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Driving in the middle lane

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    #92
    No Pants
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,347 ✭✭✭No Pants


    yer man! wrote: »
    Is this unique to Ireland, in America you're supposed to drive in the middle lane and keep up with the pace of traffic. If you want to drive slower you pull into the inside lane and to go faster you pull into the outside lane. It makes sense as when you drive along in the middle lane you can just cruise the whole way and don't have to move in and out at every exit for merging traffic.

    https://driversed.com/driving-information/driving-techniques/use-of-lanes.aspx

    I was driving on the M50 and kept to the middle lane the last day, I was driving at 100km/h (the limit) and people were getting very aggressive with me even though traffic was merging onto the motorway in the left lane constantly so it would make very little sense to pull into it only to move out of it every few minutes....
    We're not in America.
    The end.


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    #93
    ironclaw
    Registered Users Posts: 8,004 ✭✭✭ironclaw


    No Pants wrote: »
    We're not in America.
    The end.

    That also doesn't refer to freeways. In most city blocks, there is three lanes so this makes sense:
    Use the left lane to go faster, pass, or turn left. Use the right lane to drive slowly, enter, or turn off the road

    Wouldn't make sense on a freeway.

    Anyway, if your on a freeway and say you in the extreme left lane (i.e. The equivalent of the right most on our roads), if someone is driving faster than you, then your going to move to the right. Someone faster again, you'll move further to the right until your back in 'lane one'. So really, you should be in the rightmost lane unless you are passing someone or moving quickly passing traffic. And if you are approaching a junction, and its safe to do so, you'll move left one lane to allow traffic to merge.

    So its the exact same as here. But in my experience, the freeways are an utter free for all and you'll be passed on all sides anyway.

    Should probably mention 6+ lane freeways are not uncommon in the States along with car pool lanes etc etc.

    I was driving on the M50 and kept to the middle lane the last day, I was driving at 100km/h (the limit) and people were getting very aggressive with me even though traffic was merging onto the motorway in the left lane constantly so it would make very little sense to pull into it only to move out of it every few minutes....

    Why? If your sitting in the middle lane and its safe to move left, you should be doing so. Even for 20 seconds. Its so annoying for those of us driving correctly to have to move two lanes to overtake someone in the middle lane. On the other hand, if you are in the middle lane coming up to a junction or a merge, I have absolutely no issue with that and its the correct thing to do. Remember, most drivers can't think beyond the car in front of them, let alone the next 2 or 3 junctions.


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    #94
    Eight Ball
    Closed Accounts Posts: 906 ✭✭✭Eight Ball


    Couldn't be arsed moving into the left hand lane on the M50. Middle lane music up chill out after a long hard day at work,


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    #95
    Anan1
    Registered Users Posts: 22,815 ✭✭✭✭Anan1


    Eight Ball wrote: »
    Couldn't be arsed moving into the left hand lane on the M50. Middle lane music up chill out after a long hard day at work,
    If you're going to troll, at least be good at it: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=87114487&postcount=10


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    #96
    whomitconcerns
    Registered Users Posts: 4,359 ✭✭✭whomitconcerns


    Eight Ball wrote: »
    Couldn't be arsed moving into the left hand lane on the M50. Middle lane music up chill out after a long hard day at work,

    And because of you when I have had a long hard day at work I have to cross lanes 4 times to get past you...


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    #97
    H3llR4iser
    Registered Users Posts: 4,028 ✭✭✭H3llR4iser


    In all fairness, in favour of the OP there is the fact that some dual carriageways in Cork have clearly been designed by a spastic donkey high on meth, using an arthritic paw to hold the pencil. There are actually places where driving on the leftmost lane brings you into an exit; The most ridiculous thing is that 300 meters later, the associated entryway simply goes on to become the left lane again. The reason for such design escapes me, unless they were trying to implement a Scalextric-style chicane...


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    #98
    highdef
    Registered Users Posts: 6,241 ✭✭✭highdef


    SV wrote: »
    I remember sticking to the left lane only for driving where it's 3 lanes, I found myself inadvertently being directed off the motorway with no room to merge in to a right hand lane due to traffic. I had to go off, through the roundabouts and merge back on to the motorway again.


    Sticking to the left hand lane unless overtaking would work, if some of the roads weren't laid out so badly like this.

    It sounds like you were driving on the auxiliary lane, probably on the M50. Lanes 1,2 and 3 are continuous. The auxiliary lane is only present between junctions.


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    #99
    highdef
    Registered Users Posts: 6,241 ✭✭✭highdef


    yer man! wrote: »

    I was driving on the M50 and kept to the middle lane the last day, I was driving at 100km/h (the limit) and people were getting very aggressive with me even though traffic was merging onto the motorway in the left lane constantly so it would make very little sense to pull into it only to move out of it every few minutes....

    On the M50, there are at least a couple of kilometres between junctions (in most cases, Ballymount to red Cow being the main exception). The aux lane runs the full length between each junction so there is plenty of time for anyone joining the motorway to merge. It's only on junctions where a merge lane joins directly onto lane 1 that you "may" need to temporarily move to lane 2.


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    #100
    yer man!
    Registered Users Posts: 1,653 ✭✭✭yer man!


    ironclaw wrote: »
    That also doesn't refer to freeways. In most city blocks, there is three lanes so this makes sense:



    Wouldn't make sense on a freeway.

    Anyway, if your on a freeway and say you in the extreme left lane (i.e. The equivalent of the right most on our roads), if someone is driving faster than you, then your going to move to the right. Someone faster again, you'll move further to the right until your back in 'lane one'. So really, you should be in the rightmost lane unless you are passing someone or moving quickly passing traffic. And if you are approaching a junction, and its safe to do so, you'll move left one lane to allow traffic to merge.

    So its the exact same as here. But in my experience, the freeways are an utter free for all and you'll be passed on all sides anyway.

    Should probably mention 6+ lane freeways are not uncommon in the States along with car pool lanes etc etc.




    Why? If your sitting in the middle lane and its safe to move left, you should be doing so. Even for 20 seconds. Its so annoying for those of us driving correctly to have to move two lanes to overtake someone in the middle lane. On the other hand, if you are in the middle lane coming up to a junction or a merge, I have absolutely no issue with that and its the correct thing to do. Remember, most drivers can't think beyond the car in front of them, let alone the next 2 or 3 junctions.

    Fair enough, it just pisses me off when I go the limit on 3 lane motorways here and I'm in an area where there is a lot of junctions and drivers get aggressive because I'm not in the left lane until I literally am up the arse of another car. I'm a young drive and don't have a vast amount of experience with motorways, I just hear a lot of conflicting information when I visit different countries.


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    #101
    ironclaw
    Registered Users Posts: 8,004 ✭✭✭ironclaw


    yer man! wrote: »
    Fair enough, it just pisses me off when I go the limit on 3 lane motorways here and I'm in an area where there is a lot of junctions and drivers get aggressive because I'm not in the left lane until I literally am up the arse of another car. I'm a young drive and don't have a vast amount of experience with motorways, I just hear a lot of conflicting information when I visit different countries.

    Well, if you are at the limit, and you are legitimately overtaking someone to their right, then no one has the right to bully you out of the way. Ignore them! Move quickly and promptly back left when you can. Just don't doddle. I have no issue with someone doing that. Its a different story if you wait til the last second and overtake at 80km/h :mad:

    Personally however, I have little sympathy for anyone who is in the middle or right most when the left lanes are clear. If I'm catching up to someone and the lane to their left is clear enough to allow them to pull in, then they shouldn't be there and they shouldn't expect courtesy from other drivers.

    For the record, and I'm pretty sure of this, for every single country, you drive to the most extreme side of the road that they drive on unless indicated otherwise. So in Ireland, your always going to be as far left as you can. And elsewhere, as far right as you can.


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    #102
    SV
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,534 ✭✭✭SV


    highdef wrote: »
    It sounds like you were driving on the auxiliary lane, probably on the M50. Lanes 1,2 and 3 are continuous. The auxiliary lane is only present between junctions.

    It was actually coming back from Dublin and the turn off for Naas South(I think, first one)
    The driving left lane just turns into the turn off and it changes back to a 2 lane.


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    #103
    mitosis
    Registered Users Posts: 2,000 ✭✭✭mitosis


    SV wrote: »
    It was actually coming back from Dublin and the turn off for Naas South(I think, first one)
    The driving left lane just turns into the turn off and it changes back to a 2 lane.


    You mean where the lane markings changed 1km before the junction, and the signs show M7 for the two rightmost lanes?


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    #104
    highdef
    Registered Users Posts: 6,241 ✭✭✭highdef


    SV wrote: »
    It was actually coming back from Dublin and the turn off for Naas South(I think, first one)
    The driving left lane just turns into the turn off and it changes back to a 2 lane.

    Ok, I had to check on google maps to be sure of what I thought as I don't travel this road very often.
    About 1km before the turn off for Naas South, lane 1 becomes an auxiliary lane and lanes 2 & 3 become lanes 1 & 2. This is quite obvious as the road markings between (old) lanes 1 & 2 change. This is shown in the google maps link below. in addition (and also seen in the link below), the overhead signage also reaffirms that the auxilirary lane is ONLY for Naas and Sallins (the white sign also shows that this lane does not continue as motorway) and that the new lanes 1 & 2 are ONLY for the M7, the blue signage showing that only these 2 lanes continue on as motorway.
    [URL="https://www.google.ie/maps?
    ll=53.238664,-6.619821&spn=0.017517,0.04313&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=53.238849,-6.619344&panoid=MyaLoF3yS3pM4UA0JBMuRw&cbp=12,237.77,,0,-1.48"]https://www.google.ie/maps?ll=53.238664,-6.619821&spn=0.017517,0.04313&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=53.238849,-6.619344&panoid=MyaLoF3yS3pM4UA0JBMuRw&cbp=12,237.77,,0,-1.48[/URL]
    Further along, a repeat of the white signage reminds you that this lane does NOT continue on as motorway. Also, the road markings in the auxiliary lane now show a left turn whilst lanes 1 & 2 show straight on arrows:
    https://www.google.ie/maps?ll=53.236095,-6.626215&spn=0.017595,0.04313&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=53.236726,-6.624685&panoid=wkMfiUzxAw1wbe8s2r7qEw&cbp=12,227.77,,0,8.14
    Finally, slightly further on the aux lanes splits into 2 lanes and R445 is written in paint in huge letters on both of them whilst to the right, M7 is painted on to the road in lanes 1 & 2. This is repeated approx 50 metres further again. Now if you have not realised at this stage that you are not in the correct lane, you really are not paying enough attention to the signage, of which there is plenty and it is all given in plenty of time.
    https://www.google.ie/maps?ll=53.235916,-6.626687&spn=0.017595,0.04313&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=53.236108,-6.626213&panoid=3eYk5OSviFz_NXpLjOwgog&cbp=12,227.77,,0,20.56


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    #105
    SV
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,534 ✭✭✭SV


    The day it happened it was extremely busy on the road and merging was impossible tbh without causing an accident.
    Which is besides the point, point is, 3 lane turns into 2 lane.


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    #106
    highdef
    Registered Users Posts: 6,241 ✭✭✭highdef


    SV wrote: »
    The day it happened it was extremely busy on the road and merging was impossible tbh without causing an accident.
    Which is besides the point, point is, 3 lane turns into 2 lane.

    Ok, fair enough. It was obviously your first time driving along this stretch of road as you were not familiar with the road layout and because of this, you were too distracted to notice all the signs. At least you did just go up and over and re-join the motorway rather than try barge your way into lane 1. You did the right thing anyway :)


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    #107
    ofcork
    Registered Users Posts: 5,388 ✭✭✭ofcork


    Saw a biddy in cork today driving just past the cuh where the two lanes merge into one,bus on the inside lane and she tried to get in first and nearly got side of her car taken off but only had her mirror forced forward.


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    #108
    Jesus.
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,794 ✭✭✭Jesus.


    ironclaw wrote: »
    Its so annoying for those of us driving correctly to have to move two lanes to overtake someone in the middle lane.

    I just don't bother anymore. I know its not correct but I'm sick of these middle-lane hoggers. If I'm on the inside lane doing say 60 mph and some clown is dawdling in the middle at 50, I just keep right on going and undertake him.

    I'm fed up with them and I don't care about the consequences.


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    #109
    greenflash
    Registered Users Posts: 499 ✭✭greenflash


    Jesus. wrote: »
    I just don't bother anymore. I know its not correct but I'm sick of these middle-lane hoggers. If I'm on the inside lane doing say 60 mph and some clown is dawdling in the middle at 50, I just keep right on going and undertake him.

    I'm fed up with them and I don't care about the consequences.

    I'm with Jesus on this one.

    Any chance you could get your oul lad to smite everyone in Cork who hasn't a clue about roundabouts and indicators? Should reduce the population to about seven.


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    #110
    road_high
    Registered Users Posts: 19,413 ✭✭✭✭road_high


    It's endemic. Driving down from the Airport to Kilkenny last Thursday night, even at 11.30pm there were so many idiots hogging the middle lane of the M50, N7 and overtaking lane of the M7. Why do Irish drivers take it as some kind of personal insult when there's a car behind them trying to overtake at a higher speed? Have driven on the continent, (the so-called lunatic drivers, right?) people in general will pull over and yield to faster moving traffic behind them (which makes total sense). Not here though. If you flash it generally makes the situation worse I find.
    Is it because motorway driving is not part of the test here? It's leading to a situation where our infrastructure is not at ll being used to it's max potential i.e. M50 and N7 in particular. Traffic would flow infinitely better on the N7 if people obeyed the rules and kept left except overtaking. Sadly it's an alien concept to most.


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    #111
    Jesus.
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,794 ✭✭✭Jesus.


    greenflash wrote: »
    I'm with Jesus on this one.

    Any chance you could get your oul lad to smite everyone in Cork who hasn't a clue about roundabouts and indicators? Should reduce the population to about seven.

    I'll have a word mate :P


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    #112
    Jesus.
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,794 ✭✭✭Jesus.


    road_high wrote: »
    Have driven on the continent, (the so-called lunatic drivers, right?) people in general will pull over and yield to faster moving traffic behind them (which makes total sense). Not here though.If you flash it generally makes the situation worse I find.

    Yeah that's true. I just move up behind someone, not right on top of them so as its dangerous, but close enough so they know I'm there and generally they move inside.

    Flashing people just makes them angry I find.


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    #113
    dudara
    Registered Users Posts: 33,518 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    SV wrote: »
    It was actually coming back from Dublin and the turn off for Naas South(I think, first one)
    The driving left lane just turns into the turn off and it changes back to a 2 lane.

    The road signs clearly change there, from the diagonal type arrow (meaning exit is possible from this lane) to a vertical downwards arrow (meaning that is a dedicated exit lane). No surprise if you're watching the road signs.

    The fact that you couldn't safely merge out doesn't surprise me. A lot of drivers on that road are up each others holes, with nowhere to go should something bad happen. Only option will be a pileup


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    #114
    shedweller
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,029 ✭✭✭shedweller


    Jesus. wrote: »
    Yeah that's true. I just move up behind someone, not right on top of them so as its dangerous, but close enough so they know I'm there and generally they move inside.

    Flashing people just makes them angry I find.
    Spot on. It is a bit of a grey area though as he could jam on the brakes but if im doing this im covering the brakes too. Ive met ****s like this before and they lie in wait for this kind of thing.
    I had one prick almost run me into the ditch when i went to overtake him because he was crawling. I went to overtake him and he pulled across into me as i was alongside. Luckily i had my coffee and dropped anchor. What a complete ****. I had to sit behind him for way too long that morning.
    Unfortunately the world is full of ****ers. Once they're in cars it gets complicated very quickly!


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