Smart motorways and keeping left

[thenorthster]

Drove up from Oxfordshire to Cheshire yesterday - M40, M42 and M6. Obviously, on the motorway one should keep left unless overtaking other traffic.

However, on a "smart" motorway, if they've got the speed limits set down to (say) 40, does keeping left really matter? If all three or four lanes are moving along at the speed set on the gantries (and doing more than that gets you a ticket), is there as much need to keep left?

Yesterday on the M6, several people seemed determined to get past at 50 and get themselves busted by the cameras, and very cross that I wasn't always bothering to keep left. Am I wrong?

[Kai96]

Main reason i try and avoid the motorways these days as I get confused to. The gantrys might say 50 but the lanes could be really clear can you go back to 70 or will you get a ticket ? They confuse me to I hate them. If it isn't broke don't fix it they just created a new mess

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[JoeDarKa]

Yes you are wrong. If they want to go faster, thats upto them so move over. Not moving over is just contributing to more traffic.

[Addymk2]

Massively so, get out of the way. I go through them daily... At a Sat Nav indicated 50-53ish, as appose to the speedo.

It just seems to force all the usual lane discipline lacking morons to huddle together. 

[doylebros]

I make my judgement off the fleet of HGVs using the same road - if there exceeding the 40 I follow there example.
I've never seen anyone in the local papers for speeding on smart motorways has anyone?

[thenorthster]

Looks like "keep left unless overtaking" is king, then. Did that religiously driving back down the route in reverse yesterday ... no problems at all.

[Addymk2]

Looks like "keep left unless overtaking" is king, then. Did that religiously driving back down the route in reverse yesterday ... no problems at all.

Don't drive on the motorway in reverse either. It's terrible for your gearbox.

[thenorthster]

Looks like "keep left unless overtaking" is king, then. Did that religiously driving back down the route in reverse yesterday ... no problems at all.

Don't drive on the motorway in reverse either. It's terrible for your gearbox.