Driving home today and spotted a very long queue of traffic right up the hill and the reason for this was that the traffic lights were out of order so some temporary lights have been installed (didn’t know that at the time).

I was amazed to see that everyone was completely ignoring the overtaking lane on the dual carriageway and it most definitely was not closed. Had people used that lane, the queue would have been lessened somewhat and all that is needed is to simply merge in turn where the arrows are when the overtaking lane ends.

Instead, people were just sat bumper to bumper up the hill. So I used the overtaking lane at a very steady pace and it was interesting... 2 cars partially moved out in a half hearted attempt to block the lane, another car blasted its horn at me and then I reached the arrows at the top and stopped, waiting for the traffic to move.

A woman in a red hatchback immediately accelerated to block me and then a van driver almost crashed into the back of her as he furiously bid to stop me moving over. This was a domino effect on the cars behind as they all joined forces.

In the end, with some of the lane left, I accelerated past the 2 buffoons and in front of an elderly chap who kindly and smartly waved me in front of him. Has anyone else come across this? I do recall seeing a video of some bloke blocking people doing similar and he and other drivers were criticised for not merging in turn and just leaving a lane empty. LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Happens to me all the time, as I use my high driving position to look a long way up the road, and move into the shortest queue in good time.
In Vancouver Canada, merging is very strictly observed, as are stop, and slow signs. Drivers are (mostly) very polite and make it a pleasure to travel. Although they do appear to have too many traffic lights. FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 76k+ miles) (MY2015)

This is a slow video but informative. Skip to 4 minutes 30 seconds for a good summary.



When I stopped, with a good part of the lane still available, I positioned my car behind the one on the inside if you see what I mean. This was to indicate my intention to merge into that position but then everyone went to war  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Surely you expected to be unpopular ? The traffic was obviously queuing for a reason . If all of the traffic in the single lane had formed two lines and merged in turn , you would have been the last to arrive in one of those lanes and you would have had to wait multiple changes of the lights . In effect you jumped the queue , and of course the “ buffoons” would be upset . No one likes queue jumpers . It’s quite common these days to see HGV drivers straddle lanes to block queue jumpers especially where the motorway lanes are being closed. While what you did may have been technically legal , it IMHO does lack an element of courtesy . Anyway it’s a high risk strategy as one day at the front it will be builders Tranny pickup or 15 year old sprinter van which won’t mind swapping paint  2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

If you watch the video, not only was what I did correct but it’s the others that lack courtesy. If these people got their act together and used both lanes and merged in turn it wouldn’t be an issue.

Obviously I knew it would be unpopular but better that than to join the sheep. I used to be one such queuing sheep but learned from those mistakes and now merge in turn or try to at least. LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Quite simply , you were bang out of order . People are not “ Buffoons “ and people are not “ Sheep “ being put straight by some sort of “ Uber Arbiter “ of how to drive . The roads are a dynamic place and your action could easily lead to conflict . You are lucky someone let you in , as I said one day ....

Oh and for what’s it’s worth I’d have blocked you out too  2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

Last edited by MartynB on 17th Jul 2019 7:45 pm. Edited 1 time in total

From the comments section of the video

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

No it’s not cold hard facts , it’s another of your frequent ranting posts about how the road is full of buffoons and idiots -(except of course you ) You can justify to yourself all you want , but remember all the people in that queue weren’t thinking “ oh what a sterling chap that is exercising his superior knowledge of roadcraft .

On some other forum somewhere is a post about the **** who shoved his way to the front of the lights !

Anyway I’ll leave you to believe that you are a super informed driving god , and I’ll go back to doing whatever sheep do  2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

Actually we all make mistakes on the road, me included but this wasn’t one of them. It is a fact that the procedure I followed is correct. But yes you carry on about your business LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

MartynB wrote:

Oh and for what’s it’s worth I’d have blocked you out too

And if he had turned out to be an unmarked police car, how do you think that would go down ? 
Hung like Einstein, smart as a horse.

I move over as soon as I see the sign saying the road ends , I assume (I know it’s a dangerous thing) that other road users can read also . If you move over at the first sign the traffic keeps flowing, keep going until someone has to brake hard to let the queue jumper in then up the whole thing.
I know you said it was temp lights , if there’s 1 Q more traffic gets through at each change, 2 into 1 is never quicker. I would have blocked you.
Btw that driving instructor neal is an idiot, look on YouTube how he tried to make temp lights change and forced an oncoming hgv to go up on the pavement to get by. Do it now ! Your a long time dead !!

I have seen videos where he seems a bit daft like you mentioned but the actual content and information is what is valid. I’ve been sat in a queue before and seen someone coming in my wing mirror and stop alongside me.

I could when traffic moves, floor it and try to block them out but I just wave them in and then I’ll accelerate off. No issues caused at all. Just a case of using all the lanes as per the Highway Code. LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Part of the problem is the closing off of one lane. If cones were placed in BOTH lanes to funnel traffic down to a single CENTRE lane, and then right or left into whichever lane was clear, this would not happen and people would (mostly) filter sensibly.
That said, I remember a memorable moment on the South Circular in Catford where two lanes merge into one at a pedestrian crossing with barriers and yes, two drivers wedged themselves between the barriers so that neither could move or get out of their car.
The problem also sometimes happens where three lanes goes down to three. I watched two drivers refusing to give way to each other on the A1 in Gateshead, both trying to occupy the same lane at about 70. I kept well back, but they managed not to hit each other. Culprit was a driver with a prominent disabled sticker who steamed up the third lane at about 90 and just ran out of road. Ex AA Series III LWB Safari - Gone
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The Doctor wrote:

This is a slow video but informative. Skip to 4 minutes 30 seconds for a good summary.

Never queue too early, always use all available road space. It prevents lengthy queues and two slow moving queues are better than one massive one. Of course if it’s fast flowing then it’s best to move over early.

Rule 134 of the Highway Code

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/105...ge-in-turn 21MY Defender 90 S 3.0 D200