Why do motorists make a mad dart to the outside motorway lane like their life depends on it, even if it does start then stop and usually make worse progress than the inside lane that usually trundles along without the same level of frantic “go go go, stop stop stop”

Just wondering like.

Are you typing this whilst holding the traffic up in the middle lane?

even if it does start then stop and usually make worse progress than the

What?

“It takes the lotion from the basket”

OP certain German brands have a huge electromagnet in the off side sill. This kicks in above 50mph and draws the car to the armco barrier or re-inforcing bar in the concrete. HTH

Usually it’s because the inside and middle lanes are snarled up with articulated lorry’s and other slow moving commercial traffic. It’s more prevalent when joining a dual carriageway where the inside lane is almost exclusively occupied by lorry’s trundling along at 56mph.

It is sad to see the way many people take stupid risks to save seconds. Jumping over 2 lanes in one go as there’s a tiny gap etc.

All I can imagine is that they must really love their jobs and want to be sat at their desks as long as possible every day.

I’d rather be sat between 2 cars than 2 lorries.

If they’re indicating (although the point about intereference from the electromagnet is often overlooked here), they’re allowed out – that’s the whole point of entitlers indicators

I’d rather sit between 2 40 tonners than 2 cars, at least they’re
predictable !!

I was going to post something about the Scouse prick who tried to take me out twice with his lane changing antics and perceived right to make better progress than anyone else on the motorway.

I’d rather sit between 2 40 tonners than 2 cars, at least they’re
predictable !!

…hmmmmmmm, ok assuming the following truck gives you space which they often don’t, usually because they will not adjust their speed by 0.3 mph to suit or they don’t want some other numpty filling it when they make a last minute dive for their junction!

All user groups have equal numbers of guilty parties when it comes to road discipline, there those that stick to the rules, there are those that think the rules are for everyone else, there are those that are scared sh**less and the rules go out the window even though they know them, there are those that stick to the rules but will break them if they think someone else has impeded them ……. and worst of all, those that are oblivious to all around in a little world of their own!

Usually it’s because the inside and middle lanes are snarled up with articulated lorry’s and other slow moving commercial traffic.

Usually, it’s because they’re idiots.

Don’t know if you’ve noticed, but most people who drive cars are complete morons. There’s no rationalising what they do (or don’t do).

There should really be a lane just for high powered SUVs

Hmmm… hard to know the scenario you’re in. Heavy traffic that i scrawling along, as it passes a city or just a section of DC that has got to capacity and so has braking waves moving back through the traffic?

I do go the right hand lane (politely) on the A1 through Newcastle/gateshead in heavy traffic for the primary reason that I know I’m on the A1 for the whole thing, not leaving, lots of other people are needing to change lanes and we’re only doing 40 so it seems sensible to stay out of their way. I’m happy to keep up with those ahead of me.

Just read the OP again, do you mean outside as is in left hand lane? which I think of as the outside, but I’m often wrong about these. I find near side a confusing term. Near to what?

I was going to post something about the Scouse prick who tried to take me out twice with his lane changing antics and perceived right to make better progress than anyone else on the motorway.

How did you know the driver was scouse? Were the wheels from a different car? 🙂

M1 J44 near Leeds is best, everyone is so desperate for the third lane that the middle lane is often empty, apart from the occasional Audi who has failed to overtake the queue for the exit and sneak in and is sat hoping someone will let them in before a 40 tonner rear ends them. I think that’s about the only time I ever see an Audi indicator working.

Why do motorists make a mad dart to the outside motorway lane

Usually because it’s the first opportunity to overtake some dawdling t**t you’ve been stuck behind on the approach to the motorway

How did you know the driver was scouse? Were the wheels from a different car?

1. He was orange.
2. He was heading west from Manchester on the M62.
3. He was driving the car like it was stolen.
Case rested, M’lud.

Case rested, M’lud.

Fair summary 🙂

.. (ignoring my last comment) anyone know why it’s only the slow drivers of “compact” type cars who insist on using the right lane of a sliproad?
You can always spot them on the roundabout leading to the sliproad because they brake all the way round and don’t indicate (until they get to the end of the sliproad, whereby the most important right indicator begins it’s crucial flash).

do you mean outside as is in left hand lane? which I think of as the outside, but I’m often wrong about these. I find near side a confusing term. Near to what?

I’m so pleased I’m not alone!
Can someone please explain why the lane that’s near to the ‘central reservation’ is called ‘the outside’? ‘central’ being the indicating word.

Are you typing this whilst holding the traffic up in the middle lane?

nah just while working out what is a safe speed between 56mph and 69.999mph to undertake all those repmobiles that are nose-tail in the “fast” lane but actually the speed of the traffic in that lane is barely more than the “truck” lane, due to the excess of cars there.
floor it I say. don’t hang about in their blind spot.

unklehomered – Member

Just read the OP again, do you mean outside as is in left hand lane? which I think of as the outside, but I’m often wrong about these.

Not sure if this is trolling or not….

The inside lane is the one nearest the hard shoulder. The outside lane is the one nearest the centre of the road…..

Can someone please explain why the lane that’s near to the ‘central reservation’ is called ‘the outside’? ‘central’ being the indicating word.

Nearest to kerb/kurb.
The left of the vehicle is always referred to as the nearside, right of vehicle as offside. Look at any body panel description.

So the inside lane is the one on the outside of the road as a whole and vice versa.

Got it.

Don’t understand it, but do got it.

The left of the vehicle is always referred to as the nearside, right of vehicle as offside.

This is probably just because I’m on the spectrum but again, that’s the opposite of my instinctive interpretation. I think of near side as being, near… well Me. as the driver.

Driver side, passenger side are my preferred terms.

There should really be a lane just for high powered SUVs

Isn’t that the outside lane? M25 seems to be clogged with them. Makes pootling along the inside at a sedate 65 quite pleasant.

The outside lane on Motorways is now reserved for Brexiteers, it’s an area cordoned off so the intelligent amongst us can drive past an mock the idiocy.

OP certain German brands have a huge electromagnet in the off side sill. This kicks in above 50mph and draws the car to the armco barrier or re-inforcing bar in the concrete. HTH

Whilst I don’t have anything against certain German brands (I’ve owned some and would buy more), the vehicles the OP is talking about invariably have a badge on the back which says 320D or 520D. Seems to be a label to drive like a total idiot most of the time. Guess they must be angry their company car allowance doesn’t let them buy a quick version.

Last year on M80, a car decided to do the ‘outside lane asap, between two trucks’ – and took out the car hidden from his view that was faster than the trucks. This was two cars ahead of me, in heavy traffic at Cumbernauld.

I stopped about a metre from a car facing backwards in the outside lane, three other cars and one of the trucks damaged, debris everywhere and motorway blocked.

The d*ck who caused it was frustrated that the car he had hit was there, and seemed to have no idea of his responsibility. I left within a few minutes, as soon as first police arrived, so had not chance to see how it developed, but I think the truck drivers were ready to take him aside and see to it he was injured in the crash.

I’ve had to slam all on a couple of times when people have made the clean sweep on joining the motorway across all three lanes in one move.

I find you can often tell they’re going to do it, their driver-langauge (body language for cars) gives it a way as they come in on the slip road, like they’re itching for the off.

“I-wanna-do-somehting-stupid-I-wanna-do-somehting-stupid-I-wanna-do-somehting-stupid–Oh-I’m-gonna-do-it-Ooooooh-any-second-now-here-I-Go!-SURPRISE-MOTHER-******s!”

Usually it’s because the inside and middle lanes are snarled up with articulated lorry’s and other slow moving commercial traffic. It’s more prevalent when joining a dual carriageway where the inside lane is almost exclusively occupied by lorry’s trundling along at 56mph.

Not really true when the outside lane is crawling along at 15mph in the rush hour traffic though.

I observe this every morning. People will actively stop and wait for someone to let them out into the outside lane, while they block a clear inside lane… It makes no sense and just causes more congestion.

It’ll be the same people who dart across the chevrons to get off the slip road, so that they can sit even further back in the stationary queue of traffic on the motorway, when there’s an empty slip road… What’s the point?

Generally, I find the complete lack of thought that people put into their driving inexplicable. Everyone’s journey to work would be much quicker in the morning if more brains were engaged.

Use the M53 and M56 into Manchester most days. The [foolishness] is staggering. Best progress is made sticking to the inside lane and occasionally moving out at certain predictable points then back to the inside again to undertake all the stop start traffic.
Ironically such is peoples urgency to get to the apparent “fast lane” its often the case that if you stay put in the inside lane and let all of the half wits on, the inside lane becomes clear and you continue to over take them.

matt_outandabout – Member

Last year on M80, a car decided to do the ‘outside lane asap, between two trucks’ – and took out the car hidden from his view that was faster than the trucks. This was two cars ahead of me, in heavy traffic at Cumbernauld.

I stopped about a metre from a car facing backwards in the outside lane, three other cars and one of the trucks damaged, debris everywhere and motorway blocked.

The d*ck who caused it was frustrated that the car he had hit was there, and seemed to have no idea of his responsibility. I left within a few minutes, as soon as first police arrived, so had not chance to see how it developed, but I think the truck drivers were ready to take him aside and see to it he was injured in the crash.

I almost had this happen to me a while back by some complete arse biscuit who decided he’d swoop from the on-slip to the outside lane without checking his mirrors or glancing over his shoulder.
I hit the horn as he swerved across on a clear collision course for the side of my car. I braked slightly, but there was another arse biscuit right up my chuff, so I didn’t want him to go into the back of me.
Once this bloke got the message that he was about to crash into me, he stopped coming across then reverted to type and started hurling abuse at me from his side window. He was shouting so loudly I could hear him in my car with both his & my windows up…..

You’re welcome pal – no need to thank me for helping you to avoid a massive accident in rush hour that would have totalled our cars & caused severe delays for hundreds if not thousands of other commuters all trying to make their way home…… 😆

Usually because it’s the first opportunity to overtake some dawdling t**t you’ve been stuck behind on the approach to the motorway

basically this and the inside lane of any motorway is just bumper to bumper artics doing 56 mph (on a good day).

the inside lane of any motorway is just bumper to bumper artics doing 56 mph (on a good day).

Which is exactly the best lane to be in when the outside is swinging between stopped and 57 (on a good day) 😀

Just stroll along at 60 in one, or possibly two near a junction, and you MAY be a minute or so longer on the motorway, but with far less risk and stress.

The left of the vehicle is always referred to as the nearside, right of vehicle as offside. Look at any body panel description.

You don’t say! ( & quite a few other car bits that are ‘sided’)
No-one’s yet explained why the lane nearest the central reservation is called the outside lane. (Why not ‘nearside, middle & offside’ lanes?)

cos it’s outside of the near side lane. if it was inside the nearside lane it’d be the hard shoulder/footway!! 😉

No-one’s yet explained why the lane nearest the central reservation is called the outside lane. (Why not ‘nearside, middle & offside’ lanes?)

Done to death, mate, some people just don’t want to understand, I guess there’s a reason for that too.

So you still can’t actually explain then? I guess it’s gonna be one of life’s little mysteries.

Teaching is such a thankless task. I can explain it a thousand times, I just can’t explain it to the answer that you want. 🙄