Motorway Driving Question

Noble_Viking

[[[[deleted]]]] [[[[deleted]]]]

Silver-Surfer_2

On a motorway you should drive in the left hand lane unless overtaking, drive to the conditions and at a maximum of 70 mph.

If you were doing 50 and were passed on the left you were doing something wrong.

Iceweasel

Very simple - stay out of the right hand lane - except when overtaking.

You were very obviously not in the correct lane.

And if there are 3 lanes then also keep out of the middle one - except when overtaking.

To sum up - keep to the extrememost (does that word even exist) left lane - except when overtaking.

Get it?

Nobbie1967

Sounds like you shouldn't have been traveling in the outside lane of the motorway. You should have moved over to allow faster traffic to pass. I can't quite see how a motorway would only have one lane going straight ahead. Maybe the lane on the left was for turning off and going straight ahead?

Which motorway and which junction?

Neil_Jones

The maximum speed on a motorway is 70mph, so 50mph, unless you can see queuing traffic ahgead, is probably a tad on the slow side.

If I've understood you correctly, you are in the outside lane, closest to the central barrier. This is not really where you're supposed to be at all unless you're overtaking, and 50mph in the outside lane is potentially dangerous as the concept is you should be going faster than the traffic you're overtaking.

I'm not aware of many if any junctions that have junctions on the right hand side by the barrier so I'm inclined to think you're at one of those junctions where if you stay in the left lane you automatically peel off, whereas if you stay in the middle lane you stay on the motorway you're on.

Where were you exactly? Which motorway and junction? Show us a junction on Google Maps and we may be able to understand where you're coming from.

bod1467

A Google maps link to the area in question would be useful ... as it stands, from what you have described, you were in the wrong lane doing the wrong speed.

To post #5 ... the Charing Cross junction westbound off the M8 in Glasgow is exit from the right lane, albeit there's a long run-off which is well signed.

Marvel1

Your mistake was doing 50mph in the overtaking lane and was not overtaking if they had to "overtake" you from the left.

Stick to the left lane when not overtaking (unless the left lane is a sliproad off the motorway, then the middle to keep on the motorway.

As above, any chance of junction and motorway?

Tigsteroonie

Noble_Viking wrote: »

She overtakes on the inside lane (which is going to go off shortly to another destination) She moves, and another driver does the same which was behind her, followed by another, all women drivers, all flashing their lights and beeping their horns as well as making rude gestures with their hands, all overtake on the inside lane.

If three drivers all had sufficient time to drive up behind you, move to the left lane, undertake, and then move right again before the left lane goes off to that exit - then you should have been in the left lane, and only moving over closer to the point of decision.

Noble_Viking wrote: »

I am doing 50mph, mainly because I am aware the traffic ahead could be queuing further up the motorway near a busy junction

You are over-cautious. Heck, there could be a complete tailback just around the bend, perhaps you should have driven at 30mph in case? You drive to an appropriate speed for the road, taking due consideration of the situation that you can see ahead, but not anticipating a situation that "could be" arising but is too far away for you to see.

jk0

I bet it's where the A329(M) joins the M4. This has one lane going straight on:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4305753,-0.8531993,3a,75y,271.86h,86.24t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sLofXxIoweJWNkiveSgcJgQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Of course the stupid thing is that this motorway was originally laid out so that it could be increased to three lanes each way. That would be too expensive though.

daveyjp

I know the junction. Right hand lane is correct, 50mph isn't unless you know of a queue ahead.

A couple of motorway lessons would serve you well, as would P plates until you are confident.

Don't concern yourself with all those 'perfect' drivers around you. Get your skills improved and over time you will get more confidence.

Tigsteroonie

Noble_Viking wrote: »

I am bound to be a little over-cautious being a first time driver on a motorway on my own, we all have to start somewhere. I am guessing those three overtaking woman shot off on the motorway within days of passing there tests and were complete experts!

Most drivers (I was about to say 'all') forget that they were novices once But that's where P plates can help.