Are you allowed in the outside lane of a motorway?

[VXman]

This popped up on Facebook...

Discuss....

 

[AlunandFelicie]

Isn’t that a caravan?

 

[andyman]

Isn’t that a caravan?

Yes

 

[Tombola]

That's right...nowt towing allowed.

 

[yorkiebar]

It's a caravan, which shouldn't be in the outside lane on a motorway with 3 or more lanes.

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[PaddyM]

Im 3850 kg so I don’t believe I am allowed in the outside lane of a three lane highway .

 

[activecampers]

Im 3850 kg so I don’t believe I am allowed in the outside lane of a three lane highway .

Good, keep out of it so we can overtake easier
But yes, you can if you wish -its a 7.5t limit unless a goods vehicle over 3.5t with a speed limited
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/motorways-253-to-273 - rule 265


VXman confused me till someone said it was a caravan. Doh. Of course, no towing in outside lane (of 3 or more lane carraigeway)

 

[Lenny HB]

No towing no vehicles speed limited vehicles 3.5 to 7.5t or goods vehicles over 7.5 & passenger vehicles with more than 9 seats allowed in 3rd Lane.

 

[Lenny HB]

But yes, you can if you wish -its a 7.5t limit unless a goods vehicle over 3.5t with a speed limited

7.5t limit is for goods vehicle so a 8t Motorhome or RV can use the 3rd lane.

 

[buzz1]

7:5 t and above , I believe there was a thread couple of days ago ,
I think gus gave some really good information on this ,

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[Just smiffy]

What the …is a vanguard road safety officer… and what power do they have…

 

[pappajohn]

No towing no vehicles speed limited vehicles 3.5 to 7.5t or goods vehicles over 7.5 & passenger vehicles with more than 9 seats allowed in 3rd Lane.

Yet coach's are allowed in lane 3.
I've been passed by national express many times.

I with draw that comment, but I stand by being overtaken by them in lane 3.

 

[stewartwebr]

I very rarely use the outer lane of a three lane motorway, but on the odd occasion when a truck is doing an uphill parallel overtake 0.1mph faster than the vehicle in the first lane, I do pull out to the third lane. My understanding being that I am not driving a goods vehicle or carrying more than 8 passengers, therefore even at 15t I am on the correct side of the law.

Rule 265​

The right-hand lane of a motorway with three or more lanes MUST NOT be used (except in prescribed circumstances) if you are driving

• any vehicle drawing a trailer
• a goods vehicle with a maximum laden weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 7.5 tonnes, which is required to be fitted with a speed limiter
• a goods vehicle with a maximum laden weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes
• a passenger vehicle with a maximum laden weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes constructed or adapted to carry more than eight seated passengers in addition to the driver
• a passenger vehicle with a maximum laden weight not exceeding 7.5 tonnes which is constructed or adapted to carry more than eight seated passengers in addition to the driver, which is required to be fitted with a speed limiter.

 

[Lenny HB]

Yet coach's are allowed in lane 3.
I've been passed by national express many times.

They used to be & could do 70mph I believe changed a few years ago when they bought in speed limiters for coaches.

 

[buzz1]

This is why lorry drivers get annoyed drive right up the arse of a cars that just sit in the middle lane of motorway.

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[PaulC70]

Good god, Im nearly always in lane three overtaking the pillocks taking up the middle lane sitting at 60-65!

 

[meanders]

Buses and coaches under 12m in length can do up to 70mph on a motorway or dual carriageway.

 

[Lenny HB]

Buses and coaches under 12m in length can do up to 70mph on a motorway or dual carriageway.

But they have 62mph speed limiters.

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

What I find annoying when driving a lorry is the mega milers doing 45mph in the middle lane, rolling road block.

 

[suavecarve]

What the …is a vanguard road safety officer… and what power do they have…

Excellent question.
I m intrigued as well

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[PaddyM]

.

 

[poacher]

.

 

[activecampers]

Excellent question.
I m intrigued as well

I had the same thoughts as well, but looks legit, seems a name of a police team/project
https://www.surrey.police.uk/news/s...safety-team-is-coming-to-the-roads-of-surrey/ and made up of police "the team of 10 police constables and two sergeants will work to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on Surrey’s roads"

 

[Wh05apk]

How about 3 lane dual carriageways? Are the rules different? I know 3.5t + are limited to 60mph, but can you still use the 3rd lane ?

 

[swemmy666]

This is why lorry drivers get annoyed drive right up the arse of a cars that just sit in the middle lane of motorway.

and there was me, thinking they were just trying to bully other road users with their big mass

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[PaulyP]

How about 3 lane dual carriageways? Are the rules different? I know 3.5t + are limited to 60mph, but can you still use the 3rd lane ?

Dual carriageway is two lanes, duel =2, so where does the third lane come in ?
Or am I wrong !

 

[meanders]

Dual carriageway is two lanes, duel =2, so where does the third lane come in ?
Or am I wrong !

The 'Dual' refers to the number of carriageways, not the number of lanes. A normal road is a single carriage away with traffic moving in both directions. I.e. 1 carriageway with two lanes. A dual carriageway simply separates the traffic flows. In principle I guess you could have ten or more lanes on each side of a dual carriageway. I think one place on the M25 near Heathrow has half a dozen lanes in each carriageway.

 

[PaulyP]

The 'Dual' refers to the number of carriageways, not the number of lanes. A normal road is a single carriage away with traffic moving in both directions. I.e. 1 carriageway with two lanes. A dual carriageway simply separates the traffic flows. In principle I guess you could have ten or more lanes on each side of a dual carriageway. I think one place on the M25 near Heathrow has half a dozen lanes in each carriageway.

I stand corrected I’ve always misunderstood the meaning.

 

[activecampers]

I stand corrected I’ve always misunderstood the meaning.

So do some police so worry not. You can do 70 on a 1-lane road if there is a splitter (grass or barrier) between you and the other direction traffic; equally its 60 even if you have 2 or 3 lanes when opposing traffic is only separated by paint markings. (*assuming NSL and not signed otherwise)

I've known police to have words with people doing it correctly!

Its a good "test" on part of advanced driving and always mentioned.

 

[PaulyP]

Yesterday I left from home in Manchester to drive up to my static near Lancaster, I had my trailer on so motorway rules, limited to 60mph and not allowed in the outside lane, when going from the M60 onto the M61 I’m in the outside lane of two, it then goes on to become three lanes, at this point I’m now in the outside lane, left signal on well in advance and the car alongside would not pull into the first lane to let me in, as I had vehicles behind me I couldn’t brake so just had to wait till the middle lane hogger went past and I could get in.
I’m now in the middle lane and one heavy goods going faster than the one in front decides to pull out right in front of me, traffic behind so I couldn’t brake and had to swing out to the third lane, I finally managed to get in and settle into the inside lane for most of the rest of the journey.
I always try to stick to speed limits and the rules of the road, sometimes others make you do something different.

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