Motorway madness!

[Kipper]

Those joining a motorway are supposed to match their speed and merge safely with traffic in lane one - not just pull in to it expecting others to move over or slow down - that's why the on/off slips are often referred to as acceleration/decal lanes. Problem is some slips don't have much of a lead-in these days.

H.

It is precisely because it is sometimes more difficult to match speeds and find a gap, without almost stopping on the hard shoulder, due to a solid line of "obedient" drivers sticking to the left lane, that I always move across one lane at junctions, to allow joiners easy access. It is called "considerate driving". Sticking to the left lane, and impeding ingress from the slip road could be considered "inconsiderate driving" by the Police.

[Bealman]

Ooooh.... come on, folks... I'm picking up a rental car in Cambridge on Aug 6th. I don't want to know all this stuff 

Mind you,here in Aus we're quite used to people fangin' past in the left lane.

[NinOz]

Ooooh.... come on, folks... I'm picking up a rental car in Cambridge on Aug 6th. I don't want to know all this stuff 

Mind you,here in Aus we're quite used to people fangin' past in the left lane.

Will be doing the same on 8th August in York.
Will have to make sure I don't pass on the left then and cause some road rage.
As you say: in Oz use whatever lane you can.

Last time driving in Uk was 1984.  Couple of surprises then, getting honked for not going on a red light on a ped crossing as there were no peds (fine and demerit points for ignoring a traffic signal in Oz); while passing a semi at 70mph having a BMW pass me on the right at a speed that made my 70 look like I had stopped.

Colin

[Bealman]

Yep, in fact it's the folk here that drive past a sign which says "Keep left unless overtaking" and they're doddering along in the right hand lane that get my back up.

Actually, I drove for a couple of weeks in the UK during July only three years ago and didn't find it all that bad as these folk on here make out (he said with crossed fingers )

I'll be in York myself on the 6th and 7th! Leaving on the 8th to go to the fourth Ashes Test in Durham. 

[Sprintex]

Last time driving in Uk was 1984.  Couple of surprises then, getting honked for not going on a red light on a ped crossing as there were no peds (fine and demerit points for ignoring a traffic signal in Oz)

Same here, fine and points on licence for jumping a red light, you just had an idiot behind you


Paul

[Bealman]

Will keep that in mind. Thanks for the heads up! Not that I ever do such things, mind 

[H]

It is precisely because it is sometimes more difficult to match speeds and find a gap,

Just because it is difficult doesn't mean that you shouldn't do it. Starting observing from the top of the slip rather than waiting until one is about to join or is running out of acceleration lane will help, otherwise you will end up with problems in merging. Also tailgating other vehicles down the slip doesn't help.

I don't recall the Highway code saying that people should swop lanes to accommodate those unable to merge nor have heard of the police charging people for not doing so. It would be more considerate and safer to allow a larger gap for vehicles to merge in to rather than swerve in to another lane (especially as you them upset those coming up faster behind and encourage undertaking).

I always find it is those who are joining that are aggressive or dangerous and fail to either accelerate sufficiently to pull in front of me safely or slow down to tuck in behind - not that there is no room.

H.

[NinOz]

Those joining a motorway are supposed to match their speed and merge safely with traffic in lane one - not just pull in to it expecting others to move over or slow down - that's why the on/off slips are often referred to as acceleration/decal lanes. Problem is some slips don't have much of a lead-in these days.

H.

It is precisely because it is sometimes more difficult to match speeds and find a gap, without almost stopping on the hard shoulder, due to a solid line of "obedient" drivers sticking to the left lane, that I always move across one lane at junctions, to allow joiners easy access. It is called "considerate driving". Sticking to the left lane, and impeding ingress from the slip road could be considered "inconsiderate driving" by the Police.

Is this OK to do in UK?  I always do it on the freeways in Oz as a courtesy and a lower possibility of a collision (with due consideration of what is happening in the right lane(s) of course).

[H]

Is this OK to do in UK?  I always do it on the freeways in Oz as a courtesy and a lower possibility of a collision (with due consideration of what is happening in the right lane(s) of course).

IMO it might be deemed inconsiderate as you are then moving over to lane 2 to 'free up' lane 1 for what is likely to be at least quarter of a mile (from before the off slip - claimed to avoid people swerving off in front at that point - plus for the junction over/under bridge distance and then also the on-slip). This will encourage undertaking, upset traffic behind causing bunching and prevent lorries overtaking (who are not allowed in lane 3). It also means anyone coming fast down a joining slip just behind you, and who wants to overtake you, has to join and swerve straight across lanes 1 and 2 to lane 3 - very dangerous - or they simply undertake you (also dangerous).

The problems are exacerbated in heavy traffic, which is when people mostly do it because they think they are helping traffic join at the slip, and, of course, there's no point in light traffic. The rule is drive on the left at all times unless overtaking. It's probably best to stick to that.

H.

[Sprintex]

Some will say yes, others will say no

I say let common sense prevail: if the next lane is quiet and the's a long stream of traffic looking to join then move over, if however the next lane is busy and you risk causing others to brake or swerve then stay where you are and let joining traffic adjust.

The bottom line of the Highway Code is "your actions should not force others to change speed or direction", but in reality it seems the majority don't really care about that!


Paul

[H]

Rather than continually swopping lanes (which is discouraged) it's far safer to allow a larger gap (for traffic to merge in to and avoid collisions) - don't forget the two second rule (which is a minimum).

H.

[Michael Shillabeer]

Trafic joing the motorway should give priority to traffic already on the motorway

Highway code is online:
https://www.gov.uk/motorways-253-to-273/joining-the-motorway-259

Michael

[Sprintex]

The operative word there being "should"

I've had people reach the end of the slip road with their door mirror almost touching my vehicle before they've even looked to their right!

Then they get a surprise to see 40 tons of artic just a foot away


Paul

[Newportnobby]

The 2 sec rule looks good in a book but reality is completely different.
If you leave a 2 sec gap there will always be someone who will fill it. So you slow down to leave another 2 sec gap and someone fills it. You end up making no progress and, in effect, going backwards and causing a jam in the lane you are in.
Regarding truck drivers, I have a huge respect for them and their speed limitations so always try to avoid (safely) slowing them down as I imagine it takes some doing to get their momentum again. If it is unsafe for me to move into the next lane I will slow down to allow a truck to pull into the middle lane. It is, however, a sad reflection on those who overtake another truck with a ½mph difference in speed thus blocking 2 lanes for miles regardless of what is stacked up behind them.

[Sprintex]

Which is why if I'm on my limited speed of 52mph and another truck starts overtaking doing 53 I knock the cruise control back a few mph so they get past quicker


Paul