Quick question; When would it be legal to use the third lane to overtake in a HGV? For instance, lane 1 and 2 are blocked by a wide load traveling slowly with an ■■■■■■, or a wide load blocking lanes 1 and 2 but travelling at 50 mph? How slow does the blocking vehicle need to be travelling at before we can pass it? Or is it never legal to overtake using the third lane (excluding where signage permits it, or the police filter the traffic into that lane).
i would use lane 3 to overtake wide load if i could get past quickly
not one to sit behind stuff needlessly
hitch:
i would use lane 3 to overtake wide load if i could get past quickly
not one to sit behind stuff needlessly
If it’s a wide load that takes up space in lanes 1 and 2 then it’s not a 3 lane motorway at that point. 
Carryfast:
hitch:
i would use lane 3 to overtake wide load if i could get past quickly
not one to sit behind stuff needlesslyIf it’s a wide load that takes up space in lanes 1 and 2 then it’s not a 3 lane motorway at that point.
Oh yes it is! … and as we all know its illegal to use the outside lane of a 3 or more lane m/way in an HGV.
However, where there is reasonable cause, the police tend to turn a blind eye to it - a bit the same as:
HGV’s parked on industrial estates at night, unlit.
HGV’s parked on pavements
HGV’s doing 56 mph on DC’s.
Car’s parked facing the wrong way at night.
Unlit cars near junctions.
etc. etc.
Driveroneuk:
Carryfast:
hitch:
i would use lane 3 to overtake wide load if i could get past quickly
not one to sit behind stuff needlesslyIf it’s a wide load that takes up space in lanes 1 and 2 then it’s not a 3 lane motorway at that point.
Oh yes it is! … and as we all know its illegal to use the outside lane of a 3 or more lane m/way in an HGV…
Except in prescribed circumstances such as lane closures.Marked ■■■■■■ vehicle behind the wide load in lane 2 means rolling lane closure of lanes 1 and 2 ?. Or is that too much like common sense for British law so zb it just sit behind the thing at whatever speed it’s able to run at.In which case the wide load driver should also be booked for driving in both lanes of a motorway at once and failing to keep to the left 
But if it’s not escorted you’ll probably have to sit there unless you want to rely on wether the copper is in a good mood or not.
I must admit to overtaking on the M3 southbound in the early hours once. Two Sainsbury’s wagons duelling it out in lanes1 & 2 about 2 miles before the stretch that goes down to 2 lanes just before Winchester. One had been trying to overtake the other for about 10 minutes at about 52.1 mph, so in the absence of plod or any other road users I went past the pair of them. The one in the middle lane gave me some kind of hand signal as I went past as if to suggest that I was being unreasonable to want to sit behind a pair of ■■■■■■
It was obviously ok for them to toss about holding other people up though. As I did not get caught, I declare this to be completely legal.
I’ve also been the second vehicle in a 2 truck abnormal load convoy, with ■■■■■■ vehicle behind, where the lead driver, of considerable experience I should add, decided that, at 75 feet long and 14’10" wide despite being limited to 50mph on our permit, he would overtake a slow moving vehicle w/bound on the M4. It was the 3rd A/load i’d ever done and the biggest, he pulled out into lanes 2 & 3 to go round the other vehicle and left me and the ■■■■■■ vehicle behind as I did not want to overtake. Luckily for him the other vehicle exited shortly after and we all closed up but he got the ear bashing of a lifetime from the ■■■■■■ vehicle driver who called him everything he wasn’t christened
By the way, before anybody mentions it, I hadn’t fitted all of the wide/long load markers to it at this point!
MrHappy:
I must admit to overtaking on the M3 southbound in the early hours once. Two Sainsbury’s wagons duelling it out in lanes1 & 2 about 2 miles before the stretch that goes down to 2 lanes just before Winchester. One had been trying to overtake the other for about 10 minutes at about 52.1 mph, so in the absence of plod or any other road users I went past the pair of them. The one in the middle lane gave me some kind of hand signal as I went past as if to suggest that I was being unreasonable to want to sit behind a pair of [zb].
I’d have pulled into lane 2 and slowed down to 49mph, until he was behind the other sainsbury wagon, then ■■■■■■ off.
Not because of him passing, but if he wants to call you a ■■■■■■■ show him what a ■■■■■■ you can be.
We’re all doing the same job, some are on tighter deadlines than others, some are close to their driving / working hours limits. I usually plod along at 50mph, and even then have to overtake people sometimes, and 40mph on a single NO MATTER WHERE, but if someone wants to overtake me, as long as they don’t endanger me or anyone else, I’ll make it as easy for them as I can, move to the left, drop a click or 2 etc.
waynedl:
MrHappy:
I must admit to overtaking on the M3 southbound in the early hours once. Two Sainsbury’s wagons duelling it out in lanes1 & 2 about 2 miles before the stretch that goes down to 2 lanes just before Winchester. One had been trying to overtake the other for about 10 minutes at about 52.1 mph, so in the absence of plod or any other road users I went past the pair of them. The one in the middle lane gave me some kind of hand signal as I went past as if to suggest that I was being unreasonable to want to sit behind a pair of [zb].I’d have pulled into lane 2 and slowed down to 49mph, until he was behind the other sainsbury wagon, then [zb] off.
Not because of him passing, but if he wants to call you a [zb], show him what a [zb] you can be.
We’re all doing the same job, some are on tighter deadlines than others, some are close to their driving / working hours limits. I usually plod along at 50mph, and even then have to overtake people sometimes, and 40mph on a single NO MATTER WHERE, but if someone wants to overtake me, as long as they don’t endanger me or anyone else, I’ll make it as easy for them as I can, move to the left, drop a click or 2 etc.
Yeah, that would have probably made him slightly more upset I suppose. I’ve got nothing against restricted wagons, it aint the drivers fault, but when 2 drivers start ■■■■■■■ about and it holds me up then i’m less than impressed 
I myself would have waited for the sainsburys to sort themselves out before overtaking, as the 3rd lane is definitely out of bounds in that situation.
In the other situation with a wide load taking up lanes 1 & 2 its also illegal to use the 3rd lane, BUT, i believe that mr plod would turn a blind eye, unless it was a dangerous manoeuvre, or his wife had refused him the night before, all in all its the chance we take.
Back to the OP’s original question, I use ‘lane three’ when a three lane motorway changes to 2 lanes when lane 1 changes from a lane to a sliproad, ie when the lines change to short AND the catseyes change to green, the cats eyes are the real key.
Examples M4 J23A and J24 long sliproads short white lines and green catseyes, one sliproad and two main carriageways therefore lane “3” can be used. M5 J15 southbound short lines but white catseyes not sliproad therefore three lanes right up to junction lane 3 out of bounds, same at M42 J1.
This thread will bring back memories of; can you overtake a snow plough or gritter when they are sat in the middle lane?
You must not drive on the right-hand lane of the motorway if you are driving any of the following, a vehicle drawing a trailer; a goods vehicle with a maximum laden weight of over 7.5 tonnes; a bus or a coach unless you have to overtake an exceptionally wide load
Imagine being stuck behind an ALE truck carrying a generator, it can only travel at 12mph, the good boys will site behind these wide loads all day long, only overtaking when they stop for lunch.
I will put on my right hand indicator and overtake, the abnormal load, the ■■■■■■ vehicle and the police ■■■■■■ if they have one. If I didn’t, there would be another policeman who would pull me over to “have a word”
Even if the abnormal load is doing 50mph. I would use the same logic.
Wheel Nut:
This thread will bring back memories of; can you overtake a snow plough or gritter when they are sat in the middle lane?You must not drive on the right-hand lane of the motorway if you are driving any of the following, a vehicle drawing a trailer; a goods vehicle with a maximum laden weight of over 7.5 tonnes; a bus or a coach unless you have to overtake an exceptionally wide load
Imagine being stuck behind an ALE truck carrying a generator, it can only travel at 12mph, the good boys will site behind these wide loads all day long, only overtaking when they stop for lunch.
I will put on my right hand indicator and overtake, the abnormal load, the ■■■■■■ vehicle and the police ■■■■■■ if they have one. If I didn’t, there would be another policeman who would pull me over to “have a word”
Even if the abnormal load is doing 50mph. I would use the same logic.
Oh WN, now you’ve done it. You done it on purpose aintcha?