Middle lane hogging
We have all been there, driving down the motorway, and there are just too many lorries in the inside lane to move over…but what happens now that police have clamped down on people staying in the middle lane, and what classes as middle lane hogging?
In June this year, the first driver was convicted of middle-lane hogging since the rule came into force two years ago, and he blames it on the fact he was a white van driver.
Ian Stephens, 42, had a fine of £940 drop through his letter box after he was caught driving his van at 60mph in the middle lane of the M62, the reason for the fine was that he was hogging the middle lane and people had to swerve to avoid him. But why is it an offence to continuously drive in the middle lane?
Millions of people drive on the motorway up and down the country every day, and some people tend to forget that the correct lane to drive in, is actually the left hand lane. The middle lane is for overtaking only, and once you have done so, you must move back into the left hand lane. The outside lane again is for overtaking and once you have done so you again, need to move back into the left hand lane, so why do people not follow this rule?
The left lane is often dubbed ‘the slow lane.’ Drivers often find themselves stuck behind lorries and have no choice but to hop into the middle lane, and once they get there, they are greeted with a sight of more lorries in the left lane and it seems pointless to basically lane hop, which coincidentally will also see you pulled over if you get caught.
So what do you think? Is the middle-lane fine ridiculous? Or is it your pet peeve people?
As a side-note, these are the top five worst stretches of the motorway for middle lane hogging.
M4 J5-J6 westbound (Slough) 27%
M1 J4-J5 southbound (Watford) 26%
M4 J7-J8/9 eastbound (Slough) 24%
M25 J4-J5 clockwise (Sevenoaks) 22%
M25 J12-J13 anti-clockwise (Cheshunt) 21%
In June this year, the first driver was convicted of middle-lane hogging since the rule came into force two years ago, and he blames it on the fact he was a white van driver.
Ian Stephens, 42, had a fine of £940 drop through his letter box after he was caught driving his van at 60mph in the middle lane of the M62, the reason for the fine was that he was hogging the middle lane and people had to swerve to avoid him. But why is it an offence to continuously drive in the middle lane?
Millions of people drive on the motorway up and down the country every day, and some people tend to forget that the correct lane to drive in, is actually the left hand lane. The middle lane is for overtaking only, and once you have done so, you must move back into the left hand lane. The outside lane again is for overtaking and once you have done so you again, need to move back into the left hand lane, so why do people not follow this rule?
The left lane is often dubbed ‘the slow lane.’ Drivers often find themselves stuck behind lorries and have no choice but to hop into the middle lane, and once they get there, they are greeted with a sight of more lorries in the left lane and it seems pointless to basically lane hop, which coincidentally will also see you pulled over if you get caught.
So what do you think? Is the middle-lane fine ridiculous? Or is it your pet peeve people?
As a side-note, these are the top five worst stretches of the motorway for middle lane hogging.
M4 J5-J6 westbound (Slough) 27%
M1 J4-J5 southbound (Watford) 26%
M4 J7-J8/9 eastbound (Slough) 24%
M25 J4-J5 clockwise (Sevenoaks) 22%
M25 J12-J13 anti-clockwise (Cheshunt) 21%
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