Motorway - Middle Lane Hoggers. What to do?

[BerndRos]

Ever driven in the States? It’s the norm there. Mind you their lane system is slightly different in that the Inner Lane is the Off Lane at a junction or the On Lane. There is no traffic joining a Lane as such.

Therefore, it’s expected in the States, so part of road users awareness. In the UK it’s illegal to undertake in the way we are discussing on this thread. With good reason.

Last year, every Friday afternoon I made the trip from Plymouth to Abergavenny and then returned the other way on Monday mornings. The Friday trips up, no wonder there are so many crashes on the M5 as it’s like the Wild West with appalling amounts of tail gating & undertaking, all at speed, interspersed by stop/start due to the congestion. Terrible road manners. People rushing to get somewhere (home)

 

[Bellcrew]

Therefore, it’s expected in the States, so part of road users awareness. In the UK it’s illegal to undertake in the way we are discussing on this thread. With good reason.

Last year, every Friday afternoon I made the trip from Plymouth to Abergavenny and then returned the other way on Monday mornings. The Friday trips up, no wonder there are so many crashes on the M5 as it’s like the Wild West with appalling amounts of tail gating & undertaking, all at speed, interspersed by stop/start due to the congestion. Terrible road manners. People rushing to get somewhere (home)

And most of these morons are videoed in full colour on GPS speed certified dash-cams, enforcement of the law should be simple, just post the "bang to rights"evidence to a police force that gives a damn.

 

[Amarillo]

It’s a fact , driving standards in the uk are appalling, people’s go-to attitude is anger and confrontational, 90% of people in cars are morons and truck drivers who overtake with a 0.1mph speed delta should be banned along with the truck they’re overtaking (because the tw*t driving that truck refuses to lift for 5 seconds). Aaaaannnnndd breath.......

Having driven in most European countries, I find British driving standards compare very favourably with those abroad. Norway is better, but they dole out mandatory prison sentences to the worst speeders. As we headed south in Italy from the dilapidated northern motorways, driving standards decreased as the road quality improved.

If not in a particular hurry, I set my cruise control to 58mph, just above that of HGVs, sit in the inside lane, and accelerate to 65mph to pass slower moving traffic. I rarely encounter difficulties on British motorways.

 

[willwander]

Agree, so much anger, aggression and frustration on our roads.

Just chill and everything is groovy

 

[MattBW]

I never experienced this through France, Belgium, Germany , Netherlands and Denmark, it seems to be a distinctly UK thing. I did experience a few UK drivers doing it in France. As you say as most motorways are 2 lane people are in the habit of moving over as fast as possible. Especially in germany where someone can come flying out of nowhere in moments.

Drives me mad, especially when its clear for miles ahead and as I'm in a van and the outside lane is hammering past I end up stuck. It's not about going fast, its about road manners and not being selfish that grinds my gear. Maybe should start submitting my cam footage somewhere.

I have a friend who does it and I realised why after getting a lift once, he just isn't concentrating, quite scary really. Can only assume most are the same. Although others will intentionally move into the middle so probably convinced themselves its somehow safer to be in between 2 lines of traffic than on the inside with a nice empty hard shoulder in case of an emergency.

The no overtaking for trucks rules in some parts of the continent worked a treat, unless you are a truck driver.

 

[MattBW]

Some studies into why people do it:

Why some of us like to drive in the middle of the road

Psychologists and silver drivers get together at Leeds University for another round in the great debate over 'middle lane hogging'

www.theguardian.com

 

[jts46]

Having driven in most European countries, I find British driving standards compare very favourably with those abroad. Norway is better, but they dole out mandatory prison sentences to the worst speeders. As we headed south in Italy from the dilapidated northern motorways, driving standards decreased as the road quality improved.

If not in a particular hurry, I set my cruise control to 58mph, just above that of HGVs, sit in the inside lane, and accelerate to 65mph to pass slower moving traffic. I rarely encounter difficulties on British motorways.

So you did 58 mph on recent trip to Spain? B*******

 

[Loz]

IMO
If you are already in the left-hand lane and you slowly pass the MLH then you are not undertaking, you are simply in one-way traffic where the left lane is running faster than the right-hand lane.
If I approach a MLH from the middle lane and there is no traffic I go right around them and go deliberately to the left lane to make a point.
In the US the motorists leave more room and don't react to those pulling in front of them for fear of being shot! As we were told when we were visiting relatives in Texas, don't even flash your headlights at another motorist in case they think its aggression and shoot you!

 

[BerndRos]

IMO
If you are already in the left-hand lane and you slowly pass the MLH then you are not undertaking, you are simply in one-way traffic where the left lane is running faster than the right-hand lane.
If I approach a MLH from the middle lane and there is no traffic I go right around them and go deliberately to the left lane to make a point.
In the US the motorists leave more room and don't react to those pulling in front of them for fear of being shot! As we were told when we were visiting relatives in Texas, don't even flash your headlights at another motorist in case they think its aggression and shoot you!

Hey, why not try that in full view of a Police patrol car, and be ready to accept the points on your license.

 

[MattBW]

IMO
If you are already in the left-hand lane and you slowly pass the MLH then you are not undertaking, you are simply in one-way traffic where the left lane is running faster than the right-hand lane.
If I approach a MLH from the middle lane and there is no traffic I go right around them and go deliberately to the left lane to make a point.
In the US the motorists leave more room and don't react to those pulling in front of them for fear of being shot! As we were told when we were visiting relatives in Texas, don't even flash your headlights at another motorist in case they think its aggression and shoot you!

I think it's situational, if the lane is empty and the road not very busy you would probably be up for undertaking. If its congested then the lanes running different speeds would probably be accepted.

 

[ArunAlec]

IMO
If you are already in the left-hand lane and you slowly pass the MLH then you are not undertaking, you are simply in one-way traffic where the left lane is running faster than the right-hand lane.
If I approach a MLH from the middle lane and there is no traffic I go right around them and go deliberately to the left lane to make a point.
In the US the motorists leave more room and don't react to those pulling in front of them for fear of being shot! As we were told when we were visiting relatives in Texas, don't even flash your headlights at another motorist in case they think its aggression and shoot you!

Maybe we need to relax our gun laws!

 

[ArunAlec]

I think it's situational, if the lane is empty and the road not very busy you would probably be up for undertaking. If its congested then the lanes running different speeds would probably be accepted.

Agree, in traffic, it can be difficult not to undertake.

 

[Loz]

Hey, why not try that in full view of a Police patrol car, and be ready to accept the points on your license.

You could argue that they should have pulled the MLH.
Also if you are in a section of managed motorway they normally sign to stay in lane so this is often the case.

 

[WelshGas]

IMO
If you are already in the left-hand lane and you slowly pass the MLH then you are not undertaking, you are simply in one-way traffic where the left lane is running faster than the right-hand lane.
If I approach a MLH from the middle lane and there is no traffic I go right around them and go deliberately to the left lane to make a point.
In the US the motorists leave more room and don't react to those pulling in front of them for fear of being shot! As we were told when we were visiting relatives in Texas, don't even flash your headlights at another motorist in case they think its aggression and shoot you!

I puzzled over your statement, L hand lane, no it should be right.
Then I realised, I’ve got used to driving on the “ wrong “ side of the road over the past 3 weeks. Hope I get it right when I get to Harwich.

 

[Amarillo]

If not in a particular hurry, I set my cruise control to 58mph

So you did 58 mph on recent trip to Spain? B*******

No, I was in a particular hurry! On the way out, and on the first day, I set the cruise control at 140 Km/h.

On day two it was set at 110 Km/h.

For most of the return I set it at 100 Km/h, 120 to overtake. We still arrived far to early and managed to catch a return shuttle 9 hours early.

 

[sidepod]

100KPH all the way from Spain to Calais and 9 hours early? Decimal point missing somewhere?

 

[Amarillo]

100KPH all the way from Spain to Calais and 9 hours early? Decimal point missing somewhere?

Google timeline gives for motoring:
Friday - 638 Km, 7h52
Saturday - 789 Km, 13h40

While I think the distances are correct, I think Timeline has overestimated the time motoring by including some of our rest stops.

 

[Geoff York]

AFAIK if the traffic lanes are moving at different speeds you are allowed to undertake. On a two lane I might be tempted to slide slowly past on the inside; I think what the law is attempting to do is stop people weaving between lanes willy nilly.

My pet hate is drivers who make no attempt to match the speed of the traffic when joining from a slip road. In this country it seems to be a god given right that the driver joining the main flow expects to just pull out irrespective of whether the existing traffic can pull into the second lane to let them in, and many of them do just this without speeding up to merge in with the flow.

Then there are the ones you pull over to the right to let them in, then they accelerate into the position you’ve just vacated leaving you stuck out in the outside lane with impatient traffic approaching behind.

Don’t even mention lorry drivers who pull out to overtake the vehicle in front then creep past ½ mph faster and take ages to get past! Or the drivers who overtake then slow down .....

I am an artic driver and lane 2hoggers are the bane of hgv drivers as we can’t use lane 3
You should be aware that all uk hgv s are limited to 56 mph. ... some are less.... so it takes a long time to overtake a slower vehicle
Fed up with leisure drivers moaning about truckers..... remember that if you can pick it up then it came by truck !!!
Had to shift a Cali out of a hgv parking spot so I could take my legal break
Disappointing as a fellow Cali owner !

 

[WelshGas]

I am an artic driver and lane 2hoggers are the bane of hgv drivers as we can’t use lane 3
You should be aware that all uk hgv s are limited to 56 mph. ... some are less.... so it takes a long time to overtake a slower vehicle
Fed up with leisure drivers moaning about truckers..... remember that if you can pick it up then it came by truck !!!
Had to shift a Cali out of a hgv parking spot so I could take my legal break
Disappointing as a fellow Cali owner !

I was very impressed with the HGV drivers in Norway. Their rigs seem bigger than at home. They bowl along at 80 of 90 kph and on some of the very long straights, most roads are single lane, they indicate, L vehicle coming, R overtake which can be very helpful if you are on your own in a RHD vehicle. Last time I was there I asked a group of them which was the worst season for driving, expecting them to say Winter. No, Summer, July and August, Tourists Caravans and Motorhomes stopping around corners to take photos, just stopping on the road not even in a lay-by. They used some choice language both Norwegian and English to describe them, but I can’t repeat it here.

 

[sidepod]

I am an artic driver and lane 2hoggers are the bane of hgv drivers as we can’t use lane 3
You should be aware that all uk hgv s are limited to 56 mph. ... some are less.... so it takes a long time to overtake a slower vehicle
Fed up with leisure drivers moaning about truckers..... remember that if you can pick it up then it came by truck !!!
Had to shift a Cali out of a hgv parking spot so I could take my legal break
Disappointing as a fellow Cali owner !

Well for the love of god, the next time another trucker overtakes you at +0.00000001 mph quicker, just take your foot of the gas for 5 seconds to let him past!!!!!!!! It’s not rocket science. Then, perhaps people wouldn’t get pissed off with you lot.

 

[T6 CFO]

I suspect we all drive slightly differently and experience different issues.
At the speed I drive I tend to be in the middle lane for most of the time. Only moving to the inner lane when it’s very quiet. In a 204 I have no difficulty moving to the outer lane when required.
Driving is not only about your own skills but being aware of others difficulties (eg Restricted HGV’s/LH drive HGVs) and poor drivers. Also that people will make mistakes including yourself.
Survival is about reducing the risk, constant lane changing just for the sake of it adds to the risk as does being alongside or sandwiched between vehicles. In a previous thread I gave an example where on the M5 due to the traffic conditions I remained in the middle lane whilst a vehicle traveling at the same speed as me made over 100 lane changes. This from memory prompted aggressive posts about middle lane hogging. It wasn’t and due to the conditions I wasn’t. My point is that just changing for the sake of it increases risk as does hogging it under different circumstances. Safe driving requires thought, concentration, tolerance and adaptation to the conditions. I’ve put my tin hat on.


Mike

 

[Joker 1299]

I don’t get what is difficult here. The rule is: Keep to the left, except when overtaking (or when signs indicate otherwise). The idea of a slow lane, fast lane and ‘safe’ lane is a dangerous misconception.

 

[GrannyJen]

I find it's different when towing a caravan. I always just keep to the middle lane as I find changing lanes tends to make the caravan swing a bit

 

[ArunAlec]

I find it's different when towing a caravan. I always just keep to the middle lane as I find changing lanes tends to make the caravan swing a bit

And not exceeding 60mph?

 

[GrannyJen]

And not exceeding 60mph?

No. Far too dangerous with a caravan. I find keeping to the middle lane at a steady 50 - 55mph gets me there In the end. I'm driving a leisure vehicle so why rush?