It's easy enough to get someone to shift from lane 3 when lanes 1 and 2 are empty: Just use your right hand indicator and leave it on No tailgating necessary,just follow them at a reasonable distance I reckon it works 85% of the time I don't bother on the bike though,just check mirrors/undertake and be damned
If lanes 1 and 2 are empty, I don't even think twice. I undertake them in lane 1. Then they really look stupid. In fact, I am a champion undertaker. I get so pissed off with lane hoggers increasing congestion, people's blood pressure and shortening people's lives when they could be doing something else useful, that I can't even be arsed to pay them attention. For me, undertakers are in the right, and lane hoggers the wrong, whatever the law says. But in executing my manoeuvre, I have already planned an escape route and keep a beedy eye on the lane-hogger for the slightest swerve. On a bike, I will be almost on the hard shoulder line. There are three reasons people hog lanes: (a) utter selfishness - "it suits me and I don't give a stuff about you", (b) fear - "Oh my god, I am going to have to check mirror, indicate and change lanes. Something terrible might happen to me and then I'll be trapped forever in the inside lane" and (c) snobbery - "That's the slow lane. I'm far too important to be mixing with the hoi-poloi in the slow lane". Nearly all motorways in Switzerland are 2 lane (small country, no space, expensive to build). So to ease the very considerable congestion around Lausanne, they now open the hard shoulder as an additional lane during rush hour. There are big green lit arrows telling you to use all three lanes. So do people? No. Most sit in the middle lane, reducing all efforts to reduce congestion to naught. So I undertake the bastards, otherwise the situation is just ridiculous.
I occasionally have a need to drive my company lwb sprinter. It's a big old bus. About a year ago I was coming up the M5 over the bridge at gordano, and got stuck behind a guy sat in the middle lane. Quite a bit of traffic built up behind me and when the outside lane was clear I moved out to overtake. The inside lane was empty. When I was confident that I had passed the hogger I moved over to the inside lane. However one of the impatient clowns behind me couldn't be bothered to wait so undertook the hogger. there's a huge blind spot on the Sprinter to anything along side my left and I never saw him. He must have shat himself as he took to the hard shoulder by the railings with a large drop to his left. He dropped right back and didn't bother to overtake me or any of the other vehicles he had already passed, too embarrassed I guess. The lesson is, don't assume that the guy you are undertaking knows you are there.
I know it's only a Journo but according to Honest John in the torygraph it's not illegal to undertake on the motorway
If you move from lane 2, to 1 then overtake, then back into 2 that is classed as undertaking. If you are already in 1, pass the hogger in 2 then move out into 2 that's fine as you were just passing a vehicle on another lane going slower than you. Got told this when I got pulled for undertaking!
Isnt t a flow of traffic thing. Ie if the inside lane is travelling faster, but within the speed limits, than the outside lanes you can maintain position and speed? Not sure this entirely fits this context tho, ie not moving over thru ignorance or he law or ignorance of other users
torygraph...i like that one, and im going to use it and claim it as my own..in exchange you can have Tory Bliar.
That was my understanding also, there is no offence for 'undertaking', however it is included as an example of other offences such as Careless Driving etc.
I do think there is a dangerous side to this new law (well, power) though. At the times i do most of my driving (07:30 and 17:00 - coming to nearly 25,000 per year) the traffic is pretty heavy and doing a constant 65 mph. the left lane is mainly trucks, and due to traffic weight the correct thing to do is remain in the middle or outside lane for the majority of the time. The few people that do move in to the left lane end up 'lane hopping' as they are constantly weaving between lane 1 and 2 as there is rarely a gap of more than 15 - 20 seconds before the next truck. How long before people start lane hopping without checking their mirrors properly, and injure or kill a biker by clipping his front wheel on a lane change, sending him under a truck. I would suggest its going to be necessary to make greater use of the 'congestion, stay in lane' gantry signs, otherwise there is going to be a rapid increase in accidents caused by careless and un necessary lane changes.
Just had a Gut full of this. Just returned from another glorious week on the continent (with 25 degree heat too boot and no rain) where drivers acknowledge you are there and move over to allow you room to pass. On two lane dual carriageways drivers approach a vehicle, indicate, pull out, overtake and pull back in again, even on really busy roads there is great discipline. everyone travels at appropriate speed. On three lane carriageways there are very few cars that stay in the outer lane. 15 minutes it took me lose it with a Honda CRV driver sat in the middle lane of the relatively quiet M20 having overtaken an Aldi Artic. He sat with absolutely no intention of moving. He got surrounded by 4 bikes who spent the next mile or so just staring at him. What does this twat do? reaches over for his phone and appears to start to video us. Did he move? no! I look forward to being contacted by the feds cos its all on the go pro! Iv'e always said, i d love to fill the door panels of an old 2.3 sierra with concrete and spend my days riding up and down shifting middle and outer lane hoggers out the way. Not likely though!
All I get is people sitting in the fast lane, well aware you're behind them, and as you squeeze up behind them they put their toe down rather than move over. Twats. That just bites me instantly, I can't help it, and I make it my life's work thereafter to see them safely to lane 1. Really, what is going through these idiots' minds as they're driving along?
im just glad we are all so good on here that its none of us when we are in a car.....and we all do travel in a car!
