Evolving driving standards and habits.,

[Brandane]

Slip roads wind me up. The times someone is in the slip road and along side me matching my pace on the main road, and somehow expects me to adjust my speed or position to accommodate them.

Vehicles on the slip road should build speed and fit in to main highway, without causing anyone else to change speed or direction.

People moving over to let them in have made too many feel that everyone on the main road should shuffle about to let traffic on the slip road ram in.

You wouldn't expect that at any other give way junction, which is what a slip road effectively is.

Lost count how many times I had this situation back in the not so distant past when I was driving artics part time.
I'm sitting in the left lane, car comes up the slip road on my nearside. Car matches my speed and expects me to move over. Sorry, I can't, without driving into the cars on my offside, which driver on sliproad cannot see because there's a big lorry blocking his view!

Driver eventually realises as the slip road ends, that his options are to either drive into the side of my lorry, or jump on the brakes and get in behind me, since they were too short sighted to speed up and get in front of me in the first place. I'm only doing 55 mph, after all.

What sometimes followed was offended car driver then getting into lane 2 and drawing level with me, horn blaring and giving me one or two fingers, or suggesting I might like Nescafé. Because it was of course, all my fault. Nobbers.

 

[gbb]

Aha, then you get the immature pillocks who make a really really big fuss about going into the left lane, if only for a second, then go back into the middle lane to overtake, back to the left lane, then middle, then right, back to middle, back to left. Ok, I know that's how you're supposed to drive, but there really is no need to get into the slower lane if you can clearly see that you need to get back into a faster lane only a second of five later. These guys really want to prove a point.

Then you get the boy racers. Oh boy (no pun...)

@gbb 's OP reminds me of The Wisdom of Crowds.

Oh yes, the point makers. While I return to the left lane habitually, I don't do it pointlessly, but see a couple guys regularly who do exactly what you describe above, lurching into lane 1 to 'show' everyone the right way to do it...and in doing so, acyptually endanger everyone around them.

 

[Jameshow]

I'll move into the lhl if the gap is more than 500m if less what's the point better to stay in lane 2.

If there is a stream of much faster cars up my tail I'll move over into a smaller gap to let them pass but that doesn't seem to happen often as I travel evenings mostly.

 

[slowmotion]

I suspect that quite a lot of drivers feel that it's somehow beneath their dignity to be seen driving in the inside lane.

 

[Arrowfoot]

Don't think the driving habits are evolving. I suspect it deteriorates when enforcement is not regular. It will be good for Police Forces to publish their planned campaigns on their websites and report results such as number of fines fro various categories of offences etc so it keeps them on their toes and us as well.

 

[DaveReading]

Some never use lane 1, sitting endlessly in lane 2, now I see more and more cars and particually vans, in lane 3, never or rarely moving out of them.

I have a certain amount of sympathy for drivers who stay out of lane 1 on a smart motorway.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

I'll move into the lhl if the gap is more than 500m if less what's the point better to stay in lane 2.

If there is a stream of much faster cars up my tail I'll move over into a smaller gap to let them pass but that doesn't seem to happen often as I travel evenings mostly.

It's a shame that people resort to intimidatory behaviour in order to signal their wish to overtake, I agree.

 

[Alex321]

Aha, then you get the immature pillocks who make a really really big fuss about going into the left lane, if only for a second, then go back into the middle lane to overtake, back to the left lane, then middle, then right, back to middle, back to left. Ok, I know that's how you're supposed to drive, but there really is no need to get into the slower lane if you can clearly see that you need to get back into a faster lane only a second of five later. These guys really want to prove a point.

You are not supposed to drive like that at all. If you are passing a stream of traffic, you're supposed to stay in the overtaking lane until there is room to safely pull in.

Now there is no actual definition of what is meant by a stream of traffic, but if it is only a few seconds between passing one vehicle and the next, you should not be pulling in. You certainly should never be pulling in if doing so means the gap either before or after you is less than the recommended 2 seconds.

 

[gbb]

You are not supposed to drive like that at all. If you are passing a stream of traffic, you're supposed to stay in the overtaking lane until there is room to safely pull in.

Now there is no actual definition of what is meant by a stream of traffic, but if it is only a few seconds between passing one vehicle and the next, you should not be pulling in. You certainly should never be pulling in if doing so means the gap either before or after you is less than the recommended 2 seconds.

I think we all agree and know that is right, but you do get those idiotic 'point makers' who in their desire to show everyone how to do it 'right' , get it absolutely 'wrong'. I suspect telling them as such will have no impact on their habits, however well intended. As usual, what is needed is a few police cars on the road...i suspect the 'point makers' actually risk getting a careless driving ticket for their troubles.

 

[byegad]

Crawling down the slip road at 45mph, never using indicators and sitting on your back bumper.

All offences for which I'd cheerfully see the return of the death penalty.

I drive at the speed limit whenever it's safe to do so, I keep left on dual carriageways/motorways when appropriate and use my indicators when changing lane, turning and exiting roundabouts*.

* Not signalling on roundabouts is my pet hate! Perhaps a slow painful death would be more appropriate.

 

[nickyboy]

Lost count how many times I had this situation back in the not so distant past when I was driving artics part time.
I'm sitting in the left lane, car comes up the slip road on my nearside. Car matches my speed and expects me to move over. Sorry, I can't, without driving into the cars on my offside, which driver on sliproad cannot see because there's a big lorry blocking his view!

Driver eventually realises as the slip road ends, that his options are to either drive into the side of my lorry, or jump on the brakes and get in behind me, since they were too short sighted to speed up and get in front of me in the first place. I'm only doing 55 mph, after all.

What sometimes followed was offended car driver then getting into lane 2 and drawing level with me, horn blaring and giving me one or two fingers, or suggesting I might like Nescafé. Because it was of course, all my fault. Nobbers.

Don't agree with this. On a slip road I've got nowhere to go except right and my slip road is of limited length. Vehicle in Lane 1 may (or may not) have Lane 2 available and has a practically infinite length lane to manoeuvre in. The Lane 1 driver has all the advantages and should do their best to accommodate the driver on the slip road

 

[sheddy]

If you want to change lane, then shoulder check and indicate FFS.
I would make it mandatory...

 

[Alex321]

Don't agree with this. On a slip road I've got nowhere to go except right and my slip road is of limited length. Vehicle in Lane 1 may (or may not) have Lane 2 available and has a practically infinite length lane to manoeuvre in. The Lane 1 driver has all the advantages and should do their best to accommodate the driver on the slip road

It is the responsibility of the merging driver to adjust their speed to fit into a gap in the traffic already on the road.

Most of us will try to move over to lane 2 if there is room, but drivers in lane 1 should not be altering speed to accommodate those entering the road.

Note what the Highway Code says:

Rule 259​

Joining the motorway. When you join the motorway you will normally approach it from a road on the left (a slip road) or from an adjoining motorway. You should

• give priority to traffic already on the motorway
• check the traffic on the motorway and match your speed to fit safely into the traffic flow in the left-hand lane
• not cross solid white lines that separate lanes or use the hard shoulder
• stay on the slip road if it continues as an extra lane on the motorway
• remain in the left-hand lane long enough to adjust to the speed of traffic before considering overtaking.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Wednesday 9th
Circa 04:30

‘Trust HQ’/Diabetes Centre car-park
Pinderfields General Hospital
Wakefield

It’ll be someone on nights; 19:00 - 07:30

I know there’s unlikely to be any pedestrians about at that time, but…

 

[Brandane]

The Lane 1 driver has all the advantages and should do their best to accommodate the driver on the slip road

This is what happens in reality. My point is though - it is done as a courtesy and sometimes it's not possible. It's the nobbers who DEMAND it as if it is their right of way, and then get abusive if for whatever reason the driver in lane 1 hasn't given way to them, that are the problem. The highway code is very clear on who is supposed to give way to who.