No, but then I never said it mattered, just how it works?
Sometimes if I want to overtake on the motorway I will tap the paddle to upshift (goes from D in to M6) and floor it so it doesn't downchange.
Why?
Motorway speed limit increase to 80mph by 2013
- Thread starter G-MAN2004
- Start date
Why?
It's fairly eager to change in to 5th at motorway speeds, certainly legal ones at least. I'd mostly prefer it stayed in 6th as I find the downshift unnecessary.Why?
I've done a fair few motorway miles over the last month, so I'll risk commenting in here claiming I have some knowledge on the subject.
In honesty, I dont really know what it will achieve.
Currently, there are a few problems as I see it on the motorway network that we would be better resolving to reduce journey times.
1 - There is a serious, serious problem of lane disclipline. People just don't move over to the "slow lane" and as a result, that lane, or rather 33% of the network isn't being used properly. Sod building new lanes, sort these people out!
2 - Like it or not truckers, lorries overtaking are a real problem for car traffic flow. Already at 70 they are closing in on you at nearly 20mph faster than you, let alone 30mph when its at 80. This results in Mr Audi waiting until the last possible second to brake causing a sea of breaklights and tailbacks whilst we wait quite literally in some cases miles for the overtake to be completed. There are sections of the roads I'm traveling on at the moment which say lorries shouldnt be overtaking between certain hours, but it seems that a lot of you lot flout these rules anyway. I seriously believe if we stopped lorries overtaking during the peak daytime period that would help car traffic flow, and prove to have absolutely minimal impact on your journey times.
3 - people travel FAR to closely together. Whilst the cost would be hillarious, I always find it gets to acceptable distances when you are in one of those 'keep 2 chevrons apart' areas, maybe more of these, or just better enforcement of braking distances. Increased speed will go straight over a lot of morons head when it comes to how close they can be to the car in front
4 - maintaining speed. It seems to be a lot of people really struggle to maintain a constant speed. Maybe I'm more aware of this now I have a car with cruise control, but so many drivers speeds are all over the place (50-80 in some cases I've witnessed)
Whilst it would be difficult for an already overstreached police force, maybe we could get the wombles to enforce these, and similar issues?
The real problem with a discussion like this on OCUK is that a lot of people here are motoring enthusiasts, and as such, are more likely to be decent drivers so these things can be ignored as minor problems that dont affect them. Reality is a lot of people just see a car as a way to get from one place to another, thoroughly loath driving, and couldnt give a toss about their driving standard. How on earth do we educate these people to the problems they are causing?
In honesty, I dont really know what it will achieve.
Currently, there are a few problems as I see it on the motorway network that we would be better resolving to reduce journey times.
1 - There is a serious, serious problem of lane disclipline. People just don't move over to the "slow lane" and as a result, that lane, or rather 33% of the network isn't being used properly. Sod building new lanes, sort these people out!
2 - Like it or not truckers, lorries overtaking are a real problem for car traffic flow. Already at 70 they are closing in on you at nearly 20mph faster than you, let alone 30mph when its at 80. This results in Mr Audi waiting until the last possible second to brake causing a sea of breaklights and tailbacks whilst we wait quite literally in some cases miles for the overtake to be completed. There are sections of the roads I'm traveling on at the moment which say lorries shouldnt be overtaking between certain hours, but it seems that a lot of you lot flout these rules anyway. I seriously believe if we stopped lorries overtaking during the peak daytime period that would help car traffic flow, and prove to have absolutely minimal impact on your journey times.
3 - people travel FAR to closely together. Whilst the cost would be hillarious, I always find it gets to acceptable distances when you are in one of those 'keep 2 chevrons apart' areas, maybe more of these, or just better enforcement of braking distances. Increased speed will go straight over a lot of morons head when it comes to how close they can be to the car in front
4 - maintaining speed. It seems to be a lot of people really struggle to maintain a constant speed. Maybe I'm more aware of this now I have a car with cruise control, but so many drivers speeds are all over the place (50-80 in some cases I've witnessed)
Whilst it would be difficult for an already overstreached police force, maybe we could get the wombles to enforce these, and similar issues?
The real problem with a discussion like this on OCUK is that a lot of people here are motoring enthusiasts, and as such, are more likely to be decent drivers so these things can be ignored as minor problems that dont affect them. Reality is a lot of people just see a car as a way to get from one place to another, thoroughly loath driving, and couldnt give a toss about their driving standard. How on earth do we educate these people to the problems they are causing?
I think there is a case for banning anything over 7.5T from using lanes other than the nearside. The only problem would be when there is an escorted very large/heavy load that even a HGV could over fairly easily, perhaps exceptions could be made for this.
Lane discipline is worse when there are more than three lanes. I do feel that capacity must be addressed as a priority though.
I'd support compulsory Motorway tuition (Pass Plus essentially) or at least extended high speed dual carriageway driving where motorways aren't present.
Lane discipline is worse when there are more than three lanes. I do feel that capacity must be addressed as a priority though.
I'd support compulsory Motorway tuition (Pass Plus essentially) or at least extended high speed dual carriageway driving where motorways aren't present.
I don't believe this is actually a problem, just a consequence of a bigger problem, people not letting anyone out. If im in the middle lane overtaking something and I can visibly see something else to overtake that will force me back out if I pull in then I will stay in the middle lane.
Not because I want to "hog" it, but because I know full well if I pull in then some spaz will try and overtake me going 1 mph more than me and end up alongside me when I reach the next obstacle forcing me to either break and then pull out or floor it past them and pull out.
If people gave other drivers due consideration (i.e not trying to overtake somebody who is obviously going to need to pull out before you can complete the overtake) then the wouldn't be any need to hog the middle lane.
The new 80mph limit is proposed on motorways, motorways have 3-4 lanes, what you described is a problem with duel carriageways and tbh the way you explained it it sounds more like a problem with mr Audi than mr trucker.
The chevron thing has nothing to do with real braking distance its just a guide, if your in a Focus following a Veyron and they slam on you will hit them before you even react to the light coming on, vice versa the Veyron could be following the Focus a lot closer and still be safe. Its up to the individual driver to know what's the safe distance for their vehicle and the one in front not some floor markings based on stopping distances from the 60's. Besides as most cars do >70 now anyway (the 49% quoted by the Department for Transport includes trucks/etc) its not like speeds would increase that much on the whole, not everyone who feels fine at 80 would want to do 90.
It's a damn good guide though and one that drivers would do well to adhere to. There is far, far too much bunching on motorways and it is probably the root of lots of problems. Combine it with speeding and you've got trouble, especially in poor conditions.
I always leave a good sized gap between myself and the vehicle I'm following, trouble is someone usually jumps in it.
Soldato
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I dont even drive but i've been on enough motorways to know that lorrys overtaking on a 3 lane road can cause some serious traffic problems.
Good post
I like how you try to justify being a middle lane hog. You will get blocked in with that attitude, because you won't **** off out of the way when it is clear to do so. It's self fulfilling you see...
Not round here they don't. The A1(M) is 2 lanes all the way to Thirsk from around Morpeth. (Parts of it are 2-lanes each way dual carriageway, but most is motorway).
A couple of years ago I started a thread discussing this issue as I also think it's one of the biggest factors in adding to congestion on our roads and blocking up our motorways. I propose we need a keep left awareness campaign on the same scale as the anti speeding and anti drink driving campaign, and use the matrix signs above the road to display "Keep left" when there isn't any other information to display. At the moment, when these signs are idle, they use them to display how far to major intersections etc, so why not use them for other useful info as well?
make it 90mph when clear and perfect weather traffic dependant
60mph when its wet
then 50mph or lower when its very hazarderous (eg mist)
use the middle light signage and enforce.
SPECs at every junction along with the new wheel tread scanner on slip roads where you get 2 warnings (max 1 per week) then you get a fine (in the 3rd week if not sorted) and then still not sorted then scrap of the car (or ban) if not sorted within 30days.
Legal Motorists win they can go faster safely.
Govt wins they get more tax from higher fuels but will probably even itself out when typical british weather kicks in and the speeders that got caught by specs.
Only loosers are people that break the speed limit or have illegal tyres.
Greens be lost lower but also higher speed limits.
Lorrys can only overtake if they inside vehicle is going less than 50 but still has to comply to above.
60mph when its wet
then 50mph or lower when its very hazarderous (eg mist)
use the middle light signage and enforce.
SPECs at every junction along with the new wheel tread scanner on slip roads where you get 2 warnings (max 1 per week) then you get a fine (in the 3rd week if not sorted) and then still not sorted then scrap of the car (or ban) if not sorted within 30days.
Legal Motorists win they can go faster safely.
Govt wins they get more tax from higher fuels but will probably even itself out when typical british weather kicks in and the speeders that got caught by specs.
Only loosers are people that break the speed limit or have illegal tyres.
Greens be lost lower but also higher speed limits.
Lorrys can only overtake if they inside vehicle is going less than 50 but still has to comply to above.
How wet? How foggy? Unless you plan to put variable speed limit signs every few miles, that will never work as it so open to interpretation. Even day/night gives you the problem of twilight. The rule needs to be simple: "XX is the maximum speed on motorways under any circumstances".
M
If it was clear to do so I would, however when making that assessment I consider both obstacles in front and behind. Like I said people hogging the middle lane may be a problem but its caused by a bigger problem (nobody letting anybody out properly) solve the bigger problem and the smaller one goes away...
And the A1(M) doesn't count as its not a proper motorway just an A road that has had sections upgraded to motorway standard (so it would be interesting to see how an 80mph limit would be implemented on this road as it switches back and forth between A1 and A1(M))
Although expensive that is the best option for motorways, fixed maximum limit of 90 or so and give the traffic rooms the ability to review the sections via their cameras and reduce it according to weather/traffic/etc.
Caporegime
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the Middle Lane Moron thing only really suffers on busy stretches of the motorway, or the closer you get to the cities. As said by ubersonic its a "fear" that you wont get let out and will get stuck behind a slow car in lane1 that forces these numpties to stay in lane 2, hell the A127 from Romford to Southend is just a queue of cars in lane2, with the odd lorry/van in lane 1... the road would move sooooooooo much better if people used both lanes! 
However... New parts of the M25 are 4-5lanes wide, and *EVERYONE* seem to drive in lane 3,4 and 5... why the hell is this? It makes driving those sections REALLY annoying.
M5, or M4 miles from any city and most people will be in lane 1 or 2 overtaking. No one seems to hog the lanes.
However... New parts of the M25 are 4-5lanes wide, and *EVERYONE* seem to drive in lane 3,4 and 5... why the hell is this? It makes driving those sections REALLY annoying.
M5, or M4 miles from any city and most people will be in lane 1 or 2 overtaking. No one seems to hog the lanes.
Driving up to North Yorkshire this morning going up the M1 near Sheffield what do I see on a gantry sign....
DONT HOG THE MIDDLE LANE. MOVE OVER
Hillariously, it was the only time I saw it in the 220 odd miles I drove today, and at the only point when it was pointless due to congestion with all 3 lanes absolutely bloated with traffic...
Overlag - What you say about 4-5 lane sections is beyond annoy and totally true. The M40 heading to the M25 junction has a huge section where people just dont come out of lanes 3 and 4. I used to do it all the time when I lived in Watford and it drove me to insanity. In the end I just started using lane 1 and saw it as an excuse to drop a few cogs in the S2000 to roar past. Sure it was stupid, but its beyond infuriating, especially when on many occasions, they aren't even doing 70 !
Edit - I was tempted to put this in another thread, but I can't imagine enough people will care, hell, they won't care in this post !
I did the 220 odd mile trek from Gloucestershire to North Yorkshire today. I did the same journey last monday with the cruise on at 70. I got 48.8 MPG and the journey took 4hrs 1 minute.
The same trip today was done with the cruise at 60 to see what sort of difference it made to time and MPG. I got 56.8 MPG and did the trip in 4hr 22 minutes.
I'm part tempted to do it at 80 next week to see what MPG and time I do it in just as an illustrative example of how much (or little) difference it will make to real world journey times, and how much of an impact it would make on MPG (and tax coffers from fuel duty from increased consumption...)
DONT HOG THE MIDDLE LANE. MOVE OVER
Hillariously, it was the only time I saw it in the 220 odd miles I drove today, and at the only point when it was pointless due to congestion with all 3 lanes absolutely bloated with traffic...
Overlag - What you say about 4-5 lane sections is beyond annoy and totally true. The M40 heading to the M25 junction has a huge section where people just dont come out of lanes 3 and 4. I used to do it all the time when I lived in Watford and it drove me to insanity. In the end I just started using lane 1 and saw it as an excuse to drop a few cogs in the S2000 to roar past. Sure it was stupid, but its beyond infuriating, especially when on many occasions, they aren't even doing 70 !
Edit - I was tempted to put this in another thread, but I can't imagine enough people will care, hell, they won't care in this post !
I did the 220 odd mile trek from Gloucestershire to North Yorkshire today. I did the same journey last monday with the cruise on at 70. I got 48.8 MPG and the journey took 4hrs 1 minute.
The same trip today was done with the cruise at 60 to see what sort of difference it made to time and MPG. I got 56.8 MPG and did the trip in 4hr 22 minutes.
I'm part tempted to do it at 80 next week to see what MPG and time I do it in just as an illustrative example of how much (or little) difference it will make to real world journey times, and how much of an impact it would make on MPG (and tax coffers from fuel duty from increased consumption...)
Last edited:
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Other people sticking to the 70mph limit might hinder your progress, making the comparison somewhat suspect and I wouldn't want to appear to encourage you to break the law. However, such a comparison would be interesting.
Personally, I suspect that the 80mph proposal is just yet another populist stunt which will come to nothing and be soon forgotten with any luck.