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Fastest lane in a Motorway queue?

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MotCO

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When there is a queue on a motorway, which lane is quickest?

I use the M25 in the rush hour. Whenever there is a queue, I think that lane 3 of 4 (lane 1 being on the far left) is quickest. My rationale is that lane 1 is most often blocked by the obstruction, lane 2 has traffic feeding in from lane 1 to avoid the obstruction, and lane 4 tends to slow down first due to reactionary braking.

Is there any substance to my logic, or are other lanes quicker?
 
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GRALISTAIR

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I remember a few times joining the M6 at junction 32 Broughton. It is 4 lane all the way to the M61 turn off. My father took great delight in overtaking people in the 4 th lane while we were in the 1st lane.
 
telstarbox

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That might be the case when the queue first forms but if people can see one lane is moving faster, some will move across and then it reaches equilibrium fairly quickly.
 
Mojo

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I’ve always found that the inside lane the quickest.
 
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Bald Rick

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It depends why the queue is there.

The outside lane usually comes to a standstill first, in all situations. But usually moves away first.
The inside lane usually comes to a standstill last.

However the inside lane will move slowest if traffic is merging into it, whether it be a sliproad or obstruction, which are the usual reasons in 90% of occasions.

So the trick in these situations is to be inside lane until it almost stops, then across to middle then outside lane as safely and quickly as possible, taking advantage of drivers who aren’t as quick off the mark and leave a sufficient gap.

This is less effective in managed motorway sections.
 
ComUtoR

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Mythbusters challenge : Changing lanes or staying put.



For me it all depends.

To work :
My Junction will filter up lane 1 the fastest as drivers take the next exit (fast diverging curve) but then directly after it comes to a grinding halt due to the next junction being congested. As that is a double junction that also tends to block lane 2.

3 becomes my best choice

Way home :
Neither lane is faster but as it gets closer to my exit I tend to switch to Lane 2. Lane 1 is a local traffic lane and will stack up pretty quickly and you will end up sitting there. You also have a problem where people who tend to stay left on a motorway will suddenly veer out to lane 2 when their 'sat nav' tells them. Just before the gantry is where everyone pulls out.

I take 3 past the first junction
drop down to 2
go past the gantry and then drop in the exit lane as late as possible. (everyone does it)
 
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AM9

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PaxVobiscum said:
.

50 years of motorway driving says this has been increasingly the case, with the outside lane usually the worst.
Click to expand...
Even if the inside lane isn't necessarily faster than the outside lane, but it was usually less stressful and more economical on fuel and brakes. When i had to do over a year travelling from M25 J19 to J12 through every Friday peak, I noticed that the outside lane speed would vary between 0 and 60, the middle (there were only three then) from 40 to 10 and the nearside lane from 10 to 20. I eventually settled mostly on the nearside lane as it meant that I could cover most of it in 2nd/3rd gear and hardly touch the brakes, yet still see the same vehicles in the outside lane race past me only to be stationary a mille further on as I went past at 10mph.
Even hwen traffic was pushing into the nearside lane from a slip road, most of it would then force itself across to the other two lanes, being the cause of many stationarylqueues there.
 
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furnessvale

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Bald Rick said:
So the trick in these situations is to be inside lane until it almost stops, then across to middle then outside lane as safely and quickly as possible, taking advantage of drivers who aren’t as quick off the mark and leave a sufficient gap.

This is less effective in managed motorway sections.
Click to expand...
There is the rub. For many lane hoppers a sufficient gap is one that is just longer than the vehicle hopping across and sod everyone else!
 
hooverboy

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MotCO said:
When there is a queue on a motorway, which lane is quickest?

I use the M25 in the rush hour. Whenever there is a queue, I think that lane 3 of 4 (lane 1 being on the far left) is quickest. My rationale is that lane 1 is most often blocked by the obstruction, lane 2 has traffic feeding in from lane 1 to avoid the obstruction, and lane 4 tends to slow down first due to reactionary braking.

Is there any substance to my logic, or are other lanes quicker?
Click to expand...
the fastest lane as a general rule is the one you're not in:D
 
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PeterC

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Mojo said:
I’ve always found that the inside lane the quickest.
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Depends where you are. I can think of several places where queues in lane 1 will be due to traffic backing up from the next slip road.
The answer is "route knowledge".
 
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AM9

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DerekC said:
I used to be an occasional lane hopper …. but these days it just doesn't seem worth the bother! (Sign of advancing age, probably)
Click to expand...
More likely common sense telling you that the time saving of 1-5% isn't worth either the hassle or the risk of conflict with other drivers.
 
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