about time too

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-b...tfordshire

As many people seem to be reluctant to change lanes, and indeed allow anyone to pull out to overtake a slower vehicle on the motorway, I would prefer to have similar rules and driving customs to Canada.

There drivers tend to stay in the same lane, but are allowed to overtake on either side. This good lane discipline is helped by everyone checking carefully in mirrors before changing lane.

Also drivers MERGE in a very disciplined way on any junction or road narrowing to fewer lanes.

There was an exception to my fellow drivers lane hogging the other day, when a very nice LR Velar driver (actively) allowed me to join outer lane (in heavy traffic) to overtake a lorry that I was approaching. -- Thank You FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 82k+ miles) (MY2015)
Metro in its 11th Year of (Extended) LR Warranty / Full LR Service History
(Expensive, but Trouble/Worry free - hopefully?)

I am reluctant to drive on the inside lane of a so called 'smart' motorway unless I can see far ahead. After some years of disruption for conversion a Surrey coroner last year called the M3 a "not too smart" motorway after a fatality on the inside lane. I fail to see how signage can always be real time and many instructions such as "USE INSIDE LANE FOR EXIT AT JNCT ... ONLY" cannot be understood by the many thousands of non English speakers/readers driving in UK.
HE are now converting 11 miles of the M23 to 'smart' from M25 to Gatwick at a current estimated cost of £164m, 50mph limit started this spring and scheduled to finish 2020. There will be 'emergency laybys' each 2 miles (a long way to coast) and I suspect the rush hour queues at M25 and Gatwick junctions to be longer and slower as traffic should reach these junctions quicker!
Many years before UK built two and three lane motorways, Californians were building 6 lane (each side) freeways plus beltlanes for local traffic, I understand that they were at capacity within a decade or so.

Not the clearest of examples is it.

They say that on a multi-lane highway you must use the nearside lanes (plural) and that the driver was reported for hogging the middle lane (the middle lane of 4 ). The video implies that using lane 2 is OK but not lane 3.

I agree with the principle but just a bad example and badly worded video. driving on the right side

Highway Code Rule 264

You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past. Slow-moving or speed-restricted vehicles should always remain in the left-hand lane of the carriageway unless overtaking. You MUST NOT drive on the hard shoulder except in an emergency or if directed to do so by the police, traffic officers in uniform or by signs.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/motorways-253-to-273

It seems to imply that you have to use your common sense when overtaking several slower vehicles and only return to left hand lane when there is a clear space in front of them.

From what I see locally, some drivers are so overwhelmed to be on a motorway that they, upon joining, move quickly into the middle lane(at about 65mph) and stay there (neither moving out or in) until 100yds from there leaving junction. The pain of this is that they love to form convoys behind lorries at 56mph. FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 82k+ miles) (MY2015)
Metro in its 11th Year of (Extended) LR Warranty / Full LR Service History
(Expensive, but Trouble/Worry free - hopefully?)

anglaslt wrote:

Not the clearest of examples is it.

They say that on a multi-lane highway you must use the nearside lanes (plural) and that the driver was reported for hogging the middle lane (the middle lane of 4 ). The video implies that using lane 2 is OK but not lane 3.

I agree with the principle but just a bad example and badly worded video.

Lanes to one's left may be clear of vehicles but not of pot-holes and ruts! Everyone can spread it - Anyone can catch it. Stay home - the life you save can be your own!

Surely the police have better things to do with their time?

they do yes...but they spend so much time investigating motorway accidents through middle lane hoggers and other poor drivers causing pile ups that they don't have time to investigate the serious crimes going on elsewhere.

Just to add another perspective -

Do we have data on which lanes suffer the most crashes and fatalities ?
I suspect the far left lane is the most dangerous because it has more traffic, is more densely packed, is where traffic leaves and enters the motorways and is where the majority of "not driving with due care and attention" drivers reside.
I think you are far less likely to be crushed to death by a lorry if you stay out of the left hand lane.

What speed do most middle lane hoggers travel at ?
Do they mainly cause inconvenience to those wanting to break the speed limit ? Jules

Reply to IanMetro;

There is another rule which is also pertinent;

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.

Very often, in congested conditions, drivers "queue" in the middle lane to overtake a vehicle far in the distance. I happily undertake in the empty inside lane without altering my original speed, knowing that rule 268 allows this.

Paul 4751

I agree.

Do not weave in and out of lanes to overtake.

Although changing lanes is a risk and a cause of many crashes, I always move left to let a faster car overtake without them changing lane if I can, but I'm cautious about crossing 2 lanes of a busy motorway to simply pass a "hogger" on the right when I can safely pass on the left without either vehicle changing lane. Jules

I would've thought that if you then pull in front of a vehicle, in lane two, when you catch up with the slower one, in lane one, you have "technically" undertaken it. Although I have been known to do the same otherwise you'd get nowhere driving an LGV

I quite often end up 'under taking' on my A1 commute and 3+ lane motorways. Always do it with extreme caution, watching the drivers head as much as possible to check if they are looking on their left side to possibly change lanes. Its a PITA but when you have been stuck behind a lane hogger for a few miles what choice do you have if they haven't responded to flashing headlights or indicators

the other thing that majorly frustrates me (and many other car drivers) is the lorries who refuse to move over or wont give way to allow another lorry to pull in. 3 lorries doing 56.1mph, 56.2mph and 56.3mph in lanes 1,2 and 3 of a 4 lane motorway is just taking the ... or trying to overtake 5 lorries in their 40tonner on a 2 lane road !!

IanMetro wrote:

This good lane discipline is helped by everyone checking carefully in mirrors before changing lane.

Checking carefully in mirrors! Ha ha ha ha

Of course every driver does that every time, all the time here in the UK.

J