Overtaking legally on motorway

sesna

Just wondering about legality of overtaking on a motorway.

If I'm travelling along at 100km/p/h in the leftmost lane of four lanes (say for example between the N4 and N3 junctions), and if I see some guy hogging the rightmost overtaking lane at 80km/p/h, am I expected to change lanes 3 times to get over to lane 1 just so I overtake on the right, as outlined in Rules of the Road ? :eek:

This would also be late in the evening when there is no slow-moving traffic queues.

If he is in the right most overtaking lane then there is no lane for you to overtake him in to his right. Anyway you can overtake slower moving traffic than the lane you are in by staying in your own lane so it doesn't matter.

whippet

yawn ...... never thought this argument / discussion would every be raised here.

Yes in theory it's illegal, but in practice just get on with it and worry about more important things in life. The guards hopefully will deal with this rogue driver at some stage and he might learn to practice in the correct manner.

Until then, just drive on and worry about yourself.

R.O.R

sesna wrote: »

Just wondering about legality of overtaking on a motorway.

If I'm travelling along at 100km/p/h in the leftmost lane of four lanes (say for example between the N4 and N3 junctions), and if I see some guy hogging the rightmost overtaking lane at 80km/p/h, am I expected to change lanes 3 times to get over to lane 1 just so I overtake on the right, as outlined in Rules of the Road ? :eek:

This would also be late in the evening when there is no slow-moving traffic queues.

If you are on the M50 in the very left most lane, it's a slip road so you don't have to move out of it.

sesna

whippet wrote: »

yawn ...... never thought this argument / discussion would every be raised here.

Yes in theory it's illegal, but in practice just get on with it and worry about more important things in life. The guards hopefully will deal with this rogue driver at some stage and he might learn to practice in the correct manner.

Until then, just drive on and worry about yourself.

I'm a very law-abiding citizen, and would not like to travel in contravention of our excellent road traffic laws.

sesna

R.O.R wrote: »

If you are on the M50 in the very left most lane, it's a slip road so you don't have to move out of it.

There are four lanes when you cross the bridge where the old west link toll plaza is. This is far in advance of any signs for N3 exit. Or if you like, the question applies to 3 lanes and being in the leftmost lane.

L1011

sesna wrote: »

There are four lanes when you cross the bridge where the old west link toll plaza is. This is far in advance of any signs for N3 exit. Or if you like, the question applies to 3 lanes and being in the leftmost lane.

The leftmost lane there is a weaving/slip lane also.

Anywhere on the M50 with 4 lanes, at least the leftmost is weaving/slip at all times. Hence the far wider, shorter lines.

sesna

MYOB wrote: »

The leftmost lane there is a weaving/slip lane also.

Anywhere on the M50 with 4 lanes, at least the leftmost is weaving/slip at all times. Hence the far wider, shorter lines.

Okay as I said you can apply this situation to 3 lanes also - are you expected to move over to lane 1 to overtake someone travelling far below the speed-limit when you're in the leftmost lane travelling at 100km/p/h or even at 90km/p/h. This situation actually arises very freqently, even when there is low traffic density on the road late at night (hence slow moving traffic queues and left overtaking would not apply). I have noticed many posters in the motor forum advocating right only overtaking at all costs on many threads.

Anan1

RoverJames wrote: »

Anyway you can overtake slower moving traffic than the lane you are in by staying in your own lane so it doesn't matter.

Only in slow-moving traffic, if they're turning right, or if you're turning left. Bizarre as it may sound, there is otherwise no legal way of overtaking the car in the OP's post.

2yung2adm

RoverJames wrote: »

If he is in the right most overtaking lane then there is no lane for you to overtake him in to his right. Anyway you can overtake slower moving traffic than the lane you are in by staying in your own lane so it doesn't matter.

You cannot legally overtake on the motorway on the left except when traffic is moving very slowly-before you say anything as regards the definition of slowly there has been much precedent on it and a judge will not have any doubt on the meaning of slowly-and your traffic is moving faster than the traffic on the right.
All other rules relate to lanes basically you may over take on the left if the vehicle ahead intends to turn right and has indicated its intention to do so and you intend to go straight ahead or turn left after overtaking.

CiniO

RoverJames wrote: »

If he is in the right most overtaking lane then there is no lane for you to overtake him in to his right. Anyway you can overtake slower moving traffic than the lane you are in by staying in your own lane so it doesn't matter.

Yes, but only if traffic is traveling in slow moving queues. Otherwise you must not overtake on the left on motorway.

CiniO

whippet wrote: »

yawn ...... never thought this argument / discussion would every be raised here.

Yes in theory it's illegal, but in practice just get on with it and worry about more important things in life. The guards hopefully will deal with this rogue driver at some stage and he might learn to practice in the correct manner.

Until then, just drive on and worry about yourself.

Heh nice advice.
And then Irish motorways are what they are - roads full of mess.

Try this in Germany - we'll see how far will you go?

CiniO

Anan1 wrote: »

Only in slow-moving traffic, if they're turning right, or if you're turning left. Bizarre as it may sound, there is otherwise no legal way of overtaking the car in the OP's post.

Someone turning right or you turning left only applies on normal roads.
On motorways you can only overtake on the left when traveling in slow moving queues of traffic.

CiniO

R.O.R wrote: »

If you are on the M50 in the very left most lane, it's a slip road so you don't have to move out of it.

You don't have to move out of it, but you also must not overtake anyone on this lane.

maybebabie

There should be a motorway part of the driving test so everyone knows the etiquette. Whether I'm in one of the other lanes, or behind them, I can't stand it when a driver stays driving in the overtaking lane, when there's room to move back in to the left after overtaking.

opinion guy

sesna wrote: »

Just wondering about legality of overtaking on a motorway.

If I'm travelling along at 100km/p/h in the leftmost lane of four lanes (say for example between the N4 and N3 junctions), and if I see some guy hogging the rightmost overtaking lane at 80km/p/h, am I expected to change lanes 3 times to get over to lane 1 just so I overtake on the right, as outlined in Rules of the Road ? :eek:

This would also be late in the evening when there is no slow-moving traffic queues.

Asking this question here.
You're new here aren't you ?:D

sesna

opinion guy wrote: »

Asking this question here.
You're new here aren't you ?:D

Nope just seen other threads discussing legalities of safe driving manouvers, such as breaking speed limit when overtaking and thought it was the appropriate place.

CiniO

maybebabie wrote: »

There should be a motorway part of the driving test so everyone knows the etiquette. Whether I'm in one of the other lanes, or behind them, I can't stand it when a driver stays driving in the overtaking lane, when there's room to move back in to the left after overtaking.

Use your flash

maybebabie

if anyone flashes at me, i deliberately won't move out of the way lol

CiniO

maybebabie wrote: »

if anyone flashes at me, i deliberately won't move out of the way lol

Even if it's a blue garda flash? :P

Anyway - if you you lanes correctly no one should flash at you.
I sometimes use short flash for someone driving on the right lane, while left is empty. Usually it's a person whose mind is somewhere else, and a little flash brings him/her back to the road, in particular - left lane. It works.

I see much less danger in little flash, than in overtaking on the left.

maybebabie

okay, if it's a blue garda light flashing behind me, i'm not long pulling over lol

CiniO

maybebabie wrote: »

okay, if it's a blue garda light flashing behind me, i'm not long pulling over lol

Why don't you pull over to left lane otherwise?

maybebabie

i always do pull back over to the left after i overtake

CiniO

maybebabie wrote: »

i always do pull back over to the left after i overtake

So whole our chat doesn't have too much sense.
If you pull left after overtaking, no one should flash at you.

maybebabie

- sorry i'm distracted by UFO articles at the same time as looking at here
- i've been flashed on motorways while i'm driving in the overtaking lane, by tailgaters desperate to get past at all costs and at high speed. I would be overtaking too myself at the time, and would have to wait until i have a clear space to move back into on the left. Some drivers have very little patience and want to get where they're going yesterday! I have a bit of a stubborn streak and i do admit to driving slightly slower on purpose if another driver behind me flashes me in his impatience to get past.

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

CiniO

Captain Morgan wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

No it isn't.
As was said before, it's only legal to overtake on motorway on the left, when there is slow moving traffic in queues.

CiniO

maybebabie wrote: »

- sorry i'm distracted by UFO articles at the same time as looking at here

- i've been flashed on motorways while i'm driving in the overtaking lane, by tailgaters desperate to get past at all costs and at high speed. I would be overtaking too myself at the time, and would have to wait until i have a clear space to move back into on the left. Some drivers have very little patience and want to get where they're going yesterday! I have a bit of a stubborn streak and i do admit to driving slightly slower on purpose if another driver behind me flashes me in his impatience to get past.

That's not a professional driver behavior, but that's understandable.

When I see someone who is in real hurry and try's to overtake me every possible way, and flashes his lights, I always assume he might have a good reason.
Probably in 99.9% cases he doesn't. But there might be this one case where this person let's say is bringing something dying to the hospital, or trying to catch someone who just killed someone, or maybe it's undercover guards with broken blue siren who are trying to do them work.
I know that most of these cases are like 1 to million, but I always assume it might be one of them.

2yung2adm

CiniO wrote: »

No it isn't.
As was said before, it's only legal to overtake on motorway on the left, when there is slow moving traffic in queues.

It is a grey area but I would have to agree with Cini0.

It is accepted that you do not overtake(undertake) on the left except as has been outlined. Furthermore the act does not state thay you may overtake on the left where there is an auxilliary lane, therefore there is no permissioin given or implied.

The definition of an auxilliary lane on a motorway is "a lane along a motorway that joins two slip roads commencing at the entrance slip road and leading to the following exit slip road" this implies that it is part of the motorway.

Overtaking on the inside can lead to a charge of dangerous driving, however it is my opinion that if the auxilliary lane was defined with a continious white line for a portion of its length it would not constitute dangerous driving if undertaking in that portion of the lane as the vehicles on the outer lanes could not cross the continious white line and be taken by surprise by a faster moving vehicle on the left.

djimi

Captain Morgan wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

I dont know if its legal or not, but my attitude is that if youre on a slip road exit then there is a chance that car that you are passing might swing onto the slip road without looking (assume that all drivers are morons until they prove otherwise). Safer just to keep your distance tbh; its only a few yards off the slip road until its safe anyway.

R.O.R

djimi wrote: »

I dont know if its legal or not, but my attitude is that if youre on a slip road exit then there is a chance that car that you are passing might swing onto the slip road without looking (assume that all drivers are morons until they prove otherwise). Safer just to keep your distance tbh; its only a few yards off the slip road until its safe anyway.

That's unless it's about 2km and you've a long line of truck's doing 80km/h on the inside lane.

Decisions then are:

Slow the auxillary lane / slip road down to 80km/h for everyone using it.

Overtake the trucks in lane 2 and force your way through lane 1 in to the slip road at the last minute.

Drive at 100km/h in the slip road and try to avoid those who do the above.