[freemansteve]

Only after 3:00pm, on days of the week with the letter 'd' the name, and never when driving may be required

 

[Lightning]

We drove back from Wales last week and the standard of driving on the motorway was absolutely disgraceful.
Speed being the main catalyst, cars racing each other, cars sat in the outside lane at over 100mph, high speed "mini trains" of cars, joining on slip roads everyone tries to get into the outside lane immediately, goodness knows how they don't cause carnage, last minute crossing from the outside lane to a slip road.....and when it rains it's worse, almost as if people are thinking "l will show off my skills at doing 90 in driving rain and standing water"

There's nothing you can do about it.
The important thing is not to keep moaning about the poor driving, because it will just get you stressed, just keep out of the way. l tend to sit at about 65mph on the inside lane, if you go any faster you are in and out of the inside lane all the time, faster still and you've always got (more often than not) a big SUV right up your trumpet

 

[freemansteve]

high speed "mini trains" of cars, joining on slip roads everyone tries to get into the outside lane immediately,

I was told by a police friend that most motorway accidents are down to poorly executed lane changing. I don't know if that's a fact or not.

In Spain however, (? or somewhere I've driven a lot in Europe), at motorway junctions they sometimes have unbroken white lines before and after the junction to deter the wild lane changing you get in the UK. And it is policed sometimes (but easy to use a camera to record offenders). A system like that would be good here, with say 1/2 mile unbroken line between inner and middle lanes, and 1 mile between middle and overtaking lane, where possible.

 

[shakotanVIP]

I was told by a police friend that most motorway accidents are down to poorly executed lane changing. I don't know if that's a fact or not.

In Spain however, (? or somewhere I've driven a lot in Europe), at motorway junctions they sometimes have unbroken white lines before and after the junction to deter the wild lane changing you get in the UK. And it is policed sometimes (but easy to use a camera to record offenders). A system like that would be good here, with say 1/2 mile unbroken line between inner and middle lanes, and 1 mile between middle and overtaking lane, where possible.

The middle lane IS an overtaking lane.

Also, we already have such a system, just people don't seem to notice. The white lane divider stripes get longer at junctions as they are considered 'Hazard' lines and you shouldn't change lanes into Lane 1 over them.

Road markings

Download illustrated guidance on road markings from The Highway Code.

www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk

 

[freemansteve]

Middle lane is only for overtaking traffic on the slow lane, of course.
You're missing the point - there is no UK law about crossing 'long, broken lines' - they are advisory, which is why they are ignored - but unbroken lines must not be crossed. In Spain that is also an offence - and that's sensible.

 

[Sean66]

The middle lane IS an overtaking lane.

Also, we already have such a system, just people don't seem to notice. The white lane divider stripes get longer at junctions as they are considered 'Hazard' lines and you shouldn't change lanes into Lane 1 over them.

Road markings

Download illustrated guidance on road markings from The Highway Code.

www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk

Where I live with a lot of summer tourists people don’t even understand the most basic road markings such as big arrows on the road telling you which way to go for that particular lane your in . They’d have no chance understanding the Highway Code lol!

 

[freemansteve]

In Cornwall, visitors don't get that the sudden absence of white lines in the centre of the road means "back off because the road is narrower than two vehicles" so they put their foot down assuming it must be a one-way street And some locals are the same!

 

[shakotanVIP]

Middle lane is only for overtaking traffic on the slow lane, of course.
You're missing the point - there is no UK law about crossing 'long, broken lines' - they are advisory, which is why they are ignored - but unbroken lines must not be crossed. In Spain that is also an offence - and that's sensible.

Thre's no such thing as a slow lane. Lane 1 is for driving, Lane 2 (and 3, 4, 5 etc where applicable) are overtaking lanes, and when you've completed your overtake you are supposed to return to the next available lane to the left.

I've not 'missed' any point. You said there isn't anything in the UK which is similar to the Spanish (also used in many other EU countries) system, and I've pointed out that there is. In fact you can be prosecuted for 'Driving without Due Care and Attention' if you cross Hazard lines and adversely affect another motorist attempting to join the carriageway.

 

[freemansteve]

"Slow lane" is common parlance, including as used by my cop brother and his traffic cop mates - we all know what is meant!

Sure, crossing a long 'hazard' line is an offence, if it "adversely affect another motorist attempting to join the carriageway", but surely, crossing an unbroken line is an offence no matter what, isn't it ? That was my point, but the thread is really about speeding, and subsequently bad drivers, so maybe we'll leave white lines alone!

 

[Lightning]

On the main road through our local town there are about two miles of bus lane, these are part time bus lanes (7/10am and 4/7pm)

They've been there about 10 years, and yet there's still a long line of cars in the outside lane during the day, you could fire a gun down the bus lane and hit nothing but crows.

There's a big blue sign literally every 200 metres telling you the bus lanes are part time.

Worse than that, if you are in the bus lane, drivers in the outside who want to turn left will often cut in front of you forcing you to slow or stop. l just don't understand it, have these people not learnt how to read? Can they not see the big blue signs telling them that the bus lane is only applicable in rush hour?

 

[tsi17]

On the main road through our local town there are about two miles of bus lane, these are part time bus lanes (7/10am and 4/7pm)

They've been there about 10 years, and yet there's still a long line of cars in the outside lane during the day, you could fire a gun down the bus lane and hit nothing but crows.

There's a big blue sign literally every 200 metres telling you the bus lanes are part time.

Worse than that, if you are in the bus lane drivers in the outside who want to turn left will often cut in front of you forcing you to slow or stop. l just don't understand it, have these people not learnt how to read?

I love part time bus lanes. They're like a bonus for being alert

 

[Sean66]

On the main road through our local town there are about two miles of bus lane, these are part time bus lanes (7/10am and 4/7pm)

They've been there about 10 years, and yet there's still a long line of cars in the outside lane during the day, you could fire a gun down the bus lane and hit nothing but crows.

There's a big blue sign literally every 200 metres telling you the bus lanes are part time.

Worse than that, if you are in the bus lane, drivers in the outside who want to turn left will often cut in front of you forcing you to slow or stop. l just don't understand it, have these people not learnt how to read? Can they not see the big blue signs telling them that the bus lane is only applicable in rush hour?

Some people can’t or won’t read road signage for some reason.
Where I live some people totally ignore painted on road direction arrows to help guide them in to the correct lane so they end up having an “incident” and have absolutely no idea what the F happened and what caused others to beep the horn.
I believe we have a pandemic of “sleepy Joes“ amongst us .

 

[Percy247]

Last week we were travelling north on the M6 near Kendal and noticed a 62 plate green Mercedes Vito being used as an unmarked traffic car. This just looked like it was a builders van until the lights were put on. Sneaky but effective!

Read an interesting article online by an ex cop who works as a speed camera van operator. He confirms that a lot of forces use 10% + 1mph over the stated limit as the basis for enforcement.

 

[Sean66]

10% +1mph would explain why I was caught out .
That would allow 78mph and not the 79 that gifted me 3 bonus points .

 

[TEST DRIVER]

On the main road through our local town there are about two miles of bus lane, these are part time bus lanes (7/10am and 4/7pm)

They've been there about 10 years, and yet there's still a long line of cars in the outside lane during the day, you could fire a gun down the bus lane and hit nothing but crows.

There's a big blue sign literally every 200 metres telling you the bus lanes are part time.

Worse than that, if you are in the bus lane, drivers in the outside who want to turn left will often cut in front of you forcing you to slow or stop. l just don't understand it, have these people not learnt how to read? Can they not see the big blue signs telling them that the bus lane is only applicable in rush hour?

It is just the same where i live. I watch in the times you can use the bus lane, a stream of cars will all pull out to the right to avoid the bus lane and then further on when the bus lane ends they all pull back to the left. It makes me laugh.

Even more of a joke, when i drive in the bus lane when i legally can, the other drivers look at me as if i am in the wrong.

Also when the bus lane is a bus lane (Buses and Taxis only) At traffic signals, drivers who are turning left think even if there are 3 or 4 cars in front of them its ok to go into the bus lane instead of waiting until the bus lane ends, it then makes it hard for those who want to turn left but have correctly stayed out of the bus lane until it ends, as these clowns try to prevent you from filtering into the left to then make the turn.

Basically they do the opposite, they do not drive in the bus lanes when they can and do drive in them when they should not.

It is the same with the horn. It should be used as a warning of your presence, not to tell someone off.

However, do not react to others in anger. Instead stay calm and have a good laugh at the other drivers antics. As an Advanced Driver i was taught to treat all other drivers as idiots and more and more today this is so true.

 

[freemansteve]

Change location.... If you have "bus lanes", it's inherently not a good place to be living (I think you may be retired!)

 

[TEST DRIVER]

All big cities have bus lanes these days. I do like them as when all the other drivers stay out of the bus lanes when you can drive in them and then get stuck in traffic, i can sail through the empty bus lane with the taxis.

Yes i am retired and love being retired. Its the best job i have ever had. I have thought of moving to St Annes one day ( by the sea nice and quiet with loads of friendly pensioners) but i really do not want the hassle of moving and enjoy where i live anyway. I do visit St Annes many times each year instead.