Middle Lane Hogging

[Leon Roskilly]

The way that causes least congestion is to zip-merge at the lane closure. Unfortunately, the dog-in-a-manger attitude of many motorists means that it's less hassle to get into the remaining lanes earlier.

 

Ah!

 

The Highway Code does now say:

 

https://www.gov.uk/general-rules-all-drivers-riders-103-to-158/multilane-carriageways-133-to-143

 

134

You should follow the signs and road markings and get into the lane as directed.

 

In congested road conditions do not change lanes unnecessarily.

 

Merging in turn is recommended but only if safe and appropriate when vehicles are travelling at a very low speed, e.g. when approaching road works or a road traffic incident.

 

It is not recommended at high speed.

 

https://www.gov.uk/road-works-level-crossings-tramways-288-to-307

 

 

288

.......

 

Where lanes are restricted due to road works, merge in turn (see Rule 134).

 

 

 

 

 

Problem is most drivers haven't clocked the change.

 

http://www.infsq.co.uk/2011/02/merge-in-turn/

 

 

 

Good signage would sort it out (Merge in Turn in 800 yds -.. 500, ..200, ..100, Merge in Turn Now)

Edited August 16, 2013 by Leon Roskilly

[barry luxton]

Ah!

 

The Highway Code does now say:

 

https://www.gov.uk/general-rules-all-drivers-riders-103-to-158/multilane-carriageways-133-to-143

 

 

https://www.gov.uk/road-works-level-crossings-tramways-288-to-307

 

 

 

 

 

 

Problem is most drivers haven't clocked the change.

 

http://www.infsq.co.uk/2011/02/merge-in-turn/

 

 

 

Good signage would sort it out (Merge in Turn in 800 yds -.. 500, ..200, ..100, Merge in Turn Now)

 

Ahh, I liken that to fresh water fishing Leon, not enough legislation according to some, so more is required including the need for new legislation to take the rule book with you either driving or fishing. good signage, more required at road works to help the hapless motorist. More noddy policemen required to assist the hapless angler.

[Steve Walker]

I wish more people would keep in mind that driving is collaborative, not competitive.

[barry luxton]

I wish more people would keep in mind that driving is collaborative,

Not at the blackwall tunnel it ain't, dog eat dog at that location, it's where the zip mergerer's are in thier element, leave half a car width and it's in with a jubilant grin. It's been perfected even over the cross hatched area, over he or she goes, short of crashing into your vehicle, you normally have no choice but to stamp your foot on the brake to let the smug scroty g!t in.

Edited August 17, 2013 by barry luxton

[HERUTILUS]

Greetings Fellow Members,

 

This 'thing' regarding middle lane hogging on motorways has been going for years. But there's one aspect of it all that has always puzzled me, as follows:-

 

If one stays in the nearside lane one can have problems with slow moving traffic, so one has to pull out into the middle lane to overtake the slower traffic. But, if there are quite a few slower drivers in the left lane, one can be regularly 'weaving' or pulling out & then pulling in to avoild being called a 'middle lane hogger'. Now, I suggest that this constant lane changing is not good 'safety-wise', not good at all.

So what's the problem if the law-abiding stay in the middle lane & in so doing stay within the 70 mph limit thus letting the posers & lunatics burn-up the outside lane like they do now?

 

Personally I don't see what the problem/debate is all about.

 

Regards,

 

Mr H.

[barry luxton]

driving a rather slow vehicle, I can use the third lane, when going down hill, however the middle lane hogs who don't do 70 are the ones who get up my goat. Even though the inside lane is empty, they refuse to move over into it. So quite often I can't get enough steam up to go into the third lane so I undertake. Two wrongs don't make it right, so i'm glad the new law is in place and hopefully it will be rigorously enforced, yup a law I actually agree with. May the tail gaters also get their busters felt with a swift kicking.

[corydoras]

That's the point I was making. Being a "weaver bird" is bad lane discipline too.

[barry luxton]

no justification for middle lane hoggers, ban 'em off the road.

[Leon Roskilly]

It also causes congestion and accidents.

 

eg doing 55mph in the inner overtaking lane when the left hand lane is clear, not only slows down that lane to 55mph, but takes out of (legal) use the inner lane.

 

Someone doing 60 cannot now pass using the inner overtaking lane, but has to move into the outside overtaking lane to pass the lane hog.

 

 

For all intents and purposes, a three lane motorway is now reduced to just two lanes, causing unnecessary congestion.

 

Cars travelling at 70 must now slow down, whilst the car doing 60 passes the middle-lane hogger.

 

 

And traffic coming up fast behind must brake hard to avoid ramming the slowed down traffic (the concertina effect when reaction time means each following car has to brake a little harder than the car in front).

 

All while the lane on the left is clear of traffic!

 

 

 

Because busy motorways become congested, other lanes are added at great expense to us all, even though there is a lane to the left that is hardly used. (And sometime even when there's four or more lanes of motorway, there's two inside lanes clear and traffic is still slow in the outer overtaking lane).

 

 

All because someone hasn't learned to pull out and overtake when safe to do so, then return to the inner lane, or simply doesn't realise that they are committing an offence and endangering other motorists by hogging an overtaking lane.

[corydoras]

no justification for middle lane hoggers, ban 'em off the road.

So your driving along the M27 from Southampton to Portsmouth (or the other direction). Lane one is full of lorries,miles of them, heading to or from the ferries in Portsmouth. Do you weave in and out of all of them or do you stay in lane 2 until you pass the lot of them?