New speeding trap idea.

[pipme]

£1-49 is a small outlay compared with fine and three or more points !!
'Ignorance' forms no defence in law.

H/Code para 242.
Traffic in left-hand lanes may sometimes be moving faster than traffic to the right in these conditions you may keep up with traffic in your lane even if this means passing traffic in the lane to your right, do not weave in and out of lanes to overtake

'weave in and out', Oh, so another reason not to be dipping in and out of the inside lane when overtaking ... you see chaps, it is written !!
If the middle laner is at the speed limit and quicker than the inside lane then in my book he is driving sensibly and resonably.

P

 

[AdamW]

I had some wally weaving in and out trying to undertake and cut people up last weekend. He would sit behind me, then when he thought he could possibly undertake and nip into my 2-second gap he would give it a go. Totally forgetting he was driving an underpowered car, quite frankly a girls' car, and would have to slow down and sharply cut back in behind me before he got to the next car in the middle lane.

It provided for much entertainment on that long busy journey! Heavy traffic, moving at 60mph, too many people moving into the outside, usual story. I was already in the outside lane, to my defence!

Anyway, after 30 minutes of trying he got from being the car behind me, to being 2 or 3 cars behind me

I never weave. I tried it a few times, and used other cars as a marker. I never gained anything, I think to make even a couple of car lengths you have to be very aggressive and put yourself at risk of an accident and a punch on the nose. Not worth it. My ex's dad who parked across several parking spaces would do this, sit in the outside lane, flashing his mainbeams at people to get out of his way despite the fact they were only slow due to traffic... Saved 5 minutes on a 2 hour journey, but probably used more petrol due to ac/decelleration and the load of the lights on the alternator. Wally!

 

[AdamW]

If I get caught for "undertaking" in traffic sensibly, I will point to this forum and say "See, Pipme said I could!"

 

[securespark]

Is he your ex's Dad cos you shared your driving theories with his daughter??

 

[TexMex]

This is the only view I could find in the highway code, under rule 104. Can you tell me where the reference is that says I can exceed the speed limit.

Looking at current versions of the Highway code it appears that you are right. When I was preparing to take my test (early 70s) I distinctly remember rehearsing answers regarding speed limits, and being prompted by my instructor to add "except when overtaking". Looks like I'll have to be a bit more careful in future (and perhaps read a current copy of the highway code).

btw. In case I've given you the impression that I drive like a complete maniac, I haven't had a driving conviction since 1979!

On the subject of Lanes on motorways. I once had a fiesta that suddenly started making an awefull racket and lost power on the M25. Pulling over and removing the Rocker Box gasket, I found that the rocker shaft had snapped.

Bodging it up to run on 3 cylinders, I found I could get it up to 50mph, so I joined the traffic in the left hand lane. A short while later down the road, a whacking great articulated lorry comes right up my jacksy flashing lights, and honking like a boar on heat.

Eventually I pull out onto the middle lane (still doing 50mph), whereupon he overtakes on the inside. As he is passing he leans across from the left hand side of his cab shouting and gesticulating madly.

I pull back into the left hand lane behind him. Then I realise the problem. He's got a great big "F" on the back.

 

[oilman]

I've heard stories of these "F" ers causing death on routes between Harwich and Anglesey when they revert to type and start driving on the right. Perhaps that's why dual carriageways are built everywhere, at least when they get the lanes mixed up there is only a speed difference rather than direction.

 

[Diyisfun]

I remember a prog on TV a few years back, where they had, I think 2 cars on the M25 1 stayed in the same lane & the other was changing lanes, I think they both got round in very similar times if not the same.

RE USA Undertaking, According to the AA. There are a few states where undertaking is against the law. The general rule is 'If others are undertaking you may'.

 

[AdamW]

Well, Florida, the state where many UK tourists end up, it is definitely illegal. I was told this by an Orlandonian. Also, despite what a barman in Atlanta told me, their drink driving limits are just as strict as here, and the limit is about the same (one and a half beers, but I dunno if that is bottles or pints).

There is another problem with 'F' oreign truck drivers. It is very easy to be sat in their blindspot without realising it. And they are immune to beeps so the only way out of getting crushed is to change lanes.

Well, really there are MANY problems with them! I have had cars with F-stickers undertake me. I don't know if this is because they are just absent mindedly overtaking in what they think to be the outside, or if it is just bl**dy mindedness... "Wah ah yoo nurt ovvertekking on tha cooooorect sahd! Ah FAHT in ure jenerale direckshon!".

But you never see them driving at 70 km/h on the motorway

 

[ninebob]

There is another problem with 'F' oreign truck drivers. It is very easy to be sat in their blindspot without realising it. And they are immune to beeps so the only way out of getting crushed is to change lanes.

Indeed, this happened to us a few years back on the M25. We were driving through roadworks, only 2 lanes, a lorry to the left and a solid concrete wall to the right. 50mph limit and huge signs everywhere "KEEP IN LANE". So the lorry decided to pull out - CRUNCH. Car a write-off but luckily none of us hurt - if he had kept on coming it could have been much worse, with the concrete barrier to the right. The lorry and driver were French and his excuse was that being left hand drive he just didn't see the car.

 

[AdamW]

And being right-handed you didn't see his face there as you swung your fist around in front of you

I doubt he did, but I hope he got some massive fines for that... Shame they can't take his French licence.

Anyone driving in France should be careful. The French have a tradition of drink driving. Seriously, according to French people I know, most people would drive after a bottle of wine. And they only breathalyse you if you crash, never just out of routine. Except, the French police have started cracking down on this recently and breathalysing more motorists. Almost all British. So, rather than breathalysing the people who find it socially acceptable to drive home fissed as a part, they are stopping and breathalysing the people who for 40 years or so have had the breathalyser, TV and poster campaigns and a society where it is seen as a dreadful thing to do and people will think less of you if you do it. So French police have embarked on a policy of active discrimination against the British. I reckon we should introduce a new breathalyser that checks for the smell of cheap French cigarettes. "Mr Depardieu, I am arresting you on suspicion of smoking cheap French fags. Anything you say, shrug or gesticulate gallicly may be taken down and used in a court of haw-de-haw-de-law."

When in France, don't do as the French do...

 

[pipme]

I believe it is in one of the Scandinavian countries that speed camera is connected to a set of traffic lights a distance beyond camera, anything exceeds limit, lights go red ... a further camera on lights collects evidence of light jumping .. in which case the driver is done for speeding and /or red jumping .... But if the lights are complied with then no further action taken. Several of these on a road would soon have the desired effect methinks.

 

[securespark]

"Wah ah yoo nurt ovvertekking on tha cooooorect sahd! Ah FAHT in ure jenerale direckshon!".

That's an excellent written interpretation of the F accent, but you lose all the marks gained for that by trying to get MP into the post........

On Top Gear or Fifth Gear, they did a mock-up of what happens when a l/h/d artic changes lanes without seeing you.....

I'm off for a pint