Should I have called the police - Motorway Numpty going slow

[Dodsy]

Driving home yesterday on the Westbound M40 I cam across 3 lanes of slow moving traffic. When I finally got to the front I found a car in the middle lane doing ~45MPH. Instead of just going up the inside and continuing everyone was going from inside > middle > Outside causing a huge amount of chaos, panic braking and I am amazed no one had a bump as it was mostly sunday drivers doing this.

This was on an otherwise empty motorway.

I thought about it afterwards and was wondering if I should have called 999 and reported it - it was causing absolute chaos and probably only a matter of time before it was going to cause an accident.

So I thought I'd check opinion on PH, what should I have done ?

[glasgowrob]

In pistonheads style you should have put him into the barrier


Realistically phoned the police. -careless driving

[funkyrobot]

He/she was driving slow. Therefore, was safe.

Complaining won't get you anywhere.

[stargazer30]

Other than not being in lane 1, nothing illegal. The minimum speed on the motorway is 40mph IIRC. The unwritten law seems to be if you're doing under 50 you're causing an obstruction though.

[RobinOakapple]

funkyrobot said:

He/she was driving slow. Therefore, was safe.

Complaining won't get you anywhere.

Did you think that was funny?

[funkyrobot]

RobinOakapple said:

funkyrobot said:

He/she was driving slow. Therefore, was safe.

Complaining won't get you anywhere.

Did you think that was funny?

I did, yes.

I know you won't find it funny though.

[Hackney]

Yes, hogging the middle lane is now an offence, regardless of their speed.
The inconvenience to others is almost irrelevant, given the left lane was empty.

[R8VXF]

Hackney said:

Yes, hogging the middle lane is now an offence, regardless of their speed.
The inconvenience to others is almost irrelevant, given the left lane was empty.

http://cars.aol.co.uk/2015/06/23/convicted-middle-...

Couple that with Police starting to use dashcam footage to convict means we all better be on our best behaviour http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2534042/Se...

I have loads of footage I could report, but really CBA faffing around. Had one driver last night driving over the new cycle lane on the Wokingham road in Reading.

[RobinOakapple]

funkyrobot said:

RobinOakapple said:

funkyrobot said:

He/she was driving slow. Therefore, was safe.

Complaining won't get you anywhere.

Did you think that was funny?

I did, yes.

I know you won't find it funny though.

OK then 50% funny, but 100% wrong.

[Sheepshanks]

stargazer30 said:

The minimum speed on the motorway is 40mph IIRC.

Nope. No minimum speed on motorways.

[funkyrobot]

RobinOakapple said:

funkyrobot said:

RobinOakapple said:

funkyrobot said:

He/she was driving slow. Therefore, was safe.

Complaining won't get you anywhere.

Did you think that was funny?

I did, yes.

I know you won't find it funny though.

OK then 50% funny, but 100% wrong.

I don't care what you think.

[R8VXF]

Sheepshanks said:

stargazer30 said:

The minimum speed on the motorway is 40mph IIRC.

Nope. No minimum speed on motorways.

Doesn't it come under "Due progress" or something similar though. My dad once got stopped by the police many moons ago for doing a similar speed in his Mini.

[Cooperman]

funkyrobot said:

I don't care what you think.

I thought it was both funny and cynical.
Maybe some have had a sense of humour removal procedure.

[funkyrobot]

Cooperman said:

I thought it was both funny and cynical.
Maybe some have had a sense of humour removal procedure.

We have some history on here.

[RobinOakapple]

Cooperman said:

funkyrobot said:

I don't care what you think.

I thought it was both funny and cynical.
Maybe some have had a sense of humour removal procedure.

I don't care what you think

[paintman]

R8VXF said:

Doesn't it come under "Due progress" or something similar though. My dad once got stopped by the police many moons ago for doing a similar speed in his Mini.

Consideration could be given to 'Driving without due care & attention' or 'Driving without reasonable consideration for other road users'.
Middle Lane Hogging is, as already said, now a specific offence & would most likely be the one used for the OP's driver had they been caught at it.

No reason why the OP couldn't have called it at the time although whether there would have been anyone around to deal with it is another matter.

Edited by paintman on Monday 27th July 12:08

[supermono]

these nuts are all over our motorways, though that speed is particularly low. I pass them on the left rather than risking four unnecessary lane changes and make sure I sound my horn from a few yards back to a few ahead. If everyone did this they'd get the message. Well a message, and perhaps when they tell a grown up they may receive the education they need.

Unfortunately most people fail to sound their horn as they pass. Yes I know that's not what it's for according to the highway code but I don't care, these folks need a wake up call. What better than a constant stream of cars coming past sounding their horns?

[L4CON]

Did you catch a glimpse of the driver? Maybe it was someone who shouldn't really have licence anymore?

Although not quite the same situation, I came across an old guy on a motorway in Ireland a few years ago doing about 30mph. After overtaking him we later pulled over in a layby and he caught up with us and then stopped in lane one (of two) and asked us for directions!

[justanother5tar]

Just pass in L1. I usually do.

[Cat]

paintman said:

Middle Lane Hogging is, as already said, now a specific offence & would most likely be the one used for the OP's driver had they been caught at it.

Middle lane hogging is NOT a specific offence. It may, depending on the circumstances, amount to careless driving but there is no specific offence of middle lane hogging.

Cat