Your default lane for driving on M50 or other 3 lane road

whomitconcerns · 02-03-2015 09:54AM #1

So its complained a lot about on the motors forum..Im definitely of teh keep left as much as possible brigade. But I know a lot of people dont. Coming back up the m50 last night at 7pm, people religiously sticking to centre and right lanes, and not moving even "on request"..Left lane was clear for very long stretchs.

So posting this in after hours to get more general opinion. Whats your "goto" lane (Not that you shoudl have one of course) on the M50 and why?

To clarify...By option 1, I mean leftmost lane but not undertaking. ie using the motorway the way you are meant to legally use it, sorry for the confusion, a MOD can edit if they get time please.

kneemos · 02-03-2015 09:57AM

Too slow in the slow lane.

BoJack Horseman · 02-03-2015 09:59AM

Left most lane is usually the emptiest.

So, that one.

recyclebin · 02-03-2015 10:00AM

I chose option 4 as the idiots who use option 2 and 3 won't get into the correct lane leaving me with no other way to overtake.

I do use option 1, the leftmost lane, where its possible. This usually results in lots of undertaking people in lane 2.

whomitconcerns · 02-03-2015 10:02AM

Hmm should say leftmost lane with free space, moving to the right to overtake and then moving back in afterwards

Mint Sauce · 02-03-2015 10:05AM

The fast lane!

eamonnq · 02-03-2015 10:05AM

The left most lane but will usually end up undertaking people in the lane to the right of me, just seems a bit ridiculous to have to have to switch lanes to over take them when the lane in front of me is clear (IYKWIM).

02-03-2015 10:06AM

Keep left unless overtaking.

kneemos · 02-03-2015 10:09AM

Mint Sauce wrote: »

The fast lane!

Foot to the floor.

Blast em out of it.

mackerski · 02-03-2015 10:10AM

whomitconcerns wrote: »

So posting this in after hours to get more general opinion. Whats your "goto" lane on the M50 and why?

If you have a "goto" lane you're doing it wrong.

MrWalsh · 02-03-2015 10:14AM

It depends on the part of the M50 and the time of day.

In the mornings I HAVE to stay in the rightmost lane as it is dangerous in the centre lane with idiots in the centre lane who try to skip the exit queue and STOP and sit indicating to get into the leftmost lane for the Sandyford exit. Coming to a dead stop and sitting indicating on the M50 is so dangerous, there should be very harsh penalties for it. If theyve missed the queue they should continue to the next exit and come round.

Once past that I move to the centre lane which actually becomes the leftmost lane past that anyway.

In the evenings I stick in the leftmost lane until it becomes the centre lane and then get into the left lane one exit before my own.

murpho999 · 02-03-2015 10:15AM

kneemos wrote: »

Too slow in the slow lane.

Mint Sauce wrote: »

The fast lane!

There are actually no such thing as these lanes and when people learn that then they might start driving on motorways properly. Until then people will continue to see the left hand lane as a shameful lane for grannies or men with hats and won't drive in it.

The amount of people I see joining a motorway at 50-60km an hour which is far too slow and then goings straight to the middle lane is unreal.

whomitconcerns · 02-03-2015 10:16AM

mackerski wrote: »

If you have a "goto" lane you're doing it wrong.

This is my point. You see them merging at the entrances and then just going strauight to the middle lane for instance and staying there.

So basically my options are stay in teh empty left lane and undertake. Or do 4 manouveres every time there is a car in middle lane ie the proper way.

iDave · 02-03-2015 10:16AM

Middle lane, happy medium sandwiched between terrified Micra drivers on the left and egotistical tailgating BMW/Audi driving w@nkers on the right.

yipeeeee · 02-03-2015 10:17AM

Seems as though most answers here is correct it would seem boards is a middle lane hog free community:)

conorh91 · 02-03-2015 10:19AM

My girlfriend is a Lane Hog:eek::o

We were going out a good 3 months before she collected me from a friend's place in Newcastle, and for the first (and last) time I saw her driving on the M50.

She starts off in the left lane, and a few overtakes later, she's in the overtaking (the right-most) lane. First I said nothing, just kept looking in the rear view mirror to give her a hint. Then I says "car coming up behind you there" and she says "I'm going at the limit" or something like that.

As someone who uses the motorway fairly regularly, this attitude stinks and it drives me mad. It doesn't matter if you're going at the speed limit! Go at the speed limit in the left lane.

By the way, if people want to break the speed limit in the overtaking lane, that's their prerogative; sometimes it's even necessary. Lane hogs need to stop acting like the police.

maximoose · 02-03-2015 10:22AM

The poll results sadly don't reflect real life

_Kaiser_ · 02-03-2015 10:24AM

The M50 needs to be declassified as a motorway simply because the normal rules of a motorway cannot apply for about half of it (exits 5/6-11) due to the volume of traffic and the amount of exits/merges over those few km.

Northbound Exit 10 (Ballymount) to 9 (Naas/N7) is a perfect example of a bad junction - the merge is far too short and overlaps with an equally short exit for the N7. Then when you DO get onto the N7, you have to be wary of being sideswiped by cars trying to get to the LUAS exit or Bewleys. Given the volume of traffic that leaves for the N7 at peak, it's chaos.
Also the so-called "free flow junctions are anything but as the half-assed job means you have to slow right down rather than merge and join at speed

I very much doubt this poll is accurate given that the vast majority of drivers sit in the middle/outer lanes in my experience.. but then as well as the above design issues, when you have trucks lumbering along in lane 1, people diving for the exit at the last minute and cutting out in front of you on the other side as they merge, it's not surprising that most people stay well clear of this. In heavy traffic all lanes should be used as driving lanes IMO and AGS would be better employed going after the rampant tailgating, learner drivers, undertaking/weaving, and idiots who drive around in the dark/bad weather with no or minimal lighting.

Myself I generally do sit in lane 2/3 but then I'm usually travelling the length of the M50 (or at least half of it) and do so at the maximum (safe) speed permitted by the conditions. Because of the free-for-all between the junctions I mentioned above, coupled with lack of enforcement by AGS beyond "speeding" and tax checks, you're damn right that I'll stay well away from the ducking and diving that goes on.

Teyla Emmagan · 02-03-2015 10:28AM

I don't think the m50 was built when I did my driving test. I certainly was never taught how to drive on it. So normally I undertake merrily on the left lane. Is that very bad?!

CJ Haughey · 02-03-2015 10:29AM

Hard shoulder with the left indicator constant on like the rally car.

dan185 · 02-03-2015 10:30AM

It's not just the m50, Irish drivers are predominantly thick.

I drive the full length of the n7 regularly and as soon as you hit Kildare you can stick to the left lane as its empty and the other two are rammed with people doing 80kmh.

Mint Sauce · 02-03-2015 10:31AM

murpho999 wrote: »

There are actually no such thing as these lanes and when people learn that then they might start driving on motorways properly. Until then people will continue to see the left hand lane as a shameful lane for grannies or men with hats and won't drive in it.

The amount of people I see joining a motorway at 50-60km an hour which is far too slow and then goings straight to the middle lane is unreal.

True. Whats worse is when you get someone infront of you in the right lane on an EMPTY motorway or HQDC, but think because they are doing near or on the speed limit they think, ah shure, its the fast lane, its alright.

A similar thing is when you have a constant 80km driver on a single carriage way road, and come across a overtaking lane on a steep climb, the 80km driver sticks the overtaking because the empty lane to his left is marked the slow lane, they think, I'm not going slow, i'll stick here. Last time i came arcross one of these drivers, even a flash of the lights, and my right indicator, still did make them cop on they were in the wrong.

Even though we are a small island, shared by two nations, i find the standard of Motorway driving way better in the North, despite a smaller population and network.

_Kaiser_ · 02-03-2015 10:33AM

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

I don't think the m50 was built when I did my driving test. I certainly was never taught how to drive on it. So normally I undertake merrily on the left lane. Is that very bad?!

Not sure if serious..

But if so then yes it is.. the rule is to overtake on the right, so while drivers SHOULD be looking around them before changing lanes a lot of them don't and won't expect you to be on their left which can lead to "problems"

If you're in the blind spot of a bus or truck then this becomes even more serious.

Move right if overtaking

eamonnq · 02-03-2015 10:34AM

maximoose wrote: »

The poll results sadly don't reflect real life

Everybody on boards is perfect, it is the non-boardsies that are doing it wrong!!

Buona Fortuna · 02-03-2015 10:34AM

How nice another Dublin thread.

dan185 · 02-03-2015 10:34AM

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

I don't think the m50 was built when I did my driving test. I certainly was never taught how to drive on it. So normally I undertake merrily on the left lane. Is that very bad?!

I took my test 18 months ago and wasn't taught either, but I certainly was taught how to drive!

Stick to the left lane on every road unless overtaking the vehicle(s) in front then merge back left. If the lad in the centre lane tries to merge you're undertaking him, if you want to get past him you should merge centre behind him then merge right into the outside lane to overtake.

Having said that, most of the time on the m50 it's irrelevant because nobody else knows how o drive either

eamonnq · 02-03-2015 10:35AM

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

I don't think the m50 was built when I did my driving test. I certainly was never taught how to drive on it. So normally I undertake merrily on the left lane. Is that very bad?!

Not very bad, but could be dangerous. It may well be illegal.

The danger is the driver in the lane to the right of you not looking or indicating and just moving into the lane you are in.

murpho999 · 02-03-2015 10:37AM

Mint Sauce wrote: »

True. Whats worse is when you get someone infront of you in the right lane on an EMPTY motorway or HQDC, but think because they are doing near or on the speed limit they think, ah shure, its the fast lane, its alright.

A similar thing is when you have a constant 80km driver on a single carriage way road, and come across a overtaking lane on a steep climb, the 80km driver sticks the overtaking because the empty lane to his left is marked the slow lane, they think, I'm not going slow, i'll stick here. Last time i came arcross one of these drivers, even a flash of the lights, and my right indicator, still did make them cop on they were in the wrong.

Even though we are a small island, shared by two nations, i find the standard of Motorway driving way better in the North, despite a smaller population and network.

That is nothing to do with roads or population but how we are thought to drive.
A lot of people are out there driving having been thought by their parents (who probably had a licence without a test during the amnesty) or by unregulated instructors.
Motorway driving was never instructed or tested. Major focus was on the three point turn and reversing around the corner.
Even in the revised testing whereby you have to have some professional lessons by a regulated instructor you are are not thought motorway driving or tested on it. It's just simply wrong.

BeerWolf · 02-03-2015 10:37AM

During heavy traffic, I tend to use the middle lane while covering a long distance so as to avoid the merges and exits... else left lane.

_Kaiser_ · 02-03-2015 10:37AM

Buona Fortuna wrote: »

How nice another Dublin thread.

Well if it helps, what's being talked about equally applies to the N40 in Cork or the part of the N7 that's in Kildare

Falcon L · 02-03-2015 10:38AM

On every other motorway in the country, I keep to the leftmost available lane. As I approach Dublin, the really bad lane discipline starts. The M50 in particular is a jungle with 'survival' driving being necessary. I like to be at the speed limit so I usually end up in the right hand lane much closer to the car in front than I want to be.

If I travel in the left hand lane I get trapped there behind the slower drivers, who are quite entitled to travel at a slower speed if they want. No way would you be let into the middle lane.

If I travel in the middle lane I get trapped there when I inevitably end up behind behind a middle lane hogger doing 70kph. No way would you be let into the outer lane.

So I end up in the right hand lane where I drive too close to the car in front as leaving any gap more than a car length results in an Audi or BMW arse filling it. I'm happy to let another car in to the line in front of me. All it takes is a right indicator and I will ease off, creating a safe gap. But this rarely happens.

The M50 is a bit of an exception though. It is almost constantly full and all lanes need to be used. Something needs to be done about driver behaviour. Tailgating, undertaking and weaving need to be tackled. Won't happen, of course, but needs to happen.

Your default lane for driving on M50 or other 3 lane road

What s your "go to" lane on the M50? 275 votes

Comments