Dracoro

Surely if the police observe your manouvre then they must also have ssen the lane hoggers and pulled them?

I will stay in lane 1 (up to 70mph of course ) and pull into lane 2 or 3 to overtake if there are cars in lane 1 (and 2/3 etc as appropriate). If people don't use the lanes properly, why should everyone else suffer?

I think firstly, however, that there needs to be a media campaign educating the public (as most people haven't been taught or don't realise what burks they're being). Then we can have a police blitz and those that ignore the campaigns can go to hell.

Hang on, there's no money in this so what are the chances of it happening? cynical? moi?

[Edited by Dracoro - 4/2/2003 8:20:09 PM]

stevenuk300

For examples like this morning, on the motorway people will just sit in the middle and 3rd lane even tough the first lane is clear. This really annoys me. This morning I passed approx 20 vehicles from the inside lane doing no more than 70mph.
Why do people drive in the middle and outside lane when the first lane is clear?
Am I in the wrong for passing them in the inside lane?

HELLOM8

Under passing is in this situation wrong (I think

).
I think its a combination of no common sense and lack of education.
The near side lane is the driving lane any other lanes to the right of this are for overtaking cars going slower than you in the driving lane.
Often see a lone car in the middle of the M-way at 3am with no cars to overtake for miles.

speedking

Do you mean "Am I in the wrong", "is it illegal", or "am I likely to get stopped".

No, no, and yes

Highway code rule 242.
Therefore OK (if circumstances as described).

stevenuk300

By congested traffic, does that include the 1st lane to be clear but the other 2 lanes having traffic???
or does it mean all 3 lanes to be congested, therefore all lanes moving slowly, but every now and again your lane moves a bit quicker?

Dream Weaver

Contentious issue. If someone was on their own in lane 2 or 3, and travelling at 20mph, are you supposed to slow down to 20 so as not to undertake them.

Had this last week, old woman in lane 3 doing about 35mph, me and another bloke traveling towards her at 70 in lane 1. So we just continued on our journey undertaking her, rather than wait for her to pull in.

StickyMicky

i undertake all of the time
there nothing worse then sitting behind sumbody doing 55 in the outside lane for ages, for them to not move, maybe even flash your lights??
for them to not move
for u to then undertake them and give them the finger
for them to then pull over to the left
wtf is wrong with these people

hail-hail

I am an undertaker aswell (not the bury dead bodys type )

I do loads of miles on the motorway.
I generally find that it is in reasonably busy traffic that you get the people staying in lanes 2/3.
I drive between 70 and 80 mph in the inside lane, if i overtake i go straight back into the inside lane.
If there is a lane 2 hogger I move into lane 3 and then 1 to make a point.
If I have a 2 and 3 lane hogger then I undertake.

I will not slow down for people in the outer lanes especially since I ALWAYS drive in the leftmost lane unless overtaking.

prodriva

I discussed this with an ex accident investigation officer of the Chertsey Accident Unit some time ago and it was concluded that yes in most circumstances this is an illegal manoeuvre to undertake on the motorway. However, if the conditions are good and it was/is seen to be safe to do so, then this can be your defence if you have been observed by a member of a traffic unit of the police force. Generally it would be a slap of the wrist and "on your way sir" but when the conditions do not allow for this manoeuvre to be undertaken (no punn intended ) say heavy traffic, poor weather conditions then expect the letter of the law to be read out to you.

In no way do I condone this course of action when driving on "The Queens Highway" but my personnal opinion is that if the situation calls for it then why not.

JPR

I thought this section of the highway code was reviewed a few years back, there was talk of making the motorways the same as the states, as in undertaking being allowed.
Apparently it was proved that traffic flows better when undertaking is allowed, however it didn't state whether it was more unsafe. After driving in Canada and the States, It was apparent to me that generally, the highways work like our motorways where as slower moving traffic would use the right lane (obviously they drive on the other side) and faster traffic would use the left lane. When the highways were a bit more conjested, then thats when more undertaking went on. It seemed to work well and never felt unsafe, you did get the odd tit who would weave in and out of the lanes at speed, but I think out there that is deemed as dangerous driving by the cops and they are likely to pull you.

bashful

The reason people stay in the outside lane in moderate traffic is (to me) obvious: they're all afraid that if they use the middle lane, when they come up behind someone slower, no s*d will let them into the outside lane again!

There's a different rant to be had about driving so closely at 70+ that there isn't *room* for a car between you and the vehicle in front...

Suresh

.. also a serial under-taker whenever possible . I will usually not go out and around people who have no or little road sense and if I do I make sure to cut it 'a little fine' when I move back to the inside lane. Usually scares them enough to move on over!

I would be seriously annoyed if plod decided to stop me rather than a middle lane hogger that I had just passed.

Blobster

I am also an undertaker (pun no better the second time around) and find it incredible the number of dullards who just sit in the middle lane.
However, on the point of going down the USA example of overtaking being allowed in any lane, imagine the carnage. If the middle lane morons can't even get the hang of keeping left and using only the rear view mirror, how on earth are the expected to keep an eye on all of the mirrors.
PS. What about the M40 between the M25 and Slough. It's 4 lanes and you still get numptie's sitting in lane 3!
And don't get me started on indicators. Optional extras on most cars.

ragnarock2

When I was taught to drive, my instructor said that you shouldn't use indicators on dual carriage ways unless turning off - so the only time I do is if there are some numpties who will not let me out!

Blobster

Altogether now.
Mirror - Signal - Manoeuvre.

GLIM

Stevenuk300, in the circumstances of your 1st post you could not, be and would not be criticised for this type of driving.

However if you were to overtake on the nearside when the traffic on the other lanes were not in queues and moving slower than you it would be another matter.

ie someone travelling at 70mph in front of you in the o/s lane and you take them on the n/s.This is where the problems start if you get caught.


Glim.

Phil Harrison

Speedking has it EXACTLY right, tho' he omits to mention that it is as much a violation of the highway code not to pull back into a slower lane when one's overtake is complete: hence the view that you might not necessarily get 'done' if the police observed you doing an undertake in the circumstances where there's a persistent 'blocker'.

Deliberate continuous'weaving' to force a passage is, however, asking for it!!

Phil

Leys

Should try living in Dubai mate, scary! Not only do you have people sitting in the ‘fast’ lane doing 40-60KPH (speed limit is 120). You’ve got to contend with the locals in the sports car doing 120+ in the hard shoulder because they can’t be arsed waiting behind traffic. I can’t wait to get back to the UK roads.

Foot_Tapper

I think people are worried they'll be baulked by slow traffic if they move to the inside lane, then wont be able to get to the centre or outside, so they dont bother.
I dont mind those who cruise up on the inside, when the outside lanes are chocker, but i dont like them cutting me or anyone else up to make progress.

revitt

I have asked a number of middle lane hogs why they do it and I have generally had one of 2 responses.

1) They think it is safer. Quote "If I have a blow out I have a lane either side to move into" My response to that is I would want to be close to the hard shoulder as possible in that case and have as many lanes as possible between me and on coming traffic.

2) The are sh*t scared of driving on motorways and as a matter of course pull into the middle lane on entry and stay there regardless of what happens until they arrive at their exit. My response to that is hand in your licence and sell your car.

prodriva

Dracoro, I agree entirely. Bring on a media campaign to highlight this ever growing problem. If the lanes were freed-up then surely it would have a positive effect on the old congestion problem. Sorry, but this subject is a real gripe of mine. Oh happy days

supertouring

I understand why many less confident drivers use the middle lane when there is a reasonable amount of traffice about. I find it MUCH harder to drive at 60-65 as you are constantly having to pull out into faster moving traffic. Driving at a higher speed is much easier.

Driving only in the middle lane also removes the need to use the rear view mirror, which many drivers have a problem using.

Stevie

I drive on the left at the speed I am comfortable with for the conditions.

IMHO, if I stay in the left lane, which is clear, and sit at 70mph, I am not breaking the law. I would imagine anybody who was in either of the outer lanes at this time and were passed by me to be driving without due care and attention?

I have always "passed on the left" and always will do if required to proceed with my journey.

I never change lanes to pass on the left.
I never alter my speed to pass on the left.
I think it's about subtlety.

stevenuk300

Isn't it a bit worrying when these people admit to not being confident on the motorway. If they are nervous about being in heavy traffic on the motorway imho they should not be driving on the motorway.
There was a comment earlier about flashing people out of the way, but I find this more annoying than people who sit in the middle lane.

T4molie

I use to work with this lady who wasn't what I would've called a confident driver (but then she wasn't a bad driver either - passenger in her car on a couple of occasions). She openly admitted that she hated driving on motorways and wasn't overly hp about dual carriageways either.

One Monday morning, just in conversation, she mentioned to me that her and her mum had been to Skegness for the weekend - now that doesn't sound like too much of a mean feit. However she then carried on explaining to me that she'd managed to get all the way there and all the way back (Ealing to Skeggy and back) without touching a single motorway/dual carriageway

Damn!

Blobster

On the subject of flashing middle lane hog, I have been reliably informed by a traffic policeman that this is the preferred method.

On a more worrying note. A friend of a friend (honestly) once drove over a hundred miles on the M4 and M25 believing she was not allowed to use her brakes on a motorway.