O/T ok so I was probably in the wrong, but bl**dy hell

[Guy Fawkes]

I would interpret it as, since the right hand lane is for overtaking, not general traffic, the general traffic is in the left hand lane and the advice not to change lanes unnecessarily would suggest don't go into the right hand lane.

And if there is a back log of traffic crawling towards the congestion, the you can get back into the left hand lane nice and early, since the traffic will be moving slowly and it will be safe to do so.

But if there is a queue of traffic and an empty lane with space to overtake then why shouldn't people use it, especially as it's being used for the purpose it was designed for, to allow faster moving vehicles to overtake slower moving vehicles. Or do you deem all overtaking as unneccessary? If there is a significant enough amount of traffic to require 2 lanes upto a set of roadworks where it then merges, why should one lane then be left empty?

And upto what point do you think it should be acceptable to still overtake and when should everyone form just a single queue of traffic leading upto a set of roadworks? 1 mile away? 2 miles away? etc? - As there are no limits on when you have to merge by prior to roadworks, so why should some drivers try to enforce their misguided view on preventing other road users going past, especially when they have every right to do so.

The Highway code also allows for undertaking, but only when the inside lane is moving faster than the outer lane(s) (as seen regularly at traffic jams etc) should people be blocking the lane to prevent this too as it might not be fair on those in the outer lanes?

 

[Guy Fawkes]

So many people with bizarre ideas on here.

"If you fill up both lanes the traffic will go quicker."

What part of BOTTLE NECK don't you understand?

The sooner EVERYONE is in the left hand lane, the quicker the traffic will go as no one is having to stop to let the last minute mergers come through. This is really basic stuff.

So all you do is move the merge point and the delay point further back, not eliminate it so how do you figure it speeds things up?

Also everyone being in one queue means a longer tailback, which effects traffic over a greater distance - I don't know if you have seen them, but there are usually variable speed limits leading upto roadworks on a lot of multilane roads, this slows the approaching traffic down and allows the vehicles there to move through at their slower speed without creating a massive tailback as more vehicles join the queue than leave. How much more of the road system would be blocked if all those approaching vehicles had to use just one lane to avoid merging closer to the start of a set of roadworks?

You idea's great in theory, but doesn't hold up in practice.

Also I'd be extremely pissed off if i was sat in a long single file of traffic approaching a set of roadworks and i was looking to get to my turn off before they started but was unable to reach it due to being held up by everyone being polite by leaving the the outer lane empty because they were worried about upsetting someone who was too gullible to realise that they were able to use both lanes upto the start of the roadworks.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Erm, the new highway code encourages you to use all available lanes until you have to merge in, so the guy that blocked you was a bit of a tool...

CORRECT.

Failure to do so just makes the overall queue longer and creates unnecessary delays at junctions some way behind the front of the queue.

The obligation on drivers is not just to get themselves out of the queue, it is to avoid traffic congestion building up behind them. Forming one single, longer queue is irresponsible.

Thealbionfan was doing the RIGHT thing. His opponent in the confrontation was WRONG.

Some Highway Authorities have started to erect signs that say "USE BOTH LANES":-

 

[Juan Albion]

So because you didn't think to use the empty road space available to you, other people who did should be made to suffer?

No, but I think when you have lots of warning that you need to merge, most reasonable people merge when an opportunity arises, only a few queue jumpers go as far as they can and then expect to be treated on a one-after-the-other basis. But it is a bit different over here. Roads were generally built straight and so you can see the problem a long way ahead, plus there is usually no problem forming one line. In fact HGVs will usually assure you do by sitting in the 'faster' lane and moving at the same pace as the slower lane. They know this works better for everyone because the merging gets done well before the pinch point.

 

[goldstone]

CORRECT.

Failure to do so just makes the overall queue longer and creates unnecessary delays at junctions some way behind the front of the queue.

The obligation on drivers is not just to get themselves out of the queue, it is to avoid traffic congestion building up behind them. Forming one single, longer queue is irresponsible.

Thealbionfan was doing the RIGHT thing. His opponent in the confrontation was WRONG.

Some Highway Authorities have started to erect signs that say "USE BOTH LANES":-

Thank you, Lord B.

Clear and concise .... and logical.

 

[Ecosse Exile]

cant be bothered to go through all five pages but what i read in the first two was ridiculous, thealbionfan was well in the right, the only people who get uptight about people using the RH lane or those to stupid to use it themselves. as someone said, youre encouraged to use both lanes in the highway code. do people get this uptight when motorcycles filter past them too? as a biker, i can honestly say, if someone had pulled out in front of me while i was filtering, theyd be getting a doing. what the guy done was bang out of order.

Edit : this is not ecosse exile, its albaalbion, i just forgot to sign back in as me

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

CORRECT.

Failure to do so just makes the overall queue longer and creates unnecessary delays at junctions some way behind the front of the queue.

The obligation on drivers is not just to get themselves out of the queue, it is to avoid traffic congestion building up behind them. Forming one single, longer queue is irresponsible.

Thealbionfan was doing the RIGHT thing. His opponent in the confrontation was WRONG.
[/img]

This is correct. Getting upset that cars are legitimately driving down the outside lane is ridiculous.

 

[bhaexpress]

Simple thing to do to stop people cutting in is to keep close to the car in front and not give way, no need to get upset.

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

And if you all use both lanes, then surely that'll stop the thing that seems to annoy you all - cars using the free lane properly and merging at the actual merging point. If both lanes are used then each lane will move at a similar speed and no advantage would be had from being in either lane.

 

[Spanish Seagulls]

I read the first page then noticed that there were another 3 pages, lots of you seem to have got on this during the evening so it must be a real issue & it is to be fair. Are we all not just supposed to merge one at a time when you reach the point of having too? Simple. People who get out of their cars are normally just trying to imtimidate so whenever it has happened to me I have done the same & they seem to just wither & get back in theirs & in their place, knobheads. A stern telling to get back in usually does the trick.

 

[adrian29uk]

What is it with some people. They get behind a wheel and they suddenly turn in to a complete and utter areshole. I have to laugh because in 10-15 years time, the motorways and A roads will be so congested we won't be going anywhere. We will then all be forced on to bicycles and becoming a pedestrian and everyone will chill out.

 

[Everest]

We will then all be forced on to bicycles and becoming a pedestrian and everyone will chill out.

You think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDjfcjjnyk4

 

[Lincoln Imp]

I'm sorry, but for a man who usually talks a lot of sense Lord B is advocating a selfish principle. Going to the front of an empty outside lane and then pushing in at the front is exactly the same as walking down the side of a queue in the post office and demanding to be served first. You join the post office queue in the order you come into the premises; for reasonable good manners you should similarly join a pinch point traffic queue in, as closely as possible, the order you come upon it.

If there are signs saying "use two lanes" then follow them; if there are not, then follow your natural instincts of good manners. If you have no manners, then just push in - although there is the risk of having the side of your car removed as I once saw happen to the driver of an Audi trying the stunt in front of a lorry once. Not that I would advocate such a thing of course. On the other hand, Lord B's car is extremely small...

 

[brunswick]

cant believe some ppl on here.

use both lanes - the REAL ROOT of the problem is that people dont want to let anyone else in - this is an english SOCIETY problem, as is road rage.

ever driven in canada or central america? everyone filters and lets eachother in nicely.

imagine the english mentality in varanassi with 4million tuc tucs - if everyone went mental if they let someone in....it is laughable - idiots, people with small minds.

whoever thinks it is right to be violent over this needs serious help.

 

[hart's shirt]

What do you do when a new checkout is opened??

Normally it's a matter of cutting the ribbon, making a short speech and smiling for the press.


This might solve the problem...

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I'm sorry, but for a man who usually talks a lot of sense Lord B is advocating a selfish principle. Going to the front of an empty outside lane and then pushing in at the front is exactly the same as walking down the side of a queue in the post office and demanding to be served first. You join the post office queue in the order you come into the premises; for reasonable good manners you should similarly join a pinch point traffic queue in, as closely as possible, the order you come upon it.

This isn't a correct comparison. The point of a post office queue is to ensure that people reach the front in the order that they joined the queue. There is no other thing to be regulated. It doesn't matter how long the queue gets.

What needs to happen with a queue of traffic is two-fold. Firstly, traffic has to leave the queue safely (the "merge in turn" rule achieves this). And, secondly, the length of the queue has to be regulated to ensure that the tailback doesn't create congestion further back in the queue that prevents other traffic movements (such as turning into and out of side roads) taking place. The "use both lanes" rule achieves that, by shortening the overall length of the queue.

 

[Everest]

If there are signs saying "use two lanes" then follow them;..

Why do we need signs? There are 2 f***ing lanes. This normally means that 2 lanes can be used, otherwise why have them?

 

[WATFORD zero]

5 pages on a 200 yard queue ?

Get it in perspective - he shouldn't have tried to stop you passing, you shouldn't have gesticulated and tried to get round him

It really isn't that important

 

[markw]

Why do we need signs? There are 2 f***ing lanes. This normally means that 2 lanes can be used, otherwise why have them?

Is this really that hard to understand?

 

[Acker79]

But if there is a queue of traffic and an empty lane with space to overtake then why shouldn't people use it, especially as it's being used for the purpose it was designed for, to allow faster moving vehicles to overtake slower moving vehicles.

Because if there is a queue, there isn't a gap for an overtaking car to move into, it is forcing others to create a gap for it. You're only supposed to overtake if you can do so, a queue of traffic indicates there isn't the space ahead of you needed to complete the manoeuvre.

Lane discipline
133
If you need to change lane, first use your mirrors and if necessary take a quick sideways glance to make sure you will not force another road user to change course or speed. When it is safe to do so, signal to indicate your intentions to other road users and when clear, move over.

And for the claim that you are encouraged to use all available lanes:

137
On a two-lane dual carriageway you should stay in the left-hand lane. Use the right-hand lane for overtaking or turning right. After overtaking, move back to the left-hand lane when it is safe to do so.

138
On a three-lane dual carriageway, you may use the middle lane or the right-hand lane to overtake but return to the middle and then the left-hand lane when it is safe.