To expect people to drive in the correct lane on the motorway?

[Sidge]

Drove back from Yorkshire today - 250 miles, most of it on the M1.

Couldn't believe how many people seem incapable of driving in the correct lane - often there was a virtually empty inside lane, then the traffic was all stacked up in the outer two lanes.

What's that all about? Is it because there's a lorry about a mile and a half ahead that you might have to pass in a couple of minutes, so they just sit in the middle lane instead to save having to actually steer the car?

Or is there an invisible force field surrounding the inside lane that only certain cars can break through?

Grr, bloody idiot drivers.

And don't get me started on how many knobheads still use their mobiles whilst driving...

[BigGitDad]

Well said Wilkie.

[chocolatekimmy]

Der - bit slow on this one (unlike hubby!). It was a 30 limit!

[JodieG1]

Hey I said it first hehe.

[policywonk]

Look, I do understand the rules. And I'll start abiding by them when everyone else starts sticking to the speed limits on motorways (ie, when Hell frezes over, apparently). In the meantime, why should I spend my journey swerving in and out of lorries while speed hogs sit happily in the inside lane?

All this cr*p about lane hogging is propagated by those who want to drive faster than 70mph, and get irritated by those who want to stay within the legal limits.

[JodieG1]

Why swerving though? Lorries are big and can be seen from a distance, plenty of time to smoothly pull out and then back in again. What's the problem?

[nell12]

From the Highway Code

Lane discipline
238: You should drive in the left-hand lane if the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slower moving vehicles it may be safer to remain in the centre or outer lanes until the manoeuvre is completed rather than continually changing lanes. Return to the left-hand lane once you have overtaken all the vehicles or if you are delaying traffic behind you. Slow moving or speed restricted vehicles should always remain in the left-hand lane of the carriageway unless overtaking.



in other words; We drive on the left in this country unless overtaking.

(Unless you live in Portsmouth when the unwritten law states that if you are going to Brighton you must pootle along in the outside lane of the M275 for 3 miles before the junction )

[Wilkie]

PW - problem is, most lane hoggers drive below the speed limit which is immensly frustrating. They are also driving dangerously because people have to go round them because of their 'principals'.

Great if you want to stick to or under speed limits but you should still stick to the law of the motorway

[policywonk]

Why all this hairsplitting about the bleeding Highway Code? None of you are complaining about the people doing 20-30mph above the legal limit in the inside lane.

[policywonk]

Wilkie - I always drive at 70-ish, never below. That's precisely why the middle lane is the only practical place for me to be.

[JodieG1]

The inside lane is the left lane btw, outside lane is the fast lane.

[Wilkie]

PW - because you are breaking the law if you lane hog so it makes you no better than those going above the speed limit. Simple.

I couldn't give a toss what limit other drivers drive to as long as they drive properly! Speed doesnt kill, stupidity kills and not sticking to lane rule is - simply - stupid and ignorant.

[Wilkie]

Thank you Jodie - that was driving me a bit mad too!!

[cylon]

lol, i thought the op was probly my dsis. this annoys the hell out of her as well.

[Wilkie]

PW - sighs - yes but if inside lane is clear you should be in it! No matter if you are doing 40mph or 90mph. Then you go into the middle lane to get round slower vehicles as you come across them.

[policywonk]

This topic just makes me cross, because it's ALWAYS people complaining about people driving at perfectly legal speeds in the middle lane, and NEVER people complaining about people driving at illegal speeds in the outside lane (thank you, Jodie). Which leads me to believe that underneath all the arse-covering guff about lane discipline and the Highway Code, this is basically a Jeremy Clarkson issue.

[JodieG1]

Hehe Wilkie

LL you've only been driving a few weeks haven't you so you can't know everything right away You sound like a good driver though.

[policywonk]

I don't know whether I'm driving on different (imaginary) motorways to the rest of you, but the inside lane is NEVER clear on the M25.

[Wilkie]

PW - this is getting dull. I drive to the speed limits and within the highway code with regard to lanes so am not 'arse covering'.

Stop being so pig-headed. Two wrongs don't make a right and if you lane hog you are no better than those that break the speed limit.

Night!

[BigGitDad]

So Policywonk if the inside lane is clear you are perfectly correct in staying in the middle lane at 70mph. Is that what you are saying?

[policywonk]

Wilkie, I just drive realistically. I don't see why I should spend my entire journey swerving around lorries just so that spotty boys can break the speed limit in the outside lane.

[nell12]

Read the Highway Code PW, yes it does say that you should abide by the set limit on the motorway, be it 70, 60, 40 or whatever.


It also says DRIVE ON THE LEFT

If you speed or drive in the middle lane when not over-taking, you are breaking the law.

However, on a motorway, it is sometimes necessary to drive slightly faster that the speed limit (the police say 10% is the max) in order to be a safe driver and safe to those around you... for example when overtaking a middle lane hogger who is driving at 69mph with a completely empty left hand lane next to them