Changing lanes

[someone]

Would appreciate some advice for a numpty with a CBT as I have still not got much experience with big roads as we just do not have those in south London. But on Sunday morning I decided to go to Kingston via Wandsworth and the A3 for a bit of experience. It only uses a 40mph section but it means having to cross the 'fast lane' on a major route to turn off so I had always gone via Raynes Park, which is slightly shorter anyway but slower.

There was literally only one car behind me and somehow I still messed it up!

I was in the left lane doing 40 on the speedo, so around 37mph, the car was in the right lane a short distance behind and had been gaining on me very slowly. Seeing the filter lane ahead I look in the mirror and did a shoulder check. The car is still a couple car-lengths behind and had not changed speed so would have not caught up with me by the junction. I indicate, mirror and shoulder check again, start to move over but the car honks at me. To be safe I pull back, drop speed to 30mph so it will pass, and then move over.

What should I have done?

It was not a problem on the day given how oddly quiet it was, but had there been other traffic behind me then I would not have wanted to slow down like that causing others to do so. The car had been just sitting in that lane without attempting to overtake but I cannot do anything about that.

[fq-craigus]

Sounds like you went through the motions as you should although im guessing you also indicated? Maybe they were just an idiot or maybe your perception of how slow he was gainingbor how far behing they were is off, either way learn from it and move on, they are everywhere

[funinacup]

If he was as far behind as you say then he's an idiot. Ignore him and proceed as you intend to.

[mealexme]

Sounds to me like he didn't realize there was a filter lane on the right and thought you shouldn't be in the "fast" lane if there was nobody in front of you to overtake.

You were in the right the whole way. Personally I would have changed lanes anyway, but it sounds like you did the right thing. If you were unsure if you can change lanes without interfering with the flow of traffic, its best to let them past and move over afterwards, which is exactly what you did.

[Bogof]

The car is still a couple car-lengths behind and had not changed speed so would have not caught up with me by the junction. I indicate, mirror and shoulder check again, start to move over but the car honks at me. To be safe I pull back, drop speed to 30mph so it will pass, and then move over.

 

Firstly, a couple of car lengths is not a 2 second gap at 40mph. You compromised his safety bubble by pulling across in front of him.

Secondly, you're on L plates ( I assume), and you pulled in front of a car while both travelling at 40mph. He had no way of knowing if you had seen him. He alerted you to his presence by using his horn.

Appropriate use of horn in my view. Learn from it and think about how you could avoid a similar incident, maybe through slowing down to let the car pass before moving over to the right? You said "To be safe I pull back" which says it all really!

HTH

[Joeman]

It was a 40mph road. You were doing indicated 40, and the car was likely doing the same. To overtake you he would have needed to break the speed limit.

Pulling into his lane with just a couple of car lengths isn't a great idea. You closed his safety margin down to less than a 2 second gap so he was correct to honk you.

If you didn't have the power to accelerate or didnt want to break the speed limit, the better course of action would have been to anticipate the junction, slow down a little to allow the car to pass then tuck in behind him leaving yourself a 2 second gap.

Lessons to learn from this are anticipate your moves in advance and always keep a 2 second gap (minimum) from other traffic....

Until you get a faster bike

[someone]

The distance between me and the car felt safe enough, and honestly cannot say with certainty now precisely how large it was, but I tend to leave a larger gap than necessary in front of me so I take the point about the safety margins.

The car driver should have seen the filter lane, the road was bending to the left so they would have seen it before me, and there had obviously been a big sign for the junction being on the right. I would also hope they knew I was aware of their presence as I turned my head twice to do a shoulder check, before and after indicating, before starting to change position.

But the consensus seems to be I was not leaving them enough room, so happy to accept that. And in terms of anticipating the junction, I could have changed lanes in readiness after passing the sign rather than then waiting a little longer until seeing the filter lane appear. I tend to stick to the left lane as much as I can as I try to keep to the limit (usually meaning a few miles over what the speedo reads as 30 seems to mean 28mph) but used to being regularly overtaken by others no matter how safe. Going on a road where I am expecting some to be much faster than me my attitude was to keep left as long as possible. But I guess being too cautious in situations like that can be more dangerous than not and I just need to be more assertive.

So, get in position earlier and give more space, that way if necessary only a small change in speed would be needed to create it.

Thanks all.