I need to rant about standards of motorway driving
Discussion
In short, it's appalling in the country and it just seems to be getting worse.
Leave even a half reasonable gap at 70odd mph and some t
t just indicates and swerves into it without any consideration for anyone else whatsoever.
You then find your virtually no gap and still some other prick jumps into it!!
And God forbid if you blow your horn at anyone that cuts you up...apparently it was my fault that I had to brake hard to avoid him clipping the front of my car!
And when it rains!!... oh dear Lord, the whole network becomes a crash fest simply because these morons follow far too closely, have no idea at all about how much distance you cover after you've reacted but before you brake and have no notion whatsoever about standing water or the effects of spray or anything sensible at all.
Selfish, arrogant, self centred bds.. I am sick of having my life put at risk because of you fkers!!
Sorry, needed to vent.
Leave even a half reasonable gap at 70odd mph and some t
t just indicates and swerves into it without any consideration for anyone else whatsoever.You then find your virtually no gap and still some other prick jumps into it!!
And God forbid if you blow your horn at anyone that cuts you up...apparently it was my fault that I had to brake hard to avoid him clipping the front of my car!
And when it rains!!... oh dear Lord, the whole network becomes a crash fest simply because these morons follow far too closely, have no idea at all about how much distance you cover after you've reacted but before you brake and have no notion whatsoever about standing water or the effects of spray or anything sensible at all.
Selfish, arrogant, self centred b
ds.. I am sick of having my life put at risk because of you fkers!!Sorry, needed to vent.
I've just went an 900 mile round trip to London and back. One thing that really annoys me is those drivers that don't let you change lanes to overtake. For example, you are in the inside lane, indicate right to move into the middle lane to pass a truck or something. However, there is some complete imbicile who thinks they are the only person in existence hogging that middle lane and won't move over to the third, empty, outer lane. Driving is all about anticipating events on the road and acting accordingly. You have to read ahead.
Cruise control? Useless on our motorways - there's just too many vehicles......except after say 8pm and then that's when the Jag is the best car in the world for munching up motorway miles.
Cruise control? Useless on our motorways - there's just too many vehicles......except after say 8pm and then that's when the Jag is the best car in the world for munching up motorway miles.
You should live in south Hampshire - near to Fareham to be exact, in what I can the "supercell of stupidity". I am lucky enough to drive an XJ8 and ride a somewhat quicker (than almost anything)Triumph Rocket III (that's the 2.3 litre one 
). Poor motorway driving is one thing, most drivers have not had any motorway training so what do we expect? People need to understand a few things to get by:
1. Yes, Jaguars are usually faster than Mondeos/family cars Volvos (grrrrr).
2. Large motorcycles are faster than cars, this includes M3/5/6/911/430/Range Rover/X5 yarda yarda - live with it. Just view a large bike as a Zonda with 2 wheels. If you need to look "Zonda" up - wrong website!
3. If you Mr/Mrs/Miss &*^%%$ are turning right at a roundabout you should indicate this when entering the roundabout - its just the same as turning right anywhere else.
4. Racing a faster car/bike in a white van just shows why you are driving a white van for a living!
Ranting is cathartic !
). Poor motorway driving is one thing, most drivers have not had any motorway training so what do we expect? People need to understand a few things to get by:1. Yes, Jaguars are usually faster than Mondeos/family cars Volvos (grrrrr).
2. Large motorcycles are faster than cars, this includes M3/5/6/911/430/Range Rover/X5 yarda yarda - live with it. Just view a large bike as a Zonda with 2 wheels. If you need to look "Zonda" up - wrong website!
3. If you Mr/Mrs/Miss &*^%%$ are turning right at a roundabout you should indicate this when entering the roundabout - its just the same as turning right anywhere else.
4. Racing a faster car/bike in a white van just shows why you are driving a white van for a living!
Ranting is cathartic !
I have regularly been doing trips from Warwicksire to the Ayrshire coast in Scotland and back. The driving experience is predicably split into three phases: -
1 M42 to Knutsford M6
. Nose to tail outside lane + middle lane numpties and nearly empty inside lane.
2 Manchester area to Southern lakes. Much freer outside lane + middle lane numpties and more use of the inside lane.
3 Lakes + M74 + Backroads.
Middle lane numpties still around but discipline relatvely good. Only problem is 
Dumfries and Galloway rozzers.
I have done the journey 6 times in the last three weeks with travelling times (incl stops) ranging between 5 and 8 hours so on the last trip back I decided to stay strictly legal and zero'd the computer. Travelling time with one stop was 6 hours dead and exactly 50 MPG (S type 2.7 TD).
Following that rule most of the Knutsford to M42 section was done in the middle and inside lane which allowed me to spectate rather than participate in the outside lane antics. It was a much more relaxing experience and I arrived at the start of the M6 toll about 300 yards back from a an agressive tosser in a blacked out Rage Raver who I spotted at Knutsford barging his way onto the motorway straight into the outside lane.
A classic case of driving according to the conditions can pay off
1 M42 to Knutsford M6
. Nose to tail outside lane + middle lane numpties and nearly empty inside lane.2 Manchester area to Southern lakes. Much freer outside lane + middle lane numpties and more use of the inside lane.
3 Lakes + M74 + Backroads.
Middle lane numpties still around but discipline relatvely good. Only problem is Dumfries and Galloway rozzers.I have done the journey 6 times in the last three weeks with travelling times (incl stops) ranging between 5 and 8 hours so on the last trip back I decided to stay strictly legal and zero'd the computer. Travelling time with one stop was 6 hours dead and exactly 50 MPG (S type 2.7 TD).
Following that rule most of the Knutsford to M42
section was done in the middle and inside lane which allowed me to spectate rather than participate in the outside lane antics. It was a much more relaxing experience and I arrived at the start of the M6 toll about 300 yards back from a an agressive tosser in a blacked out Rage Raver who I spotted at Knutsford barging his way onto the motorway straight into the outside lane.A classic case of driving according to the conditions can pay off
Edited by marcosal on Tuesday 15th September 17:39
Over the years I've gradually become a spectator in all of this motorway shyite driving.
My answer? Slow down a bit, put the cruise and a nice CD on, stick to lane 1 and you'll often have a whole clear road almost to yourself and you'll have a relaxed and safe trip. Do that for a bit and it gets quite entertaining watching all the ignorant, selfish morons tying to kill each other in lanes 2 and 3.
Sadly the driving standards in the UK tends to reflect the general fk you attitude of the country's population. 'Fraid there's nothing you can do about it but you certainly don't have to join in.
My answer? Slow down a bit, put the cruise and a nice CD on, stick to lane 1 and you'll often have a whole clear road almost to yourself and you'll have a relaxed and safe trip. Do that for a bit and it gets quite entertaining watching all the ignorant, selfish morons tying to kill each other in lanes 2 and 3.
Sadly the driving standards in the UK tends to reflect the general f
k you attitude of the country's population. 'Fraid there's nothing you can do about it but you certainly don't have to join in. I rarely find the motorway empty enough to use cruise control these days. Adaptive cruise may be usable. SWMBO's MB can use it's cruise as a speed limiter, which I find very useful. Just set it to look after your license and then you can cruse along easily and just back off when you come up behind slower traffic.
Still rather frustrating as loads of numpties speed up as you try and pass them and then slow down again if you decide not too. Often need to switch off the limiter for a mo to overtake.
I used to come in LHR at rush hour time on a Friday very often. We found that lane 1 was then usually much the fastest lane. Occasionally you needed to pull out to pass slow lorries, but mostly drifting along in the "looser lane" would see you steadily pull away from all the tail gaters fighting for every last inch they could get.
Still they should have implemented John Prescotts original plan. Only allow Jags in lane 3.
Still rather frustrating as loads of numpties speed up as you try and pass them and then slow down again if you decide not too. Often need to switch off the limiter for a mo to overtake.
I used to come in LHR at rush hour time on a Friday very often. We found that lane 1 was then usually much the fastest lane. Occasionally you needed to pull out to pass slow lorries, but mostly drifting along in the "looser lane" would see you steadily pull away from all the tail gaters fighting for every last inch they could get.
Still they should have implemented John Prescotts original plan. Only allow Jags in lane 3.
Good thread, this.
I agree with all that's been said. I too tend to habit lane 1 more these days and many times it's quicker than 2,3,or 4 (I live close to and use a lot the M25 in Surrey).
I also do a fair amount of driving abroad mostly in France and Belgium, where the motorway equivalent is often only 2 lane. Continental driving standards are far better than here and I've often tried to work out why but never get to a rational answer, other than the typical Brit is just not concentrating sufficiently.
Some serious promotion of good motorway driving needs to be done here but I doubt if it will work. Perhaps allowing undertaking as in much of the USA will help.
R.
I agree with all that's been said. I too tend to habit lane 1 more these days and many times it's quicker than 2,3,or 4 (I live close to and use a lot the M25 in Surrey).
I also do a fair amount of driving abroad mostly in France and Belgium, where the motorway equivalent is often only 2 lane. Continental driving standards are far better than here and I've often tried to work out why but never get to a rational answer, other than the typical Brit is just not concentrating sufficiently.
Some serious promotion of good motorway driving needs to be done here but I doubt if it will work. Perhaps allowing undertaking as in much of the USA will help.
R.
a8hex said:
Still they should have implemented John Prescotts original plan. Only allow Jags in lane 3.
I have just driven down the M61 from Manchester to Preston, a quiet stretch of motorway at 2pm. There were only two tw@ts staying in lane two whilst lane one was totally empty as far as the eye could see........ The first was an XJ6 ......... The second was an XK8 :-(
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