Why do car owners drive in the middle lane?

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121046448#Comment_121046448

It seems obvious, but based on how the thread is going it might be worth pointing it out.

If everyone looked after themselves then there wouldn't be a problem.

Plenty of times I will move from Lane 1 to Lane 3 to overtake an idiot in Lane 2, which then causes them to move into Lane 1 when they realise that they shouldnt be in Lane 2.

It all helps. Doing what you do not only doesnt make it better, it actively makes it worse.

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121047536#Comment_121047536

Its probably pretty rare that you get overtaken because you are only driving in the outside lane and there is nowhere for people to over take you.

A better question might be how often you get overtaken on the left...assuming you would notice?

endacl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058178678/why-do-car-owners-drive-in-the-middle-lane

I genuinely overheard a conversation today with a young lady who thought the three lanes were 1. Slow, 2. Driving, and 3. Fast. When she was challenged on the nonsense she responded with ‘well, I don’t care. That’s my opinion and I’ve a right to my opinion’. Something was then mumbled about ‘mansplaining’. Interestingly, the only fella in the group she was with wasn’t doing any of the correcting. I suspect he’d been there before…

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121048573#Comment_121048573

You'll have to do better than that - but to answer the question, it's pretty rare I'm overtaken full stop.

Why? Because I drive at the speed limits when there's no reason not to - something many seem incapable of doing if the dozens of cars I overtake on a motorway trip is any indication - can keep up with the flow of traffic in general, and I value my time, as well as being very aware of what is going on around me and adapting my driving accordingly (a very useful skill in general but also for example to be able to anticipate the dawdler who has been sitting behind a HGV for as long as you've seen them but who will pick that moment when you're about to pass to pull out in front of you - usually given away by their drifting towards the line while thinking about it).

But if you prefer to sit in L1 of a busy 3 lane road where all lanes are effectively driving lanes much of the day then work away. If nothing else it means I won't have to deal with you.

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121049054#Comment_121049054

I do wonder why you insist in bringing all these strawman arguments to build "help" defense? They have no bearing on your inability to follow the basic rules of the road.

Do you drive in lane 1 when there is no reason not to?

I don't sit in L1 all day, I move in and out as needed, likewise for moving from L2 to L3. This is how a motorway is designed to be used. Laziness is not a valid excuse.

What I dont do is sit in L3 when L2 is free or sit in L2 when L1 is free.

You can add in all the excuses and unrelated arguments you want, but all the literature and the rules of the road tell you how to drive on a motorway, but you know better.

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121048599#Comment_121048599

Sure what do you expect her to do? Overtake and change lanes as required? Next you will want her to indicate and use a roundabout correctly.

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121049149#Comment_121049149

I covered this previously but the centre stretch of the M50 (J6-J11 and the first few exits on the N7) are in reality too busy and with too many exits/merges in close proximity that in reality all 3 lanes become driving lanes at peak times which is pretty much daylight hours at this stage.

You can go on about the rules of the road all you want but in reality it's far more important to be able to observe, read the situation, and adapt accordingly to it. There's thus no way that weaving across 2/3 lanes and back in the conditions I refer to above is safer, sensible or even practical vs minimising unnecessary lane changes instead.

If L2 (or L1 on a 2-lane road or at off-peak hours on a 3-lane road) is clear for more than maybe 200m I'll use it but what I won't do is constantly switch lanes to satisfy a theory that makes no sense in busy conditions.

I read here about "middle lane hoggers" or undertaking and all these other issues and frustrations and honestly I can't say I'm affected by them. The only time I have any real issues on the M50 is when traffic is so busy that it's at a crawl or stand still but beyond that I can usually cruise one end of it to the other without any incidents or delays most of the time.

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121049201#Comment_121049201

In no way is that stretch too busy during daylight hours.

I drive it everyday in both directions.

Again with the deflections about how your superior driving skills enable you to disregard the basic rules of the road.

Its eminently practical. I do wonder how you survive on single lane carriageways if overtaking is such a taxing effort for you?

200M is perfectly fine to stay in L2 for. Not a single person is saying you need to move in and out every car.

However most people radically underestimate how long it will take them to make up 200M on the car in front (note that its not travel 200M its make up 200M)

Your post is also contradictory. In one sentence you say its too busy during dayling hours to drive properly. Then you end with saying you can cruise from one end to the other without changing lanes. Which is it?

As for you not being affected by MLMs.

_Kaiser_

Nope, your funny but irrelevant cartoon aside, I just move into L3 and overtake all the MLMs without incident 99% of the time, thereby not affected. When the traffic spreads out again/eases I will move left if it makes sense to do so (ie: if I won't be switching lanes 5/10 seconds later again anyway).

You feel free to slavishly follow the rules while patting yourself on the back and oblivious of what's happening around you because "you're right!" though. There's a lot of drivers like that - generally the same types who try to police the roads themselves, or who will hold up a line of cars because "it's a limit, not a target" etc.

I find it's better to leave such folk to it behind me and get on with my day.

If we're doing funny clips though, do you find yourself saying this a lot..?

https://youtu.be/MUOga5gKN1M?si=iOChu_sAU4-npVRy

AndrewJRenko

From the UK

https://x.com/surreyrs/status/1696934358303625483?s=46&t=3l1OhjvjsuAh4w9RMjlH8g

Flinty997

In the UK they obey rules better than Ireland. They also enforce them unlike here. If people don't fear enforcement they won't obey them.

That said even in the UK on an orbital route with lots of exits and joining lane in a short distance most people will stay out of the first lane.

For all the valid complaints about Irish driving. UK roads are lot more tiring to drive on with all the lane changing.

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121050515#Comment_121050515

If you find lane changing tiring then stay off the motorway and on the back/national roads instead.

Too many people think driving on a motorway mean you stick CC onto 120 and disengage your brain.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121050691#Comment_121050691

6 hours on a UK motorway is far more exhausting than Irish motorways. Irish motorways are half empty most of the time.

Often routing via the A or B roads in the UK are vastly more pleasant and even faster, instead of getting stuck in traffic Jam on the motorway for hours. M50 in Ireland is often the slowest route.

GSBellew

If it's owners in the middle lane do the people on PCP drive in the left or right lane?

Just checking to make sure I know which lane I should be in if I borrow a car 😆

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051007#Comment_121051007

Any lane. You have a higher purpose.

Isthisthingon?

I used to drive the M9 from Carlow to Naas / Newbridge almost daily since the motorway was built , often driving further onto the M50 and beyond. On the M9 I stayed left, moved into lane 2 to overtake and back to lane 1, nothing to it. Every day without fail I was baffled by drivers ( in all brands of car/ trucks and jeeps) who would sit in L2 on empty stretches' for Kilometer's at a time - ( The M9 southbound after Kilcullen to Waterford is not a busy motorway broadly speaking) - why? - laziness? , genuine ignorance of motorway etiquette and rules of the road? , daydreaming? who knows.

Then you approach the merge with the M7 / N7 and I would also try for as long as I could to stay in Lane 1 but I will be the first to admit that after 2 mins on that road or the M50 it is if you cant beat them join them as the lane indiscipline is infuriating. I will invariably do lane 2 & 3 at peak times.

One last point and this sums up Irish driving - would often land in Dublin airport at midnight or later from the UK and drive home, with the M50/ N7 to myself and a few stragglers - 3 lanes empty and without fail you'd see lads driving in lane 3 all the way.

Flinty997

If 3 lanes are empty, does it matter?

Isthisthingon?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121051441#Comment_121051441

'Your Honour - I rest my case. '

Henry Ford III

I was on the Naas Road this morning (outbound 3 lane section).

I used lane 1 whenever possible and noticed a good few drivers hogging lane 3 when lane 2 was empty.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121052144#Comment_121052144

What issue? You have 3 EMPTY lanes.

People here with their head buried in the ROF looking for issues where none exist, driving themselves apoplectic.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121052195#Comment_121052195

Perhaps they were keeping their distance from erratic driving in lane 1? 🤣

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121052299#Comment_121052299

How do you overtake someone driving in lane 3 when the other 2 lanes are empty?

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121053019#Comment_121053019

He said "3" lanes empty

Even if it wasn't. Very unlikely someone in the early hours is driving slowly on an empty motorway. Or do you mean you have to overtake no matter what speed they are doing.

Last two late trips I did to the airport at 1-2am there was gridlock. Traffic at standstill. Had to come off the M50 to get around it.

chooseusername

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121053019#Comment_121053019

Well I would be in lane one and driving at my speed, if that meant overtaking Kaiser cruising in lane 3, I'd drive on.

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121053153#Comment_121053153

Ah but see, you didn't read my posts properly where I said that at quieter periods, I will happily use L1

If all lanes were empty in the middle of the night that would be such an occasion.

However, regardless you wouldn't need to worry about needing to overtake me as I don't dawdle unnecessarily and am quite capable of driving at speed - however if you're suggesting that your overtake would mean you legally speeding, well I couldn't possibly comment!

Just watch out around exit 6 outbound on the N7 as there's regularly a squad car sitting there at night in the dark watching for speeders.

standardg60

I drive in the middle lane for several reasons, firstly it's safer (for me) as i don't have the confidence to constantly change lanes. Secondly, it's just less hassle (for me) as why should i have to go out of my way to accommodate other drivers. Thirdly, i'm driving at the legal speed limit so there should be no reason whatsoever why i should have to move over to let you on your way. Fourthly, there's a car in L1 that's been travelling at the same speed as me for my whole journey, we're both at the limit so what's to be done?

So to summarise, i can't use my mirrors, i'm extremely selfish, i like to police other drivers, and i'm incapable of realising the effect my driving has on other road users.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121053355#Comment_121053355

Road Rage set to "simmer" lol.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121053418#Comment_121053418

Ah yes i forgot the 5th one, anyone who has an issue or who gets annoyed by my sh1t driving should just chill out, shure what's the harm? We'll all get there eventually.

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121053097#Comment_121053097

Forget about the speeds, on an otherwise empty motorway you catch up to someone who is sitting in L3, sure they motorway is empty, why woudln't they right?

How do you pass them?

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121053212#Comment_121053212

If we could get them to ticket the idiots in the wrong lane then we would all get where we want to go faster and more efficiently.