UK Middle Lane on motorways.
Mar 13th 2014, 4:01 pm
#48
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2014
Location: Anchorage, AK, USA
Posts: 1,347
Re: UK Middle Lane on motorways.
Maybe we should help them create a more accurate written driving test for Texas:
1. What is the speed limit on Harris County freeways?
a) 65mph
b) About 10mph over whatever it says on the signs
c) Ain't no gubmint telling me how fast I can drive!
2. What is the purpose of the diamond lane?
a) High Occupancy Vehicle lane
b) Overspill lane, if the main lanes are busy
c) My lane
3. What is the correct distance to drive behind the car in front?
a) Use the two-second rule for safety
b) Close enough that people can't cut in from other lanes
c) Whatever it takes to get them out of my way
Mar 13th 2014, 4:07 pm
#49
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: West Sussex - did 3 years in the US...
Posts: 577
Re: UK Middle Lane on motorways.
Which is ironic, given that in Europe I appear to be able to get to most places that I want to go efficiently and comfortably by public transport and so have much less need of a car than I ever had to in the US.
Nothing quite so nice as sipping a glass of red on a Friday afternoon watching the world go past my window at 300km/h
Mar 13th 2014, 4:09 pm
#50
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 6,159
Re: UK Middle Lane on motorways.
Very true. We did Italy by train. Like clockwork.
Mar 13th 2014, 6:13 pm
#51
Ping-ponger
Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Dreich Alba
Posts: 12,005
Re: UK Middle Lane on motorways.
This was always one of my pet peeves when I was a road warrior back home. Undertaking is illegal in the UK.
It's not your job to police the motorway, so if someone wants to go faster than you, the best thing to do is stay out of their way. There is NO SYCH THING as an 'overtaking lane' or a 'fast lane'.
The law says 'keep to the leftmost lane unless overtaking' and that's what you should do - end of.
It's not your job to police the motorway, so if someone wants to go faster than you, the best thing to do is stay out of their way. There is NO SYCH THING as an 'overtaking lane' or a 'fast lane'.
The law says 'keep to the leftmost lane unless overtaking' and that's what you should do - end of.
Mar 13th 2014, 8:01 pm
#52
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,439
Re: UK Middle Lane on motorways.
Yes, there was an understanding, perhaps documented in the Highway Code, that the far right lane is only for passing, not spending extended periods of time driving in.
Mar 13th 2014, 8:48 pm
#53
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 2,903
Re: UK Middle Lane on motorways.
Correct - slip of the fingers - it was meant to say there is no SLOW lane or fast lane.
Mar 13th 2014, 10:54 pm
#54
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Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Maine
Posts: 2,043
Re: UK Middle Lane on motorways.
Maine has a 'keep right' rule.
It doesn't seem to make that much difference, but at least it's better than Florida where it just seems to be totally random which lane people drive in.
It doesn't seem to make that much difference, but at least it's better than Florida where it just seems to be totally random which lane people drive in.
Mar 13th 2014, 10:55 pm
#55
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Location: Maine
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Re: UK Middle Lane on motorways.
One thing I have noticed is that Americans generally (in New England at least) like to drive in whichever lane is just right of the leftmost lane, no matter how many lanes there are.
Mar 12th 2015, 5:44 pm
#56
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,439
Re: UK Middle Lane on motorways.
Mar 12th 2015, 8:19 pm
#57
Bloody Yank
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: USA! USA!
Posts: 4,186
Re: UK Middle Lane on motorways.
I recall that driving near Bristol last year the motorway was quite empty as it was late. I was quite happily driving in the middle lane when one of those boy racers or BMW types came roaring up behind me flashing for some reason, which I, of course, ignored to the drivers apparent chagrin.
Later my brother informed me that I had committed a major faux pas by driving in that lane, at the speed limit, and that I had obstructed the smooth journey the other driver had been experiencing up until that point. Therefore chagrin=justified.
Ok, now I don't get it...when did this become a "thing"?
I thought if you wanted to pass another driver you would traditionally expect to use the overtaking lane?
Has there been some sort of change since I've been away?
(Take for example here in Los Angeles...if you constantly drove on the inside lane you'd be mired in idiots making sharp entries and exits, and engulfed by large trucks, it would be a very impractical way to drive. I also tend to use the outside lane for overtaking then move back over to the middle, unlike those passive aggressive types that stick to one mile under the limit in the passing lane, only speeding up when you might have an opportunity to pass.)
Later my brother informed me that I had committed a major faux pas by driving in that lane, at the speed limit, and that I had obstructed the smooth journey the other driver had been experiencing up until that point. Therefore chagrin=justified.
Ok, now I don't get it...when did this become a "thing"?
I thought if you wanted to pass another driver you would traditionally expect to use the overtaking lane?
Has there been some sort of change since I've been away?
(Take for example here in Los Angeles...if you constantly drove on the inside lane you'd be mired in idiots making sharp entries and exits, and engulfed by large trucks, it would be a very impractical way to drive. I also tend to use the outside lane for overtaking then move back over to the middle, unlike those passive aggressive types that stick to one mile under the limit in the passing lane, only speeding up when you might have an opportunity to pass.)
You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past. Slow-moving or speed-restricted vehicles should always remain in the left-hand lane of the carriageway unless overtaking.
https://www.gov.uk/motorways-253-to-...ine-264-to-266
I would interpret that to mean that you should drive in the left lane unless you are overtaking. Driving in the middle lane on an empty motorway would be verboten -- you must be passing in order to use it, and there's obviously nobody to pass on an empty road.
Of course, this doesn't apply in most of the US, where we take a perverse pride in our almost-complete absence of lane discipline.
EDIT: I just noticed that this is an ancient thread. Sorry...
Last edited by RoadWarriorFromLP; Mar 12th 2015 at 8:26 pm.
Mar 12th 2015, 9:41 pm
#58
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,439
Re: UK Middle Lane on motorways.
264
You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past. Slow-moving or speed-restricted vehicles should always remain in the left-hand lane of the carriageway unless overtaking.
https://www.gov.uk/motorways-253-to-...ine-264-to-266
I would interpret that to mean that you should drive in the left lane unless you are overtaking. Driving in the middle lane on an empty motorway would be verboten -- you must be passing in order to use it, and there's obviously nobody to pass on an empty road. ....
You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past. Slow-moving or speed-restricted vehicles should always remain in the left-hand lane of the carriageway unless overtaking.
https://www.gov.uk/motorways-253-to-...ine-264-to-266
I would interpret that to mean that you should drive in the left lane unless you are overtaking. Driving in the middle lane on an empty motorway would be verboten -- you must be passing in order to use it, and there's obviously nobody to pass on an empty road. ....
), but unfortunately lane discipline in the UK is not much better than in the US. ))I used to regularly drive out of London on a Friday evening on the M4 motorway and for the first 30 miles I would be mostly in the far left lane doing 20-60 mph passing traffic to my right doing 0-30mph. Apparently, much as in the US, it is essential to be in the "fast lane" if you are in a hurry even if traffic in other lanes is actually travelling faster.
Mar 12th 2015, 10:55 pm
#59
Concierge
Joined: May 2006
Location: ex ex-pat, in Taunton
Posts: 27,205
Re: UK Middle Lane on motorways.
Those of you that have left the UK a while, may not be aware of this. Not that I doubt the police really enforce it though.
Mar 14th 2015, 4:54 pm
#60
Prophet of doom.
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Central USA.
Posts: 34
Re: UK Middle Lane on motorways.
Who's seen a dually with a front mounted winch on the brush guard displaying MOVE OVER in mirror image, and two shades of paint off your trunk key hole at 83mph ?
The most irritating people are those here in OK who will run down the LANE CLOSED AHEAD>>>MOVE OVER NOW clowns.
Driving semi in Europe, back when, I used to run on the shoulder or hang out just behind another rig in the passing lane to stop these cretins .
Police in Italy and France encouraged us to do just that....but i have 'heard' that it is an offense to do that here...at least in OK.
Anyone know different?
.
The most irritating people are those here in OK who will run down the LANE CLOSED AHEAD>>>MOVE OVER NOW clowns.
Driving semi in Europe, back when, I used to run on the shoulder or hang out just behind another rig in the passing lane to stop these cretins .
Police in Italy and France encouraged us to do just that....but i have 'heard' that it is an offense to do that here...at least in OK.
Anyone know different?
.