Motorway - Middle Lane Hoggers. What to do?

[ArunAlec]

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?

I bet the road is clear of traffic for miles ahead ... but possibly not behind!

 

[MattBW]

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. I’ve put my tin hat on.

I respect you for being honest, it's a good debate to have and to understand both sides. In really slow traffic it is indeed better to just hold your lane and moving unnecessarily can result in tailbacks behind.. For me, part of the reason cars make so many lane changes is the capacity reduction of the road caused by a lot of drivers today not moving over when they could and trucks overtaking each other at 0.2mph difference. Combined with high traffic levels its a recipe for congestion. A 3 lane motorways these days are really reduced 2 lane motorways and the logic above is contributing to the problem that you claim to be avoiding. You see it all the time folks pull onto the motorway with an empty inside lane and move straight to the middle. If you're saying its less safe to change lanes, why force me to because you don't want to move over?

As for risk, the best way to reduce the risk is probably have the hard shoulder on one side of you which will be largely be empty and just slow down to the speed of the traffic. The traffic is often compressed and slowed around a middle lane driver but many probably think that's normal traffic?

The general rule I use is if it's going to take me more than 10 seconds to get past the next vehicle I pull in and let those going quicker than me move past. and yes sometimes I get slowed down slightly waiting for a time to pass a slower vehicle, but its not just about me, its about everyone else using the road too.

 

[GrannyJen]

I bet the road is clear of traffic for miles ahead ... but possibly not behind!

I do seem to be very fortunate when I am leisurely towing. I rarely encounter traffic in front of me, being held up with a caravan on the back can be such a pain.

The other thing about taking it a bit more leisurely is that you appreciate your surroundings more. It's amazing how many drivers will pull alongside and wave to me. Cali's often get a wave but with the caravan it seems people are even more friendly

 

[EddieEagle]

I do seem to be very fortunate when I am leisurely towing. I rarely encounter traffic in front of me, being held up with a caravan on the back can be such a pain.

The other thing about taking it a bit more leisurely is that you appreciate your surroundings more. It's amazing how many drivers will pull alongside and wave to me. Cali's often get a wave but with the caravan it seems people are even more friendly

This is a wind up, right?

 

[willwander]

I do seem to be very fortunate when I am leisurely towing. I rarely encounter traffic in front of me, being held up with a caravan on the back can be such a pain.

The other thing about taking it a bit more leisurely is that you appreciate your surroundings more. It's amazing how many drivers will pull alongside and wave to me. Cali's often get a wave but with the caravan it seems people are even more friendly

Are you sure they‘re waving

 

[GrannyJen]

This is a wind up, right?

Just another point a view. We all appear to be in too much of a hurry getting from A to B and sometimes in our lives just slowing things down a bit can bring incredible rewards.

Sadly not everyone in our modern fast-paced world seems to appreciate being slowed down but I certainly enjoy taking in much more of my surroundings

 

[GrannyJen]

Are you sure they‘re waving

Obviously I'm not going to get myself distracted by focussing too much on the waving but a lot seem to be getting in with the holiday spirit.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Am driving in Peru at the mo. Here they mostly cruise in left hand (ie outer) lane and overtake on inner.

Mind you they also have speed bumps on the motorways...

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Have they taken the pages out of the highway code about how to overtake on motorways???
From the video @MattBW posted these people seem oblivious.
When I was a lad I became aware that some people I knew had been paid to take a driving test for others. A whole different subject but that first guy in the video was clueless and vacant. The 2nd seemed to think he could do what he liked and in all honesty that reflects the standards I see everyday.

 

[WelshGas]

Well there’s no middle lane hogging on the Autobahn. Everyone keeps to the inside unless overtaking or they’re doing more than 160 kph.

 

[Toothlessjon]

Activate their lane tracking system and move them over. This should be an option on all vehicles or a canon.

 

[westfalia]

Well there’s no middle lane hogging on the Autobahn. Everyone keeps to the inside unless overtaking or they’re doing more than 160 kph.

Agree, although i got a bit held up today behind a Q7

 

[T6 CFO]

I respect you for being honest, it's a good debate to have and to understand both sides. In really slow traffic it is indeed better to just hold your lane and moving unnecessarily can result in tailbacks behind.. For me, part of the reason cars make so many lane changes is the capacity reduction of the road caused by a lot of drivers today not moving over when they could and trucks overtaking each other at 0.2mph difference. Combined with high traffic levels its a recipe for congestion. A 3 lane motorways these days are really reduced 2 lane motorways and the logic above is contributing to the problem that you claim to be avoiding. You see it all the time folks pull onto the motorway with an empty inside lane and move straight to the middle. If you're saying its less safe to change lanes, why force me to because you don't want to move over?

As for risk, the best way to reduce the risk is probably have the hard shoulder on one side of you which will be largely be empty and just slow down to the speed of the traffic. The traffic is often compressed and slowed around a middle lane driver but many probably think that's normal traffic?

The general rule I use is if it's going to take me more than 10 seconds to get past the next vehicle I pull in and let those going quicker than me move past. and yes sometimes I get slowed down slightly waiting for a time to pass a slower vehicle, but its not just about me, its about everyone else using the road too.

To be clear what I’m saying is that it’s less safe to change lanes unnecessarily. If a faster vehicle is approaching from the rear then it’s necessary to move over to the near side if it’s safe to do so. I thought I was pretty clear. What I’m talking about is the obsession with moving to another lane when it’s not necessary. An example I’m in the middle lane overtaking slower traffic. Offside lane is clear and a vehicle behind overtakes me, moves to the middle lane then to the near side lane then back to the middle lane etc etc. I see it all the time. Some seem to do it purely for the fun of it others due to the misguided belief that it is compulsory to move to the near side lane even though the will only be in it for 5secs.
If your still reading this well done




Mike

 

[MattBW]

I am totally with you on that @T6 CFO my misunderstanding

 

[AlanC]

The Highway code, in relation to motorways, states:
Rule 264
You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past.

Sitting in the middle lane unnecessarily is wrong according to the law and, incidentally, is now subject to prosecution.

In reality, I think it is all a matter of sensible judgment.

Alan

 

[Spartan]

I have been a passenger in a MLH driver’s vehicle and their philosophy was, “I’m driving at the speed limit so I’m entitled to be here; anyone who wants to break the speed limit can overtake me in the outside lane”. Of course, the person coming up behind them is probably also driving at what their vehicle tells them is the speed limit (ish) ... before you know it, there’s a queue of people in the middle-lane (many drivers, in the UK at least, seem averse to using the outside lane to overtake - why is that?).

My personal technique when I’m in the Cali is to set the cruise around 5mph below the speed limit and keep left all the time. I’m never going to be catching a MLH under normal conditions but I’m still going comfortably quicker than all the speed-limited vehicles in the inside lane when I need to overtake; a quick dab of acceleration and a move to the outside lane will get me past any snail racers.

Good for the MPG and blood pressure too?

 

[Amarillo]

My personal technique when I’m in the Cali is to set the cruise around 5mph below the speed limit and keep left all the time. I’m never going to be catching a MLH under normal conditions but I’m still going comfortably quicker than all the speed-limited vehicles in the inside lane when I need to overtake; a quick dab of acceleration and a move to the outside lane will get me past any snail racers.

Perfect!

The only enhancement I can suggest to this "personal technique" is to set the cruise to something slightly zippier when Bat Out Of Hell is playing on the radio. Sixty six or maybe sixty seven mph would do, but don't forget to reduce after 9 minutes 52 seconds of raciness.

 

[westfalia]

Sixty six or maybe sixty seven mph would do,

And then move up to 3rd gear.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Perfect!

You must have better drivers than my neck of the woods.
Try coming past Rownhams on the M27. The lane speeds could easily be mistaken for peak signals on a graphic equaliser visualisation. Its pot luck across 5 lanes before the M3 / M27 split.
People swap from lane 1 to lane 3, 4 or 5 and even lane 5 to lane 1 or 2 at the last minute in a bid to get on the right motorway and avoid lane hoggers. So with so many lanes there are more than just middle lane hoggers at 50mph in any lane.
Quite horrific on a daily commute and i'm used to it. I dread to think what its like if you just get caught unaware.

 

[EddieEagle]

wait until they finish the "smart" m27...
hilarious further up the m3 where there are 4 lanes......
the 'clod' s don't know which lane to hog....
( Centre Lane Owner Driver )

 

[BikerGran]

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.

Just standing up for the artic driver as my husband was a trucker - taking their foot off the gas in a fully loaded truck can lose so much speed that if they're on the slightest incline it can take miles to make it up!

Oh and, it's not actually an offence to undertake, unless you do it in a dangerous manner when the offence is dangerous driving.

 

[BikerGran]

You must have better drivers than my neck of the woods.
Try coming past Rownhams on the M27. The lane speeds could easily be mistaken for peak signals on a graphic equaliser visualisation. Its pot luck across 5 lanes before the M3 / M27 split.
People swap from lane 1 to lane 3, 4 or 5 and even lane 5 to lane 1 or 2 at the last minute in a bid to get on the right motorway and avoid lane hoggers. So with so many lanes there are more than just middle lane hoggers at 50mph in any lane.
Quite horrific on a daily commute and i'm used to it. I dread to think what its like if you just get caught unaware.

Worse still, try coming OUT of Rownhams specially If you want to carry on along the M27!

 

[sidepod]

Just standing up for the artic driver as my husband was a trucker - taking their foot off the gas in a fully loaded truck can lose so much speed that if they're on the slightest incline it can take miles to make it up!

Oh and, it's not actually an offence to undertake, unless you do it in a dangerous manner when the offence is dangerous driving.

And your old mans journey is more important than the 20 drivers he’s holding up because..........?

 

[PaulMilton]

On the basis that a middle lane hogger is clearly not paying due care and attention to either their surroundings or other road users, undertaking them is potentially suicidal, as they may switch to the inside lane at any moment. They are idiots so why put your life in their hands. I passed my test in 1972 and can say that I have never once undertaken another vehicle in the way we are discussing here. It creates a ‘wild west’ situation. If caught it should in my view carry an instant ban for a period.

Exceptions are of course a slow moving congested multi carriageway, designated lanes etc.

Reminds me of one of the first lessons my mum gave to me when I was learning to drive: ‘rule 1, you have to assume everyone else on the road is an idiot’.

But that said, I have to admit that I undertake on occasion out of frustration but I’m not proud of it.

 

[Private_Kelly]

My last vehicle was a Mini Cooper S and middle lane hoggers were just a slight nuisance and targets to be overtaken and after overtaking at a great rate of knots i indicated left and safely pulled over in front of them and into the left hand ( slow lane ) and then accelerated away only to watch in dismay as the hogger stubbornly remained in the centre lane
Since selling my mini and buying a cali lane hoggers are not so much of an issue because i just tootle along at about 58mph with the cruise control on.
However i do believe that driving standards generally in the UK are abysmal.
Lane hoggers, tailgaters a general rudeness and a lack of common sense seems to prevail.