• Zagorath
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    8 months ago

    I live in Australia. The right lane is the overtaking lane and the left lane is for normal travel.

    But to adapt it to use language which is region-neutral, I used “outside lane” to refer to what would be my left lane. Because it sits on the outside of the road corridor. No mistyping.

    • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
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      8 months ago

      Honestly, the term “inside” and “outside” don’t really help. On a two-way road, the “inside” would probably be the one closest to the divider, whereas on a separated highway, I’d probably consider it the closest to the exits (the opposite). That’s inconsistent at best.

      It’s honestly just easier to say, “I drive on the left/right” and then use left/right like you normally would.

      Regardless, my point is that if you’re behind someone who is in the rightmost lane, you have to just wait until they’ve finished passing before you can pass them. If there’s a lane to their right, you don’t need to wait, just overtake in the available lane, even if they’re passing someone else. I’ve actually done that on highways with two lanes going each way, where the pass in the “normal” passing lane, and I pass in the oncoming traffic lane when clear.

      Maybe we’re saying the same thing, but it sounded like you’d wait behind them even if there’s another passing lane available, which seems silly.

      • Zagorath
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        8 months ago

        if you’re behind someone who is in the rightmost lane, you have to just wait until they’ve finished passing before you can pass them

        Yes, that’s exactly what I said (assuming we’re talking about in an Aus/UK scenario). To repeat myself, but with the left/right/inside/outside thing fixed

        If they are passing slower traffic…you gotta be patient and wait until they are no longer passing and pull back into the [left] lane

    • ADTJ@feddit.uk
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      8 months ago

      What you’re saying is logical but is the opposite way to how it actually works, at least in the UK but I believe elsewhere as well

      • Zagorath
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        8 months ago

        In Australia and the UK you drive on the left normally (the outside lane), and overtake on the right (the inside lane). In America that would be drive on the right (outside lane) and overtake on the left (inside lane).

        • ADTJ@feddit.uk
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          8 months ago

          I live in the UK and can tell you conclusively that is not correct.

          I agree that’s how it should work, but that isn’t how it works, at least in this country.

          I’m talking specifically about your use of inside vs outside lane