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Original poster

Why can SO many people not drive properly on the motorway?

296 replies

londongirl993 · 12/08/2021 19:22

I don’t know why this annoys me SO much, but the amount of middle lane / third lane hoggers on motorways is actually getting ridiculous. There needs to be some sort of surveillance / fines for poor (and v.dangerous) motorway driving because it is getting so much worse!

There is literally no point having 4 lane motorways because nobody drives in the slow lane, or even the second lane. No point having 3 lane motorways either really because they are basically just 2 lanes of traffic.

It’s not only hugely frustrating for those who actually follow the Highway Code (like me), but also disrupts the traffic flow so much. And it’s so dangerous!! I honestly believe that if everybody / 90% of drivers actually drove on motorways like you were supposed to, traffic would flow so much better.

Okay, rant over. Anyone else agree with me? Can anyone give me an insight as to why people just don’t drive properly on the motorway?

OP posts:
NoWordForFluffy · 12/08/2021 22:57

No, the main issue is that they've gone live without the necessary technology which makes them 'smart' to start with.

Disneyblue · 12/08/2021 23:03

[quote Mrsmorton]@BareVanilla I'm deadly serious, you cause delays and accidents and hold up trade because you can't understand how to use the motorway? Why are you so entitled?[/quote]
I'm confused.
If you stayed in the middle lane at 70, who are you holding up and delaying?
The people who are illegally are going over 70mph?

NoWordForFluffy · 12/08/2021 23:05

@Disneyblue, it's not your job to police what speed others drive at on the motorway.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Driving & parking
Disneyblue · 12/08/2021 23:09

[quote NoWordForFluffy]@Disneyblue, it's not your job to police what speed others drive at on the motorway.[/quote]
Yes but if people actually went the speed limit, this wouldn't even be a problem.
The problem is people who use the middle lane who don't go 70 and go slower.

ineedsun · 12/08/2021 23:12

If they have space to undertake you and pull out in front of you, it sounds like there might be space for you to pull into the other lane.

All this ‘no one teaches you to drive on a motorway’ is just an excuse surely? We just started by practising on dual carriageways and progressed to motorways.

Middle lane hoggers boil my piss. They make it dangerous for everyone else and hold up the traffic.

KidneyBeans · 12/08/2021 23:14
  • Yes but if people actually went the speed limit, this wouldn't even be a problem. The problem is people who use the middle lane who don't go 70 and go slower.*

You assume your speedometer is accurate and that you doing the speed limit gives you the right to ignore the Highway Code and hog the middle lane.
Both of your assumptions are entitled and incorrect

rottd · 12/08/2021 23:17

it's not your job to police what speed others drive at on the motorway.

tbf by that logic no one should be policing middle lane hoggers either?

DerAlteMann · 12/08/2021 23:17

@NeonJellyBaby

I’d imagine it’s because those of us who learned before 2018 were never taught how to to drive on the motorway properly. We were just expected to get on with it once we passed our tests.
I did motorway lessons (on a 3 lane section of the A2) when I learnt back in 1976.
KidneyBeans · 12/08/2021 23:20

@rottd

it's not your job to police what speed others drive at on the motorway.

tbf by that logic no one should be policing middle lane hoggers either?

People driving a few miles over the limit do not obstruct the flow of traffic and impede other road users in the way that middle lane hoggers do
rottd · 12/08/2021 23:20

You assume your speedometer is accurate and that you doing the speed limit gives you the right to ignore the Highway Code and hog the middle lane.
Both of your assumptions are entitled and incorrect

You can't criticise lane hogging & excuse speeding. Both are shit

Mischance · 12/08/2021 23:21

This is why I avoid motorways - too many bad-tempered people like the OP!

Bad-tempered people behind the wheel of what is fundamentally a lethal weapon is a recipe for disaster.

rottd · 12/08/2021 23:23

People driving a few miles over the limit do not obstruct the flow of traffic and impede other road users in the way that middle lane hoggers do

Where did I say they did?
My point is you can't criticise someone for policing speed whilst simultaneously policing lane hogging. And where are these mythical motorways where all speeders only "drive a few miles over the limit" which wouldn't even count as speeding?

NoWordForFluffy · 12/08/2021 23:24

@rottd

You assume your speedometer is accurate and that you doing the speed limit gives you the right to ignore the Highway Code and hog the middle lane. Both of your assumptions are entitled and incorrect

You can't criticise lane hogging & excuse speeding. Both are shit

Speed in and of itself is not negligent. Inappropriate speed is (which may be below the speed limit, depending on conditions). Middle lane hogging shows a total lack of awareness of your surroundings and is always inappropriate.
KidneyBeans · 12/08/2021 23:24

@Mischance

This is why I avoid motorways - too many bad-tempered people like the OP!

Bad-tempered people behind the wheel of what is fundamentally a lethal weapon is a recipe for disaster.

So we should all be cheerful about selfish illegal and dangerous behaviour that negatively impacts us?
KidneyBeans · 12/08/2021 23:26

@rottd

You assume your speedometer is accurate and that you doing the speed limit gives you the right to ignore the Highway Code and hog the middle lane. Both of your assumptions are entitled and incorrect

You can't criticise lane hogging & excuse speeding. Both are shit

I think you'll find I just did. I've already pointed out the differences in terms of impacts on others.

So why 'can't' I?

NoWordForFluffy · 12/08/2021 23:27

@Mischance

This is why I avoid motorways - too many bad-tempered people like the OP!

Bad-tempered people behind the wheel of what is fundamentally a lethal weapon is a recipe for disaster.

Whereas the daydreaming fools hogging the middle lane are totally safe on the road!
rottd · 12/08/2021 23:30

Speed in and of itself is not negligent.

Speeding ie breaking the speed limit is inappropriate & negligent imo.

KidneyBeans · 12/08/2021 23:32

@rottd

Speed in and of itself is not negligent.

Speeding ie breaking the speed limit is inappropriate & negligent imo.

Why?
rottd · 12/08/2021 23:32

So why 'can't' I?

Well you can but it makes you look like a bellend but knock yourself out 😜

rottd · 12/08/2021 23:36

@KidneyBeans why do you think there are speed limits in the first place? why do you thing the limit of 20 mph was introduced in residential areas?

"In Great Britain in 2019, 215 people were killed in crashes involving someone exceeding the speed limit, with a further 1,535 seriously injured and 2,913 slightly injured. Another 133 people died when someone was travelling too fast for the conditions."

That's why I think speeding is inappropriate.

ryanbloodyair · 12/08/2021 23:42

@jaundicedoutlook *
*
…and another thing! Seems people think they can just join a motorway / dual carriageway at will and people already on it will just make way for them (whether or not there is space to do so). This gets my goat almost as much as middle lane hogging.

When joining a motorway you should get your speed up to match the flow of traffic on the motorway, if you're already on the motorway and driving in the near side lane, you should leave plenty of space between you and the car in front for the joiners to slot in... joiners shouldn't have to slow to much to join as this is dangerous as it's difficult to pick the speed back up quick enough in a lot of vehicles.

Absolutely agree OP. I drive on the motorway everyday to work and back and it drives me crazy how many people just don't seem to understand Keep Left if not over taking. If you're in the middle lane and not over taking vehicles to your left, you're in the wrong lane. It's just not that hard to comprehend is it?

Also annoying is people slamming their brakes on every time they approach an average speed camera.. so dangerous. It's an average speed camera.. the clue is in the name... it measures the time it takes you to get from camera A to camera B... slamming your breaks on hard isn't going to stop you getting ticketed... if it made you realise your speeding then gradually reduce.

KidneyBeans · 12/08/2021 23:43

[quote rottd]@KidneyBeans why do you think there are speed limits in the first place? why do you thing the limit of 20 mph was introduced in residential areas?

"In Great Britain in 2019, 215 people were killed in crashes involving someone exceeding the speed limit, with a further 1,535 seriously injured and 2,913 slightly injured. Another 133 people died when someone was travelling too fast for the conditions."

That's why I think speeding is inappropriate.
[/quote]
I'm not sure that discussions on 20mph speed limits in residential areas or general statistics are that relevant to the specifics of motorway driving. I'll repeat my question more clearly as you seem to have misunderstood.

Why is exceeding the speed limit on the motorway inappropriate or negligent?

Could you perhaps instead share data showing the differences between someone travelling at 70 and some on one travelling at 75mph?

Even though one car is technically speeding, Both could actually be travelling 'legally' as there's usually a margin of error in the speedometer if the car due to how they work and this is taken into account when the law is applied.

Why should one person feel they have the right to illegally hog the road and obstruct other road users because of this?

ryanbloodyair · 12/08/2021 23:48

I'm an emergency services blue light driver. We train in unmarked fast cars. The most dangerous people in general are the oblivious "I'm doing 70 in the middle lane and I'm not moving over for anyone because I'm doing 70" drivers. They cause so many problems with general traffic flow and accidents due to drivers stuck behind them becoming frustrated. They're self righteous because they are sticking to the rule of doing 70 but don't seem to give a shit about breaking the Keep Left rule 🤷‍♀️

CimCardashian · 12/08/2021 23:48

I get so pissed off with middle lane hoggers.

I have to really fight myself to not undertake them.

My brother says he flashes his lights in order to get them to move over but I don't feel comfortable doing that.

Don't these middle Lane people realise they're slowing everyone down?!

PrincessNymeria · 12/08/2021 23:50

I live in NI, wasn't taught in lessons how to drive on the motorway.

Even worse, we have to have R plates for a year after passing, and can't go faster than 45 in that time, even on the motorway. I think when my R plates go off, I'll have to book some lessons, to learn how to drive on motorways, as atm I still can't and have no clue.