes and you risk a skid or a puncture or three points.
CommanderJameson said:
I think that as long as there's room to do it safely, why not?
I've done this numerous times. I treat each lane change individually - even though it might look to other drivers like I'm doing a single manoeuvre.
Please. Don't try to dress this up as excellent driving.I've done this numerous times. I treat each lane change individually - even though it might look to other drivers like I'm doing a single manoeuvre.
The only way you can do such a manouvre safely is if you carry speed in excess of the traffic on the inside thereby knowing that as you cut accross you won't block anyone. You may have time for a quick check to make sure something isn't unexpectedly emerging from the middle of the pack but to suggest you use your mirror and side windows etc to check each lane behind as you move accross is to admit that you haven't got any spare time to look where you are going.
If you are going to swoop accross the only safe way is to watch the traffic as you come up behind it and satisfy yourself that you are moving quicker than all of it then you can swoop accross the front safely whilst actually watching where you are going and for traffic ahead that may suddenly slow.
mark69sheer said:
CommanderJameson said:
I think that as long as there's room to do it safely, why not?
I've done this numerous times. I treat each lane change individually - even though it might look to other drivers like I'm doing a single manoeuvre.
Please. Don't try to dress this up as excellent driving.I've done this numerous times. I treat each lane change individually - even though it might look to other drivers like I'm doing a single manoeuvre.
The only way you can do such a manouvre safely is if you carry speed in excess of the traffic on the inside thereby knowing that as you cut accross you won't block anyone. You may have time for a quick check to make sure something isn't unexpectedly emerging from the middle of the pack but to suggest you use your mirror and side windows etc to check each lane behind as you move accross is to admit that you haven't got any spare time to look where you are going.
If you are going to swoop accross the only safe way is to watch the traffic as you come up behind it and satisfy yourself that you are moving quicker than all of it then you can swoop accross the front safely whilst actually watching where you are going and for traffic ahead that may suddenly slow.
And how do you know how much time I've got?
Edited by CommanderJameson on Friday 25th January 15:49
I hope what I'm going to say isn't going to get me shot down, but (leaving aside situations like the M5/Bristol one described above) sitting behind a truck at 50mph for a few seconds seems a small price to pay for making sure you get off the motorway safely and at the right junction.
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