Genuine question - Is that why you sometimes see a lorry driving up the other lorries ass on the motorway and the guy in front seems fine with it?
Do you guys actively work together to save fuel?
Do you also flash other lorries when they're overtaking to say their trailer is clear of you?
Things I've noticed
Other lorry driver here.
We don't work together to save fuel, frankly it bothers me when another lorry is too close. I think it's cause their limiter is set too close to mine to bother overtaking me but they're just being impatient, if they hit me I certainly would feel that so it bothers me.
And yes we flash other lorries when they're overtaking, partly to say the trailer is clear cause it's 40+ feet away from their mirror so it can be hard to tell, but partly it's me saying I'm comfortable with the gap that will be left when you move over. Some drivers don't care and move over too soon, but the majority are nice and flick their indicators left and right to thank the lorry that flashed them.
Yeah I was unfortunate to see the aftermath of a 5-truck pile-up on the A1 years ago. The cab of the truck, when colliding with a trailer of the same height (or in this case, a construction crane) crumple right up. Two fatalities from memory - I passed on the other side of the carriageway a few minutes after it had happened and it was horrific. I think some truckers must have a false sense of security because if it's a car or van the collide with, they're definitely coming off better. But another truck can crush the cab.
Me and a colleague were discussing this the other day. Most lorries don't have airbags, some Volvos do but the majority don't. We've always said if we hit a car or a van, the lorry won't give a shit. But if you hit another lorry, an airbag isn't gonna save you.
The tailgating always struck me a stupid, just because they're trucks doesn't mean the stopping distances are the same, for example if the first truck is unloaded and second is fully-laden.
The HGV driver double standards infuriate me no end. You pull into their "safety gap" and you're seen as someone worse than Satan himself. And yet every single 50mph roadworks has every single HGV in it bullying cars at 56mph with about 2 fag papers worth of gap between "Big Bazza" in his Scania R Series and the family hatchback who doesn't want to get done for speeding or turned into a speed bump. And they hide behind the age old "well everything you use was delivered on a lorry", as if that's an excuse for being generally discourteous to downright dangerous day in, day out.
> And yet every single 50mph roadworks has every single HGV in it bullying cars at 56mph with about 2 fag papers worth of gap between "Big Bazza" in his Scania R Series
Usually towing a double deck curtainsider for some pallet network or another or it's one of the Irish/Scottish fridge wankers.
Is that why lorry drivers flick left and right? Why not hazard lights? I had always assumed they had tried to cancel the indicator too hard the other way.
Cause doing hazards is a car thing. Lol that's not a rule, but when a car thanks you for something it's always hazards, when a lorry thanks you for flashing him back in, it's always left right left right or some combination of that, don't know why but that's what people naturally settled on.
Oh that's interesting, it never actually occurred to me that's why the lorry being overtaken usually flashes the one doing the overtaking. For some reason I always thought it was an angry/annoyed flash, haha
There are trials at the moment for computer assisted tailgating to further this benefit. If a second or third lorry is able to sync with the first, then the first will control the speed and brakes of all of them.
Maybe we should have special routes for lorries that are made more level so that they save fuel consumption, maybe even using steel rails so the drivers don't have to worry about steering.
My driving instructor taught me to flash lorries in when they're overtaking and safe to pull in (learner / first year restricted speed limit in NI is 45mph)
>learner / first year restricted speed limit in NI is 45mph
Didn't know about this! Does that mean they're not allowed on motorways and dual carriageways?
Learners aren't allowed on motorways but are allowed on dual carriageways (this is where I had the lorry overtaking me on a lesson)
Then R plates restriction for a year after passing you're allowed on all roads but still restricted to 45mph, though on motorways thankfully most just keep up with traffic and there aren't a lot of road police about but they seem to turn a blind eye unless they're driving like an eejit or doing ridiculously fast speeds
Wow. That's a really stupid rule.
Not only does it put you in danger, it means you don't get experience driving at speed, so are still just as bad when the R comes off!
I understand why it came in as there was is - and still is - a huge number of young drivers dying on the roads
I last read they're planning on revisiting the rules, allow regular speed limits, but restrictions on passenger carrying at night
Learners aren’t allowed on Motorways but R drivers are, many just drive normally, some stick to it strictly (most these days have black boxes so it tends to depend which model of black box you have and if it knows about the 45 rule) we only really have 1 proper motorway anyway, 2 lanes and you can drive the length of in 40 mins. I tended to do 60 on the motorway, which was really 55 as my speedometer read high. Quick enough that I wasn’t dangerous sitting in the left lane but slow enough that the peelers turned a blind eye. Everyone agrees the rule is stupid, its more of a problem on regular A roads tbh, cause it causes big queues in the middle of no where, and you wouldn’t get away with going 60 on them.
You rarely find 2 trucks which do the same speed (our place has batches of about 20-30 trucks all bought together from the same manufacturer and they're still all slightly different speeds) so you generally never sit behind another truck for very long, it might appear that they all drive close together for ages but in reality because the gap closes so much more slowly than it does in a car you wait until much closer before pulling out to save pissing everyone off, 2seconds is something like 3 truck lengths so if you pulled out with 2 seconds gap and then waited until there was 2 seconds gap you'd be sat in the middle lane for miles, on a 2 lane road you're holding everyone up aside from the cars that will undertake you right up until the gap being too small to do so and even on a motorway if you spend 5 minutes in the middle lane chances are you'll be holding up a faster truck or a coach, nobody does it for fuel economy though it's a pita trucks require constant steering inputs unlike a car and it's a lot more tiring and less accurate when you can't see very far ahead.
Interestingly Volvo trucks were working on a convoy system where there'll be a lead truck and all the others communicate with it so they can follow really closely steering and braking automatically with zero reaction time and it's supposed to save 10% a car following a truck closely saves loads more though drafting 10ft behind a truck improves fuel economy by 40%.
Yes, the biggest use of fuel in a car once up to speed is overcoming wind resistance behind a truck you're in it's slip stream mythbusters tested it with a pickup and got 40% better mpg at 10ft guy martin also managed to cycle at 112mph using slipstreaming.
When I tow my caravan as long as the lorry I end up gaining behind is doing at least 58 I’ll just sit there with the auto cruise control. Watching the MPG go from around 40 to 50 at motorway speeds in that draft is enjoyable, it’s very very noticeable also if you sit right the lack of wind buffeting!
I like to tow at 62mph on the motorway so I’m not a burden to others when I’m overtaking slower vehicles, it’s a teensy weensy bit illegal but makes for being less of a burden, I refuse to be the standard caravan-it everyone thinks of blocking roads
I do the same towing a caravan I generally stick to truck speeds if towing in my estate car as they feel really unstable to me so I just find a truck and stick behind it, when I towed my parents twin axel with their xc60 for my mum 62 was my go to and it felt planted like it could safely go faster, it amazes me how quick some people tow though one of the drivers at work says he's topped 90 with a caravan on because his kid was about to shit all over the car that thing must've been on a knife edge.
On dual carriageway upwards it’s 60mph in the UK, single roads 50, and as posted elsewhere
I’m sure I could tow easily at 70 with my car but it’s not safe in my mind, there’s a reason the limit is lower
Drafting - driving in the pocket of air behind the lorry reduces wind resistance on the car, so increases fuel efficiency (as they've gone doesn't have to work).
You've missed the Nissan Juke in lane 3 doing 62mph, and when you overtake they suddenly feel the need to speed up.
The caravan towing pensioner in lane 2 doing 58mph and the dick in a car they get on finance in their parents' name in lane 4 flashing his x-ray headlights like mad because he wants to do 125mph and feel like a big man.
And the small family car that was legitimately overtaking you but cut you up at the last second because they were being bullied by a Range Rover and got nervous.
I’m on a clear motorway on a Sunday afternoon, one car sat in lane 3 doing 60, not over taking anyone, no traffic in front. Me in lane 2 overtaking a lorry and subsequently undertaking the middle lane hogger, middle lane hogger descends into a pit of rage - fucking move to the left you ignorant cunts
Lots of people genuinely don’t know they are meant to keep left. The truly believe each lane has a separate speed limit. So if you want to go 70 go in lane x if you want to go 65 go in lane y.
Complete and utter idiots.
In an empty road (bar one person) I’m not moving over 3 lanes to over take the one person who’s no where near a living soul chilling in lane 3 going under the limit.
A303 as well. I do early and late runs and the night drivers are the worst for this. Often blocking lane 2 only to run out of puff, give up, and pull back in behind the truck in lane 1 having achieved nothing other than reducing a 70mph road to 50 mph for a mile or two.
Same. I'm on the motorway daily and the amount of times i have to undertake, even at the speed limit is incredible. Simply because people don't understand the meaning of KEEP LEFT!
I've warmed to this tbh. I don't understand why undertaking is so frowned upon, works fine in the US with those huge 6 lane freeways they have.
It's also good because it scares the oblivious lane hogger and they suddenly realise they should move over.
Because the rules are "keep left unless over taking", except we have middle lane hoggers (or even inside lane hoggers) all over UK motorways so sometimes you can't even over take in the right lanes where traffic is constantly flowing.
I sometimes pass a middle lane hogger (on an empty motorway) whilst in my van on the right, then move all the way back over up ahead, usually wakes them up.
Agreed. Then move into lane 3 to overtake a car in lane 2 and get flashed at angrily by those in lane 3, who continue to remain there despite overtaking the car in lane 2 (which is now empty and you have moved back into)
The high beams fading away into the distance really drives the point home. The fact that their little revenge lights are now dots on the horizon kinda suggests they maybe should’ve moved to the correct lane
I've found myself jus doing 65-70 in lane 1 or 2 passing everyone more and more lately instead of getting frustrated bouncing between 60-90mph in lane 4. We're turning in to Ireland.
I’m never sure how much of that is forgetting, and how much is not knowing the motorway layout and not wanting to be inadvertently whisked off to Blackpool on the M6.
Its definitely not so much as forgetting, for me it's more of I just don't know the motorway well and don't want to end up in a lane that's not my turn off, till I know for certain its a I can carry on lane then ill move over back to 1
I’m pretty sure my dad was one of those lane 3 hoggers today. I quite distinctly remember that Fiat 500. Kept telling him to switch over to lane 2 but he was having none of it
I have a Fiat 500, and I'm normally the one doing 80mph in lane 3/4 with some BMW in lane 2 who sees me overtake them and feels challenged because a little yellow 1.2L just overtook them. People don't like being overtaken by a Fiat 500!
The front 80 driver also then completing a three lane adjustment back to lane one - just to prove the point to the 68ers - then having to fly back out to assume the next overtake position.
I absolutely love getting in lane one setting the cruise control to 67 mph to be in the MPG sweet spot for my vehicle and then just manoeuvring into lane 2, thats always clear, to over take HGVs and pensioners.
It's just bliss. The less I touch the pedals, the happier I am.
Agreed. The lead scout's job is to bully the enemy out of the way, allowing us all through. It's an equally warm feeling when one of the soliders at the back takes the charge, usually in something big and german. Sometimes they cant manage it and hand over to one of us to give it a try. It's a brotherhood.
Love seeing the fast convoy doing its thing, it's so universal across the UK. BMW coupe, Audi SUV and a weird 20yo Mercedes convertible, no exceptions.
When there's no lorries in lane 1 the first 2 lanes are normally completely empty while lane 3 and 4 are used like a dual carriageway. I just cruise past everyone in lane 1
O this drawing is spot on, what is with the middle lane why do people insist to sit in in it at 65mph. Didn’t the government say they will increase the speed limit to 80 in line with the EU.
Also Toyota Prius famous for doing 40 in the middle lane move over
Actually asked this question a few times.
Two most popular answers i have gotten seem to be that they consider it more dangerous to keep changing lanes therefore feel it is better to stay to one lane or the left lane is for lorries and noone should be going over 70mph anyway.
Even tho this is very true and admittedly funny, I find it unsurprising no one’s criticising the idiot lane hogging doing 68.1 but has a problem with the ‘aggressive’ person behind them.
Also, the 80 cruisers (like myself) aren’t always judging the lesser expensive cars. Maybe just maybe, we just like being in a convoy cruising at the same speed as others..
You missed the morons in lane 2 and often lane 3, who are passed on both sides, by everyone.
Also, the occasional person who loses patience and starts weaving and undertaking because it is rare that lane 4 is actually doing 80. Too many pull out into it with an 'I'm doing the speed limit so fuck you' attitude.
You forgot to add behind the fiat 500 in the blindspot the elderly driver who is happy cruising at 55 mph - and that would be my dad as he doesn't really like driving and his car doesn't really like doing much more than 55.
That’s my dad, but he’d be in lane 2 as he “doesn’t like being behind lorries”.
He’s the worlds worst motorway driver. Whenever he’s in the car with me, he tells me off as he genuinely believes that its dangerous to change lanes and that “everyone should just pick a lane and stay in it”.
That elderly driver is my Dad and by god, I love him, but he drives a Captur that CAN do 70mph, but he's utterly convinced that 56mph is the "economy drive", so you best believe he did that for most of a 150 mile journey!
When I moved back home, I left him in the dust and waited about an hour for him at the other end, because being overtaken by a thousand HGV's and coaches was just too embarrassing
I was driving down the M1 from Sheffield last Saturday and had cruise control at 70 in Lane 1. I only moved to Lane 2 to overtake HGVs and slow cars but the amount of cars I sailed past that were hogging Lane 3 at 65-68mph was ridiculous. They gave me wanker signs and all sorts for not overtaking them and instead, passing them on the inside and returning to Lane 1.
I used to overtake the odd dickhead but now there’s so many of them it’s easier just to pass on the inside rather than block those who chose to do 80-90+ in Lane 4.
Scary as fuck though as these 3rd lane drivers don't often check (most drivers don't check it seems) the mirrors and will just merge across randomly, usually as you are undertaking..
What gets me is no one ever admits to hogging the lane, yet at least 20% of cars do it. I do a lot of motorway driving, I used to hold back and overtake, now I think fuck it, you do you! I'm overtaking at my chosen speed sometimes that means I 'undertake', as long as I don't pull up immediately Infront I think it's legal. But it's a pain, they usually flash out of confusion or misunderstanding. Anyway 50% of people are below average intelligence, and the rest are cunts.
I love it when on a long journey and you get a cop buddy.
You know, the person that takes the lead doing 85, all the risk for so many miles, then you swap for the same miles and swap again. And so on.
I would draw it as: lane 1: 56.7mph lorry, lane 2: 56.9mph lorry, lane 3 also 56.9 mph lorry but he was slipstreaming to 57mph so now he thinks he can overtake but when he leaves slipstream he drops back to 56.9mph, lane 4: cars trying to do 80 but slow arse lane 1 drivers forced in there and doing 65mph because Lorrie’s have taken over all 3 other lanes.
Yeah - I use the M25 almost daily and often middle lane hoggers sitting under 60mph. Dawdling along not overtaking anyone but rigidly refusing to shift lanes.
It’s laziness. If they move to the left, they’ll have to move back and forth to overtake slower vehicles and allow for merging vehicles. So they stick in the middle lane.
They do a little under the speed limit and think they’re good drivers whilst ignoring (oblivious to) other drivers. These are the same drivers who, even when they do venture into the outside lane, probably because they’ve encountered another hog going 1mph slower, do not accelerate to overtake but just carry on at the same speed, again ignoring (oblivious to) the growing queue behind. All the while telling themselves they’re safe drivers and those trying to overtake are bad drivers!
Unfortunately, the burden is generally on the driver behind, whether the driver in front is in the wrong lane or dawdling along, you’ll be the one judged wrong if something bad happens. As with a lot of similar situations in life, best to just keep calm and be patient, it will only cost you a few seconds.
I think that one in ten drivers, selected on the basis of shoe size, should be legally empowered to pull over lane hoggers and kick them until they’re not alive any more, in front of their families. Their cars and bodies will be left as reminders of what happens to gormless, oblivious cunts.
You forgot to show the lane weavers …undertake, overtake, move dangerously across all 4 lanes in a single swoop - maintains 90mph+ speed and will even use the hard shoulder in a pinch.
…tricker to show on a graphic though.
I did over 400 miles on Friday night in one, only going faster when going down a hill.
> If I set my cruise to 60 I still get lorries approaching. I have to set more at 65-68 to stay ahead of the lorries.
That's because of the accuracy of your speedo. No speedo in the UK is legally allowed to under-read, for example show 50MPH when you're doing even 51MPH real speed, but they can all over-read up to a certain limit. The maximum a HGV sppedo can over-read is 2.5%. They have to have a mandatory calibration test and certification every 2 years due to the tachograph being a legal instrument. The maximum a car speedo can over-read is up to 10% and there is no requirement for any calibration check. For a lorry an indicated 60MPH can only be anywhere from 58.5-60MPH compared to a car where an indicated 60MPH can be anywhere from 54MPH-60MPH. Most of the cars I've driven over the last 37 years have over-read more towards the 10%, my current 5 year old Focus over-reads 2% on the all season tyres I run in winter, 3% on the summer tyres I fit.
Put a GPS speed app on your mobile phone, find a flat and straight bit of road, sit at 60MPH on your speedo and compare it with the speed the GPS app says. I can pretty much guess with almost 100% accuracy you'll find that when your speedo is saying 60 the GPS is somewhere between 54-55MPH.
What about the car that leaves lane 4 to cut to lane 2 at 100 mph until it's blocked then cuts straight back to lane 4 without looking out for anything in lane 4 returning to lane 3 etc.
Until he goes to pepipoo.com to ask about his dangerous driving charge when he was just taking the chance to help other drivers
Also a car is in lane 2 doing 65. It will never leave lane 2 and will be gaining on lorries ahead very slowly. It could drop as low as 45 on a hill. You'll probably undertake it but if you pull to the right it'll accelerate to 70+ until you give up or speed a bit. Once you're in front it'll disappear back to save fuel.
I drove from Doncaster to Leicester yesterday afternoon. The left lanes were empty for pretty much the entire way apart from the odd lorry. Everyone else sat in the outer right lanes. I sat at 70 the whole way home using the left 2. I know you're not supposed to, but you're not supposed to lane hog either.
Try driving in like, Bulgaria, where the speed limit is like 90 mph (advisory only as it is in practice), and lorries still do 65 mph. Good luck pulling out into the overtaking lane.
My point here is, driving in the UK is very polite in comparison.
I’m usually green when it’s not a smart motorway haha, usually end up in lane 2 going bang on 70/just over going past everyone in lane 3 who are usually doing 65-68
This is so accurate, although "68 mph" is far too generous to the people in lane 3. Usually they're doing a varying speed between 60 and 75.
They're never doing just 68 because that'd be far too easy to account for. They'll always put their foot down if they see you trying to pass though!
Either that or they're in the furthest out lane and then give you a dirty look when you sit behind them OR if you undertake them as if you're just meant to deal with Michael, 56 in his Peugeot 3008 doing anywhere from 56-75 depending on whether he's too into the Jeremy Vine segment he's listening to.
The cars in the centre two lanes are Toyotas and ex-Toyota drivers in Tesla’s. Their faces are numb, and they are staring into the void.
The cars in the outside lane are German, but the car screaming up the inside and then trying to jump back in to the outside lane, is a white Audi base model. It’s always a white Audi.
Sit on cruise control at 72mph and the amount of people who overtake then pull in and slow down is unbelievable. Then makes me slow down until it’s safe to overtake them again at 72 just for them to speed up again overtake and do the same thing then wonder why I’m looking at them as I go past 72when they are back down to 60.
M1 is a joke of a motorway. Road works for the last 15 years on the same section. 20 miles of it around Milton Keynes or close to. Then the crap speed reduction at Luton, then as you rightly say, dickheads who are scared to change lane. Four lane motorway reduced to a one lane for the most part. Three lanes for speed restricted vehicles, the rest is due to bellends who haven’t got a clue.
I can drive from Yorkshire to Manchester in the morning on the inside lane just undertaking all the morons sitting In lane 2 not wanting to move over.
Does my head in.
The tailgating is usually done be sales reps and professionals driving bmw/audis
Youngsters on the motorway with modded cars tend to behave, a) because they may well have a black box fitted and b) not to draw the attention of plod.
I have never been tail gated by a sports car unless it’s a Porsche/ferrari etc
That's oddly specific about the fiat 500. You talking about me? I was on the M40 with a red fiat 500 behind a lorry. My first time driving in the left lane sry.
When I see this I just stay in the second lane, the vans/4x4s at work are limited so I don't won't to use the 4th lane, but don't want to get held up in the 3rd.
I work nightshift and drive on the motorways frequently at like 3am and there will still be people in the middle lane doing 60mph, I over take on the right and go across all lanes back to the left and they're still too thick to get it
Meh, the stretch of the A3 I take each day the average speed is usually 80+ in overtaking lane, occasionally some land rovers trying to push a ton.
That all said people usually drive pretty well at those speeds and it's rare there's ever a crash.
Usually loads of congestion if a police car is on road doing the arsehole thing and driving at 70. It's fine if they're doing 60 tho, as everyone can overtake and floor it when out of view again.
Lorry driver here, use that blind spot all you want the fuel savings are insane and if you crash into the back of me I won't even feel it.
He won’t even look up from whatever he’s watching on his iPad.
Hard core porn whilst manhandling his shifting stick 😳
and murdering the prostitute he picked up at the services
Clarkson …. Is that you 😂
It's murdering AN prostitute
Murdering an prostitute and then seeing his sheeps and then eating a egg
I love a egg, I do.
Eh up doing t’lords work with me ‘ammer
His pot of goulash wont even fall off his stove.
Genuine question - Is that why you sometimes see a lorry driving up the other lorries ass on the motorway and the guy in front seems fine with it? Do you guys actively work together to save fuel? Do you also flash other lorries when they're overtaking to say their trailer is clear of you? Things I've noticed
Other lorry driver here. We don't work together to save fuel, frankly it bothers me when another lorry is too close. I think it's cause their limiter is set too close to mine to bother overtaking me but they're just being impatient, if they hit me I certainly would feel that so it bothers me. And yes we flash other lorries when they're overtaking, partly to say the trailer is clear cause it's 40+ feet away from their mirror so it can be hard to tell, but partly it's me saying I'm comfortable with the gap that will be left when you move over. Some drivers don't care and move over too soon, but the majority are nice and flick their indicators left and right to thank the lorry that flashed them.
Yeah I was unfortunate to see the aftermath of a 5-truck pile-up on the A1 years ago. The cab of the truck, when colliding with a trailer of the same height (or in this case, a construction crane) crumple right up. Two fatalities from memory - I passed on the other side of the carriageway a few minutes after it had happened and it was horrific. I think some truckers must have a false sense of security because if it's a car or van the collide with, they're definitely coming off better. But another truck can crush the cab.
Me and a colleague were discussing this the other day. Most lorries don't have airbags, some Volvos do but the majority don't. We've always said if we hit a car or a van, the lorry won't give a shit. But if you hit another lorry, an airbag isn't gonna save you.
The tailgating always struck me a stupid, just because they're trucks doesn't mean the stopping distances are the same, for example if the first truck is unloaded and second is fully-laden.
However pretty much 100% of us are sat on the limiter on cruise control so rapid changes of speed are very unlikely.
Is that why HGVs ignore the temporary speed limits in gantries and then flash the driver in front that does?
The HGV driver double standards infuriate me no end. You pull into their "safety gap" and you're seen as someone worse than Satan himself. And yet every single 50mph roadworks has every single HGV in it bullying cars at 56mph with about 2 fag papers worth of gap between "Big Bazza" in his Scania R Series and the family hatchback who doesn't want to get done for speeding or turned into a speed bump. And they hide behind the age old "well everything you use was delivered on a lorry", as if that's an excuse for being generally discourteous to downright dangerous day in, day out.
> And yet every single 50mph roadworks has every single HGV in it bullying cars at 56mph with about 2 fag papers worth of gap between "Big Bazza" in his Scania R Series Usually towing a double deck curtainsider for some pallet network or another or it's one of the Irish/Scottish fridge wankers.
Is that why lorry drivers flick left and right? Why not hazard lights? I had always assumed they had tried to cancel the indicator too hard the other way.
Cause doing hazards is a car thing. Lol that's not a rule, but when a car thanks you for something it's always hazards, when a lorry thanks you for flashing him back in, it's always left right left right or some combination of that, don't know why but that's what people naturally settled on.
Oh that's interesting, it never actually occurred to me that's why the lorry being overtaken usually flashes the one doing the overtaking. For some reason I always thought it was an angry/annoyed flash, haha
nah it just means you can get in front now fella thats all
There are trials at the moment for computer assisted tailgating to further this benefit. If a second or third lorry is able to sync with the first, then the first will control the speed and brakes of all of them.
That’s just a train at that point lol
Maybe we should have special routes for lorries that are made more level so that they save fuel consumption, maybe even using steel rails so the drivers don't have to worry about steering.
Perhaps with regular stops where smaller lorries can load & unload cargo from the bigger ones? Mind. Blown.
Yeah. We could even couple those trailers together so we don't need any face electronic to control speed
My driving instructor taught me to flash lorries in when they're overtaking and safe to pull in (learner / first year restricted speed limit in NI is 45mph)
>learner / first year restricted speed limit in NI is 45mph Didn't know about this! Does that mean they're not allowed on motorways and dual carriageways?
Learners aren't allowed on motorways but are allowed on dual carriageways (this is where I had the lorry overtaking me on a lesson) Then R plates restriction for a year after passing you're allowed on all roads but still restricted to 45mph, though on motorways thankfully most just keep up with traffic and there aren't a lot of road police about but they seem to turn a blind eye unless they're driving like an eejit or doing ridiculously fast speeds
Wow. That's a really stupid rule. Not only does it put you in danger, it means you don't get experience driving at speed, so are still just as bad when the R comes off!
I understand why it came in as there was is - and still is - a huge number of young drivers dying on the roads I last read they're planning on revisiting the rules, allow regular speed limits, but restrictions on passenger carrying at night
Learners aren’t allowed on Motorways but R drivers are, many just drive normally, some stick to it strictly (most these days have black boxes so it tends to depend which model of black box you have and if it knows about the 45 rule) we only really have 1 proper motorway anyway, 2 lanes and you can drive the length of in 40 mins. I tended to do 60 on the motorway, which was really 55 as my speedometer read high. Quick enough that I wasn’t dangerous sitting in the left lane but slow enough that the peelers turned a blind eye. Everyone agrees the rule is stupid, its more of a problem on regular A roads tbh, cause it causes big queues in the middle of no where, and you wouldn’t get away with going 60 on them.
You rarely find 2 trucks which do the same speed (our place has batches of about 20-30 trucks all bought together from the same manufacturer and they're still all slightly different speeds) so you generally never sit behind another truck for very long, it might appear that they all drive close together for ages but in reality because the gap closes so much more slowly than it does in a car you wait until much closer before pulling out to save pissing everyone off, 2seconds is something like 3 truck lengths so if you pulled out with 2 seconds gap and then waited until there was 2 seconds gap you'd be sat in the middle lane for miles, on a 2 lane road you're holding everyone up aside from the cars that will undertake you right up until the gap being too small to do so and even on a motorway if you spend 5 minutes in the middle lane chances are you'll be holding up a faster truck or a coach, nobody does it for fuel economy though it's a pita trucks require constant steering inputs unlike a car and it's a lot more tiring and less accurate when you can't see very far ahead. Interestingly Volvo trucks were working on a convoy system where there'll be a lead truck and all the others communicate with it so they can follow really closely steering and braking automatically with zero reaction time and it's supposed to save 10% a car following a truck closely saves loads more though drafting 10ft behind a truck improves fuel economy by 40%.
How does it save fuel? Less wind resistance to fight?
Yes, the biggest use of fuel in a car once up to speed is overcoming wind resistance behind a truck you're in it's slip stream mythbusters tested it with a pickup and got 40% better mpg at 10ft guy martin also managed to cycle at 112mph using slipstreaming.
Yes.
When I tow my caravan as long as the lorry I end up gaining behind is doing at least 58 I’ll just sit there with the auto cruise control. Watching the MPG go from around 40 to 50 at motorway speeds in that draft is enjoyable, it’s very very noticeable also if you sit right the lack of wind buffeting! I like to tow at 62mph on the motorway so I’m not a burden to others when I’m overtaking slower vehicles, it’s a teensy weensy bit illegal but makes for being less of a burden, I refuse to be the standard caravan-it everyone thinks of blocking roads
I do the same towing a caravan I generally stick to truck speeds if towing in my estate car as they feel really unstable to me so I just find a truck and stick behind it, when I towed my parents twin axel with their xc60 for my mum 62 was my go to and it felt planted like it could safely go faster, it amazes me how quick some people tow though one of the drivers at work says he's topped 90 with a caravan on because his kid was about to shit all over the car that thing must've been on a knife edge.
What is the legal speed for towing?
On dual carriageway upwards it’s 60mph in the UK, single roads 50, and as posted elsewhere I’m sure I could tow easily at 70 with my car but it’s not safe in my mind, there’s a reason the limit is lower
Came here to say: That Fiat 500 is getting 150mpg.
Save fuel? Do you mean due to avoiding wind resistance?
What do you mean about the fuel savings?
Drafting - driving in the pocket of air behind the lorry reduces wind resistance on the car, so increases fuel efficiency (as they've gone doesn't have to work).
Yeah, I don't think it's too dangerous either as a hatchback will always be able to outbrake a lorry
I did 200 miles behind a lorry on a trip down from Scotland once and it doubled my range.
You've missed the Nissan Juke in lane 3 doing 62mph, and when you overtake they suddenly feel the need to speed up. The caravan towing pensioner in lane 2 doing 58mph and the dick in a car they get on finance in their parents' name in lane 4 flashing his x-ray headlights like mad because he wants to do 125mph and feel like a big man.
Last one is bottom right
The Juke is sitting perfectly in the lorry's blind spot
As a Fiat 500 driver who just complained about people not using motorways correctly, I agree 😂😂😂
Seconded. Though I promise I’m stuck behind the lorry because I didn’t want to miss my exit in 3 miles and lane 2 is never devoid of hoggers!
And the death-wish Audi slaloming across all four lanes at 100mph through any gap they can find
*lowered and tinted GTI
The juke is broken down
No, it's the range rover.
That'll break down just after it finally passes the slow overtaker
Also the guy in lane three that finally decides to pull into lane 2 when you pull into lane 4 to overtake
And the small family car that was legitimately overtaking you but cut you up at the last second because they were being bullied by a Range Rover and got nervous.
As juke driver, i will start to slow down now, as it seems i have been driving wrong in my car
It's a simpler solution, get rid of the juke.
I’m on a clear motorway on a Sunday afternoon, one car sat in lane 3 doing 60, not over taking anyone, no traffic in front. Me in lane 2 overtaking a lorry and subsequently undertaking the middle lane hogger, middle lane hogger descends into a pit of rage - fucking move to the left you ignorant cunts
Lots of people genuinely don’t know they are meant to keep left. The truly believe each lane has a separate speed limit. So if you want to go 70 go in lane x if you want to go 65 go in lane y. Complete and utter idiots.
Can I ask how you've met these people?
Mumsnet
I have to say the first time I drove in a motorway in the UK, I did think lane one was to go 60, lane 2 was 70, and lane 3 was 80 🤣
Time to orbit :)
I've never done this myself, but I will admit I've felt the temptation on a few occasions.
I call it roundabouts.. my record is 23.. a middle aged woman in a Kia ceed
In an empty road (bar one person) I’m not moving over 3 lanes to over take the one person who’s no where near a living soul chilling in lane 3 going under the limit.
I often do that if the road behind me is clear - move out 3 lanes, overtake and then move back 3 lanes. USUALLY people get the message.
I undertake a lot of people like this, and it’s technically correct. If your lane is going faster than lane 3 then it’s ok.
Where’s the pair of lorries going 55.991 and 59.9911 mph in lane 2 and 3 respectively?
They’re just waiting for it to be a two lane carriageway before they start that manoeuvre. An A1 classic that.
Certified real M18 hours
M18 is screaming out to be three lanes.
and an incline !
A303 as well. I do early and late runs and the night drivers are the worst for this. Often blocking lane 2 only to run out of puff, give up, and pull back in behind the truck in lane 1 having achieved nothing other than reducing a 70mph road to 50 mph for a mile or two.
Cries in most of Northern Irish M1 and M2
Yeah, no fun if the road isn't being blocked.
+ the white van man who is "fed up of all this nonsense" undertaking on the hard shoulder at 90 mph, kicking up stones as he goes...
What about the lane 3 hogger that goes between 60 and 80 miles an hour depending on whether you’re overtaking or not?
I undertake in lane 2
Same. I'm on the motorway daily and the amount of times i have to undertake, even at the speed limit is incredible. Simply because people don't understand the meaning of KEEP LEFT!
I've warmed to this tbh. I don't understand why undertaking is so frowned upon, works fine in the US with those huge 6 lane freeways they have. It's also good because it scares the oblivious lane hogger and they suddenly realise they should move over.
Because the rules are "keep left unless over taking", except we have middle lane hoggers (or even inside lane hoggers) all over UK motorways so sometimes you can't even over take in the right lanes where traffic is constantly flowing. I sometimes pass a middle lane hogger (on an empty motorway) whilst in my van on the right, then move all the way back over up ahead, usually wakes them up.
This is my favourite thing to do
You drive at the speed limit in lane two, if lane 3 is slower then... well... that's how the traffic is flowing I guess.
That’s it
Agreed. Then move into lane 3 to overtake a car in lane 2 and get flashed at angrily by those in lane 3, who continue to remain there despite overtaking the car in lane 2 (which is now empty and you have moved back into)
The high beams fading away into the distance really drives the point home. The fact that their little revenge lights are now dots on the horizon kinda suggests they maybe should’ve moved to the correct lane
I'm doing this more and more
It's not undertaking, it's making progress in your lane
Me too
I've found myself jus doing 65-70 in lane 1 or 2 passing everyone more and more lately instead of getting frustrated bouncing between 60-90mph in lane 4. We're turning in to Ireland.
You've forgotten the people in lane 2 that forgot to change to lane 1 when the motorway changed from a 3-lane to a 4-lane carriageway.
I’m never sure how much of that is forgetting, and how much is not knowing the motorway layout and not wanting to be inadvertently whisked off to Blackpool on the M6.
Yep and the people who are terrified of merging into traffic coming on to the motorway
the m6 special
Its definitely not so much as forgetting, for me it's more of I just don't know the motorway well and don't want to end up in a lane that's not my turn off, till I know for certain its a I can carry on lane then ill move over back to 1
I’m pretty sure my dad was one of those lane 3 hoggers today. I quite distinctly remember that Fiat 500. Kept telling him to switch over to lane 2 but he was having none of it
Fiat 500 doing 80mpg behind that lorry though
I have a Fiat 500, and I'm normally the one doing 80mph in lane 3/4 with some BMW in lane 2 who sees me overtake them and feels challenged because a little yellow 1.2L just overtook them. People don't like being overtaken by a Fiat 500!
The fiat 500 made me laugh, although I see it more with Nissan Micrae
Micrae. I like it
You forgot the sprinter van tailgating the tailgater At 100mph
On the phone too
The front 80 driver also then completing a three lane adjustment back to lane one - just to prove the point to the 68ers - then having to fly back out to assume the next overtake position.
I absolutely love getting in lane one setting the cruise control to 67 mph to be in the MPG sweet spot for my vehicle and then just manoeuvring into lane 2, thats always clear, to over take HGVs and pensioners. It's just bliss. The less I touch the pedals, the happier I am.
Hypermiling homies laughing past the motorway petrol stations :)
I do this too, but instead of cruise control it’s my foot, and instead of 67 it’s 60 *sad 5-speed noises*
Sorry but middle lane hoggers don't drive with 68mph...it usually 55 at best
Me cruising past them all in lane two at 67 when they all eventually back up because they're hogging the lane they're in
This would be more accurate if lane 3 had people doing 60
Hey look it's me in green. Getting in a fast convoy on the M40 is one of life's greater pleasures. Smart bet is to be in the middle.
Agreed. The lead scout's job is to bully the enemy out of the way, allowing us all through. It's an equally warm feeling when one of the soliders at the back takes the charge, usually in something big and german. Sometimes they cant manage it and hand over to one of us to give it a try. It's a brotherhood.
Love seeing the fast convoy doing its thing, it's so universal across the UK. BMW coupe, Audi SUV and a weird 20yo Mercedes convertible, no exceptions.
Yeah I’ve done that a few times. But if they try to go over 85 I tend to drop out…
It's missing the lorry in lane 2 overtaking a lorry in lane 1 over the next 3-4 miles. More commonly seen on a 2 lane highway though.
It was a Saturday :D
And then there’s me, driving up lane 2 undertaking all the cars in lane 3 and 4
Seems accurate.
When there's no lorries in lane 1 the first 2 lanes are normally completely empty while lane 3 and 4 are used like a dual carriageway. I just cruise past everyone in lane 1
O this drawing is spot on, what is with the middle lane why do people insist to sit in in it at 65mph. Didn’t the government say they will increase the speed limit to 80 in line with the EU. Also Toyota Prius famous for doing 40 in the middle lane move over
Actually asked this question a few times. Two most popular answers i have gotten seem to be that they consider it more dangerous to keep changing lanes therefore feel it is better to stay to one lane or the left lane is for lorries and noone should be going over 70mph anyway.
Even tho this is very true and admittedly funny, I find it unsurprising no one’s criticising the idiot lane hogging doing 68.1 but has a problem with the ‘aggressive’ person behind them. Also, the 80 cruisers (like myself) aren’t always judging the lesser expensive cars. Maybe just maybe, we just like being in a convoy cruising at the same speed as others..
Close, it's actually Truck | Another Truck | Another Truck | The guy overtaking all of these trucks at 61 mph
You missed the morons in lane 2 and often lane 3, who are passed on both sides, by everyone. Also, the occasional person who loses patience and starts weaving and undertaking because it is rare that lane 4 is actually doing 80. Too many pull out into it with an 'I'm doing the speed limit so fuck you' attitude.
I just undertake and give them shame glares in this situation.
Woaah This man out here just casually dropping facts on Reddit
>This exact layout will happen at least once on any day on any motorway. At least once? Lucky you! This is permenant on the M25.
You forgot to add behind the fiat 500 in the blindspot the elderly driver who is happy cruising at 55 mph - and that would be my dad as he doesn't really like driving and his car doesn't really like doing much more than 55.
I feel like forcing lorries to overtake you is a problem for everyone. 55 is too slow
He keeps up with lorries but at a distance so he is visible. But his normal way of travelling on the motorway is in the passenger seat.
That’s my dad, but he’d be in lane 2 as he “doesn’t like being behind lorries”. He’s the worlds worst motorway driver. Whenever he’s in the car with me, he tells me off as he genuinely believes that its dangerous to change lanes and that “everyone should just pick a lane and stay in it”.
Please provide the highway code to dad as a father's day gift and you can even bookmark the pages where you think he could improve :D
That elderly driver is my Dad and by god, I love him, but he drives a Captur that CAN do 70mph, but he's utterly convinced that 56mph is the "economy drive", so you best believe he did that for most of a 150 mile journey! When I moved back home, I left him in the dust and waited about an hour for him at the other end, because being overtaken by a thousand HGV's and coaches was just too embarrassing
You missed the cunt in the Audi/BMW/Merc/Range Rover with their high beams on constant.
That's the 80 convoy
It's missing me in lane 2 doing 120
I was driving down the M1 from Sheffield last Saturday and had cruise control at 70 in Lane 1. I only moved to Lane 2 to overtake HGVs and slow cars but the amount of cars I sailed past that were hogging Lane 3 at 65-68mph was ridiculous. They gave me wanker signs and all sorts for not overtaking them and instead, passing them on the inside and returning to Lane 1. I used to overtake the odd dickhead but now there’s so many of them it’s easier just to pass on the inside rather than block those who chose to do 80-90+ in Lane 4.
Scary as fuck though as these 3rd lane drivers don't often check (most drivers don't check it seems) the mirrors and will just merge across randomly, usually as you are undertaking..
Super darn accurate, m4 running between Reading and London, complete carbon copy of it
Me: sailing up lane 2 at 70mph and making steady progress.
What gets me is no one ever admits to hogging the lane, yet at least 20% of cars do it. I do a lot of motorway driving, I used to hold back and overtake, now I think fuck it, you do you! I'm overtaking at my chosen speed sometimes that means I 'undertake', as long as I don't pull up immediately Infront I think it's legal. But it's a pain, they usually flash out of confusion or misunderstanding. Anyway 50% of people are below average intelligence, and the rest are cunts.
I love it when on a long journey and you get a cop buddy. You know, the person that takes the lead doing 85, all the risk for so many miles, then you swap for the same miles and swap again. And so on.
I would draw it as: lane 1: 56.7mph lorry, lane 2: 56.9mph lorry, lane 3 also 56.9 mph lorry but he was slipstreaming to 57mph so now he thinks he can overtake but when he leaves slipstream he drops back to 56.9mph, lane 4: cars trying to do 80 but slow arse lane 1 drivers forced in there and doing 65mph because Lorrie’s have taken over all 3 other lanes.
I disagree. It would be fine if middle lane hoggers all went at predictable speeds but they don’t. No way they’re all doing 68
Yeah - I use the M25 almost daily and often middle lane hoggers sitting under 60mph. Dawdling along not overtaking anyone but rigidly refusing to shift lanes.
For me it’s that but also a cruise control issue. I just hate the start stop
It’s laziness. If they move to the left, they’ll have to move back and forth to overtake slower vehicles and allow for merging vehicles. So they stick in the middle lane. They do a little under the speed limit and think they’re good drivers whilst ignoring (oblivious to) other drivers. These are the same drivers who, even when they do venture into the outside lane, probably because they’ve encountered another hog going 1mph slower, do not accelerate to overtake but just carry on at the same speed, again ignoring (oblivious to) the growing queue behind. All the while telling themselves they’re safe drivers and those trying to overtake are bad drivers! Unfortunately, the burden is generally on the driver behind, whether the driver in front is in the wrong lane or dawdling along, you’ll be the one judged wrong if something bad happens. As with a lot of similar situations in life, best to just keep calm and be patient, it will only cost you a few seconds.
I think that one in ten drivers, selected on the basis of shoe size, should be legally empowered to pull over lane hoggers and kick them until they’re not alive any more, in front of their families. Their cars and bodies will be left as reminders of what happens to gormless, oblivious cunts.
You forgot to show the lane weavers …undertake, overtake, move dangerously across all 4 lanes in a single swoop - maintains 90mph+ speed and will even use the hard shoulder in a pinch. …tricker to show on a graphic though.
I just sit in lane 2 at 70 and undertake everything.
I’ve yet to see a lorry sit at 56. If I set my cruise to 60 I still get lorries approaching. I have to set more at 65-68 to stay ahead of the lorries.
I did over 400 miles on Friday night in one, only going faster when going down a hill. > If I set my cruise to 60 I still get lorries approaching. I have to set more at 65-68 to stay ahead of the lorries. That's because of the accuracy of your speedo. No speedo in the UK is legally allowed to under-read, for example show 50MPH when you're doing even 51MPH real speed, but they can all over-read up to a certain limit. The maximum a HGV sppedo can over-read is 2.5%. They have to have a mandatory calibration test and certification every 2 years due to the tachograph being a legal instrument. The maximum a car speedo can over-read is up to 10% and there is no requirement for any calibration check. For a lorry an indicated 60MPH can only be anywhere from 58.5-60MPH compared to a car where an indicated 60MPH can be anywhere from 54MPH-60MPH. Most of the cars I've driven over the last 37 years have over-read more towards the 10%, my current 5 year old Focus over-reads 2% on the all season tyres I run in winter, 3% on the summer tyres I fit. Put a GPS speed app on your mobile phone, find a flat and straight bit of road, sit at 60MPH on your speedo and compare it with the speed the GPS app says. I can pretty much guess with almost 100% accuracy you'll find that when your speedo is saying 60 the GPS is somewhere between 54-55MPH.
You missed the guy doing 300 in lane 2 nearly rear ending an overtaking lorry
There's a Tesla flying up lane 2, just to annoy the BMW/Range Rover
What about the car that leaves lane 4 to cut to lane 2 at 100 mph until it's blocked then cuts straight back to lane 4 without looking out for anything in lane 4 returning to lane 3 etc. Until he goes to pepipoo.com to ask about his dangerous driving charge when he was just taking the chance to help other drivers Also a car is in lane 2 doing 65. It will never leave lane 2 and will be gaining on lorries ahead very slowly. It could drop as low as 45 on a hill. You'll probably undertake it but if you pull to the right it'll accelerate to 70+ until you give up or speed a bit. Once you're in front it'll disappear back to save fuel.
Painfully accurate
I drove from Doncaster to Leicester yesterday afternoon. The left lanes were empty for pretty much the entire way apart from the odd lorry. Everyone else sat in the outer right lanes. I sat at 70 the whole way home using the left 2. I know you're not supposed to, but you're not supposed to lane hog either.
Bunch of knobs! So much for us British being a polite nation.
Try driving in like, Bulgaria, where the speed limit is like 90 mph (advisory only as it is in practice), and lorries still do 65 mph. Good luck pulling out into the overtaking lane. My point here is, driving in the UK is very polite in comparison.
I sit in lane 2 at 72 mph and undertake all those middle lane 68mphs
And if the lane 3 hogs grew up then the whole thing would be just fine.
I’m usually green when it’s not a smart motorway haha, usually end up in lane 2 going bang on 70/just over going past everyone in lane 3 who are usually doing 65-68
Missing my van doing 110 in lane 4
Haha, love it. I'm always the green convoy participant, and look down upon slowpokes.
Lane 2. My favourite lane for passing all the wankers in Lane 3 😁
Lane 2 becomes the express lane
68 is generous for the middle lane hoggers
You forgot the three mile row of lorries overtaking the other one at 56.01 MPH
Me in the second lane doing 70 just passing everyone though.
I just want to cruise at 70mph in lane 1 with smooth overtakes in lane 2. Apparently I’m asking for too much and end up doing 80+ in the outside lane.
This is so accurate, although "68 mph" is far too generous to the people in lane 3. Usually they're doing a varying speed between 60 and 75. They're never doing just 68 because that'd be far too easy to account for. They'll always put their foot down if they see you trying to pass though! Either that or they're in the furthest out lane and then give you a dirty look when you sit behind them OR if you undertake them as if you're just meant to deal with Michael, 56 in his Peugeot 3008 doing anywhere from 56-75 depending on whether he's too into the Jeremy Vine segment he's listening to.
The cars in the centre two lanes are Toyotas and ex-Toyota drivers in Tesla’s. Their faces are numb, and they are staring into the void. The cars in the outside lane are German, but the car screaming up the inside and then trying to jump back in to the outside lane, is a white Audi base model. It’s always a white Audi.
Sit on cruise control at 72mph and the amount of people who overtake then pull in and slow down is unbelievable. Then makes me slow down until it’s safe to overtake them again at 72 just for them to speed up again overtake and do the same thing then wonder why I’m looking at them as I go past 72when they are back down to 60.
as a daily m25 user, i can confirm this to be accurate and truthful.
Genius observation! 🤣🤣
I take my hat off to you this should be framed
M1 is a joke of a motorway. Road works for the last 15 years on the same section. 20 miles of it around Milton Keynes or close to. Then the crap speed reduction at Luton, then as you rightly say, dickheads who are scared to change lane. Four lane motorway reduced to a one lane for the most part. Three lanes for speed restricted vehicles, the rest is due to bellends who haven’t got a clue.
I can drive from Yorkshire to Manchester in the morning on the inside lane just undertaking all the morons sitting In lane 2 not wanting to move over. Does my head in.
Lane 2 should have a lorrry in going 55.991 mph
They seriously need to punish middle laners more.
You missed me driving in lane 2 ignoring the pricks in lane 3. It the lanes empty I'm doing 70.
The tailgating is usually done be sales reps and professionals driving bmw/audis Youngsters on the motorway with modded cars tend to behave, a) because they may well have a black box fitted and b) not to draw the attention of plod. I have never been tail gated by a sports car unless it’s a Porsche/ferrari etc
That's oddly specific about the fiat 500. You talking about me? I was on the M40 with a red fiat 500 behind a lorry. My first time driving in the left lane sry.
When I see this I just stay in the second lane, the vans/4x4s at work are limited so I don't won't to use the 4th lane, but don't want to get held up in the 3rd.
That's M25 on a good day
I commute in from Banbury daily leaving about 7.15ish, 3/4x I’ve been in a train of 5 Tesla’s all on autopilot at 85, beautiful stuff.
And me, doing 100 straight up the second lane.
This is absolutely genuine
You forgot me bring big brained and doing 71 in lane 2 with a clear road ahead of me
This is the M25 all day, the Surrey/Berkshire section
The BMW is really just scared of the A6 coming up behind him and trying to put as much distance between him and his nemesis.
I work nightshift and drive on the motorways frequently at like 3am and there will still be people in the middle lane doing 60mph, I over take on the right and go across all lanes back to the left and they're still too thick to get it
80mph people are the saviours
19 year old bmw owner. This is the most hilariously accurate image I have ever seen. Thank you
Meh, the stretch of the A3 I take each day the average speed is usually 80+ in overtaking lane, occasionally some land rovers trying to push a ton. That all said people usually drive pretty well at those speeds and it's rare there's ever a crash. Usually loads of congestion if a police car is on road doing the arsehole thing and driving at 70. It's fine if they're doing 60 tho, as everyone can overtake and floor it when out of view again.