What's a slow lane?

Commotion Ocean

I bought the bus and lorry theory test disc because I'm thinking of doing the theory test and maybe the practical too.

One of the questions struck me, when they referred to a "slow lane". Does it mean something different than I think?

Or has the Shlow lane fasht lane crap ignorance moved into the RSA and driving test material?

joebloggs32

dfeo wrote: »

I bought the bus and lorry theory test disc because I'm thinking of doing the theory test and maybe the practical too.

One of the questions struck me, when they referred to a "slow lane". Does it mean something different than I think?

Or has the Shlow lane fasht lane crap ignorance moved into the RSA and driving test material?

The one inside the "fast" lane!

moleyv

Climbing lane?

Sleeper12

dfeo wrote:

Or has the Shlow lane fasht lane crap ignorance moved into the RSA and driving test material?

No. This is actually a slow lane and you'll only ever find these going uphill.
Some vehicles can only climb a hill slowly or have very little acceleration on a hill. They need to use the slow lane.

Commotion Ocean

Sleeper12 wrote: »

No. This is actually a slow lane and you'll only ever find these going uphill.
Some vehicles can only climb a hill slowly or have very little acceleration on a hill. They need to use the slow lane.

Really? Have you any examples of these? Genuinely never heard of a lane called a slow lane learn something every day

Toyotafanboi

dfeo wrote: »

Really? Have you any examples of these? Genuinely never heard of a lane called a slow lane learn something every day

More commonly known as a climbing lane.

The Pike in Dungarvan, heading towards Waterford is the only one I can think of.

moleyv

dfeo wrote:

Really? Have you any examples of these? Genuinely never heard of a lane called a slow lane learn something every day

I remember two of them on the limerick/Tralee road but the road sections have been redesigned. Before the main carriageway continued along the 'fast' lane and you would have to turn onto the climbing lane.

Now they just carry along on the driving lane and you would turn onto the overtaking lane.

These two had signs for 'climbing lane'.

Seth Brundle

I don't think that there is any reference to it in the traffic signs manual.

colm_mcm

There used to be one on the limerick/Dublin road before it became motorway, around nenagh IIRC

Haven't seen a slow lane in ages though.

I assume the answer is drive in the slow lane.

Sleeper12

dfeo wrote:

Really? Have you any examples of these? Genuinely never heard of a lane called a slow lane learn something every day

The only one I know in Dublin is on the N1. At the turn off for lusk. There are plenty around the country though.

TheChizler

At least they put it in quotes...

Seth Brundle

TheChizler wrote: »

At least they put it in quotes...

Not in the answers

TheChizler

kbannon wrote: »

Not in the answers

Gah. It's no wonder some people have no problem sitting in the RH lane.

Irish Steve

N11 both directions around Ferrycarig has climbing lanes for slow traffic, and yes, it would be better to avoid the "slow" lane description, given that the vast majority of drivers have that perception of Motorway lanes. They are not clearly marked as such, but that doesn't surprise me at all.

flyingsnail

colm_mcm wrote: »

There used to be one on the limerick/Dublin road before it became motorway, around nenagh IIRC

Haven't seen a slow lane in ages though.

I assume the answer is drive in the slow lane.

still there, about 2 miles outside Tomevara

https://www.google.ie/maps/@52.8548653,-8.0674618,3a,75y,80.64h,91.18t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s9ITP3poRdL82ZCxrKHzGXg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Dravokivich

I've seen lane in leixlip up the old hill with 2nd lane having "fast lane" painted on it. Always wondered why, might be due to this. But the hill isn't that steep.

James Bond Junior

moleyv wrote: »

I remember two of them on the limerick/Tralee road but the road sections have been redesigned. Before the main carriageway continued along the 'fast' lane and you would have to turn onto the climbing lane.

Now they just carry along on the driving lane and you would turn onto the overtaking lane.

These two had signs for 'climbing lane'.

One at Bearna outside NCW and another outside Castleisland as you leave.

pablo128

Used to be one coming out of Rathnew on the old n11. Maybe its still there. And there's one further along the n11 though I can't remember the name of the town now.

MyStubbleItches

One on the Cork-Mallow road. Always known as the climbing lane.

coylemj

There was a couple of those climbing lanes on the old N8 road to Cork, somewhere around Mitchelstown I think, the fringes of the Galtees probably.

pa990

coylemj wrote: »

There was a couple of those climbing lanes on the old N8 road to Cork, somewhere around Mitchelstown I think, the fringes of the Galtees probably.

At least one has been turned into a hard shoulder, since the road was down graded after the motorway was built.

gitzy16v

One outside slane heading north N2,there's still a good few climbing/slow lanes around the country...I'm a regular user lol

jca

There's a slow/climbing lane on the Kildavin bypass too.

Angel Crow

One after Bunclody on the way to Carlow?

jca

Angel Crow wrote: »

One after Bunclody on the way to Carlow?

Yep.

the_syco

Dravokivich wrote: »

I've seen lane in leixlip up the old hill with 2nd lane having "fast lane" painted on it. Always wondered why, might be due to this. But the hill isn't that steep.

Before the M4 was built, the N4 traffic used to go that route. The hill was especially steep, but some of the heavier vehicles would go into the slow lane.

Wildly Boaring

coylemj wrote: »

There was a couple of those climbing lanes on the old N8 road to Cork, somewhere around Mitchelstown I think, the fringes of the Galtees probably.

Yep still 2 coming into Mitchelstown from Cahir side.

1 leaving Rathcormac heading for Watergrasshill. (a second was removed before Christmas)


When we built stretch of N21 from Abbeyfeale south we put in one and I think another was added after. Still there possibly.

hi5

dfeo wrote: »

Really? Have you any examples of these? Genuinely never heard of a lane called a slow lane learn something every day

Between Waterford and New Ross..

https://www.google.ie/maps/@52.3607757,-7.0135723,3a,75y,4.66h,98.81t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1svoHo8Rr5-sONGtN69E0CKg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Isambard

a climbing lane is a completely different thing to having a two lane section, such as the ones above on the Cork Mallow road.

In this instance and most of the others quoted the left lane is the driving lane and the right lane the overtaking lane. In a tiny number of cases the left lane will be marked as a climbing lane for trucks on a very steep hill as they will be moving very slowly and a possible hazard to fast moving traffic, thus they are segregated. I don't know if they have a legal basis.

Tazio

They are even sign posted.....

https://www.google.ie/maps/@51.865778,-8.1620327,3a,75y,343.33h,79.84t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sMpOGG4ZGUHc264brqXV5_w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Isambard

Marking a "slow lane" does not mean it isn't the "driving lane" although lots of people think that. Typical Irish messy signage.

Seth Brundle

Isambard wrote: »

Marking a "slow lane" does not mean it isn't the "driving lane" although lots of people think that. Typical Irish messy signage.

Yes but people could nearly be forgiven for getting it wrong* given that the authorities appear to be just as ignorant!



* I'm aware that they should be aware of the ROTR!