Most of the traffic in the outer lanes of our motorways jigs along at over the 70 mph limit. Our understanding has been that up to 85mph you are unlikely to get a speeding ticket (local weather conditions permitting). 85 to 89mph and you are in the twilight zone, and anything above 90 you will get a ticket if spotted.
A few months ago I heard something about a change of policy with regard to what might be regarded as an offence in this respect. Would anyone be able to give an update on what the unofficial policy is regarding getting a speeding ticket on the motorway currently?
By definition, if it's unofficial, it's not recorded :)
All traffic cops I've known have said that they'll ignore anything under
80 as a general rule, unless the driver is "being a dick" ... which is usually weaving in and out and/or flashing headlamps and/or ignoring the road conditions.
However that said, I don't know what threshold the average speed cameras trip at - bearing in mind they could simply run a program at the end of the day to catch any proportion of speeding cars, up to 100%.
Sounds like you have been listening to an urban myth. ACPO have a general suggestion, AIUI, of limit plus 10%. Judging by the local court reports 90 mph will see you in court rather than just a ticket. A hefty fine with a short ban as well is probable.
There is no unofficial policy. There are, however, guidelines published by the Association of Chief Police Officers as to the *minimum* appropriate level of enforcement when speeding is the only offence.
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It remains within the discretion of every police officer to issue a fixed penalty notice or summons for *any* breach of the law.
The government is currently consulting on bringing us into line with much of Europe by raising the speed limit on motorways to 80mph.
Why is it considered OK to hook the fast lane, but not OK to hook the middle lane? And why are cars in the fast lane driving much closer together than cars driving in the middle lane? Why does most accidents happen in the fast lane?
No not when cruising at 75 mph. What's your problem? plenty of gaps between cars if you want to overtake me. Or perhaps you prefer to stay in the crowded fast lane?
Oh, well. I have 200 years of NCB, so that must count for something. I have passed many accidents on motorway, typically caused by fast lane intimidation; i.e. a three car pile up. I can gather that it is intimidation because the cars involved are often nice new sporty types, often German makes of cars.
There is no such thing as the "fast lane". The Highway Code recommends that you use the leftmost lane unless overtaking.
Rule 264: You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past. Slow-moving or speed-restricted vehicles should always remain in the left-hand lane of the carriageway unless overtaking. Guy
Interstitial speeding. Nothing for a mile in front, a line of lorries and someone cruising in the middle lane behind. One at a time please.
Yes I call it outside lane brag. 50% of all M-way traffic packed into outside lane. A line of braggarts all making claims that they can go faster than the car in front, if only it would get out of their way. But when the chips are down, the call made and they get a clear road turns out they hold jack all cos they are now in someone else's way. But they still have to stay in the outside lane to overtake that car that was in the way, even if it takes the next 10 miles. (and you thought trucks were bad taking 5 miles to overtake)
10% of M-way deaths are on hard shoulder. 32% of M-way accidents on the hard shoulder result in death, while 2% of all M-way accidents result in death. Usually get wiped out by a passing vehicle that crosses the rumble strip, worst times are between 2am and 6am.
Which lane do you use on 4 lane M-way? Lane 2 or 3? It takes a whole lot more distance to plan and execute the overtake of a car in lane 3 from lane 1 across to lane 4 and back to lane 1. You really do need a mile to overtake. First time I did this I nearly wiped out, had to brake in lane 3 and then re-accelerate in lane 4, its undoubtably safer to undertake a car in lane 3.
Many thanks and please keep it up. I rely on you to block the road as you force 3 lanes of traffic to bunch up and go in single file though the outside lane so the police have to put the blues on to clear a way past. It really does stop them sneaking up and gives me time to shuffle the next pack of cars, stack the deck, deal from the bottom and then "hide" all by myself in a clear bit of the road about 200m in front of the pack.
I would also drive on the left unless my progress at 70-75mph is impeded. But again, that begs the question: Why is the fast lane the most crowded on M25? Why are drivers in the crowded fast lane considered saints, whereas the middle lane drivers usually at 70-75 mph are considered villans? I think that it has something to do with drivers in the fast lane consider themselves superior because they drive faster...
Because people with no awareness of their surroundings hog the middle lane when not overtaking anything forcing any traffic wishing to overtake them to squeeze into the right hand lane. While, perhaps, not being in an accident themselves, being asleep at the wheel, middle lane cruisers are completely oblivious to the dangers they are inflicting on others.
I remember seeing a standard issue marked police BMW 5 series fly past me on the motorway and magnetically attach itself to the back of a middle lane cruiser flashing its lights to get the guy to move to the empty left hand lane. There was no response so they put on the blues and twos..the guy pulled into the left about half a mile *after* this. He must have been in a coma or single mindedly not pulling in for the impatient driver/boy racer behind. LOL.
The way I look at it is that if the guy behind me can undertake me then overtake the next car on my left then, give or take, I'm lane hogging and not overtaking and, therefore, driving poorly.
As for people who pick their lane 5 miles in advance..more poor drivers who shouldn't be on the road.
Some people (of restricted thinking abilities) believe that good drivers are simply the ones not to have accidents. My wife, for example, is a peerless driver but there is no way I'd want to be anywhere near her if she's driving a car. The only way she passed her test (IMHO) was to get a more mature male tester and wear an extremely fetching and revealing outfit!! She is one of very few people I know to take professional driving lessons AFTER 'passing her test'.
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