Lorries overtaking on the motorway

unkel

Isn't that supposed to be punishable by 1 penalty point now? They're still all over the overtaking lane of the M50

Doesn't seem to be enforced at all, although it is one of the clearest and undisputable offences for which one can get penalty points

Can anyone confirm this rule is only applicable on motorways and not on any other dual carriageways (like N4, N7, etc.)?

Highlander

is it not 2 points. happens on the M1 daily, have lost count of the number of trucks and buses using the overtaking lane since the points came in

Stephen

I see trucks passing each other (WOOHOO, rolling roadblock) on the M7/M9 all the time. Annoying.

crosstownk

This wrecks my head too. But, typically, the enforcement is poor. If lots of trucks were stopped, fined and points handed out word would get round and maybe we would see some improvement. I won't be holding my breath.

The Doktor

happening all the time on the N7.. and having trucks pass u on that with the current state of it is scary... since they always seem to cross the white line into the left lane cos the right one is a bit narrow..

crosstownk

I've often rang the "hows my driving" number but usually I can't get through or it just rings out. What difference, if any, would it make if I did get through?

FX Meister

Mate of mine got a couple of points the other day when his back wheel rolled up on a low kerb when doing a three point turn on a tight road. Complete accident. Maybe that's more important to enforce.

maidhc

unkel wrote:

Doesn't seem to be enforced at all, although it is one of the clearest and undisputable offences for which one can get penalty points

Also the silliest offence when there are only 2 lanes. Is a truck driver really expected to spend 20 miles behind an eejet doing 40mph on a motorway when he could overtake on straight single carriageway despite it being inherently more dangerous!

SouperComputer

I thought the rule applied to three lane motorways only, hence the ridicule it got as we dont have any......I think!

themole

when i first say this post i thought surely these guys have got i wrong and that its points for driving in the overtaking lane when not actually overtaking.

but when i read up the government site it say:
Driving a HGV or bus on the outside lane on a motorway 1

thats seems kinds mad to me.

it would only work if people were being fined for driving too slow on the motorway.

the main problem here is that people don't know how to drive on motorways, mostly since we don't have very many.

BrianD3

I thought the rule applied to three lane motorways only, hence the ridicule it got as we dont have any......I think!

AFAIK the legislation refers to HGVs being banned from the "outside lane" of a motorway and doesn't distinguish between 2 lane and 3 lane motorways. So it would appear that yes it is illegal for a truck to overtake on an Irish 2 lane motorway.

It could be that whoever came up with these regs tried to copy the British regs but didn't fully understand what they were doing.

Trucks overtaking on M-ways don't bother me. Even though their overtakes may take a relatively long time at least they use the overtaking lane for......overtaking. IME they always pull back in when they've finished their overtake. The same cannot be said for a large proportion of the car drivers on M-ways.

BrianD3

Oh yeah and I forgot to add - it's not just HGVs and buses that are banned from the overtaking lane, all vehicles with a 50 mph speed limit are banned too. This means any car towing a trailer is banned from overtaking on a motorway.

Torak

themole wrote:

it would only work if people were being fined for driving too slow on the motorway.

Absolutely and completely disagree unfortunately.

The effect on traffic flow is unbelievable. The MAXIMUM speed of an HGV is 80KPH. Full STOP. The problem I see everyday on the motorway is tit HGV drivers passing a line of 5 trucks who are doing 80-ish (a little extra, but we can all give a little lee-way).

So the truck pulls out and begins its overtaking manouevre, suddenly we have a situation where this guy is STRAINING to try and get his truck up to ~95 KPH and it takes about 2 minutes to actually overtake.

Even then he only gets back in to the left lane because another HGV driver takes pity on him.. Flash of the hazards ;-) and on we go.. Its nuts. and its not now and again, its all the time.

The effect on the line of traffic behind is unreal in that situation.

I've got no problem with HGV drivers. Many are top notch drivers and some of the best on the road, but the simple fact is that the effect on traffic of a vehicle whose maximum speed is 80KPH pulling out into a lane of traffic designated for overtaking people who are not driving at 120KPH is disastrous.

Since the penalty points came in a LOT of HGV drivers have stopped overtaking in the outside lane (or at least stopped driving in it) and the effect has been a wonderful experience. Its started to slip again lately though which is a pain..

My 2Cents for what its worth,

Note that its all opinion :-)

maidhc

Torak wrote:

The MAXIMUM speed of an HGV is 80KPH.

Until the speed limiter gets unplugged.

Torak

maidhc wrote:

Until the speed limiter gets unplugged.

Sorry, should have said legal speed limit..

true tbh....

Seth Brundle

Sure the stupidity of the Depts of Transport, Justice, etc. decided to build a tunnel at great inconvienence and expense to remove trucks from the city. then they introduce a rule stating that the trucks cannot use the tunnel to its capacity.

FX Meister wrote:

Mate of mine got a couple of points the other day when his back wheel rolled up on a low kerb when doing a three point turn on a tight road. Complete accident. Maybe that's more important to enforce.

What did they get points for? Dangerous driving?

FX Meister

Yeah dangerous driving. He's appealing it on the advice of a friend of his who is a Gardai and he said he would sort it out for him.

Our man in Havana

Is elephant racing illegal anyways on Motorways?

Victor

It probably comes under the "no animals" rule. You could try ostrich racing, but I think there a rules against racing agricultural animals (as most ostriches in this country are). So its down to zoo ostriches and snails then.

maidhc

Victor wrote:

You could try ostrich racing, but I think there a rules against racing agricultural animals (as most ostriches in this country are).

i don't think any farmers have them anymore, they were a bit of a scam/fad.

Would you eat ostrich instead of steak?

Kersh

Did anyone see the green mondeo that was parked outside the Ambassador hotel on the Naas Road - it was crushed into the outside barrier by a 40ft as it pulled out to overtake - my friend was driving it, the driver said he didnt see him - My poor mate had a terrible day, he was on the way to mondello and he wrecked his car (f. vee) in the first race, and failed to finish the second one.....
anyway, the truck shouldnt have been attempting an overtake anyway, so I assume he is liable?????

blastman

Ostrich meat was supposed to be nice (never had it myself, but a couple of friends did). I think ostriches are expensive and difficult to farm, so there wasn't any money to be made.

impr0v

Kersh wrote:

Did anyone see the green mondeo that was parked outside the Ambassador hotel on the Naas Road - it was crushed into the outside barrier by a 40ft as it pulled out to overtake - my friend was driving it, the driver said he didnt see him - My poor mate had a terrible day, he was on the way to mondello and he wrecked his car (f. vee) in the first race, and failed to finish the second one.....
anyway, the truck shouldnt have been attempting an overtake anyway, so I assume he is liable?????

Dunno where the Ambassador hotel is personally so I'm open to correction on this, but I'd doubt the Naas Road is classified as motorway there, which is the offence covered.

In the response to the OP, and specifically the question of HGVs overtaking on the M50; while it is obviously technically a motorway, for all intensive purposes it doesn't function as one at peak times due to the immense traffic volumes.

Therefore, while I'd imagine that the offense could be easily enforced in conditions where there is freeflow traffic on a motorway and a HGV doing 85km/h overtakes another doing 80km/h to the detriment of all other traffic, I'd doubt an attempt to impose a 1pt penalty for overtaking on the M50 within the HGV 80km/h speed limit, in conditions where the traffic is crawling along and streams of people are trying to merge from the left, would stand up to any cursory challenge in court.