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 :(

sweetGrapes - sweetie, now sweetie: you know that thing where cars repeatedly flash their lights and sound their horn at you? It's because - brace yourself - you are driving dangerously by hogging the middle lane. If you follow the rules of motorway driving you will, indeed (as Bibbity is so horrified by), be weaving in and out of overtaking lanes [the ones to the right of the left lane], which is what you're supposed to be doing re stay in the left lane until it's going too slow and, if the middle lane is free, you can put them winkers on and overtake; then, when you've overtaken, you pop back [winkers!] into the left lane. Sometimes you can pull out into the middle lane if you're coming up to a slip road and you can see cars trundling down it trying to pick up speed to give them a chance to clatter into the thrum of the m'way. Sometimes, even, the middle lane is too slow, so you can do that thing again of looking to see that the right lane is free (look far mind because there might be a knob on it who is steaming down it at 110mph), putting them winkers on, pulling out to overtake; then slipping back into the middle lane (winkers!) once you're safely past the too-slow car/vehicle. You might even go mad and actually pop into the left lane if there's nobody in it, you know? That way you won't cause a jam that stretches back for miles and miles and miles and m-i-l-e-s .

I also don't recognise the m'ways you lot are driving on (and I've done a lot of driving around these fair isles) re left lane full of lorries and caravans and old people going 55mph. ime there are a lot of this type of vehicle but not exclusively. I'm in it for a start, if the need arises; as are many bog-standard cars, going about their highway code business.

Personally, if I wasn't constantly alert, watching everybody, changing lanes to overtake, I'd go to sleep. How can you sit in the middle lane and not move lanes much without getting dozey? The drone of the car, the heating on when it's winter, something lovely and calm on the radio.. all very soporific. It's also, btw, why m'ways don't go in a straight line but wiggle about: so nobody dozes off on a droney straight road. oh, I get it! Those flashing/beeping cars wake you up!

YANBU -Keep left unless over taking.

That's the rule. Everyone should stick to it.

Even when this is put up on the signs for people to see, they still ignore it.

So why is motorway driving not considered important enough to be part of the normal driving practice and test? I did my licence in Germany and you had to do a set amount of your lessons on a motorway and parts of the practical have to be on there.
That way people could practice how long they should stay on which line etc.

If I would have to drive in the UK I would make sure to get some extra lessons, in the country side, city and the motorway (so I don't sway to the right by accident ). But it's no good not practicing a very important part of driving, is it?

Just thought I'd get my two cents in - but I agree, OP! YANBU! Even though I don't drive, I know what the rules of the road are (more or less!)

Another nice little driving tale:

There's a stretch of road I know. It's a dual carriageway. It is a good four-mile stretch of road with a few curves in it. At the beginning is a roundabout. At the end is a roundabout. Not particularly horrible.

But the amount of people I have seen going at 40mph, when it's national speed limit, and sticking to the outside lane because they are turning right at the bottom of the roundabout so had "better stay in that lane" because GOD ALIVE a whole 4 miles isn't enough time to maneuver the car to where they want it to be... is absolutely baffling! It turns me into some wild, crazed back-seat driver. Talk about irritating...

ROFL @ the drivers saying "I'm a lane hogger safe driver but some unexplained reason I get a lot of people coming up close behind and flashing their lights at me." Take the hint: it's not them, it's you!

.

I'm not that fussed about what people do on the motorway as long as they don't trundle along in the outside lane doing 60mph for mile after mile and steadfastly ignoring the vast queue of cars building up behind them, most of whom take their rage out on the entirely innocent car in the queue in front of them and drive about 2 inches from their bumper, gnashing their teeth and flashing their lights.

Ah, the M4, fun times.....

Unfortunately there are people driving on the motorway who don't understand the rules and that they should be in the left hand lane unless they are overtaking.

unpa1dcar3r - as above - why do you speed?

72MPH???? Huh.

Anyway why is it your concern?

I'm reminded of the scene from Gavin and Stacey where Rob Lyons refuses to move over even though others in the car are telling him to as he's being a dick hogging the lane and he says "No, I am doing the speed limit, I will not move over", even though the inside lane is empty!
Clearly Gavin and Stacey exaggerate and over emphasise 'normal' behaviour for comedic value but sadly some of it is very true!

It's not just unreasonable and bloody annoying. It's also illegal...

(From BBC News)

Motorists who are found to be blocking the way for other drivers could be fined up to £2,500.

Police say motorists who sit in the outside lane, blocking other drivers are not just being thoughtless, but they cause accidents.

"Lane hogging", as it is more commonly known, can cause frustration and in some cases road rage.

Pc Kevin Druce said: "It promotes bad feeling.

"People get frustrated. They want to pass you and in view of the fact they can't, they then close in on you and reduce braking distances.

"A lot of people in that situation end up braking harshly to try and scare the person away from the back of their car, and, at 70 or 80mph, that can be very dangerous."

Drivers who are caught flouting lane laws will be issued with fixed penalty fines.

But drivers can also be charged with another offence - inconsiderate driving. For this they could face a fine of £2,500.

The police say when they questioned motorists, lane hogging was one of things that bothered most drivers.

I find it quite telling that some posters who partake in this dangerous practice go on to say that they've been driving for years and never had an accident.

They're clearly oblivious to the carnage left behind them as they go about their dangerous driving...

I had an accident with one of those European lorries once. I think he fell asleep and drifted into my lane as I was overtaking. We locked wheels and then I was sent spinning into the outer lane. Only the good driving by those around me prevented a serious pile up - we were on the M4 just before the evening rush hour.

It's not the safest place to be.

Incidentally, if you have an accident with one of these giants, expect to have to pay for it. I got his registration number and a description of the lorry. He failed to stop - I doubt he even realised. The police said it would be impossible to trace him and I had to claim on my own insurance.

I have noticed that there is a North/South divide on motorway driving. The North, where roads are quieter, people tend to drive as they should i.e. keep as leftish as possible. The South, where it is busier, people are worried about being boxed in and unable to get out of the middle lane so they keep rightish as default.

OP YADNBU!

FYI singleman and sweetgrapes the speed limit is only considered broken at 10% plus two miles over the "speed limit". Therefore, you can drive legitimately at 79 miles per hour on the motorway without being pulled over by police and fined. In any case, it is not your responsibility to enforce speed limits on the roads, and your way of driving is extremely dangerous. If I am overtaking in the outside lane and find someone behind me clearly wants to go faster than I do, I slip back into the lane to the left, even if it is a bit slower than I want to drive, to enable them to pass me, as it's the safest thing to do!

The ACPO Speed Enforcement Guidelines
Speed Limit (mph) Fixed Penalty Summons
20 25 35
30 35 50
40 46 66
50 57 76
60 68 86
70 79 96

I sit in the middle lane in busy traffic

1 because the left lane is much slower and i'm happily doing 70
2 because if I dared to move to the left lane, chances of getting into the middle to overtake are very slim because of everyone else driving way over the speed limit.

Had an incident once where there was a steady flow of traffic (70mph), going along quite nicely in the middle lane (big lorries on the left). Further along the road cars suddenly moved into the right hand lane, made me cautious as seemed to be happening at an alarming pace. Turns out there was a bloody idiot in the middle lane doing 30 / 40

People like that shouldn't be on the bloody road.. Could easily have been a pile up if it hadn't been for the quick thinking of the other drivers.

Oh BTW has the speed limit on the roads in the UK changed? Last I heard it was officially 70 for motorways/dual carriageways, etc. When did the motorway change to 80/90+? As that's what everyone seems to be doing nowadays unless they go the other extreme like the one above.

You should have to drive on the motorway as part of your driving test, or at least do an extra test to be able to. The standard of driving on motorways at times is awful.

Those people defending there right to lane hog are obviously clueless as to the law. Unless overtaking or moving to allow other cars on there is no need to be sat in the middle lane.

YADNBU. This is one of my pet hates, and I really hope the people on here who disagree are wilfully misunderstanding you, rather than actually bad drivers themselves.

You keep left as much as you can. If the left lane is empty, or there is a long distance before the next lorry, use it.
If there are lorries, caravans etc in the left lane going slower than you, of course you use the middle lane, for as long as it takes. During the rush hour, you may be in the middle lane for the whole journey. Such is life, and not really a problem.
In the last couple of days I have used the M40, M25, M11 and M1, (the M25 is lovely at night!) and have been gritting my teeth at middle lane hoggers who just sit there while the left lane is empty. Poor driving skills, clearly.

I believe there is a whole circle of hell reserved for lane hoggers. Possibly punished by driving round and round the ghostly version of the M25 for all eternity. Listening to Jedward.

Sirzy, I drive in the middle lane to avoid being stuck at 60 behind the big lorries. If other drivers stuck to the speed limit it would make it easier to change lanes as required.

Oh and FWIW if there is an obvious gap in the left lane of course I go in. I'm only talking busy traffic here.

I do loads of long distance driving at various times of the day, sometimes roads are quiet, other times is choc-a-block

batman totally agree

So you go out to overtake which is fine so I don't understand your point. Op was very obviously talking about being out there when the other lanes are clear

Love Springydaff's post, so funny.

To the lane-hoggers... surely, if you think that the overtakers are dangerous, the best thing to do is let them overtake you and get away from you?

I think perhaps some of the posters on the thread don't drive very often. I know that one or two don't drive at all. It makes a difference.

GalaxyWeaver... I've seen that too, that's when the undertaking happens, what else can drivers do?

I hate it too! Particularly those who see you coming therefore feel the need to go into the fast lane to 'save the world' by stopping you pass 5 mph more than they are travelling! Tw*t's...

Also, the highway code states you keep to the left lane unless overtaking therefore why are there randoms hovering about in the middle right when nothing is in the left?! And then they refuse to pull over? What, would you rather people UNDERtake you? Now THAT is more dangerous...

I believe there is a whole circle of hell reserved for lane hoggers. Possibly punished by driving round and round the ghostly version of the M25 for all eternity. Listening to Jedward.

batman I hope so ;)

YY Batman... especially the circle of hell..

I must admit that I am sometimes guilty of 'policing'. You know the situation: when there is some idiot hogging the middle lane so you overtake and then pointedly indicate and swoop back past their nose to the empty inside lane. Grr