Middle Lane Hoggers - I hate them!

System

People need to remember that as they come down the slip road, the dotted lines on their right mean GIVE WAY not 'I have right of way and its up to you to get out of my way'

Retrogamer

lulu_92 wrote: »

I can assure you that I was far enough back from both of them. I had someone behind me tailgating me as well which did not help.

If you're so close to lorries that the stones flicking off them are damaging your car, then it would be wise to drop back further.

You might be at the safe braking distance already and you are under no obligation to drop back, but if i was getting annoyed at the stones from them damaging my car, personally i'd drop back some more.

Or drop to the other lane if one is available, let the other drive pass you so they get sprayed with stones then pull back out when you can overtake.

lulu_92

Retrogamer wrote: »

If you're so close to lorries that the stones flicking off them are damaging your car, then it would be wise to drop back further.

You might be at the safe braking distance already and you are under no obligation to drop back, but if i was getting annoyed at the stones from them damaging my car, personally i'd drop back some more.

Or drop to the other lane if one is available, let the other drive pass you so they get sprayed with stones then pull back out when you can overtake.

I was as far back as I could drop without the guy behind me going into the back of my car, was going about 55mph too. I couldn't even slip into the other lane again as another massive lorry was tailgating the other one! It's a nightmare!

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

lulu_92 wrote: »

I was as far back as I could drop without the guy behind me going into the back of my car, was going about 55mph too. I couldn't even slip into the other lane again as another massive lorry was tailgating the other one! It's a nightmare!

That is an example of driving to what you imagine people will do. If you are beside a lorry, the lorry in front is going nowhere then the tailgater is going nowhere so why worry about keeping up? All that does is demonstrate to the tailgater that thy are succeeding in pressurising you.

You should actually drop back to avoid being beside the lorry in that situation - if the lorry beside you has a problem, you are squashed. In fact, one suggestion is that if you are overtaking a queue of lorries, you should not start to pass a lorry until there is another gap for you to go into.

When driving, while being aware of what other cars are doing, don't let what you think other cars are up to determine what is safe for you to do. The recommended action when being tailgated is to extend your stopping area so you do not have to suddenly brake and if they don't desist, don't play games, pull over at the first opportunity and get rid of the dangerous driver. Losing a few seconds on your journey is better than a spell at the roadside swapping insurance details or worse.

matttye

I undertake hoggers now if I'm in lane one rather than do the orbital manoeuvre.

I have seen someone gesture at me in exasperation when I've undertook them, after I've seen them trundling along in lane two for about two miles when lane one is clear... !!!!!! do they know about driving and why are they criticising mine...?

Limited hoggers who get into the overtaking lane way too early annoy me as well. I usually undertake them and then overtake the vehicle in front if I've got enough time.

UsernameAlreadyExists

matttye wrote: »

Undertake the idiots

Amen to that.

Retrogamer

matttye wrote: »

I undertake hoggers now if I'm in lane one rather than do the orbital manoeuvre.

I have seen someone gesture at me in exasperation when I've undertook them, after I've seen them trundling along in lane two for about two miles when lane one is clear... !!!!!! do they know about driving and why are they criticising mine...?

Limited hoggers who get into the overtaking lane way too early annoy me as well. I usually undertake them and then overtake the vehicle in front if I've got enough time.

As much as i'd like to do this myself, it's not worth the risk of £100 fine and 3 points for careless / inconsiderate driving that lots of people have had before doing the same thing.

I understand you're frustration with them, but i wouldn't put myself at risk because of them.

I usually overtake them slowly and when they look across at me, give them a shake of the head then pass them and pull back into lane one.

UsernameAlreadyExists

Retrogamer wrote: »

I usually overtake them slowly and when they look across at me, give them a shake of the head then pass them and pull back into lane one.

And what are they supposed to make of the head shake? I expect you get some funny/confused looks back because they think you're the idiot for overtaking at a snails pace
Roar up the inside and make the point properly. pfft!

matttye

Retrogamer wrote: »

As much as i'd like to do this myself, it's not worth the risk of £100 fine and 3 points for careless / inconsiderate driving that lots of people have had before doing the same thing.

I understand you're frustration with them, but i wouldn't put myself at risk because of them.

I usually overtake them slowly and when they look across at me, give them a shake of the head then pass them and pull back into lane one.

"The offence of driving without reasonable consideration under section 3 of the RTA 1988 is committed only when other persons are inconvenienced by the manner of the defendants driving, see section 3ZA(4) RTA 1988. "

Nobody is inconvenienced by the fact that I'm undertaking them. They are the ones inconveniencing others by making them move over two lanes in order to overtake them.

Careless driving, maybe...

"There are decided cases that provide some guidance as to the driving that courts will regard as careless or inconsiderate and the following examples are typical of what we are likely to regard as careless driving:

overtaking on the inside;"

http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/p_to_r/road_traffic_offences_guidance_on_prosecuting_cases_of_bad_driving/#a31

I think there would be an argument that it's not careless driving when you have simply maintained a steady course and the person in lane two has shown absolutely no intention to move into the left lane.

I think overtaking on the inside amounting to careless driving is more for those cases where someone races up behind you in the same lane and then passes on the left, rather than stays in a lesser lane the entire time.

Anyone who's driven on the M25 (which seems to attract ***** drivers) will have seen someone who weaves in and out of whatever lanes they can use to get ahead.

Retrogamer

matttye wrote: »

"The offence of driving without reasonable consideration under section 3 of the RTA 1988 is committed only when other persons are inconvenienced by the manner of the defendants driving, see section 3ZA(4) RTA 1988. "

Nobody is inconvenienced by the fact that I'm undertaking them. They are the ones inconveniencing others by making them move over two lanes in order to overtake them.

Careless driving, maybe...

"There are decided cases that provide some guidance as to the driving that courts will regard as careless or inconsiderate and the following examples are typical of what we are likely to regard as careless driving:

overtaking on the inside;"

http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/p_to_r/road_traffic_offences_guidance_on_prosecuting_cases_of_bad_driving/#a31

I think there would be an argument that it's not careless driving when you have simply maintained a steady course and the person in lane two has shown absolutely no intention to move into the left lane.

I think overtaking on the inside amounting to careless driving is more for those cases where someone races up behind you in the same lane and then passes on the left, rather than stays in a lesser lane the entire time.

Anyone who's driven on the M25 (which seems to attract ***** drivers) will have seen someone who weaves in and out of whatever lanes they can use to get ahead.

There are dozens of posters on Pepipoo and Pistonheads legal advise forums who have been prosecuted for the above offenses, successfully.

Each scenario is different but passing someone on the inside, to pull out in front of them again is sometimes classed as inconsiderate because you've used a potentially dangerous maneuver to gain an advance on their position.

I don't work for the police or any legal times, i'm only relaying what i've observed on the other two forums above where lawyers and police officers regularly chime in their advice and experiences as well.

If you stay in lane one, you might be able to dispute the offense if charged based on you never changed lanes. But i'd rather get to where i'm going with the lowest risk of being pulled over by the police