Penalties for careless driving

[Arch]

Going down the M23 on the way home and it has made no difference. So much so that you would have thought people thought you would get fined if you wasn't in the middle lane. There was about a mile where everyone was in the middle or outside lane and the inside was completely empty except for me as I was coming off at the next junction. I literally had to slow down to about 60mph so that I didn't undertake everyone.

I don't know that you need to. If the traffic in your lane (IE you!) is moving faster than the traffic in the lane to your right, then you can pass. If they are all doing it wrong, there's no reason for you to slow down because of it...

Although in that situation, I'd be on a sharp lookout for those twits bimbling along in the middle lane who suddenly realise they want that junction and cut across without looking...

 

[ThinAir]

A small helping of patience, good manners and common sense would improve driving standards 100%

Great Post.

 

[sleaver]

I don't know that you need to. If the traffic in your lane (IE you!) is moving faster than the traffic in the lane to your right, then you can pass. If they are all doing it wrong, there's no reason for you to slow down because of it...

I did wonder that but isn't that only the case if your in a queue of traffic, i.e. a traffic jam?

I just went for a walk and I went over the M23 and saw the same thing. An empty inside lane with everyone in the middle or outside lane. The bridge I went over also had 14 bunches of flowers, one baseball cap and two teddy bears tied to it in different places........

 

[MontyVeda]

I tend to move into the middle lane when approaching a slip road
...

I'd like to see moving into the middle lane made compulsory on the northbound approach to M6 J34... it's a stupidly short slip road where one can barely get up to 30mph let alone motorway speed. I'd like to believe your move is being courteous to other drivers, not lane hogging.

 

[Arch]

I did wonder that but isn't that only the case if your in a queue of traffic, i.e. a traffic jam?

I'd say that if there is traffic bunching in the middle lane, then they are in a queue - albeit one moving at some speed. If your lane is clear for you to drive up to the limit (and assuming conditions allow that), then it's not your fault they are queuing. There just happens not to be a queue in your lane.

 

[GrasB]

I'd like to see moving into the middle lane made compulsory on the northbound approach to M6 J34... it's a stupidly short slip road where one can barely get up to 30mph let alone motorway speed. I'd like to believe your move is being courteous to other drivers, not lane hogging.

Jeez, someone messed that one up good & proper didn't they. From an aerial photo I'd be in the lowest possible gear when entering the corner & want to use the chevroned area on the outside to make the turn shallower & get on the throttle very early. Having an 'over powered' car in those situations helps.

 

[on the road]

That junction needs to be redesigned, I noticed that the entrance for the southbound is a decent length but the northbound one is too short. I don't think you'd even be able to get up to speed in a high powered car in such a short time.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I'd like to see moving into the middle lane made compulsory on the northbound approach to M6 J34... it's a stupidly short slip road where one can barely get up to 30mph let alone motorway speed. I'd like to believe your move is being courteous to other drivers, not lane hogging.

I do it to make it safer for me and other road users,but how mr policeman sat behind me who hasn't issued a ticket/fine all day interprets it is my main concern! I can't see them stopping you then allowing you to give your reasons for your actions before deciding whether or not to fine you,i think when they stop you they've already made up their mind.

 

[MontyVeda]

I do it to make it safer for me and other road users,but how mr policeman sat behind me who hasn't issued a ticket/fine all day interprets it is my main concern! I can't see them stopping you then allowing you to give your reasons for your actions before deciding whether or not to fine you,i think when they stop you they've already made up their mind.

They'll have stopped you for a reason, but won't have made up their mind. They'll say "Can you tell me why you driving in the middle lane when the inside lane was empty?" and you reply, "Yes officer... I pulled in to the middle lane to make room for cars approaching down the slip road, once I'd cleared the slip road, I pulled back in."

Presumably, they'll have been following you and witnessed the entire manoeuvre, which shouldn't have taken more than a minute. When it comes to middle lane hoggers, I expect they'll follow for a good five mins before pulling someone over.

 

[Boris Bajic]

These changes are a good thing. Lane discipline in the UK has been poor for the whole of my driving life.

Changes in the law will be gradual but as others have said, this is a move in the right direction.

I used to motorcycle across Germany in the 80s and early 90s. My bar-end mirror went fuzzy over about 110mph (ancient twin with no fairing), so it got a bit scary. I could be passing a truck doing 100mph+ and get a massive flash in my fuzzy mirror from a V12 AutobahnStormer doing 140+.

It concentrates the mind. I dislike German Motorways for that reason and others, but they have Jolly Good Lane Discipline.

I think the new reulations will improve road behaviour generally. On the minus side, I think it will turn some motorists into self-appointed pleessofficers who sit beeping and flashing behind hoggers of the middle lane, rather than moving to pass in the outside lane. There is something about some people that makes them fascinated by the rule-bending of others.

Which is why God invented the helmet cam or dashboard cam.

 

[ComedyPilot]

Last time I travelled on an Autobahn I was the one doing the flashing - Some pretty girl in a convertible Ferrari south of Stuttgart was holding me up - I had important drinking to be done at a bar in Bavaria.

God I loved that Fireblade......

 

[Frood42]

Last time I travelled on an Autobahn I was the one doing the flashing - Some pretty girl in a convertible Ferrari south of Stuttgart was holding me up - I had important drinking to be done at a bar in Bavaria.

God I loved that Fireblade......

Was it this?
Looks rather nice, but something you couldn't really enjoy properly on UK roads I suspect, but on the Autobahn...

 

[ComedyPilot]

Was it this?
Looks rather nice, but something you couldn't really enjoy properly on UK roads I suspect, but on the Autobahn...

Can't see the pic...?

 

[Frood42]

Can't see the pic...?

Oh, I can, are you on a company network with a filter?
This will hopefully work...

 

[ComedyPilot]

This was mine