The Norwegian Public Roads Administration says the Ascension weekend is set to become the big weekend in May. Traffic can double compared to normal rush hour traffic, NTB reports.
Especially the exit routes from the center of Oslo will be congested. E6 towards Sweden and E18 towards Southern Norway can be a test of patience for those who want to travel away for the long weekend.
In 2021 and 2022, there was a doubling of traffic on these stretches, compared to normal rush hour traffic, writes the Swedish Road Administration.
– I can almost guarantee that there will be a lot of queues at Langangen to the south and at Rugtvedt to the north.
That’s what department director Tore Jan Hansen says The Swedish Road Administration to NRK.
There is often heavy traffic and queues on the E18 at Langangen. The four-lane E18 ends here.
Photo: Theo Aasland Valen / NRK
Here, the motorway narrows to one lane in each direction, and that can quickly present problems.
You can expect a report and a fine
The video at the top of the case shows a motorist blocking traffic by lying down in the middle of the lanes.
– It’s not okay to do that. The traffic rules are not followed there, says traffic coordinator Nils Anders Bruun in the South-East police district.
Traffic coordinator Nils Anders Bruun warns against unreasonable queue driving.
Photo: Theo Aasland Valen / NRK
If you do, and get caught, you can be both fined and reported.
– A fine will probably be between NOK 8,000 and 10,000. If it leads to an accident, the driver’s license may be confiscated, says Bruun.
– Not okay
The Swedish Road Administration does not think anything of that type of behavior in traffic either.
– For us as a road owner, it is not good. It’s almost like taking the law into your own hands, says Tore Jan Hansen.
Such things arouse emotions in people, and angry drivers cause a greater proportion of dangerous overtakings, Hansen believes.
The police also think so.
– It is clear that accidents can happen. People get irritated and lose focus from following the road, says Bruun in the South-East police district.
What exactly is proper driving?
In a survey carried out by Norstat for NAF in 2022, 55 per cent of motorists answered that they lie down in the lane with the longest queue.
5 per cent of these also lie on the center line, to prevent others from driving forward in the lane with the fewest cars.
On the E18 at Langangen in Telemark, you can see the yellow version of this sign.
Signs with a yellow background mean that there is road work on the stretch. This is what Lovdata says about this sign: Drivers in a lane that ends must change lanes and are obliged to give way in accordance with the provisions of the traffic rules. But there is a but.
Usually you have to give way if you want to change lanes and there is traffic in the lane you want to enter.
However, this does not apply if the number of lanes in the direction is reduced, according to the traffic rules.
– It is perfectly permissible to drive past on the left, and it is also intended that you should use both lanes until there is a narrowing, says traffic coordinator Bruun in the police.
People become uncertain
Section leader Eivind Gurholt in the Swedish Road Administration says they have tried different signage towards the narrowing at Langangen.
There were braided signs at the site in August 2022.
Photo: Google maps
– Over the course of several years, we have found that it provides the greatest safety and security that it is today’s sign that is there and not plaiting.
While there was braiding, people became insecure and there were approaches to several critical situations.
– Now must done on the left must find hatches and get over. We have done this for safety and security.
Gurholt says it is left to the driver’s judgment when to get into the right lane.
