When I was in England a few weeks ago, I had to explain to my Mum how the whole lorries flashing their lights and using their hazards / indicators worked for overtaking and pulling back into the slow lane. Can't believe she had ZERO clue what that was all about, at nearly 70.

No -- it's a flyover ramp that is only 1/4 mile long and the only reason it begins as two lanes is for "future expansion" -- everyone knows that it goes down to one lane. Two lanes exit a freeway and enter the ramp and 1/4 mile later, only ONE lane of cars can exit, unless the wanker lane decides to try to cut to the right in front of ANOTHER lane coming from a completely different freeway.



The ramp in question is only seen at the far right of the picture.

nah - we are pretty good at it in Blighty unless you are cutting in and being an arse. You are spoilt in Texas where everyone waves at each other and the fear of guns prevents road rage

You've got it all wrong ..... the world doesn't owe me. I own it.

Do you carry a spare pair of Pantyhose when you drive anywhere now, Poopy Pants?

Still don't see the problem - if there are two lanes there why not make full use of the two lanes. Saying everyone knows that it goes down to one lane is irrelevant - it still sounds to me like it's a lane that's available for use that's not sectioned off, or even with road markings that are supposed to mean you shouldn't use it, so where's the problem; the fact that people are using it and will most likely continue to do so simply means that more cars are able to jump in front of you as long as other people continue to cut in earlier than the end. If everyone used it as though it were a regular lane it would also get backed up just as much as the other one and there would be no way for people to be able to use it in the way that seems to be annoying you.

No - I just shit in other people's cars now. Live and learn eh?

Yeah, I guess it's the guns but people are pretty good about letting other people into traffic and not blocking intersections and driveways with backed up traffic.

The two worst episodes of "I-will-not-let-you-in" I had in England, besides it being the default policy in London, were:

* near Alton Towers. It was a lovely day weather-wise too; but there was a lot of traffic leaving the park (I was just driving by, hadn't been). Took ages to finally get someone to let me over!

* near Manchester -- in Rochdale or somewhere near by -- and I had to eventually take a much bigger chance than I would've here and pull out "sort of" in front of someone. I managed to accelerate so that the driver didn't immediately catch up with me, but she must not have liked it because she did this weird maneuver and sped up and to the side into a crescent street next to where I was stopped, so she could wind the window down and yell at me! In doing this she nearly caused a collision (several, actually).

However, I did say that LA was the WORST city if you're looking for someone to give you a break and let you in -- they refuse to even look at you much less give an INCH.

Don't even get me started on drivers in Southern California!
The freeways are a constant parking lot, and you always get some tit driving up the hard shoulder to their exit, then realising they have to be back in traffic and forcing their way in.

Then there's the bimbos who put their makeup on while driving - I have a horrid habit of slamming the brakes on if I see it going on behind me, or if they're in front I honk at them and watch them spack it

The truck drivers I've found to be ok out here, but then again, I'm rather courteous to them.

That's my understanding. Inside= slow lane, outside= fast lane. My wife takes the opposite argument.

As a company car driver I had to do an advanced driving test so as the company could get cheaper insurance. My instructor used to drive HGV's and told me why lorry drivers did what they did. I found in the main, that the HGV drivers were ok, the biggest problem was middle aged man in big BMWs or Mercs or Audis. Sorry to say this but if any erratic manouver was made, the driver was usually female. I used to drive about 50K a year back in Blighty.
Here everyone is a maniac and the traffic jams are needless. If everyone used some common sense and basic manners, traffic would flow much easier

I had to Google it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passing_lane

then

http://www.peak.org/~jeremy/dictiona...n=outside+lane

Harmony is finally restored in the DaveC household!

Thanks. I was wondering how the tits who did that justified their actions.

You've lost me, this is NJ, put your foot down and drive like a f**king loony.

Saw the very same on I-87 between exits 16 and 15 one morning, I was doing 68 mph and the pillock did just that in front of me
I shouted a line of nasty words at the driver on the CB as I stood on the brakes and all I got back was 'awwwwwwww... f**k off back to Australia'