Four Lanes Just Make It Worse.

[sigma]

Sorry to bring up lane hogging again, it is bad enough on a three lane motorway but four lanes just make it worse. I recently travelled on a four lane section of the M1 just north of Derby with light traffic. Lanes 1 and 2 were clear. In lane three was a car travelling at just under 70 mph. I went past in lane 1 the driver just didn't take the hint and stayed in lane three totally oblivious to what was going on around them. What is wrong with these people.

[Baldric]

More to the point,
What is wrong with people (you) who undertake?
hope you were caught on camera!

[sara3]

I don't believe that's officially under-taking, passing slow vehicles in the wrong lane.

[sara3]

https://www.gov.uk/using-the-road-159-to-203/overtaking-162-to-169

"you should -
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"

[Baldric]

///M1 just north of Derby with light traffic. Lanes 1 and 2 were clear. ///
Lanes 1 & 2 were clear, so the 'traffic flow' in those lanes was not faster that that in lane 3 as it might have been in rush hour, then:-
///the driver just didn't take the hint/// it reads like the OPer was just trying to make a point, that's how accidents happen!

[Baldric]

And yes, I do agree Lane Hogging is wrong

[Coobeastie]

They'd only be undertaking if they pulled into the inside lane to get pass. Staying in the left lane and passing the slower vehicle is better and safer than weaving accross to the outside then back in again.

[VHG]

I think the key thing here is "queue on the right".

Sounds like this car was not in a queue, just a lone car travelling slowly.

It is a difficult one because that persons "slow" driving is forcing you to go in the "fast" lane if you want to overtake.

I must admit I have found that we in the UK don't know how to drive on 4 lanes.

I go on a 4 lane section of the M40 when going to London and often the "slow" lane on the left is empty while the three other lanes have cars/lorries in them.

We seem reluctant to move to the very left "slow lane" when on 4 lane motorways.

[ladybirder]

Seems to depend on how congested the motorway is.

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.

[Baldric]

//Sounds like this car was not in a queue, just a lone car travelling slowly.//

Not really, not if you read the OP

///In lane three was a car travelling at just under 70 mph.///

[fbg40]

This also happens on a standard 3 lane motorway !! People who sit in the middle lane doing 55-60 mph oblivious to anyone else on the road.
FBG40

[vulcan42]

I think there are two reasons why this happens. The first is drivers,when learning, are not taught motorway procedure and the second is people still think of slow and fast lanes on motorways. If the first reason was changed then perhaps the second one would disappear.

[sara3]

no reasonable, safe driver would consider crossing from lane 1, across lanes 2, 3 and into lane 4, only to cross back over lanes 3 and 2, to continue in the same lane... just to pass a dawdler in lane 3.

*that* would be ridiculous.

[sunny-dave]

Are HGVs allowed in lane 3 of a permanent 4 lane motorway?

(obviously it's different in "traffic managed" sections of 3 lane motorways where the hard shoulder is sometimes used as an extra lane)

[mazie]

"Are HGVs allowed in lane 3 of a permanent 4 lane motorway?"

They are dave. The outside lane rule applies to 3 or 4 lane motorways

[sunny-dave]

I think you are correct Mazie - but it just seems wrong though if the aim is to reduce congestion.

I also think that the lane width of lane 3 is similar to lane 4, ie narrower than lanes 1 and 2, which implies that it's not designed for HGV use.

[sigma]

There was originally three cars in lane 3, as I approached two of the cars moved over into lane 2 but were still doing just under 70 mph.

[Electrochem]

It is not undertaking! I drive on the motorway five days a week to get to and from work and I'm fed up with the clowns who make it their primary objective to get into the outside lane as quickly as possible and then stay there. They then stay in the outside lane until they are about 300 metres from where they want to leave the motorway and then expect everyone to give way to them as they attempt to cross two lanes of traffic. I keep in the inside lane unless I am overtaking something like an HGV or something else doing around 55/60 mph, but only when it is safe to do so and the traffic density permits.

[ChuckFickens]

Highway code 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."

Note..... it's a DO not, not a MUST not so it's not a legal requirement.

Passing a vehicle in the left hand lane is not explicitly illegal but doing so may be considered dangerous driving depending on the exact circumstances it was done in.

[ToraToraTora]

If you move into the lane on the left specifically to overtake then that is overtaking on the left, if come up to a slower car on your right and you pass it, that is covered by rule 268 as above. There is a lot of hysteria on this whole lane discipline this , most of it founded on mis understanding.

[joko]

Merely travelling faster than traffic to your right is not undertaking!
it is just being in a faster moving lane - thr speed limit applies to all lanes regardless of the speed other lanes are going.

to think that being in lane one and going faster than the person in lane 3 - because they are going slower - is undertaking, just shows why lane hogging is such an issue for many people - because half of them dont know the rules.

some people need to learn what undertaking actually is

i was in a car with a friend once and i noticed she came slowing down, slamming on slightly and anxiously looking to her right - she too thought that if she passed him, she'd be doing something wrong!