Safe Speed Forums

Put this question in here , but not convinced that this best place for it.

Few weeks ago coming back up M40 , L1 was full / not useable --so most trafficwas in L2 - so i was making good progress up L2,with forays into L3. Several times I was overtaken in L3 by a Merc, who then pulled into L2, ahead of me. He'd brake as he caught up. I was then catching up with this lot and safely moved into L3, passed the L2 lot and moved back into L2 - indeed i'd done it as a matter of course, whilst the Merc had remained in L2.Although Merc was travelling faster than me , this kept up for some miles - me always using my mirror to get out to L3 , him getting stuck.A few times , i let him out .
Had this hapen recently on M1.
Any suggestions, apart from obvious one that mirror checks were not as per need.

I've had this happen to me on a number of occassions. ie someone comes belting past me, moves back across to L2 or L1 and then slows down for no obvious reason so I go past them again. Repeat every few minutes. I'd love to hear a rational explanation for this.

it seems fairly common, and enfuriating at times!

i try to drive at a steady speed, and move back across the lanes where this is sensible. sometimes i get caught out (well maybe not caught out, i can see it coming but choose not to make a fuss) by a line of traffic (usually not doing the same) and have to back off and wait for a gap before getting back up to speed. conversely sometimes i'll give it a blip to pass a vehicle i'm catching with only a small speed differential, in order to make the manouvre as short as possible.

i guess the overtakes were out of his comfort zone either that or i get the impression that people feel a little exposed when they become the fastest thing on the road, much better to have someone ahead doing 5mph more!

Merc drivers brain has too much hysteresis?

Merc driver was making calls on his hands free phone - pulling in during calls 'cause its safer?

My assistant noticeably speeds up when she pulls into L3, and slows again when she goes back to L2.

I cheerfully point out cars (driving at a steady speed) when they go past again:

"Oh look, there's that Mondeo again!"

It's lucky she's got her looks, bless her....

You will find, if you have a car with a cruise control, like I have, that if you set a speed on the motorway, you will find that many other people's speed (presumably non cruise control), is constantly varying. If I find a littel group on L2 just slightly below my speed, I pass them in L3 and then go back into L2 (or L1) and resume my cruise. I then find those I have passed then sometimes come past me. Clearly they have decided to speed up a bit; finished their illegal phone conversations no doubt !!

_________________
Good manners maketh a good motorist

Wel, L3 ,used to be called the "Fast lane "( and it still sticks )

Not blonde,your assistant ??

If we weren't artificially restricted by fear of losing our licences then our speed should be constantly varying, even on a motorway. Faster on clear sections then when passing slow moving traffic.

In a large comfortable saloon there is very little difference, in the drivers physical experience/sensations, whether doing 50 or 90.
So it is easy to drift up, or down in speed, especially if driving to your own perception of appropriate speed, if you then check your speedo, you can then find, you should slow down, to protect your licence, or speed up, to protect your ego.
Yes most large cars have cruise control, but I don't know how many drivers know how to use it, my old jag doesn't have it
I'm doing a fair bit of driving in North Wales, so I'm getting good a sticking to posted limits

fatboytim