What is a lane hog?

You’re stuck behind somebody going 55 miles per hour in the left lane. Hanging out in the left lane below the speed limit is not only dangerous it is illegal and could earn you a ticket. Some call these drivers “left lane hogs” or “keepers of the speed” because they slow down the flow of traffic.

What is the middle lane used for UK?

Motorways typically have three lanes: Lane one – the left lane – is for routine driving. Lane two – the middle lane – and lane three – the right-hand lane – are for overtaking.

What lane should you be in on the motorway?

left-hand lane
A two-lane motorway – keep to the left-hand lane for normal driving. Use the right-hand lane for overtaking. Once you have finished overtaking, you should move back to the left-hand lane as soon as it is safe to do so.

Can you undertake on the motorway UK?

‘Undertaking’ is the practice of overtaking a slower moving vehicle on its left-hand side (kerb side). While it’s not strictly illegal to undertake on a motorway or dual carriageway in the UK, it can be extremely dangerous, and punishable if deemed to be careless driving.

What’s wrong with middle lane hogging?

Why is middle lane hogging so bad? Hogging the middle lane can ultimately cause more congestion. This is because over-taking traffic will have one less lane in order to pass you – especially as undertaking, although not strictly illegal, isn’t advised as it is very dangerous to do on British roads.

How do you deal with the middle lane hoggers?

Tackling middle lane hoggers If you are overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past. Slow-moving or speed-restricted vehicles should always remain in the left-hand lane of the carriageway unless overtaking.”

What do you do with middle lane hoggers?

If you encounter a middle lane hogger, resist the urge to flash or beep them, then carefully overtake them on the right-hand side.

Why do people stay in the middle lane on the motorway?

Another reason may be the fact that changing lanes is deemed to be one of the riskiest parts of driving on the motorway. Therefore, it’s easier to sit in the middle lane as you aren’t as likely to get stuck behind slow traffic and not to speed either.

Why is it bad to stay in the middle lane on a motorway?

Why is middle-lane hogging bad? During busy periods, middle-lane hogging can cause congestion as traffic funnels through the outside lane to pass a lane hogger. If the driver in the middle lane moved over, the same traffic could be split over two lanes.

What’s the hard shoulder?

The hard shoulder is a hardened strip of land that runs along the edge of motorways to the left of the left-hand lane, also known as lane one. The ‘shoulder’ of a road is the land to the edge of the road. On most roads without pavements, the shoulder is a strip of grass or a hedgerow.

Can you undertake middle lane hoggers?

The Highway Code says that for the most part you shouldn’t undertake: “Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake.” This means that, as annoying as it may be, the legal course of action is to overtake them on the right when it’s safe to do so.

Is middle lane hogging an Offence?

Is middle lane hogging illegal? Middle lane hogging is classed as a traffic offence under ‘careless driving’ legislation—it’s therefore illegal. Offenders risk the wrath of the law, as well as the annoyance of other motorists, when they fail to keep left.

Why shouldn’t you hog the middle lane?

Why do so many people drive in the middle lane?

A study conducted by Leeds University explored why some of us like to sit in the middle lane. It claims that the older you get, the more likely you are to stick to the centre of the road. Another reason may be the fact that changing lanes is deemed to be one of the riskiest parts of driving on the motorway.

What does red tarmac on road mean?

2 solid white lines Sometimes, red tarmac is used within a block of white lines or diagonals. This is there to show you the area that’s separating traffic moving in opposite directions.

What is “middle-lane hogging”?

Firstly, what is “middle-lane hogging”? When driving along a three-lane motorway, rule 264 of the Highway Code states: “You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slow-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past.”

Why do people hog the middle lane on motorways?

There’s no clear reason why people hog the middle lane. It could be because practical motorway training isn’t part of the UK driving test – meaning drivers haven’t been taught how to drive on the motorway, apart from what they’ve learnt as part of the theory test.

Do middle lane Hoggers cause traffic congestion?

It means that the slowest, inside lane is under-used and the remaining traffic is bunched up into the middle and outside lanes. “It’s a particular problem where we’ve widened motorways to four lanes because the middle lane hoggers can take up two lanes.” But the extent to which lane hoggers cause congestion is controversial.

Do middle-lane Hoggers cut carrying capacity by a third?

People who say that middle-lane hoggers cut carrying capacity by a third are wrong, he says. It may be that they’re looking at a three-lane motorway and assuming that the middle lane is out of action. That would be true if the lane hoggers were stationary.