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Original poster

To ask WHY do so many people hog the middle lane of the motorway?

418 replies

Ginuwine · 14/06/2021 12:09

I realise with a global pandemic etc this is small fry, but I couldn't believe my journey to and from Dorset this weekend. I drive an awful lot for work, but Saturday was an outlier in how many mouthbreathers were on the roads.

Sitting just below 70 mph in the middle lane, junction after junction. Never ever moving back over despite a huge clear inside lane.

Why does this bother me?

Well, when a car is racing up the slip road, the Highway Code says I don't have to give way. They have to match traffic speed and then merge when safe.

However sometimes it would be nice to change lanes to allow them to. Except I can't...because the busiest lane in this three lane motorway is the middle one. Full of people dawdling - not speeding up, not going past, just sitting there in their own world, oblivious.

Worse, I then move across into lane 3, go round, then come back into lane 1.. by which time they've sped up to my position. If I want to go around the lorry in front of me - nope! Rolling roadblock in the way - have to move to Lane 3 just to do it again. And so on..

The funniest are the ones who merge from the motorway and cut up everyone just to get into their favoured lane IMMEDIATELY. Then sit there without question, blocking legitimate overtakes, for eight or nine junctions.

Why?? Why do people do this?

I have three theories:

• People think the left lane is for "lorries" and want a superior position on the road. The "fast lane" (ugh) is for the Porsches and Range Rovers. So middle it is.

• People won't tell you their real reason is laziness. They just say "it doesn't matter anyway - I'm doing the speed limit - people can just go round me. Anyway, tailgating is worse go and shout at them" Hmm

• like reversing, some people hate the driving discipline of changing lanes. They want to limit it as much as possible and believe the act of changing lanes causes accidents. Shock

So tell me please - why do so many people hog the middle lane when the Highway Code and all driving instruction tells us to keep left? The congestion caused by middle lane hogging is so frustrating.

OP posts:
SamW98 · 16/06/2021 15:47

@Bryonyshcmyony

Yes, it's irritating. But not getting het up about it and accepting that some people do it is probably the safest approach.
It's not just irritating, its actually an offence which can lead to a £100 fine and 3 points on your licence
AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 16/06/2021 17:08

My driving instructor told me decades ago that it is safest to drive assuming that every other driver on the road is blind, deaf, drunk, stupid and actively trying to crash their car into yours.

(So far I have managed to avoid being driven into by any of the above, though there have been a few times on which I have been glad to have been thinking three seconds ahead and with good reaction time and good brakes.)

In fairness to middle-lane-hogs, I don't think the last category applies to them, because "actively" seems unfair.

DynamoKev · 16/06/2021 17:12

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime

My driving instructor told me decades ago that it is safest to drive assuming that every other driver on the road is blind, deaf, drunk, stupid and actively trying to crash their car into yours.

(So far I have managed to avoid being driven into by any of the above, though there have been a few times on which I have been glad to have been thinking three seconds ahead and with good reaction time and good brakes.)

In fairness to middle-lane-hogs, I don't think the last category applies to them, because "actively" seems unfair.

No they are just actively ignoring everyone else. I bet they stand still at the top of escalators and block entire pavements gassing too.
SamW98 · 16/06/2021 17:33

I don't get the argument that ww were never taught to drive on motorways so we don't know that we have to follow the Highway Code.
I passed my test 34 years ago - I didn't even need to parallel park but as you gain experience as a driver, you fill in the gaps of what you was never taught.

And surely most people drove on a dual carriageway while learning? Its the same principal just with more lanes.

NotPersephone · 16/06/2021 19:02

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Original poster
Ginuwine · 16/06/2021 19:49

@NotPersephone

Just seen this on an empty stretch of the M53. Accelerated and caught up with a woman doing 55 in lane 3 - who was so startled to see a car in her rear view mirror that she slammed on her brakes 🤷🏻‍♀️ but still didn’t change lanes.

They really do walk among us.

Oh wow that's depressing. I had my usual quota of middle laners today, I honestly agree with PPs who have said it's a bit of a British status thing - "no way I'll drive in there with the lorries, it's middle lane for me - it's safest!" Etc Hmm

OP posts:
SamW98 · 16/06/2021 20:09

Have to say I'm really shocked that people say its something they don't see on the M25 - that's the only motorway I really spend any time on and I see it all the time, weekends is far worse than weekdays and the 4 lane sections are just full of lane 3 drivers while lane 2 is empty

HaveYouMetMyMateStanley · 16/06/2021 20:19

Today on the m1 I was behind a driving instructor for the AA who was middle lane hogging and when he did move over, to lane three he tailgated the car in front. The car in front was not doing the speed limit and would not get out of the way. Two dicks together.

HaveYouMetMyMateStanley · 16/06/2021 20:20

And people who say they don't see the problem will be part of the problem. All motorways are a nightmare for it.

IHaveBrilloHair · 16/06/2021 20:22

Earlier today there was a car sitting in the, two lane Erskine Bridge in the outside lane at 40.
I was behind with a few cars behind me, doing the right thing, assuming he'd move.
He didn't so wrongly, I know I undertook, as did the 4 cars behind me.
Technically we were in the wrong but still.
It wasn't busy, no reason to sit there.

lovelychops · 16/06/2021 20:40

I think motorway lessons should be mandatory after passing your test. So many people are nervous of them and avoid, or idiots don't know what they're doing and sit in the middle lane or cause chaos. It's so dangerous to go too slow on the motorway some people really don't have a clue

Sirzy · 16/06/2021 20:41

Mandatory motorway lessons is a good idea except for the issue of people living in places like Cornwall have no local motorways to have lessons on!

lovelychops · 16/06/2021 20:51

Sirzy I see what you're saying
Maybe a simulation or a hazard perception test like when you do your theory ?

IHaveBrilloHair · 16/06/2021 23:47

I can work the M8, I very much doubt I could work Cornwall!

RaspberryCoulis · 16/06/2021 23:52

@IHaveBrilloHair

Earlier today there was a car sitting in the, two lane Erskine Bridge in the outside lane at 40. I was behind with a few cars behind me, doing the right thing, assuming he'd move. He didn't so wrongly, I know I undertook, as did the 4 cars behind me. Technically we were in the wrong but still. It wasn't busy, no reason to sit there.
I know the stretch of road you mean.

Going north, the left lane takes you towards Dumbarton/Helensburgh, the right lane into Glasgow. Some people join the bridge at one end thinking "i'm going to Glasgow so I need to stay right" and are just totally oblivious to anyone else.

Like all those nervous drivers upthread who talk about "weaving" in and out of traffic, they justify it to themselves by saying that they will need to be in the right lane in a minute or two anyway, what harm are they doing, everyone else has the problem, why is everyone so impatient....

MyrrAgain · 17/06/2021 00:08

I don't do this in the middle Lane. But what's also fucking annoying is when you want to go faster than the lorry slow Lane and do 70 in the 3rd Lane you get law breaking CFs flashing you and intimidating you to move out the way. So wtf is one supposed to do? It's either 55 or 95mph. Apparently

Blossomtoes · 17/06/2021 00:11

@MyrrAgain

I don't do this in the middle Lane. But what's also fucking annoying is when you want to go faster than the lorry slow Lane and do 70 in the 3rd Lane you get law breaking CFs flashing you and intimidating you to move out the way. So wtf is one supposed to do? It's either 55 or 95mph. Apparently
Why don’t you do 70 in the middle lane? There’s no need to be in the outside lane, is there?
MyrrAgain · 17/06/2021 00:11

I'm not overtaking. I'm driving

NotPersephone · 17/06/2021 00:14

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IHaveBrilloHair · 17/06/2021 00:17

RaspberryCoulis
Yes!
Fair enough maybe if it's busy, but it wasn't at all.
He just sat there, and stayed there oblivious even after 5 cars had undertaken him, without speeding.

MyrrAgain · 17/06/2021 00:18

Fair enough! Although brings me back to my gripe of it's either 55 in the slow lane or speeding in the 3rd then!

TriteMale · 17/06/2021 03:46

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Snoozysnoozy · 17/06/2021 06:24

As I told the rather grumpy traffic officer…

How did that work out for you?

MondeoFan · 17/06/2021 06:29

I need to know the answer to this too.
Did they not pass their driving test? My driving instructor always told me the far left Lane is for driving, the other 2 lanes are for over taking.

purplesequins · 17/06/2021 06:37

yanbu
it makes no sense.

I live in forrin.
motorways are usually busy but free flowing.
if there is worse traffic it's usually caused by a middle lane hogging car with uk plates.