idiot motorway overtakers who cut in with just 2 car lengths gap

matttye

Joe_Horner wrote: »

Except that, if both cars have speedos working within spec, the maximum possible difference between the two would be about 9.5mph. In practice it will be more like 2 - 3 mph.

Given that (say) 3mph difference in reading, if you were stuck behind them for a full 70 miles at an indicated 70mph it would hold you up for about 3 minutes. In a more likely scenario of being "stuck" for 5 miles, you'd be delayed for 11.5 seconds.

Even with the maximum possible 9.5mph difference in readings, over 5 miles you'd be delayed by 36.5 seconds, which isn't enough "inconvenience" to amount to a criminal charge.

Got any case law to suggest what the minimal amount of inconvenience has to be or are you guessing?

The CPS guidance suggests that flashing your headlights at someone to make them give way is inconsiderate driving. That can't be any more inconvenient that being stuck behind someone for a few seconds, or having to change lanes to get past them when you shouldn't have to.

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Its a motoring offence. Not a criminal offence. http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/legal-aid/eligibility/list-of-criminal-offences.pdf

That's not an exhaustive list. It doesn't refer to:

- conspiracy to commit an offence (same category as the actual offence)
- incitement to commit an offence (again same category)
- escaping lawful custody with force
- Public order offences such as section 4/4a/5 public order act offences, and drunk and disorderly.

Inconsiderate driving is a crime and you can end up with a conviction for it if you go to court and either pleas guilty or are found guilty after trial. If you accept a fixed penalty then you will not have a conviction.

Motoring offences are crimes.

Joe_Horner

matttye wrote: »

That can't be any more inconvenient that being stuck behind someone for a few seconds, or having to change lanes to get past them when you shouldn't have to.

But it's at least as inconsiderate to expect someone to move into lane 1 in the situation that malc_b was describing, where you will have top rapidly move back out or slow down because of exising traffic in that lane, by insisting on your right to break the law.

Again, that's ignoring whether or not the law on speed is right or not because breaking speed limits is against the law. Driving continuously in the middle lane lane isn't.

You can quite legally drive down the 3rd lane of a motorway at 5mph if you want provided there's no other traffic to be inconvenienced or endangered. You cannot legally drive down any lane at over 70mph regardless of traffic conditions.


eta: For clarity, again: I regularly speed on motorways and I have nohing against people who drive even faster than me (as long as they're doing it safely). When it's safe to, I'll happily get out of their way. But neither I nor they have any right to complain about someone who might hold us up in our law breaking by choosing to drive at the speed limit (give or take a bit for speedo errors).

matttye

Joe_Horner wrote: »

But it's at least as inconsiderate to expect someone to move into lane 1 in the situation that malc_b was describing, where you will have top rapidly move back out or slow down because of exising traffic in that lane, by insisting on your right to break the law.

Again, that's ignoring whether or not the law on speed is right or not because breaking speed limits is against the law. Driving continuously in the middle lane lane isn't.

You can quite legally drive down the 3rd lane of a motorway at 5mph if you want provided there's no other traffic to be inconvenienced or endangered. You cannot legally drive down any lane at over 70mph regardless of traffic conditions.


eta: For clarity, again: I regularly speed on motorways and I have nohing against people who drive even faster than me (as long as they're doing it safely). When it's safe to, I'll happily get out of their way. But neither I nor they have any right to complain about someone who might hold us up in our law breaking by choosing to drive at the speed limit (give or take a bit for speedo errors).

I refer you to post #177 - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=66274732&postcount=177 - no point repeating myself.

Why all the debate when it's obvious that if people just drove in the correct lane, the journey would be better for everyone concerned?

RichardD1970

Joe_Horner wrote: »

An emergency vehicle is, curiously enough, easy to spo - they have big flashy lights, funny paint jobs, and wailey sirens to identify themselves. Even undercover police cars have (smaller but still very visible when lit) flashy lights if they need to get past.

You would think so wouldn't you?

The other day I was traveling along the motorway, doing about 75 in the 3rd lane overtaking a line of traffic travelling at about 60-65 in the middle lane.

I spotted some blue lights in my mirror about 1/2 a mile behind, so found a space and slotted into the slower moving traffic to clear the lane.

The number of cars that stayed in that lane until the Ambulance was right up behind them was astonishing and you could see them then panicking and trying to force their way into the middle lane (most of who were as oblivious and didn't want to let them in), which in turn slowed everything up even more.

I can only surmise that despite "the big flashy lights, funny paint jobs, and wailey sirens" that it hadn't been spotted before it was up their bumper.


Of course after it had gone past they all tried to get behind it to take advantage of it clearing the lane :rotfl:.

facade

RichardD1970 wrote: »

I can only surmise that despite "the big flashy lights, funny paint jobs, and wailey sirens" that it hadn't been spotted before it was up their bumper.

I remember in The Olden Days there was an experiment to add a burst of white noise to the wailey siren, so you could easily determine the direction that it was coming from in town.

Like most things that actually work well, it soon disappeared

topdaddy_2

facade wrote: »

I remember in The Olden Days there was an experiment to add a burst of white noise to the wailey siren, so you could easily determine the direction that it was coming from in town.

Like most things that actually work well, it soon disappeared

Round here they still have a "squelch" radio noise and a louder than normal horn sound for those who really dont get it.

facade

topdaddy wrote: »

Round here they still have a "squelch" radio noise and a louder than normal horn sound for those who really dont get it.

That's the one, the PSSCH! noise, you can tell where that comes from, the normal siren is not directional, and when you hear one approach in town at a crossroads, there is some confusion as people are unsure whether to start making space by crossing the junction, or stay still as it is coming from the side.

They were tried out round here about 10 years ago, but there are none fitted now.

mttylad

Bring back the old bells, could hear them.