Motorway Middle Lane Hoggers Can Be Fined On The Spot.

[Fef]

Hooray - about time too!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22770064

It's a shame that these measures aren't extended to spot-fine elderly male drivers who wear hats.

 

[Goldstone1976]

It's a shame that these measures aren't extended to spot-fine elderly male drivers who wear hats.

Very high correlation, Shirley?

My thought was: how are they going to define "hogging"? A fixed time period passing no cars on the inside lane, perhaps? In any event, I expect a lot of people will go to Court to dispute "hogging"...

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Very high correlation, Shirley?

My thought was: how are they going to define "hogging"? A fixed time period passing no cars on the inside lane, perhaps? In any event, I expect a lot of people will go to Court to dispute "hogging"...

While I like the idea it's hardly very enforceable. The police don't have the man power to stop speeding, using a mobile while driving and drink driving - I doubt they'll bother to enforce this new law. My prediction ? ZERO penalties handed out for lane hogging.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

They were talking to the Chief Constable who is the spokeswoman on motoring affairs for ACPO on Radio 4 earlier on. She seemed to be putting it across as a way of dealing with a number of "careless driving" cases quickly and without having to go through the bother of preparing for court.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Along motorways should be signs saying 'The Middle Lane Is For Overtaking Only' to aid the selfish, clueless imbeciles who use it for continuous miles on end.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Make over taking in all lanes legal and these nervous nellies will soon be stuck limpet like to the slow lane. I read somewhere that middle lane hogs are the single biggest cause of accidents on the motorway - would like to re-find that source.

 

[Superphil]

If they hand out an "on the spot" fine to middle lane hoggers, won't they just be making the problem worse? The time it takes to write out the paperwork, discuss the offence with the hat wearer, all whilst "on the spot" in the middle lane, it will be carnage at worst, and more congestion at best.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Make over taking in all lanes legal and these nervous nellies will soon be stuck limpet like to the slow lane. I read somewhere that middle lane hogs are the single biggest cause of accidents on the motorway - would like to re-find that source.

It isn't the slow lane - it is the fast lane, with the other two on a three lane motorway being both overtaking lanes.

I have a theory that we could solve any housing crisis we might have by building on the inside lanes of motorways, because no-one ever uses them.... except self-righteous idiots like me.

 

[tom]

Below is my solution posted on the 'Police Chases' thread. By coincidence this proposal would also solve the problem raised on this thread - when GPS is accurate to a few centimeters (as will happen) cars could be alerted/fined automatically.

A bit 'Big Brother'? Possibly, but likely to be implemented eventually under some other guise e.g. a 'pay as you drive' system of road use charging.

A simple solution would prevent car chases ever happening:

Fix a date in the future when all cars need to be fitted with GPS tracking and 'speed governors' that prevent any vehicle exceeding the speed limited designated for the road that it's on.

It would also mean all speed ramps could be abolished!

Would probably save several hundred lives per year too.

Won't be adopted, of course, because all the Jeremy Clarksuckers out there (and their motor manufacturing parliamentary lobbyist pay masters) would object to drivers not having the 'freedom' to choose to buy a car that can do twice the legal limit of any road in the country.

 

[Gordon Bennett]

Never understood why there isn't some sort of compulsory tuition required before new drivers are allowed to use motorways.

 

[Blues Rock DJ]

no motorways down 'ere !!!!

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Well, as a motorcycle rider it's nigh-on impossible to use the inside lane. Virtually every motorway in the country now has deep & extremely hazardous tracks in the road - created by lorries going about their daily business. Consequently, we (bikers) have little choice other than use the centre lane: using the outside lane for overtaking (assuming you can get into it, what with all the selfish muppets hogging that lane as well). Smashing.

Perhaps the powers that be should just adopt the yank model (just for a change...) & turn all our motorways into freeways?

 

[Paddington Gal]

The People who undertake I find far more dangerous, they should be made to retake their driving test after a minimum period of 6 months off the road. This would also see off many of our "overseas" dangerous drivers.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

The People who undertake I find far more dangerous, they should be made to retake their driving test after a minimum period of 6 months off the road. This would also see off many of our "overseas" dangerous drivers.

A lot of undertaking stems from the frustration of people travelling too slowly in the fast lane and people hogging the middle lane. You see these idiots driving for miles in the fast lane in their top of the range cars even though both middle and slow lanes are available, but god forbid they should have to inconvenience themselves by switching from their 'rightful lane' for a bit.

 

[Superphil]

When I visited Western Australia a couple of years ago I observed an interesting habit the drivers have there. They all drive at the speed limit, not faster, not (many) slower. There seemed to be little overtaking on the motorways as everyone did the same speed, and on the A roads, you rarely came up behind another car (or truck or coach) that was going so slow you wanted to overtake, nor were you overtaken.

Granted, this might not be the case all the time, but in my experience it was for most of the time while I was there, even during busy periods there didn't seem to be the desparation of some drivers get past everyone. Most pleasant it was too, no hassle, no idiots trying to ram you off the road, and no slow coaches holding everyone up.

Also I noted the speed limits were lower than here, which ensured things like camper vans, trucks, and other vehicles we would class as 'slow' didn't slow down the rest of the traffic. The result was that you pretty much always knew what time you would get somewhere, i.e. destination 100km away, 100kph on the motorway, hit cruise control, and you were there in an hour.

 

[vegster]

Well, as a motorcycle rider it's nigh-on impossible to use the inside lane. Virtually every motorway in the country now has deep & extremely hazardous tracks in the road - created by lorries going about their daily business. Consequently, we (bikers) have little choice other than use the centre lane: using the outside lane for overtaking (assuming you can get into it, what with all the selfish muppets hogging that lane as well). Smashing.

Perhaps the powers that be should just adopt the yank model (just for a change...) & turn all our motorways into freeways?

True, I have never seen a motorcycle on an inside lane.

 

[Lincoln Imp]

I once used the middle lane instead of the inside one on a motorway outside Amsterdam because I was confused by the road markings at a junction - I wrongly thought the inside line was only for vehicles turning off. Point was, I was instantly buzzed by irritated drivers because in most of Europe the Middle Lane Owners Association is a banned organisation. Good for them. Middle lane hogging is the single worst aspect of British motorway driving.

The reason many people use the middle lane is that it is simpler - it avoids them having to make decisions about moving over into a slower-moving lane and back into a faster one a few hundred yards later. They might not be very good at such manoeuvres and their judgement about changing lanes might be poor so any moves to insist that people move over quickly should be handled with a little care and understanding. But not too much.

I believe the proposed new rules include one to stop drivers forcing their way into queues of traffic at the last moment. That's good too.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I believe the proposed new rules include one to stop drivers forcing their way into queues of traffic at the last moment. That's good too.

How's that going to pan out on the a27 on a matchday?

 

[Lincoln Imp]

The People who undertake I find far more dangerous, they should be made to retake their driving test after a minimum period of 6 months off the road. This would also see off many of our "overseas" dangerous drivers.

People can only undertake if the lane they are in is clear of traffic, and if it's clear of traffic you should be in it.

 

[hitony]

Middle lane hoggers should not be fined............................they should be shot on the hard shoulder!!