I'm giving up on motorways

Soldato
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Yep, "smart" motorways are about as stupid as "smart" energy meters. Complicated and expensive tech which just made a simple idea worse. OFC they are never going to admit it was a bad idea, because it would make it look like a waste of public money...

The issues for me are:

1. The hard shoulder isn't just for breakdowns. It's a (mostly) clear lane for emergency services to gain access through standing traffic.
When there's a collision at rush hour you can quickly build up 4-5 miles of standing traffic in all lanes prior to the lane closure signs being activated, say for instance lane 1.
You've then got emergency services trying to get through whilst those 5 miles of traffic in lane 1 try to merge into lane 2, impeding the emergency services.
With a hard shoulder there's no impedance of emergency services and seconds count.

2. The control rooms are populated by minimum wage dolts. The type that dribble in their cornflakes whilst eating them. They're mostly as thick as two short planks & have to monitor 50+ screens at one time.

They're so inept that they left a motorway with 20mph signs on for HOURS after the incident had been cleared.

A family friend works as a truck recovery Inc roadside tyre changes.
One job he attended was an offside tyre deflation. Truck managed to get into a refuge space but close to Lane 1. He had to BEG Highways to close Lane 1. In the end he told them the lane closes or the truck stays there and the haulage company would invoice HA for losses incurred.
 
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Man in a Quashqai... Thought they were exclusively mummy cars?

I find middle-aged men in SUVs are usually the ones having a go at traffic lights. Presumably they feel emasculated by driving a "family wagon" and feel the need to prove it isn't just a dull diesel cart for transporting shopping and kids :rolleyes:
 
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I find middle-aged men in SUVs are usually the ones having a go at traffic lights. Presumably they feel emasculated by driving a "family wagon" and feel the need to prove it isn't just a dull diesel cart for transporting shopping and kids :rolleyes:

But always fail miserably :D
 

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I find middle-aged men in SUVs are usually the ones having a go at traffic lights. Presumably they feel emasculated by driving a "family wagon" and feel the need to prove it isn't just a dull diesel cart for transporting shopping and kids :rolleyes:
I don't own an SUV... but this hurt :(
 
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I see this all the time on the M4 around Reading and also on the A34. The A34 is even worse, pretty much everyone sticks in the right lane so that the left lane is clear for a couple of miles every now and then.

When on a Motorway, I will pass on the left in needs be, especially if I am in L1 and stupid is in L2 for no reason. I'll also pass the left if stupid is in L3 and I am in either L1 or L2 during an overtake of a slower car in L1. This, to me, isn't "undertaking" but simply proceeding within my chosen lane.

Fumiest ever was on the M4 heading back towards Reading. L3 had 6 cars queued behind a range rover. L2 was empty. L1 was empty. I was in L1. Simply kept in lane and proceeded to pass all 7 cars. I then watched some of the cars from L3 pull into L2 and pass the range rover which continued on in L3 oblivious of those around them. There was no reason for any of the cars to be in L3 at all.

Driver education is a real issue in this country.
 
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Had very similar on the A3 yesterday. Also with a Range Rover funnily enough. He was sat in the right lane with a couple of cars behind while there was no traffic in lane 1 at all. I was in lane 2 so proceeded to undertake, after Which the cars behind decided to undertake also. I bet he didn’t move even after that either.
 
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I find middle-aged men in SUVs are usually the ones having a go at traffic lights. Presumably they feel emasculated by driving a "family wagon" and feel the need to prove it isn't just a dull diesel cart for transporting shopping and kids :rolleyes:


hang on.. I'm a middle-aged man in a SUV. I don't feel in anyway emasculated by driving a family car and have nothing to prove to anyone.

that said. there are a shed load of middle-aged men in SUV's who clearly do, and who clearly have a chip on their shoulder about it too. sad really. seeing men like this makes my mrs laugh whilst shaking her head and saying "men..." and rolling her eyes :D
 
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hang on.. I'm a middle-aged man in a SUV. I don't feel in anyway emasculated by driving a family car and have nothing to prove to anyone.

that said. there are a shed load of middle-aged men in SUV's who clearly do, and who clearly have a chip on their shoulder about it too. sad really. seeing men like this makes my mrs laugh whilst shaking her head and saying "men..." and rolling her eyes :D

Of course not all middle-aged SUV drivers are like this but there do seem to be an inordinate number who are. You wonder why they bother, do they really think they stand a chance or maybe they're just thinking they'll catch you by surprise or something?

Somewhat counter-intuitively, I don't seem to get much trouble from the chavs in their 'warm' hatches but probably because they're savvy enough to know what they're up against so don't bother, just as I know not to tangle with M3s and Teslas :D
 

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Somewhat counter-intuitively, I don't seem to get much trouble from the chavs in their 'warm' hatches but probably because they're savvy enough to know what they're up against so don't bother, just as I know not to tangle with M3s and Teslas :D
The problem I have is everyone thinks I'm racing them, but I'm just trying to get to work or home as quickly and as fun as possible.
 
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English roads are all the same now days, people seem to enjoy doing 60mph in a 70 in the wrong lane and also slowing down even further before a junction they dont even intend on leaving at for no apart reason? Baffles me
 
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I've gotten into the habit (behaviour, not clothing) of just sitting in lane 1 on cruise control in heavy traffic, make about the same progress as everyone else but far less stress. There's still enough people that think they can go faster if they go in the fast lane that it works out.
 
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I think you should hand back your degree, clearly physics isn't your strong point :p

Nobody ever argued an SUV can't be fast, but heavier car need more fuel to move it…that is like the 5th time I have explained it…you do know it needs more energy to move a larger object than a smaller one right?

I mean a plane can move faster than a car, no one ever argue you can't move large objects fast, but you seem to really struggle to understand that lower centre of gravity and lighter means more fuel efficient.

Can we draw a line under it now and accept that you are trying to have a conversation that I am not having….now matter how hard are trying to move the goal post, I am not falling for it.
 
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Soldato
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Driver education is a real issue in this country.

Biggest problem with the M4 near Reading and particularly Newbury is the amount of people speeding. Not just a little bit either, it's a constant stream of people in the inside lane going 90+ without a care in the world even though there's usually not much traffic in the middle lane. Then as soon as you get a larger slower vehicle overtaking, it clogs up all three lanes because people have to slam on the brakes for vehicles doing normal speeds which makes everyone slow down to 50-60 for no reason. If they were doing 70 and leaving enough space it wouldn't be an issue.

But you can see the same problem across society, people are just much more selfish these days.
 

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I think you should hand back your degree, clearly physics isn't your strong point :p

Nobody ever argued an SUV can't be fast, but heavier car need more fuel to move it…that is like the 5th time I have explained it…you do know it needs more energy to move a larger object than a smaller one right?

I mean a plane can move faster than a car, no one ever argue you can't move large objects fast, but you seem to really struggle to understand that lower centre of gravity and lighter means more fuel efficient.

Can we draw a line under it now and accept that you are trying to have a conversation that I am not having….now matter how hard are trying to move the goal post, I am not falling for it.
:D :D :D
 
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