Should we have a "Keep Left" awareness campaign?
Discussion
Lately I've been seeing lots of threads popping up with complaints about the much hated lane hog. This has long been a pet hate of mine too; I use the A2 in Kent daily, and it seems to be a hotbed of poor driving, but poor lane discipline especially.
Several years ago, I posted a thread about it on another motoring forum I visit. My idea was simply that we should perhaps think about spending some money trying to educate people who do it; I know middle lane morons are a pet hatred of the motoring community, but it seems that most of the people who just switch off and cruise along in the middle lane aren't doing it out of any conscious effort, but because they are simply ignorant of how irritating it can be, and the potential congestion they are causing. I thought I'd post the same thing here and see what people thought.
Unfortunately, even after recent changes allowing police officers to pull over and fine lane hogs, this doesn't seem to be enforced much. Now I have also noticed that lately on the motorways in my area, they have been using the overhead warning gantries a lot more often. Whereas they usually are only used in emergencies, they now use them to display helpful information, like the time and distance to junctions or towns ahead. But a lot of the time they display pretty inane information.."DONT DRIVE TIRED". "DON'T PHONE WHILE DRIVING". "CHECK YOUR SPEED" (I hate that one particularly - I'm on a motorway, I'd rather be looking at the road).
So this got me thinking...should the government perhaps institute some sort of basic "Keep left" campaign? Perhaps TV adverts in the same vein as "speed kills" adverts, which highlight the problems caused by hogging the middle lane, and perhaps use the overhead gantries to show "KEEP LEFT UNLESS OVERTAKING" or something? Seems to me that might be just as useful as "TIREDNESS KILLS". Perhaps I'm just an optimist, but I honestly think it might help people think twice about getting into the middle lane, sticking the cruise control onto 65 and thereby rendering the inside lane useless to all except those who finally snap and just undertake.
Thoughts?
Several years ago, I posted a thread about it on another motoring forum I visit. My idea was simply that we should perhaps think about spending some money trying to educate people who do it; I know middle lane morons are a pet hatred of the motoring community, but it seems that most of the people who just switch off and cruise along in the middle lane aren't doing it out of any conscious effort, but because they are simply ignorant of how irritating it can be, and the potential congestion they are causing. I thought I'd post the same thing here and see what people thought.
Unfortunately, even after recent changes allowing police officers to pull over and fine lane hogs, this doesn't seem to be enforced much. Now I have also noticed that lately on the motorways in my area, they have been using the overhead warning gantries a lot more often. Whereas they usually are only used in emergencies, they now use them to display helpful information, like the time and distance to junctions or towns ahead. But a lot of the time they display pretty inane information.."DONT DRIVE TIRED". "DON'T PHONE WHILE DRIVING". "CHECK YOUR SPEED" (I hate that one particularly - I'm on a motorway, I'd rather be looking at the road).
So this got me thinking...should the government perhaps institute some sort of basic "Keep left" campaign? Perhaps TV adverts in the same vein as "speed kills" adverts, which highlight the problems caused by hogging the middle lane, and perhaps use the overhead gantries to show "KEEP LEFT UNLESS OVERTAKING" or something? Seems to me that might be just as useful as "TIREDNESS KILLS". Perhaps I'm just an optimist, but I honestly think it might help people think twice about getting into the middle lane, sticking the cruise control onto 65 and thereby rendering the inside lane useless to all except those who finally snap and just undertake.
Thoughts?
To be perfectly honest, and I'm happy to admit that it's entirely selfish, but I'd prefer a "sit nose to tail in the outside lane" campaign.
With the volume of traffic on my daily commute and its default position being as above, I find the best way to make progress is to return to the left as soon as I've passed whatever I need to and wait for the herd to outbrake one another while I sail effortlessly past on the inside.
Cheers, Jim
With the volume of traffic on my daily commute and its default position being as above, I find the best way to make progress is to return to the left as soon as I've passed whatever I need to and wait for the herd to outbrake one another while I sail effortlessly past on the inside.
Cheers, Jim
RicksAlfas said:
Why not just allow passing on the left? It immediately removes any lane angst that many drivers suffer from. I realise people will have to learn to look in another mirror, but I think it would make many roads run more smoothly.
I agree with that. Using ALL lanes would be a great idea.I've seen overhead signs displaying "Keep Left" in the past on the M25. And watched in amazement as it has absolutely no effect at all. Cars just sailed under them, still hogging the middle lane. I also remember a campaign where Police patrol Cars had "keep left" signs they could switch on in their rear window. They stopped using them because so many stupid motorists would swerve violently left whenever they deployed them, and nearly have accidents.
Morningside said:
RicksAlfas said:
Why not just allow passing on the left? It immediately removes any lane angst that many drivers suffer from. I realise people will have to learn to look in another mirror, but I think it would make many roads run more smoothly.
I agree with that. Using ALL lanes would be a great idea.If all the lanes were a free for all, you might have to move out of lane 3 to lane 2 if you came up behind a lorry trundling along. Then you might find yourself behind another slow vehicle in lane 1 and be forced to swap again.
If the whole road is like that, you'd spend your whole journey moving lanes just to avoid slower vehicles spread out all over the road. At least with the current system there is some order (at least in theory) - slower vehicles naturally gravitate to the left, while those wishing to go faster use the available roadspace on the right to overtake. It's just getting people to adhere to it that's the problem
robinessex said:
I've seen overhead signs displaying "Keep Left" in the past on the M25. And watched in amazement as it has absolutely no effect at all. Cars just sailed under them, still hogging the middle lane. I also remember a campaign where Police patrol Cars had "keep left" signs they could switch on in their rear window. They stopped using them because so many stupid motorists would swerve violently left whenever they deployed them, and nearly have accidents.
Well, that's my plan out the window then. Never seen such signs myself.
Would be nice to have a 30 second TV ad pop up every now again. Just a short memorable ad explaining how motorways should work and reminding people of the possible fines they might incur for lane hogging.
It seems we see lots of TV adverts reminding us of the dangers of speeding, drinking and using the phone at the wheel - but nothing to gently remind people of the benefits of using our precious road space more effectively and courteously.
Using the overhead signs to implore motorists to "KEEP LEFT UNLESS OVERTAKING" is / has been done on the M40.
Driving along a fairly empty M40, I gently moved from Lane 1, across Lane 2 behind an MLM (to whom I gave a polite "flash") and overtook him using Lane 3.
Upon returning to Lane 1, I noticed we were approaching one of these signs. I stuck my arm out of the window and pointed up to it as I went underneath it.
MLM continued in Lane 2 until after he had dwindled to nowt in my mirrors . . .
Driving along a fairly empty M40, I gently moved from Lane 1, across Lane 2 behind an MLM (to whom I gave a polite "flash") and overtook him using Lane 3.
Upon returning to Lane 1, I noticed we were approaching one of these signs. I stuck my arm out of the window and pointed up to it as I went underneath it.
MLM continued in Lane 2 until after he had dwindled to nowt in my mirrors . . .
jmorgan said:
Passing on the left a definite no, too much at risk, besides, the number of times I have seen someone pass on the left to learn the middle lane moron only to see them get boxed in then the pull some stupid stunt in desperation.
Works well in the States. No one is frustrated or stressed at the lack of progress in the perceived "fastest" lane as there isn't one.jmorgan said:
Might work.
Passing on the left a definite no, too much at risk, besides, the number of times I have seen someone pass on the left to learn the middle lane moron only to see them get boxed in then the pull some stupid stunt in desperation.
Especially as the person in the middle lane is usually only dawdling along at 1-2mph faster than the left lane, so they box in traffic for longer.Passing on the left a definite no, too much at risk, besides, the number of times I have seen someone pass on the left to learn the middle lane moron only to see them get boxed in then the pull some stupid stunt in desperation.
Conscript said:
Lately I've been seeing lots of threads popping up with complaints about the much hated lane hog. This has long been a pet hate of mine too; I use the A2 in Kent daily, and it seems to be a hotbed of poor driving, but poor lane discipline especially.
+1I recently drove from Sittingbourne to Reculver along the A2 / A299, all of 30 miles,
and some twit in a brand new Mercedes stayed in lane 2 all the way, never once
dropping back to lane 1, despite large gaps on the left and him tailgating
a few folks.
Frustrating.
Let's not forget that Kent is the first county that many foreign visitors
travel through after arrival at Dover.
For foreigners used to higher speeds and better lane discipline, I have
had to explain to them on multiple occasions that folks in Kent drive
both slowly AND badly.
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