The end for middle lane hoggers?

Following a warning, middle lane hoggers should be charged with driving without due care and attention for subsequent offences.

It is lazy driving, pure and simple. You don't have to keep looking in your mirror, indicating and changing lanes in order to maintain a constant speed.

People who drive at a constant 45 mph in national speed limits fall into the same category. They don't wish to vary their speed between the bends and the stright bits because it involves varying the pressure applied to the accelerator pedal, changing gear, and occasionally applying the brakes.

The above are nothing but lazy passengers at the wheel, and should learn to treat driving as an engaging and interactive process, or just get off the road.

Unfortunately they are a sanctimonious bi-product of the "speed kills" propaganda.

Regards,

Steve.

Trevor,

Do you really think these signs will persuade the die hard middle lane hoggers to move over. I think not.

I would like to see the American system of being able to overtake on both the left and right. Get away from calling the outside lane the "fast lane" and most egotistical drivers won't feel the need to ocupy it.



Regards


NB

The European system of an inside lane and overtaking lanes is the most efficient and safest. Being allowed to overtake in any lane will increase the risk of collisions between slow and fast moving vehicles, and will give slow drivers the power to cause even more chaos with other vehicles overtaking them on two sides.

Enforcing the existing system is the only way, imho.

With strictly enforced lane discipline and distance maintenance there would be no need for a speed limit.


Regards,

Steve.

I'm a recent arrival in the UK and I was extremely surprised to also see how many people changed lanes without indicating. I thought NZ was bad, but I'm geniunely surprised when someone actually indicates here!

If they stayed in the middle lane, then fine, I'll just pass the suckers. But when you don't know what they're going to do next, that's the real danger...

I lived here 6 years ago and people were much better behaved on the roads than they appear to be now.

What's going on?

Maybe everyone got their "A license" off Gran Turismo?

J

Steve,

How can you claim the European way is the most efficient when what normally happens is the two inside lanes are relatively clear and there's a queue in the outside lane with the drivers actually going slower.

I agree that most drivers need to be re-educated especially on motorway driving. I was lucky enough to have had lessons with a police instructor on the motorways but at times other peoples driving standards appal me.

I think the authorities need to be tougher in enforcing the current laws. Merely having signs isn’t going to help.

A comparison is the “don’t drive tired” signs, I wonder what effect they have had on driving standards?



Regards


NB

Quote:-

What's going on?
________________

Driving standards have fallen and people show no consideration for their fellow drivers these day.

I agree that motorway driving is more dangerous than it should be.



Regards


NB

quote:

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How can you claim the European way is the most efficient when what normally happens is the two inside lanes are relatively clear and there's a queue in the outside lane with the drivers actually going slower.

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This only occurs because the system of overtaking lanes isn't being properly enforced. What you have is a sanctimonious Parryesque character acting as a self-appointed law-enforcer. He's doing 69 mph in the outside lane instead of moving back to the inside lane and letting the traffic building up behind him pass.


Regards,

Steve.

Quote:-

What you have is a sanctimonious Parryesque character acting as a self-appointed law-enforcer.
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Then shouldn't they be cautioned for driving without due care and attention. They are a dangerous hazard to everyone else.



Regards


NB

"Then shouldn't they be cautioned for driving without due care and attention. "

Cautioned in the first instance.

Fined and given 6 penalty points thereafter.


Regards,

Steve.

Steve,

Agreed, these characters ae more of a danger than the speeding motorist.



Regards


NB

posted Wed 13 October 04 13:07
"Following a warning, middle lane hoggers should be charged with driving without due care and attention for subsequent offences."

I use the motorways quite frequently, and would ask the question, how many police cars have you seen on the motorways recently, instead of passing more laws/regulations they could try enforcing the ones we already have.Or is it just even more spin to try to frighten motorists into self policing, are they really going to reintroduce the disbanded[ in my area at least] Motoring Division and employ more officers, I dont think so! at the moment they can't even afford to police the streets.
PS. Steven,
Just remember that whilst they are watching middle lane hoggers they will also have eyes open for those that speed in the other lanes as well ,so it doesn't bode well to get to smug mate
oldie.

Last week I was driving along the M6 toll at 2.30 am at about 95 mph in the inside lane.

Behind me there was a Landrover Freelander hogging the middle lane doing the same speed. Each time I had to move into the middle lane to overtake a truck or slower moving car he was there right behind me. I felt smug because I knew the police would almost certainly pick him off first.

I guess in his view I was the total fool for bothering with mirrors, indicators and use of the steering wheel on a nearly empty motorway.

In my view he was a twat - and the reason why we have speed limits.

I was driving my own car not the taxi.


Regards,

Steve.

quote:

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Originally posted by NB:
Trevor,

Do you really think these signs will persuade the die hard middle lane hoggers to move over. I think not.

---

no, but it's a step in the right direction!
and when they see some blue flashing lights behind them, indicating them to pull over, the subsequent action of the police officer should ensure they get their act together in future.
personally, I'd love the sign to say: "Would all middle lane hoggers please wake up and shift their selfish ass into the inside lane".
why pussyfoot about?

quote:

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I would like to see the American system of being able to overtake on both the left and right.

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agreed.
but I do this already, anyway.
when I'm working, and have to get from a to b quickly, I don't have all day to saunter about.

quote:

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Get away from calling the outside lane the "fast lane" and most egotistical drivers won't feel the need to ocupy it.

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you're so right, as is steve.
I can think of little else that annoys me more on the road than the 'I'm doing the legal limit, therefore I'm entitled to be here (until my car blows up)' brigade.
and don't you just love the looks they give you when you (eventually) manage to pass them, as if it's you who is in the wrong!!

TN

Its official from Sky News:-


Nearly a quarter of drivers believe they would fail their driving test if they took it again, according to a report by Lloyds TSB Insurance.

The research, involving 1500 motorists, revealed that many of them did not understand common road signs.

One in 10 failed to recognise the sign forbidding overtaking, while 8% didn't know the national speed limit sign. An astonishing 10% of drivers even mistook the no entry sign for the stop sign.

The survey also asked motorists about driving offences they had committed. Nearly half of women, and 65% of men interviewed, admitted to turning at a junction without signalling.

Other admitted offences included driving the wrong way around a roundabout, and reversing on the motorway.
________________________________________________________________


Says it all doesn't it?



Regards


NB

Gas the fuckers I say!

That'll learn em.

quote:

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Gas the fuckers I say!

That'll learn em.

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In our New Socialist Nanny Superstate we will instead be driving weally weally slowly so that when they collide with us it won't hurt too much.


Regards,

Steve.

Steven,

You are obsessed with Socialism! Give it up man and get with the now. You are fighting battles that ended in the 80s.

Matthew

Is that with or without the cotton wool body suit Steve



Regards


NB

quote:

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Originally posted by Matthew Robinson:
Gas the fuckers I say!

That'll learn em.

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shit, I should have thought of that.
superb, matthew!

TN

This is New Socialism Matthew, where governments exist to protect us mere stoopid mortals from ourselves because they know better than we do.

Speed limits are a damage limitation exercise in place of encouraging better and safer driving. They also earn the treasury about 100 million a year.

Cotton wool suits will be compulsory for all drivers and passengers in cars. Only those wearing flat caps and driving gloves will be exempt from wearing them.

Regards,

Steve.

Speed humps on the M6 - that'll slow the fuckers down!

[This message was edited by Steven Toy on Wed 13 October 2004 at 15:21.]

quote:

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Originally posted by NB:
Its official from Sky News:-


Nearly a quarter of drivers believe they would fail their driving test if they took it again, according to a report by Lloyds TSB Insurance.

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I'm not surprised to hear that.
and our driving test is woefully inadequate!
regarding motorway driving, we have a system that allows you, upon passing your test, to go onto a motorway having had no previous experience of motorway driving - where it's very different to driving on ordinary roads.
I think this is ludicrous, and it's obvious some drivers don't have a clue what they're meant to be doing.
witness the people who join motorways in the acceleration lane at 40 mph, and quickly find themselves amongst vehicles travelling at twice that speed, and with the dangerous task of having to manoeuvre into the inside lane of the motorway, at the end of the acceleration lane, and try not to end up with someone ramming into them.
or those who, due to lack of experience, cannot judge distances correctly, or the speed of oncoming traffic (or use mirrors!), and pull out onto the outside lane at 60 mph to overtake someone in middle lane doing 55 mph, when there's someone coming up fast behind them on the outside lane at 85-90 mph!
result?
stamp on the brakes...try to avoid a collision...wait till inexperienced driver has finished overtaking...show v-sign and a complete lack of sympathy
there is also no training given, as part of passing the test, for driving in difficult conditions, such as snow and heavy rain, nor even the teaching of the most basic car maintenance.
the results of which are also all too bloody obvious!

TN

Quote:-

we have a system that allows you, upon passing your test, to go onto a motorway having had no previous experience of motorway driving - where it's very different to driving on ordinary roads.
I think this is ludicrous, and it's obvious some drivers don't have a clue what they're meant to be doing.
_______________________________________________________________

Even worse, you can pass your test and take a powerful car on the motorway.

I would like to see lesson's on the motorway becoming compulsary for newly passed drivers, having say a provisional pass up-graded to full pass on having say five lessons on say,motorway driving, driving in snow/heavy rain, driving at night.

Motorways are fast and furious and very dangerous hence the need for tuition on motorway driving. I would also like to see extra tuition for high performance cars becoming compulsary. These cars are lethal weapons in the hands of the wrong people and perhaps the time has come for tighter controls.



Regards


NB

Re Middle lane hoggers.

Has anyone tried driving in the slow lane of a motorway recently, when its not full of trucks who indicate and pullout indescriminately (can we have spell checker please)the slow lane is full of bumps and lumps and very uncomfortable to drive in!!!!!!.

Mind you Citroen would say its the bumps that keep you awake, these bumps are free and not in a C5

BigNick

quote:

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Careful there NB, you'll have Mr Toy accusing you of being a New Socialist Nanny for such suggestions.

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"Mr Toy" actually agrees with the idea of a separate test for motorway driving.

quote:

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And how many went flying past them way over the speed limit when they finally got round? I think 95 got mentioned?

It's funny how we can have "pet hates" but still indulge in anti-social behaviour ourselves.

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Is driving at 95 mph on a near-empty UK motorway at 2.30 am antisocial behaviour, when lane discipline and safe distances are being observed?

No.

Illegal?

Unfortunately.

The point being constantly made in this and other threads is that in order to make our roads safer, there should be much less emphasis placed on driving slowly so as to minimise collision impact, and more emphasis on driving competently, as quickly as it is safe to do so and completely avoiding collision with other vehicles. Competent driving practised by all would make speed limits redundant.

Most police officers don't give two-hoots about speed where the driver is at least obeying all the other rules of the road. The politicians are a different matter, and they are the paymasters of the police.

Regards,

Steve.

[This message was edited by Steven Toy on Wed 13 October 2004 at 17:43.]

The speed limit is intended as a maximum not a mimimum.
I defend the right to drive below the speed limit if I choose, and it has nothing to do with laziness or incompetence, its just my choice. Sometimes I drive up to the speed limit, sometimes I don't, depends how I feel at the time. Just because you enjoy driving fast, it doesn't mean that's the only way to enjoy driving.

If you're stuck behind a slower driver, you just have to wait for a safe time to overtake.

If you think the driver in front of you is incompetent, safest thing to do is keep away from them. Tailgating, overtaking on the wrong side or driving at high speed near to them is more likely to cause an accident if they are as bad as you believe.