driving...

[PEATBOG]

Why do 'people' drive in the centre lane - according to the highway code both the centre and outside lane are for overtaking only.. The amount of people who just sit in the middle lane..... grrrrrrr

It should be an offence for those not moving back to the inside lane and as for people who leave their fog lights on - what planet are they on??

[Grunty]

Many drivers do not return to the left because they are frightened of being overtaken on that side before the manoeuvre is completed. Many stay in the outside lane because they are safe from heavy vehicles pulling out without warning. Their actions are wrong but understandable.

It can be correct to stay in the centre lane for a while. This is what the Highway Code says.

238: You should drive in the left-hand lane if the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slower moving vehicles it may be safer to remain in the centre or outer lanes until the manoeuvre is completed rather than continually changing lanes. Return to the left-hand lane once you have overtaken all the vehicles or if you are delaying traffic behind you. Slow moving or speed restricted vehicles should always remain in the left-hand lane of the carriageway unless overtaking.

[tubeway]

That is still no excuse for all the slow minded souls that will sit in the middle lane all day long - even when there is nothing inside them. It makes my blood boil too. Look at the queues that build up with people trying to get round them.

[stanleyman]

My family name has a motto that translates to "The middle path is the safest". Does this mean I should drive in the middle lane and are these other people related?

[koogar]

as HGVs can't legally drive in the right hand lane, how are they supposed to pass a slower moving vehicle who sits in the middle lane? I used to love tearing up the inside of them just to see if they don't know how to use mirrors too :-) .....wrong I know, but fun all the same

[Grunty]

tubeway - I should make it clear that I do agree with what you say.

[kepla]

Koogar - though I find it difficult to think of anyone who would be as slow as an HGV on a Motorway (except for another HGV) just think about what you are doing. If you 'tear up' the inside of somebody moving slower in the middlelane and find that they are not maintaining a good view of what might be overtaking them on the inside, then what might be the result ? That they, while gradually returning to the inside lane, find that you - while making an illegal manoevour - manage to cause an accident ? I travel about 25 - 30,000 miles a year on britain's motorways and very often watch an accident 'unfold' before my eyes ! By far the most frequent 'successfull' cause of a developing accident I see is an impatient driver overtaking illegally on the inside. I agree that the 'first rule of the road' is 'keep left' but the second one is 'overtake on the right'. Just because someone is taking a while applying the first doesn't give you any right to break the second. The ONLY time you are allowed to overtake on the inside is to pass a car which has slowed down at the crown of the road and is indicating right. Do you by any chance drive a BMW ? (badly). One can only hope that you manage to achieve a long driving ban before you cause a fatal road accident.

[kempie]

kepla - substitute 'pass' for 'overtake' and you will find your assertion is not entirely correct.

From the Highway Code:

242: 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.

[PEATBOG]

blimey - obviously I am not the only one who is frustrated. It does seems to be the complete ignornace of those drivers that do not use their mirrors.

'People' happily 'cruise' down the middle lane - not overtaking anything as there is nothing to overtake...

I want to hold up a sign to say 'why are you in this lane? = move over' !!! :-)

Nice to know I am not the only person who is cross...

[derekpara]

I am increasingly finding that in medium to heavy traffic conditions the so-called 'fast lane' is in fact the slowest and lane one is making the fastest progress. I love it !!

I think there a macho thing going on somewhere which impels people to drive constantly in lane three because they are driving, say, a BMW or Merc, and to drive in lane one at all would be unthinkable.

[ianess]

Somebody please put me right.....[I'm from North of the Border].
What's the centre lane? Most of our motorways only have 2 lanes....one that I know of only has lay-bys in parts instead of a hard shoulder. Overtake an HGV....you must be joking!!
Some folk have hellish little to complain about.
Keep taking the blood pressure tablets.

[lady_p_gold]

I spend quite a lot of time in L A and everyone drives at more or less the same speed in all the lanes, it seems a lot less hassle and there is not this constant changing of lanes all the time .............

[dilligaf]

I think the media cause a lot of problems when they refer to the left lane as "the slow lane" and the right hand lane as "the fast lane"

The morons who usually stay in the centre lane on an otherwise clear road are the ones who listen or read the above and take it as gospel as they are probably incapable of thinking for themselves.

[PEATBOG]

THANK YOU ONE & ALL!

it is good to know that 'we' know the highway code..

:-)

[bigdaddycain]

the reason that certain people drive in the middle lane is a plain and simple one: ...THEY DONT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT ANYONE ELSE! These are the same cretins that: stop at roundabouts when its clear(only if there is traffic behind them).Drive on the wrong side of the road for as long as possible to overtake a parked car,usually when they dont have right of way.Insist on NOT using their indicators when turning right on roundabouts,then indicate left to invisible traffic. Park on corners. Decide to do an entire weeks shop at petrol station shops,(only if all pumps are occupied,and can see that someone is patiently waiting to fuel up)Park on the yellow zig zags outdide schools.Take one and a half spaces at car parks.Slow on the approach to a green traffic light,then speed up when it turns amber.Only indicate when in a designated left/right only lane...need i go on?