# Middle Lane Hoggers



## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

They're scared that's why they stick to lane 2.
Noticed this when travelling in lane 1 and wanting to pull out into lane 2 to overtake, it doesn't matter how much warning you give them by indicating, even though lane 3 is clear they will not pull out to let you into lane 2.
1 of 2 things happen they either trundle on past you trapping you in lane 1 or worse they slam their brakes on in panic and let you pull out
The other thing they do is if they catch you up in lane 2 they will sit behind you forever even though lane 3 is clear until you pass all lane 1 traffic and move back in. They will then overtake you until they catch the next vehicle up to sit behind. 
I think they turn into MLH after having a few "scary"incidents passing entry slips-you know the ones, they use lane 1 until they see cars joining from the left and s**t themselves either slamming on brakes or just trundling past forcing cars on slip road to brake before joining they then think hold on lane 1 is dangerous i'd be better off in 2:wall:

Rant over-it was a long journey and just needed to vent my frustrations and observations.


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

Must be at least a week


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

I know how you feel, I had it at the weekend on a run down to Cardiff they just sit there, even overtaking them and then diving into the slow lane makes no difference, I reckon the motorways would free up so much more if people used the right lane. My other bugbear is people that speed up and slow down. I you set the cruise at 72mph it's amazing how often you overtake the same car


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## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

SteveTDCi said:


> I know how you feel, I had it at the weekend on a run down to Cardiff they just sit there, even overtaking them and then diving into the slow lane makes no difference, I reckon the motorways would free up so much more if people used the right lane. My other bugbear is people that speed up and slow down. I you set the cruise at 72mph it's amazing how often you overtake the same car


Spooky I did that as well cruise was set at 65mph and it was the wife that commented about how many we we were passing and re-passing.


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## johnnyguitar (Mar 24, 2010)

Good keeps them out of my way as I fly down lane 3 flat out with my fogs on. 



I'M JOKING!!
The roads would be a far nicer, safer and less congested place to be with no MLOC members.


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## andy monty (Dec 29, 2007)

SteveTDCi said:


> I know how you feel, I had it at the weekend on a run down to Cardiff they just sit there, even overtaking them and then diving into the slow lane makes no difference, I reckon the motorways would free up so much more if people used the right lane. My other bugbear is people that speed up and slow down. I you set the cruise at 72mph it's amazing how often you overtake the same car


OR you catch up to a car in lane one on CC move into lane 2 only for them to put their foot down.. :devil:


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## Captain Pugwash (Mar 23, 2011)

its even worse at 2am when the motorway has next to nothing on it at the still sit in the middle lane for mile after mile


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## dann2707 (Mar 25, 2011)

They are so annoying! Thats all i have to say really.


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## Laurie.J.M (Jun 23, 2011)

Darlofan said:


> They're scared that's why they stick to lane 2.
> Noticed this when travelling in lane 1 and wanting to pull out into lane 2 to overtake, it doesn't matter how much warning you give them by indicating, even though lane 3 is clear they will not pull out to let you into lane 2.
> 1 of 2 things happen they either trundle on past you trapping you in lane 1 or worse they slam their brakes on in panic and let you pull out
> The other thing they do is if they catch you up in lane 2 they will sit behind you forever even though lane 3 is clear until you pass all lane 1 traffic and move back in. They will then overtake you until they catch the next vehicle up to sit behind.
> ...


I sometimes wonder if people think that lane 1 is only for trucks and caravans. Even on 2 lane section I sometimes see people who will quite happily dawdle along the outside lane 2 at 60 mph when there's nothing in lane 1 :wall:, if you're going to go in the outside lane at least do the speed limit. As for middle lane hoggers I think saying they're scared of lanes 1 and 3 is really not that stupid, quite often when you go past them you see they've got white knuckles where they're gripping the steering wheel for dear life and there's a look of absolute terror and concentration on their face :lol:, either that or they're just driving around in a complete daze. Also I hate people who won't change lanes when you're trying the join the motorway, the trucks I can just about forgive but it's again these people who drive around in a daze and don't seem to notice you until they've crashed into you .

Just last week I nearly had a crash because of some no brain.... thick as mince.... drongo not changing lanes. I was trying to join the A34 on a fairly short slip road, I'd managed to maintain some speed off the roundabout before and was doing about 50 mph down this slip road, I indicated to show approaching traffic that I intended join (as you do). I could see this Astra coming up in lane 1 at about 60 mph, and even though lane 2 was free did she change lanes to let me in? ... no, she just kept right on going and I still don't think she noticed me as I was blowing my horn at her for nearly putting in the barrier . And because I'd had to brake really hard to avoid crashing I was then stuck in lane 1 doing about 20 mph desperately trying to get up to speed in a car that takes 15 seconds to get from 0-60 whilst everyone else around me is doing 70 mph, now that is pretty scary.

Rant over .


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## Stezz (Apr 29, 2011)

Lost my temper with a lane hogger

I now play games with them (depending on traffic conditions).

If they are in lane 2, over take them then pull back in to lane 1, slow down enough for them to over take you again. Once they've gone past, over take them again and so on and so on.

They finally get the hint and pull into lane 1:thumb:


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

Ahh, the MLH. I have to deal with them every single day. Weekends are worse. It's the time when, and forgive me for saying this, you get old farts on the M25. They bring out their brand new pension brought car, and plonk themselves in lane 2 or 3 at 50mph. No amount of flashing the headlights to say "be-aware, I'm here", or "move over you ****", is gonna work.


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## dew1911 (Jun 9, 2009)

Captain Pugwash said:


> its even worse at 2am when the motorway has next to nothing on it at the still sit in the middle lane for mile after mile


Usually at 50mph causing all the wagons a massive headache. Deserve punting clean off the M-Way if you ask me!


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## mrbloke (Oct 13, 2010)

They hardly ever notice either. I used to sneak up lane 1 then signal and pull out to lane 3 then overtake, signal and pull back to lane 1. All at what I would deem uncomfortable (but safe) distance from them. Occasionally they would get the message and move to lane 1, but most of them would carry on oblivious to anyone else on the road no matter what time of day/traffic conditions.


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## tmitch45 (Jul 29, 2006)

I notice this every time I'm on the motorway. Its even more stupid later at night when there is really light traffic and they just sit in lane 2 with none in lane 1 or 3. People just don't get it. I get it on the dual carrageways I use daily. Lane 2 is the overtaking lane not the lane to go slowly in because in 4 mile at the next roundabout I'll be turning right lane!


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## Pezza4u (Jun 7, 2007)

I've noticed the M25 is worse for this now it's 4 lanes. Everytime I use it you can guarantee someone will be sitting in the 3rd or 4th lane doing 60mph. I just stay in the first two lanes now.


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## R7KY D (Feb 16, 2010)

Pezza4u said:


> I've noticed the M25 is worse for this now it's 4 lanes.


Yep , From J29 to J28 the new bit we now have (speeds are there for sarcastic value)

Lane 1 - 40mph Some freight / very scared people

Lane 2 - 50mph all freight / scared people / normal motorway drivers who are p***ed off with the antics going on in the other lanes and are just trying to get home without dying who were in lane 3 but now fed up with 40 tonne vehicles pulling in front of them

Lane 3 - 60mph freight getting past scared people in lane 2 pulling in front of people driving at motorway speeds and making the normal people tut and shake their heads .

Lane 4 - Everyone who's p***ed off because the people in the other 3 lanes are squabbling between themselves and lane 4 is the safest place driving at a motorway permitted speed .

I'm a lane 2 and 4 kinda guy

(I think there is actually 5 lanes as the slip roads join and leave at the junctions which makes it a whole lot more fun)

Even better is the natural lane to slip road for J28 the amount of people that don't read/look at overhead gantrys

Is motorway driving part of the test now ?


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

mrbloke said:


> They hardly ever notice either. I used to sneak up lane 1 then signal and pull out to lane 3 then overtake, signal and pull back to lane 1. All at what I would deem uncomfortable (but safe) distance from them. Occasionally they would get the message and move to lane 1, but most of them would carry on oblivious to anyone else on the road no matter what time of day/traffic conditions.


I think that is dangerous for you...going from lane 1 to 3 and back for no real reason... 

I just stay in lane 1, undertake them, and give them the [email protected] sign while eyeballing them...

That usually wakes them up enough to move into lane 1..


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## JARS (May 21, 2010)

Middle lane hoggers are probably the thing that annoys me the most when I'm driving, that and hgv's trying to overtake another hgv on a hill


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## s2kpaul (Jul 27, 2006)

There a bane of life the dual carriage way hoggers annoy me more. Naughty i know but i tend to just undertake them and shake my head.


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## Multipla Mick (Feb 5, 2006)

mrbloke said:


> They hardly ever notice either. I used to sneak up lane 1 then signal and pull out to lane 3 then overtake, signal and pull back to lane 1. All at what I would deem uncomfortable (but safe) distance from them. Occasionally they would get the message and move to lane 1, but most of them would carry on oblivious to anyone else on the road no matter what time of day/traffic conditions.


I've done this many times as well, usually in the dark where the headlights suddenly appearing across their mirror you'd think might wake them up, but often it doesn't, they are in a World of their own a lot of the time, oblivious to what's going on around them. As Cueball points out, not an entirely recommended manouevre, but these people really do get on my pip 

The trundling oblivion is why I'm against any lowering of the motorway limit, if the tree huggers got their way and it was reduced to 50 or whatever they want, people would be ambling along in even more of a numb daze.


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## WRX_Paul (Apr 27, 2010)

I undertake them at 70 and just stare at them and wave


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## Laurie.J.M (Jun 23, 2011)

Stezz said:


> Lost my temper with a lane hogger
> 
> I now play games with them (depending on traffic conditions).
> 
> ...


Basically you're saying you run rings around middle lane hoggers :thumb:.


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## toomanycitroens (Jan 14, 2011)

Undertaking should be made legal:thumb:
The s**t scared MLH would be well stuffed then!
Perhaps they would then get the message and never drive again......


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## Johnnyopolis (Oct 25, 2005)

It frustrates the hell out of me... I am in lane 1 and end up going out to lane 3 and back to lane 1 to overtake.

Or I would give them a cheeky flash to say "hello, move over please" and you know what in 8 out of 10 cases they dont move and when you go past I GET THE FINGER or they stick high beam on 30 seconds as if to say "how dare you flash at me this is my lane"

If you undertake them though and get caught you get done for it... but they dont get done for being in the wrong lane

AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

</rantoff>


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## alfajim (May 4, 2011)

people who crawl past lorries really do my head in. don't hang about, pass them then move in.


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## DetailMyCar (Apr 19, 2010)

I agree it's annoying, but if it's quiet and you can just breeze past in lane 3 - Why not just do that instead of risking causing an accident by flying up to them and cutting back in front just to make a point? You're not the police after all so you're not going to get anywhere, except possibly causing an accident or a major incident of road rage 

You have to treat people on the road as if they have Zero intelligence, they're not going to understand you if you talk to them let alone doing Manoeuvres at them in your car 

Remember also on some roads an inside lane can be so badly worn from heavy trucks on it all day that some cars will be a nightmare with tramlining and constantly having to correct the steering to stay in or out of the groove... (Just playing Devils advocate).

If the motorway is busy I'd far rather someone keep a smooth line of driving and read the road ahead so move out if neccesary rather then constantly chop and change lanes just to make a point to other drivers... That annoys me when people do that as it's far more likely to cause an accident.


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## The Engineer (Jan 21, 2009)

Laurie.J.M said:


> Basically you're saying you run rings around middle lane hoggers :thumb:.


Have been doing that for years, its call "Orbiting"

Very good fun, and my record is 16 orbits


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## the_rangdo (Feb 13, 2012)

'ey up, first post and all that and a topic that really gets my goat every day over the M62.

I pass down the inside, the way I view it is the Highway Code says (or did back in the 80s!!) you can pass on the inside if your lane is moving quicker than the lane to your right. If I'm in lane 1 already, I really can't be bothered doing the sweep across the back and front of them to try and wake them up - arguably more dangerous. 

I haven't made a deliberate move down the inside as I was already in that lane, but their lane is slower therefore I pass. I don't believe in doing a deliberate undercut though, changing lane to the left to undercut too few people have their mirrors adjusted properly, assuming they even use them, and can't see you coming.

Of course, I could add lots more driving annoyances, e.g. getting to Saddleworth and the twunts that view the lane 4 countdown marker as a challenge to squeeze in as late as possible before slamming brakes on


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## Laurie.J.M (Jun 23, 2011)

The Engineer said:


> Have been doing that for years, its call "Orbiting"
> 
> Very good fun, and my record is 16 orbits


Might have to try that some time, sounds like fun :thumb:.


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## Guest (Feb 14, 2012)

Laurie.J.M said:


> Might have to try that some time, sounds like fun :thumb:.


Just expect to get pulled if a copper sees you doing it.


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## Franzpan (Mar 2, 2009)

We only have two lane motorways here in NI but the thing that gets me wound up the most is when there is traffic coming onto the motorway from an on-slip, if you are traveling in lane 1 it is courteous to pull into lane 2 to let the car enter the motorway smoothly IF THE OUTSIDE LANE IS CLEAR!!!!!!!

The number of times Ive been zipping down lane 2 only to have a car going 60mph in lane 1 pull out in front of me to let a car enter is unbelievable. Its the car coming onto the motorway who must give way if there is no room to pull out, not the bloody people in lane 1. :wall:


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## PG Monkey (Apr 19, 2010)

The problem I often have is when I "keep left unless overtaking", I then get trapped in lane 1. This can get annoying if approaching a busy entry slip road, because you become sandwiched between merging traffic and a line of cars in lane 2.


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## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

the_rangdo said:


> 'ey up, first post and all that and a topic that really gets my goat every day over the M62.
> 
> I pass down the inside, the way I view it is the Highway Code says (or did back in the 80s!!) you can pass on the inside if your lane is moving quicker than the lane to your right. If I'm in lane 1 already, I really can't be bothered doing the sweep across the back and front of them to try and wake them up - arguably more dangerous.
> 
> ...


50mph at the mo for miles up on saddleworth through the roadways. average speed cameras must be making a fortune judging by how many people passed me while i was on cruise control at 50!


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## sammatty (Jul 28, 2010)

Darlofan said:


> 50mph at the mo for miles up on saddleworth through the roadways. average speed cameras must be making a fortune judging by how many people passed me while i was on cruise control at 50!


Yes but it's 50 mph plus a margin of error, and if your speedo is anything like mine, 50mph is actually more like 47!


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## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

sammatty said:


> Yes but it's 50 mph plus a margin of error, and if your speedo is anything like mine, 50mph is actually more like 47!


Yeah aware of that but these are clearly doing 60+. I don't think a lot of people realise what average means.


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## McClane (Dec 9, 2010)

R7KY D said:


> Yep , From J29 to J28 the new bit we now have (speeds are there for sarcastic value)
> 
> Lane 1 - 40mph Some freight / very scared people
> 
> ...


I agree based on my obesrvations from driving the M25 through Essex, Herts, Bucks and Surrey fairly regularly. :thumb:

The *exceptions* being, in my experience:

Lane two... Lorries who can't be arsed with all the faffing about in lane one at those junctions without traditional slip roads.

Lanes 1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2; Dutch lorry drivers who don't seem to realise there is a 50mph average speed limit enforcement through most of the Hertfordshire stretch and appear to disregard it completely whilst flashing and trying to bully others to speed up or get out of their way.

Lane... 4-3-4-3-4-3-2-3-2-2-3-4. Impatient ****, generally in an Astra Van... who can't stay in one lane and has to dive in a lane to undertake the traffic as soon as a bit of congestion appears. Favourite speed, 80-85mph.

Lane... 2-1-2-3-2-1-2/3/4-3/2/1. More impatient **** in a usually 5-12 year old BMW saloon who does the same thing, except undertaking is the norm, not the exception. Ideal speed, 90, although to their disgust not always possible in lane 1.

Lane 4; the world and his dog. This appears to now be the busiest and most popular lane ever. People like to feel popular by joining this lane as quickly as possible from when they enter the motorway - usually in a 1/2/3/4 "I'm coming through!!!" kamikaze style manouver - even if it is "full", and if it were a club would be operating a "one in-one out" policy. There is very little space in this lane, although it is not normally the fastest running any more. It is also the lane, without exception that I pass two-to-four cars that have a minor shunt in.


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