To think lane hogging is inconsiderate on motorway?

[MangoMonster]

why do people hog the middle lane or even worse the third lane on a four lane carriageway? If you're scared to change lanes, stay in the slow lane? Sorry but it does wind me up, especially on a long drive. One of the fee small annoyances that get to me :(

Random question: I've seen a couple of references on this thread to police cars displaying a message. Do they do that, like the scrolling message thing in the back window they had on Top Gear several series ago? Or is this something else and I'm misunderstanding?

If someone is on the middle lane, driviong faster than the inside lane, then just over take using the outside lane.

I am sick to death of overtaking lines of slow lorries while some git flashes and pushes their bumper up to my boot - why should I slow down, slot myself in between some lorries, just so that can drive faster than me but still in the middle lane?

The real problem on motorways is people not obersving stopping distances.

Pendeen, but given the lack of traffic, you should also have been in the inside lane until you came up behind the Renault, had it been in the inside lane, and you would still have had to pull out and then in again!

Glitterandglue - yes they do. I had a police message telling me to turn my fogs lights off after I'd picked up a hire car on a dark morning and didn't know where all the lights were.

Ah, thanks. That's interesting to know. Heh, I too have been advised to turn my fog lights off but just by police driving up behind and flashing me, then pulling up alongside. First day in my first ever car and like you, wasn't too sure about all the lights!

I think the lane hoggers on this thread are just being true to their own nature! Carrying on completely oblivious certain that they are in the right, but with absolutely no understanding or common sense whatsoever!!!

IndieSkies

I was in the inside lane. I had to go from there across to lane 3 and back again to get round the fool.

I agree with you about leaving sufficient gaps and this is a problem not confined to motorways.

I agree thta Mango has the rules correct, and the amount of people disagreeing is evidence of why the motorways are so awful to drive on.

YANBU, some people should not be allowed to drive on motorways!

I drive miles for work. Round here, if there are 3 lanes, the left hand lane will become a slip road and filter off. The left hand lane is always jammed with lorries too. (close to harwich and Felixstowe.) I tend to drive mostly in the middle lane where there is one, at around 70. If someone comes along behind me, I move over. If there are only 2 lanes, I use the outside lane considerately. I will move over if required. I think that people should be more considerate, and they should stick to the speed limit. All this stuff about drivers being more careful at speed, cars are safer etc is crap. At 85mph a fraction of a second delay in breaking can mean much further stopping distances. 70 is plenty.

SingleMan - seeing anger in my posts and sense in yours?

Hmm, could be a neurological issue

YANBU - it's against the highway code and it reduces a perfectly good 3 (or 4) lane motorway into a dual carriageway, inconveniencing everyone.

OP's post is clear - it's about people sitting in the middle lane when they aren't actually over taking anything.

But to all you middle lane hoggers stuck in the middle lane - WHY? WHY do you all do it? Someone once told me it's because they don't like their tyres getting stuck in the grooves in the tarmac left by the lorries . What about the rest of you - WHY? Or are you even aware of the chaos you are causing around you?

CustardCake
"a lot of people here have said why they do it. Its because the left hand lane on many motorways is never empty"

Rubbish. If they are in an overtaking lane when they are overtaking someone, there is no complaint.

It's more annoying if you are towing anything - towing vehicles not allowed in outside lane so if there is a MLH ahead then it becomes a problem.

I was on the M6 at night a while back and was in the middle lane, stuck behind someone doing 60mph, so I waited for a gap and pulled out into the fast lane to over-take. I had a car full of people so obviously it took a few seconds to get up to speed and overtake the car.

Whilst I was doing it a car came right up behind me and flashed its lights etc in an aggressive manner so I pulled back into the middle lane as by now I'd overtaken the other car, and I gave the aggressive car the wanker sign. It was the police.. they blared their lights/siren at me but then obviously decided not to pull me over for calling them wankers.. thankfully! But they had been wankers.. so I stand by it. Ehem.

"They can't go back in the left lane because it is tail to tail with slower traffic."
So in that case they are overtaking.

"The car drivers could technically pull in and out of this slow traffic every 20 seconds or so overtaking lorries and vans 2 or 3 at a time but that's not very safe"

Why it isn't safe to overtake? Car's have indicators, a mirror and an accelerator for a reason. Likewise the brake - isn't it better to slow down slightly behind a lorry than put yourself in the path of a fast-moving ton of metal coming up behind you? I'm not talking about weaving around all over the place, but they seem to manage overtaking in Europe without everyone cruising unnecessarily in the middle lane.

Your patience has been exemplary, Custard, in explaining to others on this thread who appear to have trouble in understanding that the left hand lane on many motorways is crammed full of traffic that never exceeds 60mph. I just can't fathom why they are having problems with what you have written. It seems perfectly clear to me!

I am so with Custard. Weaving around all over the vlod

Sorry, all over the bloody place is not a sensible way to drive.

i do mway driving a lot and honestly, i've seen it sooo many times it doesn't bother me any more. If a driver feels safer in the middle lane away from lorries then i don't mind. but if there's a massive space in lane 1 and someone pootling in lane 2 then i do worry slightly that they aren't really paying attention.

There are 2 completely different scenarios being discussed on this thread:

1. people who drive in the middle lane when there is NOTHING in the inside lane but everyone is stacked up behind them trying to overtake (I'm not talking about speeding drivers here - it's not actually possible to reach 70mph on the M5 near me in rush hour/holiday season)
2. people who are overtaking slower vehicles by driving in the middle lane but, for whatever reason, get a speed-merchant on their tail.

The OP is referring to the 1st scenario and I have to agree, I still don't understand why people sit in the middle lane when the inside lane is empty and there's nothing to overtake, on an otherwise busy motorway.