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

[Ginuwine]

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"

• 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.

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.

[quote alwayswithhope]@Ginuwine driving instructor! I don’t see why it’s scary. I’ve been driving ten years and never had an accident/close call. First lane is always v busy with people moving in and out. Surely safer to be in the middle lane if you know you’re not getting off for ages instead of constant weaving in and out of lanes.[/quote]

What's all this "constant" weaving I keep hearing about?

I drive in the left lane... until I come across a car or goods vehicle that is slower.

I pull out when it's safe to do so. Then I go round, and pull back in.

How is that "weaving" in and out?

The only reason why the weaving word resonates is because of the constant roadblocks in lane 2 that you advocate are a good thing. As a result you have to wait for ages to find a gap to pull out into, due to the almost constant congestion in lane 2.

The fact you're a driving instructor and propagating this stuff really worries me.

Whilst on a very busy stretch of the M62 recently, I finally couldn’t hold it in any longer and told my lovely mother to MOVE INTO LEFT LANE. She genuinely thought the left lane was for entering, exiting and heavy goods vehicles only. I can only assume this must be a common misconception, as surely not everyone sets out to be a total cockwomble?

Lol, good answer OP.
We once got overtaken on the motorway by a woman reading a book

@Bryonyshcmyony

If they are driving at 70 then what's the problem?

Well, quite. There's a sad acceptance that speeding on motorways is acceptable. The more average speed cameras we have, the better.

@SoupDragon

A 4 lane motorway must really screw with the middle lane hoggers.

The M25 is a nightmare. People sitting in lane 4 and making you go to lane 5 to overtake them! People undertaking in lanes 2 and 3. It's madness and I hate driving on it.

The only motorways I ever drive on are the M23 and M25 and the inside lane is wall to wall lorries.

On the rare occasion there’s an empty stretch, I’ll change into it, but otherwise I’ll be mainly in the second lane unless I’m overtaking. I’m not sandwiching myself between two lorries, thanks.

@Bryonyshcmyony

If they are driving at 70 then what's the problem?

Because we don't all join the motorway at the same time.

Speeds are relative.

I have never understood the fuss. Overtake in the outside lane if they are annoying you

in a 4 lane motorway, the bellends stay in lane THREE! It ruins the whole thing and makes the billions of pounds spent building the motorway a total waste.

Bryonyshcmyony: You're not the police. As I said earlier, your speedo probably under-reads. Just drive courteously

@BelleClapper

The only motorways I ever drive on are the M23 and M25 and the inside lane is wall to wall lorries.

On the rare occasion there’s an empty stretch, I’ll change into it, but otherwise I’ll be mainly in the second lane unless I’m overtaking. I’m not sandwiching myself between two lorries, thanks.

No one is asking you to "sandwich" yourself.

No one.

It's funny how this thread is riddled with emotive language in defence of a practice which makes our collective lives worse.

So no one wants to "weave" in and out of traffic, no one wants to be "sandwiched" in between lorries, so it's middle lane for everyone.

Which creates all manner of traffic problems, but don't mind that.. as long as you've got "your" space that fits your mental driving profile etc.

@Bryonyshcmyony

I have never understood the fuss. Overtake in the outside lane if they are annoying you

It causes congestion and creates hazards, as you are reducing the number of lanes available for overtaking and forcing cars to use two lanes to overtake (having to go from the inside to the outside) instead of just one.

It's unsafe driving behaviour.

×Bryonyshcmyony: You're not the police. As I said earlier, your speedo probably under-reads. Just drive courteously*

I do and I don't understand your comment.

Road rage is a dangerous thing.

Car speedos are calibrated so if your car Speedo shows 70 your probably doing 67/68 really.

@Sirzy

Car speedos are calibrated so if your car Speedo shows 70 your probably doing 67/68 really.

Aren’t calibrated that should say

Yes, it's irritating. But not getting het up about it and accepting that some people do it is probably the safest approach.

This has definitely got worse since smart motorways. People seem to be leaving the inside lane in case it needs to be used as an emergency hard shoulder. No one wants to be travelling up that lane only to come across a broken down stationary vehicle blocking it. That's just my opinion on why it's got worse but I have only been on smart motorways recently.

@Sirzy

Car speedos are calibrated so if your car Speedo shows 70 your probably doing 67/68 really.

So?

@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 irritating, it's hazardous.

@Bryonyshcmyony

I have never understood the fuss. Overtake in the outside lane if they are annoying you

The consequence of this is what I described above, with the outside lane getting congested and people ending up undertaking, both of which are dangerous.

@Lockheart

Most people aren't taught how to drive on motorways - I think it's only recently that it's started to be included in the driving test(?).

So there's a lot of very poor motorway drivers out there.

I passed my test in 1994, I had to have lessons on the motorway after I’d passed my test. My driving school recommended it very strongly.

@Bryonyshcmyony

Yes, it's irritating. But not getting het up about it and accepting that some people do it is probably the safest approach.

No people following the rules of the road is the safest approach

Don't get me started on roundabouts
There is one near me where I have either a rant or a near miss virtually every single day

Approaching, two lanes
One has a left arrow only
One has a straight on and right arrow
People use the left lane for the second exit when it's for the first exit only

I don't drive and this annoys me!

Used to work with someone who genuinely thought it was slow, medium, fast lane on the motorway so she sat in the middle lane... I corrected her but she wouldn't have it! I bloody hate middle laners who have absolutely no idea how to drive correctly on the motorway!

@Bryonyshcmyony

Yes, it's irritating. But not getting het up about it and accepting that some people do it is probably the safest approach.

I don't think I'm getting "het up" about anything. That's a tactic often used on Mumsnet to discredit someone's argument.

I'm dismayed that the rules of the road seem optional for some who are ardent enough to justify their choice.

Maybe I should just sit in the outside lane at 70mph and shake my head at those silly enough to get "het up" about it. Let them undertake and risk causing accidents