Why do car owners drive in the middle lane?

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037435#Comment_121037435

Dont worry I can count. If people are happy to do the dance, then plough on and cause unecessary mayhem so they can ride the high horse.

liamog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037416#Comment_121037416

It's pretty easy to drive on the inside lane and move over to the middle lane when somebody needs to merge in, I don't see the hassle in making a simple lane change.

It's ok if you find lane changes difficult, go get some practice and you'll have soon developed the basic driving skill of changing lanes. I'd also recommend you improve your observation of the road conditions both in front and behind your car, that way you shouldn't need to slow down to facilitate mergers as you'll be able to anticipate the road conditions and won't be left in a position where your passing on the left and don't have space to move over.

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037460#Comment_121037460

Given that many drivers will either dawdle onto the motorway at significantly less than the posted limit/speed of traffic already on the main carrageway, OR will shoot across the harch markings as soon as they can, then you'll absolutely be adjusting your speed to facilitate/react to them.

Then when they get onto the motorway proper they'll continue to dawdle along, forcing others to have to maneuver around them in response. If you're getting overtaken by trucks on a motorway you're doing it wrong IMO and should probably stick to the secondary routes.

Or as I do, just sit out in L3 at the limit-ish and leave them all to it.

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037460#Comment_121037460

Thanks for the tips...they certainly are helpful for getting 100% in the theory test

DownByTheGarden

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037460#Comment_121037460

I can tell you have probably never driven on the M50 when the traffic is bad, which is pretty much most of the time.

Its much easier just to stay in the middle lane and overtake in the right lane. Far too much merging and trucks going on the M50 for anyones comfort. You would actually know this if you drive on it tbh. Everyone else knows it.

_Kaiser_

Unfortunately there are too many drivers who will convince themselves that they are doing the right thing because they are within the letter of the law, rather than instead actually reading the situation in front of/around them and adjusting their driving accordingly

• whether that to be to move out early in anticipation of a busy merge
• or move out before they end up right behind a car they intend to overtake and then have to either brake because there's already a car in the right lane or cut them off (I see both every day)
• or adjust their speed accordingly to keep up with the flow of traffic, or slow appropriately if needed (rain/wet surfaces/poor visibility etc)
• or move over when safe to do so if a faster car comes up behind rather than trying to police the road themselves

etc etc etc....

Driving requires observation, adapting and reacting to rapidly changing circumstances, flexibility and common sense - not just slavishly following the rules and telling yourself that you're right, everyone else is wrong!

liamog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037497#Comment_121037497

Oh can you now, that's interesting as I'm regularly on the M50 at different times of the day. Not sure why you feel turning a 3 lane motorway into a 2 lane one is helping the flow of traffic. Perhaps if you and others could master such a basic skill of driving as changing lanes we'd have a much better flow for everyone.

liamog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037487#Comment_121037487

That's for sure another pet hate of mine. People who don't use slip roads to accelerate to the speed of the road. With the auxiliary lanes and the extended solid lines they've added at the N4/N7 junctions I can normally see them coming with plenty of time to move over. I'm one of those old fashioned drivers who pays attention to the road instead of a phone.

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037560#Comment_121037560

What do you when traffic is pretty solid on L1 and L2?

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037560#Comment_121037560

Yep, it's extremely common to find yourself stuck behind someone doing 60/80 on a slip road who will them just pull out in front of whatever vechicle is already in the left lane. The problem then is that you are affected by this as well so what I usually do is slow and let a decent gap build up so that I myself can then join at a proper speed (3L diesel FTW!)

I saw a numpty actually stop at the Garter Lane merge onto the N7 outbound and when I came up behind them, they just pulled straight into L1 in front of a truck... very lucky they were but FFS!

liamog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037587#Comment_121037587

I've not experienced the spontaneous arrival of solid traffic in lane 2 causing me to not have space to move over. It goes back to what I said before, pay attention to what's going on around you and you want end up in a situation where your in lane 1 and don't have space to move. Not passing cars on the left is a great way to avoid trapping yourself in that scenario.

If your talking about the regular times when the M50 is stop start then the whole thing is a different driving experience.

DownByTheGarden

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037587#Comment_121037587

Dont mind him. He definitely has never driven on the M50.

liamog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037645#Comment_121037645

Seems like ability to read is as bad as your ability to change lanes. Just in case, here's a post where some other poster spotted my car on the M50

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120800302/#Comment_120800302

DownByTheGarden

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037747#Comment_121037747

Its your total lack of experience driving on the M50 that is giving you away.

Look there is the way to drive on a motorway that is flowing effeciently with well spaced exits and long slip roads, and there is the way you have to drive on the M50. Two different things.

liamog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037758#Comment_121037758

Just because your an inexperienced driver who has difficulty changing lanes doesn't mean the rest of us have the same deficiencies. Maybe spend the effort learning how to control your vehicle and observe road conditions instead. You might then find it easier to identify competent drivers over your own lazy driving efforts.

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037624#Comment_121037624

See this is the point and why what is theoretically the correct options isnt always the best or safest in certain driving conditions. In heavy M50 traffic where there is a lot of merging traffic and heavy L2 traffic, its a lot safer to drive in L2 so as to avoid dealing with merging and heavy and slow moving L2 traffic. Each to their own of course, but there is no way Im doing the 4 lane dance in heavy M50 traffic and up to now the Gardai havent intervened to tell me otherwise

DownByTheGarden

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037774#Comment_121037774

Driving is about adapting to the conditions around you and making your driver and those around you as safe a possible. You should know this if you are an experienced driver. You will eventually learn this. If you dont learn this with driving experience im afraid there is no hope for you, so no point trying to teach you.

liamog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037794#Comment_121037794

You're not doing a 4 lane manoeuvre to pass someone in lane 2 whilst it's heavy, then you'd be keeping up with the flow of traffic either in your lane or moving out a lane to where it's faster. It's the people are who are using that justification to camp in the middle during other times of the day that are the problem.

Anybody who's used the M50 outside of peak hours should be well used to examples like this, where people demonstrate just how bad they are at driving.

https://youtu.be/nL7yTyP43FE

liamog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037833#Comment_121037833

It's ok I'm sure you'll eventually gain that experience with enough practice, perhaps then you'll have the confidence to be able to change lanes safely. It's good that your aware of your limitation and are working on it.

Let's hope more M50 drivers do the same and improve the conditions for the all of us.

Henry Ford III

Lack of proper lane discipline is mainly down to pure laziness.

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121036886#Comment_121036886

"facilitate a more smoother driving experience for all drivers me"

Fixed that post for ya.

tootling along in the middle lane does not facilitate a smoother experience for anyone other than the person in the middle lane. You clearly dont understand how roads are designed to be used.

You remove an entire lane (the inside one) by driving in the middle, congratulations.

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037493#Comment_121037493

you mean using 100% of the road capacity.

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037587#Comment_121037587

Gee, can anyone think of a reason why lane 2 would be pretty solid?

Take your time...

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037497#Comment_121037497

So your argument is that its easier to stay in the middle lane because there are too many cars in the middle lane? Gotcha.

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121037867#Comment_121037867

I quite enjoy meandering over and back across the M50 when traffic light and I have nothing better to be doing and I don't mind unproductively wasting fuel. However no way I'm doing it when traffic is heavy. in the real world L2 is routinely occupied by traffic going under the speed limits so I will drive to the conditions and to the avoid the madness of floating all over the M50, Ill drive in L2 and overtake in L3.

However if in the real world people suddenly decided not in large number to dwell in L2, then I would drive in the theoretically optimum manner suggested by yourself. And I suppose if you were an eternal optimist, pigs might actually in this country

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121038391#Comment_121038391

"facilitate a more smoother driving experience for all drivers me, IMHO"

Fixed that for you and guess what I respect your opinion even if I disagree with it

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121038430#Comment_121038430

Such a superiority complex, must be an onerous responsibility to maintain

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121038673#Comment_121038673

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121038662#Comment_121038662

Its not an opinion, its they way you drive on a motorway in this (and many other) countries. Its literally how the road was designed to be used in the most effective and efficient manner. If you and everyone else drover properly you would get to your destination faster and with more fuel left and we wouldn't have ridiculous phantom tail backs.

BTW any idea who those drivers are who like to "dwell in L2"? Any clue at all?

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121038698#Comment_121038698

Sure they were designed to be used in a certain manner but guess what they are not being used that way. It's not up to me to police how people use motorways so I'll just adapt to the real world about me.

You seem to have a bit of a bee in your little bonnet about the dwelling issue. No interest in biting. If you want to lay off the games and ask a question, no bother

liamog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121038870#Comment_121038870

Seems you can't even police yourself to properly use a motorway properly, trying to justify your laziness due to extra fuel usage of lateral movement is a bigger stretch that the one in the evenings on the 20th of June.