Discussion
Having spent a fair bit of time in the USA over the last few years, I have come to realise that many UK motorways and the M25 in particular have simply given up on any kind of lane discipline. Cars just stay in whatever lane they fancy and at whatever speed they fancy. The concept of overtaking lanes has all but disappeared.
The US system works better because cars don't like being passed on both sides and as such they end up sticking to the inside if going slower. Perhaps the simple solution to the UK motorway system is just to allow undertaking and things will sort themselves out?
The US system works better because cars don't like being passed on both sides and as such they end up sticking to the inside if going slower. Perhaps the simple solution to the UK motorway system is just to allow undertaking and things will sort themselves out?
cashmax said:
The US system works better because cars don't like being passed on both sides and as such they end up sticking to the inside if going slower. Perhaps the simple solution to the UK motorway system is just to allow undertaking and things will sort themselves out?
You must have driven in a different US to the one I have.It’s always a pleasure when you’re in someone else’s car and they’re driving. On the motorway at 65 sat in the middle for miles on end. Isn’t worth the earache of pointing it out though.
Even on dual carriageways there’s times where I’ll get stuck behind a convoy and someone doing 5-10 below whilst overtaking nothing. It’s quite a fun game on a long journey to see how long they do it before people start undertaking and they eventually move back in. Best one was a police car flashing, beeping and they didn’t notice for ages and when they finally clocked it, they thought they were getting pulled in so stopped in lane 4. Lucky they didn’t cause a crash
Even on dual carriageways there’s times where I’ll get stuck behind a convoy and someone doing 5-10 below whilst overtaking nothing. It’s quite a fun game on a long journey to see how long they do it before people start undertaking and they eventually move back in. Best one was a police car flashing, beeping and they didn’t notice for ages and when they finally clocked it, they thought they were getting pulled in so stopped in lane 4. Lucky they didn’t cause a crash
cashmax said:
Having spent a fair bit of time in the USA over the last few years, I have come to realise that many UK motorways and the M25 in particular have simply given up on any kind of lane discipline. Cars just stay in whatever lane they fancy and at whatever speed they fancy. The concept of overtaking lanes has all but disappeared.
The US system works better because cars don't like being passed on both sides and as such they end up sticking to the inside if going slower. Perhaps the simple solution to the UK motorway system is just to allow undertaking and things will sort themselves out?
Sorry to break it to you but UK Roads are amongst the safest in the world, and motorways the safest type of road and a magnitude safer than those in the USA The US system works better because cars don't like being passed on both sides and as such they end up sticking to the inside if going slower. Perhaps the simple solution to the UK motorway system is just to allow undertaking and things will sort themselves out?
Your risk of being seriously injured or dying on a US road is about four times higher than in the UK
Writhing said:
I think it also comes down to space. We simply don't have room to do 5 lanes per side.
We also have too many cars. When I’m on the M25 or anywhere else that gets really busy, I think lane discipline is harder, especially for those (most people not on a motoring forum) who don’t really think about it.
This is because the traffic levels mean each lane ends up about equally busy, meaning they naturally speed up and slow down, and the idea of an ‘overtaking lane’ does then disappear.
It’s much easier on a two lane autoroute where all the traffic’s on the right and you can pop out, overtake, and pop back.
There are more brain dead middle lane hoggers in the UK for sure, but I think the above applies when it gets very busy.
Sheepshanks said:
cashmax said:
The US system works better because cars don't like being passed on both sides and as such they end up sticking to the inside if going slower. Perhaps the simple solution to the UK motorway system is just to allow undertaking and things will sort themselves out?
You must have driven in a different US to the one I have.cashmax said:
Having spent a fair bit of time in the USA over the last few years, I have come to realise that many UK motorways and the M25 in particular have simply given up on any kind of lane discipline. Cars just stay in whatever lane they fancy and at whatever speed they fancy. The concept of overtaking lanes has all but disappeared.
The US system works better because cars don't like being passed on both sides and as such they end up sticking to the inside if going slower. Perhaps the simple solution to the UK motorway system is just to allow undertaking and things will sort themselves out?
Don’t know which part of the USA you’ve been driving in or how many miles you’ve driven there?The US system works better because cars don't like being passed on both sides and as such they end up sticking to the inside if going slower. Perhaps the simple solution to the UK motorway system is just to allow undertaking and things will sort themselves out?
But that is the polar opposite to my experience after living in Mississippi for a year and driving 10’s of thousands of miles.
MustangGT said:
normalbloke said:
They should make it illegal to be undertaken
Technically it is illegal to overtake on the inside, though there are circumstances where it is not illegal.If you are being undertaken you won't know anything about it
The difference in driving standards between weekday rush hours and otherwise is stark in my view. I do M4 M5 M42 M1 each direction every other week or so and generally most people in rush hour at least have some clue how to drive on a motorway, vs the utter s
tshow that is the M4 M3 M25 M23 on a weekend which is another regular trip for me. In particular the M25 SW corner noisy concrete section is rammed with fkwits and a cruise in lane 1 will often leave a clear lane 2 before the nobbers in 3 and 4.
tshow that is the M4 M3 M25 M23 on a weekend which is another regular trip for me. In particular the M25 SW corner noisy concrete section is rammed with fkwits and a cruise in lane 1 will often leave a clear lane 2 before the nobbers in 3 and 4. fflump said:
Likewise just did 2000 miles in the US and on multi lane freeways it s either side overtaking constantly. Difference to the UK is that you expect it and adjust accordingly. It also often makes little sense for any car to stick to the inside lane in the US however slow as they often exit entirely at junctions instead of having a slip road so you d have to pull out to stay on the freeway. As an aside I find driving in the US pretty good-folk seem to be calmer and less aggressive regardless of the level of traffic.
Just got back from 2 weeks in Texas, first time ever going to America and driving on the Interstate was a pleasure. It took a bit of getting used to, especially the right lane turning into an exit. That caught me out a few times, as did 'turn arounds'. Sat nav said, come off on the left and take the next left. The amount of times I ended up back on the same road going the opposite direction is too many! 
MustangGT said:
normalbloke said:
They should make it illegal to be undertaken
Technically it is illegal to overtake on the inside, though there are circumstances where it is not illegal.If you are being undertaken you won't know anything about it
3rd lane seems to be the new, normal crusing at 65mph lane.
I'm not sure our roads are busier. But the ane discipline means they are not optermised as well as they could be. And we we're not getting through with the "keep left unless overtaking" messges
So...
should undertaking/ passing on the inside be allowed/accepted/taught/ promoted? Sort of "all vehicles under 5 tonnes use all 4 lanes" approach...
cashmax said:
Having spent a fair bit of time in the USA over the last few years, I have come to realise that many UK motorways and the M25 in particular have simply given up on any kind of lane discipline. Cars just stay in whatever lane they fancy and at whatever speed they fancy. The concept of overtaking lanes has all but disappeared.
The US system works better because cars don't like being passed on both sides and as such they end up sticking to the inside if going slower. Perhaps the simple solution to the UK motorway system is just to allow undertaking and things will sort themselves out?
I actually quite like how the M25 works. I do a lot of M25, A3, M40, A40, M3 driving and the M25 is very noticeably different to them all. People get into a lane and just stay in it…undertaking, overtaking, whatever. Quite honestly it seems like there are less near-misses and sudden braking events when everyone just stays in whatever lane they are already in, like they do on the M25. Plus, half the time there are temporary speed limits on the M25 so it just flows at 40, 50 or 60…so who’s overtaking anyway.The US system works better because cars don't like being passed on both sides and as such they end up sticking to the inside if going slower. Perhaps the simple solution to the UK motorway system is just to allow undertaking and things will sort themselves out?
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