Middle Lane Hoggers

[MrFrost]

Get ready to pay £100 fine!! About time too.

Also heard a couple of days ago on the news, the Government want to bring in a law to completely ban the use of mobile phones in cars, even with bluetooth devices.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Aye. When Governments lose control of the really big issues, they focus on the minutiae like this.

Anyone old enough to remember John Major as PM will recall that as the economy fell into a black hole, interest rates went to 15%, we were booted out of the ERM, half his party were taking cash for questions, the other half were preaching about Victorian Values while banging their secretary or dressing themselves in gimp suits, trussing themselves up from the roof beams with an amyl nitrate-filled satsuma in their gobs while they cracked one off, John Major's Big Idea was the Cones Hotline for motorists to report unnecessarily restrictive roadworks.

[MrFrost]

Aye. When Governments lose control of the really big issues, they focus on the minutiae like this.

Anyone old enough to remember John Major as PM will recall that as the economy fell into a black hole, interest rates went to 15%, we were booted out of the ERM, half his party were taking cash for questions, the other half were preaching about Victorian Values while banging their secretary or dressing themselves in gimp suits, trussing themselves up from the roof beams with an amyl nitrate-filled satsuma in their gobs while they cracked one off, John Major's Big Idea was the Cones Hotline for motorists to report unnecessarily restrictive roadworks.

Yawn.

[Donnywolf]

I think they should be nicked but my grouse is who will catch them ?

Just come through loads of Traffic Lights on WH Road and the Highway Code said when I passed my test that Amber Traffic Light means prepare to stop ... now it means speed up in case the light goes Red and even then if you are desperate to get through just carry on. I cant see many convictions for something that is easy to see/detect

Yellow Lines (Double) are painted throughout Thorne to help keep traffic flowing and unrestricted but at any time but especially 18.00 onwards there are Cars outside the Take Away shops belonging to the Delivery Drivers or people collecting. PC's - even Traffic PC's ride by and ignore them ....

...one of the worst "offences" in my day was Parking in the hatch markings of a Zebra Crossing (because it obscures the view of anyone crossing the road and could lead to their death) but in Thorne and I am sure everywhere else people stop ON the Crossing because it is near to a Hole in The Wall Cashpoint. Again they get ignored

....so if "they" ignore offences which are easy to detect and Black /White issues who in hell is going to try to enforce a subjective offence such as Tailgating or Middle Lane hogging ?

[jonnydog]

I cant say I've read all about it so sorry if this sounds ill educated, but have set rules been outlined?

As the other argument is deciphering what constitutes 'Hogging' the middle lane. Surely there has to be an actual law put in place which highlights set failures/errors in a drivers judgement to which they can be penalised for.

E.g. If someone who is doing 70mph for say, a mile, and the person behind is driving like a t**t and wants to get passed, the driver in front simply does what is said in all test questions/highway code, and continues cautiously and/or drops back to leave more space from the car in front.

My point is, surely there will have to be some guidelines in place judge the driver on, surely it can't just be down to police discretion cos then how would they appeal.

Don't get me wrong, it annoys me if someone hogs a lane, but I've been on m18 and a truck has overtaken another truck going up towards ikea depot, but it didn't actually successfully complete the overtake for at least a good 2 miles. Does this warrant a penalty notice?

... Agree totally with the mobile phone thing though. I see loads still using them when I'm out and they should have harsher penalties to actually make those drivers take warning and stop.

[Dagenham Rover]

Interestingly hogging the middle lane is not actually illegal as has been discussed on the radio today, it could be construed as dangerous though, remember the highway code is not all law a fair old bit is advisory.
So lets look at it slightly differently fined for not breaking the law    oh and speeding fines gone up to a hundred quid as well (but the more cynical may think this has been raised so the cost of speed awareness courses can be raised )

[jonnydog]

Totally off on a tangent, but wasn't there talk all over the news last year that the limit on the motorway was increasing to 80mph? Is this still coming in?

[RobTheRover]

Doesnt everyone drive at 80 anyway?

[Nudga]

Middle lane bas**rds should have their hands and feet chopped off.

[Dagenham Rover]

Middle lane b*****ds should have their hands and feet chopped off.

Can't say I disagree they can be a right pain in the proverbial

[River Don]

Doesnt everyone drive at 80 anyway?

That's part of the problem, you find some people driving at or just below the 70 while others persistently drive at 80.

I doubt there will be many convictions. Most UK motorways are busy, the inside lane is full of heavy goods vehicles, coaches, caravans and increasingly these days people driving more slowly, I suppose to save fuel. There usually isn't much opportunity to pull left if you are travelling at 70 because the inside lane is so busy.

The frustration with middle lane drivers is probably more to do with the congestion on the motorway.

[River Don]

Totally off on a tangent, but wasn't there talk all over the news last year that the limit on the motorway was increasing to 80mph? Is this still coming in?

That has gone quiet hasn't it? Not long ago the Spanish actually reduced their national speed limit to force drivers to conserve fuel. Maybe that's why they have put it on the back burner?

[MrFrost]

Totally off on a tangent, but wasn't there talk all over the news last year that the limit on the motorway was increasing to 80mph? Is this still coming in?

That has gone quiet hasn't it? Not long ago the Spanish actually reduced their national speed limit to force drivers to conserve fuel. Maybe that's why they have put it on the back burner?

Problem you have, if you increase it to 80, people will then drive at 90, which is a dangerous speed on a busy motorway.
If you're going to put the limit at 80, there should be a zero tolerance to driving about that limit, unlike the 10& grace Police give with drivers at the moment.

[Sheepskin Stu]

If only speedometers were accurate to within 1mph...

[River Don]

Totally off on a tangent, but wasn't there talk all over the news last year that the limit on the motorway was increasing to 80mph? Is this still coming in?

That has gone quiet hasn't it? Not long ago the Spanish actually reduced their national speed limit to force drivers to conserve fuel. Maybe that's why they have put it on the back burner?

Problem you have, if you increase it to 80, people will then drive at 90, which is a dangerous speed on a busy motorway.
If you're going to put the limit at 80, there should be a zero tolerance to driving about that limit, unlike the 10& grace Police give with drivers at the moment.

They were proposing to make it 80 but then enforce it with rigour. Maybe they have realised they don't have the resources to do that?

[IDM]

Folks all too often stay in the middle lane if having just passed one truck there is another on in the inside lane half a mile ahead.  This then means the cars going faster in the middle lane get stuck, and the outside lane becomes just as bad.

If folks moved back into the inside lane, even between traffic, then the problem would reduce.  I look at all 3 lanes and often the outside lane is the busiest, and the inside lane quietest.

It irates me when you see folks in the middle lane with no one in sight in the inside lane, regardless of speed.

[River Don]

Folks all too often stay in the middle lane if having just passed one truck there is another on in the inside lane half a mile ahead.  This then means the cars going faster in the middle lane get stuck, and the outside lane becomes just as bad.

If folks moved back into the inside lane, even between traffic, then the problem would reduce.  I look at all 3 lanes and often the outside lane is the busiest, and the inside lane quietest.

It irates me when you see folks in the middle lane with no one in sight in the inside lane, regardless of speed.

Equally if you pull in to the inside lane for just a very short run between heavy goods vehicles, you find on busy roads it can be very difficult to pull back out into the overtaking lane and you're stuck trundling along at 65-60 mph.

[IDM]

See how blurred the differences are between what we think is ok and not RD?  How the hell is this going to be policed in that case?

[River Don]

See how blurred the differences are between what we think is ok and not RD?  How the hell is this going to be policed in that case?

Realistically it isn't going to be policed. It will be very difficult for a traffic cop to notice a middle lane hog and then obtain good enough evidence to get a conviction. I don't see many police cars on the motorway these days anyway.

I'm pretty sure the problem is just a frustration with congested motorways and a conflict between drivers who want to travel at around the 70 mark and those who want to go faster. MLHs aren't a worry on stretches of motorway that are being controlled with average speed cameras, then all the traffic is moving sweetly along without overtaking at 70 / 60 / 50 whatever the limit they have. In fact driving along under those restrictions is so easy it feels boring.

[bobjimwilly]

Equally if you pull in to the inside lane for just a very short run between heavy goods vehicles, you find on busy roads it can be very difficult to pull back out into the overtaking lane and you're stuck trundling along at 65-60 mph.

Middle lane c**ts do my head in, but I think that is why a lot of people stay in the middle lane, because other ignorant bas**rds who aren't using the lane probably don't let them back in it when they get behind the next lorry.

[Nudga]

I think the problem lies with the middle lane bas**rds doing 60 to 65 mph for long stretches when they have plenty of chances to get back on the inside lane. I have noticed there are three types of middle lane bas**rds, old men that look like they've been dead for four weeks, women (usually wear glasses) and Asians. And all of these have another thing in common, they all seem to drive with their seats so close to the steering wheel.

I am going to fit some chariot style spikes to my wheels, see if the middle lane bas**rds like them apples.

[Mr1Croft]

I think the problem lies with the middle lane bas**rds doing 60 to 65 mph for long stretches when they have plenty of chances to get back on the inside lane. I have noticed there are three types of middle lane bas**rds, old men that look like they've been dead for four weeks, women (usually wear glasses) and Asians. And all of these have another thing in common, they all seem to drive with their seats so close to the steering wheel.

I am going to fit some chariot style spikes to my wheels, see if the middle lane bas**rds like them apples.

I also find there are 3 types of middle lane hoggers:

The first one is the one you typically find on the M62 at 5:20 in the afternoon, they will get in the middle lane and remain there doing 65 MPH without a care in the world, if a lorry overtakes a lorry they won't move to the outside lane to overtake but remain behind the overtaking lorry until it pulls back in before continuing with their journey. They claim to be cautious but they are far from it.

The second one is the guy who clearly shouldn't be in the second lane, towing a caravan or a trailer, their speed typically varies between 65-75 usually depending on whether they are being overtaken or not, they occasionally move over to the fast lane to overtake lorries and the first type of middle lane hoggers. The problem is they usually take an age to move over and overtake and slow traffic on the right lane down.

The third one is usually in a saloon type car, flying down the middle lane doing anything over 85 and using which ever lane is free to overtake. When heading towards the M62 when on the M18 you see a lot of these overtaking lorries in the middle lane with the first lane (West Bound) and then cutting back to go East Bound. Their braking is usually late and aggressive and you always say out-loud whether anyone is in the car or anything "What a nutter (or something similar) he'll cause an accident soon".

[BillyStubbsTears]

Nudge. Too good for 'em cocker.

Chop their knackers off, I say. Even the women. Sew a pair of knackers onto them and THEN chop em off.

[Donnywolf]

I don't think anyone has mentioned the good old US of A yet and the overtake in any lane

It seems to work there and you get much less hassle when on freeways there than motorways here

I would also like to see the same rule as in Florida .... wipers on lights on

[The L J Monk]

Why do a lot of cars in the States not have a wiper on the rear window?

[RobTheRover]

I'm just thankful none of you lot have started on us "outside lane hoggers"

[Sandy Lane]

DW, I actually was unaware that we are allowed to overtake in all lanes.  When starting to drive we were always taught to pass on the left.  That said though, I don't think it's against the law to pass on the right, it's just more dangerous with everyone weaving in and out.  Chaos I tell thee, particularly in Florida on their superhighways 5 lines wide and loads of elderly people going v e r y slow.

LJ, Some cars do have wipers on the back windows.  Off hand the ones I can think of are more of the boxy shaped cars with upright windows, rather than the slanting rear windows, if that makes sense... 

And Rob, yes I was thinking about the left hand lane hoggers!!  When I drive to my sisters I have to use the Massachusetts turnpike which is usually 3 lanes wide and many people just travel in the left lane and don't move to the middle lane when someone comes up behind them traveling faster than they are.  So then  you are forced to either slow way down or pass them on the right!!  Arrrrhg!

[RobTheRover]

You slow down?

Dont you do what we do here and flash your lights, beep your horn, and give them a range of obscene finger gestures?

[Sandy Lane]

Haha, I usually don't slow down, but since we don't use the two finger salute over here, I may have been known to flash the 'reverse peace sign' at annoying drivers whilst passing on their right. 

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I always thought the law in the US said keep to the right on the motorway until I remember having a  chat about it one night on the way home from work and it turned out the law's different all over the place, talk about confusing.....

I had a great drive in this morning.  Two lanes to the right stood solid on the M62 whilst I was doing a steady 50 in lane 1 - brilliant!