Help get rid of those middle lane morons on the motorway (petition)

anewman

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/m-wayeducation/

As usual the Government will give a reply rejecting the petition, or saying they already have a wonderful education system etc... But hey, if you hate those morons it's worth a minute of your time signing it and adding to the numbers.

maytaurus

Signed !
highway code
"Rule 238: You should drive in the left-hand lane if the road ahead is clear.
Return to the left-hand lane once you have overtaken all the vehicles or if you are delaying traffic behind you".
Why is it so difficult ?
Middle Of the Road Obstruction Nightmare

Markyt

I have a full beam, a horn, and if that fails an empty left lane to use. Works for me!

anewman

Markyt wrote: »

...and if that fails an empty left lane to use.

Unfortunately it's technically illegal. Can't say I've never done it, but there you go.

System

Artics seem to have the right idea.

I once saw an artic come up to about 2 feet behind a middle lane hog ( he seemed totally oblivious to it) and then hit his airhorns. I have never seen a car go from the middle lane to the hard shoulder so fast. I think that he was aiming for the left lane but overshot in his panic

anewman

Trouble is with horns and lights, some people still think they're perfectly entitled to occupy the middle lane and will sit at the same speed and in the same lane. I would bet the person you saw was more scared of the lorry than suddently having a change of heart and deciding to follow the laws of the road.

Cardelia

anewman wrote: »

Unfortunately it's technically illegal. Can't say I've never done it, but there you go.

Is it? Is there actually a law which states you must not overtake on the left?

There is a part of the highway code which says you should not, but as far as I'm aware that part is advisory only and is not actual law. If the police decide to prosecute, they have to charge you for driving without due care and attention (or a similar generic charge) because there is no specific offence of overtaking on the left. I don't know whether such a charge would stick if challenged in court though, I guess it would depend on circumstances.

Inactive

Cardelia wrote: »

Is it? Is there actually a law which states you must not overtake on the left?

.

Try doing it with a Police Car following then.;)

thescouselander

I think the rules on which lane to use on the motorway are out of date now that the roads are much busier. In America people just seem to drive in whichever lane they like and they overtake in any lane - I feel this is a much better approach.

On the other extream, when driving down the motorway the other day, I saw some idiot swerving back and forth between the 1st and 3rd lane even though all lanes were very busy. Technically he was following the highway code but this extream interpretation was very dangerous.

Also its worth cosidering that many cars with wider tyres get stuck in the grooves made by HGVs in the first lane and this makes the car weave from side to side - not a nice feeling. There have been occasions where the road has been so bad I have decided to change lane just to avoid the grooves (although generally I try to drive on the left).

Hintza

Have just signed but with a deadline of 19 February 2008 and only 146 signatures. I doubt it will make an impact unfortunately!!

Markyt

anewman wrote: »

Unfortunately it's technically illegal. Can't say I've never done it, but there you go.

No it isn't. There is no law prohibiting passing on the left, and the highway code goes as far as saying it is ok if the traffic on the right is moving slower.

What you do have to be careful of is weaving about to take advantage of it, as this opens you to a careless / dangerous driving charge.