Motorway driving

Terrontress wrote:

It's not illegal to undertake if you are within the speed limit and the overtaking lane is moving more slowly than the speed limit.

I make up my own rules as well. But for some reason the Guards never accept my rules

Terrontress wrote:

It's not illegal to undertake if you are within the speed limit and the overtaking lane is moving more slowly than the speed limit.

This is gear. Two people so far prove the OP's assertion that Irish people don't know how to drive on motorways, and one of them is the OP...

microgirl wrote: »

I have to admit to being an "overtaking lane hogger", or at least driver, although it's mostly on the M50. This is because, weather and the like permitting, I actually like to be able to drive at 110-120Kmh. It's pretty much impossible to do this on the driving lane of the M50, as most people in there drive at about 80Kmh, and there's rarely enough room between cars to stick in the proper lane doing 110+ and pop into the overtake lane when you want to overtake. It'd be foolhardy and dangerous to try. So generally I just stick in the right-hand lane, because it's safer.

If there's a good clear gap in the driving lane, then I'm in, no question, or when some eejit in the overtake line drives up my bum when I'm *already* doing the speed limit. Not my problem if he wants to break the law, so I'll slip left at the first available opportunity. Though it's not always easy because, as mentioned, it frequently involves dropping from 120Kmh to 80Kmh, and trying to fit into the 50m between the two cars doing said speed in the left lane.

Ohhhh, driving in France was such a pleasure

I would have thought that anyone who drove for any length of time in France (or most European countries with a motorway network) would know only too well not to stay in the overtaking lane for a micro-second longer than is necessary, unless you want to be rear-ended at speed !

I've always noticed on French autoroutes that even large powerful cars tend to overtaken and pull back in to the right straight away, and IF the need arose to overtake more than one vehicle in the one manoeuvre, then it is standard to keep one's indicator on continuously to demonstrate to other road users that you're "staying" out in the overtaking lane a little longer etc.

I'm always surprised not to find more accidents involving Irish drivers esp. on sections of dual carriageway / motorway close to the French ports etc. given the way that so many drivers behave on our limited m-way network.

Deleted User wrote: »

The left hand lane is MUCH safer because there is no pressure to get in front of the car in front, it's more dangerous to be the front car in a "train" (that is what you create when you live in the overtaking lane) touch the brakes and collect half a dozen in the boot!

One wonders did you actually read my post at all

I disagree that the left hand lane is safer when you wish to travel at or near 120kph (conditions permitting) and the left hand lane is predominantly driving at 80-90kph, as it would require you to weave in and out far too frequently. Obviously, if there's no-one IN the left hand lane, or distane between cars is sufficient that I can be in said lane for more than 30 seconds, then I drive in the left hand lane

If you are going slower than the cars behind you you should give way to them, let them pass then overtake the slower ones in front of you again. That way you reduce the risk of multi vehicle pile-ups caused when cars bunch up because some idiot is blocking the overtaking lane.

BTW: I practice what I preach, 80-90% of the time I drive on the left, overtake then back to the left, leaving a good gap in front of me.

PS I learned to drive in the UK.

And as I believe I said, I *do* generally allow cars behind me to overtake me (even though it means they are breaking the speed limit and thus the law) IF it is safe to do so. Again, if I'm driving at 120kph, the left hand lane is busy and travelling at 80-90kph, I can't pull in without significant danger. If I slow down sufficiently to slip into a relatively small gap at 80kph, then the speed-freak 5 foot behind me travelling at 140kph plows up my rear. Or alternatively pull in at 120kph and then have to slam on the brakes to try to avoid plowing in to the slow-poke in front of me.

There needs to be a sufficient space between cars in the left hand lane for me to be able to pull in safely, without having to significantly drop my speed. A small drop is ok, but it's not always a small drop (I try to squash the resentment I feel at being forced to drop my speed and slink in to the left hand lane just because I'm driving AT the speed limit rather than over it

Not sure what learning to drive in the UK has to do with anything. Some of the worst driving I've seen has been on UK motorways. And I don't believe there's a single person in that country that obeys the speed limit on big roads

microgirl wrote: »

And I don't believe there's a single person in that country that obeys the speed limit on big roads

The thousands of drivers out there, who drive vehicles with an 85kph speed limiter fitted, would beg to differ!

As someone who travels both the M1 and M50 twice a day at least, might I give ye my 10c worth.

Firstly the vast majority of drivers do not obey speed limits in Ireland, point in case being the new entry road onto the M1 from airside, this road has a limit of 60k, agree or disagree it's the law but 99% of drivers do not hold to this.

Next when you are on the M1 and approach the Airport exit the limit drops to 80k and rightly so imo because you have traffic merging from the airport and also trying to leave and join the M50, lets be honest here how many of ye hold to this 80k.

I saw one of the worst cases of driving ever here, car in the left lane obeying the limit (one of the few) was being pressured by white van driver to speed up, having no success he moves right where every car and I mean every car is exceeding 80k. White van is then incapable of passing car (heavy load maybe) and he inturn is flashed and pressurised by drivers to move left, ego hurt he jecks left narrowly avoiding the law abiding motorist causing them to break hard. All because some idiot didn't agree with anothers adherence to the speed limit.

Next the 120k limit or should we say the 120k target on motorways because from what I have read here most people seem to spend their journeys with one eye on their speedos, again lets be honest here 120 is deemed to be a safe speed at which to be traveling at in perfect driving conditions and how often do we get that in ireland. It always amazes me at the amount of idiots still doing this speed and quite often above it in rain and mist etc.

Hands up who obeys the temporary 60k limit on the M50, well, so lets get real and all look at our own driving before blaming others, speeding kills plain and simple (I see the results of this in my work ) not lane hogging and before the usual retort of motorways are safer than other roads is expressed, there are a greater number of accidents then normal on the M50, M1 interchanges just check the number of skid marks (safely) on the roads along here the next time you use them.

So instead of flashing or driving on the bumper of some one hogging the right lane just relax, I know this may be hard but do try. Please also when you see a 50 or 60k limit it's there for a reason usually because it's a residential area which means children are liable to be around, enough said hopefully.

I know I may have gone off topic but in my experience people who drive badly and speeding is bad driving also drive badly on secondary and minor roads. Limits are not money earners and those who preach otherwise are not at all concerned with road safety, there in place to save lives.

The funny thing is that most journeys take less than half an hour in Dublin (I'm talking off peak) so we don't really make up a huge amount of time by getting there faster by speeding do we :rolleyes:.

microgirl wrote: »

if distane between cars is sufficient that I can be in said

lane for more than 30 seconds, then I drive in the left hand lane

/shakes head. Oh dear.....

transylman wrote: »

What is the acceptable way for dealing with overtaking lane hoggers. I know the usual thing is to give them some flashes of your headlights but would it be alright to give them a few blasts with your horn as well?

Personally, if people use the horn for anything other than alerting to danger or maybe getting someone to move if they're at a green light for over 10 seconds, I find this really annoying as it stresses me. When I hear a horn near me, I usually feel like 'Is it me that is being beeped at?' although it rarely is. Honestly, if it is something as harmless (albeit maybe annoying) as a fast lane hogger, please just undertake them if light flashing does not work. It's much less stressful for those around. I'm not a fast lane hogger (or tailgater) by the way!