M50 Muppet

milltown

This right lane hogging is a vicious circle. Lane discipline in this country has been so bad for so long that once folks get into the right hand lane they daren't leave it again, even if they're not really in much of a rush.

"Sure what if I'm making steady progress at 56mph, that's when my car is most economical, I read it in a magazine, then I come up behind a truck that's limited to 55mph (hah!). The fast lane will be full of people like me who won't let me in."

My opinion on the headlight flashing: It's only acceptable after you've given them plenty of time to notice you and move aside. If I'm in the fast lane I'm generally doing as close to just over the speed limit as conditions allow and because it's easier and safer than leapfrogging in and out of the busy/slow left hand lane. If I see you coming, and I can, I'll move out of your way. If I see you bearing down on me with your headlights set to "strobe" however, I will back off, probably to exactly the same speed as the guy on my left, and hold you there for a while.

Regarding the terminology, though, can anybody point me to where it says that the outside lane on our two lane motorways are "overtaking" lanes? I thought we just had slow and fast lanes and that a third, overtaking lane was only to be found in the developed world.

jd

milltown wrote:

Regarding the terminology, though, can anybody point me to where it says that the outside lane on our two lane motorways are "overtaking" lanes? I thought we just had slow and fast lanes and that a third, overtaking lane was only to be found in the developed world.

Rules of the Road..

Seth Brundle

nereid wrote:

My favourite is where I approach a car (eg. on the M50) who is sitting in the overtaking lane with nobody else for miles. Quick flash of the lights and he kindly moves into the left. I pass and then he pulls back out into the overtaking lane as I move back to the left hand lane!

As I would be approaching them whilst in the driving/left hand lane, I would just continue on past them without moving into the overtaking lane, waiting for them to move left and then pass only to move back myself into the driving lane. I don't regard this as undertaking.
You make it sound like you are also in the overtaking lane on a quiet dual carriageway.

delly

Before i moved to Drogheda i would have only used the motorway on the odd occassion, however now that i use the M1 everyday, i'm disgusted at the amount of righthand lane hogging. Its not uncommon to have to drive on the inside lane which will be clear for several km's while the 'overtaking' lane is full.

I remember reading an article that said a large percentage of British motorways were wasted space because of drivers refusal to use inside lanes.

Idleater

kbannon wrote:

As I would be approaching them whilst in the driving/left hand lane, I would just continue on past them without moving into the overtaking lane, waiting for them to move left and then pass only to move back myself into the driving lane. I don't regard this as undertaking.
You make it sound like you are also in the overtaking lane on a quiet dual carriageway.

You are quite correct. On this occasion I purposly moved into the overtaking lane (in good time) as I was approaching the said lane hogger. I did this to empahsize the fact that I was attempting to complete a safer/legal overtaking manouver (go around the outside of him) rather than go with the express intention of undertaking him.
What prooves my point is that the guy had indeed noticed me and kindly moved out of the overtaking lane as I neared him to let me past. After completing the manouvre, I moved left into the normal lane while at the same time he moved right, into the overtaking lane.

milltown wrote:

If I see you coming, and I can, I'll move out of your way. If I see you bearing down on me with your headlights set to "strobe" however, I will back off, probably to exactly the same speed as the guy on my left, and hold you there for a while.

Which makes you just as bad as the person that the OP and yourself were complaining about. If you are going to do the same speed as the driver to your left, then you are not overtaking and should NOT be in the overtaking lane. Get out of the way and let those of us who can make progress (Motorbikes in my case) do so.

L.

mathie

Corben Dallas wrote:

Plus should he have been doing (just under:D )100kph? 82mph????? if hes not even doing 95/100kph the guy should be kept off the road.

100 kmph = 82 mph?!?!
What the?
M

milltown

nereid wrote:

Which makes you just as bad as the person that the OP and yourself were complaining about. If you are going to do the same speed as the driver to your left, then you are not overtaking and should NOT be in the overtaking lane. Get out of the way and let those of us who can make progress (Motorbikes in my case) do so.

L.

Actually, as a former biker, I find myself going above and beyond the call of duty to speed bikers on their way. I even have herself trained to watch the mirrors and leave plenty of room for filtering bikes. That in itself was an achievement!

Wrt your other point, if I am doing 120+ and passing slower moving traffic in the left lane I AM overtaking. If somebody coming up behind feels he is perfectly safe at a ton plus (in old money) even though the road is busy, which it must be if I'm not in the left lane, I for one am not going to take evasive action to get out of the pr1ck's way.

Bartonprince

Berkel wrote:

<rant>

This morning I had the pleasure of driving along the M50 - now I am one of the few people in this country that believes that the 'overtaking' lane is for...er....overtaking. Now as it happened I was cruising along at 70 in the outside lane and came up past this guy who was sitting in the overtaking lane. Now I wasnt going to reduce my speed so kept on going, upon which I undertook the car who was in the overtaking lane. I made my way up further and came up behind another car whereupon I indicated and move back into the overtaking lane. Next thing I get a barrage of headlight flashes from the muppet who I had passed! Not one but multiple flashes. Even though I had loads of room, he seemed to take offence in my coming back into his lane...Maybe I 'invaded his space' or something. I flashed the indicators once and from the ballymount exit to past the tallaght exit, he switched his full beams on in some sort of futile attempt to annoy me.... if you are reading this dude, you need to get your headlights checked coz they are not very bright at all... Only when a car moved in between us did he switch them off....
Just wanted to get that off my chest... Its amazing what people turn into when put behind the wheel of a car! ...and I'm no angel either...

...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
</rant>

You're right. You are a muppet ;-D

ambro25

BartonPrince = big ugly green humanoid

Berkel

Bartonprince .... no need for that now. There's always sone smartarse isnt there.... :eek:

Bartonprince

Berkel wrote:

Bartonprince .... no need for that now. There's always sone smartarse isnt there.... :eek:

ha ha. Just kidding bud, I'm only learning to drive so have no clue really. I won't go so slow that everyone has to overttake me. But i won't go rocketing up the M50 either. Bit scared of going fast!!

mike65

JustinOval wrote:

N25 Waterford to Cork road- every morning bumper to bumper in the fast lane, nobody in the slow lane, guess where I drive? :rolleyes:

Towards Cork on the dual carraigway from Glanmire?

Mike.

fletch

nereid wrote:

What prooves my point is that the guy had indeed noticed me and kindly moved out of the overtaking lane as I neared him to let me past. After completing the manouvre, I moved left into the normal lane while at the same time he moved right, into the overtaking lane.

This happens me all the time too! You would imagine the idiot that was hogging the outside lane would realise after you overtaking him and moving into the left lane that he should do the same

el tel

milltown wrote:

Wrt your other point, if I am doing 120+ and passing slower moving traffic in the left lane I AM overtaking. If somebody coming up behind feels he is perfectly safe at a ton plus (in old money) even though the road is busy, which it must be if I'm not in the left lane, I for one am not going to take evasive action to get out of the pr1ck's way.

As soon as it's safe, you should move over.
Just like someone doing 60, 100 or 120, you are in the overtaking lane and are in someone's way.

Abelloid

mike65 wrote:

Towards Cork on the dual carraigway from Glanmire?

Mike.

Opposite direction, from Cobh cross in.

saobh_ie

nereid wrote:

As I mainly drive on the motorbike the indicator trick does not work to well for me.
L.

Disagree, if you stay center of your lane it probaly will go un noticed but if you move from side to side in your lane, alter your speed behind them, they do eventually notice you. Whether they move over or not is another bowl of fish alltoghter. You'll get everything from speed camera braking, ignorance, window washer fluid, cigarettes or left indicator and a clear road. Always wave or nod when they do get over.

As this topic however is about the M50... in the majority of cases your better off going invisible and sneaking around going for the filter when you get the chance.

milltown wrote:

I find myself going above and beyond the call of duty to speed bikers on their way. I even have herself trained to watch the mirrors and leave plenty of room for filtering bikes.

Thanks for that. =] It's people like you that keep us from loosing the plot and pulling people out through thier windows and stomping them to bits with a huge monster boots. =]

dil999

Berkel wrote:

Er.... why you asking?

Undertaking at 70 mph is a very dangerous and illegal manouver. You put youself in the other driver's blindspot, just at a time he is very likely to pull in ( which is in fact what you want him to do :rolleyes:) . People sauntering along in the fast lane is a bit annoying, but absolutely no excuse for dangerous driving.

People who complain over the high price of insurance for young drivers, particularly males. (I have no idea whether you are either) would learn a lot from reading this thread: braking in front of drivers at 70mph, getting close enough to spray them with the washer (wtf :rolleyes: ), chucking stuff out the sunroof (wtf x2:eek: )

Calm down. The purpose of driving is to get from A to B as safely as possible. If a guy was walking slowly in front of you on the path, you wouldn't dash aound him like a lunatic, spit at him if he said something to you, stop suddendly to intimidate him, throw stones at him? Why would you do it in a car?

Seth Brundle

milltown wrote:

Wrt your other point, if I am doing 120+ and passing slower moving traffic in the left lane I AM overtaking. If somebody coming up behind feels he is perfectly safe at a ton plus (in old money) even though the road is busy, which it must be if I'm not in the left lane, I for one am not going to take evasive action to get out of the pr1ck's way.

but do you slow down and hold up traffic just to prove a point?