Stopping in lane - on a motorway

dillo2k10

Hi,

I was on the M4 inbound about 2am this morning and I was driving behind a car when they suddenly slammed on their breaks and went from 120km/h to about 10km/h in a few seconds. I had to hit my breaks hard to stop on time, I stopped and s/he just drove on again.

I was wondering would the normal rules apply on a motorway as would on a normal road, if you hit the back then you're at fault. There didn't seem to be a reason for him to stop.

Thanks

drunkmonkey

I was on the motorway last night myself and something like that happened but a bit more serious. I think they were both white toyota supras but they both stopped in each lane blocking the only 2 lanes, the guy a little bit in front of me in an Audi A4 skidded a little trying to stop and then made a dive for the hard shoulder, I stopped completely as I hadn't a clue what was happening with the 3 cars in front of me. Then the 2 Supra's shot off, they were having a drag race it turned the pair of looneys.
Guy in the Audi nearly upended one of them and I stopped completely in the overtaking lane.
Anyway to answer your question yes people can stop on the motorway for any reason and yes if you run into the back of one of them it's your fault.

It sounds like your were tailgating a little which is a bad idea, if your not going to overtake someone keep well back. Let them ahead for seconds a keep a safe distance back incase they just stop.
I rear ended a person once, nothing to serious but it was my fault as I was to close to stop when she stopped in the middle of the road to answer her mobile, I was left with a choice between a telephone pole, a scania truck or the rear end of a punto. I chose the punto.

dillo2k10

I wasnt that close to begin with, I just assumed they were slowing down, didn't think they would be nearly stopping.

I didn't nearly hit them or anything, I stopped in plenty of time.

MascotDec85

dillo2k10 wrote: »

I wasnt that close to begin with, I just assumed they were slowing down, didn't think they would be nearly stopping.

I didn't nearly hit them or anything, I stopped in plenty of time.

A better reaction from you would have been to check your mirrors, indicate, check your blind spot and overtake them

munchkin_utd

drunkmonkey wrote: »

<snip>
Anyway to answer your question yes people can stop on the motorway for any reason and yes if you run into the back of one of them it's your fault.
<snip>

No, youre wrong.
According to the rules of the road for motorways :

You may only stop or park on the motorway when:

• your car breaks down,
• a Garda signals you to do so,
• there is an emergency (such as a crash),
• there are road works, or
• you are at a toll plaza.

also

You must progress at a speed and in a way that avoids interference with other motorway traffic.

unfortunately theres no reference from the rules of the road to the actual laws behind it, but you'd presume that this reflects current law, and at the worst of it lads like Judge Zaidan in Kildare would just consider it general dangerous driving and give you a few months in prison for it (like he did to some speeders a couple of years back)!

MascotDec85

munchkin_utd wrote: »

No, youre wrong.
According to the rules of the road for motorways :

You may only stop or park on the motorway when:

• your car breaks down,
• a Garda signals you to do so,
• there is an emergency (such as a crash),
• there are road works, or
• you are at a toll plaza.

also

You must progress at a speed and in a way that avoids interference with other motorway traffic.

unfortunately theres no reference from the rules of the road to the actual laws behind it, but you'd presume that this reflects current law, and at the worst of it lads like Judge Zaidan in Kildare would just consider it general dangerous driving and give you a few months in prison for it (like he did to some speeders a couple of years back)!

I think what drunkmonkey was saying is yes, people, however stupid and for whatever reason can and do stop in lane on the motorway. I don't think he/she is suggesting its permissible!!

fasttalkerchat

Sounds like an insurance job to me!

smcgiff

'there is an emergency (such as a crash),'

That's probably the get out clause for any muppet pulling the stunt in the OP's post.

'I, er, saw a fox running across the road your honour and poor innocent me was rear ended.'

I would have been a lot quicker to judge drivers rear ending before. That was before some twat pulled in from another lane into my breaking distance and I hit the back of him. Thankfully the tool drove off.

MascotDec85

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

Sounds like an insurance job to me!

Could be right, "Crash for Cash"

mathepac

drunkmonkey wrote: »

... I stopped completely in the overtaking lane. ....

MCRTA "lane 2"