"Hogging the middle lane"

Disabled_Rights_For_Me

All this section quoting, anybody would think this was a solicitors forum sometimes.

Aretnap

Joe_Horner wrote: »

The problem with that definition is that you can hardly say that making someone move into the third lane on a quiet motorway is "inconveniencing" them.

Or, if you do consider making someone change lane to be "inconveniencing" them, then the person who comes up behind an MLM, flashes their lights (potentially aggressive), comes up too close (incompetent and aggressive) and forces the MLM to move left so that they can pass in the centre rather than moving over to L3 is also guilty by the same definition.

I would suggest to hat forcing someone to change lame more times than necessary is inconvenience of a sort, though it could probably be countered that it was a trivial inconvenience which ought to be ignores under the de minimise principle. The offence would be easier to make out on a reasonably busy motorway where it causes a bottleneck of faster moving cars all trying to get into the outside lane, and therefore some actual delay.

If driving in the middle lane of an empty motorway causes no or negligible inconvenience to any actual person, is it a problem if it's not illegal?

boingsaidzebedee

Being 65 years of age and driving an ancient Volvo estate I am obliged to wear a flat cap and drive everywhere in the middle lane of the motorway at 45 miles an hour.

Most people are appreciative of my driving skills and I am generally accompanied by continuous friendly flashing of lights,honking of horns and hand gestures as other road users both over and undertake.

It is truly unbelievable how many numpties are now on the roads without concern for basic motoring etiquette.Hopefully me demonstrating how things should be done may have a small influence for the good.

Joe_Horner

Aretnap wrote: »

I would suggest to hat forcing someone to change lame more times than necessary is inconvenience of a sort, though it could probably be countered that it was a trivial inconvenience which ought to be ignores under the de minimise principle. The offence would be easier to make out on a reasonably busy motorway where it causes a bottleneck of faster moving cars all trying to get into the outside lane, and therefore some actual delay.

If driving in the middle lane of an empty motorway causes no or negligible inconvenience to any actual person, is it a problem if it's not illegal?

Yep, that's my point.

For all of the anger people aim at mindless MLMs, their blind following of "move left as soon as..." is just as mindless. Anything you do behind the wheel - apart from clear offences like spped limits / drink driving / insurance etc - should be justifiable by the road conditions at the time, not just by a bit of guidance in the HC.

Sitting in the middle lane on a quiet motorway isn't going to be an offence, hassling someone to move over may well be.

Similarly, when it's busier, different people have different ideas about what constitutes a "safe" gap to move left into.

To avoid forcing others to change their speed or direction you should be at least 2 seconds (about 55 meters @ 70mph) past the car you're passing and the same behind the next one - so a gap of less than 110m (technically, plus the length of your own car) is too small.

BUT, that's assuming that the next car is also doing 70. If it's not then anyone pushing you to get over into that 110m gap is forcing you to alter your course (by changing lane) and your speed because you'll have to slow to match the lane you've moved to.

In real terms, it's not unusual for a 150 - 200m gap to be needed if you're going to move across, without getting too close to the car ahead, and without being inconvenienced by having to slow down yourself.

All the above is based on guidelines in the HC, and people who insist that others should follow the "keep left" guideline can't legitimately pick and choose what other guidelines should be followed by others

Incidentally, in practice no I wouldn't normally wait for a gap that big because I'm generally happy to drop speed for the convenience of others if needed. But, when someone's 6 inches from my back bumper, with lights flashing, trying to push me into too small a gap, and refusing to simply move into the clear outside lane on principle ........

anotherbaldrick

Joe_Horner wrote: »

Yep, that's my point.
nto the clear outside lane on principle ........
But, when someone's 6 inches from my back bumper, with lights flashing, trying to push me into too small a gap, and refusing to simply move i

Yep ! But it never works , everyone I know just eases back on the gas , more and more until the pillock gets the message and &ods off

in_the_Cotswolds

dacouch wrote: »

I managed to catch you on the petrol station CCTV when you popped in for fuel earlier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vupgBykQnko

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Disabled_Rights_For_Me

in_the_Cotswolds wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

You can laugh, I confirm that definitely was not me. I know where my hole is.

dacouch

in_the_Cotswolds wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

That's what happens when the OP uses the inside lane...

force_ten

dacouch wrote: »

I managed to catch you on the petrol station CCTV when you popped in for fuel earlier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vupgBykQnko

That cant be the OP have you not worked out yet that they are disabled and they have a blue badge

they probably drive onto the forecourt press the horn and wave the blue badge under the nose of the minion that comes out to see what all the noise is about

Disabled_Rights_For_Me wrote: »

You can laugh, I confirm that definitely was not me. I know where my hole is.

yes you are talking out of it

lincroft1710

Disabled_Rights_For_Me wrote: »

You can laugh, I confirm that definitely was not me. I know where my hole is.

No comment!:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: