Appropriate approach to someone driving at 90kph in the middle lane of the Naas Rd?

[Joe_90]

What is the appropriate approach to someone driving at 90kph in the middle lane of the Naas road.
A) move from the left hand lane, into the middle lane, then the outside lane, overtake and move back into the middle lane and then the inside lane.
B) drive in the middle lane yourself and flash the light and blow the horn like they do in France to get them to move over.
C) relax in the inside land and pass them out.

Drives me nuts. And before you say anything I drive at 100kph on the Naas road.

 

[Vanilla]

A, obviously. You have the choice of three lanes and you're complaining? Ah come on.

 

[RonanC]

Legally - A


What we should do - Lane 1 -> Lane 2 (Flash lights twice) -> Lane 3 (quick beep) -> Lane 2 -> Lane 1 (Look in rear view mirror and see driver look confused while continuing in Lane 2)

 

[Brendan Burgess]

Very good question.

Here is the RSA guide to ""

Overtaking

Overtake only on the right, unless traffic is travelling in slow moving queues and the traffic queue on your right is travelling more slowly than you are. If you intend to move from a slower lane to a faster lane, adjust your speed first.

I presume this applies to other 3 or 4 lane roads as well.

Most drivers seem to avoid bus lanes even outside bus lane hours. So they end up driving slowly in the middle lane.

I tend to use the inside lane and just overtake slower drivers in an outside lane. I keep an eye on them to make sure that they don't suddenly turn in. But I suppose if they did turn in, I would be at fault?

It's probably a lot safer than switching over three or four lanes and switching back again.

Taxis and buses seem to travel very fast in the Bus Lane and don't worry too much about it.

 

[RonanC]

It is fact Irish people don't know how to drive on motorways. if someone is in the middle lane and they are going slower than you THEY should move to the left hand lane. You see on the M50 every day someone going 60/70km in the middle lane and there is no one in the lefthand lane.

It has nothing to do with what speed they are driving at. It comes down to whether they are overtaking or not.

Lane 2 and 3 are for overtaking only. Lane 1 is the driving lane.

 

[michaelm]

If you're in the inside lane and you can pass them without breaking the speed limit then C) relax in the inside land and pass them out.

 

[RonanC]

I tend to use the inside lane and just overtake slower drivers in an outside lane. I keep an eye on them to make sure that they don't suddenly turn in. But I suppose if they did turn in, I would be at fault?

It's probably a lot safer than switching over three or four lanes and switching back again.

It is also illegal and you can be done for 'undertaking' or overtaking on the left unless 'traffic is travelling in slow moving queues and the traffic queue on your right is travelling more slowly than you are.'

 

[RonanC]

If you're in the inside lane and you can pass them without breaking the speed limit then C) relax in the inside land and pass them out.

Rules of the Road say otherwise and Gardai have been known to pull people over for overtaking on the left.

 

[RonanC]

There is a serious lack of knowledge, understanding and respect of our rules of the road. Roundabouts, motorways, traffic lights, yield signs, pedestrian crossings, correct use of lanes, correct use of lights (fog lights, side lights and indicators).

We should have to do driver training courses every 10 years or so (on renewal of licence). Why do we have testing for vehicles when some of us have never even sat a test, and the rest have sat a test that simply does not cover most of the requirements for driving on modern roads.

 

[michaelm]

Rules of the Road say otherwise and Gardai have been known to pull people over for overtaking on the left.

No doubt. And I accept that it's technically incorrect to pass on the inside but I'm not crossing two lanes to pass some clown who's dawdling in the middle lane. I don't think the Rules scale up well to 3 or 4 lane roads . . in practice lanes 2 and 3 aren't overtaking lanes, they are to soak up volume . . if everyone were to drive in the inside (driving) lane the M50, N7, N4 etc would grind to a halt.

But I suppose if they did turn in, I would be at fault?

I think it would be their fault. In any event I always do it swiftly and am prepared to veer into the hard shoulder if they obliviously switch lanes.

 

[Brendan Burgess]

Maybe the Gardai should start pulling in people who are driving in the outside lanes when not overtaking.

Just a quiet word with them about the rules of the road might solve a lot of problems.

Brendan

 

[Fatphrog]

if everyone were to drive in the inside (driving) lane the M50, N7, N4 etc would grind to a halt.I think it would be their fault.

I disagree. If everyone drove in the leftmost lane and moved out to overtake slower vehicles, our motorways would move much more efficiently.

 

[shesells]

I disagree. If everyone drove in the leftmost lane and moved out to overtake slower vehicles, our motorways would move much more efficiently.

But don't forget the advice from the RSA (in their ads) is that you should never be in the left lane approaching a merge from the left as this impedes cars merging from the left. It's a big problem if you go on the M50 Southbound from the N3, the merge is short but the left lane is always full of trucks who want to go off at the N4 exit.

 

[Leo]

But don't forget the advice from the RSA (in their ads) is that you should never be in the left lane approaching a merge from the left as this impedes cars merging from the left. It's a big problem if you go on the M50 Southbound from the N3, the merge is short but the left lane is always full of trucks who want to go off at the N4 exit.

That's not correct, their guide actually states:

Lane 1 – You should always use this lane for normal driving. Stay in this lane unless you are overtaking.

Lane 2 – You should only use this lane for overtaking. You must move back to lane 1 once you have finished overtaking and it is safe to do so. You can also move into lane 2 to allow vehicles coming from your left to join the motorway.

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[mathepac]

Legally - A ...

Legally & for obvious Safety reasons - A

 

[mathepac]

No doubt. And I accept that it's technically incorrect to pass on the inside ...

Ah yes one of the infamous defences of the knowing law-breaker, the "technically incorrect" defence. Sorry but I think it's irresponsible, illegal and dangerous

... but I'm not crossing two lanes to pass some clown who's dawdling in the middle lane. ...

Here we have two more typical defences combined, the "the other guy is an eejit" defence and the "rules don't apply to me" defence.

Given a choice I'd prefer to share the road-way with the clown.

... I don't think the Rules scale up well to 3 or 4 lane roads . . in practice lanes 2 and 3 aren't overtaking lanes, they are to soak up volume . ...

Another infamous ploy is the "the rules need changing to suit my behaviour" defence and the "deny the road designers intentions" defence

... . if everyone were to drive in the inside (driving) lane the M50, N7, N4 etc would grind to a halt....

This is "the extrapolation from a false premise" defence where the defendant predicts dire consequences for the general population for ignoring his flawed thinking.

... I think it would be their fault. ...

This is not so much a defence as a "pre-emptive I told you so". The "See I warned ye, but would ye listen to me?" scenario.

... In any event I always do it swiftly and am prepared to veer into the hard shoulder if they obliviously switch lanes.

This is the known as the "illegally proactive" defence where the defendant has a a get-out plan for his illegal actions based around another illegal action, in this case driving on the hard-shoulder.

That m'Luds is the powerful case for the defence, now could I interest you in some private development land I have for sale ...

 

[Purple]

Legally & for obvious Safety reasons - A

So the driver in car "A" is driving along in the left land at 100Kmph, obeying the law, when you start to catch up with a slower moving car "B" (or other mechanically propelled ve-he-kel) in the middle land.
Are you suggesting that driver "A" should cross two lanes in order to pass out car "B" rather than continue to drive along at 100Kmph in the inside lane?

If so then that's just silly and quite dangerous.

 

[RonanC]

So the driver in car "A" is driving along in the left land at 100Kmph, obeying the law, when you start to catch up with a slower moving car "B" (or other mechanically propelled ve-he-kel) in the middle land.
Are you suggesting that driver "A" should cross two lanes in order to pass out car "B" rather than continue to drive along at 100Kmph in the inside lane?

If so then that's just silly and quite dangerous.

It's far more dangerous to pass on the left because the vehicle in lane 2 could pull into lane 1 at any time.

 

[Billo]

For me the appropriate approach to question has always been C.
Too dangerous to do otherwise due to large volumes of traffic in outside lanes whereas inside lane is very often a free run.

 

[Purple]

It's far more dangerous to pass on the left because the vehicle in lane 2 could pull into lane 1 at any time.

That's silly as well; if you have to change lanes for any reason you have to check to see if it's safe to do so.
By that logic if there was an obstacle in lane 2 everyone would instantly have to filter into lane 3 to pass them.