Next time I am going to the cops!!

RobAMerc

Almost at the end of a 400km journey most of it in foul weather, on the N7 motorway just south of Naas, I came up behind the usual idiot sat in the overtaking lane at 100kph with nothing in left lane. I flashed them and their first reaction was to jump on the brakes.

How stupid and dangerous can you be !!

I pulled up inside her and stood on the horn letting her know she was a stupid cnut. Before moving on. A couple of miles later she came up along side me and started mouthing off at me at the lights and gave me the fingers.

So this is a warning to you twats that think the outside lane is for sleeping and you should break test anyone who tries to pass, I for one am going to start taking numbers, reporting you and following this through because someone will die because of this stupidity. :mad:

Rant over, but this has substance !

jimmycrackcorm

Someone once tried tomess with me in a not to dissimilar situation and I pretended to use my mobile to ring the cops - they turned off at the next junction.

Gary ITR

I don't think you should have beeped at her though RobaMerc. I find the 'look' works wonders, you know when you just look at them and shake your head slowly. Makes them feel stupid and you wouldn't have gotten the reaction you did

TheBazman

That really bugs me - and it happens so bloody often

Usual process - begin to catch up with car in front and stay a safe distance. Plenty of room for them to pull over but - no , obviously are immune to using mirrors. So move up right behind them (which the AA recommend btw), still no reaction. Eventually flash the lights (which the AA again recommend), most often get no reaction, but as you say sometimes the old brakes are hit. As a last resort you have to undertake (which the AA does not recommend, but hey 2 out of 3 aint bad)

This sort of crap causes road rage, and speeding - cos sure thing when you do get past you will speed off at a much quicker speed than you were originally doing

AMurphy

RobAMerc wrote:

..... I came up behind the usual idiot sat in the overtaking lane at 100kph with nothing in left lane. I flashed them and their first reaction was to jump on the brakes.

How stupid and dangerous can you be !!

....stupid cnut. .....because someone will die because of this stupidity. :mad:

Rant over, but this has substance !

Substance, it does have indeed.
Lets see, you indicate there was nothing in the left lane.....
So is passing in the left lane beneath you, some sort of slight to your superiority, if you have to use use that lane to pass perhaps....

So you catch up with a sleeping Joe or Joan at the wheel and rather than simply recognising the situation for what is is, you start flashing, foming at the gills, etc... This is considered "good practice"

How stupid and dangerous can you be !!

You are absolutely correct...


If on approach you failed to recognise this car was not moving out of the lane and you have an empty lane to your left and failed to take advantage of it..

....stupid cnut. .....because someone will die because of this stupidity.

Mobile flyovers that's required...
My sympathies..

Rant over :rolleyes:

Villain

You what bugs me even more, I do be in the overtaking lane overtaking traffic doing the legal 120kph and I get these guys behind me flashing lights and beeping horns to get out of the way. So I stay in front of them doing 120 and then usually try to undertake you. Speed limits are there for a f**king reason. I drive a 2.5l Subaru Legacy and I can manage to stay to the limits why the hell do people feel the need to go as fast as possible on the motorway???

Rant Over.

Alun

AMurphy wrote:

Lets see, you indicate there was nothing in the left lane.....
So is passing in the left lane beneath you, some sort of slight to your superiority, if you have to use use that lane to pass perhaps....

Errrm, this is Ireland we're talking about here not the US of A, where, like the rest of Europe, overtaking on the left (unless in slow moving heavy traffic) is actually illegal It was the responsibility of the driver in the overtaking lane to move over to the left to allow him to pass.

Jumpy

AMurphy wrote:

Substance, it does have indeed.
Lets see, you indicate there was nothing in the left lane.....
So is passing in the left lane beneath you, some sort of slight to your superiority, if you have to use use that lane to pass perhaps....

So you catch up with a sleeping Joe or Joan at the wheel and rather than simply recognising the situation for what is is, you start flashing, foming at the gills, etc... This is considered "good practice"

How stupid and dangerous can you be !!

You are absolutely correct...


If on approach you failed to recognise this car was not moving out of the lane and you have an empty lane to your left and failed to take advantage of it..

....stupid cnut. .....because someone will die because of this stupidity.

Mobile flyovers that's required...
My sympathies..

Rant over :rolleyes:

Passing must be done on the right. Overtaking on the left is frowned upon and referred to quite funnily as 'undertaking' a word I only heard in this country, and while it is not illegal, it is not recommended as the driver in the overtaking lane can move back into the lane at any time.

Wolverine_1999

irish1 wrote:

You what bugs me even more, I do be in the overtaking lane overtaking traffic doing the legal 120kph and I get these guys behind me flashing lights and beeping horns to get out of the way. So I stay in front of them doing 120 and then usually try to undertake you. Speed limits are there for a f**king reason. I drive a 2.5l Subaru Legacy and I can manage to stay to the limits why the hell do people feel the need to go as fast as possible on the motorway???

Rant Over.

I agree that speed limits are there for a reason, but speed limits in Ireland are a joke to be put at the slightest. 120 Kmph on a Motorway? No wonder cars in Ireland are in such a state after a few years, because the engine is never used to it's full potential. Then we see signs for 80kmph on roads which could act more like a pothole slalom..

By the way, if you do keep to the limits all the time, why do you own a 2.5l car? A Ford KA would do the job for you!

AMurphy

Alun. Jumpy,
I know and I don't care, if there is a free lane and shoulder to escape into should they wake up, good.
I have yet to be pulled over and I'd rather be on my way than "right" and irritate, and if as happens on occasion, they speed up in protest, I don't care as long as I keep on truckin @ 70.
I do draw the line at passing on the shoulder.... but don't press me.

neacy69

TheBazman wrote:

That really bugs me - and it happens so bloody often

Usual process - begin to catch up with car in front and stay a safe distance. Plenty of room for them to pull over but - no , obviously are immune to using mirrors. So move up right behind them (which the AA recommend btw), still no reaction. Eventually flash the lights (which the AA again recommend), most often get no reaction, but as you say sometimes the old brakes are hit. As a last resort you have to undertake (which the AA does not recommend, but hey 2 out of 3 aint bad)

This sort of crap causes road rage, and speeding - cos sure thing when you do get past you will speed off at a much quicker speed than you were originally doing

yes the scenario you have quoted would be a polite courteous and safe way of driving....but from my experience of driving on motorways here in ireland your more likely to get some cnut drive straight up your arse beeping and flashing immediately upon coming in sight of you.
If someone is in the overtaking lane or any lane for that matter doing the LEGAL speed limit then its not your position to make them speed up. Its your decision to speed and endanger lives so please don't force it upon others

Villain

Wolverine_1999 wrote:

I agree that speed limits are there for a reason, but speed limits in Ireland are a joke to be put at the slightest. 120 Kmph on a Motorway? No wonder cars in Ireland are in such a state after a few years, because the engine is never used to it's full potential. Then we see signs for 80kmph on roads which could act more like a pothole slalom..

By the way, if you do keep to the limits all the time, why do you own a 2.5l car? A Ford KA would do the job for you!

LOL so I shouldn't bother buying a Legacy unless I'm going to break the speed limits!!!:rolleyes:

You see the problem as I see it is that people reckon its ok to break the speed limits as its their lives at risk, problem is when you speed you put a lot more lives at risk than your own, I know most people on here can probably drive safely at 130-140 kmph on a motorway but what if some guy decides to break suddenly because he just realised he's at his junction what do you do!!

There is no excuse for driving over 120kmph on a motorway be in a Ka or a Legacy

AMurphy

irish1 wrote:

You what bugs me even more, I do be in the overtaking lane overtaking traffic doing the legal 120kph and I get these guys behind me flashing lights and beeping horns to get out of the way. So I stay in front of them doing 120 and then usually try to undertake you. Speed limits are there for a f**king reason. I drive a 2.5l Subaru Legacy and I can manage to stay to the limits why the hell do people feel the need to go as fast as possible on the motorway???

Rant Over.

Joking I hope...
Anyway, for illustration.... lets say we have Mr/s. Irish1 here, cruising in the "passing" lane at the limit.
nothing in the "pleb" lane........ let's see again. if there is nothing in the lanes save for me and I1, why would I be in the "passing" lane anyway, sure that makes me as bad if not worse than I1, ... it is legal to do the limit in the "other" lane.
So I'm actually dong the limit +10 in the "slow" lane, cause there's nothing else about.. right?.

either way, I am gaining on this car in teh "fast" lane... I'm now in teh slow lane, cause that's where I should be on an empty road anyway...and I can see from 1/4 mile away that it is not budging or making any indication of a change in any way whatsoever, so what am I to assume.... This guy is wide awake and really on the ball and knows I'm coming up on him/her and will make adjustments, OR, this guy is asleep at the wheel, on the phone with the girl/boyfriend and won't know I'm even on this planet until I rap on his left door....

I'll leave you to figure out the posibilities....

Villain

AMurphy wrote:

Joking I hope...
Anyway, for illustration.... lets say we have Mr/s. Irish1 here, cruising in the "passing" lane at the limit.
nothing in the "pleb" lane........ let's see again. if there is nothing in the lanes save for me and I1, why would I be in the "passing" lane anyway, sure that makes me as bad if not worse than I1, ... it is legal to do the limit in the "other" lane.
So I'm actually dong the limit +10 in the "slow" lane, cause there's nothing else about.. right?.

either way, I am gaining on this car in teh "fast" lane... I'm now in teh slow lane, cause that's where I should be on an empty road anyway...and I can see from 1/4 mile away that it is not budging or making any indication of a change in any way whatsoever, so what am I to assume.... This guy is wide awake and really on the ball and knows I'm coming up on him/her and will make adjustments, OR, this guy is asleep at the wheel, on the phone with the girl/boyfriend and won't know I'm even on this planet until I rap on his left door....

I'll leave you to figure out the posibilities....

AMurphy how about you read my post again, I said:

in the overtaking lane overtaking traffic

.

I am only ever in the overtaking lane if I am overtaking, seriously did you even bother to read my post??

spockety

RobAMerc wrote:

Almost at the end of a 400km journey most of it in foul weather, on the N7 motorway just south of Naas, I came up behind the usual idiot sat in the overtaking lane at 100kph with nothing in left lane. I flashed them and their first reaction was to jump on the brakes.

How stupid and dangerous can you be !!

I pulled up inside her and stood on the horn letting her know she was a stupid cnut. Before moving on. A couple of miles later she came up along side me and started mouthing off at me at the lights and gave me the fingers.

So this is a warning to you twats that think the outside lane is for sleeping and you should break test anyone who tries to pass, I for one am going to start taking numbers, reporting you and following this through because someone will die because of this stupidity. :mad:

Rant over, but this has substance !

Not trying to rip the piss here or anything, but if there was nobody on your left, which allowed you to pull in, and take her on the inside, who exactly were you overtaking which would justify YOU being in the overtaking lane?

Alun

irish1 wrote:

LOL so I shouldn't bother buying a Legacy unless I'm going to break the speed limits!!!:rolleyes:

You see the problem as I see it is that people reckon its ok to break the speed limits as its their lives at risk, problem is when you speed you put a lot more lives at risk than your own, I know most people on here can probably drive safely at 130-140 kmph on a motorway but what if some guy decides to break suddenly because he just realised he's at his junction what do you do!!

There is no excuse for driving over 120kmph on a motorway be in a Ka or a Legacy

Well, until very recently, you could only legally drive at 112km/h on motorways, so doing what you now do, i.e. drive at 120km/h would, therefore, in your eyes have then been reckless and dangerous. It's all relative.

And if some guy breaks [sic] because he's missed his junction, then whether you're travelling at 120km/h or 130km/h isn't going to make a whole lot of difference. Ok, it might make a slight one, but then you can use that same argument 'ad absurdum' to make a case for a 50km/h speed limit on motorways if you wanted to.

I've lived and driven in Germany where average speeds on the Autobahn far exceed 120km/h, but then the people there know how to drive.

Alun

spockety wrote:

Not trying to rip the piss here or anything, but if there was nobody on your left, which allowed you to pull in, and take her on the inside, who exactly were you overtaking which would justify YOU being in the overtaking lane?

Well, maybe he was coming up to her in the left lane, and when he got closer pulled out into the overtaking lane to, well, overtake her?

Villain

Alun wrote:

I've lived and driven in Germany where average speeds on the Autobahn far exceed 120km/h, but then the people there know how to drive.

Exactly, in Germany do they have 500,000 drivers on the road that have never passed a driving test, I mean a lot of people I know are awaiting driving tests so they shouldn't even be on the motorway!!!

Kersh

Recently I have lost count of the amount of drivers who move out of the overtaking lane and into the left lane when they see you, and after you go by, they pull back into the overtaking lane, even though the left lane is empty... as you move into the left lane again.... FKing muppets.

css

irish1 wrote:

There is no excuse for driving over 120kmph on a motorway be in a Ka or a Legacy

Sorry but this statement really is stupid. If someone wants to do over 120kph it's their choice, who are you to say otherwise? I for one am sick of the attitude "I'm doing the speed limit, where do they think they are going" by spanners who sit in the overtaking lane.

hargo

2 offences irish1, failing to drive on the left and driving without due consideration to other drivers. Even when you join the reserve force you can't enforce the speed limit by blocking the passing lane.

el tel

Similar thing happened to me on Friday evening, on the M1 going up the hill just beyond the toll. While I was overtaking (@ 120kmh) a group of four cars who were crawling up the hill the second car in the line began to pull out without indicating. I had kept my indicators on throughout the manoeuvre so they would all see me and know my intentions but he pulled out anyway, doing about 100kmh. Before he entered my lane I flashed him to alert him of my presence but he kept on coming before finally getting fully in front of me and slamming on his brakes!

So not only was this muppet (red Peuget 306, cheap bodykit and fat alloys) stupid, he was aggressive too. When I eventually got along side him a bit further on I could see that he actually had his mobile phone to his ear the whole time! When I saw this I held the horn on full blast hoping that the person on the phone to knob-jockey might hear and ask what the f**k he was doing...

Villain

Jesus F**king Christ will people bother to read my post before they go making comments. I'll repeat it again so try reading this people.

I said I do be in the Overtaking lane OVERTAKING TRAFFIC doing the speed limit of 120kmph when people flash and beep the horn at me to drive faster.

So Hargo can you tell me what offence I have commited??? How about none!!!

As for you CSS my comment is far from STUPID, its the bloody Law, yes the law of this country. As for me and other spanners who drive the to the speed limit well we'll probably live a lot longer than people like you who see nothing wrong with breaking the speed limit.

Some people on here are so ignornat to road safety its a bloody joke.

prospect

AMurphy. There is no excuse for overtaking on the left (in this country). The problem with that attitude is that it would soon become an accepted standard, and also driving in the right lane will become accepted with it.

Irish1, It is not your place to enforce the law. If you are in the right lane doing 120Kmh, and have room to move over, then you should do that. WHY? Because if someone has the mentality to drive up a motorway at 150Kmh, and flash at you, there is no saying what other dangerous manouvres they will attempt.


The problems here is repeated all over these boards:
1. The sheer volume of people who do not know how to drive properly and safely is astonishing (e.g. The Girl Hogging the OVERTAKING lane)
2. Peoples Holier-Than-Thou-I-Shall-Enforce-The-Law-Myself attitude, which is probable equally dangerous.

But I would imagine if problem 1 was dealt with, problem 2 would not arise as often.

shnaek

The overtaking lane is for overtaking. Full stop. No buts. In Australia there are signs reminding you of this everywhere. We need the same here.

The simple fact is there are more and more cars on Irish (Sh*tty) roads, and there will be more and more accidents. All we can do to make this better is have a little more courtesy for our fellow drivers.

Villain

prospect wrote:

Irish1, It is not your place to enforce the law. If you are in the right lane doing 120Kmh, and have room to move over, then you should do that. WHY? Because if someone has the mentality to drive up a motorway at 150Kmh, and flash at you, there is no saying what other dangerous manouvres they will attempt.

No hold on a second, if the left hand lane is moving at say 100kmph and a steady flow of traffic in it I am quite entitled to drive @ 120kmph in the overtaking lane overtaking the traffic in the left hand lane am I not??

kluivert

irish1 wrote:

No hold on a second, if the left hand lane is moving at say 100kmph and a steady flow of traffic in it I am quite entitled to drive @ 120kmph in the overtaking lane overtaking the traffic in the left hand lane am I not??

There is a difference between entitlement as you think and the rules of the road.

The right lane is for overtaking full stop. No ifs or buts about it ok.

If your driving in the fast lane when there's no need to as in empty road then your retarded and you know you are.

I agree 100% with the original poster, Id do the same, infact I think a whistle blower culture would be helpful. Start taking numbers make a report.

Yesterday evening a middle aged gentleman in a Audi A4 04 LH reg decided to overtake everything in sight including around blind corners.

Villain

kluivert wrote:

There is a difference between entitlement as you think and the rules of the road.

The right lane is for overtaking full stop. No ifs or buts about it ok.

If your driving in the fast lane when there's no need to as in empty road then your retarded and you know you are.

Emm under the rules of the road I am entitled to do exactly what I said, overtake cars in the overtaking lane.

prospect

irish1 wrote:

No hold on a second, if the left hand lane is moving at say 100kmph and a steady flow of traffic in it I am quite entitled to drive @ 120kmph in the overtaking lane overtaking the traffic in the left hand lane am I not??

Yes you are.
Which is why i put this clause in bold italic letters:
"and have room to move over"

el tel

irish1 wrote:

No hold on a second, if the left hand lane is moving at say 100kmph and a steady flow of traffic in it I am quite entitled to drive @ 120kmph in the overtaking lane overtaking the traffic in the left hand lane am I not??

You are but merely adhereing to the basic rules and rights does not neccessarily constitute safe driving or good road sense. The left lane could have a long queue of cars, miles long even, and you could sit out there for ages passing them at 120kmh safe in the knowledge that you are within speed limits and are 'overtaking'. I also could be overtaking, at 140kmh and will come upon you. I'll give you time to pull over and when you don't after a while I'll gently remind you of my presense by a putting on my right indicator. Should you be determined not to pull over when there is an opportunity to do so then I'll perhaps give a quick a non-threating flash of the lights. By now of course you'll be pissing off the whole load of people who will by then be queued up behind you.

Duiske

To the original OP. If you were driving @ 120kmph in the left-hand lane, and come upon someone doing 100kmph in the overtaking lane,why not just stay in your lane and pass them ? Would make more sense than stressing yourself out over it, or trying to intimidate the other driver with flashing lights and horn.

ccs wrote:

Sorry but this statement really is stupid. If someone wants to do over 120kph it's their choice, who are you to say otherwise? I for one am sick of the attitude "I'm doing the speed limit, where do they think they are going" by spanners who sit in the overtaking lane.

No. Your point is just daft. Its ok for you to choose to break the law by speeding, but its not ok for someone else to choose to break the law by hogging the overtaking lane ?? Get over yourself !

Villain

TBH el tel I have no problem pissing off people who want to break the speed limits, also tbh most of the time I do move in and the let cars past once I have overtaken the cars that are moving slowly in the left hand lane, but its bugs me when people start flashing me while I'm overtaking them because they feel the need to drive above the speed limit.

Bard

If I recall correctly, you have the right to briefly exceed the speed limit in order to safely overtake the car in front of you.

prospect wrote:

AMurphy. There is no excuse for overtaking on the left (in this country).

Actually, there are a number of valid excuses - all of which are in the rules of the road, a couple of which are:

• When you are in multi-lane traffic and the traffic on the right is moving more slowly than the traffic on the left.
• When you intend to enter an upcoming filter lane to turn left.

Aside, regarding the "law enforcers", no matter how righteous you think you are, it's plainly stupid to sit in the overtaking lane (whether overtaking or not), and rigidly stick to 120kph when there are aggressive drivers behind you who want to go faster. It's not up to you to slow them down (Besides... there could be an ambulance, unmarked police car, or another such vehicle further back that you're not aware of...) - you should pull over at the next opportunity and let them pass.

TillyT

RobAMerc......are u a merc driver?

neacy69

css wrote:

Sorry but this statement really is stupid. If someone wants to do over 120kph it's their choice, who are you to say otherwise? I for one am sick of the attitude "I'm doing the speed limit, where do they think they are going" by spanners who sit in the overtaking lane.

Im also sorry but this statment is stupid. driving above 120Kph is illegal therefore it is not a choice it is against the law. People do not have a choice to do over 120Kph- thats the root of the problem people do not have respect for the law against speeding therefore think it is their choice to drive at whatever speed they want...

prospect

Bard wrote:

Actually, there are a number of valid excuses - all of which are in the rules of the road, a couple of which are:

• When you are in multi-lane traffic and the traffic on the right is moving more slowly than the traffic on the left.
• When you intend to enter an upcoming filter lane to turn left.

Allright Mr.Pedantic :rolleyes: ,
I was referring to OVERTAKING on the left. As in the situation illustrated by the OP, which is what this whole thread is about.

jdwals

I'm with Irish1 on this one (didn't think I would be when I read his first post but there you go!).
If I am in the right hand lane overtaking a line of cars in the left hand lane, and if someone comes up behind me driving faster - I will not move in to the left hand lane until I have A: Finished my overtaking manuver and B: Judge that it is safe for me to do so and to hell with whatever anyone behind me thinks.
Let me assure everyone that every opportunity I have, I will drive in the left hand lane and will pull back in to that lane once I have completed any overtaking manuver.
I just refuse to cut someone up and squezze into a nearly non existent gap to let someone who thinks they need to get to where they are going ten seconds faster bully me off the road.
Just also like to say that I have started trying out indicating with my right indicator whenever I come up behind someone blocking the overtaking lane for no reason, rather than giving them a flash of my headlights. And for some reason it works wonders!!!! Got this idea off these boards and it is great. People seem to have no problem moving in for an indicator but get really upset with a flash of the headlights.
As regards underataking - I have done it in the past and will do it in the future but I hate doing it and it is always a last resort for me. There should be no need for it if everyone drove according to the rules of the road and with courtesy for other road users but I refuse to be held up on a motorway or dual carraige way because someone is either half asleep, does not care about other drivers or just has no idea where they need to be.

Raiser

TheBazman wrote:

......So move up right behind them (which the AA recommend btw)......

:mad: Wow, it just so happens that any driver with all chromosomes present and accounted for, who has a conscious awarenss of reality and the World around them recognises tail-gating as a grossly stupid act whereby you endanger your own sad little life, legs, spine, ability to feed yourself on a daily basis. Furthermore if you want to kill whoever happens to be driving ahead of you and put their kids in little health-board subsidised wheelchairs, this is a good tactic.

I can only imagine that by the AA you mean the Ar$eholes Alumni or perhaps that other venerable organisation Accident Association [?] Let me know because I intend on contacting them for clarification - Any organisation offering advice to motorists that clearly prohits them from driving safely [for themselves and unfortunate innocents in their vicinity] should be closed down promptly.

And TheBazman - If you ever come closer than a safe stopping distance of my rear number plate [with heed to road conditions and enviornmental factors] I will go through the physics of the speed of light & reaction times, variance in the coefficient of friction for rubber/asphalt in wet dry conditions and finally I'll personally demonstrate the effects/trauma that multiple impacts with windscreens, pressed steel and concrete can have on your cramped cranium.................With the aid of some slides I happen to have of course

Bard

prospect wrote:

Allright Mr.Pedantic :rolleyes: ,
I was referring to OVERTAKING on the left. As in the situation illustrated by the OP, which is what this whole thread is about.

So was I.

It's perfectly legal to overtake on the left if the traffic on the right is moving too slowly.

prospect

Bard wrote:

So was I.

It's perfectly legal to overtake on the left if the traffic on the right is moving too slowly.

In the OPs situation, it is not.
If you are travelling up the left lane of a motorway at 120KMh and there is someone in the right lane travelling at 100KMh, you should not continue up the left lane past them (also they should not be there in the first place).

If you are in TRAFFIC, it is a completely different situation.

el tel

jdwals wrote:

I'm with Irish1 on this one (didn't think I would be when I read his first post but there you go!).
If I am in the right hand lane overtaking a line of cars in the left hand lane, and if someone comes up behind me driving faster - I will not move in to the left hand lane until I have A: Finished my overtaking manuver and B: Judge that it is safe for me to do so and to hell with whatever anyone behind me thinks.
Let me assure everyone that every opportunity I have, I will drive in the left hand lane and will pull back in to that lane once I have completed any overtaking manuver.
I just refuse to cut someone up and squezze into a nearly non existent gap to let someone who thinks they need to get to where they are going ten seconds faster bully me off the road.
Just also like to say that I have started trying out indicating with my right indicator whenever I come up behind someone blocking the overtaking lane for no reason, rather than giving them a flash of my headlights. And for some reason it works wonders!!!! Got this idea off these boards and it is great. People seem to have no problem moving in for an indicator but get really upset with a flash of the headlights.
As regards underataking - I have done it in the past and will do it in the future but I hate doing it and it is always a last resort for me. There should be no need for it if everyone drove according to the rules of the road and with courtesy for other road users but I refuse to be held up on a motorway or dual carraige way because someone is either half asleep, does not care about other drivers or just has no idea where they need to be.

Everything* you say is spot on.


*Still don't like the thought of Irish1 out there like the lone ranger enforcing the 120kmh speed limit though. Some laws (e.g. speeding) may be broken without endangering anyone as long as some punter doesn't decide to be the hero and get involved.

Kersh

I love 'overtaking' threads.


Bit surely if i go out and buy a 360 Modena, and willingly fly down the motorway at 290kmh and am willing to accept my punishment.... will you guys move out of my way.... or do some of you enforce the law.... by blocking the right hand lane.

Bard

prospect wrote:

If you are travelling up the left lane of a motorway at 120KMh and there is someone in the right lane travelling at 100KMh, you should not continue up the left lane past them.

What you're suggesting would mean that if, for example, some idiot was sitting in the overtaking lane at 60Km/h, and I was driving up the left lane at 80Km/h, I wouldn't legally be allowed pass said idiot who is driving at 60Km/h unless he pulls in to the left and I pull out to the right to pass him?

Can you quote us a particular piece of Irish legislation that backs that up? I doubt it.

It stands that the Rules of the Road state that you MAY overtake on the left if traffic on the right is moving too slowly. One car is "traffic".

prospect

In fairness to Irish1, I just don't think his first post was worded well.

He had no oppertunity to pull in to the left lane and let the faster car by. And if he is not happy to speed up above the limit in order to change lane sooner, well that is a simple fact the guy behind has to accept.
However, if he had passed up some oppertunities to let the faster car by, well that is a different story, but that does not seem to be what happened.

RobAMerc

Please read my original post again before commenting. There was no-one on the left lane as I approached her, she should not have been out there and I was totally in the right to try overtake her in the OVERTAKING lane.

It would be illegal and stupid to overtake her in the left lane.

I appologise if people read my post and thought I was flashing her while she was in the 'OVERTAKING lane' actually overtaking, whether she was doing 100kph or 500kph because then I would have been wrong.

So I will repeat, the left lane was empty she was NOT overtaking anyone and there was no-one in the left lane.

And to be honest more to the point, she should not have hit the brakes it is surely unjustifyable.

maidhc

Lads, forget the rules for a second.

If everyone drove sensibly there wouldnt half as many accidents.

All this nonsense about pedantic interpretation of the ROTR is only going to cause accidents in a "how dare he me undertake me while I am doing the limit I am entitled to do on the outside lane.. I am going to show him" kind of way.

prospect

Bard wrote:

What you're suggesting would mean that if, for example, some idiot was sitting in the overtaking lane at 60Km/h, and I was driving up the left lane at 80Km/h, I wouldn't legally be allowed pass said idiot who is driving at 60Km/h unless he pulls in to the left and I pull out to the right to pass him?

Can you quote us a particular piece of Irish legislation that backs that up? I doubt it.

It stands that the Rules of the Road state that you MAY overtake on the left if traffic on the right is moving too slowly.

The operative word being TRAFFIC, not SINGLE VEHICLE.

Can you point out any legislation that says it is legal to pass out on the left whenever you see fit.
This is exactly what I meant in my earlier post when I said the main problems is certain peoples complete inability to drive safely, and interpret the rules of the road properly.
You are using a very specific rule and applying it to a different situation to suit your needs. Where as, if the person wasn't driving in the outside lane in the first place, you would not need to do that.

So their bad driving has now passed onto you.

2Tagz

irish1 wrote:

TBH el tel I have no problem pissing off people who want to break the speed limits, also tbh most of the time I do move in and the let cars past once I have overtaken the cars that are moving slowly in the left hand lane, but its bugs me when people start flashing me while I'm overtaking them because they feel the need to drive above the speed limit.

Yeah it's a pain in the arse when you pull out to overtake and some following car suddenly hits "turbo boost" out of nowhere and drives up your behind. This happens every now and again if you drive motorways regularly. You can reduce this happening to you by being as aware as possible of following car behaviour and by judging your overtaking opportunities on that basis but you won't eliminate it altogether. Sometimes you will make mistakes and sometimes other drivers will be irresponsible. Now bear with me..

Personally I've witnessed a lot of close calls while motorway driving when cars are attempting pass manoeuvres while both lanes of traffic are running on or below the speed limits. It's absolutely essential for road safety on motorways that the overtaking lane moves faster than the left lane at all times (except when there's a jam of course..). This sometimes entails breaking the signed speed limits. Think about the road the same way as a normal single lane; if you were stuck behind a JCB doing 20 KPH on a road with a 40 KPH limit would you pull out and make sure to maintain a rigid 39 KPH expecting any possible approaching traffic to pull over & stop while you stay "legal"? Personally I would pull out and hit the gas in order to get out and get back in again as quickly as possible, even if it it meant breaking the limit for a few seconds. This is purely so as not to endanger other road users. The whole problem here is with a lack of lane discipline; discipline has never been a popular concept in Irish civic life so it's no surprise that our roads reflect this. Depends whether you believe that the Law alone should dictate how we behave in public..

Bard

RobAMerc wrote:

It would be illegal and stupid to overtake her in the left lane.

Actually, it would have been neither.

I would have been perfectly legal as she was impeding the flow of traffic by driving too slowly. And it wouldn't have been stupid either - what was more stupid, perhaps, was flashing your lights at her, as god knows what reaction that will provoke from most drivers - in your case it got a bad one.

So I will repeat, the left lane was empty she was NOT overtaking anyone and there was no-one in the left lane.

Then, while it doesn't excuse her ignorance, you did the right thing by overtaking her on the left.

And to be honest more to the point, she should not have hit the brakes it is surely unjustifyable.

While she shouldn't have hit the brakes as a reaction to you flashing her, you shouldn't have really flashed her as that's a fairly aggressive signal. At least you were prepared for her to hit the brakes and there was no collission - because if there were, in the eyes of the law, it would have been entirely your fault.

prospect wrote:

The operative word being TRAFFIC, not SINGLE VEHICLE.

A single car IS traffic. If I can't proceed at a reasonable pace on a multi-lane road because of a car on the right (TRAFFIC!) driving too slowly, I have the legal right to overtake it on the left according to the rules of the road. Seems clear enough to me.

prospect wrote:

Can you point out any legislation that says it is legal to pass out on the left whenever you see fit.

Nobody said anything about "whenever you see fit". I said "if traffic on the right is moving too slowly". You still haven't pointed to any legislation to back up your point. I've pointed to the Rules of the Road.

prospect wrote:

This is exactly what I meant in my earlier post when I said the main problems is certain peoples complete inability to drive safely, and interpret the rules of the road properly.
You are using a very specific rule and applying it to a different situation to suit your needs. Where as, if the person wasn't driving in the outside lane in the first place, you would not need to do that.

The situation is exactly the same. Multi-lane traffic with the traffic on the right driving too slowly. It's not terribly ambiguous you know... nothing to misinterpret.

prospect wrote:

So their bad driving has now passed onto you.

You have no idea of my level of driving competence.

prospect

Bard wrote:

Actually, it would have been neither.

I would have been perfectly legal

I cant believe this guy? :eek:

Surely a troll......

ambro25

To the original OP. If you were driving @ 120kmph in the left-hand lane, and come upon someone doing 100kmph in the overtaking lane,why not just stay in your lane and pass them ? EDIT:And similar recommendation by other posters

If the 'undertaken' car happens to move back into the left lane whilst you are undertaking it, and metal bending occurs, it your fault insurance-wise. 100% of it.

I have personally witnessed such an incident in Belgium years ago, in which I was actually all set to follow the BMW that was undertaking a big Merc that was sitting in the overtaking lane (empty for miles ahead) - guess what? the undertaken driver must have been so surprised by the maoeuver (he probably hadn't seen us 'arrive' on him) that he (instinctively?) pulled back in, clipping the BMW's ass in doing so. Considering we were close to 150 kph at the time, it wasn't pretty (but noone was hurt, thankfully).

That's why you dont undertake, or at least not until you're sure that the other driver has seen you (but has decided not to pull over).