Joined the M67 (Denton-Hyde-Mottram Cheshire; only 5 bmiles long) from the M60 last night.
Old Polo in front (lady driver) decides to overtake car in front of it on the slip road but as it gets level with nearside car it slows down to the same speed. Result both lanes blocked. 300 metres later when there are 3 lanes I overtake Polo and then pull into N/S lane. Only doing 60mph. Polo about 55.
Watched her in my mirror. Motorway is a series of long bends. On LH bends she pulls into N/S lane. On right hand bends she pulls out and occupies the third (O/S, overtaking) lane. Fascinated I slowed a little to watch and yes on LH bends she drives in the N/S lane and on R/H bends the 3rd lane. Does anyone have an explanation for this?
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"The shortest distance between two points is a straight line".
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Clipping the apex on a 'racing line' is essential at 55mph :-)
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Sometimes do this on the dual carriageway and may have saved 1/4 - 1/2 mile in 75 miles...(My mileometer vs AA's route planner)
However it only works when road is quiet, otherwise it is more hassle changing lanes - and no point in going in outside lane if you only keep up with inside lane traffic.
9 times out of 10 there is too much traffic....
Other tactic that helps is to hug the inside line, maybe 1ft away from inside white line,
around LH bends and 1ft away from outside (lane dividing) white line around RH bends, if lane is wide enough....Just keep an eye out for motorbikes if you do this on single carriageway.
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I bet she can't wait to be allowed to use the hard shoulder too.
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Other tactic that helps is to hug the inside line maybe 1ft away from inside white line around LH bends and 1ft away from outside (lane dividing) white line around RH bends if lane is wide enough....Just keep an eye out for motorbikes if you do this on single carriageway.
I'd say that this approach is completely wrong from a safety point of view.
On a LH bend, maximum visibilty is maintained by a position just left of the centre line and vice-versa for a right-hander.
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It brings to mind a car ad slogan from the 70s - "It shortens straights and straightens bends" can anyone recall which car it was, I'm pretty sure it was some BL rustbucket?
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Old sock is right on tight (blind) bends, but on sweeping bends where visibility is maintained I think my approach may save a few yards.
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Straightening bends is not done primarily to shorten the distance covered, but to make it possible to go through the bends faster.
Clearly this lady's Polo has shot dampers, and she was straightening those tight motorway hairpins as much as possible to maintain her brisk mimse without sliding off into the armco or scenery.
Sounds like a very good driver to me. Probably practising for the next Cannonball Run.
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A very very long time ago, on an empty three lane motorway somewhere, in the dead of night, in a bright red TWR XJS, I can remember it being necessary to apex the bends as I might have been going at a smidgen over 69 mph..........
;-)
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Before the advent of speed cameras, when it was a genuine two lanes both ways, this is the way we used to race bikes and cars on the A24 Leatherhead to box hill.
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shudder... now that half the road is covered with paint and gravel southbound one has to join queues of waddling 45mph mimsers there... but more than once in the old days one sometimes came across bits of bike and biker strewn over a disheartening distance of road... too quickleham through Mickleham makes a frightful muckleham so to speak...
Edited by Lud on 24/11/2008 at 15:53
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