Pat_Richmond
Member
Thanks Baggy - although if you had been driving in the centre lane, there would have been a safe space for the motorists joining the motorway, and no unnecessary lane changing would have occured.
Motorway middle lane hogging, fines?
- Thread starter Ashley Blakemore
- Start date
Help Support SalonGeek:
Thanks Baggy - although if you had been driving in the centre lane, there would have been a safe space for the motorists joining the motorway, and no unnecessary lane changing would have occured.
Baggybear
Well-Known Member
Stop and think about the car that was in the middle lane in my situation.
Because they were sitting there in the middle lane I nearly had a car crash into the side of me. I couldn't use the middle lane in the way it is designed.
That car in the middle lane obviously didn't know what the car in the slip road was doing just as the car in the slip road didn't know what the car in the middle lane was doing.
The car in the middle lane SHOULD have seen the car joining at the slip road the same as I did and then moved into the right lane so I could move into the middle lane and allow the car onto the left lane from the slip road. The middle lane driver ovbiously didn't see the car on the slip road and therefore wasn't paying enough attention to the road around himself - this almost caused an accident and it was only my quick thinking and reaction that avioded an accident.
Because they were sitting there in the middle lane I nearly had a car crash into the side of me. I couldn't use the middle lane in the way it is designed.
That car in the middle lane obviously didn't know what the car in the slip road was doing just as the car in the slip road didn't know what the car in the middle lane was doing.
The car in the middle lane SHOULD have seen the car joining at the slip road the same as I did and then moved into the right lane so I could move into the middle lane and allow the car onto the left lane from the slip road. The middle lane driver ovbiously didn't see the car on the slip road and therefore wasn't paying enough attention to the road around himself - this almost caused an accident and it was only my quick thinking and reaction that avioded an accident.
PixieBeauty
Well-Known Member
Exactly!! Great example! Every driver should understand and follow the rules, and they should be aware of all cars around them at all times. Then, when they know the rules they can anticipate what others will be doing. If I had been the middle lane driver I'd have moved over to allow BB to move, then we'd both return to the left lane as soon as possible.
I also agree with the other comment that ignorance is no defence. Haven't we been told this enough by the police? I am flabbergasted by the lack of responsibility some people take for their own driving. It's as if it's the system's fault that they do not know?? That's like me blaming my school for not teaching me everything about everything! I am capable of independent learning and paid my driving instructor for a motorway driving lesson immediately after I passed. Not difficult.
Wouldn't it be good if we also had to have an hour's motorway driving lesson (OK on a dual carriageway covering at least the theory, where necessary) before the paperwork could be signed and sent for a license? Takes away those excuses of 'I didn't know'??
Pat_Richmond
Member
Thanks Baggy - of course, if you had been driving in the centre lane at 70mph, you would not have been blocking the motorists joining the motorway.
Baggybear
Well-Known Member
The left lane was not blocked for the car to join but they decided not to slow down and join after me, they wanted to force me over into the middle lane. I was doing 70mph with not a lot of traffic in front of me and not much behind me either (definatley enough room behind me for a car or 2 to join before the next car would have got to the junction entrance.
There were 2 people not following the rules of the road and por me stuck in the middle of them both.
I was doing what I was supposed to be doing but it was me who almost got hit.
If either of the 2 other drivers had done as they should have there were 2 ways to avoid the situation I ended up in.
1) The driver joining the motorway should have slowed down to join the road after I had passed, allowing both myself and the driver in the middle lane to continue on our journey (hopefully the driver in the middle lane would have passed me and then pulled in but probably not lol).
2) The driver in the middle lane would have seen the car trying to join the motorway from the slip road and moved over in to the right lane for me to go in to the middle lane and then allow the car to join in the left lane.
Unfortunatley neither car did as they should and I ended up having to speed up and do my best to avoid a collission. I was not the one in the wrong as I was doing as I should have been doing but I was the one who avoided a crash by having my witts about me and reacting quickly.
There were 2 people not following the rules of the road and por me stuck in the middle of them both.
I was doing what I was supposed to be doing but it was me who almost got hit.
If either of the 2 other drivers had done as they should have there were 2 ways to avoid the situation I ended up in.
1) The driver joining the motorway should have slowed down to join the road after I had passed, allowing both myself and the driver in the middle lane to continue on our journey (hopefully the driver in the middle lane would have passed me and then pulled in but probably not lol).
2) The driver in the middle lane would have seen the car trying to join the motorway from the slip road and moved over in to the right lane for me to go in to the middle lane and then allow the car to join in the left lane.
Unfortunatley neither car did as they should and I ended up having to speed up and do my best to avoid a collission. I was not the one in the wrong as I was doing as I should have been doing but I was the one who avoided a crash by having my witts about me and reacting quickly.
KirstieLou
Well-Known Member
I just don't like any other drivers in the world. Would be better if I was te only one 
Pat_Richmond
Member
Thanks Baggy. It would also be interesting to know if drivers are expected to camp out in the left lane when the motorway goes up to 4, 5, 6 lanes.
Lynne Baker
Lynne The Skin!
If that's the law of the respective land, then yes.
Pat_Richmond
Member
Thanks Lynn, good point, although in Saudi Arabia, it is a law that women must not drive.
That does not necessarily make it a sensible law, or justify the existence of the law.
PixieBeauty
Well-Known Member
I do not understand why anyone thinks the UK system doesn't work. Why should you be in the middle lane, if you are not overtaking? Or the right hand lane? Why why why why why???
The reason for the rules is not arbitrary (!) it is to provide a system that people understand. If I do not understand why you are driving in a lane (i.e. I cannot understand your behaviour) then I cannot anticipate your behaviour, or your moves. How do I know you won't just randomly move lanes, or slow down, or speed up or goodness knows? People need to be able to understand and anticipate other motorists so they can tell what is a safe space to move into, etc and how to overtake.
Why would anyone sit in the middle or right lane if the others were empty? Is it just to avoid having to let people on at slip roads? Is that worth all the ensuing chaos?
Problems of middle and right lane hogging - you are blocking the passage of anyone wishing to go past you. I have seen mile long tail backs that are attributed to that, as more people join the tailback it gets longer and longer. Takes a couple of drivers who are not concentrating to come up too fast, slam on and then cause a concertina effect. Highways Agency have said in heavy traffic this concertina effect can cause traffic jams on motorways. It is much safer, environmentally friendly and efficient driving if people maintain a speed over distance, not slowing down and speeding up. If you get out of the way of people wishing to overtake (by being in the correct place) everyone is a better driver for it.
So, remind me AGAIN why middle lane hogging is a good or better system than the one we have??
The reason for the rules is not arbitrary (!) it is to provide a system that people understand. If I do not understand why you are driving in a lane (i.e. I cannot understand your behaviour) then I cannot anticipate your behaviour, or your moves. How do I know you won't just randomly move lanes, or slow down, or speed up or goodness knows? People need to be able to understand and anticipate other motorists so they can tell what is a safe space to move into, etc and how to overtake.
Why would anyone sit in the middle or right lane if the others were empty? Is it just to avoid having to let people on at slip roads? Is that worth all the ensuing chaos?
Problems of middle and right lane hogging - you are blocking the passage of anyone wishing to go past you. I have seen mile long tail backs that are attributed to that, as more people join the tailback it gets longer and longer. Takes a couple of drivers who are not concentrating to come up too fast, slam on and then cause a concertina effect. Highways Agency have said in heavy traffic this concertina effect can cause traffic jams on motorways. It is much safer, environmentally friendly and efficient driving if people maintain a speed over distance, not slowing down and speeding up. If you get out of the way of people wishing to overtake (by being in the correct place) everyone is a better driver for it.
So, remind me AGAIN why middle lane hogging is a good or better system than the one we have??
This thread has boggled my mind! I don't see what's so difficult about motorway driving...use common sense! *bashing head on wall* lol. In all seriousness though...it terrifies me that people can drive on the motorway and not have a clue what's going on....terrifying 😱
Pat_Richmond
Member
Thanks Pixie.
Just curiosity, really.
In California, frequent lane changing is considered dangerous and inconsiderate. It is also safer for new cars joining the motorway if the first lane is not blocked.
Most motorways in CA have more than 3 lanes, though, hence my question - where a motorway in the UK has 5 lanes, is it really sensible for all the drivers to be huddled in the left lane and leaving the other 4 empty, blocking drivers joining the motorway and scuttling around HGV's, who have it hard enough as it is. If the driver in lane 2 is doing 70mph, they are not holding anyone back, apart from those who wish to break the speed limit (in which case could use the 3rd, 4th, or 5th lane?).
Baggybear
Well-Known Member
I don't think we have more than 3 lanes on a motorway unless it is because you need to be in the correct lane to go to a set place, as in lane 1 & 2 are going West, 3 & 4 are going North and 4 & 5 are going East so if you are in the wrong lane you end up in the wrong place.
Frequent lane changing to get passed traffic is classed as dangerous in the UK too but going from the left lane out into the middle lane, passing cars & going back into the left lane after passing cars is not frequent lane changing.
Frequent lane changing to get passed traffic is classed as dangerous in the UK too but going from the left lane out into the middle lane, passing cars & going back into the left lane after passing cars is not frequent lane changing.
Tazmari
Well-Known Member
In this country hogging the middle lane is considered inconsiderate and dangerous.
The logical reason for not hogging the middle lane is that weight of traffic builds up in the middle lane. People then aren't moving back in which has the knock on effect of traffic moving to the outside to try to overtake. Again weight of traffic build up and before you know it there are no cars in the first lane and all the cars are doing less than 60 in the other 2 lanes. Next you have people in the middle lane then undertaking the people in the outside lane. The knock on effects go on and on from here.....
The logical reason for not hogging the middle lane is that weight of traffic builds up in the middle lane. People then aren't moving back in which has the knock on effect of traffic moving to the outside to try to overtake. Again weight of traffic build up and before you know it there are no cars in the first lane and all the cars are doing less than 60 in the other 2 lanes. Next you have people in the middle lane then undertaking the people in the outside lane. The knock on effects go on and on from here.....
Pika
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Omg it drives me mad at how many people don't understand the rules of motorway lanes. I drive half of the m25 every other Friday and Sunday night and I've seen so many accidents and near-misses purely because people are just cruising along in the middle lane. Then people who undertake (sometimes are forced to!) get penalised for it
laurakate
Well-Known Member
But if everyone drove in the middle lane based on that logic then the use of lanes on motorways would be a totally different system and would be taught differently to new drivers.
StephsTherapies
Well-Known Member
I am defiantly a middle lane driver! Hate the "slow" lane because like most of you have said you need to keep letting people on to the motorway, so you end up in the middle lane anyway!
I hate the fast lane because if I try and drive past 70mph my little car starts to rattle and shake! So I can't keep up with the newer, faster cars on the motorway!
So I just assumed the middle lane was perfect for me :/
I hate the fast lane because if I try and drive past 70mph my little car starts to rattle and shake! So I can't keep up with the newer, faster cars on the motorway!
So I just assumed the middle lane was perfect for me :/
PixieBeauty
Well-Known Member
Well it isn't. It is an overtaking lane, not a driving lane.
I wonder if anyone who is newly educated on the rules of motorway driving will actually change their driving style, or if they'll stick to middle lane driving not because they don't understand or didn't know, but because they purely can't be bothered.
Mobile Manicure
Well-Known Member
It should be compulsory, I totally agree. Those of us who didn't take the motorway lessons (as they weren't compulsory in order to get your license) were probably taught by well meaning relatives feeding us a load of crap. I didn't start motorway driving alone until my husband who incidenty has never had a collision in 25 years of driving went out with me and told me how to drive on the motorway. Incorrectly.
Slow lane, medium sped lane and fast lane. If someone flashes you or gets too close behind, move over. Best to get in the fast lane (right lane) and put ypur foot down all the way. His words, not mine.
And no, I don't ever recall being told by the police or by my driving instructor or anyone that the middle lane is not for driving on until I started reading this tread.
