Am I wrong in doing this?

[waremark]

I move within my lane on a dc or mway like the op partly as an aid to alertness. Smooth adjustments of position would not look odd to a following driver - most would not notice.

I would generally make a subtle move to increase the distance between me and a vehicle which I am overtaking or being overtaken by. Question - if I decide to accept being the jam in the sandwich on a three lane carriageway, overtaking at the same time as being overtaken, which is the best position to choose within my lane? (as previously discussed with johnao).

[Len Woodman]

SVS said:

It's on his profile: he's a chauffeur.

Assuming 48 weeks working at 5 days a week

[Len Woodman]

Len Woodman said:

Assuming 48 weeks working at 5 days a week

That's 417 miles each day.

At average speed of 40 mph = over 10 hours per day driving.

Is that allowed?

[lyonspride]

There are a lot of advanced driving techniques which the general public would have a low opinion of, even to the point of road rage.

Trouble is most people learn to the highway code and then gradually all the socially/emotionally derived "rules" based on fairness, politeness, car size, etc etc etc start to slip in and the "highway code" quickly becomes the "my way code", with different people having different opinions and there are even regional differences in the way people drive.

[NicksDIYGarage]

On motorways and opens roads like that where your view isn't likely to be restricted, then I can't see you gaining much benefit from doing it, but still doesn't make it wrong. I tend to use the lane position more on country lanes / countryside where views can sometimes be very limited and moving a little to the left or right opens your view up a lot more.

Nick

[Pica-Pica]

NicksDIYGarage said:

On motorways and opens roads like that where your view isn't likely to be restricted, then I can't see you gaining much benefit from doing it, but still doesn't make it wrong. I tend to use the lane position more on country lanes / countryside where views can sometimes be very limited and moving a little to the left or right opens your view up a lot more.

Nick

Country lanes will have frequent lengths with no centre marking, and only put those markings in at either housed areas or at T junctions, etc.

[watchnut]

I would suggest that when conveying paying passengers that their safety and comfort comes before everything else. great obs ahead, decent road positioning, and being able to stop safely on your side of the road in the distance that you can see be be clear should always be your aim.

At 70 mph most (not all) D/C's in a decent car staying in your lane should be easy, and require no positioning other than the centre of it. (Sir/Madam might object to "feeling" cats eyes rumble under them everytime you decide to "straight" line a slight bend?

Not all passengers may appreciate you enjoying yourself, they would always like to have no cause to "remember" the journey ???

[850R]

I really don't know why you've posted this question if you've passed all you have said you have, modifications of bends etc and vehicle position is part and parcel of passing the IAM (I've only done my IAM) "taking a position for view" "never compromise safety for a view" staying out of the NS debris for vehicle sympathy etc etc etc

Just do what you did on your test and crack on.

[johnao]

850R said:

I really don't know why you've posted this question if you've passed all you have said you have, modifications of bends etc and vehicle position is part and parcel of passing the IAM (I've only done my IAM) "taking a position for view" "never compromise safety for a view" staying out of the NS debris for vehicle sympathy etc etc etc

Just do what you did on your test and crack on.

In my experience there are very few IAM Observers or RoSPA Tutors who would advocate actively using lane 2 of a dual carriageway to extend one's view or to gain any sort of advantage. The extent of the advice one is given by observers and tutors is usually restricted to...

"always return to lane 1 as soon as possible... because The Highway code says...

137. On a two-lane dual carriageway you should stay in the left-hand
lane. Use the right-hand lane for overtaking or turning right. After
overtaking, move back to the left-hand lane when it is safe to do
so.

138. On a three-lane dual carriageway, you may use the middle lane
or the right-hand lane to overtake but return to the middle and
then the left-hand lane when it is safe."...

... hence the OP's question.

[Jambo85]

lyonspride said:

There are a lot of advanced driving techniques which the general public would have a low opinion of, even to the point of road rage.

Trouble is most people learn to the highway code and then gradually all the socially/emotionally derived "rules" based on fairness, politeness, car size, etc etc etc start to slip in and the "highway code" quickly becomes the "my way code", with different people having different opinions and there are even regional differences in the way people drive.

Too true - I got road raged his morning in Aberdeen for straddling the white line for a better view followed by having the audacity to let someone out of a junction.

Aparrently this was driving erratically, holding everyone up, not being considerate to other road users and warranted use of the horn and hand gestures.

Ah well. Suppose I have fallen foul of the confusing others bit.