I've also noticed this and can only assume that such people still view lane 3 (or 4) as the 'fast lane' and are a bit too timid to use it - lest they upset the 'Johnny 5-series' types.
I have noticed as well.
One question - what is a Johnny 5-series type?
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One question - what is a Johnny 5-series type?
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According to Wikipedia:
"Johnny 5-series type n. (m/f) A jocular reference to drivers of certain German car marques, characterized by fast and/or aggressive behaviour."
OK, I might have made it up.... :-)
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>>>>"Johnny 5-series type n. (m/f) A jocular reference to drivers of certain German car marques, characterized by fast and/or aggressive behaviour."
It's the looks they give you as well! The legal speed limit is 70 and I, like most others, will bumble along at 80-85 until headlights on full beam and a (insert german car marque here) badge will appear by magic in the rear view mirror! So I obligingly move over and get scowled at too. Grrrr.
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As a Johnny 5-Series type (although I experience more tailgating from poverty-spec C-Classes, Lagunas and other transport of the unsuccessful sales rep) I am familiar with the kind of driver the OP describes.
My feeling is that they are the offspring of a middle lane moron and a tailgater and combine the least appealing characteristics of both.
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stick a yellow coat on the back parcel shelf with a pretend coppers helmet,some pretend police slow signs might help as well
be aware this route will not work if you drive a lada samara
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It's the looks they give you as well! The legal speed limit is 70 and I like most others will bumble along at 80-85 until headlights on full beam and a (insert german car marque here) badge will appear by magic in the rear view mirror! So I obligingly move over and get scowled at too. Grrrr.
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Boggy,
That's probably why you got the main beams, you hadn't been using the mirror and didn't move in to the left when you could have done, so got surprised by the 'sudden' appearance of the speeding Bavarian.........:-)
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"speeding Bavarian"
Nicely put.....
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I've noticed this, because I do it myself. I don't particularly care what speed I do on a motorway, I just want to jog along in the least stressful way at a reasonable speed. I might prefer to do 65-70, but if I am doing that in lane2, overtaking slower traffic in lane 1, and then come up behind someone going 2 mph slower, I am quite happy to sit behind him at a reasonable distance until he either pulls over or speeds up.
If I pull out into lane 3 and overtake I only gain a few extra mph, but risk having someone steam up behind doing 85 flashing his lights.
People have different objectives. For most, it is to go as fast as possible in all circumstances. Mine is to complete the journey safely and with the least possible stress. I mostly leave lane 3 to those who want to die young.
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Thanks for your insight - I wasn't really referring to a small speed differences. Other than noting you behind me, I wouldn't have registered your behaviour. I'm questioning those that do this at 85!
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It's becuase Lane 3 is for BMW's.
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If they are still doing this at 85 perhaps the time has come for them to give up motoring.
Now, where did I put my cloth cap?
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I don't particularly care what speed I do on a motorway I just want to jog along in the least stressful way at a reasonable speed. I might prefer to do 65-70
I agree. Virtually all of the time I have absolutely no need whatsoever to arrive at my destination 2 minutes earlier. Slower speeds are less stressful, and a lot more economical, not to mention less polluting.
If I pull out into lane 3 and overtake I only gain a few extra mph but risk having someone steam up behind doing 85 flashing his lights.
I agree. The flashing lights types are nothing more than bullies. You are the one obeying the law so are quite within your rights to use lane 3.
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>> If I pull out into lane 3 and overtake I only gain a few extra >> mph but risk having someone steam up behind doing 85 flashing his lights. I agree. The flashing lights types are nothing more than bullies. You are the one obeying the law so are quite within your rights to use lane 3.
very true......but presumably, once the manouevre is over, having used your mirrors and being aware of other road users you'd then move over.... and if you didn't, you'd deserve the 'lights'..
or is it the case that as you're obeying the law, you'd be justified in staying out there to slow down the faster driver to conform to your priorities?......which really isn't your role, is it?
It is very rare for me to notice headlamp flashing of people doing thoroughly legitimate overtakes...however i've seen loads of this when someone unnecessarily remains in the outside lane or ignorantly overtakes at 1-2 mph faster than the other vehicle, when they could quite easily speed up a little, then settle back a bit.....to help facilitate the progress of others.. it's called 'being selfish'.
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why do so many drivers use the 3rd lane to overtake say two lorries both doing 50-54mph, at 60mph, holding everyone up, then when they get past the lorries, move back over -
THEN SPEED UP to 80mph sometimes, why do they think this makes any sense.
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can only think of control freakery....
have lost count of the times when finishing a night shift at 0545 hours have overtaken people on an ex A road that now has a totally unjustified 30mph limit...... with them doing dead on the dot 30mph on their speedos....(which means about 28.5mph).......when i overtake and settle back to about 45mph, i find they're keeping up.......why on earth not do that in the first place!!.. i wouldn't bother overtaking.
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but presumably once the manouevre is over having used your mirrors and being aware of other road users you'd then move over.... and if you didn't you'd deserve the 'lights'..
Can you please define "once the manoevre is over"?
It is very rare for me to notice headlamp flashing of people doing thoroughly legitimate overtakes...
.*******
Thanks
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Hmm, not sure what happened to my last post so here goes again for the 2nd part
>>It is very rare for me to notice headlamp flashing of people doing thoroughly legitimate overtakes...
.*******
Thanks
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>> but presumably once the manouevre is over having used your mirrors and being aware >> of other road users you'd then move over.... and if you didn't you'd deserve the 'lights'.. Can you please define "once the manoevre is over"?
what i'm saying is.......once you've overtaken someone, unless you're in a damned great queue waiting to go faster yourself, then you'd pull back in again and let a faster car past, wouldn't you?
and the faster car wouldn't need to flash its' lights, unless you were remaining out in the 3rd lane too long i.e. holding then up unnecessarily
i'm saying it's rare to see the headlight flashing if the car in front has nowhere to go, but i do sometimes see it, when the car in front stays out too long and could have easily moved back in and facilitated someone else's progress
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Hi Westpig
My question was meaning at what point exactly have you overtaken someone? Over here it is very common to move back in when you are just a few metres ahead of the overtaken car.
.*******
So what is "too long"?
Thanks
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Hoping this will post - For me, a legitimate overtake is one where I move back to the inside lane when I can fully see the overtaken car in my interior mirror. Staying out this long really annoys the 5 series types but anything less and you are forcing the overtaken car to tailgate you.
Actually, even when you can see the overtaken car in your interior mirror this does not give the overtaken car a 2 second gap in front of him. The speed differential can be said to partially make up for this, but only if your speed is significantly higher than the overtaken car.
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rich66,
I get what you mean now. I'd have thought the mirror bit is about right. If someone behind you can't wait that long before hassling you, then they're out of order aren't they and really rude.
Different if it's raining or the road is well wet, as if you pull in too soon, you're going to send a shower of carp all over the overtaken car, so i tend to leave it a bit longer then, although if they're a bimbling middle lane hogger, they don't count.... :-)
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I'm with rich66 on this one. One of my pet hates are drivers that move back in too early, often for no reason (I can sort of understand if they are being intimidated by some idiot) forcing me to back off or brake in order to restore my safety zone.
Really this debate just highlights yet again that many drivers are clueless about even the most basic tenets of roadcraft.
How I deal with this people- if I'm in lane 2 or 3 I move over to lane 1 as soon it's safe to do so. If I'm in lane 1 and someone comes up behind me at a higher speed than my own and begins to tailgate then I just gradually ease my speed down until they overtake. Sometimes punctuated by use of windscreen wipers to clean off the dead flies/wake them up if they are particularly dense. What amazes me is that often these people also seem to be the type that have extremely dirty windscreens and empty washer bottles.
Earlier in my driving career I used to deal with the problem by nailing it in 3rd when they almost ran in the back of me, then resuming cruising speed. Then when they finally caught up again repeating until they got the idea and overtook. Wouldn't advocate that these days though, not just safety, but they really aren't worth wasting the fuel on..........
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Nice to hear both your opinions and reassures me that I am not staying out too long.
Clueless is the right word. Being able to stop doesn't seem to be taught properly by the driving test. Driving simulators have existed for years and I am sure they could be used to teach people what happens if you don't leave a big enough gap in front and behind.
Cheers
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rich66 - your definition of when you SHOULD pull back in is spot on - this does seem to iritate the "intimidators" but we shouldn't reduce our driving standards.
On the occassions when I do get flashed, unreasonably of course, I just wave to acknowledge I've seen the flash and continue my manoeuvre safely.
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