Smart Motorways
Returned home today using the southbound M1 from Chesterfield. We tow a caravan and I usually set the auto cruise to 55mph and stay in the first lane, this gives me a reserve if we want to overtake slower traffic (not much of that about) and maintain good mpg.
The wife and I were both surprised that motorhome drivers have abandoned the first lane and sit in the second lane at or around 60 and make no effort to use the first lane on smart mortorways or that at least is what we saw today. Almost all stayed in the second lane despite getting a friendly 'flash' to let them know they were clear.
At least five times we were passed in this manner despite the first lane being empty for a good half mile ahead.
Is this going to be the norm? Do they do it on normal 3 lane motorways.
Comments
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It happens on all multi carriageway roads and by all types of vehicle. It’s not just MHs and it's not all MHs.
Incidentally, the 'flash' is not something to rely on as flashing lights should be treated as a warning.
I used to find that towing at 55mph used to invite trouble and encourage others to do daft things whereas towing at a gnat's whisker under 60 felt much safer. Just saying!🙂
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The M3 "smart?"motorway is in places as HGV drivers have found and we now also follow ,keep to the second lane as the nearside is usually a long sliproad and if you keep moving into it, its a real problem at times moving into the second lane when traffic heavy (nearly always)
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Smart motorways?
Do not get me started,
The motorway maybe clever but those that operate it certainly are anything but!
Countless examples
Favourite a section of the M42, I can see four overhead gantry,
60
40
20
National speed limit!
Absolutely nothing there, apart from active speed cameras behind the signage. Happens more than once, 2.30 am ish. Who would think there is CCTV too, nobody looks or cares.
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There seem to be two types of Smart Motorway. The one I prefer is where there is a permanent fourth lane, I don't like the ones where the extra lane is just opened as traffic dictates. I quite like the inside lane as I usually have it to myself!!! One thing you have to be careful of with the fourth inside lane is sometimes it becomes the exit lane at a junction and you have to change lanes. Could explain why some stay in the second lane?
David
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The first part, and last part of our journey is the M1, around Chesterfield/South Yorks. Upgraded to Smart motorway. You now get lanes 2 and 3 clogged by those who for whatever reason find these lanes the ‘safest’. They dither getting on, at the first opportunity get into the middle, then sit there oblivious to whatever or whoever is around them. I’m sure I read somewhere that there was to be a campaign to get folks to move over once they have overtaken....🤷♂️
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There’s a lot of that kind of thing on the M25, plus the nearside lane (or lane 1, if you prefer) often becomes the exit lane. If you keep moving back into it after a junction it’s a devil to get back out again sometimes. We’ve sometimes nearly been forced out at a junction we don’t want because there’s no gap to move over, and no-one will let us in, in spite of having three lanes they can use. On stretches where we know the nearside lane peels off to a junction, we sit in lane for for that exact reason.
It’s nigh on impossible to avoid the M25 when travelling anywhere north from where we live, unfortunately.
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Smart motorways? What was it Donald Tusk said "I think there is a special place in hell...."
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We’ve sometimes nearly been forced out at a junction we don’t want because there’s no gap to move over, and no-one will let us in, in spite of having three lanes they can use. On stretches where we know the nearside lane peels off to a junction, we sit in lane for for that exact reason.
Totally agree, with the caravan I always used to mirror the HGV's. If they were staying in lane 2 there was usually a good reason, such as the lane going off.
If you had got back into lane one, invariably the law of sod was also operational 😂 when it was time to pull back out, in that the road was curving making it even more difficult getting out, as your rearward vision was restricted.☹️
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A “friendly flash” of headlights seems just the sort of thing to either cause road rage or an accident. As said above, it indicates a warning so the driver of the other vehicle (if he doesn’t just get angry) is going to think he has a flat tyre, vent open etc. which will cause loss of concentration.
The police call middle lane huggers CLOCs - Centre Lane Owners Club. Why not just let them take care of it?
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Pretty sure its illegal to undertake on a motorway but I lose count of the times when I've been in Lane 1, caught someone up hogging Lane 2 (sometimes even with the van on the back) and thought now what... Pity there are no police to monitor the CLOCs even though there is now a law.
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There you go. it isn't smart motorways but stupid motorists. If they followed the highway code and drove on the left except when overtaking we probably wouldn't need all these fourth running lanes anyway. The inside lane is nearly always virtually empty.
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What makes having to use a "smart" motorway terrifying is the thought of where can one go in the event of a breakdown/puncture/etc. Well, nowhere actually. "Live horse, and you will get corn", there is a wee lay-by about half a mile away!
Just one of the reasons I have fitted extra indicators to the rear of my caravan, as big as I could, and as high as I could. Looks like a works truck when the hazard lights are on, so I hope it has some effect.
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Incidentally, the 'flash' is not something to rely on as flashing lights should be treated as a warning.
can't totally agree with this statement, professional HGV drivers, PSV drivers have used the flash of lights as an indication that you are clear of my vehicle and can move in for years, very prevalant in overtaking manovures, and although retired now I still watch for that friendly flash when overtaking and acknowledge with a quick press of the hazard lights when i am safetly tucked in, and use when being overtaken by anything that might have difficulty in judging exactly where the rear end is.
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