When I am President, all tailgating drivers will be permanently stopped

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They'll be given opportunity to change their ways first, maybe wear an electronic tag that gives a mild electric shock if they accidentally find themselves doing 90 right up someone's bumper. But, persistent offenders will eventually have to simply drive into the sea and that'll be that.

If anyone thinks I'm unreasonable, you can vote for a different political party like Tailgaters UK, but someone needs to sort this out 🦸

If your job is that important just leave earlier

Can we add non driving offences like stopping and blocking the top of escalators, or putting used matches back in the matchbox?

I'm talking about the people who sit (usually about 60mph or less) in the middle lane when the inside lane is clear for a mile ahead. Forcing everyone into the 3rd lane to pass them. It does the complete opposite of increasing the capacity of the motoway.

This is NOT what the middle lane is for and is poor, poor driving. If you can pull over left, you should.

This is a common cry on forums like this but in the many hours of driving I do a week I dont commonly see people sitting at 60ish in the middle lane, nor do I often see a long section of empty inside lane.

Had a driver up my ass all through town a few weeks ago. When I got to the traffic lights and let a person out of the petrol station, she properly went ballistic in the car behind me, banged steering wheel and through her arms up twice or three times as if to say ‘wtf’. She tried to pass me out going past a school and then flew by me, looking in with the angriest look on face (she actually freaked me out a little!) then properly sped up the road ahead. Then … I heard sirens. A police car flew up behind me and further up the road I saw they’d pulled her over!!! (I’m actually still smiling writing this) 😅

I see it all the time

If they are on a 3 lane highway I’d probably call them construction traffic because your scenario is so unlikely.

A single motorway lane caters for approx 2000 car or car equivalents per hour - a truck is approximately 2 cars.

We put in other lanes because the road has more than that volume at peak then another lane because it has exceeded the capacity again. The three lane highway typically operates over a 1 lane capacity across most of the day. Car drivers should absolutely be driving in the middle lane across the day but no one should drive on a motorway at twenty miles an hour unless they are blocked from moving faster as the road approaches capacity which slows down traffic speeds. The Highway Code states that drivers should be in the near side lane unless they are overtaking but in a three plus highway those rules are simply not applicable nor appropriate.

Tailgaters. Especially in the rain or on very busy roads. I slow down to increase my stopping distance if I can't pull over.

There should also be a section in the driving test about country lanes. You need to be able to plan ahead (so you don't stupidly overshoot a passing place), be competent at reversing around bends (to get back to a passing place), be aware of horses and farm machinery, and not get in a lather when waiting for livestock or tractors.

And also not tailgate, because the car in front might suddenly brake to avoid wildlife on the road - you're not supposed to, but everyone does, it's a normal reaction.

Yes, special place in hell for those who do that. Teaching my son to drive was eye opening! The lack of empathy and patience in some drivers (always men!) was staggering.

I didn't mean 20 mph. I mean people who just drive for twenty miles doing say 60 mph, with a lane clear to their left, or going more slowly than the traffic to their left. I can't believe you don't realise middle lane hoggers are an issue. You can't do much actual driving!

I squirt them with my backwind screen washer fluid. Seems to get them to back off a bit.

This doesnt make any sense at all. So you're behind this person for 20 miles, thats about 20 mins or so, in the middle lane yourself, when the inside lane is empty. Is that right?

Who are you overtaking then?

If you're not behind them, or next to them in the inside lane, for 20 miles, how do you know they're driving for 20 miles in this manner?

In any case, because you keep to the inside lane, if you move past them at a faster speed that is not undertaking them. You can move past them.

Agree. Can I add the twats who suddenly speed up as you’re overtaking then slow down again as soon as you pull back in?

Oh dear god. I don't stay behind them. People are willfully obtuse. We all know there are such things as middle lane hoggers who just stick to the middle lane for miles on end. When it's busy, you can get stuck behind them and caught in dangerous situations.

There's information films about it Fgs.

I am aware of how to deal with it thanks. It's still annoying.

What about tiny cars that pull out to the right in order to turn left?

Is their ego that big?

Can we also add people who drive 10 miles below the speed limit in safe good conditions on roads that other drivers can’t safely overtake them?

I drive a tiny 1 litre noddy car on the motorway for hundreds of miles a week. I use all three lanes and in all honestly rarely get tailgated because I use the overtaking lanes properly and don’t drive excessively slow.

I witnessed the most BEAUTIFUL moment last week - an aggressive guy tailgating a young girl who was doing 70 on the motorway past slower traffic in the middle lane. When she pulled in, the car in the middle lane pulled out to switch places with her and the tailgater did the same again…….until the blue lights came on and they pulled him over.

That just never happens and it literally made my day 😂😂

Agree with this, certainly in busier areas. On any motorway or multi-lane road in the SE , the middle lane has to be used for purposes other than overtaking, down to the sheer weight of traffic on the road. If everyone tried to stick to the left hand lane for anything other than overtaking, traffic would come to a standstill.

Maybe it would be possible between, say, 2 and 4am, but even then, often there are quite a few cars on the roads. It may be different in parts of the country where the traffic volume is lower (do any of those still exist?!).

But yes, Op, I’d definitely vote for you! Hate tailgaters - selfish, dangerous bastards.

If someone is on your back bumper doing 90, how fast are you going ?

Pull over and let the idiot past.

Can I add people who don’t realise that you need to accelerate (or set cc) to go up a hill? Wake up people.

So how do you know they drive in that position for 20 miles?

@BunfightBetty but that's not what middle lane hogging is.

@CarefulN0w some cars have no oomph on hills. Sadly I bought one without realising how bad it was.I usually drop a gear and accelerate but if I have to brake, it can be a bit delayed getting back up to speed. I miss my old Skoda. Ugly car but had some welly.

You're being awkward. I can see them dawdling along in my rear view mirror. We all know there are people who do this. I don't know why you are arguing about it.