Undertaking is the New overtaking, isnt it?
Discussion
It makes your journey less stressful, you can see all 3 lanes much easier, and you can laugh and scoff at all the drivers tailgating each other in the slow outide lane while you get to your destination on time.
Just stay in the inside lane, and undertake everyone,its always clear except for the occasional lorry and it will be very rare you have to pull out to the middle lane,(this is the lane to be very careful in) as it belongs to a breed of drivers who never EVER pay any attention to what is going on a round them, and regardless of what conditions are, how many cars are about, they just switch off the brain, and autopilot until the see a sign sometime in the future which reingages it and reminds them they are not still in bed dreaming but are on their way to Ikea and heres their junction OOOPS 100 yards ahead. Apart from that they will NEVER move out of that lane until they are 50 yards from their junction, when they will thankfully, just nip onto the inside lane before pulling off.
Occasional better middle lane drivers even indicate before making this lane change, They are a rare breed, but do exist.
When you do have to pull out to the middle lane to overtake another driver in the inside lane, be sure to wave in a friendly manner as you pass. Once passed move straight back to the inside lane for mile after mile of undertaking.
Just stay in the inside lane, and undertake everyone,its always clear except for the occasional lorry and it will be very rare you have to pull out to the middle lane,(this is the lane to be very careful in) as it belongs to a breed of drivers who never EVER pay any attention to what is going on a round them, and regardless of what conditions are, how many cars are about, they just switch off the brain, and autopilot until the see a sign sometime in the future which reingages it and reminds them they are not still in bed dreaming but are on their way to Ikea and heres their junction OOOPS 100 yards ahead. Apart from that they will NEVER move out of that lane until they are 50 yards from their junction, when they will thankfully, just nip onto the inside lane before pulling off.
Occasional better middle lane drivers even indicate before making this lane change, They are a rare breed, but do exist.
When you do have to pull out to the middle lane to overtake another driver in the inside lane, be sure to wave in a friendly manner as you pass. Once passed move straight back to the inside lane for mile after mile of undertaking.
As per the Highway Code:
241: Do not overtake unless you are sure it is safe to do so.
Overtake only on the right. You should
* check your mirrors
* take time to judge the speeds correctly
* make sure that the lane you will be joining is sufficiently clear ahead and behind
* take a quick sideways glance into the blind spot area to verify the position of a vehicle that may have disappeared from your view in the mirror
* remember that traffic may be coming up behind you very quickly. Check your mirrors carefully. When it is safe to do so, signal in plenty of time, then move out
* ensure you do not cut in on the vehicle you have overtaken
* be especially careful at night and in poor visibility when it is harder to judge speed and distance.
242: Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake. In congested conditions, where adjacent lanes of traffic are moving at similar speeds, traffic in left-hand lanes may sometimes be moving faster than traffic to the right. In these conditions you may keep up with the traffic in your lane even if this means passing traffic in the lane to your right. Do not weave in and out of lanes to overtake.
Note the 242 bit, thats the get out.
It does not say 'You MUST NOT' to undertaking. So effectively when the traffic is going slower in the outside lanes (and its congested), its OK to undertake.
241: Do not overtake unless you are sure it is safe to do so.
Overtake only on the right. You should
* check your mirrors
* take time to judge the speeds correctly
* make sure that the lane you will be joining is sufficiently clear ahead and behind
* take a quick sideways glance into the blind spot area to verify the position of a vehicle that may have disappeared from your view in the mirror
* remember that traffic may be coming up behind you very quickly. Check your mirrors carefully. When it is safe to do so, signal in plenty of time, then move out
* ensure you do not cut in on the vehicle you have overtaken
* be especially careful at night and in poor visibility when it is harder to judge speed and distance.
242: Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake. In congested conditions, where adjacent lanes of traffic are moving at similar speeds, traffic in left-hand lanes may sometimes be moving faster than traffic to the right. In these conditions you may keep up with the traffic in your lane even if this means passing traffic in the lane to your right. Do not weave in and out of lanes to overtake.
Note the 242 bit, thats the get out.
It does not say 'You MUST NOT' to undertaking. So effectively when the traffic is going slower in the outside lanes (and its congested), its OK to undertake.
Edited by cross-eyed-twit on Tuesday 6th March 08:58
cross eyed twit said:
So effectively when the traffic is going slower in the outside lanes (and its congested), its OK to undertake.
Yep, 80 mph on the inside lane, leaving a clear lane to the OLM, make contact with MLM's at maybe 10 mph (assume they are doing 69 and you are playing with speedcamera tolerance of 79mph...)Job, as they say, good un.
This is completely different to weavers, who are generally pretty dangerous
if you are off on a hoon with a couple of mates on a clear motorway, try to encircle the MLM - Car 1 overtakes in L3, moves to L1, car 2 overtakes as car 1 slows in L1 to let MLM past in L2. Car 3 does the same, as car 1 swings in behind and then overtakes again, and drops inside.
Funniest thing I have ever seen, and when we got bored and drove off, there they were, still in L2!!
Funniest thing I have ever seen, and when we got bored and drove off, there they were, still in L2!!
Does the Road Traffic Act say its illegal to undertake anybody? Or is it just opinionated views that class it as dangerous?
Bing o said:
if you are off on a hoon with a couple of mates on a clear motorway, try to encircle the MLM - Car 1 overtakes in L3, moves to L1, car 2 overtakes as car 1 slows in L1 to let MLM past in L2. Car 3 does the same, as car 1 swings in behind and then overtakes again, and drops inside.
Funniest thing I have ever seen, and when we got bored and drove off, there they were, still in L2!!
Funniest thing I have ever seen, and when we got bored and drove off, there they were, still in L2!!
The Highway code isnt the Road Traffic Act is it?
10 Pence Short said:
ATHEY997S said:
Does the Road Traffic Act say its illegal to undertake anybody? Or is it just opinionated views that class it as dangerous?
Try reading an above post. Or doesn't the Highway Code apply to VW beetle drivers?
you'd hae one Danny boy...(if you could)
Just been looking at some of yr posts........YEAH....
really applicable to Piston Heads....NOT !!
No need for the personal insults.
Try reading an above post. Or doesn't the Highway Code apply to VW beetle drivers?
Just been looking at some of yr posts........YEAH....
really applicable to Piston Heads....NOT !!
No need for the personal insults. 10 Pence Short said:
ATHEY997S said:
Does the Road Traffic Act say its illegal to undertake anybody? Or is it just opinionated views that class it as dangerous?
Try reading an above post. Or doesn't the Highway Code apply to VW beetle drivers?
Edited by Mon Ami Mate on Tuesday 6th March 11:18
ATHEY997S said:
Does the Road Traffic Act say its illegal to undertake anybody? Or is it just opinionated views that class it as dangerous?
It's very illegal - can result in a hefty fine. Only un-certainty is it's OK when traffic is moving in queues, but no-one seems quite sure when a queue becomes flowing traffic.
But I've seen Police cars doing it, and the other day I drove the length of the M6 toll (northbound) in L1 at 75ish and undertook at least half a dozen people stuck firmly in L2.
Thanks Deva
at last a real world answer! My whole points of my postings (they only upset Police officers) is that of Consistency. Like i said i do quite a fair bit of motorway driving (circa 40K a year) and I've ended up doing it to avoid traffic tailgateing....
It's very illegal - can result in a hefty fine. Only un-certainty is it's OK when traffic is moving in queues, but no-one seems quite sure when a queue becomes flowing traffic.
But I've seen Police cars doing it, and the other day I drove the length of the M6 toll (northbound) in L1 at 75ish and undertook at least half a dozen people stuck firmly in L2.
at last a real world answer! My whole points of my postings (they only upset Police officers) is that of Consistency. Like i said i do quite a fair bit of motorway driving (circa 40K a year) and I've ended up doing it to avoid traffic tailgateing....
deva link said:
ATHEY997S said:
Does the Road Traffic Act say its illegal to undertake anybody? Or is it just opinionated views that class it as dangerous?
It's very illegal - can result in a hefty fine. Only un-certainty is it's OK when traffic is moving in queues, but no-one seems quite sure when a queue becomes flowing traffic.
But I've seen Police cars doing it, and the other day I drove the length of the M6 toll (northbound) in L1 at 75ish and undertook at least half a dozen people stuck firmly in L2.
Fair enough....
But with 28.567 million vehicles on UK roads, the highway code should be overhauled to reflect real world situations - especially on congested motorways.
The Highway code isnt the Road Traffic Act is it?
Try telling that to the BiB who pulls you over. Obviously just because you're in a car worth £xxxx more than anybpdy else can afford.
But with 28.567 million vehicles on UK roads, the highway code should be overhauled to reflect real world situations - especially on congested motorways.
10 Pence Short said:
ATHEY997S said:
The Highway code isnt the Road Traffic Act is it?
Try telling that to the BiB who pulls you over. Obviously just because you're in a car worth £xxxx more than anybpdy else can afford.
deva link said:
Only un-certainty is it's OK when traffic is moving in queues, but no-one seems quite sure when a queue becomes flowing traffic.
But I've seen Police cars doing it, and the other day I drove the length of the M6 toll (northbound) in L1 at 75ish and undertook at least half a dozen people stuck firmly in L2.
But I've seen Police cars doing it, and the other day I drove the length of the M6 toll (northbound) in L1 at 75ish and undertook at least half a dozen people stuck firmly in L2.
I read teh HC differently - it talks about speed differentials as being part of it - ie if you undertake someone doing 70 in L2, at 100mph in L1 then that is illegal.
However if you are doing 75 undertaking someone in L2 doing 70, then one could argue that it is not against the highway code.
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