"I can't drive 55"
Discussion
Ok well not 55 more like 65.
Coming home from work on the M6 last night with thoughts of ever increasing fuel costs fresh in my head I thought I would try and deviate away from my usual lane 3 antics of sitting there following the crowd at Mach 3.
So to the inside/middle lane I went. I lasted all of about 4 miles before I caved in, it was almost impossible to flow seamlessly down the lanes with drivers slowing and moving out with 0 indication. I came to the conclusion that lane 3 is in fact not only a safer place to be but far less of a headache. Only a few years back this was not the case, so what’s changed?
Coming home from work on the M6 last night with thoughts of ever increasing fuel costs fresh in my head I thought I would try and deviate away from my usual lane 3 antics of sitting there following the crowd at Mach 3.
So to the inside/middle lane I went. I lasted all of about 4 miles before I caved in, it was almost impossible to flow seamlessly down the lanes with drivers slowing and moving out with 0 indication. I came to the conclusion that lane 3 is in fact not only a safer place to be but far less of a headache. Only a few years back this was not the case, so what’s changed?
sicasey said:
Ok well not 55 more like 65.
Coming home from work on the M6 last night with thoughts of ever increasing fuel costs fresh in my head I thought I would try and deviate away from my usual lane 3 antics of sitting there following the crowd at Mach 3.
So to the inside/middle lane I went. I lasted all of about 4 miles before I caved in, it was almost impossible to flow seamlessly down the lanes with drivers slowing and moving out with 0 indication. I came to the conclusion that lane 3 is in fact not only a safer place to be but far less of a headache. Only a few years back this was not the case, so what’s changed?
Driving standards. I have long maintained, that driving instructors no longer teach you to drive, they merely teach you to steer, and the average newly qualified driver today, could not drive a greasy stick up a dog's rectumComing home from work on the M6 last night with thoughts of ever increasing fuel costs fresh in my head I thought I would try and deviate away from my usual lane 3 antics of sitting there following the crowd at Mach 3.
So to the inside/middle lane I went. I lasted all of about 4 miles before I caved in, it was almost impossible to flow seamlessly down the lanes with drivers slowing and moving out with 0 indication. I came to the conclusion that lane 3 is in fact not only a safer place to be but far less of a headache. Only a few years back this was not the case, so what’s changed?
If Im sticking to lane one and cruising at around 65mph I will usually have a podcast or some easy listening music on the stereo. I find it helps me to relax and stay calm.
I also leave plenty of space between myself and the vehicle in front. That way if they brake all I have to do is let off the accelerator in turn doing my bit to smooth out motorway driving.
I also leave plenty of space between myself and the vehicle in front. That way if they brake all I have to do is let off the accelerator in turn doing my bit to smooth out motorway driving.
Mike 820 said:
If Im sticking to lane one and cruising at around 65mph I will usually have a podcast or some easy listening music on the stereo. I find it helps me to relax and stay calm.
I also leave plenty of space between myself and the vehicle in front. That way if they brake all I have to do is let off the accelerator in turn doing my bit to smooth out motorway driving.
Same. I generally stick the cruise control on at 70mph, and unless the motorway is absolutely packed, then I can usually find gaps in the 2nd lane to overtake trucks. I also leave plenty of space between myself and the vehicle in front. That way if they brake all I have to do is let off the accelerator in turn doing my bit to smooth out motorway driving.
The problems come when you go to overtake a car and they for some reason decide to match your speed so you have to either accelerate or fall back. I usually get pissed off at this and end up flooring it till they're out of my way. Completely negating the last 5 mins of economical driving.
I have been takign it easier to see what I can get, on my 7 mile each way rural commute I am now upto 25 mpg, previously it was around 20 and to be honest I am not missing driving fast, kind of enjoying being smooth, anticipating things better and seeing if I can do the whole journey without using the brakes. Have arrived at pretty much the same time and havent been going that slowly, invariably I get stuck behind someone else dawdling anyway.
Kind of making me think whether high performance cars are actually worth it as I have enjoyed driving anyway and not arrived stressed or shaken myself about, I think we get fixated on her with faster and faster cars when a lot of us dont drive the ones we have very well and dwell too much on straight line acceleration.
I forsee an MX5 in my future.
Kind of making me think whether high performance cars are actually worth it as I have enjoyed driving anyway and not arrived stressed or shaken myself about, I think we get fixated on her with faster and faster cars when a lot of us dont drive the ones we have very well and dwell too much on straight line acceleration.
I forsee an MX5 in my future.
It's very hard to drive 'properly' on a motorway these days especially a busy one. About 80% of the users don't use it correctly. I do my very best to use the correct lane, leave the right gap but all too often people sit in the middle lane so I'm either forced to swing right into lane 3 to get past them or undertake. Then people cut in front of me and halve my braking distance, all becomes very frustrating!
Then people in L2 play a game, when I'm trying to move into that lane from L1 they sit about a foot from my bumper so I have to slow down to match the lorries speed. I have no idea why they do this, maybe to teach me that L1 isn't for cars
Then people in L2 play a game, when I'm trying to move into that lane from L1 they sit about a foot from my bumper so I have to slow down to match the lorries speed. I have no idea why they do this, maybe to teach me that L1 isn't for cars
I drive over the M62 Manchester - Leeds and back daily and I try whereever possible to never ever ever go into the Brake Test Lane (tm) and staying in lanes 1 and 2 is no slower.
However going at sub-60 is in my opinion just plain dangerous - some fat sweaty transvestite trucker WILL tailgate you within minutes - as they will if the average speed drops into the clutches of their speed restrictors.
Otherwise I think it's fine.
However going at sub-60 is in my opinion just plain dangerous - some fat sweaty transvestite trucker WILL tailgate you within minutes - as they will if the average speed drops into the clutches of their speed restrictors.
Otherwise I think it's fine.
RDM said:
A little bit of wee just came out 
Dog Star said:
I drive over the M62 Manchester - Leeds and back daily and I try whereever possible to never ever ever go into the Brake Test Lane (tm) and staying in lanes 1 and 2 is no slower.
However going at sub-60 is in my opinion just plain dangerous - some fat sweaty transvestite trucker WILL tailgate you within minutes - as they will if the average speed drops into the clutches of their speed restrictors.
Otherwise I think it's fine.
M62? I feel for you....'nuff said.However going at sub-60 is in my opinion just plain dangerous - some fat sweaty transvestite trucker WILL tailgate you within minutes - as they will if the average speed drops into the clutches of their speed restrictors.
Otherwise I think it's fine.
I know this wont sound like your normal Impreza driver kind of advice, but just pop on radio 3 or classic FM and forget about the rest. It really does improve your economy and if you turn it into a bit of a challenge for yourself you can really get into the zone with it. I find there are always a couple of spots i cant help but boot it on though!!
Mike 820 said:
I also leave plenty of space between myself and the vehicle in front. That way if they brake all I have to do is let off the accelerator in turn doing my bit to smooth out motorway driving.
Shouldn't you be doing that all the time anyway? Accelerator sense, correct driving and all that. 
Agree also about L3 on the M62 - stay away and you'll be more relaxed and no slower.
What's changed is that too many people made the choice that the OP did (I can understand why, it is easier) and just sit in the Lane 3 convoy, giving those in lanes 1 and 2 fewer opportunities to clear slow moving traffic.
What happens now is that when a popular exit is a mile or two up the road, all the tailgaters in lane 3 who want to use the exit but don't want to be seen to jump the queue or squeeze in at the last second (because they're considerate...) all move en masse into lane 1 and clog that one up instead. The tailgating then continues, either to discourage any of less considerate lane 3 suckers decides to jump the orderly queue, or simply because that's how everyone seems to drive on motorways now anyway.
This sudden increase in traffic causes lane 1 to slow down quite a lot.
The cure would be to keep left and overtake on the right, it would be better if everyone participated but one by one we can make a difference... It also helps to not be in a rush or to be bothered if you're not making absolute best progress, then you will find the flow that is lane 1.
What happens now is that when a popular exit is a mile or two up the road, all the tailgaters in lane 3 who want to use the exit but don't want to be seen to jump the queue or squeeze in at the last second (because they're considerate...) all move en masse into lane 1 and clog that one up instead. The tailgating then continues, either to discourage any of less considerate lane 3 suckers decides to jump the orderly queue, or simply because that's how everyone seems to drive on motorways now anyway.
This sudden increase in traffic causes lane 1 to slow down quite a lot.
The cure would be to keep left and overtake on the right, it would be better if everyone participated but one by one we can make a difference... It also helps to not be in a rush or to be bothered if you're not making absolute best progress, then you will find the flow that is lane 1.
Edited by Alfanatic on Tuesday 25th January 15:00
It's a losing battle though, I watched Traffic Cops the other night and some guy was travelling in L1 at about 85ish, because he undertook a number of cars he was pulled and charged. Not once did either of the officers mention all the other motorway users were in the wrong lane. If they had used the motorway as it was intended to be used he wouldn't have needed to do what he did. IMO he was probably the best driver on there, the others were just the usual sheep we see every day.
6potdave said:
It's a losing battle though, I watched Traffic Cops the other night and some guy was travelling in L1 at about 85ish, because he undertook a number of cars he was pulled and charged. Not once did either of the officers mention all the other motorway users were in the wrong lane. If they had used the motorway as it was intended to be used he wouldn't have needed to do what he did. IMO he was probably the best driver on there, the others were just the usual sheep we see every day.
Why was he pulled though? speeding? driving without due care?Mike 820 said:
6potdave said:
It's a losing battle though, I watched Traffic Cops the other night and some guy was travelling in L1 at about 85ish, because he undertook a number of cars he was pulled and charged. Not once did either of the officers mention all the other motorway users were in the wrong lane. If they had used the motorway as it was intended to be used he wouldn't have needed to do what he did. IMO he was probably the best driver on there, the others were just the usual sheep we see every day.
Why was he pulled though? speeding? driving without due care?I find the same thing- driving quickly is definitely the lazy option. If you're not used to driving slowly, it just seems easier to go quick.
The way I see it, is when you are the fastest car on the road, you only really have to worry about what's in front of you, which is easy to keep an eye on because you just look where you are going.
If you drive at below the average speed, suddenly everything you need to keep an eye on is happening behind you. You want to pull out past a lorry, so you have to watch in your mirrors, judges the speed of approaching cars, work out if a gap is safe to pull out into, work out if you need to accelerate a bit so as not to hold up other cars etc. Basically lots going on, and very little of it where you are looking 75% of the time- straight ahead.
The way I see it, is when you are the fastest car on the road, you only really have to worry about what's in front of you, which is easy to keep an eye on because you just look where you are going.
If you drive at below the average speed, suddenly everything you need to keep an eye on is happening behind you. You want to pull out past a lorry, so you have to watch in your mirrors, judges the speed of approaching cars, work out if a gap is safe to pull out into, work out if you need to accelerate a bit so as not to hold up other cars etc. Basically lots going on, and very little of it where you are looking 75% of the time- straight ahead.
I completely agree with the OP in that L3 is the safest place to be. It's where I live, or was until just over a week ago.
Short explanation: The wife commented that since I got my new car, our latest bank statement from 17th December to 18th January grasses me up and tells her I've been to the petrol station and put £50 in my motor 4 times. And I've only got a short commute...
So, because of this I've been driving like a b
h, and come this Thursday I will have got a fortnight out of £50 worth of petrol 
However, it is slowly killing my soul. Sit in L1 and leave a nice safe gap ? Then some arse just about takes your offside wing off trying to get to the off-ramp. And you come upon a lorry that you want to pull past but can't because the L2 hoggers are going at 0.000005 mph faster than L1.
Spend some money and enjoy, or save some money and die, that is the choice
Short explanation: The wife commented that since I got my new car, our latest bank statement from 17th December to 18th January grasses me up and tells her I've been to the petrol station and put £50 in my motor 4 times. And I've only got a short commute...
So, because of this I've been driving like a b
h, and come this Thursday I will have got a fortnight out of £50 worth of petrol However, it is slowly killing my soul. Sit in L1 and leave a nice safe gap ? Then some arse just about takes your offside wing off trying to get to the off-ramp. And you come upon a lorry that you want to pull past but can't because the L2 hoggers are going at 0.000005 mph faster than L1.
Spend some money and enjoy, or save some money and die, that is the choice
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff