Lane choices

have2flushtwice

I see people driving the M50 every day - as we all see them. some lame hop, ramp surf and lo lots of crazy things.

what would peoples opinions be if three drivers, drove from A to B at the same time on the M50, each one keeping to one lane, driving with the flow of traffic and see what the difference really is, time wise.
Is it really worth the risk of switching lanes constantly to take advantage of the gap; only to find yourself two cars ahead after a mile?
are you better off to hog the right lane in the hope of moving quicker?
Or will the left lane slow you down with the awful exit que, even though you don't want to exit?

hi5

CiniO

have2flushtwice wrote: »

Is it really worth the risk of switching lanes constantly

Sorry for saying that, but if you really think that switching lanes is risk, then you probably shouldn't be driving.

biko

Depending on the time of day, traffic etc it can be worth staying in lane or switch. Tbh there's too many factors at play to suggest anything imo

Jesus.

Was just on the M50 northbound there in lane two and there was a learner Yaris in front of me and an Artic with his indicator on trying to get into lane two as he was right up behind a car in lane one. The Yaris was just staying level with him though (there might have been a car in front of her, not sure) and he kept yanking the truck into her lane within inches of her in an attempt to "push" her out of the way. She was going nowhere though and this lasted for about two minutes until she finally went past him. I flashed him in and he blasted the horn at her while she responded by brake checking him.

(I've no dash cam )

HandsomeDan

Jesus. wrote: »

Was just on the M50 northbound there in lane two and there was a learner Yaris in front of me and an Artic with his indicator on trying to get into lane two as he was right up behind a car in lane one. The Yaris was just staying level with him though (there might have been a car in front of her, not sure) and he kept yanking the truck into her lane within inches of her in an attempt to "push" her out of the way. She was going nowhere though and this lasted for about two minutes until she finally went past him. I flashed him in and he blasted the horn at her while she responded by brake checking him.

(I've no dash cam )

Sounds like she was just driving in lane tbh.

Traffic heavy... take her ayzee..

corktina

Learner on the M50 says it all

Jack Max

Generally the rule of slow, medium and fast driving in the 3 lanes should be observed. With fast being at the speed limit.

cletus

Popcorn, get your popcorn.


(no point in being in early, and not making some cash from it)

Mc Love

corktina wrote: »

Learner on the M50 says it all

Two learners caused an accident on the M50 recently and the garda twitter squad had pictures and both had been prosecuted!

visual

Stuck behind a total idiot in a red transit van Friday evening hogging the 3rd lane. Nothing in front of him but he crawled along making it the slowest lane
he probably traveled the full length of m50 unable or willing to keep up with traffic flow.
Speed cameras as proposed in another thread would only reward this behaviour.

It forces other drivers to undertake or at least consider it.

ninty9er

For the purposes of the education it's providing, let's ignore the fact he's holding a phone and doesn't know lane names.

Stop hogging the middle f*<king lane

I came up on a Dublin Bus in the outside lane of the M50 last Sunday. I was in the middle lane and slowed to let him in, flashed to let him in, but he continued blocking. Absolute tit of a supposed professional driver.

Jack Max

ninty9er wrote: »

For the purposes of the education it's providing, let's ignore the fact he's holding a phone and doesn't know lane names.



I came up on a Dublin Bus in the outside lane of the M50 last Sunday. I was in the middle lane and slowed to let him in, flashed to let him in, but he continued blocking. Absolute tit of a supposed professional driver.

If the bus was at 100kph then his driving is fine

ninty9er

Jack Max wrote: »

If the bus was at 100kph then his driving is fine

If you think that there's at least 2 theory questions you'd fail.

Caliden

ninty9er wrote: »

For the purposes of the education it's providing, let's ignore the fact he's holding a phone and doesn't know lane names.

Stop hogging the middle f*<king lane

I came up on a Dublin Bus in the outside lane of the M50 last Sunday. I was in the middle lane and slowed to let him in, flashed to let him in, but he continued blocking. Absolute tit of a supposed professional driver.

Am I right in saying that lorries/buses should never be in lane 3?

5uspect

From here:

The maximum speed limit on a motorway is 120km per hour unless:
• there are signs stating another speed limit, for example, warning signals
to highlight road works; or
• you are driving a vehicle that is subject to a lower limit such as a
bus or truck.

• Lane 1 – You should always use this lane for normal driving. Stay in this lane unless you are overtaking.
• Lane 2 – You should only use this lane for overtaking. You must move back to lane 1 once you have finished overtaking and it is safe to do so. you can also move into lane 2 to allow vehicles coming from your left to join the motorway.
• Lane 3 – You should only use this lane if traffic in lanes 1 and 2 is moving in queues and you need to overtake or make room for merging traffic. Again, you should move back to lane 1 as soon as it is safe to do so.
When overtaking, only move between two lanes at a time. For example, to move from lane 1 to lane 3, first move into lane 2 and wait to move to lane 3 until it is safe to do so.
Do not use the outside lane if you are driving:
• a goods vehicle with a design gross weight of more than 3,500 kilogrammes such as a lorry or heavy goods vehicle (HGV);
• a passenger vehicle with seating for more than eight passengers; such as a bus; or
• a vehicle towing a trailer, horsebox or caravan.

And from here:

Certain vehicles in Ireland (specifically vehicles that are intended or adapted for the carriage of people, vehicles greater than a certain weight and vehicles that are drawing trailers) are subject to different speed limits than those outlined above.

Single and double deck buses and coaches (carrying standing passengers) - 65 km/h
Single and double deck buses and coaches (with accommodation for more than 8 passengers but does not carry standing passengers)
- Motorways and dual carriageways - 100 km/h
- Other roads - 80 km/h
Towing Vehicles - 80 km/h
Trucks (with a design gross weight of more than 3,500kg)
- Motorways - 90 km/h (since 1 April 2012)
- Other roads - 80 km/h

So 65km/h for Dublin Bus and not in lane 3.

Scruffy...The Janitor

Jack Max wrote: »

Generally the rule of slow, medium and fast driving in the 3 lanes should be observed. With fast being at the speed limit.

There is no 'slow' 'medium' and 'fast'. The lanes are for driving, overtaking, overtaking.
Its people with those kind of ideas who end up hogging the middle or outside lane because they're going 'fast enough'

5uspect

Jack Max wrote: »

Generally the rule of slow, medium and fast driving in the 3 lanes should be observed. With fast being at the speed limit.

Jack Max wrote: »

If the bus was at 100kph then his driving is fine

Are you in possession of a full driving license?

ninty9er

He has to be a troll. Let's stop feeding him.

desbrook

Jack Max wrote: »

If the bus was at 100kph then his driving is fine

It's not anyone's job to enforce the speed limit bar the Gardai. He was also blocking emergency services who may require a higher speed.
If you are in 2 or 3 you must be overtaking something in the laneto your imimmediate left, otherwise move left!!!!

Jack Max

desbrook wrote: »

It's not anyone's job to enforce the speed limit bar the Gardai. He was also blocking emergency services who may require a higher speed.
If you are in 2 or 3 you must be overtaking something in the laneto your imimmediate left, otherwise move left!!!!

Who is enforcing the speed limit? You are not doing so by driving at the limit.

5uspect

ninty9er wrote: »

He has to be a troll. Let's stop feeding him.

It does boggle the mind how people make up their own rules of the road. The rules are there for all to see so we can make safe predictions about behaviour - not for the fun of it. If some twat decided that he owns the outside lane, or that he'd rather take his favourite lane on a roundabout then he's going to cause an accident. The sheer arrogance of it boils my blood.

xabi

Jack Max wrote: »

Generally the rule of slow, medium and fast driving in the 3 lanes should be observed. With fast being at the speed limit.

Are you being serious? Did you do a driving test? Dumbest post of the day and the reason why it's so infuriating driving on Irish motorways.

dublinstevie

ninty9er wrote:

I came up on a Dublin Bus in the outside lane of the M50 last Sunday. I was in the middle lane and slowed to let him in, flashed to let him in, but he continued blocking. Absolute tit of a supposed professional driver.

where exactly was this on the m50,if it was at the end of the m50 just before m1,n32 slip roads then theres a reason the dublin bus was in the right hand lane

Skatedude

anyone who uses the term "fast lane" should be made to take their test again

ninty9er

dublinstevie wrote: »

where exactly was this on the m50,if it was at the end of the m50 just before m1,n32 slip roads then theres a reason the dublin bus was in the right hand lane

It was about 3km ahead of that

Jesus.

corktina wrote: »

Learner on the M50 says it all

Didn't even think of that

ironclaw

On the topic of which lane is slower / faster, we had an ANPR set up in one of the cars for a while and also from personal observation:

The 'fastest' lane timewise for a long journey on the M50 is actually lane 2 of the M50. Its the most consistent speed wise as lane 3 is saturated with drivers either trying to overtake those blocking lane 2 or drivers attempting to be the 'fastest' meaning too close, braking and ripple. The time difference between lane 2 and lane 3 in peak rush hour traffic is negligible. You are talking seconds. Lane 1 is basically a no go as you have those either cruising at pace with those blocking in lane 2, HGVs or those driving significantly below the speed limit. So your progress is greatly impeded in lane 1 and ability to over take, blocked by lane 2.

At specific junctions, your lane choice also has a large effect. At Dundrum, going north, you'd want to be in lane 3, but by Firhouse, you'd want to be transitioning to lane 2 as at the stretch between Firhouse / Tallaght, lane 3 will often be stopped. After Tallaght, moving to lane 3 would be favourable in passing the Newlandscross ramp as you have traffic unprepared in lane 2 cutting to the extreme left and lane 1 will be slowed by merging traffic.


At the M50 / M11 merge, the 'fastest' lane without question is lane 1. Between the merge and Bray South, you could gain upwards of 3 minutes on a car in lane 2. Only explanation I can think of its a significant amount of traffic leaves lane 1 to enter Bray North / Fassaroe, and an unholy amount of idiots merge then jump to lane 2 as its 'fhhhaster' causing that lane to slow down. I'm generally in lane 2 on the approach as I feel its correct to free lane 1 for those wishing to merge but I can't understand for the life of me why anyone would want to merge and then go into lane 2 as its far, far slower.

All of which should not be occurring if people drove properly.