Well done Kent Police

[Gaz]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ree-miles.html

About time these inconsiderate menaces got prosecuted

[Tim]

I concur, middle lane hoggers are a right royal PITA.

[Tim]

I rather embarrassingly found out decades ago that there is no offence of overtaking someone on the nearside (undertaking), I won't embellish, but those who know me can probably join the dots

Central lane hogging is actually a tad more serious than just mildly annoying. Around 40% of collisions occur in the right hand 'overtaking' or 'fast' lane as some call it. By hogging the central lane you are forcing most drivers to overtake using the right hand 'fast' lane where the greater majority of collisions occur, as most people believe you can't undertake, which you can. The road may have been empty for this driver, but it's a point of habit and drivers are creatures of it. If they do it when the roads are empty, they do it when it's full as well, so they need educating that's it's not best practice, potentially hazardous and an offence. Road policing units have been encouraged to enforce this for a number of years now, that's a Home Office directive, not a police officer having a bad day and looking for tickets! Collisions occur when drivers have to change course or alter speed and if you're hogging the central carriageway unnecessarily, it's a potential consequence and any collision on a major route is enormously expensive.

Any action where you cause another driver to unnecessarily change course or alter speed is careless or inconsiderate driving and punishable - it's quite simple really. Another great example is entering a motorway or road via a slip road. Those are give way lines as you enter, so you have to give way to the traffic on the main carriageway. Barrelling down and entering at speed causing anyone to change speed or alter course to accommodate you is actually an offence as well.

If you drive in the far left lane you are nearly twice as unlikely to be involved in a collision/incident as when driving in the far right or outside lane. Additionally, if something does happen you often have an escape area to head for to your nearside, in the other two lanes you've got nowhere to go except into other traffic, especially if it's busy.

We've still got pretty safe roads though, just check out some Russian dashcam footage if you don't believe me

[Marco]

I rather embarrassingly found out decades ago that there is no offence of overtaking someone on the nearside (undertaking), I won't embellish, but those who know me can probably join the dots

Central lane hogging is actually a tad more serious than just mildly annoying. Around 40% of collisions occur in the right hand 'overtaking' or 'fast' lane as some call it. By hogging the central lane you are forcing most drivers to overtake using the right hand 'fast' lane where the greater majority of collisions occur, as most people believe you can't undertake, which you can. The road may have been empty for this driver, but it's a point of habit and drivers are creatures of it. If they do it when the roads are empty, they do it when it's full as well, so they need educating that's it's not best practice, potentially hazardous and an offence. Road policing units have been encouraged to enforce this for a number of years now, that's a Home Office directive, not a police officer having a bad day and looking for tickets! Collisions occur when drivers have to change course or alter speed and if you're hogging the central carriageway unnecessarily, it's a potential consequence and any collision on a major route is enormously expensive.

Any action where you cause another driver to unnecessarily change course or alter speed is careless or inconsiderate driving and punishable - it's quite simple really. Another great example is entering a motorway or road via a slip road. Those are give way lines as you enter, so you have to give way to the traffic on the main carriageway. Barrelling down and entering at speed causing anyone to change speed or alter course to accommodate you is actually an offence as well.

If you drive in the far left lane you are nearly twice as unlikely to be involved in a collision/incident as when driving in the far right or outside lane. Additionally, if something does happen you often have an escape area to head for to your nearside, in the other two lanes you've got nowhere to go except into other traffic, especially if it's busy.

We've still got pretty safe roads though, just check out some Russian dashcam footage if you don't believe me

All interesting stuff, Tim, so thanks for sharing. In particular, I hadn't thought of the far left vs far right lane in that way, and you're right

And yes, I've watched a few YouTube videos, showing 'drivers' in Russia They're bloody crazy!

Returning to what Steve (Piggurs) alluded to earlier, what they should be concentrating on more is improving the overall standards of driving, by making the test more difficult/challenging on more levels to pass, thus reducing the amount of incompetent numpties on our roads, than making cars easier to drive!!!

Cars that are designed to do everything (all your thinking and judgement) for you, simply encourage lazy, incompetent drivers - and which is one of the reasons why the standard of driving today is so poor, and getting worse, not better.



Marco.

[gsq4848]

I rather embarrassingly found out decades ago that there is no offence of overtaking someone on the nearside (undertaking), I won't embellish, but those who know me can probably join the dots

Central lane hogging is actually a tad more serious than just mildly annoying. Around 40% of collisions occur in the right hand 'overtaking' or 'fast' lane as some call it. By hogging the central lane you are forcing most drivers to overtake using the right hand 'fast' lane where the greater majority of collisions occur, as most people believe you can't undertake, which you can. The road may have been empty for this driver, but it's a point of habit and drivers are creatures of it. If they do it when the roads are empty, they do it when it's full as well, so they need educating that's it's not best practice, potentially hazardous and an offence. Road policing units have been encouraged to enforce this for a number of years now, that's a Home Office directive, not a police officer having a bad day and looking for tickets! Collisions occur when drivers have to change course or alter speed and if you're hogging the central carriageway unnecessarily, it's a potential consequence and any collision on a major route is enormously expensive.

Any action where you cause another driver to unnecessarily change course or alter speed is careless or inconsiderate driving and punishable - it's quite simple really. Another great example is entering a motorway or road via a slip road. Those are give way lines as you enter, so you have to give way to the traffic on the main carriageway. Barrelling down and entering at speed causing anyone to change speed or alter course to accommodate you is actually an offence as well.

If you drive in the far left lane you are nearly twice as unlikely to be involved in a collision/incident as when driving in the far right or outside lane. Additionally, if something does happen you often have an escape area to head for to your nearside, in the other two lanes you've got nowhere to go except into other traffic, especially if it's busy.

We've still got pretty safe roads though, just check out some Russian dashcam footage if you don't believe me

I wouldn't recommend overtaking on the left, unless in accordance with the Highway Code rule below:

Rule 268
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. Do not weave in and out of lanes to overtake.

[Tim]

I wouldn't recommend overtaking on the left

I agree, but I think you've misunderstood. Nowhere in my post was I recommending people overtake on the left, just saying that it's not a specific offence and can be done (unless the laws been changed recently?). Many people think it's illegal full stop (probably due to the Highway Code), it isn't. But a driver hogging the central lane unnecessarily is potentially forcing faster drivers to pass them, either by using the far right (3), or nearside lanes (1). Both of which are not as safe as the inconsiderate driver taking up a position in lane 1, leaving lanes 2 and 3 free. Most drivers will pass to the right, as per the Highway Code and is pretty much what we all do in the UK.

However, many drivers are very nervous of moving into lane 3 to overtake, which actually might be more hazardous for them than using lane 1. It's not normally a good idea as many drivers won't expect it, or be looking for it if they choose to suddenly change lane whilst you are completing the manoeuvre. But there are times it may actually be safer.

Don't forget the Highway Code is just that, a code and not a legal document. Some rules are legally backed up when the words 'must' or 'must not' are used, only the Road Traffic Acts are law. So no, I'm not recommending it, but for some drivers it could in some circumstances be the safer option. Of course if you collide, then it's not going to look good as you have, as rightly pointed out, not acted in accordance with rule 268. So you could be the one prosecuted for careless or inconsiderate driving.

It's all moot anyway, we just need the arseholes hogging the middle to drive more considerately, then it's not an issue and if they don't, skin em' alive (or take them to court!).

Simples

[Marco]

But a driver hogging the central lane unnecessarily is potentially forcing faster drivers to pass them, either by using the far right (3), or nearside lanes (1). Both of which are not as safe as the inconsiderate driver taking up a position in lane 1, leaving lanes 2 and 3 free.

Am I reading that correctly? Shouldn't it be considerate, rather than inconsiderate driver?

I suspect I'm misinterpreting what you're trying to say, but lane 1 is precisely where you should be, *if* the motorway is otherwise empty, and there is no-one to overtake, or you're travelling at the same speed as other lane 1 users.

Marco.

[archiesdad]

Fine them, points on the license and a week in the stocks, complete idiots.


camera van operator I know reckons most speeders are in the outer lanes and tends to ignore the nearside lane when out catching speeders.

[Marco]

Too right - fucking cockheads!

They do my box in, and shouldn't be allowed near a bloody road - fine 'em and ban 'em for life, I say... How these useless tools manage to pass their test in the first place, I've no idea. And the thick fuck didn't even realise he or she had done anything wrong? Incredible!

Marco.

[Marco]

From the article:

"According to a poll last year, more than four in ten (43 per cent) drivers admit to hogging the middle lane, with most committing this sin to avoid the need to overtake slower traffic such as lorries further down the road"

Lazy bastards. They need to learn that they don't own the road, or any lanes on it, and to SHIFT when it's necessary!

This is the one which gets me, though:

"More than one in five (22 per cent) said they stay in the middle lane because it makes them feel safer, while one in nine (11 per cent) who avoid the inside lane do so because they claim they drive at the maximum speed limit so no one should be overtaking them."

Firstly, if that's the case, and they're so much of a timid snowflake, then they shouldn't be on the road in the first place, especially on motorways. I'd make them "feel safer" in a prison cell! Secondly... Now those smug, arrogant fuckers [self-appointed traffic police] I 'UTTERLY DETEST"!! So, listen up:

It's got FUCK ALL to do with YOU what speed anyone else is driving at on a motorway, as long as they're not putting you (or anyone else there) in any immediate danger. It's not up to you to judge why they're driving so fast. And doing 70mph does not entitle you to hog the outside land of a motorway if the middle lane and/or inside lane is clear!!

If that's the case, and you see someone coming up behind you who, for whatever reason (could be an emergency, you don't know) is in a hurry and wants to overtake, then you *SHIFT YOUR ARSE* out of their way into either lane 2 or 1, and let them past - and YOU SIT THERE, no matter whether you're doing 70 mph or less, until you have good cause to move back out again into lane 2 or 3- END OF!

Understand what your STEERING WHEEL and MIRRORS are for - and fucking use them, ya arrogant, inconsiderate wankers!!

<Rant over>

Marco.