Motorway Lane Priority Question...

I don't think anyone has priority per se, but once you're in the outside overtaking lane, you have to allow for slower moving traffic to pull into lane 2 to overtake lorries etc... in lane 1. So effectively the person on the inside lane should be given "priority" really. However it could be argued, that because lane 1 is the slower lane they shouldn't pull out unless it's safe to do so.
 
Freefaller said:
I don't think anyone has priority per se, but once you're in the outside overtaking lane, you have to allow for slower moving traffic to pull into lane 2 to overtake lorries etc... in lane 1. So effectively the person on the inside lane should be given "priority" really. However it could be argued, that because lane 1 is the slower lane they shouldn't pull out unless it's safe to do so.
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This.

I always try to give Priority to everyone else, that way you are less likely to have a crash.
 
I agree with Jez here, but in theory, the car in lane 1 shouldn't move out unless there is something he needs to overtake?

So you should be able to anticipate if there's a chance of the car in lane 1 moving out or not, and as a result judge if it's safe to move in or not.
 
I would say 3 had priority as he will be travelling faster. Also do you not give way to the right? Is that not the same on a motorway as say on a round-about or filter lane?


M.
 
IMO Car B in "lane 3" (the second overtaking lane) has priority over car A in "lane 1" (the driving lane) when this incident occurs since Car B is already executing his overtake. However, if a crash occurred and it went on insurance it would blatantly go knock for knock.
 
I would always always always clear the car in lane 1 before moving in.

It's all very well arguing over who should have had priority after they've smacked into you - I prefer minimising the risk of being hit by n00b drivers as much as possible :p

Just like if you sit in someone's blind spot and they pull into you, it's their fault of course but it's far more sensible to move out of it and take the risk out of the equation..
 
Gribs said:
Why else would you leave the BMW/Audi lane? :p
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This is actually an interesting point. In total honesty, I join the M25, go straight to the outside lane, and then move back when I come to my exit! I had to drive home yesterday in fuel conservation mode, so used the inside lane. It felt really weird... it was like a new experience :p
 
PMKeates said:
This is actually an interesting point. In total honesty, I join the M25, go straight to the outside lane, and then move back when I come to my exit! I had to drive home yesterday in fuel conservation mode, so used the inside lane. It felt really weird... it was like a new experience :p
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Errr, GTFO out of the outside lane with your dodgy ford :mad: If i come thundering up behind you with my hand on the horn flashing my xenons at you, you better bloody move.
 
i really dont mind bmws etc in the outside lane because typically theyll make decent progress, but yeah dodgy fords, know your place
 
Matt82 said:
im the sort of tool that indicates well before a lane change and all the way through the lane change so they have no excuse not to see me. two or three blinks of the indicator before a move seems scary to me as i expect people to just start crashing into you
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You shouldn't continue indicating throughout an overtake as that could misinterpreted by someone else as you are going to move from lane 2 into lane 3.
You should indicate to move from your current lane into the next and one the maneuver is complete i.e into the overtaking lane, cancel your signal.
3 or 4 flashes to move lanes is about enough.

The use of an signal indicater is the signal that you intend to do something NOT that you want to do something.

Rich_L said:
I would always always always clear the car in lane 1 before moving in.
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Best way.

Treat everyone else on the road with caution - defensive driving.
 
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PMKeates said:
This is actually an interesting point. In total honesty, I join the M25, go straight to the outside lane, and then move back when I come to my exit! I had to drive home yesterday in fuel conservation mode, so used the inside lane. It felt really weird... it was like a new experience :p
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You need to get back in a BMW asap or you might suddenly find you want a diesel. Does your Mondeo even have ESP?
 
I often leave my indicator on if I'm on the outside lane, however I blame several years of driving on the continent for that where they do indicate well.
 
I was in a "tricky" situation when driving up to a work meeting the other week actually. I was cruising in the slow lane behind a lorry, required the middle lane for M40/M42 road split, I indicated for about 2 seconds and checked the lane was clear as you do in autopilot mode when motorway driving. I then started making my manoeuvre into the middle lane, when somebody going much faster in the lane 3 (outside lane) pulled into lane 2 on collision course with me as he wanted to take the exit off lane 1.

We both saw each other and parted before hitting, but needless to say...it shook me up as I was following all the normal safe procedures for changing lanes and he seemed to come out of nowhere trying to get off at the exit (moving from lane 3 to an exit on lane 1). I take it that I was in the right and he was in the wrong? or would it be 50/50? He must have been going faster than the specs speed limit shown too.
 
As I understand it, neither party has "priority", however basic manners would dictate that as the vehicle in lane 3 you give way to the vehicle entering lane 2, as can easily continue you in your lane without any inconvenience to yourself but they are presumably moving out of lane 1 to overtake a slower a vehicle and thus if you box them in you will inconvenience them.
 
Gribs said:
You need to get back in a BMW asap or you might suddenly find you want a diesel. Does your Mondeo even have ESP?
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I'm tempted by a diesel - I do over 30,000 miles a year! Hmm... 60 MPG Fiesta TDCi... :D

...and no - it doesn't have ESP. The tyres are linglongs, too :p
 
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