[StarSeeker]

On a 3 lane highway you'll find me sitting in the middle lane.... 

I do the same, but drive at the maximum allowed speed when possible.

[eye30]

On a 3 lane highway you'll find me sitting in the middle lane.... 

Why not pull over if lane 1 is empty?

Do Police not bother to apply yhe highway code?

[rustynutz]

On a 3 lane highway you'll find me sitting in the middle lane.... 

Why not pull over if lane 1 is empty?

Do Police not bother to apply yhe highway code?

I'd rather stay out of the left lane if possible so as to keep that lane clear for trucks and vehicles that are entering and exiting the highway/freeway.
By doing that, I'm also more likely to be able to hold a constant speed without having to ease of the accelerator or change lanes which, to me has to be safer....... 

In Oz, the "keep left unless overtaking" sign only applies to the far right lane, and then only if the speed limit is over 80kph, so, on a 3 lane highway it is perfectly legal to stay put in the middle lane... 

[Dazzler]

I like the middle lane too for the same reason as Rusty and also when on unfamiiar roads where the GPS might give me directions to turn left or right at relatively short notice...

[Shambles]

None of our motorways (as far as I know) have a right turn, so never a reason to hog the "overtaking lanes" - that's why it's a pet hate of mine... no reason whatsoever can justify commandeering a lane

[StarSeeker]

I think it's more dangerous to keep swapping lanes all the time.  I aim to drive at our speed limit of 70mph and normally manage this in the centre lane.  If I kept on coming back into the inside lane where vehicles are doing 50-60mph, I would be in and out like a fiddlers elbow.

Any driver that wants to break the speed limit which I’m doing, can always use the outside lane 

[Doggie 1]

I quite like the emergency lane.
For some reason I find there's usually not much traffic in there, except occasionally some inconsiderate individual who parks their car there with the bonnet up. 

[Shambles]

Any driver that wants to break the speed limit which I’m doing, can always use the outside lane 

If a car is coming up behind you in lane 2, and is itself about to be overtaken, would you pull over into lane 1 if lane 1 were clear?

Interesting subject, this...

[eye30]

I quite like the emergency lane.
For some reason I find there's usually not much traffic in there, except occasionally some inconsiderate individual who parks their car there with the bonnet up. 

In UK the emergency lane will only be found on motorways and is called the "Hard Shoulder".

No vehicle is allowed to "run" in that lane, unless an emergency vehicle going to an incident and the other lanes prevent passage.

A vehicle is only allowed to stand in it if it breaksdown.  There is a maximum time you are allowed to be there, I think 45 minutes, and if you have not been removed by your own recovery service then the Police will arrange recovery, at your expense.

[Doggie 1]

I quite like the emergency lane.
For some reason I find there's usually not much traffic in there, except occasionally some inconsiderate individual who parks their car there with the bonnet up. 

In UK the emergency lane will only be found on motorways and is called the "Hard Shoulder".

No vehicle is allowed to "run" in that lane, unless an emergency vehicle going to an incident and the other lanes prevent passage.

A vehicle is only allowed to stand in it if it breaksdown.  There is a maximum time you are allowed to be there, I think 45 minutes, and if you have not been removed by your own recovery service then the Police will arrange recovery, at your expense.

Same here. I was just joking 

[eye30]

I think it's more dangerous to keep swapping lanes all the time.  I aim to drive at our speed limit of 70mph and normally manage this in the centre lane.  If I kept on coming back into the inside lane where vehicles are doing 50-60mph, I would be in and out like a fiddlers elbow.

I agree on crowded motorways then this would appear to be acceptable, especially given that junctions may be short distances apart.  But if the motorway or even 2 lane road is clear then the Police may decide to pull a driver over due to not following the Highway Code.

[StarSeeker]

Any driver that wants to break the speed limit which I’m doing, can always use the outside lane 

If a car is coming up behind you in lane 2, and is itself about to be overtaken, would you pull over into lane 1 if lane 1 were clear?

Interesting subject, this...

Give this some thought, aint ya Shambles

If there was a pile of cars in front of me I would probably stay where I was, because the car behind me would still be stuck anyway.

If it was clear in front of me, I would just get out of its way by pulling over into lane 1.

[Shambles]

If it was clear in front of me, I would just get out of its way by pulling over into lane 1.

.. which is where you should have been in the first place

Did I mention that lane hogging is a pet hate of mine 

[StarSeeker]

If it was clear in front of me, I would just get out of its way by pulling over into lane 1.

.. which is where you should have been in the first place

I fell for that one .  I'll remember to treat your posts with a bit more caution in the future

[rustynutz]

Any driver that wants to break the speed limit which I’m doing, can always use the outside lane 

If a car is coming up behind you in lane 2, and is itself about to be overtaken, would you pull over into lane 1 if lane 1 were clear?

Interesting subject, this...

I'd stay where I was, If they wanna pass me they can use the right hand lane when it's safe to do so....

Or, if they can't wait, they can always hop in the left lane and go around me.... 

[eye30]

Or, if they can't wait, they can always hop in the left lane and go around me.... 

A NO NO in UK and you will be done by the Police if they catch you doing this

[bumpkin]

If it was clear in front of me, I would just get out of its way by pulling over into lane 1.

.. which is where you should have been in the first place

Did I mention that lane hogging is a pet hate of mine 

So what is classed as lane hogging??

If all three lanes are busy and I am slowly overtaking a car doing 68 in the middle lane whilst I tootle past at the max speed limit of 70 in lane 3 and you are on my bahookie trying to speed past me, does that make me a lane hog?

It doesn't in my book, I am within the law and if you want past then you are not!

bumpkin puts wooden spoon back in pocket and awaits the flames

[rustynutz]

Or, if they can't wait, they can always hop in the left lane and go around me.... 

A NO NO in UK and you will be done by the Police if they catch you doing this

Legal in Oz....

[bumpkin]

Or, if they can't wait, they can always hop in the left lane and go around me.... 

A NO NO in UK and you will be done by the Police if they catch you doing this

UNLESS - the traffic in lane 1 maintains a constant speed whilst a lane changer causes a hold-up in the middle lane, you are not then technically undertaking, simply maintaining flow with your lane...

[eye30]

Or, if they can't wait, they can always hop in the left lane and go around me.... 

A NO NO in UK and you will be done by the Police if they catch you doing this

Legal in Oz....

So how is blame decided if say a vehicle in lane 2 moves into lane 1 and the vehicle in lane 1 hits the vehicle moving into 1?

[eye30]

Or, if they can't wait, they can always hop in the left lane and go around me.... 

A NO NO in UK and you will be done by the Police if they catch you doing this

UNLESS - the traffic in lane 1 maintains a constant speed whilst a lane changer causes a hold-up in the middle lane, you are not then technically undertaking, simply maintaining flow with your lane...

Accept your take on this.
My reply was presuming that the traffic is such as there are ample opportunities for lane discipline

[Shambles]

So what is classed as lane hogging??

If all three lanes are busy ...

If all 3 lanes are busy then it's not the scenario I painted. I would say a lane hogger was someone simply occupying an overtaking lane even though the lefthand lane(s) were clear with no little or no traffic ahead. Or, in other words, a lane hogger could be called a Star Seeker 

[rustynutz]

So how is blame decided if say a vehicle in lane 2 moves into lane 1 and the vehicle in lane 1 hits the vehicle moving into 1?

Would be a case of failing to give way when changing lanes....the driver from lane 2 would be at fault.

[bumpkin]

So what is classed as lane hogging??

If all three lanes are busy ...

If all 3 lanes are busy then it's not the scenario I painted. I would say a lane hogger was someone simply occupying an overtaking lane even though the lefthand lane(s) were clear with no little or no traffic ahead. Or, in other words, a lane hogger could be called a Star Seeker 

 
Accepted, I guess the point though is that even if lane 1 is clear, a motorist in lane 2 sitting at 70mph is in my mind completely within his rights to be occupying lane 2 (despite it technically being an overtaking lane) on the assumption that sliproad traffic may cause excessive lane hopping.

[eye30]

So how is blame decided if say a vehicle in lane 2 moves into lane 1 and the vehicle in lane 1 hits the vehicle moving into 1?

Would be a case of failing to give way when changing lanes....the driver from lane 2 would be at fault.

Rule of thumb would seem to be the person who hit the other would be to blame.
So lane 1 runs into the back/side of lane 2 vehicle or lane 2 side glances lane 1 vehicle.

But in saying this both could be charged.

Lane 1 for not being observant when there is an expectation that lane 2 would move to lane 1.
and lane 2 for cutting lane 1 up.

The fitting of micro cameras into commercial trucks/vans in on the increase as this would remove the doubt when claims/counterclaims are made.

[Shambles]

Anyone else got any of their own pet hates (seeing as how I've won this particular debate ) ?

[eye30]

I guess the point though is that even if lane 1 is clear, a motorist in lane 2 sitting at 70mph is in my mind completely within his rights to be occupying lane 2 (despite it technically being an overtaking lane) on the assumption that sliproad traffic may cause excessive lane hopping.

I disagree with this.

They should move into lane 1  and then if the see traffic merging onto the road they can move over into 2.

Don't forget, the traffic merging onto the road must giveway to traffic already on the road. They do not have a given right just to join without giving way to traffic already there.

[bumpkin]

I guess the point though is that even if lane 1 is clear, a motorist in lane 2 sitting at 70mph is in my mind completely within his rights to be occupying lane 2 (despite it technically being an overtaking lane) on the assumption that sliproad traffic may cause excessive lane hopping.

I disagree with this.

They should move into lane 1  and then if the see traffic merging onto the road they can move over into 2.

Don't forget, the traffic merging onto the road must giveway to traffic already on the road. They do not have a given right just to join without giving way to traffic already there.

Am I the only one that thinks if you are at max speed of 70mph the whole point is that you can't be hogging since legally nobody can go past you???

[Shambles]

You're still hogging tho, in contravention of the highway code

[Shambles]

http://www.drivingtheorytestquestions.co.uk/guides/lane-discipline-motorway-driving

The left hand lane is the one that you should be in most of the time. Although many people appear to hog the middle lane, it is the left hand one you should drive in most of the time.

So in summary, drive in the left hand lane apart from for overtaking, and once you've overtaken then move back into the left hand lane unless there are a stream of slower moving cars you need to pass in which case you should move back in to the left lane once you've passed them.

Lane hoggers facing fines

(2003 article)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2681457.stm

Motorists who hog lanes on motorways and dual carriageways in Devon and Cornwall could face a stiff fine in future.

Police are planning patrols to crack down on such drivers.

The police say when they questioned motorists, lane hogging was one of things that bothered most drivers.

Police will begin pursuing lane hogging motorists in earnest from the beginning of February.