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Original poster

If you don’t use lane 1 on the motorway...

52 replies

SpidersWithBellsOn · 30/10/2018 23:20

... why not?

Every time I use a motorway I see a number of cars not moving into the leftmost lane even when it’s visibly clear for miles. Why do they do it? Is there a higher chance of hitting an animal? Slightly nicer surface? Easier to follow when it’s dark? Is lane 1 only for HGVs, caravans and horseboxes and nobody told me?

Genuine question.

OP posts:
austenozzy · 30/10/2018 23:23

They’re lazy and don’t know any better, and probably not bothered that they’re being inconsiderate and dangerous. Bugs me too.

Bunnybigears · 30/10/2018 23:23

Because they are lazy and cant be bothered moving in and out. Even if there is no traffic you still have to let people join at the slip roads.

ShowOfHands · 30/10/2018 23:23

Because they've confused their highway code with a swimming instruction manual and think it's a slow lane and they're too important and fast to use it.

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Driving & parking
ThomasRichard · 30/10/2018 23:24

Because they’re either lazy, arrogant or not confident enough at overtaking to drive safely on the motorway.

Howhot · 30/10/2018 23:25

I assume because they don't know the rules of the road or don't particularly care.

IsTheRainEverComingBack · 30/10/2018 23:27

Honestly I think a lot of people don’t know how to use motorway lanes. I learnt to drive 6/7 years ago and definitely wasn’t taught. There was no motorway lesson. I think they’re talking about introducing them though.

Dandybelle · 30/10/2018 23:31

This is my pet hate of driving. Drives me up the wall that nobody uses lane 1, and then the people that should be in Lane 1 go 60mph in Lane 2, so everyone else has to squish into Lane 3 to get past them and it just causes unnecessary congestion when THERE IS A WHOLE LANE NOT BEING USED

toastfiend · 30/10/2018 23:32

I do a lot of driving for work and see this on every journey. A lot of the time I think it's people driving on autopilot. If, as a passenger, you look at them, they invariably have that totally glazed over, vacant expression and I don't think they're really thinking at all. It worries me because I always think they're probably the people not prepared or able to respond quickly in the event of an incident. I get past them and avoid them wherever possible. Helps that they're usually trundling down the middle lane at 60mph, so at least you can get out of their way easily. Either that or it's the nervous Nellies, who should probably have done Pass Plus but didn't, and now tootle along in the middle lane so as to avoid ever having to encounter the terrifying dangers of changing lane. If you ever question them about it they will invariably sanctimoniously inform you that they're a very safe driver, because they always drive well below the speed limit, never mind the fact that they're causing an obstruction to all other road users.

I do find it very irritating. It's both dangerous and inconvenient. Using the lanes correctly really isn't hard and changing lane isn't difficult if you have your wits about you and drive adequately.

Shriekingbanshee · 30/10/2018 23:39

I didn't understand the OP which seems to talk about having a problem with drivers who use the motorway correctly by using the left lane all the time unless overtaking, which is what the other lanes are for, unless dividing.
It is illegal to drive too slowly as it does cause road issues, and I do think many just forget to move back over again after overtaking, cos you're not s'posed to hog the middle lane

RomanyRoots · 30/10/2018 23:40

I've seen Police pulling drivers over recently.
Obviously it might not have been for this reason, but that's what they were doing.

BonnieF · 30/10/2018 23:44

Because they don’t understand lane discipline and they don’t understand motorways. ‘Keep left unless overtaking’ should be drummed into learner drivers until they actually understand it, but it evidently isn’t.

The situation is even worse on stretches of 4 lane motorway, where lanes 1&2 can be empty for miles, yet lanes 3&4 are travelling at 60-65mph because the brainless numpties won’t keep left. This, in turn, causes tailgating because the BMW/Mercedes/Audi drivers get so frustrated with the numpties who won’t get out of ‘their’ lane.

starzig · 30/10/2018 23:47

I often see the polar opposite too. People pulling into lane 1 at every given opportunity just too pull out again 5 sec later. Constantly weaving in and out often cutting in too close in front of other cars all because of this obsession with not wzntinfg yo sit in the middle lane for more than a few seconds for fear of being called a middle lane hogger.

legolimb · 30/10/2018 23:48

I hate this.

I think many drivers either don't understand motorway rules, or are too scared of having to change lanes choose to stick to the middle lane.

Motorway driving should be part of the driving test imo. It's crazy to pass a test on regular roads, but not be taught anything about the motorways where you can drive faster.

starzig · 30/10/2018 23:49

'Not wanting to' is the translation of the pile of random letters.

maplebaconbun · 30/10/2018 23:52

Motorway driving is now being taught as standard during lessons now since last December. This is great !

I've only just managed to go on the motorway after nearly a year of passing , but my 18yo DSis is zooming up and down in her lessons already. Deffo helps to build confidence.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 30/10/2018 23:58

Well sometimes I can see that there is another lorry up ahead in lane one and if I pull into lane one I’ll be pulling out again a few seconds later so I stay where I am. I’m pretty quick though, I’m not dawdling along so I’m sure the driver behind me won’t be imposed upon.

safariboot · 31/10/2018 01:25

They either don't know they're supposed to keep left - note how commonly it's misnamed the "slow lane". Or they just can't be bothered.

And until very recently nobody could drive on a motorway until after passing their test, at which point I think most drivers decide they're done with lessons. I actually still had another lesson paid for after I passed my driving test (because of paying for blocks) and I just didn't bother scheduling it.

Motorways won't be required for lessons or tests though because a lot of test centres are too far from any motorways.

DianaT1969 · 31/10/2018 01:35

I see a number of cars not moving into the leftmost lane even when it’s visibly clear for miles.
On the motorways around London it is full of lorries. Haven't seen an empty left lane.

Shriekingbanshee · 31/10/2018 02:50

This, in turn, causes tailgating because the BMW/Mercedes/Audi drivers get so frustrated with the numpties who won’t get out of ‘their’ lane.
^^All the competing personalities on motorways!

Rootcanalpain · 31/10/2018 03:07

There’s no particular stretch coming out of belfast where there are 2 or 3 junctions off that have filter lanes all within a space of maybe 2 miles. It’s awful if you move over when the road is busy as you never get back out again because locals sit in the middle lane and don’t move in. I got caught at the weekend and had to come off and go a different route because despite indicating I could not get back out again.

FairfaxAikman · 31/10/2018 04:01

Even if there is no traffic you still have to let people join at the slip roads.

No you don't. Traffic on the motorway has priority- it's up to joining traffic to adjust their speed accordingly to fit a gap.
Braking to let traffic in can be dangerous if the joining car has already identified a gap.

FairfaxAikman · 31/10/2018 04:02

Even if there is no traffic you still have to let people join at the slip roads.

No you don't. Traffic on the motorway has priority- it's up to joining traffic to adjust their speed accordingly to fit a gap.
Braking to let traffic in can be dangerous if the joining car has already identified a gap.

FairfaxAikman · 31/10/2018 04:02

Even if there is no traffic you still have to let people join at the slip roads.

No you don't. Traffic on the motorway has priority- it's up to joining traffic to adjust their speed accordingly to fit a gap.
Braking to let traffic in can be dangerous if the joining car has already identified a gap.

Chottie · 31/10/2018 06:41

I see a number of cars not moving into the leftmost lane even when it’s visibly clear for miles.

I'm just wondering what motorway you are driving on? it's definitely not the M23, M25, M11 or M20. Lane 1 on these motorways are filled with lorries.

Harrykanesrightsock · 31/10/2018 06:49

We have a stretch where the slip road becomes a lane and nearly every one moves out of that lane as soon as it joins the motorway. It’s madness. The lane is around a ten mile stretch of emptiness.