Motorways, "middle lane hoggers" ?

Lets` face it, whether you`re a "middle lane hogger" or not must surely depend on the speed you`re driving at ?

Bearing in mind that every time you change lanes on any road (but particularly a motorway with other vehicles going anywhere between 50mph and 100mph+) you are taking a small risk, so surely, within reason, one should try to limit how often one changes lanes.

Basically,

In the middle lane at 50mph = Dangerous ?

In the middle lane at 60mph = Discourteous ?

In the middle lane at 70mph = Irrelevant ? (because, by definition, anyone passing you is exceeding the speed limit and therefore breaking the law......)

Obviously I`m not saying that drivers should sit permanently in the middle lane (excluding one of these motorways, nobody should be expected to drive in the ex hard shoulder, except trucks......) but it`s a balancing act between limiting lane changing and returning to the inside lane, which usually has the slowest moving vehicles in it.

I can`t wait to see how quickly someone comes on here selectively quoting the Highway Code, so I`ll do it for them :

264 You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear (my italics).

261 You MUST NOT exceed 70 mph, or the maximum speed limit permitted for your vehicle.

should / should not = "advisory wording"

MUST / MUST NOT = "if you disobey these rules you are committing a criminal offence"

So these prats who come up your rear end flashing you when you are actually doing the speed limit want to take the plank out of their own eye before worrying about the splinter in someone elses.

And anyway, if those drivers who are arrogant enough to think they`re above law want to break it (sorry, overtake) why don`t they just go past in the outside lane ? Is that too difficult for them ?

Why you should never take any notice of the Motoring Mafia pontificating about "middle lane drivers".

Added 27 May 13

Actually, as some braindead went past us in the outside lane doing 90 to 100mph, I have to say I really want cars doing that kind of speed to stay in the outside lane, even on a 4 lane motorway. I want those kind imbeciles doing 90 to 100mph to stay as far away from me and my family as possible !

In fact, if you think about it, changing lanes all over the motorway when you`re doing 90 to 100mph is really stupid for at least two reasons :

1 The closing speeds are even more dangerous.

2 How many people would want to be overtaking someone doing 90 to 100mph ? And even if some idiot did want to overtake someone who was "only" doing 90 to 100mph I`d have absolutely no sympathy for them being "obstructed".

Added 21 Jun 13

So they`re thinking of fining people for driving in the middle lane ("when the left hand lane is clear") ?

Well good luck with that one. The major problem being they`ll have to define "clear". Do they expect you to move into the inside lane if you`re only going to be in it for 20 seconds before having to come back out again ?

Or would it be 10 seconds ?

Or 5 seconds ?

The facts of time, distance, recommended gaps and whether it`s actually worth changing lanes at all...... .

The police deal with the law breakers.

So move over to the left unless overtaking. Really is that simple

In the middle lane at 70mph = Irrelevant, because, by definition, anyone passing you is exceeding the speed limit and therfore breaking the law......

Not all speedometers are calibrated in the same way. Some show a speed a little faster than your actual speed, so 70mph on your dashboard could be 65mph on someone else's.

Lets` face it, whether you`re a "middle lane hogger" or not must surely depend on the speed you`re driving at ?

.....

No debate about it, really.

You're wrong.

I usualy stick to the middle lane and keep up a steady 70mph all the way, that way anyone wanting to overtake can go into the fast lane and anyone going slower generaly moves into the slower lane or i just overtake them.

But these prats who come up you rear end flashing you when you are actually doing the speed limit want to take the plank out of there own eye before worrying about the splinter in someone elses.

As one of those 'prats' who come up your rear end flashing you when you are actually doing the speed limit, I am not flashing to tell you you are going too slow, I am flashing to tell you that you are in the wrong lane.

I usually travel in lane one at night (even at 70mph) and object to having to cross two motorway lanes to lane three and then back again to lane one just because you cannot be arsed to drive in the correct lane!

John X

Lets` face it, whether you`re a "middle lane hogger" or not must surely depend on the speed you`re driving at ?

Bearing in mind that every time you change lanes on any road (but particularly a motorway with other vehicles going anywhere between 50mph and 100mph+) you are taking a small risk, so surely, within reason, one should try to limit how often one changes lanes.

 

Basically,

In the middle lane at 50mph = Dangerous

In the middle lane at 60mph = Discourteous

In the middle lane at 70mph = Irrelevant, because, by definition, anyone passing you is exceeding the speed limit and therfore breaking the law......

 

Obviously I`m not saying that divers should sit permanently in the middle lane, but it`s a balancing act between limiting lane changing and returning to the inside lane which usually has the slowest moving vehicles in it. But these prats who come up you rear end flashing you when you are actually doing the speed limit want to take the plank out of there own eye before worrying about the splinter in someone elses.

 

I can`t wait to see how quickly someone comes on here selectively quoting the Highway Code, so I`ll do it for them :

264 You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear (my italics).

261 You MUST NOT exceed 70 mph, or the maximum speed limit permitted for your vehicle

 

SHOULD / SHOULD NOT = advisory wording

MUST / MUST NOT = if you disobey these rules you are committing a criminal offence

Having read some of your thread about airplane seats I should have guess you would be the sort of moron who sits in the middle lane! You are a danger to yourself and other drivers, if you can't cope with changing lanes then keep of the motorway.

I usualy stick to the middle lane and keep up a steady 70mph all the way, that way anyone wanting to overtake can go into the fast lane and anyone going slower generaly moves into the slower lane or i just overtake them.

Why not just drive properly?!

Speed is completely irrelevant, you're supposed to keep left unless overtaking. Obviously you might overtake a line of traffic and so you might be in the middle lane for a while but as soon as it's clear and safe to do so you're supposed to move back left.

I hate the use of the terms 'fast lane' and 'slow lane'! The leftmost lane should be called 'the lane you drive in' and the others should be called 'overtaking lanes 1 and 2'.

John X totally agree - although I make a big point of going around these middle lane numpties in the hopes they'll realise they're driving like idiots.

They're often the same people who think that 40 or 50mph is an appropriate speed at which to try and join the damned motorway

Lets` face it, whether you`re a "middle lane hogger" ......

I agree. I get really peed off with drivers up my backside flashing in the fast lane because I'm not going fast enough for these morons who, for some reason can't bear the thought of dropping below 80, even though I'm going faster than I normally do, as I'm overtaking someone on the left.

Sometimes I choose to stay in the middle lane longer than other drivers like, and they flash, and sometimes do absolutely stupid moves, like overtaking from the left!!! But if I am in the middle lane, it is usually because there are two great big overseas lorries on the left, and one is gaining on the other, and there is no way I am sticking my car in between them, to please some other moron on the road.

The police deal with the law breakers.

Apprently not, with the amount of women texting and talking on mobile phones whilst driving on the M18. This motorway must be the worst in the country for that practice

that every time you change lanes on any road ......you are taking a small risk, so surely, within reason, one should try to limit how often one changes lanes.

I usualy stick to the middle lane and keep up a steady 70mph all the way, that way anyone wanting to overtake can go into the fast lane

You two really don't get it do you?

You are both defending your right to minimise lane changes but are quite happy to make other people change lanes to accommodate you. You then then slag off anyone who actually gets annoyed by your actions.

Please tell me you are both just having a laugh, and in real life you both actually drive safely and considerately.

John X