Center lane drivers
Author
Discussion

AM12

Original Poster:

2 posts

221 months

Thursday 18th October 2007
quotequote all
How is it that they suddenly have a law against undertaking, yet they have no law against center lane drivers??? I'll bet that if they drove properly, then anyone who's journey to work involved a motorway would get to work on time. GET THESE IDIOTS OFF THE ROAD.

ben

2,344 posts

270 months

Friday 19th October 2007
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That will be:
Taxis, old ladies and young girls then....

fatboy b

9,662 posts

239 months

Friday 19th October 2007
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Don't think it's suddenly been a law - it's been around for years. I was stopped by the BiB on the A1 whilsy on my motorbike a few years back for undertaking. He let me off, but it's essentially dangerous driving, and carries (back than) upto a £2000 fine and/or 6 months in prison.

I do think it's abount time the MLM's are nuked from orbit though.

Don

28,378 posts

307 months

Friday 19th October 2007
quotequote all
There is no law against passing on the left.

If the queue in the left lane is moving more swiftly than the queue in the right lane it is legal to pass on the left: the Highway Code also allows it.

The Highway Code warns against overtaking on the left. Whilst not an offence if you do not follow the Highway Code you open yourself up to prosecution for careless/dangerous driving.

Swerving about changing lanes willy nilly passing on the left and right is dangerous driving and you can be prosecuted for that, basically, and always could be.

Me? If there is a MLM I pass on whatever side is convenient carefully. i.e. with forward observation, an escape route etc. I've never been stopped for it.

Negative Creep

25,794 posts

250 months

Friday 19th October 2007
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Would the above still count if you are the only car in the left hand lane?

T0nup

683 posts

223 months

Saturday 20th October 2007
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This is a few years back, but while driving a company van early one morning in the left hand lane, I came up to a Micra in the middle lane. I hung back, we were doing 70 anyhow. A short while later, a police patrol car came along side me. They looked at the Micra. Looked at me. I shrugged, and then they pulled the Micra. The bint behind the wheel didn't even realise she was bing pulled until they drew along side and waved her over.

Most gratifying to see.

Trouble is today, there are no patrols on the road, so the middle lane hoggers are safe to do as they please.

Bob Falfa

217 posts

233 months

Saturday 20th October 2007
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The problem with undertaking is that whilst its probably safe for you to execute, because the driver in the middle lane is failing to concentrate, it doesn't occur to them to look over their left shoulder or in their paseenger- side wing mirror. Consequently they don't see you undertaking, they pull over, side swipe you, and provide you with an insurance nightmare.

You could just overtake them and then make a really big issue of pulling over into the inside lane, but because the middle lane bandit is half asleep, they won't see you anyway.

fatboy b

9,662 posts

239 months

Monday 22nd October 2007
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Had a MLM on the A46 this morning (3 lane section). Approached on the inside lane, then overtook on the right, with a flash of the mains to indicate his error. It worked as he returned to the correct lane, but was obviously pissed off at being flashed, and than stuck his mains on for the next few miles. wr!!

jim hobbs

117 posts

284 months

Thursday 1st November 2007
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So if the MLM was doing 70mph.......What then?

wadgebeast

3,856 posts

234 months

Thursday 1st November 2007
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I know it's been posted before but doing laps around them usually works, provided you've got time to spare yourself:

1. Overtake normally and then pull into lane 1.
2. Slow back down and allow MLM to overtake you in lane 2.
3. Repeat procedure until MLM realises what's going on.

I think the record is about 12 laps.

nobrakes

3,771 posts

221 months

Thursday 1st November 2007
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If you're gonna pass a middle laner via the left hand lane, don't hang around. Then you have passed them before they know wtf is happening. Then you see them in your rear view amazingly pulling into the left lane.

I swear there's at least a spare 10% capacity in out motorways if people would pull into the left ala France and Germany etc.

clonmult

10,529 posts

232 months

Friday 2nd November 2007
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MLMs can be worse on wider sections of motorway - up the M6 where it opens up to 4 lanes (around the Thelwall viaduct mainly), I'm normally up there late at night, and invariably find plenty of eejits in either the 2nd or 3rd lane, with the rest of the m-way totally empty.

Total and utter cunnucks. I'll slowly move over from the left lane, indicate as I'm coming across, then indicate back left, and gently hint to them that they're in the wrong lane.

Gentle hints do not work though, as others have said - they just aren't aware that theres acres of free road to the left side of them that they should be using.

Tom55

704 posts

231 months

Monday 5th November 2007
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nobrakes said:
If you're gonna pass a middle laner via the left hand lane, don't hang around. Then you have passed them before they know wtf is happening. Then you see them in your rear view amazingly pulling into the left lane.

I swear there's at least a spare 10% capacity in out motorways if people would pull into the left ala France and Germany etc.
in France and Germany I rather they pulled into the right
whistle

Alfachick

1,639 posts

220 months

Monday 5th November 2007
quotequote all
wadgebeast said:
I know it's been posted before but doing laps around them usually works, provided you've got time to spare yourself:

1. Overtake normally and then pull into lane 1.
2. Slow back down and allow MLM to overtake you in lane 2.
3. Repeat procedure until MLM realises what's going on.

I think the record is about 12 laps.
laugh
Will be trying that the next time im on the M6!

Dave Dax builder

662 posts

282 months

Monday 5th November 2007
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MLMs drive me mad too.
These are the same people who drive all the way around a roundabout to the last exit in the left hand lane.
Sadly it seems there are no real penalties for this practice.