To think it's ok to want to travel at 70mph on the motorway...

[JacquesHarlow]

...or am I now completely unreasonable, and the Highway Code is irrelevant?

Hear me out if you will:

I have done a LOT of driving in the past two weeks. M1, A1, A23, M25, M40, M6, you name it.

I am middle aged, F, live in Surrey, for what any of that is worth. I am also it seems one of the stranger folk...in that when I join a motorway, I drive at 70mph on the dot. I also stay in the left lane until overtaking.

AIBU for doing this?

It seems so, judging by the habits of hundreds of road users I encountered, who come onto the motorway and automatically slide into lane 3 of 4, or lane 2 of 3. And sit there for absolutely ages, at around 60 mph.

I kid you not, 60mph.

It's maddening. I am driving at 70mph, in lane 1. It is clear in front of me.

Next to me is someone doing 60 mph. I know this because I am coming up on them quickly. I cannot however undertake them - this is against the Highway Code.

So I indicate, check it's clear, move out to lane 2 behind them. I then look to move to lane 3 to overtake.

Only I can't move over to lane 3, because there is someone doing 60 (or maybe less), right alongside them. Not overtaking, just cruising next to them in their own little lane.

So I indicate again, move out to lane 4. Where of course it takes me 30 seconds or so to overtake, at which point someone is barrelling down on me wanting to do 80mph in their private fast lane. (I'm fine with this, I assert my right to overtake legally etc).

So that's three lane changes to overtake two cars who due to their speed (and the highway code's rules) should be sitting in lane 1.

Why do people do this?

I notice that when I've brought this up years ago on here, or when I've spoken to folk in real life, people often say

"It's more dangerous to do all that 'weaving about' than stay in a lane"
"I'm not going to get trapped in a lorry sandwich"
"People join constantly on motorways and I don't want to have to move over"

OK, great.

So you're going to make me change three lanes, just because you want your own little personal bubble on the motorway, and are happy to be a rolling roadblock?

I think middle lane hoggers are not only selfish, but actually dangerous.

But AIBU?

That case is completely different. The guy changed lanes to "undertake" and changed his speed too! What people on here are saying IS allowable is to stay in your own lane and stay at the same speed. I'm not surprised the guy in the article got a fixed penalty notice for weaving between lanes when undertaking!

I think on the 'smart' motorways it's a bit different - by popular consent on some sections if traffic isn't too heavy people are mostly leaving lane 1 clear and then using 2, 3 and 4 as if they were 1,2 and 3. Which seems sane and sensible to me.

I'm not noticing too much egregious middle lane hogging round here recently except on stretches with 4 lanes where the idea of lane discipline seems to break down.

Re mot having motorway driving in the test - impractical in parts of the country, maybe whatever there is in the theory section needs beefing up?

The rule is to 'make progress' (as my IAM instructor told me over and over!).

You drive at the speed limit. On motorways and dual carriageways, lane one is for driving in, the other lanes are for overtaking (unless directed otherwise). So, if it's a 70 limit, you drive at 70 - unless...blah, blah.

Doesn’t need to go to dragons den you can buy these already.

Some vehicles can’t go as fast as 70 either due to their age or because they have a speed-limiter installed. If a person can choose to drive a slow vehicle, can’t they also choose to drive a faster vehicle at 55 to 60 mph?

Obv some vehicles have restricted speed (that’s a given) but generally speaking, the convention is to drive at 70. If you’re pottering at 55, you’re preventing people from using the slow lane as their main lane as they have to dodge round you to continue on at a sensible pace.

The highway code mentions a steady cruising speed and does not give a limit - so why on a fairly empty motorway does someone come up close behind rather than going into a different lane.
If the motorway is busy then I will match the inside lane speed (which is still less than sixty) and not hold up traffic although smart motorway will have put up a 50 or 60 limit by that time

I'm NW also - do you reckon all these naff drivers on the M6 etc are on holiday from Cornwall, Norfolk/East Anglia, Wales etc..? that would explain a lot. Should they not have to travel on A and B roads once they get to Birmingham and leave us be? Or alternately take a concentrated motorway exam where they get shipped to a city with motorways for a day or 2?
I also notice a number of holiday makers most likely in hire cars, come from abroad and flown into Manchester airport heading to the lakes and these are more clueless than anybody!!
Some driving education is clearly awry somewhere and holiday makers from abroad should have basic competence tests before hiring cars, and the cars should only be allowed in lane 1 ever. Limited to 50 miles per hour and get stopped and the vehicle confiscated if they move out of lane 1.

YANBU Op, it drives me insane. If I can't manoeuvre past them, I will undertake and look at them going past and raise my hands to say WTAF. Shoot me, but its these clowns that cause accidents.

If a police officer spots you hogging the middle lane, you'd better watch out, as they are entitled to give you £100 on the spot fine and 3 points on your licence!!

Not defending them but I imagine more are caused by people who take both hands off the wheel and don’t look where they are going.

Unless you drive a HGV or 50 year old car which can't cruise at 70mph, why do you prefer to get to your destination slower and hold other people up, exactly?

I bet you are the type of person who drives at 40mph on minor roads regardless of the limit and conditions.

Unless you drive a HGV or 50 year old car which can't cruise at 70mph, why do you prefer to get to your destination slower and hold other people up, exactly?

DH often drives at about 62 which is the optimum for fuel economy for his car. It doesn't 'hold anyone up' because he knows how to drive.

In the grand scheme of things how much longer does your journey take? Enjoy the drive and don’t let other drivers stress you out.

You do realise a speed limit isn’t a goal?

my car drives best about 60-65 so generally that’s what I do. It’s most economical for the car and if someone wants to go faster they are free to over take. I do go faster at times quite happily, it’s nothing to do with confidence and everything to do with knowing my car and not feeling the need to race everywhere

Some vehicles can’t go as fast as 70 either due to their age or because they have a speed-limiter installed. If a person can choose to drive a slow vehicle, can’t they also choose to drive a faster vehicle at 55 to 60 mph?

Of course they can. Some posters are making up the rules, or defining 'conventions' others don't agree with😂

lots of people were driving slower than 70 when fuel prices peaked!

But, obviously dont middle lane hog at a slower speed, and best not go so slowly you're impeding hgvs so they have to slooowly overtake you.

I drive on the M25 and M1 most weeks and agree, there is a lot of very bad driving. Countless people sitting in middle lanes when they don’t need to.

Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake. In congested conditions, where adjacent lanes of traffic are moving at similar speeds, traffic in left-hand lanes may sometimes be moving faster than traffic to the right. In these conditions you may keep up with the traffic in your lane even if this means passing traffic in the lane to your right.

Read above. 'Do not overtake on the left OR move to a lane on the left to overtake'

It's not rocket science.

Have none of you heard of the BMW EV club - they realise by going about 60mph they don't need to stop and charge making their overall journey quicker

One thing that is highlighted on all Mumsnet motorway threads is how many people are too scared to change lanes and think that changing lanes in somehow dangerous. They won't move over to let someone on, won't overtake (but will happily undertake and don't see how that may be dangerous) etc.

Of course you should keep left, but there are 3 lanes for a reason and there's no reason not to use all of them when needed.

Middle lane hoggers should all get tickets and be reeducated imo. Their numbers have exploded recently. Fine go at 60 but stay in the right lane.

If it's ok to undertake because you're going faster than the car on your outside, then why would it be illegal to change lanes in order to do so?

Surely it's the process of passing a car on the inside that is dangerous (and so illegal)?

Congested traffic is the exception because the speed of both lanes is constantly changing and it is safer for everyone to stay in their lane in these conditions.

Don't be ridiculous, so you never check your blin̈d spots before making a manoeuvre??? Taking one hand off the steering wheel to shrug at someone is not going to cause an accident....because clearly if I am undertaking, the road in front is clear....

I love in Surrey OP and frequently drove on the M3, M25, A331, A3, hogs back etc etc.

So many middle lane hoggers. And I'll probably get flamed for this but nearly every middle lane hogger I see on my daily commutes are old, driving some variety of a Honda jazz. Sat about 2 inches from the windscreen clutching the steering wheel with dear life, refusing to get over pootling along in lane 2 at 60mph. Causing people to undertake, or over take increasing the traffic in lanes 2 and 1.

My biggest bug bear.

But as a Surrey driver, probably using the same roads as you, YADNBU!!