What is it with some of you that refuse to use the hard shoulder when opened up to become lane1.
I can understand a few car drivers being too thick to realise it’s designed to ease congestion, but a lot of truck drivers appear to be the same, and it kind of defeats the object of the excercise.
I was faced with the choice of either crossing two lanes of traffic or undertaking some ■■■■■■■■■ “driver” the other day, who insisted in running about 15feet in front alongside me, I did try and flash him in a couple of times, but apparently his mirrors weren’t working 
I was always taught to keep left when possible and I remember a time when nearly all did, but you even get trucks hogging the middle lane now which was never seen once over either
Shhhh. Keep it a secret. I love having my own dedicated lane where you can see 1/2 mile ahead of you while all the illiterate drivers sit nose to tail in lanes 1 and 2
Because unless you’re coming off at the next junction you have to get back out into lane 1 which is often easier said than done when it’s congested.
Left hand down!:
Because unless you’re coming off at the next junction you have to get back out into lane 1 which is often easier said than done when it’s congested.
Exactly, blooming dangerous at times in my opinion and few drivers want to let you out again so I stick in lane one.
Pete.
It was bound to happen… the other afternoon on the M5 north between Cribbs and Aztec, I saw four cars running along the hard shoulder when the matrix signs allowing hard shoulder running were not on. OK, one bint was on her phone so she clearly cant take the blame 
but the other three were happily undertaking everyone else who were obeying the rules.
On morning peaks the queues Eastbound on the M4 towards the M32 are often no better than they were and this after they spent tens of millions of £ poncing around with the layout.
The title of this thread is misleading…it’s not a hard shoulder if it’s a live lane. I always drive on the left unless overtaking, and if the inside lane is clear I will run underneath other drivers doing 52 in the 2nd lane!
Born Idle:
I always drive on the left unless overtaking, and if the inside lane is clear I will run underneath other drivers doing 52 in the 2nd lane!
+1
m1cks:
Shhhh. Keep it a secret. I love having my own dedicated lane where you can see 1/2 mile ahead of you while all the illiterate drivers sit nose to tail in lanes 1 and 2
I agree! Recently had a run down the motorway. Got to the Birmingham area where the hs became a live lane. … Great just cruised by all the traffic that was going slower. A lot were hgvs. At the end of the live lane, indicate and merge into lane 1. Not a problem.
windrush:
Left hand down!:
Because unless you’re coming off at the next junction you have to get back out into lane 1 which is often easier said than done when it’s congested.Exactly, blooming dangerous at times in my opinion and few drivers want to let you out again so I stick in lane one.
Pete.
On the M6 on Wednesday morning, “use hardshoulder”, after about half a mile “hardshoulder for next exit only” so everything that moved left is now moving right. Complete contradiction in congestion when signs tell you “stay in lane.”
Saying that, I saw Tescos taking my safety seriously by driving in lane 2 at 45ish. 
Muckaway:
Saying that, I saw Tescos taking my safety seriously by driving in lane 2 at 45ish.
Zb ■■■■■■…:twisted:
Use them but don’t like or agree with them a hard shoulder should always remain a hard shoulder as in a place to go to incase of breakdown.
They are dangerous enough without turning them all into live lanes when they seem fit if they want wider roads should build them not put the safety of others at risk
If you haven’t changed lanes to perform the manouver then it is hardly undertaking is it?? If they are too thick to keep left then they are the helping to cause congestion.
I will go up the inside of anything that is too daft to be in a live lane and would rather be doing 35 me in lane 1. I dont like my speed differential to be too great though just incase anyone in lane 1 wakes up. Personally I think they have a place. I just wish all drivers knew what the gantry signs meant.
happysack:
I agree! Recently had a run down the motorway. Got to the Birmingham area where the hs became a live lane. … Great just cruised by all the traffic that was going slower. A lot were hgvs. At the end of the live lane, indicate and merge into lane 1. Not a problem.
I with you fella - it’s not a difficult manoeuvre is it?
Usually the same mobile traffic jams, who whilst blatting along at 55.6 mph, will stay out in the middle lane for 5 minutes catching up with the next lorry they wish to overtake traveling at 55mph.
The same crew probably who try to box others in, even slowing down whenever possible to pen them in, i hope its deliberate idiocy from the increasing number of the half witted, but i suspect what they are doing some are oblivious to…the steering wheel attendant in all its glory.
somerset bus driver:
It was bound to happen… the other afternoon on the M5 north between Cribbs and Aztec, I saw four cars running along the hard shoulder when the matrix signs allowing hard shoulder running were not on. OK, one bint was on her phone so she clearly cant take the blameOn morning peaks the queues Eastbound on the M4 towards the M32 are often no better than they were and this after they spent tens of millions of £ poncing around with the layout.
Unfortunately I see this everyday around Bristol. It amazes me the sign says hard shoulder for emergency only and then you have the red cross and still people drive down there.
Dave55:
happysack:
I agree! Recently had a run down the motorway. Got to the Birmingham area where the hs became a live lane. … Great just cruised by all the traffic that was going slower. A lot were hgvs. At the end of the live lane, indicate and merge into lane 1. Not a problem.I with you fella - it’s not a difficult manoeuvre is it?
it is for some I believe.
Muckaway:
Saying that, I saw Tescos taking my safety seriously by driving in lane 2 at 45ish.
That always makes me laugh. Ever seen one of their petrol tankers? I’ve never overtaken one yet. It begs the question that if their petrol can go at 56/57, why are baked beans so much more dangerous they can only travel at 49?
Where the distance between junctions is short moving into the inside ‘live’ lane then having to come out again almost immediately is an incredibly
dangerous manouvre,yes you can gain a few spaces because so many just stay where they are and you are able to undertake but if all lorries moved
over then all had to move back it would be chaos.This use of the hard shoulder could have been done so much cheaper using a traffic light system.
Green…use hard shoulder…Red…Don’t…the cost of the overhead gantrys must have been massive but the space is available,the motorway routes
could have been easily turned into 4 lane highways plus hard shoulder making it safer all round.Problem is those earning a living from running our networks
are not professional road users such as us lot, we should be given the opportunity to take over the whole show.
happysack:
Dave55:
happysack:
I agree! Recently had a run down the motorway. Got to the Birmingham area where the hs became a live lane. … Great just cruised by all the traffic that was going slower. A lot were hgvs. At the end of the live lane, indicate and merge into lane 1. Not a problem.I with you fella - it’s not a difficult manoeuvre is it?
it is for some I believe.
It can be when the traffic in lane 1 is nose to tail and you need to get back off the HS or face going off at the junction and having to get back on the slab the other side of the island. Someone has to slow down to let you out (often no room for them to move across into lane 2 either) which then causes a knock on effect to those following, in an ideal world traffic would be moving spaced well apart and then it wouldn’t be a problem, however when vehicles are bunched so tightly that there isn’t a vehicles length gap it does become difficult. I can only relate to the M42 as I haven’t encountered the system elsewhere, if there were several miles between junctions then it wouldn’t be so much of an issue I guess.
Pete.
m1cks:
Muckaway:
Saying that, I saw Tescos taking my safety seriously by driving in lane 2 at 45ish.That always makes me laugh. Ever seen one of their petrol tankers? I’ve never overtaken one yet. It begs the question that if their petrol can go at 56/57, why are baked beans so much more dangerous they can only travel at 49?
Err maybe they don’t run their own tanker fleet??