How to handle MLMs
Author
Discussion

Mag1calTrev0r

Original Poster:

6,481 posts

258 months

Monday 28th September 2009
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Ok, I'm prepared to be chastised for this one (and being PH, I'm sure I will wink ). Also, apologies for another MLM thread!

How do you handle MLMs? I know some people 'orbit' them and others give them the coffee beans, etc, etc. At the weekend I got 'told off' by the wife for flashing my lights to remind the MLM that lane 1 is free. She said I was being arrogant...

Let me explain, I was approaching in Lane 1 at maybe 0.8 Leptons, MLM in Lane 2 doing what they do best. I pull out to Lane 2 and give two quick flashes of the lights (IMO not agressively). Sometimes they get the hint and pull over, other times they pull over but pull back out again, others stay there so I overtake in Lane 3 and then pull back into Lane 2.

I know I should probably ignore them and over take Lane 1-Lane 3-Lane 1 (or arguably stay in Lane 1) but I feel a 'duty' to politely remind the MLM that they ought to be in a different lane.

Sorry, it annoys me so much I can't just ignore them. It's worse when I have a faster car overtaking me in Lane 3...

JJCW

2,449 posts

215 months

Monday 28th September 2009
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Don't bother.

They don't know they're wrong, so they won't understand any action you take.

Just negotiate them safely and continue your journey.

off_again

13,917 posts

263 months

Monday 28th September 2009
quotequote all
Move on, don't get involved and pass safely and efficiently. Don't antagonise or provoke - too much of a risk to trigger a road rage incident. Travelling is about enjoying the ride and arriving at the end - not an excuse for an argument. I just turn up the stereo and relax....

Mag1calTrev0r

Original Poster:

6,481 posts

258 months

Monday 28th September 2009
quotequote all
Cheers chaps.

I know I shouldn't let it bother me. I realise some people react much worse than I do... I just can't help it.

JJCW

2,449 posts

215 months

Monday 28th September 2009
quotequote all
Mag1calTrev0r said:
Cheers chaps.

I know I shouldn't let it bother me. I realise some people react much worse than I do... I just can't help it.
Oh it really bothers me too - i've just decided that this is a battle not worth fighting smile

Andyuk911

1,979 posts

238 months

Monday 28th September 2009
quotequote all
JJCW said:
Don't bother.

They don't know they're wrong, so they won't understand any action you take.

Just negotiate them safely and continue your journey.
Agreed, gave up on any hints years ago...... I actually think it is amazing to see someone in lane 3/4 .. and nothing else on the road bar me in lane 1 .... I just continue .. I assume this technically undertaking ...

Windymiller

1,937 posts

269 months

Monday 28th September 2009
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I'm starting to learn that these numpties and dozy people who change lanes without looking all scare way too easily. A flash of the lights or beep of the horn can send them into shock that makes them nearly drive clean off the road. Truly scary.

Best just to get past safely and leave them to it.

useyourdellusion

5,648 posts

219 months

Monday 28th September 2009
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I've noticed more and more 'keep left unless overtaking' and 'don't hog the middle lane' signs being flashed up on the gantries around Stafford and Birmingham on the M6.

About time too IMO. It doesn't seem to make much difference though at the mo. The average MLM suddenly seems to grow cataracts as soon as said signage appears.


The only way to get through to these numpties is if word gets out that the BIB will start pulling them for it. That's a double edged sword though as the average MLM has the driving awareness of a King Edward potato and much weaving in and out of L1 will occur whilst they completely over-do it!

KrazyIvan

4,341 posts

204 months

Monday 28th September 2009
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I tend to just flash them to show my annoyance at having to change lanes 4 times to get round the fact they are too lazy.

I was once told by a co-worker the reason he drove from London to Birmingham in the middle lane at 60mph, was because "it is statically safer to be in the middle lane", however he could not say where or who came up with these statics.

JJCW

2,449 posts

215 months

Monday 28th September 2009
quotequote all
Andyuk911 said:
JJCW said:
Don't bother.

They don't know they're wrong, so they won't understand any action you take.

Just negotiate them safely and continue your journey.
Agreed, gave up on any hints years ago...... I actually think it is amazing to see someone in lane 3/4 .. and nothing else on the road bar me in lane 1 .... I just continue .. I assume this technically undertaking ...
Not undertaking unless you change lanes to pass them on the left?

Continuing on in the 1st lane isn't undertaking imo smile

Dracoro

9,026 posts

274 months

Monday 28th September 2009
quotequote all
JJCW said:
Don't bother.

They don't know they're wrong, so they won't understand any action you take.
They seem to know the law when a police car is in the vicinity though....... But granted, there are a few that don't, problem is, on the whole, the police don't do anything about it. Signs on gantries are a start I suppose.

Dave^

7,895 posts

282 months

Monday 28th September 2009
quotequote all
I slight tap to the offside rear quarter with one of these should see them back over to the left...



Saw a "Keep left unless overtaking" sign on the A1 yesterday.... seemed to work as a few indicated and pulled over....

Unfortunatly there was a Police car in a layby a couple of yards up the road, cue everyone in lane 1 and 2 panic braking for no reason whatsoever!!! rolleyes

Munter

31,331 posts

270 months

Monday 28th September 2009
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I had a good one on Sat.

3 Lane M'way comes down to a 2 lane DC.

I'm in Lane 1 doing 70. Moron is in lane 3 doing a bit less than 70 way ahead of me.

As theres nothing to overtake in front of me I stay in lane 1. Moron moves to lane 2 when lane 3 vanishes. I pass them. They then pull in behind me with the passenger doing a slow clap.... I can only presume it's for the driver of their car?

useyourdellusion

5,648 posts

219 months

Monday 28th September 2009
quotequote all
KrazyIvan said:
I tend to just flash them to show my annoyance at having to change lanes 4 times to get round the fact they are too lazy.

I was once told by a co-worker the reason he drove from London to Birmingham in the middle lane at 60mph, was because "it is statically safer to be in the middle lane", however he could not say where or who came up with these statics.
That's what gets me about these lot. They're so busy thinking it's the safest way, they're completely blinkered to the congestion they are causing. Not to mention everyone else having to work twice as hard to compensate for MLM's selfishness!

God, they're morons.


kambites

71,463 posts

250 months

Monday 28th September 2009
quotequote all
I would have thought it would be safest to drive in the inside lane because you have the hard shoulder as an escape route if something goes wrong.

Munter

31,331 posts

270 months

Monday 28th September 2009
quotequote all
kambites said:
I would have thought it would be safest to drive in the inside lane because you have the hard shoulder as an escape route if something goes wrong.
Yep. And you are just as close to the edge/barriers as you are in lane 2. But getting them to understand that takes about 2 years and 10 sheets or paper with simple to understand diagrams.

northandy

3,539 posts

250 months

Monday 28th September 2009
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Drove down to London last weekend, and noticed a lot of overhead signs now remind people to move over, stuff like "dont hog the middle lane" and "keep left unless overtaking".

It was amazing to see the amount of drivers who read the sign and instantly moved over, only I bet 10 miles down the road they are back hogging the middle lane.

chevronb37

6,472 posts

215 months

Monday 28th September 2009
quotequote all
JJCW said:
Andyuk911 said:
JJCW said:
Don't bother.

They don't know they're wrong, so they won't understand any action you take.

Just negotiate them safely and continue your journey.
Agreed, gave up on any hints years ago...... I actually think it is amazing to see someone in lane 3/4 .. and nothing else on the road bar me in lane 1 .... I just continue .. I assume this technically undertaking ...
Not undertaking unless you change lanes to pass them on the left?

Continuing on in the 1st lane isn't undertaking imo smile
I think using Lane 1 is fine as long as there is a lane buffer between you and the offender. I wouldn't undertake unless I knew I had a lane clear to allow for the chump deciding to switch lanes suddenly. If you're brainless enough to cruise along in the outside lane with two or more clear then you're also brainless enough to commit to a sudden, unprovoked lane change IMO.

siwebster

412 posts

222 months

Monday 28th September 2009
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The main problem is that there's no motorway education as part of the driving test, or at least there wasn't when I passed, so you can't really blame people for not knowing. There should be at least one compulsory motorway lesson, which is all that's needed to show you how to keep left, leave enough space, be aware of surroundings, etc. It's mainly people who are interested in driving that obey the keep left rule, the others just don't know and it's not really their fault either.

Still gets on my tits too though, went through a stage of being fairly aggressive, undertaking etc, but now decided it's better to get to the end of the journey unscathed.

Dr.Doofenshmirtz

16,952 posts

229 months

Monday 28th September 2009
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MLM's annoy me as much as the fking retarded cocks who race up behind me and sit 1" from my rear bumper just because I have the audacity to use their lane to overtake slower moving traffic to my left.

I can sort of see the point of the MLM though. You're driving along and dutifully move into lane 1, even though you can see a lorry half a mile ahead. The middle lane becomes occupied as you approach the lorry...and before you know it, you're bloody stuck and have to back off until a space becomes available in the middle lane... argh - it'd be a lot easier just to stick the cruise control on, and stay in the middle lane - in fact, I might just do that from now on.

Then there's the amusing opposite of the MLM. They drive along the motorway like a bloody yo-yo, veering from the inside lane to the outside lane, and then back again. The funny thing is, they're obviously trying to make a point - but not actually making any progress what so ever. They undertake using the inside lane, then get into lane 2 - but are blocked from entering lane 3, so just have to sit there and rejoin the back of the queue - the fking retards laugh

God - I love driving.