to get really annoyed by middle lane drivers?

[cherryade8]

Drove to visit relatives today on the motorway. As usual, there were a few middle lane drivers on the motorway, who were overtaking no one other than an empty lane to the left of them. They cause tailbacks and prevent other drivers overtaking, especially when the second overtaking lane is full of cars trying to get past. Aibu to get really angry with these people?!

The middle lane is for overtaking ffs, not poodling along in whilst the lane to your left is empty sometimes I want to undertake them to demonstrate the lane they are not using in other countries, such as Australia, the police fine you if you're caught in the middle lane whilst not overtaking another vehicle, why don't the police do that here?

Infuriates me more than anything empty first lane except the odd lorry, a jam packed middle lane and a jam packed third lane as everyone tries to overtake the middle lane hoggers!

I think there needs to be an advertising campaign. Adverts on television showing how dangerous it is might make middle lane idiots think twice! That and compulsory motorway lessons!

Oh and the hard shoulder is for emergencies only. Not for people travelling in convoys to stop for a chat, people in camper vans to have a cuppa, or for toddlers to have a wee.

Speaking of flashing as well. I like the German 'rule'... You get flashed it means 'Oih I'm trying to overtake get back in the non overtaking lane, you're going to slow!'. Everyone does it and it's quite effective. Here you flash anyone they're oblivious because they're happily pootling along unaware of the traffic around them.

It depends on the circumstances. If I can see cars ahead in the left lane (even far ahead) going slower than me, I'll stay in the middle lane unless I'm clearly impeding the flow of traffic.

Cars should be in the lane doing approximately the same speed as them, which for me is generally the middle unless the road is empty (if it is then I use the left).

More importantly, safe motorway driving means matching your speed to the traffic, NOT doing whatever speed YOU want to do (applies equally to too slow and too fast).

If someone is going slowly in the middle lane I just use the outside lane to overtake them - that's what it's for. Using my indicator, which apparently at least 75% of British drivers can't find.

In the rare cases when the outside lane is full, yes YANBU but the rest of the time just calm down. This kind of raginess about middle lane drivers leads to stupid behaviour - I see people tailgating in the middle lane when the outside lane is empty all the time, it's idiotic.

circ then you're disobeying the highway code! Try reading it. They are overtaking lanes, there is no reason to sit in the middle lane because a car 'far ahead' is in the first lane. You get back in lane and overtake when you reach them.

I agree that flashing the car in front is useless. Middle-lane hoggers never look in their mirrors. Ever.

This motorway incompetence is very annoying although you'd have to say the sort of person who uses mumsnet is often the sort of person who can't drive on the motorway half-decently.

YANBU. Agree with post on education. There are at least 3 people on this thread, hannabanana, pearly white, and corrects who genuinely don't seem to realise how dangerous it is to remain in middle lane, even if they drive at 70. their obliviousness on the road too, is what makes it so dangerous, totally unaware of traffic around them.

I'd also like to know how these people who do exactly 70 measure their speed, since a speedo displaying 70 is more likely to mean you're doing 65.

Circea not corrects

Having driven up the A1 recently, I save my rants for sodding lorry drivers failing to overtake on a 2 lane road for miles and miles. I got them all last time. Sat in the overtaking line at well below the speed limit, neck and neck with each other and a queue of traffic waiting behind.

I'm sure they do it for a laugh as the number of times the lorry in the right hand lane eventually just abandoned the attempt to overtake was ridiculous.

I also like to rage at the fuckers behind in that situation who think tailgating me when I am trying to maintain safe distance is the answer.

It depends on the circumstances. If I can see cars ahead in the left lane (even far ahead) going slower than me, I'll stay in the middle lane

So the highway code doesn't apply to you? It is pretty clear that unless you are overtaking you move back in. if a car is "far ahead" of you then you aren't overtaking so should move back in.

Although I try not to middle lane hog, it sometimes gets really annoying when you are in the inside lane, and then need to overtake and NO BUGGER lets you out

After it's happened one too many times on any journey I kind of give up, and only go back into the inside lane unless there's a huuuuge gap. Not great I know, but maybe people should drive with proper gaps and let people out?

if youre driving in the middle lane because youre afraid you wont get out, can you not see that youre adding to the problem by clogging up the middle lane? just stick your indicator on and wait, someone will let you out eventually

I wonder at that too; insider lane drivers who are too timid to pull out. Indicate - you'll be let out. That's how it works. Some drivers will flash you to let you know they've seen yon, some won't, some will pull out into the third lane to make space for you. I think these drivers don't have much confidence perhaps? Most people know (and abide) by the rules, and they won't collide with you as they will expect you to pull out from an inner lane.

Spotty so you think it is acceptable to speed but not ok to do the speed limit in the middle lane

There are some idiots that don't like letting people out though, just ignore the indicators of the person in the inside lane and sail past in the middle lane even though the outside lane is free. Some people have a 'thing' about not letting people in front of them.

If people didn't lane hog then undertaking wouldn't be possible anyway!

Arethereany left I am not unaware of other drivers ! I just drive in busy motorways full of lorrys chugging along at 60 with NO GAPS

Sinister, the difference is probably that middle lane morons have a way of attempting to justify their crap driving, whereas the others don't tend to bother defending themselves (except perhaps undertaking due to middle lane morons).

Am tempted to start my own thread about a thread aibu to drive at 120 in the far right coz of all the idiots driving at the frigging speed limit in the middle lane. Even though there are no gaps in the left lane. Am guessing the consensus would be yanbu they are all twats.

Arethereany left I am not unaware of other drivers ! I just drive in busy motorways full of lorrys chugging along at 60 with NO GAPS

If there are no gaps in the left lane then you are overtaking and are correct to be in the middle lane. The OP is talking about people driving in the middle lane who aren't over taking

I think it doesn't matter what speed you're going you should be in the left hand lane unless over taking.

Also my previous comment should read 'I would drive 80 in the left hand lane' obviously I don't because I'm too busy overtaking middle lane drivers

I think it's the minority of idiots who weave, shoot off at exits straight across three lanes and those who don't indicate that make people so nervous of motorways, but if you're that nervous why not just stay in the left hand lane?

just stick your indicator on and wait, someone will let you out eventually

Indicate - you'll be let out. That's how it works.

Not according to the Highway Code: observation -> signal -> manoeuvre. It is not correct to sit with your indicator on waiting to be let out, as it is unclear to other drivers what you're doing - noticed a gap, waiting for a gap, going to manoeuvre anyway, forgotten to cancel your indicator. I may signal if a car is about to pass or still passing me if I have spotted a gap behind them, but I tend to avoid putting my indicator on while they're still behind as half the time they slam their brakes on.

I don't (always) let someone out just because they've put their indicator on. However, I will check if they're approaching a slower moving vehicle in their lane, or an obvious reason to move further ahead (the aforementioned lorries elephant racing) and be prepared to slow to allow them room.