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AIBU?

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Original poster

To not really understand the problem with driving in the middle lane?

440 replies

BrokenSunglasses · 16/08/2013 09:15

I've done a lot of motorway driving recently, and it's got me thinking, because I don't really understand when it's ok to be in the middle lane and when it's not.

I've worked out that its ok to stay in the middle lane when there's lots of cars/lorries on the inside lane and I'm going faster, but how long is it ok to stay in the middle lane when there's nothing right next to you on the inside lane?

Sometimes I stay in there longer than I perhaps should, but that's either because I can see that I'd only have to move out again in a minute because there's a slow moving lorry ahead, or because I can see a junction coming up and there will be cars filtering onto the the motorway.

I did that yesterday, and got flashed a lot by a van behind me, but it was raining so the visibility was crap, and I'd have had to slow down and be too close behind the car that was on the inside lane and would have been able to see even less because of the spray. It seems to me to be sensible to leave lots of space inbetween vehicles when it's raining, but this van made me doubt myself. He overtook me in the outside lane eventually, and I thought he should have just done that in the first place because that's what it's there for.

Was I being a lane hog or was he being a twat?

I really don't get it.

OP posts:
Ilovemyself · 18/08/2013 21:40

Fedupofpoo. You really don't sound like you are safe to drive.

If an emergency vehicle is travelling on a motorway that is reasonably clear at high speed they will use the left hand lane as normal. To find some muppet driving along in the middle lane means they have to move across all the lanes when there is no need to.

I suggest that the one here that does not understand the question ( or the Highway Code) is you.

I used the emergency vehicle example as you have no reason to disagree with that example. But regardless of who it is travelling at high speed, you are causing them to change more lanes than is necessary so you are being dangerous - probably more so then the person doing 75 or 80

SarahAndFuck · 18/08/2013 21:42

fedup it's not just about someone overtaking you in the middle lane or speeding in it, it's about you blocking people into the inside lane, stopping them from accessing the middle lane when they need to and forcing them to slow down before they can pull out to overtake something doing 50 or 60 in their lane.

If you are sitting at the side of someone in the inside lane, both of you doing 70 but approaching something going much slower in the inside lane, the person beside you cannot pull out to overtake it because you are in the way.

They then have to slow down and pull out behind you. Which may mean they are then too close to you or it may mean they have forced the person coming up behind you to slow down as well.

That has a knock on effect for traffic coming up behind all of you for quite a significant distance.

And it forces more people over into the outside lane.

All while you sit there complaining about speeders and wondering why people are annoyed at you.

When, if you had moved over to the inside lane every time it was safe for you to do so, you could have avoided and not caused any of that to happen.

It's not all about people wanting to speed.

soverylucky · 18/08/2013 21:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ivykaty44 · 18/08/2013 21:57

I linked to a police report of why middle lane driving was dangerous - why not watch the film for 5 minutes and then it will answer the questions you have asked fedupofpoo and peanutbuttermum

fedupofpoo · 18/08/2013 22:00

sarah thanks,you are the only one that bothered to explain,that makes sense.the ambulance example still doesn't,if the ambulance is using the right "fast" lane,and I'm in the middle one,why would the ambulance need to move across all the lanes?would it not be using the right lane only?

WMittens · 18/08/2013 22:00

PeanutButterMmm

I do not agree with people driving in the middle lane on an empty motorway either but if someone is unable to overtake a middle lane driver via cutting across 2 lanes and back again on an empty motorway than surely their driving skills need to be questioned to.

Driving in the middle on an empty motorway is arguably the time it matters least.

In any case, weren't complaining about people dangerously "weaving" across lanes? Oh yes, you were:

PeanutButterMmm Sun 18-Aug-13 13:42:34

Oh out they go again to overtake weaving in and out. They think they are following the highway code but they showing idiotic driving behaviour.

If there is no one behind them and they are weaving in and out at speed then that is dangerous.

fedupofpoo · 18/08/2013 22:02

I'll look for the link evy

ivykaty44 · 18/08/2013 22:02

I just didn't get how a driver could be weaving in and out of traffic that then suddenly wasn't behind them - how does that happen?

fedupofpoo · 18/08/2013 22:03

Ivy sorry

Ilovemyself · 18/08/2013 22:05

Fedupofpoo. You really don't get it do you. The emergency vehicles will use the correct left hand lane unless they are overtaking. They do not hog the middle or outside lane.

That was explained to you, but sadly your lack of understanding of the basics of motorway driving make me worried that you actually use the motorway network.

ivykaty44 · 18/08/2013 22:05

there you go

fedupofpoo · 18/08/2013 22:08

Oh u said left hand lane sorry.calm down,people are allowed to mis-read!gosh!

PeanutButterMmm · 18/08/2013 22:14

Well considering in the former part I was referring to an empty motorway with someone having to move across and back again to go around a middle lane driver and in the latter part was refering to someone driving along at speed with no one else in the outside lane but pointlessly weaving in and out the inside lane for seconds at a time I do not see the comparison?

Gold star for effort thoughWink

trixymalixy · 18/08/2013 22:22

Right , some of you clearly don't get why middle lane driving is a problem. Can you at least accept that you are now likely to get fined for it, and stop doing it? Please?

Ilovemyself · 18/08/2013 22:23

It's interesting that at the start of the video the OP's original question of were they being a lane hogger or the other driver a twat. The video says lane hoggers are the cause of accidents through tailgating

It's also interesting to note that we should not take the law into our own hands. So yes flashing someone out of the way is wrong, but so is the attitude "I am doing 70 so stuff the rest"

ivykaty44 · 18/08/2013 22:27

It is interesting that an empty motorway with a middle lane hogger caused an accident - sadly a death occurred. So thinking that an empty motorway it is ok to sit in the middle lane - isn't

PeanutButterMmm · 18/08/2013 22:27

ivy it means if they are going along at speed pulling into the inside lane for seconds at a time then pulling out again then in again etc it is pointless. If there is no one behind them wanting to get past why do they not just stay in the outside lane if pulling in means I will count to 6 and out they go again.

I have had it where I am in the inside lane, a car pulls in and is coming up behind me,i look and see the outside lane is clear only to have said car up my bum as soon as have pulled out because they are going alot faster than I am. If they had just stayed in the outside lane I would have looked, seen them coming and waited a few seconds until they passed me. Instead I see they have pulled in behind so I pull out, they catch up very quick and then tailgate me because I am going slower than them. I overtake a car then pull in, they whizz past me then pull in again for seconds then pull out. It is dangerous and they should just stay in one lane if they are going faster then everyone else.

CorrineFoxworth · 18/08/2013 22:27

"you always get someone with no common sense and a bloody mind who thing "i will not move over or adjust my speed as it is not in the highway code to do so"

That's my Dad. A massive bin-lorry was coming out of a car-park the other day and hadn't seen us but did he stop on his speed-bumped residential road? No. He sailed past because he was in the right. The driver should have looked, yes, but I was on the passenger side where the lorry was moving out and the DC in the car and it was fucking terrifying with him risking our lives to prove a point.

He always steadfastly sits in lane one when a road is joining the carriageway even when moving over would be easy to do. And he doesn't really understand mini-roundabouts either and thinks wherever he is he has right of way. When I was taking driving lessons I used to want to cry whenever I saw a silver Landrover anywhere near me.

When I took my hazard perception test you would lose a mark for failing to spot traffic on a slip-road joining the carriageway. Yes it is their responsibility to make sure it is safe to join, but surely the fact that it is considered a hazard means that you should be aware and prepared to react in whatever way you need to. For some people with a bit of common sense and courtesy, that means giving them a space to join.

PeanutButterMmm · 18/08/2013 22:32

Well I am not a middle lane driver and I do not think it is ok so count me out of your point making. I just hate people going off on their high horse about dangerous motorway driving and the highway code when most people speed on motorways themselves and make it dangerous.

Just slow down people. Everyone thinks their journey is more important then anyone elses!

Ilovemyself · 18/08/2013 22:33

Peanutbuttermmm. You didn't get the point of the video at all did you. The fact is that anything other then lane 1 is for overtaking only. What you are saying is that the official standards as laid out in the Highway Code by the Highways Agency are wrong because you know best.

Why don't you just accept that it is dangerous and live with it.

Ilovemyself · 18/08/2013 22:35

Peanutbuttermmm. It's not about people speeding. It happens at any speed on the motorway. Where is the bangsheadagainstthewall icon when you need it

ivykaty44 · 18/08/2013 22:40

peanutbuttermumSo no one behind a car means they are speeding and weaving and out of traffic every 6 seconds -you think it is pointless to move from lane 1 to lane 2 and then back to lane 1 and back to lane 2 every time a car over takes another - you think it is safer to stay the one lane?

Can I ask what evidence you have to make you think it is safer to stay in one lane and not move from lane one to lane two to overtake?

noblegiraffe · 18/08/2013 22:42

Why are people trying to distract from their own poor driving (sitting in an overtaking lane) by pointing out that other people break different rules? People speeding doesn't make middle lane pootling a reasonable thing to do, just as people driving using their mobiles doesn't make jumping a red light ok!

PeanutButterMmm · 18/08/2013 22:45

corrine I think alot of accidents could be prevented if people were not full of ego or bloody minded. In my first year of driving I was waiting at a junction to turn right. I looked and pulled out but unfortunately I had some black fluffy dice hanging from my mirror which blocked my view of someone coming to my right. As I pulled out my passenger shouted "car car," which was when I stopped. It was dark and I was pulling out slowly.

Now it was completely my fault and the fluffy dice did go (i was a teenagerHmm but the car coming saw me pulling out and was about to hit them, luckily I didn't, yet made no attempt to slow down, brake or anything. They just went hairing on through because even though they could see an accident about to happen, their ego and because they knew they was in the right was going to let the accident happen anyway.

ShellyBoobs · 18/08/2013 22:47

So, Peanut, your opinion is that 70mph is safe and 80mph is dangerous?

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