It’s the outside of that carriageway, ignore what’s at the other side of the barrier.

It’s the outside of that carriageway, ignore what’s at the other side of the barrier.

Ta Daaa, cheers Cougar, nice that someone could actually just say that!

Ta Daaa, cheers Cougar, nice that someone could actually just say that!

Pillock.

Pillock.

(not the worst thing I’ve ever been called mind)

Well YOU didn’t say it did ya?

And just to ruin it: “roundabouts.” (-:

I usually say “first / second / third lane” as it avoids all this confusion.

And just to ruin it: “roundabouts.” (-:

I’d go for the inside of an innertube, that’ll keep some quiet for a while.

I usually say “first / second / third lane” as it avoids all this confusion.

I’m confused again, which is which? I’m saying that the 1st is the one on the left, the 2nd one is the middle & the 3rd’s on the right etc etc?
1,2,3. Left to right? or is that sensible?

And just to ruin it: “roundabouts.”

My wife comes from a country with very few roundabouts, from a state that had no roundabouts til relatively recently. When trying to teach her how to drive in the UK I couldn’t understand why she got so confused and agitated when I told her to go straight on at a roundabout. After a few weeks of this she stopped at the line and shouted “I CAN’T GO STRAIGHT ON!” pointing at the kerb in front of her.

Doesn’t really make sense either does it when you think about it.

I’m confused again, which is which? I’m saying that the 1st is the one on the left, the 2nd one is the middle & the 3rd’s on the right etc etc?
1,2,3. Left to right? or is that sensible?

Yes.

Actually,

That makes sense because we both drive on the left and read from left to right. It should hold up going right-left in countries that drive on the left, but it’s way less intuitive.

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 keep seeing more and more people joining the motorway like this (usually driving across the cross hatched area too 🙄 ) but the thing is there’s nothing even on the motorway in front of them 😯

It’s like they can’t possibly drive in the 2 peasants lanes and must get straight to the important peoples lane asap. I think as far as intelligence levels go the human race peaked a while back and is now rapidly going the other way 😆

The general answer to the OPs question and many more like it is either:

1) They are not paying ANY attention to the actual task of driving

or

2) They are not looking any further down the road than the bonnet of their car.

I actually followed someone the other day who overtook a truck, which was doing about 35mph, and then immediately moved back to the left hand lane, even though there was, clear as day (in fact, even clearer than that) a large tractor, complete with bright orange flashing lights doing about 15mph in that lane about 50 yards ahead of the truck! At the last minute they did a full emergency stop and avoided ramming into the back of the tractor by about 3 inches.

Tractor driver had his head in his hands, shaking it side to side in disbelief.

(tbh, as the tractor was massive, weighed probably 10 tonnes, and the car was a nissan note, i suspect any impact wouldn’t even have scratched the paint on the back of the tractor…….. 😆 )

To the OP’s original question…

My oldest mate from school does just this every time he joins the motorway. From what I can grasp, it derives from his sense of entitlement, powerful German car and complete intolerance of being held up by anyone who isn’t like him.

Everything you might expect really.

If you have cruise control set it for a speed and watch them all yo-yo past you. One moment they are zipping past you 30 seconds later you are over taking them, is my cruise control buggered varying my speed so much?

Should you really be using cruise control in traffic that dense and unpredictable?

Depends on the separations and the cruise control you have.

You can get your foot on the brake faster, and you can , on mine at least, turn it off with a flick of the right Thumb on a steering wheel switch. But you don’t get the instant engine braking you do when you lift off the accelerator.

If more people used Cruise, the speeds would become more predictable and there would be less variability and fewer “shockwaves”. That’s kind of what variable speed limits try and achieve. The M25 on weekdays, when not complete jammed is so much nicer to drive than on weekends when, although less busy, all the numpties whose speed oscillates wildly are out.

If you have cruise control set it for a speed and watch them all yo-yo past you. One moment they are zipping past you 30 seconds later you are over taking them, is my cruise control buggered varying my speed so much?

I’m convinced that some people want to drive slower than me, but in front of me.