Ashley's Analysis | Motorway Madness
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- čas přidán 12. 12. 2022
- Mile for mile motorways are the UK safest roads, however, the dangers can be of a higher level.
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If that guy didn't use the hard shoulder and build up speed in order to merge, he would have been potentially putting himself and others in danger by doing a stationary merge into motorway traffic. Food for thought.
Agreed. I would probably do the same thing knowing that it was technically illegal but definitely the safest thing to do.
...or, he could have waited for the nervous, slow driver to move off, then accelerated up to a safe speed to join the traffic.
Police even advise you to do this if stopped on a motorway hard shoulder. It’s how I advise all breakdowns to leave scene, reach an appropriate joining speed in the shoulder and join. From a 0 start into 70+mph traffic is stupid
Yeah while it wasn't great the other car was putting him in a very bad position - I would not have been happy myself. Sadly you'll rarely get other people noticing that someone has been put in a bad position by the actions of someone else and do anything to try and make the situation better as well.
@@rickconstant6106 Being stand still on a motorway with the traffic flowing at speed is also dangerous.
Did a 10 hour round trip last week (large chunk of which was on a 4 lane motorway) and lost track of the amount of times I overtook whilst in Lane 1. At one time, the slowest I was going whilst undertaking was 56mph. Lane discipline is embarrassing in this country.
Agreed. Using the new 4 lane M27 near me, I have become much more comfortable staying in lane 1 to slowly pass cars in lane 2. Going all the way to lane 3 and back continuously seems much more dangerous.
You have to be very aware of what any lane 2 car might do, but I don't feel like I am doing anything wrong.
Completely agree with the lane discipline mate, I drive home through switch island and Tarbock island on a daily basis and the amount of times I see people drifting in to other lanes instead of just taking those extra couple of seconds to make sure they stick to their lane is unbelievable.
Thing that most annoys me about lane hoggers - as soon as you move to overtake they speed up so you end up side by side unless you break the speed limit….why do they do this?
They're probably mad that you woke them up
Lack of cruise control. They may not even realise they are doing it, just tense up because they are being overtaken, so press harder on the pedal without thinking. Sometimes it's cos a hill levels out, but they don't change gas pressure to allow for it.
Or they just suck, and like to intentionally piss people off for fun.
What? Overtake me? Overtake ME? How dare you!
I have noticed that a lot of drivers lack curse control.
ego
The clip at 6:00... That is the junction to join the M3 from Winchester. I take that junction almost daily and it used to be 70 MPH but recently they have introduced roadworks with a 50 MPH limit. If this driver couldn't get up to speed on this super long slip road in a 50 zone, I really wouldn't want to see them attempt that junction when it's a 70 MPH limit.
That was scary, honestly I would have undertaken that vehicle sooner. Stopping on a roadway like that is super dangerous.
This type of forced join at speed is the scariest part of driving. If no one lets you out, you can truly get stuck.
They shouldn't be on the motorway if they lack the ability to merge in flowing traffic, especially as they had a few hundred yards ahead of them to pick their merge point.
@@FireVixen164 there were plenty of gaps because the traffic is moving slow
Regarding the jazz in the slip road - you say going into the hard shoulder if there is danger but sitting stationary behind them is going to increase the chance of danger. Surely better to prevent danger than wait for it like a sitting duck?
I've been in a similar position & considered using the hard shoulder but didn't. I think I may have been safer to have used it.
@@TheRip72 totally safer because the driver is putting you into an unsafe condition (you can get rear ended best case and nothing happens,, not ideal case been rear ended and pushed into the 60mph traffic and possibly dieing from resulting muti vehicle pile up or causing a muti car pile up when an equally more dangerous idiot stops in lane 1 on the motorway/highway and causes a multi vehicle pile-up
Just don't give these type of people any slack pass them as soon as possible so your not in danger, if you have a dashcam report them to the police via 101 or police website (you can submit the video via website)
Hardshoulder is for emergency use, I would argue that a car stopped on the carriage way, in the dark and wet in such a fashion could reasonably constitute as an emergency in that case. Especially as we couldn't see a rear view - it is possible that they could see a vehicle approaching behind them (even if not, it's still something to avoid).
@@L5GUK yeah exactly, being forced to wait adjacent to and in front of 70mph traffic is an emergency in my book!
Personally have no problems using the hard shoulder in that clip at around 6:00. Whilst technically not 'emergency use' I would have done the same to use the rest of the slip to build up speed and safely join
It was the only safe option presented to them, I totally agree with that decision but the beeping isn't necessary. To hell with being stationary there.
the guy who used the hard shoulder to get around the stationary car did the right thing as far as I'm concerned as id not want to be sat still on that slip road waiting to get rear ended by someone not paying attention !
At around 4:37, I can't help feeling that another option available to the Mercedes was to simply ease off the gas so as not to close in on the car ahead changing lanes in front of it. Having said that, I do feel the cammer could have been more accomodating and just let the Mercedes into it's lane by moving over one lane itself. I've actually done this even when the car in the lane to my left isn't indicating a lane change but simply catching up on a slower vehicle in it's own lane and it's pretty obvious it's going to want to pull out.
There are always 3 options - accelerate, slow down or maintain speed. If they'd done one of the first two then the issue would have been resolved without triggering the cammer.
Yes, what is interesting about this clip is that the Mercedes driver was probably not paying enough attention. But the Cammer was also probably not paying enough attention either. This makes their behaviour even more unreasonable as they had more options open to them, but instead chose to try and make life difficult.
@Scott Everett You can see what happens: The Merc is not catching the Suzuki. As soon as it moves out, the Merc wakes up and decides they need to go faster. They haven't been checking their mirrors and only realise someone's to the right when they check their blind spot late. If you watch the car ahead in lane 3, the cammer actually hesitates and slows to make sure the Merc isn't going to pull out without looking (also by the "errr").
@@axam102 You drive like that Mazda in Clip 2, don't you?
Dashcammer fully knew what he was doing (cock blocking at first and attempting to block overtake by flooring it afterwards even thought they are taking the exit very shortly)
6:05 I really think the cammer is not in the wrong and was actually too lenient. I would have overtaken on the left sooner. I am NOT stopping on a highway. That's so dangerous. Add the fact it's in the rain and dark I'm not stopping. His undertake was pretty safe.
He was very patient in my view Id have been gone mins before hand. And on the horn.
He did brilliant. Can’t scald him for shiii1te in front.
The big danger at that slip road junction (6.05) (Twyford Down, M3 Winchester) is that you are on quite a steep hill, (although the camera doesn't give that impression very well), and if you stop you have difficulty accelerating into the motorway traffic, which is coming up the hill quite fast behind you. Also, traffic isn't going to move out very much to accommodate you, as they wish to leave at the Bar End Junction for A31/A272, and need to be in that lane almost immediately. I believe Ashley Neal has used that section of the M3 recently when he has been down to Southampton?
I am also with you that He was left with very little options, if they had anticipated and seen the car just stop in the slip road they may have been able to make a attempt to get out into the traffic flow fast before they were forced to stop, I may not have use the horn in such a punishment way but just have gone to left as a last option to keep my self and others safe. To stop in that position was just lethal and I would not have been very happy to be put in danger by such driving!
Shouldn't have blared the horn though
Yeah, I don't fully agree with Ashly here either. That stop on the slip road was so dangerous. If I was behind them, I would not have stopped and waited at all. The driver has already shown how bad they are by slowing so much in the first place, then stopping makes it worse. I would not be willing to be stationary behind them on a motorway. IMO going around them. (so long as there is still plenty of room for you to speed up and merge correctly) would be the safter option.
1:27 The 'wrong' lane markings seem to be fresher than than the intended ones. I blame the traffic engineers for not making a hazard less of one by design.
I have seen this a few times. They put like a black paint or something over the original lines. However when the sun is shining from directly ahead, the sun seems to reflect off the black paint making it appear brighter than the actual road markings. I had a similar issue with understanding lane marking on the M20 a few years back.
Someone wants sacking for that, they had one job.
It's very common in roadworks. As @Surge Dashcam says it's a black paint that reflects light. The markings would ideally be erased, but this is very labour intensive. Perhaps a better option is the 'Botts Dots' that are used in the US and sometimes in the UK. They should follow the new lane markings for some time at the transition, and be used throughout the roadworks, making it clearer what the 'real' markings are.
@@SurgeDashcam I've also had issues with lane-keeping systems picking these up- one particularly scary case was on the M4 with the sun quite low ahead and reflecting on the road- while I was overtaking in the outside lane the lane-assist picked up the markings from some previous roadworks and tried to pull me to the left directly into the side of the car I was passing.
These systems are apparently meant to help inattentive drivers, but in this case if I hadn't have been paying close attention it would've sent me straight into a 70mph pile-up...
I prefer the dots, personally. I also turn my lane keep assist off partly for the reason Ryan mentions above!
Red merc; I’d have moved out & if legal, increased my speed, but if lane 4 closed to me, I’d have dropped back. Much less hassle, much less stress.
Yep...I'd have done the same...there's no point in creating an unwanted situation and pushing bad feeling towards another driver...
The clip with the red Mercedes is really bad driving from the camer, everything he did aggravated the situation and the situation was wholly created by him, he could of just moved over or not increased speed, what makes it worse is his girlfriend is backing him up. It's scary there are people acting deliberately like this without even real provocation, wow
It’s also amazing how many people applaud bad at driving and blame everyone else around them.
@@axam102 ... it looks like that's exactly what happened, except that the cammer decided to deliberately pass at slower speed?
Another "take" for me is that in several of the clips many of the cars follow way too close to the vehicle in front.
most definitely.
5:51 to be honest, I'd have done the same, minus the tailgating, I'd have held back early, but also move past on the left and join the traffic ignoring the other car, I wouldn't want to be standing there behind them, nor try to enter from behind them- never know if they don't decide to go in the end.
I had the exact same thought. Sitting there on a dark wet road with traffic approaching at speed from behind is scary af.
I have to agree. The hesitance of the driver in the silver car is dangerous. They need to resit their test or go on an advanced course to gain some confidence. Tip toeing up to the line like that is those conditions would present a lot of danger.
I think I would have done the same, providing I could clearly see no one behind me was already doing it and the shoulder was clear up front, which in this case it was.
To hell with being forced to merge into that traffic from a standstill.
Hard to disagree. Self preservation would kick in here for many I'm sure.
I find it hilarious that people are so concerned about stopping on a slip road, worried that a driver behind is going to crash into them. Literally this is what cycling on the UK roads is like ALL THE TIME!
It's not dangerous to stop on a slip road if there is not a safe gap to join the motorway. It is not dangerous to stop on a motorway if you have a mechanical fault. It IS dangerous to collide with a vehicle ahead of you because you are not paying attention!
@@shm5547 The problem isn't being stopped on a slip road, it's joining the motorway from a dead stop with heavy traffic.
And regarding the collision with a vehicle ahead of you, I don't see how that is revelant with the video. Nor the bicycle part that you were on about.
Regarding the first clip and temporary road markings. On the M25 in Surrey I regularly see drivers wandering within their lane slightly by following a black line that must be a leftover from previous road works. Fortunately no accidents observed but it happens so frequently it's actually quite predicable.
The problem is that in some weather conditions the blacked out lane markings are clearer than the temporary lane markings. They need to come up with a better way of hiding the old markings.
They also confuse the hell out of some lane assist systems. I've had occasions where the car has jerked the wheel rather aggressively because of these old markings so I just switched the whole system off in the end.
@@hks-lion that’s a really good comment,
Like you say when they do this they should black out the existing lines and markings but when the low sun gets on them they shine and draw your eye.
If you are not concentrating your unconscious mind still sees them and influences your road position.
@@robg521 yeah I don’t get why in 2022, road markings are often almost impossible to see in low light and heavy rain conditions and occasionally certain acute Sun angles. Cat’s eyes are not used as often as they used to be and don’t always help in heavy rain when it’s daylight. Someone needs to make lines that can be seen in all lights and weather and when it’s low light the cat eyes provide additional visability. There should also be standardisation for car lane assistant systems to work more flawlessly on all roads.
@@hks-lion Excellent point, though on the M25 most of the "follow the black line" that I see is under conditions where the correct white lane markings are clearly visible. I find it quite puzzling actually.
What Ashley says about Lane discipline is spot on, and a pet hate of mine. Another is tailgating at 70+ mph. Inappropriate use of indicators is another, such as indicating and changing lane at the same time with no regard for anyone alongside or slightly in front or behind.
In the first clip, the signs about the road layout should be placed on both sides of the road, and there should be an advance warning on both sides of the road as well. I don't know what the rules about this are in the UK, but it is reasonable to expect that the sign on the left hand side of the road is not visible to lane 3, as it might be blocked by traffic in lanes 1 & 2. Advanced warning should be provided, as it is relatively easy to miss one sign (low sun might block the view, or observing other traffic might require more attention). I mean, the driver was at fault, but improving signage could prevent these accidents.
In the last clip I would seriously consider reporting the driver in front to the police. They are clearly struggling to stay in lane, weather they are distracted, tired or under the influence of something. Either way, they are an accident waiting to happen.
Yes I have complained in past about M60 roadworks lane info sign only being on the left. They did sort it, although initially protesting that only one sign was 'required'. Caused me to miss my off slip. As I had to repeat.that trip a couple more times I was able to suss out the problem to clearly report. Pre dash cam btw.
It also looked like the lorry driver wasn't leaving a safe gap to the car in front.
Those road markings were probably picked up by the autosteering. The proper road markings were faint in comparison.
I thought the guy overtaking the mercedes spent too long in his blind spot. I get very uncomfortable being in a position where I can't be seen.
I think being in the blind spot is fine, as long as you stay behind the car, i.e. drive in a staggered formation
However, the car in this instance clearly wanted to be faster than the red Mercedes, so he should've moved one lane over
@@waldolemmer yes, I agree. It's not so bad being in a position where they can't do any damage if they don't see you!
I'm a motorcyclist and was very sad to see such astonishing behaviour from a fellow motorcyclist.
I agree, and the tapping of his helmet to indicate he's got it all on film as if he's in the right is the icing on the cake.
I wonder if the dramatics were meant for the lorry driver, not the car driver, and the motorcyclist was so fixated with admonishing the lorry driver they weren't paying sufficient attention to what was going on around them - though the initial arm movements to the right appear to be directed at the driver behind.
where was the lifesaver ? looking over your shoulder also indicates to others you are about to do something !
it looks like he was telling the car to move over but had no advanced indicator on
Puts indicator on and starts to move over. Yes you can judge a situation, but the biker was doing a steady pace behind the lorry and doesn't seem to show any sign of overtaking prior to indicating. I'd call it a 'Indicator rules all' moment
With regards to lane 1 being consistently underused, almost like a show of weakness to drive in for most, I admit to being a bit of a knob most mornings.
J11A to J10 of M1 is my daily commute. I will happily sit in lane 1 for my entire very short journey and strictly obey the gantry signs. However I am guilty of undertaking. The amount of people in lane 2 and sometimes 3 that will potter along at 40mph completely oblivious to the miles of open lane to their left and the 50/60mph signs right above their heads is astounding!
In rush hour traffic it’s almost impossible to change lanes to overtake and then pull back to lane 1 as it’s so tightly packed. I’d spend more time changing direction than if I was racing around Holyhead circuit!
I tend to stay in lane 1, match the speed of the vehicle in 2 then when I’ve judged they aren’t going to drop back to 1 I pass them briskly.
Probably get blasted for admitting this but I’m flowing without inconveniencing those that cause congestion by darting in and out.
I was told that you can "undertake" if you haven't switched lane just for that purpose. So if you're driving in lane 1 and the other cars are slower than you, you're not actually doing anything wrong by going past them, just to be cautious incase they come over to lane 1 with no mirror check.
I disagree with "With regards to lane 1 being consistently underused, almost like a show of weakness to drive in for most" - most older drivers still believe that's the "slow lane for lorries". Even if i attempt to correct thse views, I'm disagreed with.
We also have a problem with entitlement where drivers will go out of their way to hold others up "because they're speeding" - what if ones speedo is actually wrong? and the overtaker isn't speeding? too many nobheads thinking they can police our roads by breaking the law (i.e. obstructing the road / Driving without due care)
@@manth9318 that's my understanding too, I'm not changing lanes to overtake if there is nothing to overtake in my lane. :)
However if you undertake and have a collision, you can be charged for careless driving, without due care and attention etc.
Insurance will probably go 50/50 and lose NCB, it's a calculated risk.
The big problem is that you have a much larger blind spot on the left side of your car. So if one of these second lane idiots wakes out of their stupor and decides to go onto the first lane whilst you're passing them, they won't be expecting or seeing you there and - CRASH!!!
Of course, this would then be your fault with the insurance, or at best 50/50, though the other car could legitimately say that they didn't see you.
Lane 1 on the M1 is actually the fastest moving lane in traffic
Regardless of what others might think about this comment I will stick my neck out here......
Whenever - frequently - Lane 1 is empty, that's where I will be. The people who choose to Hog lanes 2 and 3 (sometimes 4) whilst in a "nose to tail" scenario are the ones at most risk. Often better to make progress at 60mph whilst preserving a safe distance from the HGV's/LGV's that are usually restricted to 56mph. It really isn't that hard to safely overtake.
If it transpires that I pass on the left; so be it. That's not called a "deliberate undertake" in my book.
Stay safe out there.
Indeed, an undertake would be to go from lane 2 to lane 1 and back to lane 2.
If someone is hogging lane 2 or 3 and you're miding your own business, it isn't your responsability (and it would be dangerous) to hold back and match their speed.
@@PeterBee911 Thank you, Peter, for having the perception and/or understanding of what I did not specifically "spell out", mate.
Excellent reply 👍.
Just waiting for @Ashley to 'pull' me for this one but he might well agree with our thread. Respect.
The issue of "undertaking" is a bit of an obsession in the UK. It is permitted in Australia, subject to all the usual conditions, and the highways aren't littered with broken heroes.
I have been in lane 1 and undertaken vehicles when I have been doing the speed limit and they haven't. Obviously keeping an eye out for any moves by said vehicle although it is often if I am coming off at the next junction.
Was also entering the M77 last weekend and saw a vehicle in Lane 1 also stop dead to let a vehicle a few in front of me on from the slip road.
When the motorway is busy and congested it's a lot easier to sit in the left lane at a slightly lower speed and let everyone else tussle in the right hand lanes.
Not sure about the use of the hard shoulder on the slip road - arguably that could have been an emergency situation as sitting stationary at the end of the slip road when there isn’t any obvious cause (eg a traffic jam on the motorway) is potentially highly dangerous. Using the hard shoulder to escape that situation, and using the horn in the process to warn the stopped car that they were being passed on the hard shoulder, may have been the safest option in the circumstances.
Agree, not safe at all to be stopped on a merge, safer option was for the cammer to get out of the area. Think the blaring horn was unnecessary just a couple of beeps to let them know they were there. From the video clip we have no idea what was coming from behind.
@@malcolm6951 indeed - blaring horn may have been partially a warning for them that an HGV was barrelling down the slip road, though I’m sure it was, understandably, done in part out of frustration too.
06:28 He's just angry that his bike isn't white and fully completing his police look-alike persona. I'm surprised he didn't have a POLITE jacket on too.
Depending on the situation, I own a POLITE jacket, and wear it. Specifically if I'm going places that I don't know the roads and might be relying on satnav. The rear of my red bike also has retro-reflective chevrons on it.
However, I pride myself on my riding (and regularly review how I could do better). I can't defend the biker in this video, because he behaved like a tool.
Do you judge everyone based on how much reflective gear they wear?
@@redtela _I own a POLITE jacket, and wear it_
Why? The only reason to wear a POLITE jacket (with its accompanying police style battenburg) is to trick other motorists into thinking you are a Police rider. A simple hi-viz vest would accomplish the same results you seek in regards to safety.
_Do you judge everyone based on how much reflective gear they wear?_
I judged him on his policing of the road, as evidenced by his remonstrating with the cammer and his "direction" to the lorry; all whilst driving very poorly himself. I've been a biker for many years and I can spot his kind a mile off, it's very easy.
p.s. No offence but anyone that wears a POLITE batteburged up vest to make themselves look like Police is an utter tool. If you want to be a Police Officer then go be one, do the training and put the work in.
Nail on the head. His gestures and percieved right to instruct other road users how to drive are clearly aping the mannerisms of a police motorcyclist. And naturally, without any of the actual competence required to attain that role and have that privilege.
And anyone using a POLITE jacket is impersonating a police officer. I don't care what you say, the reason it works is because you are decieving other road users. It's like fitting blue lights to a car and claiming you're not impersonating the police because they flash in a very slightly different pattern.
It only this is for a very short time and then they just going to blast right past you at twice the speed once they realise you trying to deceive (you're only making it more dangerous for yourself because mdricer will react to your temporary deception)
@@CraigNiel the reason I have one, and wear it only in unfamiliar places is simple, studies prove high vis gets ignored (talk to anyone that works on roadworks).
POLITE jackets at least have the advantage that people do a double take "Is that a copper? No just an idiot wannabe."
I'm perfectly happy if you think I look like a tool. That at least means you've seen me.
I don't ride like the biker in the video, I just don't want to die while I'm focusing on directions etc. When I'm in an area I know, no need for sat nav, no need for extra thinking, and I can focus on the other idiots on the road better, so I don't wear high vis (other than the fluorescent yellow helmet - which is another thing that would stop people thinking I'm a cop).
I think in the last year, I've worn the jacket maybe 3 times. I've done over 40k miles on the bike in that time.
I find it interesting that you ask me why I wear it, but I already said why in the first comment (the bit you chose to cut off when quoting me).
The White Prius and Black Mercedes SUV at 2:55 are doing the classic thing of using the speed of other vehicles as a reference for their own speed. I see it all the time as I overtake people in a speed limited van (often on cruise control) where - this is worst when it's a 4 lane bit of motorway - I go to pass someone in the n-1th lane, they've got nothing in any of the lanes to their left, and they match my speed and sit just level with my sliding door. And I can't speed up out of the situation, and there's usually somebody actually behind me that means I can't slow down out of the situation. These people will sit there for miles not even realising that they're doing it, until something comes up that forces them to slow down (eg. another vehicle in their lane).
I'll typically end up passing that new vehicle, moving back over to L1, not changing my speed... and the person that matched my pace will fly past at 10mph more than me... and I'll catch them again 10 minutes later... rinse and repeat.
One time on the M40 I passed the same guy 4 times!
I get the same leap-frog effect with other cars. I'll find a nice empty space in lane 1, set my speed (either manually or with cruise control). Someone sloooowly creeps up behind me, slooowly overtakes me, pulls in front of me and then slows down *below* my previously constant speed, forcing me to slow down. I have no speed limiter hampering me so I drop back, then briskly overtake and pull back in 200 yards or more in front of them, resetting the cruise control. Rinse and repeat. Like you, I've had several drivers do this four times and even more. As you say it's as if they have no idea what their speed is without someone in front of them and no ability to decide on what they feel is a comfortable speed for them and stick to it.
I’ll admit to a moment of weakness having been in the exact same situation as the red Mercedes. I didn’t light flash but read the upcoming traffic a bit better and ended up being in the reverse situation with the exact same car about a minute later. I also didn’t let them out and based on the lights and horn applied they didn’t appreciate the same manoeuvre being done to them 🤷🏻♂️
1:31 Are we going to talk about how the lorry was clearly tailgating the car ahead of it?
Lorries are not permitted in certain lanes on motorways. I am not sure on the exact rules as I do not drive them. However I do know that on three lane motorways some are not allowed in lane 3. If you cruise along fairly lowish speed in a car in lane 2 they cannot pass and tend to drive close behind until you move over. Unfortunately some drivers think faster vehicles including lorries can simply overtake using lane 3 which can be completely empty.
It appears to me that lorry drivers don't seem to follow the highway code in this regard. They often travel literally up each others %r£&s Then they tailgate cars so as to intimidate _",,get outa my way you in front!".
I would want the police deal with these more severely than they apparently do.🤨
@@blitzwing1 Overtake them, i.e. the car under your hood! Why tailgate. Or is it you cannot be bothered coming out of 60 cruise.
@@blitzwing1 Err, category error there: an average driver cannot be, by definition, below average. Terrifying statistic: 50% of people are of below average intelligence.
@@tomctutor Lorries are speed limited and banned from the outside lane. 56 is the most they can do.
really interesting video ash, with me potentially spending a lot more time on the motorway in the future in a much bigger vehicle this video really got my attention on the different things that I may need to look out for. Thanks again :)
I really don't understand the thinking behind peeps that see an indicator come on and then speed up, to close the space down, let alone do that and then box someone in. It really goes against my mantra of ,"the fastest route between point a & b is the one that doesn't involve you being involved in an accident, and the most effective way of achieving that is, where ever possible to stay as far away from other vehicles as is practicable, particularly at higher speeds". So I really don't understand the mentality of diving in where angels fear to tread, just because you feel its your right of way, a bit of give rather than just take would reduce a lot of serious accidents.
The only reason I'd speed up in that situation would be if I couldn't move to an outside lane and I felt I might potentially be in their blindspot. I generally aim to make everything as smooth and predictable as possible for those around me, I just don't understand the self righteous mindset some people have, put yourself in their position and ask what you'd want them to do.
The weaving white BMW in the last clip: Possibly distracted driving, either phone use or fiddling with the car's "I-Drive" menu system? Not sure I would have overtaken, having already observed all that weaving. Unless there was at least one extra empty lane between us (which under the circumstances I would not label as lane hogging, as long as you move back to the clearest available left lane once past).
Interesting how you note that nobody's in lane 1 on that stretch of the M25 with the red car, then cut to the M1 in Derbyshire. That's the stretch where I had a near miss with a stationary car in lane 1 (the former hard shoulder) with no gantry warnings (not the only time either) when driving a 44-tonne artic. Like a lot of motorists I avoid lane 1 on such motorways except for in the last half mile or so before I turn off, or unless the road is very congested and the speed limit is down to 40 or 50.
One time many years ago I did let a lane hogger push me into poor driving. I was following them on a dual carriageway, and they were sitting in lane 2 despite having gaps to move into lane 1 between lorries. The most frustrating part was that they were actually driving at about 70mph most of the time, but were backing off when overtaking to the point where they were crawling past. Eventually I got fed up and with a big enough gap put my foot down and undertook them. Not my best bit of driving, but like I say this was years ago when I was younger and more reckless.
I'd argue that if someone's driving is impeding your progress, because they keep making you slow down to accomodate them, you are doing the right thing by passing them. Less risk of you being frustrated, you therefore are more focused on other potential dangers.
@@TheGreatMossI’d like to see how well that argument goes down when stopped by the police!
Little tip for drivers caught out as per the first clip where there are temporary markings on the motorway and the sun is in your eyes - look in your wing mirrors and you'll see the lane markings very clearly 👍
The red Mercedes was essentially giving a "Begging Signal" (topic covered in a recent video) that the cammer denied. Result was that the Mercedes took exception to this, likely even more so when you consider it was wanting to make that lane change just to help someone else also make a lane change. Yes, it's still the Mercedes' responsibility to lane change safely and I do feel it could have actually just eased off the gas to allow the other vehicle to lane change ahead of it. Having having said that, I think the cammer could also have been more accommodating.
The cammer didn't help by initially holding back behind the Mercedes, then once they saw the signal deciding to move alongside and slowly overtake. It just makes you look like you are deliberately not letting someone out.
I've had situations like this where the car "begging" to come out, sometimes in the next lane, sometimes from a junction/merge, can't see for instance there is a motorcycle slightly behind me in the next lane or something coming up very quickly that I can see but they can't from their position - sometimes trying to bully their way out gesturing at me to move over and starting to move out - had a couple of close ones where I've had to hold my lane and hope for the best.
@@Rover200Power That's true yes. Timing is important and you can use it to either safely create a space for someone else....or close the space down, as the cammer did here.
@@ibs5080 the most helpful thing you can do is being clear with your intentions. Here the cammer wasn't, and then was slow to pass the Mercedes causing irritation all around.
Maybe not directly related to this video but it is amazing how many drivers can't seem to hold a constant speed. Frequently catching up to another car, then sitting alongside it for ages before finally overtaking. It is very noticeable when you have cruise control on.
I have given a begging signal in a similar situation but not changed lanes. I could see the outside lane was completely clear. The driver passed me & gave me a rude hand signal. I guess they didn't understand.
Defensive driving is always the key.
Setting off early gives you time to avoid impatience.
5:47 - The Skoda that comes to a complete stop during the merge, I'd argue it's actually safer to go around using the hard shoulder than sit behind them. Who's to say there's not going to be a car coming up behind them at motorway speeds who doesn't expect to see two stationary vehicles ahead (whilst checking mirrors to find a gap to join). PLUS - as has already been pointed out, his stationary merge would endanger him and others, he'd be joining up with a massive speed difference compared to the cars already on the motorway, who'd have to brake hard in the wet.
Mike Hammer in the 2nd clip was contributing to the problem by Lane hogging, I hope they're prepared for a possible FPN for the their poor driving (Op Snap reviews all drivers)
Always great work and has helped me improve and think more about my own driving…
At 4:46, several useful points:
1. Side indicator repeaters can be very useful when you are almost alongside another car that starts to signal and you can't see it's rear lights
2. Be aware of where your own side indicator repeaters are (if applicable) and what position other drivers would be in to see them when they can't see your rear or front indicators. You can use this to your advantage and safety.
3. Consider what message your side indicator repeaters send to other road users whenever using 4 way flashers, as it can confuse others into thinking you are signalling to that side if they can't see your rear or front signals.
4. I've noticed when almost alongside SOME vehicles, I will occassionally see a small red or orange light glow in the side mirror of the other car for a few seconds. This would be it's Blind Spot warning system, meaning when you see that red / orange light, you are very likely in the driver's blind spot. Of course, the absence of such a light doesn't mean you are out of the blind spot, especially since not all cars are so equipped! But it's still a useful thing to observe when it does happen.
Those orange warning lights on mirrors are for drivers with a poor standard of driving. With a cheap stick on blind spot mirror and your standard mirrors adjusted properly you don't have blind spots.
@@billyporter1389 I have to say if ever I drove a car so equipped I would never totally rely on those orange lights.
4:37 I wouldn't have said the cammer closed the space down. He was alongside the Merc already. He hesitated when they put an indicator on, which won't have helped, but he made a clear decision in the end. If I were in that situation, alongside the Merc, I would have sped up to clear if legal and I could clear quickly, or dropped back if not.
Some great clips that even taught me something I didn't know I could do to avoid a problem driver.
I think the main problem with motorways is drivers just sticking with a higher lane number than necessary 'just in case' they need to overtake a bit later on. Laziness and entitlement. Everyone does it, so lanes 3 & 4 get stacked, even in light to moderate traffic.
5:50 While I don't think this is the case in this instance, it's a good time to point out, when you're behind someone merging like that, try to keep left a bit so the driver ahead gets a clear view, many times I've had some twonk up my arse chomping at the bit hugging the chevrons to get off the slip and into lane 1 with their offside head lamp screaming into my driver side mirror so I can't see what's in the lane I'm about to merge into! Even in the day time, a Van doing that means they physically obstruct the view in the mirrors, all you can see is a great rusted white van in every mirror...
The reaction from me then when I can't see anything is to have to slow down, their reaction then is to get even more up my arse, turn on their high beams making the matter considerably worse...
Drivers need to think of the impact their headlights have on others.
The other prime example of this is cars parked on the wrong side of the road so they are facing into traffic, who leave the headlights on and blind every one coming past them, If you're parked like that, turn to side lights for Christs sake!
Just a thought on the red car in minute 3: Last summer, I drove home from Southern France to The Netherlands at night. France has some awesome toll roads. 3, often 4 lanes, beautiful asphalt so you would say that setting the cruise control to the max speed limit would suffice in most cases. However, after about 100 miles in my trip, I've noticed that A - there were very few lorries at all and B - no one was in lane 3 or 4 where the lorries would normally sit during their voyage.
So then I played a game: I set my cruise control to 135kph (130 is the limit on the Péage) and kept right all the time, sometimes overtaking a lorry or a car pulling a caravan. I tried counting the number of cars in the other two or three lanes that I undertook. Believe it or not: I did this for hundreds of miles until I was well through Belgium and entering The Netherlands where they are much more strict and we mostly only have two lanes.
I must have undertaken at least 500 vehicles if not more. I simply lost count. Almost everybody simply refused to get into the right lane. Unfortunately, my dashcams' SD card was corrupted or I could have sent you the timelapse. It was really out of this world. I couldn't believe I was doing 135kph on the right -totally empty- lane whilst the rest was sitting in lane 1 and 2 and sometimes 3. I would come over a mountain, see very far in the distance and the right most lane was completely devoid of any traffic. No lorries, no cars, no caravans, no nothing. Just me.
Some people understood my 'message' and went into the right most lane after I undertook them, but there were very few. The rest were battling with the others in the other occupied lanes while I had a completely empty lane all for myself and zoomed by. For.. hundreds.. and.. hundreds.. of.. miles.
My sister and brother in law travelled with me in their car and my sister kept track of my position on Google Maps and they could not believe I was not speeding at ridiculous speeds. They were overtaking when they could; I just kept driving in the right lane almost all the time. They drive a Lexus GS 450h (6-cyl hybrid with plenty of HP); I have a Skoda Citigo (.9L engine with 3 cylinders) and believe you me, they tried to catch up to me but they simply couldn't. If I had the footage, that would have been a perfect example on how frustrated the bloke in the red car must have been. People simply will not move over when finishing an overtake. I don't mind; I felt bold at the time and I wondered what would happen if I kept doing that for so long. Would I be pulled over by an undercover police vehicle? Would people call the police at all? In the end, nothing like that happened and I never got a ticket. I really expected being pulled over but no such thing happened. I just kept going 135kph for almost 850kms.
To me, this truly was Motorway Madness at its worst - or best if you look at it from my perspective.. ;-)
I love driving on the autoroute at night. I fondly remember a trip down the Autoroute du Soleil where for about ten minutes I didn't see another vehicle's lights.
With clip 2 I've seen similar situations with poor lane discipline from most people. I do a lot of travelling between Bangor in North Wales and Dudley Near Birmingham so I use the M6 quite a bit, I've noticed a lot of drivers staying out in lane 2 and 3 when lane 1 is completely empty. I usually stay in lane 1 as much as I can while also hanging back as to not undertake and set an example to other road users that staying to the left when not overtaking is the correct and safest thing to do
Lane discipline is shocking but it also compounds. If someone is in the second lane doing 60, then that forces all traffic in the first lane to go slower than that, or get crammed into the right lane. It really feels like people are petrified of changing lanes, but as long as you pay attention to what’s going on around you, and give some time between signalling and actually changing lane (and checking it’s clear!) then it’s all fine.
I really don’t get why people are so bad at this
It always makes me laugh on my way to work - there is one spot where a dual-carriageway starts which just descends into chaos any time it is busy with a inevitable cluster of cars all going or wanting to go different speeds and wanting to be in different lanes, etc. cue road rage, people getting in each other's way, etc. I've learnt to just sit back give it half a mile for everyone to sort themselves out, by which time most are in a single line doing 40-65MPH, then I can usually cruise along at 70 passing most of them shaking my head in disbelief.
Its lazyness
I agree. I would happily sit in the left lane but then you get stuck there. Slower drives just blocking the fast lanes. I don't want to move from left to right like a lunetic either...
When I first passed, I was petrified of doing lane changes at high motorway speeds. Maybe some people never gain enough awareness of what's going on around them to gain confidence?
No such thing as a fast lane
The only theory I can think of as to why the motorcyclist got so angry is that perhaps his rear right indicator wasn’t working, and he was indicating right the whole time but unaware that the vehicles behind him didn’t know.
That motorway merge was a shocker.
Coming up the slip road the signs warning of road works and the temporary 50 mph speed limits would warn me to expect a difficult merge, with tightly packed traffic travelling at slower speeds. At higher speeds, provided one is not afraid to use gears to get better acceleration, merges are easier because vehicles in lane 1 will generally have bigger gaps between them.
Brake lights coming on in a car in the slip road lane are usually a sign of problems. At 5:42, when the brake lights came on the car in front, I would be slowing down right then to keep plenty of space between my car and the car in front.
(1) It gives them time and space to sort out their merge problem with no pressure from me.
(2) It keeps me clear of a potential collision situation.
(3) It keeps a reserve of space to do a merge myself once the driver in front is sorted.
(4) It means any drivers coming up the slope behind me have plenty of time to see me slowing or stopping, before their focus switches to motorway lane 1 and their own merge planning. Less chance of Mr being rear ended that way.
(4) It keeps a reserve of space for anyone coming up behind me, for them to do a merge later once the problems have been sorted.
At least the car in front came to a stop well before the end of the slip road when the begging signal failed to clear a gap. That gave the driver time to do an accelerate when a gap did open up.
Always a good idea to leave oneself a gap. When risk goes up, speed comes down.
Instead, the cammer drove right up behind the car. Probably because he hoped the car in front would get sorted. "Hope springs eternal in the human breast" but a better quote in today's traffic is, "Only the paranoid survive!"
Having been forced to a stop behind the static car the cammer's realistic options were limited. Either:
(a) Wait stationary for the car in front to get sorted, all the while at risk from drivers to his rear failing to spot his static car and rear ending him; or
(b) Take to the hard shoulder and use the space ahead to do his own merge.
I suspect (a) followed by (b) if traffic started coming up the slip road from the rear would be the safest option even though legally questionable. To balance that legal question, as others have pointed out, one can use the hard shoulder in an emergency situation and this one (arguably) qualifies as an emergency once there is a threat from the rear (as Ashley says).
It's an instructive video. Useful to put oneself in the various drivers' roles and ask, "What should I do if I ever find myself in that situation?"
For starters, it would have been very helpful for somebody in lane 1 on the motorway to spot the car trying to do the merge and slow down slightly (with a light touch on the brakes to warn following drivers). Yes, I know, they had priority. But yielding a few seconds of their time could rescue a fellow motorist from a potential collision or worse!
Nicely put, Michael.👍
@Jon C cheers Jon, coming from you that means a lot.
@Michael Gerner It's not easy to articulate these things in words.
You always do such a good job of it.
Cheers.
regarding that 2nd clip. A smart motorway has recently been put in place near me (the m27) and I have to say, whenever i drive on it is very tempting to just stay in lane 1 and go past everyone because they all think it's a hard shoulder all the time still.
You can, it's only 'undertaking' if you change lanes to do so (and/or do it dangerously). Making progress in your own lane simply because all the others are in lane 2 or above is fine.
@@Abi-bi6cb That's not true. Please look into the highway code, this is a dangerous thing to think
@@Abi-bi6cb Only in congested, slow moving traffic. For obvious reasons.
@@kieranwhitton3671 That's not true. Are you seriously suggesting a single lane hogger in the furthest right line can be a rolling road block? It's not advisable for lots of reasons, but there is no offence of 'undertaking'. Weaving through traffic to pass on the left is not ok, simply maintaining your lane is not an offence.
@@ryanmitcham5522 you arent meant to undertake in any lane no matter how many lanes there are (although if it was that situation i think almost everyone would undertake)
Before COVID, I used to do 35k+ miles per year of mainly motorway driving, so this clip is almost a montage of my average day.
The first clip is a common occurrence in winter sun. The blacked-out road markings somehow look white. I’ve even been on the receiving end of abuse from the driver in the wrong previously. In those lightning conditions, I just stay well back.
The clip with the red Mercedes wishing to move out. The cammer has the typical mentality of the average motorway user, viewing every signal as an “ask signal”. They’re in full force outside of office hours. The quality goes up during the day when all of the novices are behind their desks!
One very good thing that has come out of that deleted video, at least for me: Discovering what that "Community" tab is all about in the main YT channel page! All these years, I never even payed any attention to it, until I saw reference to it in today's Comments. So Thank You to all that mentioned it and for Ash's previous video! Some interesting stuff in there, including a poll about what sort of tyres we all use for winter. Brand new Cross Climates for me (not that I'm trying to promote the brand, everyone has their preference and needs), though not as yet tried under full winter conditions. I take the cliche approach of best to stay at home if you don't have to go out. Anyhow, I have some serious catch up reading & polls to do in Ashley's "Communuty" tab!
Enjoy 🙂
Thanks
For the first one, I don't see a driver or a steering wheel through the right hand window. Is it possible this is a LHD truck? If so, the muppet in the silver car was sitting in the lorries blind spot. And with a clear road ahead of them too, so absolutely no excuse to be hanging around in a potential blind spot in the first place.
If I see foreign plates on a truck I always assume they are LHD and will hold back behind them in heavy traffic until I know I can clear their entire length and then some more before I pass. I will not hang about next to them if I can avoid it.
The best lane discipline I ever saw was heading north on the M5 toward Bristol . It was mid week in the early afternoon and I was so impressed by how many drivers were pulling in to the left lane . It was different on the Sunday afternoon when the holiday traffic was returning home . The excellent driving midweek reduced the risk substantially of those who would under-take or tail-gate .
honestly, we're getting to the point where you can't blame the red car. it is a common joke for us to say that we are in our private lane in lane 1
I often find I have 3-4 times more braking distance in lane 1 than anybody else. I was on a 5 lane section of the M1 not so long ago in lane 1 where I could not see anything in front of me, or in lanes 2 or 3. There was a line of cars in lane 4 though. Appalling.
What? So driving like a canute is ok with you is it? One lane change and it is a multi car pile up with possible fatalities.
That guy (and it's almost certainly a guy) drives like a knob every day of his existence. Don't make excuses for him.
facepalm
Where was the head check before changing direction? Perhaps I missing it but that is drummed into you during your cbt and motorcycle training. I think he had a bit of a brown stage as he was unaware of his surroundings.
It all comes down to planning and anticipation. It's not just about you as the individual planning your route through the traffic, it's more about planning other drivers progression and dynamically combining this with your own intentions. This way we can all help eachother and so improve overall flow and progress.
Lane discipline is a big one. It was simply SHOCKING in NZ and Australia when I was there 2000 - 2010. The UK was a _huge_ relief when I returned, despite the much heavier traffic load compared to when I'd left.
New Zealand de facto does not have a keep left rule on motorways, we use the same rule as the US where you pick any lane. Some people think the road code says otherwise, but the design of the roads makes it 100% unambiguous. If a lane ends it is always the left lane, which is something you never do in a ‘keep left’ country. A lot of on ramps also lack auxiliary lanes so that would be too dangerous if everyone keeps left.
Lane discipline is definitely a problem. There appears to be a school of thought that says, if I change lanes and cause you to hit my car it will be your fault cos you hit me in the rear. Now with dash cams you can effectively argue this.
Another growing problem is the slip road racers. Why do people think that they have priority over the main carriageway when entering from a slip road. I always try to shift lane to let them in as a courtesy. However, if that is not possible why do they try to push in front? It's called a slip road so you can slip in behind the car to your right. It is not called a barge in road to enable you to barge in front.
Regarding the "Elephant in the Room", namely that previously deleted video. Personally I didn't think it was neccassary to delete it from a purely "technical" point of view. However, I can totally understand you deleting it "to keep the peace" & avoid further backlash Ash. Also, to avoid having to address a "privacy concern" from various 3rd parties, as was the case with that lady in the red top who had a "very high profile job". I'm now wondering if you will have a follow up video "Why I deleted that video".
Can somebody fill me in? I didn't manage to see it in time. Any mirror?
Amazing how people don't realise you have to actually be going faster than another car to overtake it.
never the less, it is not a reason to drive recklessly.
In regards to undertaking - my opinion is, if you are in lane 2 doing 60mph when lane 1 is free, it is *your* fault when you are undertaken. There's nothing wrong with driving only as fast as you are comfortable with on the motorway, but you have to keep good lane discipline as to not be a rolling roadblock.
My own but of motorway madness recently was mistaking a long slip road for traffic entering the motorway for my exit. I came off and started to catch the car formerly ahead of me, but quickly realised my mistake and slowed so I could rejoin again.
To the other car though it must have looked like I was trying to undertake them.
Don't really have any defense, it was just a silly mistake during a late night drive. Fortunately the road was quiet and it was easy to fix.
Did remind me though not to take regular routes for granted.
It's a problem that new "smart highways" causes when people are not paying attention (and why most people stay in lane 2 when lane one is totally empty, I actually go faster in lane one then I do in lane 2 3 4 at peak times because no one goes in it and everyone is rubbernecking in Lanes 2 3 and 4)
@@leexgx lane 1 often seems to be the only place I can reach the speed limit. I'll set the radar cruise control to 70 and sit in lane one. If that means I end up "undertaking" a bunch of idiots that are lane hogging the other 3 lanes, and driving far too close to each other, then so be it.
Ashley, I'm normally in lock-step with your analyses and I'm happy to defer to the expert, however:
Clip 1: Do you think that the lorry was an appropriate distance from the car in front?
Clip 2: Is there something in the highway code about speed differentials and how fast you need to overtake a vehicle on the motorway? Because there are a lot of lorries which would fall foul of that particular rule.
Clip 3: The passenger notes that the Merc decides to speed up before indicating. Is it not a case of deciding to overtake, not making that clear and then trying to squeeze in front of the cammer? I'd accelerate away from the Merc to get back left as well.
I agree with your comment about the vehicles bunching up which causes more accidents. This is so evident when you drive in Australia where the speed limit is painfully slow.Vehicles bunch up, then drive too closely together so nobody can jump into the breaking distance & I saw more accidents in 5 & 6 lane motorways than in our narrow roads & motorways. When it rains, there is usually carnage because they do not have an MOT test yearly, so the tyres are often a nightmare. It's only after an accident that the poor tyre condition causes a fine. Our MOTs are a pain, but at least it picks up on the lack on tyre tread at least once a year.
sorry about the earlier video, but this one was great!
Like we see over and over and over again. People who send content in are often as guilty of bad driving as those these seek to criticise, but are utterly oblivious. Bad driving is the majority and do enough miles you are clear on that. Whilst I won't pretend I am perfect (how would anyone know) I do read the road and drive defensively. In the rush to get further evidence they so often become part of the problem. Keep calling them out
I think ‘snail races’ often occur because people are driving on cruise control with only small differences in speed between vehicles.
It's because not all cars read the exact speed. So there is some variation between vehicles, my car is doing roughly 27mph when the speedo say's 30mph
Also many refuse to adjust their speed. 1-2mph more or less is all it takes to make a slow pass a little quicker.
I think you are correct, some people don't seem to realise that you can overide the cruise control to accelerate past a slower vehicle. Another cruise control issue I have witnessed is vehicles getting too close to the vehicle in front waiting for a space to pull out and pass. Without cruise control you would lift and adjust your speed without even thinking about it. If you touch your brakes you cancel cruise control, so the temptation is to not use the brakes.
I mean yes and no. I would say most snail races are because someone not using cruise control is being overtaken by someone doing a steady speed using it, sees they're being overtaken, and speed up. It's like the old adage about trucker passes - don't blame the trucker overtaking, blame the one who was clearly going slow enough to need to be overtaken in the first place, but then sped up and kept the overtaking truck in lane 2 for however many miles.
Some of it is down to older car drivers not realising dual carriageway speed limit is now 70, a lot think it is still 60. I corrected my dad on this. Or perhaps it is what people think is a comfortable speed , i.e. never go above 40 on a single carriage A road.
I've seen all of these scenarios on the motorway and the first clip is another mistake people make all to easily (including me).
I have however learnt from my mistakes.
I think the biggest problem is lane discipline with to many people hogging the middle lane completely oblivious to everyone else.
I'd probably guess the red car was stolen (maybe)!
Snail racing, it seems to have become a bigger problem since fuel prices went up. From memory in Germany on the autobahn you must/should be going something like 10% faster than the vehicle you're overtaking.
As a truck driver I saw the possibility of this happening on the M5 between J12 and J13 near Gloucester. A car driver did exactly the same thing, failed to notice the lanes moving over, I anticipated a problem so I held back. The car driver carried straight and moved from lane 2 into lane 3 and I think he realised his error when he found himself alongside the cones all of a sudden!
I didn't need to take any drastic action, I just released the cruise control and let the weight of the vehicle slow itself down. No sudden braking, minimised risk of being rear ended.
As a British ex-pat who just moved to Spain, I had my first driving lesson last week. One thing that surprised me is in my very first lesson here, I was driving on motorways. I remembered at the time and mentioned it to my instructor that this wouldnt even be legal in UK which is mind boggling.
The lane dicipline here is amazing compared to the uk, but the standards seem to be much higher. You're not even allowed to start lessons until you've completed the theory test (which by the way is 1000 times harder).
The one thing I think the UK does better however, is roundabouts. The rules in spain for roundabouts make no sense and its just dangerous.
@@davidgover565 The theory test in the UK was nothing at all like the spanish one, it's not even remotely comparable. In Spain I had to get 90% correct out of 30 questions about every possible facet of driving, pulled from over 15,000 potential questions. Things you wouldn't even think of asking in the uk such as insurance, liability, what specific drugs do, the effects of eating too much food and so on.
My test in the uk consisted of essentially watching a video on a computer and just clicking the mouse when i saw a "hazard", such as a child wandering a bit too close to the street without looking. It was a complete joke in retrospect. A child could've probably passed it.
The spanish test took me 4 attempts and i studdied for months, at least an hour every day. I even bought extra books that werent included in the package with my driving school.
As for roundabouts - In the UK you use the outside lane to turn left or go straight and the outside lane to go straight or turn right (most of the time). In Spain, you're taught to ONLY use the outside lane , which would be fine if that's what everyone did but in practice it's not the case, it's quite common for people to use both. So if you follow the rules and stick to the outside even if you want to go all the way around, you'll have to be careful of people on the inside wanting to pull out across your lane to exit.
It's just poor road design really. If you give people the option of 2 lanes and tell them to just use one, you've made it a choice. If you make it narrow enough to be a single lane then there's no problem. Spain has fantastic roads and people generally have great lane dicipline but it's a big fail for roundabouts.
To be fair though, despite the rules of UK roundabouts being superior in my opinion, you still have people that dont follow the rules and use the wrong lanes anyway so it's kind of a moot point.
3:32 When the motorway is this busy, it's actually safer to just stick in your lane rather than try and maintain strict lane discipline. I wouldn't expect any of the vehicles in lane 4 to move over left, as there's traffic ahead of them and in lane 3. There looks to be a long line of lorries in lane 1, so it's fair enough for other traffic to stick to lane 2 to creep past them.
This is exactly what I was thinking. Would love Ashley to rebuttal your point. Because I’m slightly confused. As far as I can tell ashley is saying youve to move over every time someone is behind you. So when it’s busy The logical conclusion would have everyone using 1 lane.
Exactly "lane hogging" has become a cliche for those who think nobody should have the affrontary to hold them up even for just a few moments, staying in your lane or constantly lane changing in and out to overtake say a convoy of HGVs I know exactly which is the safest option and you don't end up being trapped as you approach vehicles going a lot slower than you.
@@psp0guy yep, usually, where you have all-lane-running smart motorways, it's because it's a particularly bad spot for congestion. Those 4 lanes are to spread the congestion and keep the motorway moving, not to provide a clear lane 4 for those who wish to drive faster than everyone else!
@@Being_Jeff That’s the same thought you just had with the HGVs though they’re slower than me so I need to hold up others to get past them is what you just said.
You can move to lane 1 happily and plan ahead find the gap, if it isn’t there wait like you’re supposed to.
KEEP LEFT UNLESS OVERTAKING
@@hausmaster9801 keep left unless overtaking doesn't work in congestion - in fact, sometimes the matrix signs will display 'congestion, stay in lane'. It's not really that simple at all.
At 3:47 you point out that lane one is pretty much empty. Normally I would agree with you on this. Lane discipline on UK motorways has been terrible for years. However this stretch of road is a four lane motorway with no hard shoulder, euphemistically called "smart motorway". Personally I think "cheap and dangerous" would,be a more fitting name. A recent survey found that (from memory) over 30% of UK drivers are reluctant to use lane one on such motorways. I'm one of them, partly based on a couple of close shaves I had back in August.
In one journey down the M6 in Staffordshire, I had two occasions to call 999 within 30 minutes. The first involved a vehicle broken down in lane one, unable to reach the refuge (they're supposed to be every mile, but aren't always that frequent). I was in lane two, as I approached, a vehicle in lane one was signalling to move into my lane to pass the stationary car. Luckily lane three was clear and I was able to move out to avoid a collision. This was on a clear sunny day with excellent visibility. In the wet or dark, things could turn out very different. I then called 999, the only time it's legal to use a handheld phone, to tell the police of the stricken vehicle and the marker post number.
20 minutes later, there was a dead tyre carcass, probably fallen off an HGV, sat straddling lane one and two. I had to swerve from lane two partly into lane three to avoid it, another vehicle in lane one narrowly missed it. With a hard shoulder, they could have swerved onto the shoulder to avoid. As it was, they had to squeeze in the gap between the tyre and a crash barrier. Again I called 999 with the position of the tyre.
I'd be interested to see your views on "smart" motorways. Apologies if you've already done a video that I've missed.
Love the channel. Definitely makes me think about my driving and focus on what makes traffic flow, rather than who's in the right,
I think lane discipline, adequate distance between vehicles and compliance with the speed limits are all related and interact.
re the motorcycle. (s)he should also have done a shoulder check to see if someone was next to them before moving out to overtake. Shoulder checks save lives!
@@davidgover565 that's insane. I cannot tell you the number of times I wanted to move to the side in my car and did a shoulder check to note that there was a vehicle right beside me that I hadn't noticed before. [...] you would fail a test because of that seems completely insane!
6:05. This is a good clip to show, it demonstrates our natural basic nature and the problem with being human.
we all get frustrated an impatient sometimes and it’s then when we can sometimes do inappropriate things that we normally wouldn’t consider.
To expect everyone to behave perfect at all times in all situations is a ludicrous expectation.
Thats chapter one in roadcraft. Mental attitude. Thats probably the key to road safety. I think if humankind somehow mastered that there would be 95% fewer accidents
Honestly speaking, I'd be thinking 'I don't want to be rear ended by someone going 50 because some dullard stopped dead in the middle of a freeway sliproad.' I truly believe passing them on the left is a safer choice.
@@uxie6177 thanks a really good point. 👍👍
@ 7:45 the white BMW weaves around the lane a lot. On a couple of occasions over the white line. Impaired / distracted / wheel alignment?
6:20 id probably have done the same. Assesed the risk to check if hard shoulder was clear and then preceeded swiftly yet safely. I would hate to stay still on the slip road.
I was in Scotland the other week and the company that was responsible for the roadworks, different companies cover different areas, had roadworks signage on both sides to make changes clear
How do so many people drive that badly when so many cars have dashcams and reporting dangerous driving only takes a few minutes?!
I drive on the motorways regularly and lane discipline is absolutely shocking and seems to be getting worse. There is no benefit to adding a 4th lane if nobody is going to be using lane 1.
I think the term "middle lane hogger" has fuelled this more, as people in lane 2 of 4 see this as a second "slow" lane and not an overtaking lane. Maybe a rebrand of "overtaking lane hogger" would be more accurate but doesn't roll off the tongue as well!
As always, great videos Ashley. They have helped me get better and most importantly calmer with driving
The clip with the red Mercedes - That is one of my biggest hates on motorways, vehicles not moving out when the lane to the right is clear. People just don’t seem to understand there are multiple lanes on the motorway or what they are for. I feel a bit for the Merc driver as that happens to me a lot.
The people who struggle to move lanes are usually also the most angry that someone else has changed lanes in front of them.
" snailraces" 😅 i love that term! Yes, that's the main damger of driving public, they cannot get up to some significant differential speed past a lorry , which in turn limits the movement of other vehicles behind them , reduces rraffic flow, increases risk through bunching traffic , increases " relative " congestion ( not absolute as plenty of space behind and in front ) , and also gives lorry less lateral emergency escape for any problme up front. Or if kne of lorrys tyres fails , which is a big bang, loss of control for lorry driver and can damage car beside and also kill people near by. Basic European school physics they don't even learn in Uk on golf course 😅
All these middle laners who aren't overtaking need to be stopped by the police. It's about time some resources were used to tackle middle lane drivers.
Trucker here, that first clip, the truck driver is checking the road ahead and his mirrors as the roadworks end. He doesn't see the car right down by his right hand side until the last second by which time it's too late.
At that first clip and with the size of that unit. I would doubt the lorry driver had seen the car merge into his lane. As the sign previous was traffic moving over to the main carriageway towards the right. My main focus would be on my nearside mirrors. However, this could have been a left hand drive unit and no way on earth would the driver see that car coming.
A big problem in Birkenhead is that traffic-light stop lines are now so worn was to be invisible in many cases.
1:52 secs in. I feel I Would have seen this coming; been driving big trucks 17yrs now, and also been an acting manager which has allowed me to take on board other drivers’ mistakes.
Imho, while not at Fault, some Blame lies with the trucker for a lack of anticipation & action to avoid it.
I’ve stated before, it is this complication that has insurance companies settle knock for knock (total bill split equally twixt the two firms) as it’s about 1/10th the cost of trying to blame one or other driver in court.
In the second part where the red car is undertaking. Why is the camera car lane hugging? It's had ample time on several occasions to pull left.
This covers one of the major issues in motorway driving: there are no hard and fast rules of when you've overtaken at what point do you move back in. If you've overtaken and see a car up ahead going slower, should you move in or wait until you overtake them. It of course depends on how soon you'd overtake them, who's around you, how busy the motorway is, who's overtaking you etc, but the vast majority of drivers are incapable of working out when to move in and when not to depending on the conditions. And that's beside the fact that those overtaking often aren't doing it positively. Not that it's alright, but I completely understand any frustration caused by motorways.
I have just passed and havent been on the motorway. I go on the A roads and use the left lane unless I want to overtake, in which case I do that if necessary and move back into the left. Is this correct discipline?
Lots of drivers of cars indicate & move at the same time…sometimes brake as well. Very common in Wiltshire. Keep a safe gap so you can react safely when someone does this.
lane hoggers really do grind my gears but never to the point that I'm weaving through traffic like that.
patience is a virtue.
Red car in clip 2 is pretty much what you see on the M25 at most times - no-one uses Lane 1 and just cruises along - not helped by the variable speed limits which is, also in my opinion, why the lane discipline goes out the window :/
as a lorry driver for your first clip, nah it happened relatively quick, the only other option would be moving into the left lane but after doing mirror checks to make sure you were not gona hit anyone else that driver had already caused the accident
I have a question -
I am motorway driving in lane 1 of 4 at 70mph. The road ahead is clear apart from one car I am approaching sitting in lane 3 slightly ahead doing less than 70.
What should my manoeuvre be?
I blame the snail racing on the authorities going gung-ho with speed-based revenue-generation cameras all over the motorway network. It's left people so utterly afraid of getting a ticket that they hover below the speed limit, unable to pass at more than a crawl. Get rid of them, and police the speed limit (which imo should be 80mph like much of the continent) the old-fashioned way - with traffic cops. Said cops can also catch tailgaters, lane hoggers and weavers which a camera can't, and these behaviours are far more dangerous than speeding.
I do find that on All lanes running smart motorways Lane discipline is incredibly bad with the left lane usually empty over than the odd truck but lanes 3 and 4 full and slow of cars.
You say you couldn't read the motorcyclist's mind.
I don't think there was much in it to read.
As an HGV driver there is not too much the driver could have done about collecting a new bumper ornament. I do understand why the car driver got a little lost in their lane as like you said the road markings were not deleted very well and when the sun is shining it reflects and I can see why they got confused.....honest mistake.
I spend my life on our roads and honest mistakes I will take all day long HOWEVER and I do hope your viewer that sent the clip in reads this comment, because what I can not abide is driver's wilfully looking to get into trouble. That clip where your viewer is next to the Red Mercedes made my piss boil....the Mercedes driver was actually a good driver and was clearly paying attention to what was going on in ALL LANES. The red merc put a signal on and your viewer sped up...and if only he had maintained speed in lane three or as most of us would have done and signaled to move to lane 4 letting everyone keep a nice smooth flow.
Back in the 70's and 80's we used to get road safety adverts on TV .... and the Tuffty club was where youngsters learned all about pedestrian saftey and adult drivers we're exposed to 30 second clips, one I remember was "Dip don't dazzle " campaign then there was the "clunk clip every trip" seatbelt campaign before seatbelts we're made compulsory to wear. We need to see the reintroduction of such educational clips as the standard of driving for the most part is piss poor.
Nice collection of crap driving and love your calm interjection and clear instruction...people will learn from these examples and I nearly always agree with your summation......not that you need my approval you understand.
This reminded me of Jack from car throttle getting pitted and pushed on the highway by the royal mail lorry. The driver only noticed that something was wrong when he was flagged by no other than ellie golding when she was driving in the other lane.