Motorway driving

[philmayfield 5,360]

I’ve not done much serious motorway driving for a while but yesterday we did a 300 mile round trip to Lancashire. Interesting points were:

Overtaking on the left, even at high speed, is a regular occurrence.

National speed limits, even the dark and wet, are purely advisory.

Signalling to change lanes is voluntary 

Driving up people’s backsides is a common occurrence

Clogging the middle lane when the inside lane is clear is compulsory 

The thing I can’t understand was that my wife averaged 51 to the gallon on her leg and I only got 45 on the return journey!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MargieH 7,394]

Phil, maybe your wife is a better driver than you? By better, I mean more consistent speed, more patient and not constantly changing lanes etc

But what do I know   I don’t really know either of you.  
I’d like to meet her - we could talk about our shared experience of dancing lessons!

[philmayfield 5,360]

I must confess you are probably right! 

[The Pianoman 1,482]

You probably saw a lot of BMW's and Audi's on your journey .  Seriously, I am no longer interested in driving, partly due to other peoples driving standards.

[philmayfield 5,360]

BMW’s and Audis are the worst offenders. I don’t know why. I was in my wife’s Jag! 

[IAN FINN 571]

Blame it on a head wind phil they drive the same here pass and squeeze in at every opportunity.

[Rob.L 1,027]

Don’t mention Audi drivers. Especially ones that don’t indicate. 
 

Someone on here will get annoyed. 

 

 

[colly0410 1,180]

My most stressful motorway driving for me was when I was taking the advanced driving part (part 2) of the driving intructors  tests: The chief examiner told me to drive from 27 & come off at 25 & back towards the city through Clifton. Got up to 70 MPH & in lane 3 (as it was back then) overtaking other traffic when just before 26 we hit a jam & stopped, then stop/go at a snails pace. As time was getting on he asked me to come off at 26, so I had to get over to lane 2, then lane 1 for the slip road, so left hand flasher & hope someone lets me in, which they did - eventually, then did the urban part of the test in Beeston & Lenton Abbey. He passed me so I must have done things right, phew...

[nonnaB 4,752]

My most horrific journey as a passenger was last time we went to Genova airport. Not so much the motorway as we’ve done it many times. It was very early morning and still dark , every couple of hundred meters there were road repairs. Dodging in and out of the barriers seemed like an obstacle race plus the warning lights flashing and full beam headlights coming at us it was frightening. A relief to get into the airport but then on the return out of the airport and pay booths the slip road to join the motorway home was blocked. We had to travel miles to get to the next convenient exit. It was turned midnight We were tired and frustrated that we said we’d never do it again…..until the next time.

[Oztalgian 2,858]

7 hours ago, philmayfield said:

I’ve not done much serious motorway driving for a while but yesterday we did a 300 mile round trip to Lancashire. Interesting points were:

Overtaking on the left, even at high speed, is a regular occurrence.

National speed limits, even the dark and wet, are purely advisory.

Signalling to change lanes is voluntary 

Driving up people’s backsides is a common occurrence

Clogging the middle lane when the inside lane is clear is compulsory 

We don't have that many motorways here in Australia but on those that we do have there are the same problems

The law here allows you to overtake on the left if it is safe to do so and in a marked lane. After being here for 50 years I still don't feel comfortable doing it. The roads have "keep left unless overtaking" signs but they are totally ignored and never policed even on roads 5 lanes wide.

Speed limits are only for some drivers, certainly not Audis, Mercs, tradie utes and never ever for white van men. I wish we had cats-eyes here like the UK. The little bits of plastic they stick on the lane markers here are useless and the white lines disappear in rain as they have very little reflective additive in the paint. Lots of cars appear not to have indicators and the number of vehicles driving around with defective lights is unbelievable. Tailgating especially with big four-wheel drives is compulsory. The ability to merge properly is an unknown skill and once off the motorway don't get me started on the correct use of roundabouts.

[Rob.L 1,027]

Having spent the best part of forty years driving up and down virtually every motorway in GB (exceptions are M77 and M876 in Scotland), the only journey I can honestly say was enjoyable from start to finish was actually in France, travelling back from Caen to Calais on the autoroutes. Good road surfaces, well signed, drivers sticking not only to speed limits, but to lane discipline as well, lovely clean services (aires) with good food. Made the journey pleasant.

 

And then came the M20 - Road works, tailgaters, congestion. 

[PeverilPeril 3,153]

I spent several months a year in France for 14 years, where the motoring and cycling conditions were far superior to the UK. In fact most of mainland Europe have better conditions and less road works that the UK. It is easy to blame the roadworks and congestion on our crowded island but a lot of Benelux, France and Germany are just as densely populated. 

 

[Alpha 162]

It cannot be denied that GB, (delete the great), that we are a backward, third world, decrepit nation. The bottom of every scale, accountability, good government, health, tansport and communications, social services, justice and law, policing and the worst standard of both tiers of education.....

 

Our national priorities appear nothing more than crass football and its players, game shows, reality shows and moronic TV programmes amongst others.

[Oztalgian 2,858]

4 hours ago, Alpha said:

It cannot be denied that GB, (delete the great), that we are a backward, third world, decrepit nation. The bottom of every scale, accountability, good government, health, tansport and communications, social services, justice and law, policing and the worst standard of both tiers of education.....

 

Our national priorities appear nothing more than crass football and its players, game shows, reality shows and moronic TV programmes amongst others.

After reading your comments Alpha I am glad I emigrated

[Alpha 162]

Oz, I deeply regret not pursuing my application more vigorously in '63 when my mother, surreptitiously, intervened in my correspondence and with another poor decision in ’79.

 

 

[Jill Sparrow 9,574]

My father wanted to go to Oz around 1965/6. He'd been there during the war when he was in the Navy. Loved Fremantle which he thought would be ideal for emigration. Mum was having none of it. We didn't go!

[benjamin1945 15,496]

MY Dad nearly went to be the 'Station Master' in Rhyl......but Mother was having none of it..........1 was about 5 or 6.............who knows where life would have taken me......would probably been supporting Wales tonight............not sure i'm not !!!

[philmayfield 5,360]

I went to Rhyl once. It made Skegness look like Monte Carlo!

[Jill Sparrow 9,574]

Wonder whether Blodwyn, Angharad, Gwyneth & co realize what they missed?

[benjamin1945 15,496]

Was nice in the 50s..............went most years for a week when i was a school boy.....loved it..........

              Went to visit a few years ago.......not quite the same...

[philmayfield 5,360]

I went out of curiosity by train from Llandudno in the sixties. The man in the ticket office said ‘what do you want to go to that bloody fish and chip town for!’  

[benjamin1945 15,496]

8 minutes ago, Jill Sparrow said:

Wonder whether Blodwyn, Angharad, Gwyneth & co realize what they missed?

Funnily enough Jill......i dated a Gwyneth.......but she had a Brummy accent........from Chelmsley Wood....