tachograph:
… having long lengths of empty lane is no use to anyone and often just makes a queue longer than it needs to be.
This. 100%.
They’re going to merge - what difference does it make where they merge?
We were in England on an emergency visit this year and I found myself in the wrong lane for road works. The reason was that I’d come off a roundabout in the correct lane, but there were then roadworks a short distance up the road. There were no signs on the road that I’d come from. As I was going up the nearside lane, with a couple of lorries behind me incidentally, some prat in a tipper pulled over to straddle the two lanes to block me off. He didn’t succeed and I got through, but it’s ■■■■■■■ annoying to see some ■■■■■■■■ playing policeman when he doesn’t know what’s gone on, or even if he does. And no, I wasn’t trying to beat anyone, just wanted to filter in without stopping.
I agree that there are numpties that don’t have a clue, and it’s annoying, but is it worth having a smash up, blocking the whole road and maybe hurting some innocent person… I don’t think so. Get a grip you ■■■■■■■ heroes.
Stonehenge is notorious for impatient car drivers that see standing traffic but still push on to get to the front of the queue and get annoyed as nobody lets them in at the last five metres.
Avoid this road on Bank holidays,Glastonbury Festival and the Druids longest day 20th & 21st June.
From the M4 to Chippenham on the dual carrigway that goes in to a single before the golf club and Esso garage.
Same as above,ignore the queue,push to the front.
In the two roads above, if you block the cars from using lane two,the traffic goes better and keep moving.
If you let them all past,it grinds to a halt.
A40 towards Raf Northolt to Hanger Lane,from quite early,you need to get in lane two of the three lane part and stay in that lane as it goes in to two lanes.
A38 North Little Eaton is a pain. You get signs saying lane closure and a lot jump into 1 lane causing an unnecessary longer queue with a good mile of empty road 
I’ll use it at a nice steady pace (going past signs saying “When queuing use both lanes”)then merge in a convenient space (if there is one ) near where the big sign saying “Merge in turn” stands 
I have had to point out both these signs to car and lorry drivers, often while watching them shake coffee beans - which I don’t think they should be doing while driving 
Think I should add that I was talking about a fast moving road, with very little traffic, not in a traffic jam.
Try A303 Ilminster bypass at 06.00
Reading this post makes it clear why driving in the UK is such a depressing experience compared to Europe where most people drive like grown ups. The UK is rapidly becoming the country with the most selfish drivers in Europe. Never once have I ever seen a lorry block a lane in Europe, never once have I seen someone brake hard at the pinch point, because everyone lets one car in at the end and everything flows nicely. Its not a lorry drivers place to block open lanes.
switchlogic:
Reading this post makes it clear why driving in the UK is such a depressing experience compared to Europe where most people drive like grown ups. The UK is rapidly becoming the country with the most selfish drivers in Europe. Never once have I ever seen a lorry block a lane in Europe, never once have I seen someone brake hard at the pinch point, because everyone lets one car in at the end and everything flows nicely. Its not a lorry drivers place to block open lanes.
I let people in when in a queue at a pinch point Luke. What I can’t do with are the other 3 or 4 who try and force their way in once you let 1-2 cars into lane one. I also can’t do with the drivers who will queue in lane 1 then all of a sudden think ■■■■ this and pull out into lane 2 and try to push in further down.
I agree in some part it’s stupid blocking lanes 2 or 3 where people don’t realise the lanes merge, however where you get prior warning such as in my situation on the M1 (a good 2-2 and a half mile of warnings on the matrix signs) then i feel its just drivers who think they’re more important than the rest of us who queue or merge into lane 1 no problem at all.
i feel
Isn’t that the main issue in many cases - emotion gets into driving then the problems begin?
I used to dabble with this technique when a young cab happy trucker so can’t saddle my high horse for this thread 
Now I don’t like it as although your helping yourself and those in front by reducing the traffic approaching the bottleneck you are creating a secondary bottleneck behind.
Course theres always loads of mini bottlenecks anyway as cars and trucks for that matter pull in before the cones, depending on traffic flow this can be seamless or a bit of a mess.
All we can do is behave professionaly and just go with the flow, blockng a lane can be risky if theres an emergency vehicle somewhere behind trying to get through.
Merge in turn can work but there will always be those who want to be at the front of the que and its no good adopting a selfish behaviour to block others with a selfish behaviour.
ROG:
i feel
Isn’t that the main issue in many cases - emotion gets into driving then the problems begin?
+1
SteveBarnsleytrucker:
switchlogic:
Reading this post makes it clear why driving in the UK is such a depressing experience compared to Europe where most people drive like grown ups. The UK is rapidly becoming the country with the most selfish drivers in Europe. Never once have I ever seen a lorry block a lane in Europe, never once have I seen someone brake hard at the pinch point, because everyone lets one car in at the end and everything flows nicely. Its not a lorry drivers place to block open lanes.I let people in when in a queue at a pinch point Luke. What I can’t do with are the other 3 or 4 who try and force their way in once you let 1-2 cars into lane one. I also can’t do with the drivers who will queue in lane 1 then all of a sudden think [zb] this and pull out into lane 2 and try to push in further down.
I agree in some part it’s stupid blocking lanes 2 or 3 where people don’t realise the lanes merge, however where you get prior warning such as in my situation on the M1 (a good 2-2 and a half mile of warnings on the matrix signs) then i feel its just drivers who think they’re more important than the rest of us who queue or merge into lane 1 no problem at all.
I’ll refer you back to my comment about UK drivers being selfish. We’ve got this situation where these people feel they have to push in or no one will let them in. If people drove how they should in this situation both lanes would be full right up to the closure and every vehicle would let a vehicle merge. Drivers in the UK would be surprised how well this sensible driving works
What I find amusing is, if on a Mway,
When lane 2 & 3 are closed, people are diving about all over the place and leaving it 'til the cones before they “try” to merge.
When lane 1 & 2 are closed, people are getting into lane 3 as quick as they can.
I love it when lanes 1 & 2 are closed, I “chug” along in lane 1 and merge at the front
There does seem to be a mentality from non proffesional drivers (car drivers) that they must overtake get infront of that truck whatever the cost, seem plenty of contraflows on motorways come to a grinding halt for no logical reason apart from selfish impatient car drivers who will run up to the cones & sometimes end up running into them , instead of when they see the 3 landes merge into 1 or 2 in 200mtrs signs , When im my car i don’t continue to the cones and then try and barge in , i’ll be the apropriate lane long before that, and if that is behind a load of trucks that aint an issue, and unlike most of the clows in cars i can maintain a set speed and distance from the vehicle in front of me , thus not slowing down and speeding up for not reason , causing the vehicle behind to brake /slow down
Therein lies the problem that some of us are talking about. Two lanes until one of them ends, then zip merge ie one at a time from each lane. I too don’t like it when I ease back to let one merge and two or three more muppets want to get in, but I was and you all are supposed to be professional drivers, so let the ■■■■■ go, it makes them think their dicks bigger than yours 
Looking back in your mirror and watching other lorries pull out when approaching slow lane merge, on any amount of lanes is questionable. I expect cars to behave this way but not other drivers, as they know they will make the situation worse for those behind.
Best (and probably the most optimistic) sign I ever saw was in Upper Hutt north of Wellington at the end of a dual that said (in huge letters), “Merge like a zip”.
Sumsmeister:
Best (and probably the most optimistic) sign I ever saw was in Upper Hutt north of Wellington at the end of a dual that said (in huge letters), “Merge like a zip”.
That’s the idea.
Hiya…if you pull over and block the carriageway its you who,s breaking the law. there,s no law to say
you can’t drive straight to the front and cut in…seems mad to me.i used to go to the first lorry and
sit near him, just infront or slightly behind never side by side just keep moving with the other lorry.
John
I see a lot of “drivers” commenting in this thread would do well to visit the “when did you last read the Highway Code” thread. 
If two lanes merge into one lane you simply use both lanes & simply merge in turn 1+1+1+1 etc etc. The lanes are there to be used. If everyone used this method the traffic flow would be so much better. It really is that simple it’s just a shame not many people can manage that!!