Motorways, "middle lane hoggers" ?

[Justin Smith]

The law for car speedometers in the UK

 

The UK law is based on the EU standard, with some minor changes. A speedo must never show less than the actual speed, and must never show more than 110% of actual speed + 6.25mph. So if your true speed is 40mph, your speedo could legally be reading up to 50.25mph but never less than 40mph. Or to put it another way, if your speedo is reading 50mph, you won’t be doing more than 50mph but it’s possible you might actually only be travelling at 40mph.

 

The speedos on all of my cars (since I bought my first GPS receiver in 1998 so I could check them) have been about 5% fast. So, if your speedo reads 70mph you`re probably doing about 66 to 67mph. I wouldn`t have thought it was worth arguing about 3 to 4mph, that`s walking pace for Gawd`s sake !

 

---------- Post added 07-01-2015 at 14:26 ----------

 

see!

 

You have very bad attitude!

 

Since when has it been anything at all to do with you whether other people are speeding or not?

 

I would put my house on it you go along in the middle lane knowing others want to get past but refuse to move while looking at your speedo.

 

just do what you are supposed to do and the roads will be far more pleasant for not just you,but others as well.

When you don't not only does it get unpleasant but often dam right dangerous!

 

I don`t agree with anything you`ve said XT, but we all love you anyway ! Incidentally, would you want me to ignore everyone breaking the law, for instance if they were burgling your house ? That said, I do not deliberately set out to obstruct other drivers breaking the speed limit*, but I`m not going to alter how I drive one iota to make it easier for them. Why should I ?

 

* I might under certain circumstances. The infamous time last Feb when I saw some imbecile in a silver grey Audi R8 doing about around 60mph up Rutland Rd. And I`m not exaggerating it was about 60mph on a busy 30mph limit road. If I could have done anything to slow that cretin down I would have done it because that, as any reasonable person would agree, is highly dangerous driving. I could be saving someone`s life.....

Edited January 7, 2015 by Justin Smith

[Lobos]

The legal speed limit of a truck on a motorway is 60mph.

 

most uk trucks are governed to 50- 56 mph as they have found that is the most safest and economical speed to travel at most are set from new from the factories.

[Xt500]

The speedos on all of my cars (since I bought my first GPS receiver in 1998 so I could check them) have been about 5% fast. So, if your speedo reads 70mph you`re probably doing about 66 to 67mph. I wouldn`t have thought it was worth arguing about 3 to 4mph, that`s walking pace for Gawd`s sake !

 

---------- Post added 07-01-2015 at 14:26 ----------

 

 

I don`t agree with anything you`ve said XT, but we all love you anyway ! Incidentally, would you want me to ignore everyone breaking the law, for instance if they were burgling your house ? That said, I do not deliberately set out to obstruct other drivers breaking the speed limit*, but I`m not going to alter how I drive one iota to make it easier for them. Why should I ?

 

* I might under certain circumstances. The infamous time last Feb when I saw some imbecile in a silver grey Audi R8 doing about around 60mph up Rutland Rd. And I`m not exaggerating it was about 60mph on a busy 30mph limit road. If I could have done anything to slow that cretin down I would have done it because that, as any reasonable person would agree, is highly dangerous driving. I could be saving someone`s life.....

 

see this is the problem with lane hoggers,they are very dangerous people.

 

Your not a policeman,and the days coming your going to either get hurt,or hurt someone or worse,your excuses wont work then.

Use the road to get from A to B thats all your licensed to do.

 

if you want to save lifes i hear they need nurses at the NHS

 

if i reported everyone i see doing something wrong,i would never be out of the police station.i bet following you for just 10 minutes id have reason for a visit.

 

---------- Post added 07-01-2015 at 17:33 ----------

 

most uk trucks are governed to 50- 56 mph as they have found that is the most safest and economical speed to travel at most are set from new from the factories.

 

And?

 

The legal speed limit of a truck on a motorway is 60mph.

Edited January 7, 2015 by Xt500

[Norseman]

If you see anyone doing more than 70 phone the police.

 

I frequently see police cars driving around normally with no flashing lights and sirens in 30mph, 40mph etc far exceeding the speed limits so why aren't they prosecuted under the law.

 

I watched one on the M18 about 3 weeks ago, I was doing a sedately 65 (it takes about 4 days to get up to that speed in my car) and this police car flew past me at mach 1, no lights, no sirens.....no excuse really. If this isn't a recipe for disaster tell me what is?

[DT Ralge]

I have sinned, Father.

Yesterday on the M180 I sat in lane 3 for a while with nothing on my left in lane 2 on the basis that 1 or 2 of the vehicles in lane 1 would move into lane 2 some way down the line (they did as well). There was NO THREAT from behind me.

I also held out in lane 2 for a while in order to have a clearer view past two trucks of the road in front of them (and of their relative speed) on a left hand bend (debris, slow vehicle on on-ramp?) quite prepared once again to move into lane 3 (I have also been known to stay out in order to stay visible). There was NO THREAT from the rear. If there had been a threat from the rear I would have considered my options and the developing risk front and back.

Edited January 8, 2015 by DT Ralge

[Cyclone]

Is someone approaching (from the rear) a threat, or just an event?

[DT Ralge]

Is someone approaching (from the rear) a threat, or just an event?

 

Whatever the word, I think it's a threat, a risk, a hazard i.e. something that requires me to know about it and consider giving information/signalling prior to changing direction/position and/or changing speed.

[Cyclone]

It just seemed like a strong word, it implies some kind of negative potential and some avoidance to be necessary. In reality though they wouldn't simply ram you, they'd slow down, so it's an event (which as you say requires you to do something) but the threat is actually pretty minor.

 

Personally I've only ever seen a few events that I think were threats. A spare wheel fell off a car on the motorway in front of me, at 70mph. An oncoming car fishtailed coming out of corner once. And I've seen a few times that the person behind me hasn't recognised that the traffic in front is stopping, once they managed to skid nearly all the way up to the drivers side door, but at least they didn't rear end me.

 

Anyway, that's semantics. What you describe sounds like active, forwards thinking driving.

 

I have once decided to stay in the middle lane late at night because the left hand lane was so badly rutted from lorries that it was requiring constant steering correction. The middle lane on the other hand was flat and undamaged and there was virtually no traffic.

[DT Ralge]

It just seemed like a strong word, it implies some kind of negative potential and some avoidance to be necessary. In reality though they wouldn't simply ram you, they'd slow down, so it's an event (which as you say requires you to do something) but the threat is actually pretty minor.

 

Personally I've only ever seen a few events that I think were threats. A spare wheel fell off a car on the motorway in front of me, at 70mph. An oncoming car fishtailed coming out of corner once. And I've seen a few times that the person behind me hasn't recognised that the traffic in front is stopping, once they managed to skid nearly all the way up to the drivers side door, but at least they didn't rear end me.

 

Anyway, that's semantics. What you describe sounds like active, forwards thinking driving.

 

I have once decided to stay in the middle lane late at night because the left hand lane was so badly rutted from lorries that it was requiring constant steering correction. The middle lane on the other hand was flat and undamaged and there was virtually no traffic.

 

I'm glad it sounds like active, forward thinking driving!

[psynuk]

I have once decided to stay in the middle lane late at night because the left hand lane was so badly rutted from lorries that it was requiring constant steering correction. The middle lane on the other hand was flat and undamaged and there was virtually no traffic.

 

XT500 won't be impressed with that! nor this

I've done it also, All the way to the M180 in the middle lane late at night and not a single car was in any way put out.

 

The only time its wrong imo is if there is any body behind you who is changing lanes because you haven't gone back to the left.