M1 Sunday evening

stratos

I was on the above Motorway above time. Both lanes were busy near Swords, but after that (heading north) the traffic thinned out. I was in a 4 car group with a Mazda 6 up front. we were doing about 60 mph. I began to notice the outside lane was empty, and the car behind the Mazda was very close to it.

After a while we all just undertook the Mazda as, she just continued on her way, noone flashed her or beeped at her. she just stayed where she was at 60 in the overtaking lane.

The whole M1 just adapted to her driving style. odd odd odd.

tossy

ireland ireland ireland

L1011

Wonder was it "Mags" who wrote in to the Independent a few weeks ago?

"My roundabouts 20 miles ahead and my speedo is close to 70mph..."

Anan1

You're crazy undertaking those people without using the horn. What if they picked that moment to change lanes?

Mr.Boots

stratos wrote: »

I was on the above Motorway above time. Both lanes were busy near Swords, but after that (heading north) the traffic thinned out. I was in a 4 car group with a Mazda 6 up front. we were doing about 60 mph. I began to notice the outside lane was empty, and the car behind the Mazda was very close to it.

After a while we all just undertook the Mazda as, she just continued on her way, noone flashed her or beeped at her. she just stayed where she was at 60 in the overtaking lane.

The whole M1 just adapted to her driving style. odd odd odd.

Not to be rude, but......Do you not get out often?

Esel

So, the outside lane and the overtaking lane are different now? If we agree on calling the overtaking lane just that, rather than the 'fast lane', can we not also agree that the leftmost lane is the inside lane?

*Kol*

Yes lane definition is very important. I had to think whilst reading the OP which wasted precious moments of my life that I'll never get back.:D

kluivert

Use your indicator to notify the driver in front that you wish to pass them, as under taking in the left lane is illegal.

Failing this I would just lay on the horn till she moved out of the way especially if she is only doing 60mph on a motorway.

I would consider her driving danagerous as she is putting other road users in danager. As said above, what happens if she decided to move back into the left lane and you where undertaking at the same time, you would be in her blind spot and could lead to a serious accident.

If she cant spot you directly behind her what is the chances of her spoting you to the left and behind of her. Not going to happen.

Simple Rule:

Left Lane - Driving Lane
Right Lane - Overtaking Lane only (Not a fast lane.) When you are done overtaking pull back into the left lane. :mad:

delly

As an everyday user of the M1, yes you have to adapt your driving style. When I first moved up to Drogheda it used to annoy the feck out of me how very few people used the inside lane while going at a reasonable slow motorway speed.

I wouldn't like to be classed as a undertaker scum, but believe me you have to do it on a regular occasion on this road. I could go a few KM's with the left lane being free and the right with cars in it. If you beeped or flashed every driver who does this, you'd never get home.

R.O.R

delly wrote: »

If you beeped or flashed every driver who does this, you'd never get home.

Or end up buried in their bumper when they slam on the breaks because you flash them.

Unfortunately I'm in the same boat as Delly. I can quite often sit in the inside lane at 110km/h for miles, gradually passing traffic moving slower in the outside lane.

Wishbone Ash

The people responsible for the signage have a lot to answer for (unless it has been corrected lately). The right lane is marked "Belfast" in places.

If the driver in question was going to Belfast, and was depending or obeying the signage , then she could argue that she was in the correct lane.

dubmick

kluivert wrote: »

Use your indicator to notify the driver in front that you wish to pass them, as under taking in the left lane is illegal.

It is not illegal to pass on the inside lane on a motorway if the car in the right lane is driving slower than you

It's a common question in the driving test.

plodder

dubmick wrote: »

It is not illegal to pass on the inside lane on a motorway if the car in the right lane is driving slower than you

It's a common question in the driving test.

Unfortuantely, that is true only if the traffic is "travelling in slow moving queues" (p123 rules of the road). I think it's a stupid rule. It makes no sense to reserve 50% of the road space on a 2 lane motorway just for overtaking. If undertaking were legal in normal situations, then you would get greater road utilisation, and slower more consistently moving traffic lanes. In the US, undertaking is allowed, even though slower traffic is supposed to keep towards the inside lane(s).

zzzzzzzz

dubmick wrote: »

It is not illegal to pass on the inside lane on a motorway if the car in the right lane is driving slower than you

It's a common question in the driving test.

I was under the impression that this is only in traffic. I don't think this applies normally.

skibum

Spent the last week driving through France and it was an absolute joy to drive on their motorways / main roads. They have in general great road discipline, stay on the right and only use the left lane to overtake, moving back to the right when finished.


Having said that they are just as bad if not worse than the Irish regarding roundabouts, no indication etc

delly

skibum wrote: »

Spent the last week driving through France and it was an absolute joy to drive on their motorways / main roads. They have in general great road discipline, stay on the right and only use the left lane to overtake, moving back to the right when finished.


Having said that they are just as bad if not worse than the Irish regarding roundabouts, no indication etc

Yep, there great roads alright, tho' motorbikes seem to own the outside lane and aren't afraid to let you know it.

Cionád

With regards France, it's class over there, you can get a heavy on the spot fine for hogging the overtaking lane. Personally I'd prefer to see penalty points.

Marcus.Aurelius

The australians have a similar rule. In NSW, the signs on motorways read:

"Keep left unless overtaking, fine $500"

A fine of 500 smackers would keep the incompetent cretins in the correct lanes. Sounds harsh, but if it works, nobody will be fined!

Steve

plodder wrote: »

Unfortuantely, that is true only if the traffic is "travelling in slow moving queues" (p123 rules of the road). I think it's a stupid rule. It makes no sense to reserve 50% of the road space on a 2 lane motorway just for overtaking. If undertaking were legal in normal situations, then you would get greater road utilisation, and slower more consistently moving traffic lanes. In the US, undertaking is allowed, even though slower traffic is supposed to keep towards the inside lane(s).

IIRC Actual leglislation only states 'slow moving'. It would be up to a judge to interpret that.
I agree that the US system is much better. In addition to better traffic flow, it forces drivers to be more aware of surrounding traffic and to take more care when changing lanes.

Cionád wrote: »

With regards France, it's class over there, you can get a heavy on the spot fine for hogging the overtaking lane. Personally I'd prefer to see penalty points.

It's a rule that only works if *everybody* follows it. The small percentage of drivers who don't cause the frustration for everyone else.
Personally, I'd like either to see this law scrapped altogether - or else heavily enforced.
The half assed approach we have at the moment just doesn't work.

R.O.R

Cionád wrote: »

With regards France, it's class over there, you can get a heavy on the spot fine for hogging the overtaking lane. Personally I'd prefer to see penalty points.

I was reading in the local rag (Drogheda Independant) at the weekend that someone was fined €100 for driving in the outside lane on the M1, with a massive que of traffic behind them.

I'd say it's a very rare occurance, but at least it means that occasionally something is done about it!

T-Maxx

"Undertook" WTF?

It's "overtook" whether it's to the left or to the right.

B00MSTICK

The term is "undertake" so "undertook" makes sense...

So you're wrong there chief.

One thing I don't like is when you come off a roundabout (leading on to a DC) on the outside lane and then get undertaken before for you have a chance to move into the driving lane.

bazzachazza

This all comes down to the Bloody Gardai.

1)Not enough of them.

2)Those that are there seem to drive around with very dark glasses on and either not see these offenses or decide that to actually enforce them.

3)Just watch any of those UK or Foreign Police shows that are based on traffic cops and you will see them doing people for what we think are minor issues but are in fact the rules of the road.(Eating and drinking whilst driving is in fact actually illegal as is reading whilst in control of a motor vehicle that includes newspapers when stopped in traffic).

Imagine if they actually did many many Mr/Mrs dopey overtaking lane hoggers (which appears to be 40-50% of people on the M4 anyway) got stopped someone day by Plod for lane hogging. Imagine them going home or telling there friends that they got stopped on the way home for apparently lane hogging for miles on the motorway. You might actually be able to educate some of them that this is not the correct way of driving on a motorway.

Mylow

R.O.R wrote: »

I was reading in the local rag (Drogheda Independant) at the weekend that someone was fined €100 for driving in the outside lane on the M1, with a massive que of traffic behind them.

I'd say it's a very rare occurance, but at least it means that occasionally something is done about it!

There was another one in January in the Drogheda Independent.