Overtaking in the slow lane, is it illegal?

John R

Tails142 wrote: »

Was driving home the other night on the M4 - not much traffic about an I came upon a guy in an audi driving in the overtaking lane. I was probably doing about 130km/h and he was at about 100km/h in then 120km/h section. so i sat behind him for a good while, we overtook a car or two. Few minutes later, no cars ahead and he's still on the outside. I give him a long flash of my full beams and he decides to pull over.

Grand so, not to hang about I decide to put the foot down and take it up to about 170km/h to put some distance between us. I then settle into my usual 130km/h that I do on the motorway. What do I find only to see the guy behind has picked up his pace and is now keeping distance with me a couple of hundred metres back... why did he decide to speed up after I overtook him one wonders...

Not going to have a go at you about the speeding but I would suggest you don't make a habit of doing that. Do it often enough and odds-on one of the cars you flash, overtake and accelerate away from will be an un-marked or off duty Garda who will do you for the speeding as revenge for flashing and overtaking him.

astraboy

wil wrote: »

Several reasons,
1 - it is bad enough you have unpredictable, non indicating, erratic drivers passing or being passed on one side, double that and it gets even more hairy.
2 - in an emergency, it really helps if some inconsiderate, idiotic, or bull headed driver isnt ploughing up your inside.
3 - some drivers seem to think that traffic queues are meant for other people and so use their satan given right to undertake when/wherever they feel like.

Had an emergency situation happen on motorway in UK some years back where my timing belt failed while I was overtaking in the outside lane.
Thankfully, with my instant and catastrophic loss of power, I was glad I wasnt on an Irish motorway and could pull in to the hard shoulder safely without being concertinaed by aforementioned plonkers.

Would people kindly refrain from calling lanes "fast" and "slow" lanes, we have climbing, inside, outside, central and overtaking lanes, but no fast or slow lanes.

In the US they can overtake on either side but have different driving climate - wider lanes, policy of keeping to one lane, slower speed etc.
Their road death stats arent anything to write home about either, so shouldnt be set up as an example to follow.

If someone is hogging the outside lane and I need to overtake, I flash them. I did undertake a guy recently who was driving a clapped out transit at 45mph in an outside lane, oblivious to me stuck behind him. There was no traffic in the inside lane BTW.

Also, as you mentioned in the U.S. you can over and undertake, but most of the highways I drove on had 4+ lanes. Traffic moved far faster then here though, and the cops were not as concerned about pulling people doing 5mph over the limit on the highway.

mick.fr

Anyway guys if you see a 04 black bimmer 325i with rear windows tinted overtaking you on from the slow lane you will know this was Mick.fr and that you were under 120 Kmh on the fast lane.

AngryHippie

Tails142 wrote: »

Was driving home the other night on the M4 - not much traffic about an I came upon a guy in an audi driving in the overtaking lane. I was probably doing about 130km/h and he was at about 100km/h in then 120km/h section. so i sat behind him for a good while, we overtook a car or two. Few minutes later, no cars ahead and he's still on the outside. I give him a long flash of my full beams and he decides to pull over.

If it was friday, I was stuck behind that same chump as well, overtook and then he decides to sit 40 yards behind me for 3 or 4 miles. dosebag.

Wishbone Ash

Tauren wrote: »

another is when traffic in the right hand lane is moving 'slowly'. However, there is no actual measue for the driving 'slowly'

That only applies to situation where traffic in both lanes/all lanes is queuing, as in approaching a roundabout, toll plaza etc. it doesn't apply to general driving situations.

wil

mick.fr wrote: »

Anyway guys if you see a 04 black bimmer 325i with rear windows tinted overtaking you on from the slow lane you will know this was Mick.fr and that you were under 120 Kmh on the fast lane.

Would you be one of those dosy kamikazis who hurtles up way over the speed limit in heavy traffic then weaves in and out of lanes undertaking with little room for even the slighest error regardless of what manoeuvres anyone else is doing at regular speeds because you are on a slalom course.
Experienced that recently from a black blacked out beemer. I just assumed it was stolen.

Didnt I mention already, we dont have slow lanes.

As above, if I encounter a hogger in the outside lane, I approach at reasonable relative velocity (not insane like some who bomb up behind then slam on the brakes at the other cars bumper) flash several times, horn if necessary, if still no reaction assume the other driver is deceased and undertake (pun intended) with care and sound of horn and whatever gesticulation seems appropriate for the occasion.:rolleyes:

ianobrien

hebejebees wrote: »

Would be worse if you undertook and they pulled in all of a sudden

Ya, they could be done for dangerous driving for changing lane without looking. It happened to a good friend of mine and he was done for changing lane without signalling and for checking if it was clear.

Personnally, I give one flash of the lights and if they don't move, it's into the left lane for me.

prospect

Technically it is, technically it isn't...

I have often travelled on the left lane of 2 & 3 lane motorways & dual carriage ways, on the speed limit with my cruise control switched on.

If I catch up on a slower moving vehicle in the right lane, I will continue on past them. AFA I am concerned, it is not my problem if they want to sit there, I am not doing anything different, just maintaining a legal speed in a clear lane.


However, driving up behind someone, changing into the left lane, accelerating passed, and moving back out into the right lane is different.

cjt156

ianobrien wrote: »

Ya, they could be done for dangerous driving for changing lane without looking. It happened to a good friend of mine and he was done for changing lane without signalling and for checking if it was clear.

Personnally, I give one flash of the lights and if they don't move, it's into the left lane for me.

Absolutely; had the same argument over lunch recently. They'd be the one at fault as you should never undertake any manouvre without checking its safe to do so.
I'd also happily cruise by in the inside lane at 120k(ish).
IMO the overtaking lane rule should be properly enforced - I believe its a penalty points offence, no?

Henry Ford III

Thread is typical of Irish motorists driving habits generally. Some don't know what's the correct interpretation of the position, others do but will knowingly flaunt the law.

OP's description was of a car travelling below the speed limit in the right lane. This is clearly wrong if he/she is holding up other traffic.

It doesn't however give a carte blanche to undertake the vehicle.

It's tough to stay patient, but that's what you should do.

Mac 3

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Thread is typical of Irish motorists driving habits generally. Some don't know what's the correct interpretation of the position, others do but will knowingly flaunt the law.

OP's description was of a car travelling below the speed limit in the right lane. This is clearly wrong if he/she is holding up other traffic.

It doesn't however give a carte blanche to undertake the vehicle.

It's tough to stay patient, but that's what you should do.

Very true, the OP asked the question about climbing lanes and now we seem to have ended up discussing driving behaviour on motorways.

prospect

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Thread is typical of Irish motorists driving habits generally. Some don't know what's the correct interpretation of the position, others do but will knowingly flaunt the law.

OP's description was of a car travelling below the speed limit in the right lane. This is clearly wrong if he/she is holding up other traffic.

It doesn't however give a carte blanche to undertake the vehicle.

It's tough to stay patient, but that's what you should do.

I'd argue that point.
If the person is holding up a few vehicles, and is travelling below the posted limit, then you are perfectly entitled to pass on the left, as it is okay when there is a queue of slow moving traffic on your right.

x in the city

I would do as a previous poster, flash, honk etc. wait for a response....if its not forthcoming undertake the ba$tard in the SLOW lane

In my experience staying behind drivers like these will most likely leave to accidents, sudden breaking, tail back smash ups etc. so just pass the critter out and continue on your journey, in peace:p

so my motto is

'If in doubt, pass it out'

Hooky 25

There is nothing worse than someone hogging the fast lane i see it everyday. People are only to use it if there overtaking.

Sandwich

Wertz wrote: »

Why do we have oh so much road freight on roads that we rely on for the movement of commuters? Especially the like of the M1, that runs alongside a perfectly good railway line? Off topic, I know, but it has a big part to play in the problems on our roads.

Get onto that perfectly good railway line yourself and the freight trucks wont bother you.

Wertz

Sandwich wrote: »

Get onto that perfectly good railway line yourself and the freight trucks wont bother you.

Please don't preach to me thanks, I travel to work and home everyday in a van with at least 3 others and necessary tools and materials, taking turns to drive. I see plenty of who you're talking about sitting in their company car on their own listening to Ian Dempsey and playing with the satnav on the way to do a few hours in office, but I'm not one of them.
As a van we pay twice the toll fees any of the single driver cars pay and we gte to sit in queues of traffic with singletons blocking the way.
Sorry, but public transport and tradesman isn't a workable combination.

Tails142

For freight trains to be more economical than road transport the distance involved have to be several hundred kilometers - otherwise the additional costs of bringing it to a rail station, loading freight trains, unloading at other end and bringing to destination are too costly. Simple as

Tomas_V

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Thread is typical of Irish motorists driving habits generally. Some don't know what's the correct interpretation of the position, others do but will knowingly flaunt the law.

Indeed some flout while others flaunt.:D

meathstevie

Right folks, a touch philosphical but for everyone undertaking at or below the speedlimit there's someone in the righthand lane driving without due care and attention

Oilrig

I took the liberty of asking for informed opinion on this one:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055221070

scuby

on page 45 of the RSA rules of the road it states....

point three :

" you may overtake on the left when traffic in both lanes is moving slowly and traffic in the left-hand lane is moving more quickly than the traffic in the right hand lane"

javaboy

Hooky 25 wrote: »

There is nothing worse than someone hogging the fast lane i see it everyday. People are only to use it if there overtaking.

That's why it's called the overtaking lane

And the Eagles' song is called "Life in the overtaking lane"!

cyrusdvirus

prospect wrote: »

If I catch up on a slower moving vehicle in the right lane, I will continue on past them. AFA I am concerned, it is not my problem if they want to sit there, I am not doing anything different, just maintaining a legal speed in a clear lane.

Seconded.

Henry Ford III

prospect wrote: »

I'd argue that point.
If the person is holding up a few vehicles, and is travelling below the posted limit, then you are perfectly entitled to pass on the left, as it is okay when there is a queue of slow moving traffic on your right.

No you're not. You can only pass on the left if both lanes are driving "slowly".

Pointless discussing this further however.

Y2J_MUFC

Andrewf20 wrote: »

Its the bain of my life sitting behind cars in the fast lane 60mph with no intention to move over no matter what I try.

I've seen idiots on this stretch of road "undertaking" lorries, and barely making it before the lanes re-merge. A lot of people simply don't realise that is a climbing lane, because its not very well marked. I had the same thing with some guy doing 30MPH on the fast lane just outside Daly's cross. Thats idiotically slow for there and everyone passed him on the left, he was flashed like 5-6 times. I think theres a bit of common sense needed, and on that stretch of the road theres no need to go on the left that you are taking about. Your just coming into the town anyways, so you'ill be back down (or should be) to 30 in a few hundred yards.

Its not wrong to flash your lights to make them aware of it if they are not doing 60MPH, but if someone is doing 60MPH, then they have absolutely NO obligation to move over to let you through to break the law. You are not above the law. If somebody who thinks they own the road pulls up behind me with their 07, or 08, and flashing me to move over, i take great pleasure in sticking it to the middle of the road as they shouldn't be doing more than the speed limit anyways. Its those ignorant f*cks that cause all the accidents. Ever notice on tv when they show the cars in a major accident, its always those big expensive cars with people who think they are untouchable. They aren't. Sit back, do the speed limit, don't tailgate...if people did that we'd be fine. [ / rant ]

cjt156

Y2J_MUFC wrote: »

i take great pleasure in sticking it to the middle of the road as they shouldn't be doing more than the speed limit anyways. [ / rant ]

Your halo needs buffing there, pal.

You're not the cops, let them pass; its safer for them to be 5 miles in front than 6 inches behind - for all concerned.

prospect

Henry Ford III wrote: »

No you're not. You can only pass on the left if both lanes are driving "slowly".

Okay, I'll set my speed to 99Km/h, that is below the posted limit and can be considered 'slow', or is there a legal definition of 'slowly'.

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Pointless discussing this further however.

Why?

cjt156

Y2J_MUFC wrote: »

Ever notice on tv when they show the cars in a major accident, its always those big expensive cars with people who think they are untouchable.

Eh, no. Anytime I see crashes on Irish news reports I see the same range of vehicles as I see on the road.
I'm sure the crash to "big expensive car" ratio would have been examined more scientifically if that were the case.

Henry Ford III

You've answered your own Q. above Prospect.

Kiya

Y2J_MUFC wrote: »

if someone is doing 60MPH, then they have absolutely NO obligation to move over to let you through to break the law. You are not above the law. If somebody who thinks they own the road pulls up behind me with their 07, or 08, and flashing me to move over, i take great pleasure in sticking it to the middle of the road as they shouldn't be doing more than the speed limit anyways. Its those ignorant f*cks that cause all the accidents.

oh mi god, will you get off your soapbox!
YOU are in the wrong, its exactly drivers like you (not without mentioning that HUGE chip on your shoulder against people driving new cars, whats with that anyway? ) that create accidents. you should NOT be sitting in the right lane period.

i think its rich that you called people who flash you "ignorant f'cks" when you're in effect causing them to tailgate etc.
& as for excusing your terrible driving behaviour with the reasoning that you only do it "If somebody thinks they own the road...." you're just going ahead & doing exactly the same thing.

ahem ok rant over :cool: