Do you sometimes tire of driving correctly on motorways?
Discussion
Driving down to Goodwood and back at the weekend and the level of motorway driving was so bad that sometimes the inside land was empty for up to two miles on the M23 while the middle and outer lanes were congested with the brainless sheep.
My missus was moaning at me for driving past them all in the inside lane while they contstantly braked and earleir remarked at one point when I left lane one to overtake an MLM by going out into lane three, that the driver had given me a 'dirty look' (possibly because I'd flashed the idiot).
Is it sometimes easier to just go with the idiotic flow and sit there?
No of course it's not.
God knows how people put up with driving long motorway distances often, it would drive me f
king spare. 
My missus was moaning at me for driving past them all in the inside lane while they contstantly braked and earleir remarked at one point when I left lane one to overtake an MLM by going out into lane three, that the driver had given me a 'dirty look' (possibly because I'd flashed the idiot).
Is it sometimes easier to just go with the idiotic flow and sit there?
No of course it's not.
God knows how people put up with driving long motorway distances often, it would drive me f
king spare. Hardly surprising when the driving test doesn't include any motorway driving. My daughter is about to sit her test, and when I asked, her driving instructor doesn't do an optional 2 hr motorway lesson if she passes. Bloody idiotic. And yes, if I 'indicate' to the vegetables they're not following the basic motorway rules, they get indignant. This Monday, on my Essex to Yeovil run early in the morning, I had 7, yes 7, instances of idiots pulling out in front of me that required me to brake moderately hard. A flash of headlights to register my disapproval of their driving unanimously resulted in various hand gestures.
It seems to work so much better in Europe. The minute you exit the tunnel it's back to miles of empty lane 1, people who sit like cabbages and the inevitable flashing when you pull out of lane 1 to 3 to overtake them. Just don't get what's going on.
Out of interest, wouldn't better enforcement of lane discipline help with congestion? So many 3 lane roads are reduced to dual carriageways by this type of driving.
Out of interest, wouldn't better enforcement of lane discipline help with congestion? So many 3 lane roads are reduced to dual carriageways by this type of driving.
Not many months into a driving all day every day job I learned to just chill out, accept that the world is 99% idiots who will never use motorway lanes correctly, and just get myself there quickly and safely.
Most of the time the quickest way is to keep left, so that's what I do even if it does mean passing the entire population of the M25 on the left.
Most of the time the quickest way is to keep left, so that's what I do even if it does mean passing the entire population of the M25 on the left.
gtdc said:
It seems to work so much better in Europe. The minute you exit the tunnel it's back to miles of empty lane 1, people who sit like cabbages and the inevitable flashing when you pull out of lane 1 to 3 to overtake them. Just don't get what's going on.
Absolutely. The difference from crossing the channel is staggering. I feel embarrassed when our arch-enemy can do something as simple as drive on a motorway so much better than we can. gtdc said:
Out of interest, wouldn't better enforcement of lane discipline help with congestion? So many 3 lane roads are reduced to dual carriageways by this type of driving.
Something I have wondered often. An empty lane on a 3-lane motorway means you are wasting 33% of the capacity. You could save a lot of hassle, and a chunk of the whole road-building expense, by improving the use of the current roads. Why they don't do this is something I have never understood. Oli.
Ah, one of my favourite topics! Something needs to be done as yes, personally, I believe it will make a different to congestion IF poeple knew how to drive.
I asked this a while back...apparently it wouldnt work becuase people can't drive to a decent standard!
http://pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I asked this a while back...apparently it wouldnt work becuase people can't drive to a decent standard!
http://pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Silverbullet767 said:
I said this the last time this was mentioned.
Cheapest and easiest way to implement it is......
Overhead gantry signs should say 'KEEP LEFT UNLESS OVERTAKING' by default. Rather than the useless messages like, check your fuel, or don't drink and drive.
I agree. I have seen a couple of these, but not often enough.Cheapest and easiest way to implement it is......
Overhead gantry signs should say 'KEEP LEFT UNLESS OVERTAKING' by default. Rather than the useless messages like, check your fuel, or don't drink and drive.
I saw one the other day that was flashing orange lights around the words "AVOID DISTRACTIONS".. Hmmmmm.
I was just thinking this on my way to work this morning.
I'm considering using the train to commute to work, but I just love my car and driving too much. I hate the thought of three trains and a walk.
This morning here are some highlights.
I'm in lane one, I move into lane two to overtake a HGV, as I plan to overtake another HGV in lane two the middle lane hog in lane three closes the gap on me, rather than use lane four which is empty.
He is either out to wind people up, or is so stupid that he thinks that I am in the wrong for been in lane one and then wanting to perform two lanes changes. As soon as I changed into lane two, he increased his speed.
Also once off the motorway and onto a 70mpg dual carriageway I'm overtaking the usual 50pmh cars in lane one, no problem. Except the driver in lane two ahead of me also wants to do 50mph in his own lane. Once we pass the traffic and I give hime time to move over I move into lane one as I had completed my overtakes and he speeds up, as if I'm in the wrong.
I know everyone encounters these idiots. Although I am thinking of becoming a middle lane hog myself. My drive would be easier. I just don't think that I can do it. I'd hate myself.
I'm considering using the train to commute to work, but I just love my car and driving too much. I hate the thought of three trains and a walk.
This morning here are some highlights.
I'm in lane one, I move into lane two to overtake a HGV, as I plan to overtake another HGV in lane two the middle lane hog in lane three closes the gap on me, rather than use lane four which is empty.
He is either out to wind people up, or is so stupid that he thinks that I am in the wrong for been in lane one and then wanting to perform two lanes changes. As soon as I changed into lane two, he increased his speed.
Also once off the motorway and onto a 70mpg dual carriageway I'm overtaking the usual 50pmh cars in lane one, no problem. Except the driver in lane two ahead of me also wants to do 50mph in his own lane. Once we pass the traffic and I give hime time to move over I move into lane one as I had completed my overtakes and he speeds up, as if I'm in the wrong.
I know everyone encounters these idiots. Although I am thinking of becoming a middle lane hog myself. My drive would be easier. I just don't think that I can do it. I'd hate myself.
Sonic said:
OP i feel your pain, it frustrates the hell out of me as well 
I think it would be a good use of funding to have traffic cops pulling over and educating MLM where it's obvious they are in the wrong lane.
I think the massive flaw in that is that most MLMs are mouth-breathers. You can tell them all you like, I reckon for the most part, it would go in one ear, out the other.I think it would be a good use of funding to have traffic cops pulling over and educating MLM where it's obvious they are in the wrong lane.
An ex-boss of mine calmed me down a fair bit when talking about MLMs. I said how much it infuriated me, how slefish it was to just sit, blocking the lane...when he simply said "really? I just feel terribly sorry for them"
vixen1700 said:
Driving down to Goodwood and back at the weekend and the level of motorway driving was so bad that sometimes the inside land was empty for up to two miles on the M23 while the middle and outer lanes were congested with the brainless sheep.
Free personal lane for your own use, is that.Driving down the M5 the other day around 8am at 70mph *cough* relatively clear was sat in the 2nd lane passing traffic happily, saw a people carrier in the 3rd (still nothing in the 2nd) I moved over to the 3rd not wanting to undertake, sat behind the 20 year old shed patiently waiting for them to move, after a mile got quite fed up and flashed them to move over, eventually they did, put my foot down and passed and just recieved a lot of hand gestures from the gentleman asian driver and his family. How reasonable!
Pork said:
Sonic said:
OP i feel your pain, it frustrates the hell out of me as well
I think it would be a good use of funding to have traffic cops pulling over and educating MLM where it's obvious they are in the wrong lane.
I think the massive flaw in that is that most MLMs are mouth-breathers. You can tell them all you like, I reckon for the most part, it would go in one ear, out the other.I think it would be a good use of funding to have traffic cops pulling over and educating MLM where it's obvious they are in the wrong lane.
An ex-boss of mine calmed me down a fair bit when talking about MLMs. I said how much it infuriated me, how slefish it was to just sit, blocking the lane...when he simply said "really? I just feel terribly sorry for them"
Those over-head gantries with variable speed-limits and cameras that seem to be erected over half of the motorway network now... surely they could be updated to detect and prosecute MLM?
McSam said:
I agree. I have seen a couple of these, but not often enough.
I saw one the other day that was flashing orange lights around the words "AVOID DISTRACTIONS".. Hmmmmm.
No, I don't think you did.I saw one the other day that was flashing orange lights around the words "AVOID DISTRACTIONS".. Hmmmmm.
Campaign messages, like "DON'T DRIVE TIRED" and "CHECK YOUR FUEL" don't have amber flashers.
I very much like the latter one. 5,000 people a year stop on the motorway because they run out of fuel. I think it should be a 3-point offence, tbh.
OP, good point and one I've been meaning to raise for a while now.
I see this sort of thing quite a lot on my commute to work. I'm usually on the road somewhere between 4:50 and 5:10am and I'm generally going in the opposite direction to most of the early morning traffic - I'm travelling out of London where they are travelling in.
Everyday, without fail, when I get onto the M11 I'm more often than not the only car to be seen heading in my direction. That is until I come around the bend and start on the loooooong arrow straight (for about 2 miles+) up to the M25. Everyday, without fail, I'll see one other vehicle on my side of the carriageway - not the same vehicle I'd like to add. Almost 100% of the time as I approach it, not only are they only doing about 55~60mph, they are doing it in lane 2 of a 3 lane motorway. Why people do this is beyond me.
I see this sort of thing quite a lot on my commute to work. I'm usually on the road somewhere between 4:50 and 5:10am and I'm generally going in the opposite direction to most of the early morning traffic - I'm travelling out of London where they are travelling in.
Everyday, without fail, when I get onto the M11 I'm more often than not the only car to be seen heading in my direction. That is until I come around the bend and start on the loooooong arrow straight (for about 2 miles+) up to the M25. Everyday, without fail, I'll see one other vehicle on my side of the carriageway - not the same vehicle I'd like to add. Almost 100% of the time as I approach it, not only are they only doing about 55~60mph, they are doing it in lane 2 of a 3 lane motorway. Why people do this is beyond me.
CommanderJameson said:
McSam said:
I agree. I have seen a couple of these, but not often enough.
I saw one the other day that was flashing orange lights around the words "AVOID DISTRACTIONS".. Hmmmmm.
No, I don't think you did.I saw one the other day that was flashing orange lights around the words "AVOID DISTRACTIONS".. Hmmmmm.
Campaign messages, like "DON'T DRIVE TIRED" and "CHECK YOUR FUEL" don't have amber flashers.
I very much like the latter one. 5,000 people a year stop on the motorway because they run out of fuel. I think it should be a 3-point offence, tbh.
I was quite amused by the message itself, though.As for the fuel thing, I thought it was an offence to run out on a motorway? Is it simply never dealt with?
CommanderJameson said:
No, I don't think you did.
Campaign messages, like "DON'T DRIVE TIRED" and "CHECK YOUR FUEL" don't have amber flashers.
I very much like the latter one. 5,000 people a year stop on the motorway because they run out of fuel. I think it should be a 3-point offence, tbh.
I ran out of fuel on the M-Way because one of the floats in my fuel tank got stuck and therefore the gauge was still reading 1/8 of a tank. Cheers for the 3 points. I would also like to take this opportunity to apologise to all the motorists that I inconvenienced, by being parked on the hard shoulder for 20mins, whilst I awaited the RAC.Campaign messages, like "DON'T DRIVE TIRED" and "CHECK YOUR FUEL" don't have amber flashers.
I very much like the latter one. 5,000 people a year stop on the motorway because they run out of fuel. I think it should be a 3-point offence, tbh.
Poor education (even though it seems like basic common-sense to me), and plain laziness is to blame IMO.
I, personally would find it mind-numbingly boring to join their ranks. I need to drive properly and use the lanes properly in order to stay alert, and yes, sometimes that does mean staying in lane 1 for fair distances and overtaking the drones on the left.
I've given up getting annoyed by them, they will never get it and will never change. It's just too much for them to comprehend, it would appear.
I, personally would find it mind-numbingly boring to join their ranks. I need to drive properly and use the lanes properly in order to stay alert, and yes, sometimes that does mean staying in lane 1 for fair distances and overtaking the drones on the left.
I've given up getting annoyed by them, they will never get it and will never change. It's just too much for them to comprehend, it would appear.
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