Motorway exit lanes |
Motorway exit lanes |
Mon, 11 Feb 2019 - 21:17
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#1
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New Member Group: Members Posts: 2 Joined: 11 Feb 2019 Member No.: 102,405 |
Hello, this is not related to a potential prosecution but purely due to my inability to find a satisfactory answer else where.
Is it legal to pass vehicles on the left if you are in a exit lane separated from the main carriageway by a broken hazard line. The lines I am referring to are usually quite short lines ( 30-50 cms) with a small gap in between them. I am seeing these increasingly on motorways some of these lanes can be quite long for example M40 south/east exit to M25, near Heathrow Here the motorway is 4 or 5 lanes wide with lanes 1 & 2 separated as described and signage indicating the use of these lanes to joint the M25. So if I was in lane 2 on the exit lane marked M25, before the solid white line chevron divider, travelling at a legal speed could I pass something in lane 3 that is travelling slower? |
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Mon, 11 Feb 2019 - 21:17
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Mon, 11 Feb 2019 - 22:52
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 287 Joined: 29 Sep 2016 Member No.: 87,439 |
While there is no law against undertaking, if you are on an exit (slip road) you aren’t on the main carriageway anyway so you may pass traffic on the right.
This post has been edited by Starworshipper12: Mon, 11 Feb 2019 - 22:53 |
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Mon, 11 Feb 2019 - 23:03
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#3
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Member Group: Members Posts: 25,726 Joined: 28 Jun 2010 From: Area 51 Member No.: 38,559 |
Not OCD about it but I generally try to follow the rule that thou should not overtake on the left.
However the moment there is a solid white line or divider, as far as I am concerned I can. There is often cases of slower traffic in lane one or lane two with lane one for leavers. Safety considerations apply, last minute lane swoops are not unknown. |
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Mon, 11 Feb 2019 - 23:06
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#4
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Member Group: Members Posts: 38,006 Joined: 3 Dec 2010 Member No.: 42,618 |
Not OCD about it but I generally try to follow the rule that thou should not overtake on the left. However the moment there is a solid white line or divider, as far as I am concerned I can. There is often cases of slower traffic in lane one or lane two with lane one for leavers. Safety considerations apply, last minute lane swoops are not unknown. +1 -------------------- If you would like assistance with a penalty charge notice, please post a thread on https://www.ftla.uk/index.php
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Mon, 11 Feb 2019 - 23:20
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#5
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Member Group: Members Posts: 287 Joined: 29 Sep 2016 Member No.: 87,439 |
Last minute lane swoops are commonplace in my area! And my wife (who does all the driving) loves to aggressively undertake in the case of middle lane hoggers.
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Tue, 12 Feb 2019 - 11:02
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#6
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Member Group: Members Posts: 3,306 Joined: 4 Mar 2017 Member No.: 90,659 |
The M40 one people seem to treat it, sensibly, as two carriageways. The layout there used to be one lane M25, three M40 and there were big queues.
When they remarked it they didn't take into account you would only need half the length. |
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Thu, 14 Feb 2019 - 21:24
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#7
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New Member Group: Members Posts: 2 Joined: 11 Feb 2019 Member No.: 102,405 |
Hi
The reason for my question is; I was out riding ( motorcycles) with a group of mates northbound on the M6 exiting at J21 ( here https://goo.gl/maps/dKSSdW3Ywm62 ) The count down finishes as expected at a gantry and a new lane is established for the exit but it travels quite a distance before the actual off ramp starts about here https://goo.gl/maps/mQinrNXYnyy) As I was leading and the exit lane was virtually empty I passed several vehicle who were remaining on the M6 Some of my mates did the same but others held back. Obviously on a bike we know everyone is out to kill us anyway, so good observation was maintained for anyone swooping into the lane closer to the actual exit. This later ( over tea and bacon sandwiches) resulted in a discussion over the legality of my move. I have since looked through various publications but nothing I found was definitive. I believe that this road layout is called: grade separated junctions, but that was about as much as I could find. |
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Thu, 14 Feb 2019 - 21:47
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#8
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Webmaster Group: Root Admin Posts: 8,205 Joined: 30 Mar 2003 From: Wokingham, UK Member No.: 2 |
I believe that this road layout is called: grade separated junctions, but that was about as much as I could find. No; the "grade" in grade separated junctions refers to a difference in height between different traffic flows. On UK motorways this is usually where the a road crosses above (or below) the motorway via a roundabout, with the motorway entry/exit lanes connected to the roundabout via ramps (hence the grade bit of the name). -------------------- Regards,
Fredd __________________________________________________________________________
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Fri, 15 Feb 2019 - 09:11
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#9
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Member Group: Members Posts: 25,726 Joined: 28 Jun 2010 From: Area 51 Member No.: 38,559 |
Hi The reason for my question is; I was out riding ( motorcycles) with a group of mates northbound on the M6 exiting at J21 ……….. Fairly normal layout. Certainly not illegal to undertake in that lane, circumstances could lead a cop to pull someone doing it for dangerous or careless but would not be simply for a sensible undertake in a lane dedicated to those exiting. As I said earlier I am OCD on not undertaking but treat these sort of exits, signs and markings as permissives and do so if the circumstances warrant. Extremes are:- Static/very slow on main motorway, exit clear, I will undertake, not at full speed and with the thought of swoopers/lane changers uppermost. Main motorway at 60-70, wont bother undertaking, will match speed with a gap to my right (I like escape routes). Slow lorry/traffic (30-50) in lane one on main carriageway, may-may not undertake, depends on what I feel is right on the day. |
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