Middle Lane Driving Laws

[AB Editor]

 

This poll is closed.

Has the government's middle lane driving and tailgating laws had any effect on the way motorists drive on motorways?

• No effect whatsoever. - 177 votes
• 88%
• Yes, a positive change, people are obeying the new law - 14 votes
• 7%
• Yes, a negative effect - if anything drivers have got worse! - 10 votes
• 5%

See final stats

Stats until: 01:31 Sun 22nd Dec 2024 (Refreshed every 5 minutes)

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[EDDIE51]

Most of this discussion is only nessesary because we have the situation where no one is actually taught to drive on a motorway. You can pass your test without ever going over 30 mph and never going outside a town centre, drivers are taught to 'pass the test' not taught how to drive.
No one should be allowed on a motorway unless they have had a second test for high speed and motorway driving. This 2nd test should be optional with the choice to only take the first part of the test and so not be allowed on motorways , such drivers would be insured ONLY for non motorway driving so number plate cameras could identify those cars with a 'no motorway' insurance policy. It would probably make their insurance cheaper and appeal to a lot of drivers.

[woofgang]

There's a slight problem with that EDDIE. I would happily sign up to be a non motorway driver as driving myself on them makes me physically sick. A few years ago now though, I was following a detour city detour and the detour took cars onto the motor way for one exit to get around road works. As soon as I realised this, I got off the detour and sorted out my own way around, but non motorways drivers would need to be considered in theses circs...also i am not sure how it would reduce insurance? motorways are said to be the safest roads to drive on. Certainly avoiding them puts my mileage up which generally increases insurance costs?

[ToraToraTora]

most of the highway code is not law, merely guidance. What we are really talking about is one aspect of driving that may be deemed as a due care issue. The problem with the whole lane thing is that 99% of the time the conditions that make using the left hand lane viable do not exist. I generally cruise at 80 in the middle lane, I would get over to the left but I have rarely encountered the conditions that allow it. Last time was the M6 toll when it was pretty well empty, ironically it is also better to stay in the middle lane there too but I accept the HC position. I do not understand why many seem to explode in a visceral rage ove this non issue. Passing either side is ok in traffic, it only becomes illegal when a specific manouvre is carried out.

[whiskeryron]

// Tora Tora Tora, I generally cruise at 80 in the middle lane, //

Guilty as charged M'lud !!!

[mushroom25]

//The overtaking vehicle will tailgate anything which stops it running at maximum speed.//

more importantly, when the overtaking vehicle needs to pull out it will just indicate and go. if you happen to be in the "gap" required for this manoeuvre, well hard luck you for not noticing.

[ToraToraTora]

Ron, yes I'm an evil speeder, plod will not nick you for anything under 85. Camera's will do you for 78.

[shoota]

TTT - 'Passing either side is ok in traffic, it only becomes illegal when a specific manouvre is carried out.'

Utter rot.

[Old_Geezer]

Not anarchy but personal responsibility and freedom. Everyone is held responsible for their own actions. One cannot claim they're only following orders.

[shoota]

When you play football, you play by the rules.
When you box, you box by the rules.
When you drive, you drive by the rules - the Highway Code.

[ToraToraTora]

see 163 shoota, on a busy multi lane road you can pass on the left if the lane you are in is slower than the one to your right. Why is that "utter rot"?

[shoota]

163 says:
##only overtake on the left if the vehicle in front is signalling to turn right, and there is room to do so
##stay in your lane if traffic is moving slowly in queues. If the queue on your right is moving more slowly than you are, you may pass on the left
https://www.gov.uk/using-the-road-159-to-203/overtaking-162-to-169

268 says:
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.
https://www.gov.uk/motorways-253-to-273/overtaking-267-to-269

Therefore you do NOT pass on the left at all unless:
moving past a vehicle turning right or
you are in slow moving congested traffic (ie a 'traffic jam') and the traffic in your lane is moving more quickly than a that in a lane to your right, in which case you are authorised to keep up with the traffic in your lane.

Any other interpretation is wrong.

[BRIGHT SPARK]

But my first year VED cost £840..so surely I can do what I like :-)

[New Judge]

As has been explained earlier, Scrivens, there are no new laws. this question refers to the powers now given to police to issue fixed penalties for less serious careless driving offences, of which tailgating and incorrect lane discipline form part.

[sigma]

You think middle lane hogging is bad, I've seen cars on the four lane sections of the M1 sitting in lane three at 65 mph.

[joko]

why do so many get so irate about middle lane 'hoggers', who are usually just doing the speed limit and therefore not hogging it at all, yet seems to support speeders?

as far as i can see someone in the middle lane doing 70 is absolutely fine, not causing anyone obeying the law any problems - the only people with a problem are the people wanting to break the law ...

even mushroom earlier tried to blame a 'MLH' for causing an accident with 2 other vehicles going 75mph and 90mph!!
they were blameless it would seem, but the mere presence of someone in the middle lane has caused a pileup!

if the traffic is bad and the middle lane has space i see no problem with people driving in it, if they are going the speed limit.

it also seems like some people dont actually know what MLH actually is, and think its pretty much ANY car in the middle lane.

[ToraToraTora]

I also struggle to see why this induces hysterics Joko. As I said above I generally cruise at 80 in the middle lane. people can use the outside lane if they want to go faster

[New Judge]

I think it's been adequately explained in earlier answers why your contention is incorrect, joko.