Discussion
My first 'that was close' moment for many years.
I was on the bike, overtook a slow moving car that was in lane 2 of the M40, started to move back to lane 1 and just before I left lane 2 saw an SUV undertaking the lane 2 car at a good 10-20 MPH faster than I was going.
I swerved back to the right and got an apologetic wave from the SUV driver, though I don't think it was really his fault. He shouldn't have passed on the left. I should have checked lane 1 more carefully before trying to move into it but since I'd only pulled from lane 1 to lane 3 a few seconds before I didn't expect anyone to come up that quickly.
Whether the lane 2 driver was totally oblivious or assumed me and the SUV driver were both dangerous lunatics I don't know.
I was on the bike, overtook a slow moving car that was in lane 2 of the M40, started to move back to lane 1 and just before I left lane 2 saw an SUV undertaking the lane 2 car at a good 10-20 MPH faster than I was going.
I swerved back to the right and got an apologetic wave from the SUV driver, though I don't think it was really his fault. He shouldn't have passed on the left. I should have checked lane 1 more carefully before trying to move into it but since I'd only pulled from lane 1 to lane 3 a few seconds before I didn't expect anyone to come up that quickly.
Whether the lane 2 driver was totally oblivious or assumed me and the SUV driver were both dangerous lunatics I don't know.
Argueably if you had just continued in lane 1, passing the lane 2 bumbler on the left it would have been potentially punishable by law, but safer. Although, obviously if you did continue in lane 1 the SUV driver then may have moved from lane 1 to lane 3, done the overtake of lane 2 bumbler, and then wiped you out on the way back to lane 1. This situation shows how isolated cars who refuse to keep left are an additional hazard to other road users.
Edited by courty on Sunday 19th October 10:46
Salted_Peanut said:
Have you never made a human error?
Plenty, but I am human is my excuse.The Car driver and SUV driver were not making an error (human or otherwise), their respective actions were deliberate and intentional. This could have resulted in the OP being a smear on the tarmac and body bag ready if it weren't for his probably better than average observation skills.
Glad you're ok and nothing came of it - middle lane 
s (MLM) are a nightmare and need a good boot up the arse!
If it were me and if the left lane was clear for quite a way a head so that you couldn't be accused of weaving across the lanes - I'd have simply stayed in the left lane and continued on my way rather than go all the way out to lane 3 and back to overtake the MLM to avoid a situation like this. The SUV behind you must have seen you move from lane 1 through to 3 though so its poor observations on their behalf.
As for it being on the M40 - it depends where on that you were - when I lived up in Bucks about 10 years ago that southern end of the M40 was pretty much unregulated speed wise and even making progress sitting at 80-85 I'd often be one of the slower moving non-HGV bits of traffic so potentially the SUV was travelling at quite some speed previously.
s (MLM) are a nightmare and need a good boot up the arse!If it were me and if the left lane was clear for quite a way a head so that you couldn't be accused of weaving across the lanes - I'd have simply stayed in the left lane and continued on my way rather than go all the way out to lane 3 and back to overtake the MLM to avoid a situation like this. The SUV behind you must have seen you move from lane 1 through to 3 though so its poor observations on their behalf.
As for it being on the M40 - it depends where on that you were - when I lived up in Bucks about 10 years ago that southern end of the M40 was pretty much unregulated speed wise and even making progress sitting at 80-85 I'd often be one of the slower moving non-HGV bits of traffic so potentially the SUV was travelling at quite some speed previously.
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