Explain this to me....

Drax

You are driving along a motorway with someone in your rear view mirror keeping pace with you for miles. Every opportunity to overtake. As soon as they see the end of the motorway they make a dash for it usually causing me to brake or accelerate into position. This has happened to me a couple of times recently with the majority of drivers being women. What is the mentality here? There was a line of traffic ahead on all occasions!? Do they think they will make progress or something? Weird.... Now I understand why the NRA dont want to go with 2+1 roads...

MercMad

If folk bother me because they are behind.....................I let them past !

No more stress !

Drax

Very true MercMad.
But the fact that they were sitting behind for ages and then decide to 'go for it' bugs the hell outta me!

Andrewf20

I see this alot on the N3 northbound when the roads goes down from 2 lanes to 1 lane after the Clonee exit.

It BeeMee

The best of all are the drivers that are just lacking that little bit of oooomph to get by, so they come up slowly outside, about 1 or 2mph faster than you.

The manouvre takes about a minute, and you just know if you looked over you'll see them with the steering wheel gripped tight, eyes straight ahead (can't look at the other driver, oh no, can't show weakness), a trickle of sweat on the forehead, teeth gritted, and under their breath they're talking to their own car "come on, move, you piece of..."

Then back on single-carriage roadway, they settle back down to 80km/h....


I call this "The Micra Syndrome"
I see it regularly on the Cashel by-pass, which starts up-hill (so a car with any bit of power can get up well) but ends on a downhill which allows the less agile an opportulity to catch up....

Dwilly

Drax wrote:

Every opportunity to overtake.

Yup.

What I don't get the type of driver that likes to use you as a pace setter/safety car.. You know the one that's right up your kiester on the motorway but never overtakes you? Even when you slow down they slow down too.

Makes you feel like you're under surveillance. :cool:

Victor Meldrew

It BeeMee wrote:

The best of all are the drivers that are just lacking that little bit of oooomph to get by, so they come up slowly outside, about 1 or 2mph faster than you.

I always thought that was paranoia about being "done" by the cops. I heard that in spain you get 10% leeway when overtaking, seems too sensible for Ireland though....

i've seen cops perched on 2+1 lanes to catch people using them to actually overtake so I can understand this a bit.

Elessar

Op I see that a lot.

But someone explain this to me:

I was on the M50 recently in the right lane going at the speed limit and overtaking cars on the left lane. Grand, no problem.

So I come to one of the 100km/hr zones and I reduce my speed to match. Next of all there is a queue of cars behind me, and the woman behind me moves right up my backside. She eventually overtakes, as do most of the other cars, and I get dirty looks from everyone - one woman in her golf looked as if she was screaming at me Then they all whizzed past me.

What on earth? Do they not realise it's a 100km zone?? They were braking the law and it's my fault?! Sure I could have moved into the left lane (and did eventually), but for what reason? They are all braking the speed limit.

event

Elessar wrote:

Op I see that a lot.

But someone explain this to me:

I was on the M50 recently in the right lane going at the speed limit and overtaking cars on the left lane. Grand, no problem.

So I come to one of the 100km/hr zones and I reduce my speed to match. Next of all there is a queue of cars behind me, and the woman behind me moves right up my backside. She eventually overtakes, as do most of the other cars, and I get dirty looks from everyone - one woman in her golf looked as if she was screaming at me Then they all whizzed past me.

What on earth? Do they not realise it's a 100km zone?? They were braking the law and it's my fault?! Sure I could have moved into the left lane (and did eventually), but for what reason? They are all braking the speed limit.

them breaking the law is not of your concern

you were in the wrong, the right hand lane is just to be used as an overtaking lane. You should have moved back inside if you can, if you are not overtaking anyone.

Drax

Elessar wrote:

They were braking the law and it's my fault?! Sure I could have moved into the left lane (and did eventually), but for what reason? They are all braking the speed limit.

There's your problem right there. Some drivers think they can police the roads. People are entitled to drive as fast as they want I suppose - it is them taking the risk. Assuming the left lane was free, you were holding up the traffic which can lead drivers to get very upset and possibly cause them to drive dangerously (i.e ovetake on the left). I know the stretch of M50 and I would say that the majority of drivers maintain their speed along it. Just move back in as soon as its safe to!

RobAMerc

Elessar - Expected some fairly harsh responses to this I imagine.

Unless you were overtaking when in the right hand lane you were totally in the wrong for being out there whether doing 100kph or 150kph.

As for people tailing you on the Motorway I suspect they were hiding from the cops and when they get to the end dash by in case you turn into some turd who drives at 80kph in the middle of the road on single lane carraigeway. We all have come across drivers who drive at 60kph if theres a bend and accelerate like mad on the straights making it impossible for the rest of us to get by them without using hyper drive (and the straight bits is where the Revenues "Speed Tax" collectors are most likely to be also!)

Vegeta

see this the whole time and I hate it.

Reminds me of people who cannot merge. They just blindly drive on oblivious to their surroundings

magentis

Thats the problem right there!
people like you who think they have the right to control other road users.
causing undertaking,tailgating etc.
thats an overtaking lane not a "fast lane".

Darragh29

I never see anyone sticking to the speed limit on the 60KPH stretch of the M50 northbound just before the toll! 80-100KPH seems to be the standard speed in the overtaking lane, obviously once the speed camera is out of the equation!

steveland?

I always love the fact that people fly by me at every opportunity they get to overtake because they see L-plates (not on the motorway by the way) when I'm doing exactly the speed limit, then (and this always seems to happen), I end up right behind them at the next set of lights...

Do they think they're actually going to make progress? Can't be worth risking yourself accelerating to 70kph on a 50kph stretch of road to overtake someone just to gain the length of one cars distance..

daedalus2097

Yeah, you see they have a full licence, so therefore are obviously better drivers than learners, and as such are allowed to do what they want on the road. Or at least that's the impression some of them give.

Interestingly enough in the past few weeks I've come across an increasing number of people sitting in the overtaking lane with nothing in the left hand lane. When I come up to them, rather than undertake, I'll slow down and pull into the overtaking lane behind them. Usually this results in a frustrating wait before some flashing of headlights until they eventually cop on, but increasingly I've had them pull into the left lane, only to pull out again into the fast lane once I've driven past!!! Nothing on the road visible to overtake either! I'd love to hear one of their explanations for that...

antodeco

steveland? wrote:

I always love the fact that people fly by me at every opportunity they get to overtake because they see L-plates (not on the motorway by the way) when I'm doing exactly the speed limit, then (and this always seems to happen), I end up right behind them at the next set of lights...

Do they think they're actually going to make progress? Can't be worth risking yourself accelerating to 70kph on a 50kph stretch of road to overtake someone just to gain the length of one cars distance..

I always see this. I admit, when on a motorway, Ill drive 120 on the 100 zone, but I wont tail anyone to move out of the way (just annoys me the people who then maintain their 98Kph in the 120 stretch. But Ill never overtake someone on anyform of a "normal" road. Just doesnt make sense! (exceptions are the the national routes of 100Kph and theres people sitting at 60/70)

Also, it amazes me how many people dont understand the concept of a dual carriageway with lanes of equal importance, but thats another thread altogether.....!

Gwynston

antodeco wrote:

Also, it amazes me how many people dont understand the concept of a dual carriageway with lanes of equal importance, but thats another thread altogether.....!

Eh? Well I for one don't understand what you're referring to there....
Please explain....

Ger the man

I dont understand why people have to race out of the toll on the M50 going southbound? You have about 7 or 8 booths feeding 3 lanes and everyone races to be first only to slow down so not to get caught by the speed camera (60kms)! Nobody has any patience or manners on the roads any more, we all need to get to our destination yesterday!

Stephen

daedalus2097 wrote:

Interestingly enough in the past few weeks I've come across an increasing number of people sitting in the overtaking lane with nothing in the left hand lane. When I come up to them, rather than undertake, I'll slow down and pull into the overtaking lane behind them. Usually this results in a frustrating wait before some flashing of headlights until they eventually cop on, but increasingly I've had them pull into the left lane, only to pull out again into the fast lane once I've driven past!!! Nothing on the road visible to overtake either! I'd love to hear one of their explanations for that...

AAAARGH :mad:
I see this every time I'm on a motorway and it drives me bananas.

Marcus.Aurelius

Elessar wrote:

Op I see that a lot.

But someone explain this to me:

I was on the M50 recently in the right lane going at the speed limit and overtaking cars on the left lane. Grand, no problem.

So I come to one of the 100km/hr zones and I reduce my speed to match. Next of all there is a queue of cars behind me, and the woman behind me moves right up my backside. She eventually overtakes, as do most of the other cars, and I get dirty looks from everyone - one woman in her golf looked as if she was screaming at me Then they all whizzed past me.

What on earth? Do they not realise it's a 100km zone?? They were braking the law and it's my fault?! Sure I could have moved into the left lane (and did eventually), but for what reason? They are all braking the speed limit.

Right lane is for overtaking only. If you are not overtaking, get the f*%k out of it!!

This really irritates the hell out of me.

Dwilly

Ger the man wrote:

I dont understand why people have to race out of the toll on the M50 going southbound?

Must be something to do with those booths making you feel like you're at Cheltenham, under starters orders

Anan1

Ger the man wrote:

I dont understand why people have to race out of the toll on the M50 going southbound?

For fun?:)

Darragh29

daedalus2097 wrote:

I'll slow down and pull into the overtaking lane behind them. Usually this results in a frustrating wait before some flashing of headlights until they eventually cop on...

Hmm, tailgating someone and then flashing headlights. Sounds like you are definitely part of the problem on our roads. If you are not able to overtake someone in the left hand lane, even if that is because someone is in the overtaking lane and is causing an obstruction, what are you doing in the overtaking lane yourself, when you clearly are not able to overtake the person in the left hand lane???

Mitch Connor

Darragh29 wrote:

Hmm, tailgating someone and then flashing headlights. Sounds like you are definitely part of the problem on our roads. If you are not able to overtake someone in the left hand lane, even if that is because someone is in the overtaking lane and is causing an obstruction, what are you doing in the overtaking lane yourself, when you clearly are not able to overtake the person in the left hand lane???

where does he say he tailgates them? Don't make assumptions then slag people off based on them.

If someone is in the overtaking lane driving slowly and not overtaking anyone, i would do the same as the other poster and move in behind them - in this case you are trying to overtake someone, the person that is now infront of you. I think it is better then sitting a distance behind them in the driving lane, waiting for them to move into it and then pull to the right to overtake them...

Also, i see nothing wrong with flashing your lights at someone holding up the overtaking lane for no reason - might just make them notice what they are doing and move over.

R.O.R

Tauren wrote:

If someone is in the overtaking lane driving slowly and not overtaking anyone, i would do the same as the other poster and move in behind them - in this case you are trying to overtake someone, the person that is now infront of you. I think it is better then sitting a distance behind them in the driving lane, waiting for them to move into it and then pull to the right to overtake them...

Also, i see nothing wrong with flashing your lights at someone holding up the overtaking lane for no reason - might just make them notice what they are doing and move over.

2nd that - tis sometimes the only way to get people Darragh to realise what they are doing :rolleyes: .

TBH since some dozy bint slammed on her brakes in the outside lane on the M50 late at night when I did this, I just keep to my cruising speed and go past them on the inside - staring at the idiot in the outside lane if safe to do so.

Mitch Connor

Yeah - always make sure i am WELL back from them when i flash the lights, just in case.

Never quite feel safe overtaking on the inside so i don't like to do it - if they are ignorant enough of their surroundings to be hogging the overtaking lane in the first place, i'm not putting my life on them checking their left mirror and blind spot....

R.O.R

If they've been pootling along in the outside lane for miles, oblivious that they should be in the clear lane to their left..........in the inside lane next to them is probably the safest place on the whole road.

Mitch Connor

R.O.R wrote:

If they've been pootling along in the outside lane for miles, oblivious that they should be in the clear lane to their left..........in the inside lane next to them is probably the safest place on the whole road.

yeah - but you pootling along behind them and in the driving lane isn't going to get them to move either. a quick flash of the lights might get the job done.

Anan1

R.O.R wrote:

If they've been pootling along in the outside lane for miles, oblivious that they should be in the clear lane to their left..........in the inside lane next to them is probably the safest place on the whole road.

Absolutely not. Being alongside an oblivious driver is never safe. I did it once, many years ago, and they chose that moment to change lanes. I'm with Tauren on this one.

Darragh29

daedalus2097 wrote:

I'll slow down and pull into the overtaking lane behind them.

I don't know where other people here learnt to read, but when I read the above statement, the only conclusion I can draw from someone who says they "slow down and pull into the overtaking lane behind them" is that by driving behind them, close enough to flast their lights at them for the purposes of intimidating another driver out of their way, is that they are TAILGATING. Have you ever seen a driver flashing lights at someone in front of them from two miles behind the car they are flashing??? No, didn't think so, the poster was obviously tailgating another driver and as for flashing lights at someone, we all know what the general consensus is of drivers who do this.

There seems to be a very qualified acceptance of the rules of the road on this thread. This attitude of, "if I want to do 140KPH in the lovertaking lane, that's my business so get the fu*k out of my way and get into your box in the left hand lane", is just pure ignorance in my opinion. You can't complain about someone doing 90KPH in the overtaking lane and then say in the same breath that someone who is in the OP's position is wrong for staying in the overtaking lane and doing 120KPH when you want to really be overtaking him at 140KPH, or in any event overtaking him at greater speed than he is travelliing at, thereby making you breach the speed limit.

Apparently one of the biggest causes of road fatalities in this country is speed, so if you are condoning the behaviour that the OP is referring to, you are supporting people who are causing fatalities on our roads, in fact you are most likely to be one of those contributors yourself in the future.