To overtake on motorway left hand lane?

[brasty]

DP says I am. But I hate when you are on a busy motorway, and someone is sitting in the middle lane, and will not move to the left hand lane, even though it is empty. While at the same time the right hand lane is packed with cars, making it hard to pull out into the right hand lane and still leave decent distances. So I have occasionally just overtaken the middle lane hogger in the left hand lane. I know the Highway Code says you should not, but sometimes it seems the safest option.

Migraleve
No, that's passing on the inside. Perfectly allowable and I'd urge everyone to do this more, checking the idiocy of the lane 2 hogger that it is safe to do so. Entirely permissable though.

Passing on the inside?? It’s the same fucking thing. You DONT do it!!!!!

I'm sorry you don't understand the difference between passing on the inside and undertaking Migraleve. If you read my first post on this thread it clearly explains it. They are totally different, and one is permitted by the Highway Code and is good driving, the other is not permitted and is poor driving.

So if you're in the left lane doing 70mph, lovely clear road for miles ahead of you...then you approach someone in the middle lane doing 50mph...you're not allowed to pass them

NO!!!!

PurpleMinionMummy Not sure what your last post is saying or asking, could you clarify?

I know the Highway Code says you should not, but sometimes it seems the safest option.

It isn't.

@flowerpot1234 just wanted to say your explanation was really clear, thanks!

PurpleMinionMummy I meant the post about you being a terrible driver..

As for your subsequent post - drivers are allowed to pass someone doing 50mph in the middle lane, on the inside if they are doing 70mph.

It is perfectly permissable to pass slower moving vehicles on the inside.

If there were three full lanes and the left hand lane just happened to be moving more quickly and you were already in it, then that’s fine. It’s just how busy traffic goes sometimes and is in no way illegal or dangerous. What is not fine is deliberately entering the left hand lane with the intention of passing someone in the middle lane on their left. That would be undertaking and is a) illegal, b) dangerous and c) stupid. If someone is sitting in the middle lane when the left is clear and the right is packed, then you also have to sit in that middle lane and wait until you can get round them by using the right hand lane. You have to remember that the sort of people who sit in the middle lane are also the sort of people who don’t bother to look in their mirrors or signal when moving in/out of a lane.

Don’t come crying on here when someone sideswipes you for a dangerous manoeuvre! Just be patient and do it properly like the rest of us.

The guy in the middle lane is wrong but unfortunately it is safest for you to not undertake. That being said I do it sometimes to prove a point.

NoParticularPattern Your post is partially correct. The rules of motorway driving do not change if the motorway is "full* or not. The rules stay the same:

It is permissable to pass slower moving vehicles on the inside.

This is basic fact. Whether the motorway is full and Lane 1 just happened to be moving more quickly and you were already in it or whether the motorway is completely empty except for you and 1 other road hog driver with them in Lane 2,3,4, and you in any inside lane, you can pass them on the inside.

It is unreasonable to hog the middle lane. I undertake, not frequently but I do. I am not convinced how dangerous it really is. It is legal and normal in motorways in other countries. Just like any maneuver - be prepared for someone else to move lanes.

Passing on the inside is permitted in certain circumstances. Not when there is a middle lane hogger. FFS no wonder there are so many deaths on our roads.

I hate middle lane hoggers. Make me really cross. I have undertaken once or twice. I know I shouldn't. But they are such bad drivers. Cant they be punished?

Thanks @Flowerpot1234 for your description. Easy to understand

Migraleve

Passing on the inside is permitted in certain circumstances. Not when there is a middle lane hogger. FFS no wonder there are so many deaths on our roads.

Migraleve you keep making statements like this which are false. It's really dangerous that you believe this, that you must drive this way, and that you are coming here telling other drivers such false information.

Where are you getting your information from? Where precisely does it say then Passing on the inside is permitted in certain circumstances. Not when there is a middle lane hogger?

FFS no wonder there are so many deaths on our roads.
Yes, when there are people like you who do not know the rules of the road.

In the UK it is not illegal to overtake on the left. It is however not recommended. Do it recklessly and you could get pulled over for driving without due care and attention.

(In some other countries it is a specific offence. IIRC in Germany police will happily fine both the lane-hogger and the undertaker if they see an undertaking move.)

Personally if I'm in the left lane and plan on staying there I have no problems going faster than someone in the middle lane. But I don't think I'd 'actively' undertake someone and then switch lanes back. I have often noticed that the left lane has vehicles widely spaced while the middle and right lanes are full of tailgaters.

Migraleve you keep making statements like this which are false. It's really dangerous that you believe this, that you must drive this way, and that you are coming here telling other drivers such false information.

You are actually hilarious. Crack on......

Passing on the inside is permitted in certain circumstances. Not when there is a middle lane hogger. FFS no wonder there are so many deaths on our roads

But if you're already driving in the left hand lane, passing a middle lane hogger who just happens to be going slower than you is NOT undertaking, or prohibited.

Seriously, I don't see what some people find so hard to understand...this thread gives me more concern about motorway drivers than anything I've seen in rl

Flowerpots summary is very clear.
This was the reason I asked OP to clarify her manoevere, and she then confirmed that she started an overtaking manoevre (by moving from left hand to middle) but failed to complete it and then decided to ‘undertake’ on the left.

Migraleve
You are actually hilarious. Crack on......

So you are not able to answer me Migraleve?

Nor admit you are wrong?

Many accidents happen when the middle lane driver decides to move to the left lane at the same time as the faster car behind to make way. It is incredibly dangerous. Being responsible for someone elses death is not something I would ever want.

I know I shouldn't. ...but I do...

snash12 and reetgood Thank you, you're welcome.

You don’t undertake in the left lane, on a motorway where there’s 3 lanes you should overtake in the right lane. In 20 minutes there should be at least 1 space for you to get into.

However if someone in the middle lane is doing 50 mph and I’m in the left lane doing 60-70 then I’m going to go past him, I’m not overtaking I’m doing the speed limit not.
It’s ridiculous to think that someone in the middle lane is driving at 50 mph and if I’m in the left lane I have to drive at 45 mph so as not to overtake it.
Especially on a dual carriageway, there’s no extra lane to overtake on the right.

The other person should not be in the middle lane doing that speed if it’s clear. Obviously if it all the traffic is moving at that same speed then it’s different but if the left lane is moving faster than you can ‘overtake’.

It’s shocking how many people don’t know how to fucking drive. If you’re driving 70 in the 1st lane and someone is doing 50 in the middle lane you still need to overtake!! You can undertake if there is very heavy traffic. So much stupidity.

You can undertake if there is very heavy traffic. So much stupidity

Er you can't purposely undertake...