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.

I mainly drive on the m25 which is the wall of lorries and so will mainly be driving in lanes 2 and 3 (and rarely 4). Of course if there was nothing in lane 1 I'd move left - but that happens so rarely.

I think if you are talking about big empty stretches of motorway, it's different.

At least three people have mentioned flashing their headlights at 'offenders'. This is very dangerous indeed
Eh?
Very dangerous indeed?
In fact it's in accordance with the Highway Code.
What possible evidence can you have for claiming it is
"very dangerous indeed" ?

Also, New laws introduced in 2013 give police officers the power to hand out on-the-spot fines of £100 and three penalty points, meaning failing to keep left on the motorway could hit you in the pocket.

I hope all you middle lane hog defenders get points for it.

(Yes, I have a personal vendetta against the sheer number of people who really shouldn't be on a motorway if they don't know the rules).

Ginuwine
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.

Calling them lane 1 (aka slow lane), lane 2 (aka middle lane) and lane 3 (aka fast lane), and 4 and 5 if there are more than three lanes to the motorway, might help to get rid of the idea that one is slow, one is fast and the one in between is for everyone else at all times!

I have always assumed it's fear. Middle lane hogs are scared of the nasty big lorries in lane 1 (and don't want to have to do a manoeuvre to overtake them) and they are scared of the nasty fast cars in lane 3 who might be mean to them and flash their lights at them. So they stay in lane 2.

To be fair, as ohhok and skodadoda have pointed out, the motorways are so badly maintained that there are often rough bits and even potholes in lane 1 where lorries have torn it up, so I do understand not getting into it at night if you don't need to; you can't see the ruts and holes until you hit them, and that plays hob with your suspension. On our local bit of motorway that I use quite often I know where they all are to avoid them, but if I didn't I might well simply stay in lane 2 when there was nothing much on the road.

Bryonyshcmyony, I conclude that if you have only come across a middle lane hogger about three times in your life, you have only been on a motorway three times in your life, because I see at least two or three every single time I use a motorway, regardless of traffic volume or time of day. And that's on the ten-mile stretch between the junction from which I join my local motorway and the one at which I leave it.

Flashing your lights to request that someone driving obstructively move over isn’t in the same league as middle lane hogging, and can be done in a way which is neither intimidating nor aggressive. I encounter aggressive drivers daily, there’s a world of difference.

What possible evidence can you have for claiming it is
"very dangerous indeed" ?

Headlamp flashing can be regarded as dangerous. I have found that it is usually counterproductive as it pisses people off.

Using your headlights aggressively to intimidate other drivers has the potential landing the driver in court with a prosecution of dangerous driving (3 to 11 penalty points) or furious driving (3 to 9 penalty points) with a fine of up to £5000.

tinyurl.com/k3hn8ef8

Have pity. My commute is on one of the busiest routes for trucks through Europe. Literally wall-to-wall and a big stretch is... 2 lanes.

Dynamo Ken
Only flash your headlights to let other road users know that you are there. Do not flash your headlights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users. (Direct quote from Highway Code).

Ariadne:
Flashing your lights to request that someone driving obstructively move over isn’t in the same league as middle lane hogging, and can be done in a way which is neither intimidating nor aggressive.
Flashing headlights does not constitute a 'request' for anything. It has no specific meaning. However, I have frequently seen it employed in an intimidating and aggressive way, particularly by tailgaters.

[quote Etulosba]What possible evidence can you have for claiming it is
"very dangerous indeed" ?

Headlamp flashing can be regarded as dangerous. I have found that it is usually counterproductive as it pisses people off.

Using your headlights aggressively to intimidate other drivers has the potential landing the driver in court with a prosecution of dangerous driving (3 to 11 penalty points) or furious driving (3 to 9 penalty points) with a fine of up to £5000.

tinyurl.com/k3hn8ef8[/quote]
But a flash to inform another road user you are present is entirely in accordance with the highway code.

110
Flashing headlights. Only flash your headlights to let other road users know that you are there. Do not flash your headlights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users.

@BaileysforBreakfast of course flashing can be used in an intimidating manner, and frequently is. That doesn’t mean it is always inappropriate or dangerous to do it.There are times when it is necessary, such as when another road user is driving poorly and refusing to give way.

If you have a dash cam please report it.

I would like such people to be banned from driving for a long time.

and can be done in a way which is neither intimidating nor aggressive.

How do you magically convey the non-aggressive nature of your headlight flashing? Do you have a special switch?

In fact it's in accordance with the Highway Code

Of course it isn't. Flashing your lights is to tell someone you are there, or to warn them of a possible accident. If you are behind someone on a motorway and you want to get by you use the next lane over. If there isn't one, it's tough. Flashing your lights in that situation is a rebuke, not a warning.

@SoupDragon

and can be done in a way which is neither intimidating nor aggressive.

How do you magically convey the non-aggressive nature of your headlight flashing? Do you have a special switch?

Presumably for it to be aggressive it would be repeated often in quick succession and possible accompanied by other aggressive driving like tailgating. A single flash to alert someone to your presence isn't automatically aggressive. Why do imagine vehicles are fitted with headlamp flashers?

@AriadnetheSpider

Flashing your lights to request that someone driving obstructively move over isn’t in the same league as middle lane hogging, and can be done in a way which is neither intimidating nor aggressive. I encounter aggressive drivers daily, there’s a world of difference.

I see at least two or three every single time I use a motorway, regardless of traffic volume or time of day. And that's on the ten-mile stretch between the junction from which I join my local motorway and the one at which I leave it

Hmm I think your definition of a middle lane hogger is the "anyone who stays in the middle lane for more than 3 seconds after overtaking someone because they've seen someone else coming up they are going to need to overtake" whereas mine is the one who stays there for miles.

They are fuckwits and arseholes. There is no other explanation.

New laws introduced in 2013 give police officers the power to hand out on-the-spot fines of £100 and three penalty points, meaning failing to keep left on the motorway could hit you in the pocket

But there are never any police around to notice. Like texting while driving or dealing with the crazy undertaking people.

@ShatnersWig

They are fuckwits and arseholes. There is no other explanation.

Erm - care to elaborate a bit?

A long flash means "I'm coming through" but repeated flickering is more aggressive / irritating

@poppycat10

In fact it's in accordance with the Highway Code

Of course it isn't. Flashing your lights is to tell someone you are there, or to warn them of a possible accident. If you are behind someone on a motorway and you want to get by you use the next lane over. If there isn't one, it's tough. Flashing your lights in that situation is a rebuke, not a warning.

No, it's an alert to the presence of another vehicle, entirely in accordance with the highway code. There is nothing in the rules or advice that precludes use of headlamp flash on the motorway - apart from anything else you be giving tickets to all the lorries who use it as an indication that the vehicle passing them is safe to move back in.

Middle lane hoggers are the worst.

Can I also add: lorries overtaking other lorries on a long uphill stretch of a two lane dual carriageway - the A1 is a beast for this. 25 mins later it finally pulls back over, having gained only the length of the lorry but having caused gridlock behind it. Why??!

It’s very annoying. I’m often in lane 1 steadily doing 70 and end up “undertaking” people in lane 2 who haven’t bothered to move over into a very clear lane 1. You’re allowed to do that, if you’re already in the lane and moving steadily along.

Why do imagine vehicles are fitted with headlamp flashers?

Well, it's not to tell drivers to move over, that's for sure.

Isn’t it rather obvious how light flashing can be used aggressively, why does it need to be explained?!

Aggressive: tailgating, reviving, repeated short flashes

Non-aggressive: one long flash from a safe distance to alert the driver in front of your presence, with the inference that they are presenting an obstruction and need to move left.

@AriadnetheSpider

Isn’t it rather obvious how light flashing can be used aggressively, why does it need to be explained?!

Aggressive: tailgating, reviving, repeated short flashes

Non-aggressive: one long flash from a safe distance to alert the driver in front of your presence, with the inference that they are presenting an obstruction and need to move left.

Exactly.