Classic British Flight Sim

Toby, I believe these are up to date............


Goods Vehicles (7.5 tonnes+)
Built up area= 30mph
Single carriageway= 40mph
Dual Carriageway= 50mph
Motorway=60mph(but now limited to 56mph).



In addition, goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes are required to be fitted with speed limiters which are set to permit maximum speeds of 60mph for vehicles between 7.5 and 12 tonnes, and 56mph for vehicles over 12 tonnes.

I don't see why vans should be banned from the third lane. It is after all, simply an overtaking lane, and not "the faster lane".
The van is carrying goods, and supplying the nations demand for products. Most cars have just one person in them. That is what creates the traffic problems.

Maybe the third lane should have a toll on it.

steveS4SSL wrote:I would suggest this idea would result in reduced tourism and businesses moving to counties with more common sense!

Why doesn't the country do something more useful....ban vans from lane 3 of the motorway, and start issuing tickets to idiots that think they should stay in the middle lane when there are no cars in lane 1!!! Twice this week I have seen the M6 with lane 2 and 3 chocker and lane one about 1% used!!!

I hear what you are saying, but it often seems to be safer to stay in the middle lane on the motorway. Even if the inside lane is ostensibly empty, you'll inevitably come across a caravan or sliproad with mergning traffic and then not be able to move to the right or find that your lane is actually going off to Stoke Poges. The far outside lane seems to be for suicidal 100+mph nutcases so I found my life was safest and easiest by staying in the middle lane for most of the time

TobyV wrote:

steveS4SSL wrote:I would suggest this idea would result in reduced tourism and businesses moving to counties with more common sense!

Why doesn't the country do something more useful....ban vans from lane 3 of the motorway, and start issuing tickets to idiots that think they should stay in the middle lane when there are no cars in lane 1!!! Twice this week I have seen the M6 with lane 2 and 3 chocker and lane one about 1% used!!!

I hear what you are saying, but it often seems to be safer to stay in the middle lane on the motorway. Even if the inside lane is ostensibly empty, you'll inevitably come across a caravan or sliproad with mergning traffic and then not be able to move to the right or find that your lane is actually going off to Stoke Poges. The far outside lane seems to be for suicidal 100+mph nutcases so I found my life was safest and easiest by staying in the middle lane for most of the time

Brave words Toby and liable to cause fierce reaction...However, I completely agree with you, but with the provisor that you drive at about 70 to 74 MPH...At that speed in my opinion you would be correct to stay in the centre lane and also at that speed the left lane is absolutely lethal :think:

Staying in the middle lane when it is unecessary can result in prosecution (Nottinghamshire police had a blitz on it a few years back) and it cuts motorway capacity since (legally) you can't undertake the lane-hogger, as this can result in such severe punishment as a ban!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3586474.stm

TobyV wrote: it often seems to be safer to stay in the middle lane on the motorway. Even if the inside lane is ostensibly empty, you'll inevitably come across a caravan or sliproad with mergning traffic and then not be able to move to the right or find that your lane is actually going off to Stoke Poges. The far outside lane seems to be for suicidal 100+mph nutcases so I found my life was safest and easiest by staying in the middle lane for most of the time

Toby,

I'm afraid lane 1 is the safest, both statistically and factually.

Firstly, in the event of a blowout or the unexpected should occur with the vehicle which requires an immediate stop, if you are in lane 1 then it makes progression into the hard shoulder much safer. Attempting to pull over quickly whilst in lane 2 or 3 can and does have catastrophic results.

Secondly, I have no doubt that your a very good driver and more than competant behind the wheel. However, drivers with good anticipation of forthcoming hazards, will take note of traffic merging ahead from the nearside and should be able to move to lane 2 or even 3 well before that traffic has even become an issue, thus ensuring they are positioned well ahead of the approaching hazard and not getting themselves into a position where they become trapped by other vehicles or 'boxed-in' for want of a better word. The key here is giving yourself time to react.

One of the main reasons drivers hog lane 2 is the fact they become trans-fixed on their own driving environments and believe they are safer in lane 2 as lane 1 and lane 3 provide a kind of psycological safety cushion on either side. In reality they cause more problems than they realise and if anything only assist in the congestion.

Lane 1 is for continued progression, Lane 2 & 3 are for overtaking only.

It'd just make roads like the A15 more dangerous...

Eddie I know what you are saying is textbook stuff, but I would have thought that to a degree the whole point of multiple lanes is the same reason you have larger pipes to carry mains water than the ones inside your home or a databus with more "bits" inside your computer - that you can carry a greater volume at more or less the same speed and thus everyone arrives at their destination sooner.

Hypothetically, if the average speed of vehicles in lane 1 has to be less than 70mph on account of lorries being limited to 56mph as Steve A said, and cars in lane 2 say overtaking them at 70mph, then in theory, no one except emergency services should be using lane 3 because to be overtaking cars doing 70 mph, except on a tight bend, you'd have to be speeding yourself.

Sorry to be devil's advocate but I'm just trying to make sense of the official purpose of havign a three lane motorway.

....time to put on my tin hat but.....

I also think HGVs and over lorries should be banned from overtaking unless it is required for safety reasons, during rush hour.....

It isn't even vaguely amusing being stuck in a load of traffic caused by a truck doing 45mph being overtaken by one doing 45.5mph and taking several miles to do it!!!

....retreats to safe distance....

Toby - problem there is that many in lane 2 do less than 70mph, more like 50 to 60mph. Since you can't undertake, then you just end up with two lanes congested and lane 3 full of folk trying to get past!

Water molecules in a pipe won't get nicked when they pass their mates on the inside!

Lol I know what you mean Steve, limitation of the analogy. I also agree on the trucks, I've had several nasty situations recently caused by slow trucks, buses or coaches pulling out right infront of me.