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...

Yay! Oh Wonky - you just get fabber

Now, you just have to say: 'PW, you are very right indeed about how right you are to drive in the middle lane at speeds not less than 70mph provided that the inside lane is nose-to-tail with weekend drivers and car transporters.'

SAY IT

...I have a big forehead so I can assure you that fabber is definitely a word.

Oh god! I feel so torn....

OK - In the instance you mention, of course you are right.

(Bloody hate middle lane hoggers though)

Aaww Wonky, you say the sweetest things but you give me far too much credit

Ohhhhh, I know what PW is describing.

eg, M5 rush hour.

Inside lane: lorries, bumper-to-bumper, travelling at 40-50 mph.

Middle lane: cars, bumper-to-bumper, travelling at 65 mph

Outside lane: faster cars, occasionally dodging into the middle lane to let an even faster car through.

The road is busy but the traffic flow is brilliant.

And then..... in your rear view mirror you see Highway Code Twonk.

HCT is working his way up the line of middle lane cars, car by car, tailgating to force them into the inside line, then moving up to tailgate the next one, while the previous one changes back into the middle lane.

So for a line of, say, 100 cars travelling together at the same speed, HCT has caused 200 forced lane changes to the inside lane - hugely increasing the accident risk - when all he had to do was change lanes once (to the outside lane) and drive past.

And all because the Highway Code says he can, so there.

Driving safely is more than just slavishly following the rule book. A bit of common sense works wonders.

And.... breathhhhhe.

PW - wish you had explained more clearly last night when we were having our debate. If left lane is nose to tail then of course you should use middle lane.

I once drove to see my MIl on Christmas Day. We left home at about 5am, so the roads were obviously totally deserted. We were on the M6 before we saw another car (about an hour into the journey(!) and guess which lane he was in? The middle lane.
That's right, not another car for literally miles and miles and some prat is driving along in the middle lane of the motorway. So, because I wanted to overtake him, I had to pull out across all the lanes, overtake him and then pull back into the inside lane. FFS, some people are just stupid! Oh and btw I was not driving at excessive speed, usually drive around 70-75 on motorways...

No probs wilkie

(considers snogging welliemum, but thinks welliemum might not appreciate the furry tongue)

ah no not that theres a forcefield, the inside lane is invisible to idiots, didnt you know??

personal bug bear of mine and i've not even passed my test yet!! (a bug bear of my mums too!)

Policywonk - yes, I agree with your use of the middle lane of the motorway under the circumstances we managed to squeeze out of you last night .
I would love to know what you and Vile were on about after I had passed out, aghast at my lack of knowledge of yellow box markings, and gone to bed. It all seemed very random to the onlooker...

If people are driving in the middle lane and I am in the slow lane I will undertake them they soon move over!

liz, my mum does that too, but you'll be amazed how many people are stil completely oblivious to the lane next to them. makes me wonder about how much attention they are paying?!?!

I know Some speed up to. I always do it and they look at you as if your in the wrong.

Redfraggle, exact same thing happened to me on the M6 - empty road, not a car in sight but for this ancient geezer doing 45mph in the middle lane in a carful of be-hatted old dears. As I came out of the inside lane, sat behind him for a second or two before indicating to overtake and moving into the outside lane to do so at a leisurely 50 mph, I could have sworn I saw one of the crones within point at me in alarm as if to say 'look at that mad fool speeding there!'

I continued back into the inside lane at 70mph and, as the road was very straight, kept glancing back in the rear view mirror to see if he'd gone into the inside lane or if more traffic had come up behind him. Nope, several miles later he was a speck in the deserted distance, still pootling in the middle lane...

Came back from my sister's Saturday morning and drove mostly in the inside lane apart from when overtaking, as the other two were chokka with cars going about 60mph...

When the outside lane is being used for cruising, this IS dangerous, as lorries tend to signal and then 2 seconds later heave out into the middle lane, and if you're in the middle behind them and the outside lane is packed full of dingbats who won't let you out, you run the risk of smashing into the back of the lorry (or braking sharply and having someone run into the back of you!) - and this is at 70pmh, not going silly speeds! Bleeding lorries, mutter mutter...

I think men are worse for this and usually it's the over fifty's who do it.
Another thing happened to me one night when I was driving home from work (not on the motorway) Man in his late 50's doing 40 in a 60 when I started to over take him he put his foot down I was more or less passed him when he did this so I swerved my car towards his (I know I shouldn't of) but he soon slowed down. But I thought if he wants to drive stupid then I will to!

Winestein - it was some off-thread bitching. I am half-expecting a slapped wrist this morning.

Re-reading this thread, I'm mostly bemused. Where are these motorways that have mostly clear inside lanes? I have genuinely never come across anyone driving in the middle lane at less than 70 - in fact, on the motorways I use, 70 in the middle lane is a bit slow, if anything. Where are the rest of you driving?

Oh I'm with you there LL. There are plenty of drivers who drive at 40 in 30 zones (hanging offence in my book) and then, on reaching a national speed limit zone, STILL drive at 40. Makes you want to get a sticker for the back of your car: '40mph - other speeds are also available.'

don't get me started on this - grrrrrrr

Policy - try having a cruise down the middle lane of the M69. You will note that there appear to be 2 hard shoulders. It's us northern swines y'see

Well it's quite simple really.

No-one should be allowed to drive their cars on the m-way when I'm using it. See. Solves all problems - for me

I confess to sticking in the middle lane when I'm doing about 70-80 if there is anything in the outside lane within the next 1/2 mile or so. I agree with policy, why should it be the sensible driver that does the dodging about thing while those who are thundering along at 100 sail along unimpeded.