Lane Discipline on Multi-Lane Roads

I was coming up an empty motorway yesterday, in the inside lane. I could see a slower moving car far in the distance in the overtaking lane. Do I continue in the inner lane and undertake (and commit an offence) or do I move out to the overtaking lane and wait for him to move in? As I got closer and pondered my quandary, the driver obviously spotted me and moved into the inside lane. Good man, I thought, at least you are aware that you should not have been in the overtaking lane. To my complete amusement, as soon as I had overtaken him, he pulled back out to the overtaking lane and continued on his, slow, slow, overtaking lane way. I have come to the conclusion that this is one educational battle that will never be won with Irish drivers.

ice said:

Ok well this NEVER happens. Take the stillorgan dual carraige way. People use both lanes as using just the one lane (in particular at peak times) would mean the traffic would never flow and you would have an empty lane for most of the time as the speed limit is only 60 for most parts.

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Stillorgan Road isn't a motorway. Also as you point out speed limit is 60kmh. Speed traps are often (nearly always on nice sunny days) out in force as you come under the Belfield flyover. With that in mind I always stick to the speed limit and if I am turning right at Foster Avenue I am in the right hand lane. I'm going at speed limit so no one should either be catching me or trying to pass me - but time and time agian I've very irrate drivers behind me. A few times I've given in to pressure and let them zoom pass me all red faced and in one nice case the driver of a BMW who looked fit to burst gave me the finger as he passed and roared obsenities (which I couldn't hear but were pretty obvious)..... the unfortunate fellow drove right into a speed trap. I could only smile pleasantly as I passed him!

I was driving up to Dublin on Friday and was stuck behind three artic's for the same firm, problem was, that they were so close to each other there was no chance of overtaking safely, Is it legal? very annoying anyway!

ronan_d_john said:

This inside lane, in the 4 lane section, should not be treated as a normal "slow lane". It is an interchange lane, designed for use only by people who get on at one junction and leave at the next.

Where this 4th lane exists, technically the 2nd lane from the left is the "slow lane".

Though, given our general disregard for lane discipline, if the lane is empty, it'll most likely be used by everyone anyway.

Check out the image - here - for the lane layout.

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Thanks - you learn something new everyday on AAM.

A simple flash of the lights should be enough the encourage people to move lanes if there is a need to do so

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You know this is illegal in GB, it's seen as agressive/intimidating behaviour and not tolerated. Perhaps it should be the same here, it would however be so much easier if people used the outside lane what it is intended for - Overtaking !!

ice said:

Ok well this NEVER happens.

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Like so many things in the rules of the road! People harp on about speed all the time, but if Irish people learned how to drive it'd be a good start!

shnaek said:

Like so many things in the rules of the road! People harp on about speed all the time, but if Irish people learned how to drive it'd be a good start!

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I'd agree, speed is one issue, I dont think anyone can deny that, but I've witnessed just equally dangerous maneuvers from people not knowing basic road rules. Round abouts being one usual spot for mayhem.

Havealaugh said:

You know this is illegal in GB, it's seen as agressive/intimidating behaviour and not tolerated. Perhaps it should be the same here, it would however be so much easier if people used the outside lane what it is intended for - Overtaking !!

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I don't see why it should be seen as intimidating. It is a simple signal to encourage drivers who are off in their own world to WAKE UP ANY PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR SURROUNDINGS

Some poster mentioned earlier about tractors on the Naas bypass, by which I presume the motorway section.
AFAIK a vehicle capable of at least 50kph can drive on motorway.
That includes most if not all the JCB range of tractors plus a lot of the more modern higher horsepower variable transmission tractors.
Thus these vehicles are not breaking the law.

The level of incompetence and unappreciation for other road users on Irish dual carriageways and motorway roads is staggering when compared to other westernised countries.
I would actually pay to see some of these eejits driving on the Continent or in the likes of California in such a manner.

Greenfield, I have come across multiple instances of drivers hogging the overtaking lane who move over to let you pass and once you have passed move stright back into the overtaking lane.

Maybe we should have a signs, as in I have seen in some Australian states, on multiple lane roads to remind drivers that we do indeed drive on the left.

Also it now seems to be apparent that the more lanes and the wider the road the slower the speed limits. This is all to counteract the fact that some people do not know how to drive and refuse to should any conseration for others.