Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) Lane discipline - theoretical question

No, it's an entirely theoretically question. I was thinking about lane discipline after some silly beggar undertook me on the M4 a couple of days ago. [/quote]

OK now we know. The highway code says never overtake unless it is safe to do so, this puts in my opinion the onus on both drivers. Oh and it is illegal to pass another vehicle on the inside unless it is in slowly moving congested traffic.

Yes of course.... I think Peter answered it by saying that it's a courtesy to move over (if you can) to allow traffic on a slip to join.

Nah, that'll be me. Can't stand dawdlers. Plenty of Lucas & get 'em out of the way. Damned slow V8's..

We arent a lot better at sticking to the rules than the average Italian - we're nothing like the Germans or Ducth. That said there are clear Highway Code rules and they do put the onus on the car joining to wait until there is a gap rather than force cars already on the road to alter speed or position. Rule 259. And just like the IRPCS at sea, one of the purposes of the Highway Code is to give predicability. As with the priority at roundabout rules. So yes, whilst I agree with your views about courtesy and the lack of it in the UK, when it comes to driving I think the predictability issue is more important.

I would think that anyone who is twat enough to do these things isn't a motorist, just a vehicle mover. Therefore wouldn't post to a forum.

Too many people (not us of course!) still regard the lanes as slow or fast. Of course they are 1, 2, 3 etc and the rule is keep left unless overtaking.

However in the current world overtaking on either side is becoming more and more the norm and this seems to work OK in for example the USA.

So maybe the time has come to change the motorway practice to maintain your current lane and only move if you are either passing the car in front on either side or manoeuvring towards an exit.

LGVs (nee HGVs) would still be barred form the outside lane.

That's OK until some nutter is banging up lane 1 at 90 overtaking slower traffic in lanes 2 / 3, when someone coming down a slip road is aiming to join the main carriageway... (Yes I know the lines at the end of the slip are Give Way).

I have driven quite a lot in USA, in places where overtaking in lane 1 is allowed and I agree such pass either side seems to work, there... Not so sure you'll manage to re-educate the masses here though!

I think the masses are already there - it's the rest of us who'll need re-educating

So often you see motorways with the outside line nose to tail and virtually nobody in lanes 1 or 2. There has to be something done to make better use of the roads we already have

I think it was in Spain that I saw the solid line between lane 1 and lane 2 for about half a mile before an exit and for about half a mile after an entry slip road. Illegal to cross, so you had to be in lane 1 early, ready to exit and you had to stay in lane 1 for some time on joining. It worked well.

As for taking the 4/4 on UK motorways: I try to avoid, preferring adjacent A roads, if possible. However if I have to use the M5, I tend to chug along happily in lane 1, watching the chaos.
I imagine the Audi drivers charging along in lane 3, probably thinking "look at that silly old git"
However, it always amazes me how many smiles and thumbs ups I get from truck drivers.

Thats not fair, as my other car is an Audi I need to respond on their behalf. I never say old, that would be ageist.