Middle lane - how did you know?

To answer your original question OP, when I was growing up I always thought there was a 'slow' lane and a 'fast' lane, and you chose which one you wanted to drive in! Then when I was old enough to learn to drive I read the highway code and found out I was wrong. I do think I used to hear the lanes being referred to as slow or fast though, and that made me confused about them as a child.

Wish these were actual signs

I can read...and can furthermore understand, even though I don't do motorway driving.

Here

Exactly! 👏👏👏

When you get to the exit point you will see a solid line and chevrons separating lanes. These must not be crossed. I'll get a pic

I think this is an example of what @TeslaTwat is saying. Using a PP motorway choice for an example. These two pictures are both on the M40. The one on the left is half way between junctions 2 and 3. The one on the right is just after the end of the slip road where junction 2 joins.

Notice the length of the white lines in the image on the right is longer than the image on the left. This is what signifies more danger and to take more care.

It doesn't, however, signify that you must or must not change lanes. It's just a warning symbol.

@GrittyTunnocks ermmm yes, that's what I'm saying. When motorways merge, the lines change.

The type of people that think nothing of pootling along in the middle lane also tend to be the types not to consider that HGVs aren't allowed in the outer lane.

And I hate the guys who go cutting in front and then go into the left lane. Especially if both lanes are quite empty.

They're making a point about you hogging the middle lane.

I genuinely don’t understand this point. There are no restrictions on changing lanes in the vicinity of bog standard motorway junctions. I did about an hour on the M40 and then M4 today and unless it was separating into a different motorway (like when the M40 interacts with the M25), the lane markings don’t change. They simply don’t and you are free to
change lanes at will.

Be kind?!

Be a better driver!

Pootling mindlessly in the middle lane? You sound like a dangerous driver.

@enchantedsquirrelwood it's not a smart motorway thing. It's any motorway merge. You will see it on them all.

I was on the motorway today and it's probably the worst I've ever seen. Lane 3 was packed. Was driving DPs car so was on my best behaviour.

I'm a fast driver but always return to the left-most available lane when I've finished overtaking and there's room to move in

Isn't the piece in bold the key piece of info here?

Often there isn't room but people just get the hump that someone is in their way and they've either got to take their foot off the gas slightly, or move over to overtake.

I'm often looking out for road signs and trying not to get lost. So be kind instead. Life is too short

to be fair if you want to look at road signs you should be in the inside lane anyway. Lorries often obscure the signs if you are in the next lane(s) over.

I was on a non smart motorway yesterday and you're right - there was no change.

I saw it on the M1 so am wondering if it's a smart-motorway-only thing. My friend and I were on our way to Bedford at the time.

Because the people behind have to make more maneuvers to over take or potentially undertake (which is legal as long as you are not speeding and switching lanes to get through traffic.
The 2 middle lanes are overtaking lanes. If your not overtaking, move over.

Seriously, get your driving licence revoked.
No one should be "zoning out" when driving a car!!

(Having previously seen it online) I left a note on a badly parked 4WD that said “IF YOU CAN’T EVEN PARK IT PROPERLY SHOULD YOU REALLY BE DRIVING YOUR HUSBAND’S CAR?”

Insulting to both sexes.

@Flyhigher if changing a lane every 10min is too much effort then what about using indicators?! That must be a chore for you too?!
I bet you are the driver that parks their car across two parking bays in my local supermarket?!

Middle lane hogging can significantly reduce the capacity of a lane. Motorways are built to accommodate up to 1900 vehicles per hour, but when drivers hog the middle lane, it can cause the capacity to decrease by more than a third. Despite the UK government investing billions of pounds to increase capacity on the roads, this effort is negated by the act of lane hogging by members of the public.

Phew! When I saw someone had tagged me in a post, I was expecting a roasting. It is AIBU after all!

The biggest problem with common sense is that it isn't all that common!

If you are in the left hand lane (lane 1) and the flow of traffic in your lane is travelling faster than vehicles in lane 2 then you can pass them, you are keeping up with the flow of traffic in your lane.

Drive defensively, think ahead and be aware of your surroundings at all times, if a car in lane 2 is indicating to pull into your lane then ease off to let them in.
If in lane 1 with a slip road joining it, pull over into lane 2 to allow traffic to join the motorway safely then pull back over to lane 1 after you’ve passed the slip road junction.

@TenderDandelions you are correct, you can carry on your way and 'undertake' if someone is slower in the right hand side lanes. I checked the Highway Code as a result of this thread 😃
I guess it's common sense though, something in short supply!

@Discointhekitchen I completely agree with you.
I was overtaking a middle lane hogger, I went into the outside lane, made sure there was space and made to pull back to the left and then to the inside lane. In the meantime, some idiot had undertaken the middle lane hogger and pulled in front of him/her, just as I was indicating and they blasted me with their horn as if it was my fault! They then proceeded to drive slowly in front of me as I returned to the left lane being really intimidating.
You can't reason with stupid

Or should that be move out and pull in? In any case, the first / slow lane is the inside.