M-Ways - Why wouldn't this work? Why not?
Discussion
Having had the pleasure of driving c300 miles on the motorways of the UK last weekend, it underlined to me the problem we have with lane discipline in this country. On countless occasions, I was in the inside lane with nothing for a long way ahead. I was having to pull out to lane 2, then 3, and then back into lane 1 on multiple occasions…
Anyway, long story short, yet another journey marvelling at ‘MLMs’ and dawdlers, passing comment to my wife that surely if we used lanes (lane 1 was often near empty) as they should be, surely traffic would flow better.
So….it got me thinking – how do you ensure people remain focused, remain disciplined? Having run through several option such as more policing (not the best use of resource), camera technology (would be doable, but interesting logics would be needed), I came up with a very simple solution. I can see one main draw back and that is it might annoy truck drivers, but other that aside, why wouldn’t this work?
The Pork Solution
Simple, ever X00 meters (TBD), lane 4 opens up – we have lanes 1-4 After a short distance (say, ½ mile or a mile), lane one closes and merges into lane 2, so then we’re back to lane 1-3 (2-4). By default, everyone sat in lane two would move over to lane one and it would mean that you simply cannot get on an motor way, get ‘in the middle lane, as the slow lane is for trucks and the fast lane is only for overtaking’ and then only go back into lane one when leaving the m-way.
I’ve thought about people panicking about the lanes merging, but that’s would only be comparable to a junction joining the motorway so if a driver can’t deal with that, I would argue they’re not fit to be on the roads.
I’m not saying the above would work but what‘s the thoughts of the collective PH masses? Would it work? Would it be chaos? Should it be implemented? Why not?
I’m really looking for reasons it wouldn’t work. If it the PH masses think it might, I’ll take it to Simon Burns, the transport minister. In my little world, I think it’s a simple, relatively cheap way to improve the flow of traffic on our motorways.
Rip it to pieces PH…do your worst
if this gets implemented, I’ll name it after me/PH – they’ll be forever known as the ‘PH Pork zone’
Anyway, long story short, yet another journey marvelling at ‘MLMs’ and dawdlers, passing comment to my wife that surely if we used lanes (lane 1 was often near empty) as they should be, surely traffic would flow better.
So….it got me thinking – how do you ensure people remain focused, remain disciplined? Having run through several option such as more policing (not the best use of resource), camera technology (would be doable, but interesting logics would be needed), I came up with a very simple solution. I can see one main draw back and that is it might annoy truck drivers, but other that aside, why wouldn’t this work?
The Pork Solution
Simple, ever X00 meters (TBD), lane 4 opens up – we have lanes 1-4 After a short distance (say, ½ mile or a mile), lane one closes and merges into lane 2, so then we’re back to lane 1-3 (2-4). By default, everyone sat in lane two would move over to lane one and it would mean that you simply cannot get on an motor way, get ‘in the middle lane, as the slow lane is for trucks and the fast lane is only for overtaking’ and then only go back into lane one when leaving the m-way.
I’ve thought about people panicking about the lanes merging, but that’s would only be comparable to a junction joining the motorway so if a driver can’t deal with that, I would argue they’re not fit to be on the roads.
I’m not saying the above would work but what‘s the thoughts of the collective PH masses? Would it work? Would it be chaos? Should it be implemented? Why not?
I’m really looking for reasons it wouldn’t work. If it the PH masses think it might, I’ll take it to Simon Burns, the transport minister. In my little world, I think it’s a simple, relatively cheap way to improve the flow of traffic on our motorways.
Rip it to pieces PH…do your worst
if this gets implemented, I’ll name it after me/PH – they’ll be forever known as the ‘PH Pork zone’
Or the transport agency could pay for a few 10sec tv adverts reminding people to keep left and quickly explaining why this convention is used. Would have most effect in the adverts of Corination St 
Same could be done for the problem we have with people who think "merge in turn" means "push in", you know, the ones who block the merge and are of the mindset that people who use the road correctly are queue jumpers.
Same could be done for the problem we have with people who think "merge in turn" means "push in", you know, the ones who block the merge and are of the mindset that people who use the road correctly are queue jumpers.
Plenty of people are too incompetent/stupid to be able to merge lanes at motorway speed, it'd cause congestion and accidents.
My solution is much simpler, have a black box in the car that looks forward and rearward. If there's more than a 300 yard gap in front with more than 5 cars lined up behind, and the car isn't in the inside lane then it explodes.
Sure it would cause traffic for the first few weeks, but it would soon sort itself out whilst doing the economy the valuable service of eliminating vast numbers of imbeciles
My solution is much simpler, have a black box in the car that looks forward and rearward. If there's more than a 300 yard gap in front with more than 5 cars lined up behind, and the car isn't in the inside lane then it explodes.
Sure it would cause traffic for the first few weeks, but it would soon sort itself out whilst doing the economy the valuable service of eliminating vast numbers of imbeciles
GoneAnon said:
I reckon it woud be cheaper and more effective to allow undertaking.
All lanes carrying traffic and the MLMs might move to the left out of fear of traffic passing on both sides.
From my understanding, it isn't undertaking if you simply stay in lane 1 and pass them in that lane.All lanes carrying traffic and the MLMs might move to the left out of fear of traffic passing on both sides.
Pork said:
I’ve thought about people panicking about the lanes merging, but that’s would only be comparable to a junction joining the motorway so if a driver can’t deal with that, I would argue they’re not fit to be on the roads.
I think you've found the key problem right here already.The Wookie said:
My solution is much simpler, have a black box in the car that looks forward and rearward. If there's more than a 300 yard gap in front with more than 5 cars lined up behind, and the car isn't in the inside lane then it explodes.
Together with my idea of No seatbelts and metal spikes coming out of the dash board should slow things down a bit.Driving on multilane roads should be a part of the driving test, with correct lane discipline, good observation and anticipation paramount. I'd also add something about lane discipline into the theory test
Constant reminders to keep left unless overtaking on motorway matrix signs might also help (a more useful message than "take a break" or "don't drink and drive" once you are on the motorway IMO)
Constant reminders to keep left unless overtaking on motorway matrix signs might also help (a more useful message than "take a break" or "don't drink and drive" once you are on the motorway IMO)
It won't work.
Because the slow lane is for trucks and caravans, they're all dirty and smelly and I don't want my car to suffer.
The fast lane is for those stupid people in BMWs, Audis and Sprinter Vans. They always drive dangerously and are going far too fast.
The middle lane is for sensible people like me, we do between 65 and 75mph and get there at the same time as all them idiots going fast. Sometimes a lorry pulls out and I have to slow down but if I sit less than 10ft from his rear bumper he knows he's in my way and he moves, I often wonder why the man in the van who is to the right of me when the lorry moves over gets mad when I accelerate leaving him stuck alongside me though.
Strange world.
Because the slow lane is for trucks and caravans, they're all dirty and smelly and I don't want my car to suffer.
The fast lane is for those stupid people in BMWs, Audis and Sprinter Vans. They always drive dangerously and are going far too fast.
The middle lane is for sensible people like me, we do between 65 and 75mph and get there at the same time as all them idiots going fast. Sometimes a lorry pulls out and I have to slow down but if I sit less than 10ft from his rear bumper he knows he's in my way and he moves, I often wonder why the man in the van who is to the right of me when the lorry moves over gets mad when I accelerate leaving him stuck alongside me though.
Strange world.
as a side to this, i came home last night after an evening at the Ace Cafe, joined the M25 at about 10;30 at the M40 junction. Stayed in the inside lane at 80 till the A3 turn off. 'Overtook' numerous cars in lane 2,3 and 4 without leaving my lane!! according to the law i am in the wrong for undertaking! my defence "i didnt have anything in my lane to overtake"
Upon joining the A3 toward Guildford a traffic plod pulled up and immediately joined lane 2 of 3 despite nothing on the road. Admittidly he was at about 80-85mph, sensible speed given the conditions and lack of traffic. I stayed with him, albeit in lane 1, till he turned off at Guildford. Point is, if traffic officers are doing this themselves what chanse have we got to eliminate this anti-social driving from our roads? i did feel like undertaking him to see if this would provoke a pull, but given the fact that because they are the Police then they could do what they wanted to, trying to educate a Traffic Officer at the road side would probably see me on a child murder charge once they'd finished ripping my car to bits for offences.
it is a scourge on our roads but i really dont see a way of eliminating it. The govenrment could have a crackdown and instigate a charge of driving without due care and attention. This, im sure, would generate much more revenue than the speeding fines issued!!
Upon joining the A3 toward Guildford a traffic plod pulled up and immediately joined lane 2 of 3 despite nothing on the road. Admittidly he was at about 80-85mph, sensible speed given the conditions and lack of traffic. I stayed with him, albeit in lane 1, till he turned off at Guildford. Point is, if traffic officers are doing this themselves what chanse have we got to eliminate this anti-social driving from our roads? i did feel like undertaking him to see if this would provoke a pull, but given the fact that because they are the Police then they could do what they wanted to, trying to educate a Traffic Officer at the road side would probably see me on a child murder charge once they'd finished ripping my car to bits for offences.
it is a scourge on our roads but i really dont see a way of eliminating it. The govenrment could have a crackdown and instigate a charge of driving without due care and attention. This, im sure, would generate much more revenue than the speeding fines issued!!
Seems an overly complex, dumbing down solution. The problem isn't with the design of roads, and in any event we have lane 3 and 4 cruisers now. They seem to think they're entitled to drive in a lane of their choosing, rather than the lanes having a practical designation.
How about coppers pull people over, chat to them about their driving, and make them compulsorily buy an up to date copy of the highway code at the roadside.
How about coppers pull people over, chat to them about their driving, and make them compulsorily buy an up to date copy of the highway code at the roadside.
But 9.5 times out of ten traffic cars are trundling along senisbly in lane one at 67.9mph. Allowing people to pass legally.
I was under the impression undertaking was not illegal per se, as long as done with due care and at a sensible speed differential. That what the bike plod told me at a bikesafe course anyway.
I was under the impression undertaking was not illegal per se, as long as done with due care and at a sensible speed differential. That what the bike plod told me at a bikesafe course anyway.
Leptons said:
Because it would cost billions
Would it? Surely its little mor ethan chaning the white lines and adding a few signs? It wouldnt be the entire road network, just selcted sections of the buiser parts of the motorway.Leptons said:
Cause untold disruption
again, would it? They're already doing no end of work so could it not be managed well and done when other updates are being done?Leptons said:
... and is completely unnecessary.
Judging by the above responsed, I suspect something needs doing, but the question is what?Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff