Motorway: How do you use yours

j2dab

Something got me thinking about this, just wanted to see how many people have no problem with driving in the right hand lane while not overtaking?

squod

j2dab wrote: »

driving in the right hand lane while not overtaking?

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

cadaliac

I don't think too many people around here are going to say that they stay in the "right hand lane".

enda1

I stay in the right hand lane, but then I don't drive in Ireland often.

crosstownk

enda1 wrote: »

I stay in the right hand lane, but then I don't drive in Ireland often.

And when in a left hand traffic country, what would you do?

Voodoomelon

cadaliac wrote: »

I don't think too many people around here are going to say that they stay in the "right hand lane".

My thoughts, people are hardly going to be clicking that option in the Motors section, its every other section where this poll should be placed.

bijapos

FAIL THREAD!!! :mad:

And whoever clicked on the second option must be trolling.

billybigunz

Same old **** on motors. Motorway overtaking. blah, blah blah.

Matt Simis

Poll needs more options.

Stay in Right Lane, over take everything. One day, whenever someone wants to overtake me Ill promptly pull into the left lane.

Anan1

billybigunz wrote: »

Same old **** on motors. Motorway overtaking. blah, blah blah.

If you're not interested then don't post.

Absurdum

I STAYZ IN THE FAST LANE COS I AM THE FASTEST DRIVER IN DE WORLD LOL

jaffa20

j2dab wrote: »

Something got me thinking about this, just wanted to see how many people have no problem with driving in the right hand lane while not overtaking?

If everyone called it the overtaking lane and not the fast lane or right hand lane it might be more helpful:)

j2dab

jaffa20 wrote: »

If everyone called it the overtaking lane and not the fast lane or right hand lane it might be more helpful:)

You are damn right. But I thought people would find it much harder to be honest if I reminded them the purpose of the lane

BigEejit

It needs "a mostly drive in the middle lane because the left lane is full of trucks and numpties towing caravans, using the right hand lane to overtake people driving a bit too slow." option in the poll

Absurdum

or an "I drive in the middle lane in case the empty lane on my left magically disappears and I am never seen nor heard from again" option

fuelinjection

It's not a fast lane ... look up the rules of the road. It's an overtaking lane.

You use it to overtake a slow vehicle and then pull back in (but not within 10 metres of the vehicle you overtake). Drive in France and learn, they are the best drivers I have seen on Motorways.

crótach

Jesus looking at the poll results I have to wonder - where do you people live?

I have yet to see anyone use M50 like this, and I've only seen a few people drive normally on the M1.

Danbo!

Was hoping poll would be

When travelling in the driving lane on a motorway and some dope is sitting in the middle lane, do you..
A) Cross 2 lanes to overtake and back 2 again
Undertake.

corktina

yawn...theres only one correct way to drive on a motorway....everyone who doesnt pull into the left-most available lane is doing it wrong but if the Gards wont enforce it, and I'm not allowed a missile-launcher on the front of my car, no amount of polls is going to change anything.

GavRedKing

I stay in the left hand lane as much as possible, the only time Ive stayed in the over-taking lane was driving Cork-Dublin at about 3am and the road was empty. apart from a few HGV's and vans.

biko

I like to call it the "privileged" lane.
Please remain in the the other lane so I can get past you.

STForSale

Need an option for "I drive an offaly reg skoda and delaying you is my soul purpose in life"

Cookie_Monster

Stee wrote: »

When travelling in the driving lane on a motorway and some dope is sitting in the middle lane, do you..
A) Cross 2 lanes to overtake and back 2 again
Undertake.

that'd be an interesting one actually (if people were honest about it that is)

2 Espressi

I clicked the second option, I'd love to say that I pull in after every pass, but when traveling at a businesslike pace, you just end up swerving all over the road. It's much easier to pass in the outside lane, and keep an eye out for approaching traffic in the RVM. That said, I hate being held up in the car, and I also hate holding anyone else up. I don't care who's right and who's wrong, but if it's important enough to you to travel at at +10 mph, then who am I to impede your progress?

corktina

gavredking wrote: »

I stay in the left hand lane as much as possible, the only time Ive stayed in the over-taking lane was driving Cork-Dublin at about 3am and the road was empty. apart from a few HGV's and vans.

why would you do that?

Cookie_Monster

corktina wrote: »

why would you do that?

don't want to be changing lanes to often at 180 eh?

Matt Simis

2 Espressi wrote: »

I clicked the second option, I'd love to say that I pull in after every pass, but when traveling at a businesslike pace, you just end up swerving all over the road. It's much easier to pass in the outside lane, and keep an eye out for approaching traffic in the RVM. That said, I hate being held up in the car, and I also hate holding anyone else up. I don't care who's right and who's wrong, but if it's important enough to you to travel at at +10 mph, then who am I to impede your progress?

Yup, I could side in and out behind everyone the left lane, but since Im not slowing anyone down (if anyone is coming up to overtake I just move out of the way), what would be the point (other than book correctness)? Clearly more dangerous (and "looks" way more aggressive) to change lanes continuously too.

NinjaTruncs

Stee wrote: »

Was hoping poll would be

When travelling in the driving lane on a motorway and some dope is sitting in the middle lane, do you..
A) Cross 2 lanes to overtake and back 2 again
Undertake.

B

R.O.R

Matt Simis wrote: »

Yup, I could side in and out behind everyone the left lane, but since Im not slowing anyone down (if anyone is coming up to overtake I just move out of the way), what would be the point (other than book correctness)? Clearly more dangerous (and "looks" way more aggressive) to change lanes continuously too.

Sorry Matt, but if I see someone doing that I just think "what a tool". Even though you aren't holding anyone up it's just good manners to pull in when the inside lane is free. That's how the rest of Europe do it, and how I was brought up to drive on Motorways.

opinion guy

R.O.R wrote: »

Sorry Matt, but if I see someone doing that I just think "what a tool". Even though you aren't holding anyone up it's just good manners to pull in when the inside lane is free. That's how the rest of Europe do it, and how I was brought up to drive on Motorways.

You've never driven in Germany it seems. Barelling down the fast lane and flashing anyone who has the cheek to be in 'your' lane at less than the speed of your Bughatti is the norm there

2 Espressi

R.O.R wrote: »

when the inside lane is free.

Now, here's the thing. How much of a gap in the inside lane would you define this as?
300m? 500m? 1km+?
Obviously if there's no-one about, I'll use the left lane, or if I can see thta I won't have to switch for a few minutes but I'm not about to start switching in and out every few hundred meters, "because that's what everyone in Europe does".

R.O.R

opinion guy wrote: »

You've never driven in Germany it seems. Barelling down the fast lane and flashing anyone who has the cheek to be in 'your' lane at less than the speed of your Bughatti is the norm there

Been there, done that in that passenger seat of a CL600. If there was a gap in the inside lane, Herr Weber would pull in to the inside.

2 Espressi wrote: »

Now, here's the thing. How much of a gap in the inside lane would you define this as?
300m? 500m? 1km+?
Obviously if there's no-one about, I'll use the left lane, or if I can see thta I won't have to switch for a few minutes but I'm not about to start switching in and out every few hundred meters, "because that's what everyone in Europe does".

If the gap is big enough to be in the inside lane for longer than about 15 seconds before pulling out again, I'll pull in. It all depends on your speed and the speed of the car on the inside lane so it's impossible to put a distance on it.

If a car is going about 2km/h slower than me and is only 200m in the distance I'll pull in as it will take a little while to catch it. If there is a difference of 40 km/h I will stay in the outside otherwise you'd have to weave in and straight out again.

opinion guy

R.O.R wrote: »

Been there, done that in that passenger seat of a CL600. If there was a gap in the inside lane, Herr Weber would pull in to the inside.

Well thats not my experience over there. To be honest I thought the Germans were terrible drivers. Brutal tailgaters. They were saved by having good roads. I remember thinking in about 2004 that if you took the average German driver and put them on Irish roads at that time they would just die very quickly.

colm_mcm

If only 87% people on the motorways actually chose option 1...........

Matt Simis

R.O.R wrote: »

Sorry Matt, but if I see someone doing that I just think "what a tool". Even though you aren't holding anyone up it's just good manners to pull in when the inside lane is free. That's how the rest of Europe do it, and how I was brought up to drive on Motorways.

Perhaps, but as suggested, I dont deem anything less than 1km of empty left lane to be "free". In those rare cases, I pull left. The speed differential on the motorways I use between our %hity 2 lanes is huge too, left lane is 80-105kph, right lane is 120kph+.

It doesnt make sense (safety) for me to rapidly approach and panic left laners when I can simply drive by them.


I would consider the guy in the flashy car doing the same speed as me that insists on weaving in and out of traffic to be the tool... be damned what the book says.


The reference to "Europe" is pointless, elsewhere the 2 lane dual-carriage ways we call motorways are serviced by 3 lane+ highways, usually catering to specific speeds. The whole concept of an "overtaking" lane on a dual lane "motorway" is laughable as it implies our motorways have enough capacity in the single left lane to satisfy our traffic volume, which they dont (2 full time lanes dont either).

You can either drive on our roads in a manner appropriate to your driving skill, car performance and road conditions, or you can blindly follow an outdated rule book, you cant do both.

the_syco

It seems the left hand lane is for people that want to go between 60kmph and 80kmph... and the right hand lane for those who wish to go at 120kmph

Mitch Connor

Stee wrote: »

Was hoping poll would be

When travelling in the driving lane on a motorway and some dope is sitting in the middle lane, do you..
A) Cross 2 lanes to overtake and back 2 again
Undertake.

Move into the middle lane - flash my lights at them, overtake, move back to left lane.

JimmyCrackCorn

I stay in the outside lane and do the max permissible speed.

Im saving lives by preventing speeding.

R.O.R

JimmyCrackCorn wrote: »

I stay in the outside lane and do the max permissible speed.

Im saving lives by preventing speeding.

I hope think you forgot this chap :rolleyes:

j2dab

JimmyCrackCorn wrote: »

I stay in the outside lane and do the max permissible speed.

Im saving lives by preventing speeding.

You are endangering lives by forcing people to undertake you.

90mph on the motorway is not extremely dangerous (this is what you prevent)
People undertaking you is dangerous (this is what you cause)

So, you don't really save any lives you just irritate people.

Bad driving causes bad driving.

JimmyCrackCorn

R.O.R wrote: »

I hope think you forgot this chap :rolleyes:

Sorry as this thread has been done to death I couldn't resist the wind up.

I did get one bite, i accept any ban or sanction sorry.

opinion guy

j2dab wrote: »

90mph on the motorway is not extremely dangerous (this is what you prevent)

You know I wonder about this. I'm generally of the opinion that those who blame all accidents on speed alone are being simplistic in their analysis, but there must be at some point a cut off of safe speed. I reckon its around the 80mph mark. Thou that being said I damn near shat myself when I was doing 80 on a motorway recently and a dog came from nowhere onto the road the other day. Thankfully he changed direction but in those few moments I was acutely aware that I could do nothing to avoid him if he hadn't changed direction when he did and if I did hit him I would have had a hard job controlling a car at 80mph with a dog under the wheel arch. so right then I wished I had been sticking to the 70mph limit - it probably would have still been impossible to avoid him, but at least I'd have had a greater chance of controlling the car and if I lost control 10mphworth less kinetic energy with which to wreak destruction across the busy motorway.

Is 90mph safe? Honestly...no I don't think so.

Matt Simis

opinion guy wrote: »

Is 90mph safe? Honestly...no I don't think so.

Depends on the car and driver. Im doing under 3k RPM at 100mph in a 2 ton car. Its quiet smooth and controllable as it was designed for 140mph cruises on the Autobahn.

If you dont think 90mph is safe then for you and your car, it isnt.

H8GHOTI

fuelinjection wrote: »

It's not a fast lane ... look up the rules of the road. It's an overtaking lane.

You use it to overtake a slow vehicle and then pull back in (but not within 10 metres of the vehicle you overtake). Drive in France and learn, they are the best drivers I have seen on Motorways.

Are you serious?
The French are complete nutjobs!

2 Espressi

Reminds me of the Gumball quote:
"55 is unsafe....it's slow enough to make you think you're safe....but it's fast enough to kill you"

Anan1

Funny isn't it, how anyone who drives slower than oneself is an idiot and anyone who drives faster is a maniac?:)

merchant08

R.O.R wrote: »

Been there, done that in that passenger seat of a CL600. If there was a gap in the inside lane, Herr Weber would pull in to the inside.

In my 100k plus miles of driving in Germany I have very rarely seen this crap and dont think that is the typical German driving style. I only condone undertaking in Ireland because there are so many retards who are content on sitting in the overtaking lane, other countries dont have this problem so there is no need to undertake. I find that the drivers in other countries are much more aware of what is going on around them and always get in and out of the overtaking lane as fast as possible.

I find the standard of driving on German motorways to be very high. Its the one country that you can fly past a car and not have the fear that the person will pull out in front of you. There form of intimidation if you dont get out of the way is to sit mm from your back bumper, no flashing and indicate but this is rarely needed.

They have invested in their drivers by training them properly and it pays off big style.

corktina

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

don't want to be changing lanes to often at 180 eh?

at 3am? :rolleyes:

opinion guy

Matt Simis wrote: »

Depends on the car and driver. Im doing under 3k RPM at 100mph in a 2 ton car. Its quiet smooth and controllable as it was designed for 140mph cruises on the Autobahn.

If you dont think 90mph is safe then for you and your car, it isnt.

Yes i take your point. And certainly I feel my car is borderline too light for those speeds for stability reasons if you hit something (Thou I'm thinking of upgrading.....thou not sure what to). But read the scenario in my last post...if something does go wrong as could have easily the consequences are worse when you are going faster - I don't think a bigger heavier car would have helped much - yes it would be more steady but a dog in the wheel arches would still make a car uncontrollable. A heavier one would do more damage.

merchant08 wrote: »

In my 100k plus miles of driving in Germany I have very rarely seen this crap and dont think that is the typical German driving style. I only condone undertaking in Ireland because there are so many retards who are content on sitting in the overtaking lane, other countries dont have this problem so there is no need to undertake. I find that the drivers in other countries are much more aware of what is going on around them and always get in and out of the overtaking lane as fast as possible.

I find the standard of driving on German motorways to be very high. Its the one country that you can fly past a car and not have the fear that the person will pull out in front of you. There form of intimidation if you dont get out of the way is to sit mm from your back bumper, no flashing and indicate but this is rarely needed.

They have invested in their drivers by training them properly and it pays off big style.

Again this is not my experience in Germany. I recall being stunned over there how much they a) tailgated and b) changed lane on a whim. Yeah they indicated ...but were half way across the road by the time the did. I will say this thou - it could be a regional thing. My experiences were in the Munich and Frankfurt areas.

Matt Simis

opinion guy wrote: »

Yes i take your point. And certainly I feel my car is borderline too light for those speeds for stability reasons if you hit something (Thou I'm thinking of upgrading.....thou not sure what to). But read the scenario in my last post...if something does go wrong as could have easily the consequences are worse when you are going faster - I don't think a bigger heavier car would have helped much - yes it would be more steady but a dog in the wheel arches would still make a car uncontrollable. A heavier one would do more damage.

Well... if you break down reaction times and meters covered per second, the difference between 70 and 90 isnt much, certainly not enough to ensure a better outcome.
You could also apply your arbitary statement to 70 vs 50mph, I mean surely 50mph should be the motorway speed etc etc.

On the car making a difference front, cars designed for high speed (and autobahn usage) usually and nearly always do have uprated brakes etc, for this very reason, eg USA versions of high end VAG cars get weener brakes vs the Euro versions of the same car.

Seth Brundle

Several months ago I was driving along the M50. There were plenty of cars in the centre lane followed by long stretches of nothing. When not overtaking I was driving in lane 1 and when I came across traffic in the centre lane I then moved to lane 3, passed them before returning to lane 1.
When I reached the roundabout at the N3 interchange, an unmarked car pulled up alongside and gave out to me for moving too much and not keeping to one lane.
You can't win!