Motorway middle-lane hoggers to face on-the-spot fines

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redddraggon said:
Just to be clear.....

What is middle lane hogging? Is it driving slowly in the middle lane or just purely staying in the middle lane?

I tend to drive mainly in the middle lane as the left lane is normally packed with lorries doing 50mph. I'd be more than happy driving in the left lane if it was clear to drive normally in.
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Surely as a competent driver you shouldn't need to ask that? You only need to use lanes 2 and 3 when overtaking.
 
redddraggon said:
The left lane is rarely clear when I drive :shrug:
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Oh come on James! You're not one of these idiots that instantly hit the middle/outside lane and sit at 70 regardless of how quiet the left most lanes are. That's the sort of idiot's it's aimed at (and the lazy ones who dont return to the left having overtaken the one driver in front of them in that lane)
 
odd jim said:
Hang on, you say you hate lane hogging, saying its bad and dangerous yet criticise the powers that be for trying to enforce it, suggesting its a tax?

Jeez, can't help some people!
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While I would love to launch a rocket when I come up to a hogger one thing I hate more are rules bought in which are there for the sake of it and that achieve nothing?

What is lane hogging? How long do u spend in the middle lane without passing until u r one?

Suppose I overtake a car. Ahead u see a slower moving lorry, probably 10 seconds away. Do you pull in then pull out again quickly, maybe getting trapped on the inside lane or carry on? What if the vehicle is 15 seconds away, or they suddenly speed up? I do not want to be changing lanes every 20 seconds!!

I may not agree with some speed limits, but speeding is speeding and its clear when I break it. This is more subjective.

You then have enforcement. How many hoggers will actually be fined. 0.5%? 0.05%? Will it stop it? Look at mobile use when driving? If using a mobile was dangerous then ban hands free too ( I sit in the camp if ban totally or ignore totally).

As I said, I hate people who sit in the middle lane with nothing on the inside, but I am sure we have all been guilty of that at one time or another. Yet now the risk of a fine and more to pay in insurance. Yes, a vehicle is a dangerous weapon and we should 100% of the time obey all laws but we are human and sometimes make small mistakes or don't concentrate for a few seconds.
 
cambsno said:
While I would love to launch a rocket when I come up to a hogger one thing I hate more are rules bought in which are there for the sake of it and that achieve nothing?

What is lane hogging? How long do u spend in the middle lane without passing until u r one?

Suppose I overtake a car. Ahead u see a slower moving lorry, probably 10 seconds away. Do you pull in then pull out again quickly, maybe getting trapped on the inside lane or carry on? What if the vehicle is 15 seconds away, or they suddenly speed up? I do not want to be changing lanes every 20 seconds!!

I may not agree with some speed limits, but speeding is speeding and its clear when I break it. This is more subjective.

You then have enforcement. How many hoggers will actually be fined. 0.5%? 0.05%? Will it stop it? Look at mobile use when driving? If using a mobile was dangerous then ban hands free too ( I sit in the camp if ban totally or ignore totally).

As I said, I hate people who sit in the middle lane with nothing on the inside, but I am sure we have all been guilty of that at one time or another. Yet now the risk of a fine and more to pay in insurance. Yes, a vehicle is a dangerous weapon and we should 100% of the time obey all laws but we are human and sometimes make small mistakes or don't concentrate for a few seconds.
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A decent driver should be able to use common sense to understand what lane hogging is. If not, a refresher driving course is in order IMO.
 
I remember my dad telling me a good few years ago, Maybe 30 years that his old bass would drive in the outside lane and not move over for no one (unless blues and twos where going) as on his regular journey of over 100 miles it would save him 7 miles on the journey from changing lanes etc.

I love driving in France very few lane hoggers and once over taken something they pull straight back in.

I drove 3500 miles in USA a couple of years ago and was a bit nervous about no lane rules over there but it works well, you get in a lane and go for it and if someone wants to be past they go either to the inside or the outside, sounds daft and dangerous but its not and works
 
There's going to be a lot of Audi and BMW drivers who are going to be a whole lot poorer because of this.!
 
To soft...middle lane hoggers should be fined and flogged by the roadside, then made to read the highway code before writing out 500,000 times.... "it's not all about me"!!
 
odd jim said:
A decent driver should be able to use common sense to understand what lane hogging is. If not, a refresher driving course is in order IMO.
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But my common sense may be different to yours, and the law may have a different interpretation.

Common sense to me is use a mobile when driving or don't use one full stop, I don't think that hands free is common sense. We don't have common sense for speeding (ie a healthy 30 driver who does 50000 a year is probably safer doing 90 in a brand new BMW on a clear quiet day, than a 80 year old with slower reactions in a 20 year old car doing 60 on a foggy day)
 
I think some people travel in the middle lane because the inside one is rutted to buggery by lorries. There is a noticeable difference in ride comfort between the inside lane and the middle one. Outside lane is the best of all. I usually keep at a speed in the middle lane where I can keep on overtaking so I don't have to bounce along the inside lane.

I think the congestion 'stay in lane' systems have a lot to answer for as they encourage middle lane hogging and blindly going along in your own lane. It's noticeably worse down south. Up here there isn't so much of it at all.

I also think the police need to check motorway/dual carriageway cameras for bell ends joining at too slow a speed. I followed one such twit onto the A500, 70 mph road not so long ago. Pillock joined at 35 and was nearly rammed up the arse by a lorry. It's not the first time I've seen this driver do this as I think I followed him previously and he did exactly the same suicidal manoeuvre. A big version of one of those pin ball gates would sort them out. Join at too slow a speed and it swings across and punts them into the scenery...
 
srichards said:
I think some people travel in the middle lane because the inside one is rutted to buggery by lorries. There is a noticeable difference in ride comfort between the inside lane and the middle one. Outside lane is the best of all. I usually keep at a speed in the middle lane where I can keep on overtaking so I don't have to bounce along the inside lane.

I think the congestion 'stay in lane' systems have a lot to answer for as they encourage middle lane hogging and blindly going along in your own lane. It's noticeably worse down south. Up here there isn't so much of it at all.

I also think the police need to check motorway/dual carriageway cameras for bell ends joining at too slow a speed. I followed one such twit onto the A500, 70 mph road not so long ago. Pillock joined at 35 and was nearly rammed up the arse by a lorry. It's not the first time I've seen this driver do this as I think I followed him previously and he did exactly the same suicidal manoeuvre. A big version of one of those pin ball gates would sort them out. Join at too slow a speed and it swings across and punts them into the scenery...
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Quite right. Those that get on a slip road slowly or even worse slow down, are far more dangerous. Mother in law does this and carries on pootling along when she joins rather than flooring it to get to traffic flow.
 
Geoff I said:
And will this get policed properly, just like folks using a mobile phone while driving.
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Of course it won't, that's the whole problem with driving standards, not enough patrol polis!

odd jim said:
Using mobile phones is policed.

But police can only do so much.
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Aye, right!

Must get down to Specsavers and get some rose-tinted specs :lol:
 
Its all down to bad driving no matter how you look at it, lazyness is a form of bad driving as is a whole host of other stuff.

I have said for years its down to training, you jump in a car and bimble round the streets very rarely (depending on where you live) go on a duel carriageway or even above 30-40 mph so the day you pass your test you can drive what you like how you like and go on a motorway with no formal idea or training as to how fast things happen at higher speeds.

As said I wreckon you should pass your test doing all the mundane stuff, manouvers etc then once you have passed that taken straight out to learn how to enter a motorway and how to drive on one, if you cannot do this safely then a fail is in order and have to take your test again.

A lot of city's have ring roads now and motorways closer to hand so the likely hood of you using one not long after passing your test is high
 
all thats going to happen is that people will just middle lane hig until they see a police car then pull back in til its past then go right back to hogging.

It'll be interesting to see how they define hogging as well , because if you've got a line of traffic moving at 50mph in lane 1 , surely cruising past the whole line at 70mph in lane 2 isnt hogging , and is safer than weaving in and out.
 
big soft moose said:
all thats going to happen is that people will just middle lane hig until they see a police car then pull back in til its past then go right back to hogging.

It'll be interesting to see how they define hogging as well , because if you've got a line of traffic moving at 50mph in lane 1 , surely cruising past the whole line at 70mph in lane 2 isnt hogging , and is safer than weaving in and out.
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I would define hogging as holding the middle land while the left hand lane is clear enough for you to drive at normal motorway speeds in.
 
Come on guys deploy some common sense..


If you're not overtaking and you're not going to cause issues with breaking distances in front and behind within the next 30 seconds or so then get back over to the left.

Rocket science it ain't...
 
cambsno said:
What is lane hogging? How long do u spend in the middle lane without passing until u r one?

Suppose I overtake a car. Ahead u see a slower moving lorry, probably 10 seconds away. Do you pull in then pull out again quickly, maybe getting trapped on the inside lane or carry on? What if the vehicle is 15 seconds away, or they suddenly speed up? I do not want to be changing lanes every 20 seconds!!
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I was taught that you treat a motorway like any regular two lane road. You overtake then pull straight back in again until you reach the next vehicle, obviously the joy of the motorway is that if there is another vehicle that would lead you to pull straight back out again you can stay in the middle lane until you pass, leaving space for others to overtake you in the 3rd lane.

It is a very easy bit of common sense driving choosing when to pull in. If it is safe to do so and you are not overtaking (or about to) anything then pull in. But some people seem to think if they can see anything anywhere in the inside lane then they are going to sit in the middle until they pass. Hopefully this is what will be cracked down on. The people who just driving in the middle lane of a completely empty motorway are obviously just plain bad drivers and could do with more of a punishment imo.
 
My wife keeps telling me off and telling me how one day I am going to get pulled by the police.... for undertaking middle lane hoggers...
 
big soft moose said:
all thats going to happen is that people will just middle lane hig until they see a police car then pull back in til its past then go right back to hogging.
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I think you're right Pete. It's what I'll likely do.

Although the threat of unmarked cars might be enough to make people pay more attention, although it doesn't stop people speeding so who knows
 
Personally although hoggers are annoying i'd prefer to see the traffic police concentrate on stopping those driving dangerously (which can include hogging in some circumstances) in whatever lane

like the prat in a corsa i encountered earlier today on the A30 who spent the time between daisy mount and honiton driving so close to my back bumper in lane 1 that i couldnt see his plate or lights - that stretch is all dual so he could just overtake if he wanted to go faster than 70mph but for some reason he decided it was "national drive like a **** day"
 
srichards said:
I think the congestion 'stay in lane' systems have a lot to answer for as they encourage middle lane hogging and blindly going along in your own lane. It's noticeably worse down south. Up here there isn't so much of it at all.
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I've only ever come across any one such system and that's through the Dartford Tunnels and a short way up the road as you enter Essex. Never seen any other than that.

SpikeK6 said:
As said I wreckon you should pass your test doing all the mundane stuff, manouvers etc then once you have passed that taken straight out to learn how to enter a motorway and how to drive on one, if you cannot do this safely then a fail is in order and have to take your test again.
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Driving on a motorway is no different to driving on dual carriageways, and I was taught to drive on the latter during lessons over 33 years ago.
 
A lots of misconceptions here.

First you've always been liable to prosecution for staying in lane 2 or indeed 3 when not overtaking. Just as you have always been at risk of a summons for driving 2cm from the car in front.

The only times you should be anywhere other than lane 1 is when overtaking, OR (Simon) if you read the highway code, where it would be impractical to pull over as you'd have to immediately pull out again to overtake the next vehicle.

So who is going to get a ticket for this? Those people who sit in lane 2 or 3 at whatever speed, for mile after mile, irrespective of whats in lane 1. Will they get caught? Yes, because mopst of them don't ever use the rear view mirror, and even if they did, ECILOP doesn't mean anything when seen in a mirror.


So the Audi/BMW/Merc/White Van's of this world are going to need adapting, as we all know they will all stall and drop off the world if they enter lane 1 except for when entering a motorway, or leaving it at absolutely the last moment possible.

I have the missfortune to drive 50 miles up the M3 every morning to get to work. Lane 1 is usually empty for miles at a time, maybe a lorry in the distance, and nose to bumper above mentioned car owners in lane 2 (this being the 2 lane section Winchester to Basingstoke, there is no lane 3 to clog up).

There's no reason for this, and usually the speed in lane 1 is higher than that of lane 2!

Is it a tax? No. Well, you could see it as a tax on stupidity, like all motoring fines are. You know the rules, don't obey them no one else is to blame.
 
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big soft moose said:
Personally although hoggers are annoying i'd prefer to see the traffic police concentrate on stopping those driving dangerously (which can include hogging in some circumstances) in whatever lane

like the prat in a corsa i encountered earlier today on the A30 who spent the time between daisy mount and honiton driving so close to my back bumper in lane 1 that i couldnt see his plate or lights - that stretch is all dual so he could just overtake if he wanted to go faster than 70mph but for some reason he decided it was "national drive like a **** day"
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Tailgaters will also be fined.
 
so imagine this scenario, your driving along in the inside lane of a motorway doing 70mph theres somebody pottering along just in front of you sat in the middle lane, they spot a police car sat in one of their little layby parking spaces so they cut across in front of you to avoid getting a lane hogging fine but in doing so they are then only a few feet in front of you as you drive past the police car. who gets a ticket now as technically your tailgating ? Having said that I applaud the authorities for trying to clamp down on the middle lane hoggers its way overdue.
 
In total agreement with the new laws :thumbs:
They should also do something about new drivers, you pass your test and can immediately go on a motorway :eek:
The standard of driving on motorways is horrendous, I've had more then a few near misses, last sunday on the M25 some prat in a black BMW cut tight in front of me, I had to brake, went a few yards then pulled out again :shrug: this was 4 lanes and I was in the 2nd lane overtaking :bang:
 
chris954 said:
so imagine this scenario, your driving along in the inside lane of a motorway doing 70mph theres somebody pottering along just in front of you sat in the middle lane, they spot a police car sat in one of their little layby parking spaces so they cut across in front of you to avoid getting a lane hogging fine but in doing so they are then only a few feet in front of you as you drive past the police car. who gets a ticket now as technically your tailgating ? Having said that I applaud the authorities for trying to clamp down on the middle lane hoggers its way overdue.
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You could apply that to any driving situation. "What if you approach a cop with a speed gun, and a speeding car behind you rear ends you pushing you over the limit when he pulls the trigger" etc etc. Believe it or not, the cops might notice the car pulling in in front of you!

This is a good thing, and there's no point in over thinking about the what if's!
 
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Mikesphotaes said:
Of course it won't, that's the whole problem with driving standards, not enough patrol polis!

Aye, right!

Must get down to Specsavers and get some rose-tinted specs :lol:
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Eh?

Me?
 
so imagine this scenario, your driving along in the inside lane of a motorway doing 70mph theres somebody pottering along just in front of you sat in the middle lane, they spot a police car sat in one of their little layby parking spaces so they cut across in front of you to avoid getting a lane hogging fine but in doing so they are then only a few feet in front of you as you drive past the police car. who gets a ticket now as technically your tailgating ?
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There's a quaint system on most cars, operated by the middle peddle. It's called the brake.
 
Bernie174 said:
So the Audi/BMW/Merc/White Van's of this world are going to need adapting, as we all know they will all stall and drop off the world if they enter lane 1 except for when entering a motorway, or leaving it at absolutely the last moment possible.
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ffs...not at all a sweeping statement........
 
nilagin said:
I've only ever come across any one such system and that's through the Dartford Tunnels and a short way up the road as you enter Essex. Never seen any other than that.

Driving on a motorway is no different to driving on dual carriageways, and I was taught to drive on the latter during lessons over 33 years ago.
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Were several between brum and Brighton last year. Some in roadworks, others in the variable speed limit controlled motorways. Hate them as it encourages dangerous bunching and panic braking at gantries.

Quite a few sit in outside lane of dual carriageways in a daze locally. Probably same sort that drive on all single carriageway roads at 42mph no matter what.
 
So the Audi/BMW/Merc/White Van's of this world

:lol:
 
nilagin said:
Tailgaters will also be fined.
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Or rather could be theoretically but in most case won't be because there arent anywhere near enough cops to enforce the traffic laws effectively as they stand

(this is not a dig at the police, but rather the **** witted politicians who put them behind desks filling out forms for half their shift)
 
Bernie174 said:
There's a quaint system on most cars, operated by the middle peddle. It's called the brake.
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All I am saying is this could happen, the authorities always throw the "what happens if" argument at people so I am also saying "what happens if" and yes I am fully aware of the controls of the modern automobile and believe it or not am qualified to actually drive one.
the scenario might never happen, it might happen every day, the police officer might be taking a bite out of his doughnut as you approach or looking down and not see the car pull in,all he would see is you driving close to the other car, it could happen. please don't think I am against this new fine system, I am completely in agreement with it in fact I don't think it goes far enough but as somebody as already said the problem will be policing it
 
Bernie174 said:
No, it's very much a sweeping statement, but one based on reality.
Those being the worst offenders of both lane hogging and tailgating. Thats based on professional and casual observation/experience.
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Agreed. :thumbs:
 
Originally Posted by Bernie174


So the Audi/BMW/Merc/White Van's of this world are going to need adapting, as we all know they will all stall and drop off the world if they enter lane 1 except for when entering a motorway, or leaving it at absolutely the last moment possible.


viv1969 said:
ffs...not at all a sweeping statement........
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Here we go again... I drive a van...I drive a BMW...I drive with full attention to the road, other vehicles and the conditions.....
The majority of middle lane hoggers are oblivious to anything going on around them, bit like the Prius I saw today on a dual carriageway oblivious to the police car with flashing lights on trying to get past, it's all about the driver not what they drive.
For me people who drive along in their own little world are a hell of a lot more of a hazard than people speeding on duals/motorways.

I drive up to 200 miles every day and 99% of the time the hoggers are living in that "all about me" world, rarely do I see any van driver hogging!
 
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nilagin said:
Driving on a motorway is no different to driving on dual carriageways, and I was taught to drive on the latter during lessons over 33 years ago.
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Like I said in my post, depending on where you live depends on whether you took lessons/test on a dual carriageway or not.

I failed my test first time and in the lessons leading up to that i never went on a dual carriageway, I then moved so test was at a different place but this time in the lessons leading up to my test I did go on a dual carriageway, but it was the sort that went from one lane to two, so no slip roads to encounter.

If it was made compulsory to do some motorway driving once passing your test you would not get the hundreds of numptys that nearly cause hundreds of accidents each day by NOT speeding up either on the slip or when eventually on the motorway.
How many arctics/cars have you seen that have had to swerve to miss a car entering at a much lower speed or even you following a car trying to enter the motorway at well below the speed of the flow of traffic?
 
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