Why do car owners drive in the middle lane?

Sharpyshoot

A lot of suv drivers drive all over the road as they can’t drive them.

mojesius

I call the left lane the 'stonecutters' lane. Especially on the M7. There is often a trail of idiots lumbering along at 90k for no reason in the middle lane to saunter past.

M50 is just a **** show most of the time so I don't judge anyone during busy times.

SCOOP 64

As anyone undertaken in lane one when a car is hogging lane 2 below speed limit just to try to prove a point, ive never done it myself.

markmoto

Deleted User wrote: »

Mark, you created thread in 'Learning to drive' forum.
That implied to me that you were just starting out.
Your subsequent posts didn't dispel this idea.

TimeLad, I found this category more appropriate in a hope that people who learn how to drive will read and we have less newcomers with bad habits.
Thanks

StevenToast

If someone is hogging the middle lane....i overtake them...problem solved

markmoto

StevenToast wrote: »

If someone is hogging the middle lane....i overtake them...problem solved

is not that easy for HGVs, they get trapped and that's what initiate congestion.

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

As anyone undertaken in lane one when a car is hogging lane 2 below speed limit just to try to prove a point, ive never done it myself.

Having no choice majority of HGVs will overtake in lane1.

alias no.9

Panjandrums wrote: »

And then the other middle lane drivers are thinking how "dangerous" your driving is.

Don't worry, I've come to the conclusion that the Middle Lane Moron is a phenomenon driven by a lack of awareness of other road users, they won't even have noticed what happened.

When people justify Middle Lane Moronism on the basis of avoiding the need to change lane when someone is merging, it's because this process sends them into a tailspin.
Instead of always being aware of traffic around them they suddenly have to wake from their daydream and figure out in a panic if there's room to change lane. Things like this should be second nature, if they're not, it's almost always due to poor observation.

Guy:Incognito

Deleted User wrote: »

Ah come on, do you actually drive on the M50 or any motorway? Its common practice to adjust speed or move over to allow others to merge. Nothing to do with tailgating or bad driving, just normal every day procedure on a motorway. If you think that's not normal motorway practice you're either a non driver or looking for a pointless argument.
Or possibly you just drive along happily like Mr Magoo oblivious to what's going on around you.

I drive on the M50 every day, as well as other motorways in and out of Dublin. Whats common practice is a large percentage of drivers being bad at using motorways. The middle lane is usually full of cars. The idiots then all try move across 2 lanes to exit while joining with the few people that were already in the left lane and end up in a line with about a car length between them while the idiots merging are doing the same while both lines try to swap lanes in the same place.

"merge like a zip" is like some form of witchcraft to Irish drivers.

If people left a proper gap there would be no issue with other cars merging with them.

If youre on the motorway, you dont adjust speed, the cars merging match speed with the traffic on the motorway. Eejits all "adjusting speed" to suit the people merging is why the traffic all brakes and slows to 70-80 or less at junctions. 2 lanes of traffic both braking to merge. Its ridiculous, drivers brake to exit the motorway, brake to enter it, brake to change lanes. FFS outside of an emergency situation, you shouldnt need to brake on a motorway.

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

If am driving in the left lane with sufficient space between me and the car in front and another car merges into that space then I no longer have sufficient space to the car in front. Add that to people who merged at below motorway speeds and its a recipe for disaster. the gaps between exits on the M50 is far too small so sticking to the middle lane makes for a smoother drive. on the M1 or other motorways I will happily sit in the left lane.

Sufficient space for what? The sufficent space was for them to merge. You can then ease off a touch and create the gap again.


The space between junctions isnt the issue, its the stupid drivers. Look at the shortest one,between ballymount and red cow. 2 lanes of traffic (1 entering and 1 exiting) try to change lanes right as the hatch marks end. Both slowing to try get in to gaps with the other and neither actually leaving gaps for the other to merge. Bloody simpletons, meanwhile , after the first 50-100m of broken line after the hatch marks, there nothing in either lane because theyre all slowing to way below the limit to try get across .

Guy:Incognito

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

As anyone undertaken in lane one when a car is hogging lane 2 below speed limit just to try to prove a point, ive never done it myself.

If someone overtakes you on the left, youre in the wrong lane.

Wishbone Ash

athlone573 wrote: »

Honestly I don't mind as long as they stick to the speed limit, it annoys me if I'm in the inside lane at 95 and I have to switch lanes 4 times to get round someone driving at 70,usually an aul lad with a peak cap or a woman driver.

Sticking to the speed limit is doing anything under that limit. A driver doing 70 in a 120 zone is sticking to the speed limit.

Guy:Incognito

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

FFS outside of an emergency situation, you shouldnt need to brake on a motorway.

No one said anything about braking on a moterway. You are not understanding the difference between adjusting speed and braking.
That is worrying assuming that you are a driver.

KaneToad

markmoto wrote: »

There is no fast or slow lane rather Lane1, 2, 3 etc
So everyone should stay on Lane1 (slow lane)

And there was me, thinking I wasn't being subtle enough...

Guy:Incognito

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

This country is full of idiots that don't know how to drive.

Just this morning I was coming down the slip at tallaght northbound.. . .

Isn't it always the way?

markmoto

KaneToad wrote: »

And there was me, thinking I wasn't being subtle enough...

Sorry, some car driver think "fast lane" for cars and "slow lane" for trucks only. Hence RSA have changed that to Lane1,2,3
Don't want anyone to fail into confusion.

Victor

markmoto wrote: »

According to New independent research conducted by the Freight Transport Association has shown that HGVs pay enough tax alone to cover almost the whole spending on road maintenance.

Would you happen to have a link for this?

markmoto

Victor wrote: »

Would you happen to have a link for this?

Run google search on this phrase "Freight Transport Association has shown that HGVs pay enough tax alone"

blackvalley

Aw yes . Another tread that should be titled ." Lets all us really good drivers moan about the rest " The usual moaning and bitching about what " other drivers do " and how bad the " standard of driving is " .
So who are all these really bad drivers .?
Haven driven for fifty years I have been involved in numerous conversations over coffee , pints , work and family where everyone gave out about all the " bad drivers " out there . And do you know what ? . I have NEVER spoken to a bad driver yet . Everyone I know is a great driver and if it wasnt for all the OTHER bad drivers everything would be great .
So I will put my hand up and admit to being an average to bad driver who sometimes gets things wrong . Please excuse me for posting on a topic where most contributors are really good drivers. :rolleyes:

markmoto

blackvalley wrote: »

Aw yes . Another tread that should be titled ." Lets all us really good drivers moan about the rest " The usual moaning and bitching about what " other drivers do " and how bad the " standard of driving is " . :rolleyes:

Don't hog middle lane please : )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AGzWyOChnQ

MrMusician18

alias no.9 wrote: »

Don't worry, I've come to the conclusion that the Middle Lane Moron is a phenomenon driven by a lack of awareness of other road users, they won't even have noticed what happened.

When people justify Middle Lane Moronism on the basis of avoiding the need to change lane when someone is merging, it's because this process sends them into a tailspin.
Instead of always being aware of traffic around them they suddenly have to wake from their daydream and figure out in a panic if there's room to change lane. Things like this should be second nature, if they're not, it's almost always due to poor observation.

The reason you have middle lane hogging is that it's a far easier way to drive for the driver. They do not have to worry about traffic leaving or in particular merging. And it's merging that's the real issue. No matter how big of a gap you leave you could still end up travelling parallel to someone trying to merge - leaving you having to brake or move out and it may not always be safe to do either of those, or you might find that situation stressful. Driving down the middle avoids this.

This isn't to excuse the behaviour, but it can explain it.

GarIT

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

As anyone undertaken in lane one when a car is hogging lane 2 below speed limit just to try to prove a point, ive never done it myself.

Almost always. I drive at the speed limit in the left lane until I need to get around someone who is alead of me in the left lane. If someone is going slower than me in the middle lane it would be unsafe for me to change lane 4 times to get around them.

Wishbone Ash

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

If someone overtakes you on the left, youre in the wrong lane.

Your motorway driving experience must be very limited. There are several sections of motorway where drivers are legally obliged to be in lane 2, 3 or 4 and obeying the posted limit. If other drivers in the left lane choose to ignore the posted speed limit, I can't see how that makes the others in the wrong lane.

grassylawn

Some people just don't know how they are supposed to be used. For a time I was incorrectly informed that the left lane was dedicated to slower vehicles such as lorries.

Even worse is that from reading this a lot seem to know exactly how they’re supposed to be used and won’t comply with it because they don’t know how to slow down and speed up a vehicle.

Imagine thinking you have to swerve out to lane 2 just because someone is coming down a merge lane.

grassylawn

I think it is courteous to move out a lane when someone is merging if there is space to do so.

shtpEdthePlum

I was driving around Cork yesterday and the amount of people i saw straddling the middle line between lanes was absolutely mental.

Pick a lane please.

con___manx1

If in the left lane you have loads of cars that are merging onto the motor way at a very slow speed. This drives me nuts. Drivers should gain sufficient speed before entering the motorway. I usually drive in the overtaking lane or middle because of those idiot drivers.

Guy:Incognito

[Deleted User] wrote: »

No one said anything about braking on a moterway. You are not understanding the difference between adjusting speed and braking.
That is worrying assuming that you are a driver.

You know selectively quoting one part doesn't actually make the original post with all the relevant details dissappear?

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

.

If youre on the motorway, you dont adjust speed, the cars merging match speed with the traffic on the motorway. Eejits all "adjusting speed" to suit the people merging is why the traffic all brakes and slows to 70-80 or less at junctions. 2 lanes of traffic both braking to merge. Its ridiculous, drivers brake to exit the motorway, brake to enter it, brake to change lanes. FFS outside of an emergency situation, you shouldnt need to brake on a motorway.

Thomasirl123

blackvalley wrote: »

Aw yes . Another tread that should be titled ." Lets all us really good drivers moan about the rest " The usual moaning and bitching about what " other drivers do " and how bad the " standard of driving is " .
So who are all these really bad drivers .?
Haven driven for fifty years I have been involved in numerous conversations over coffee , pints , work and family where everyone gave out about all the " bad drivers " out there . And do you know what ? . I have NEVER spoken to a bad driver yet . Everyone I know is a great driver and if it wasnt for all the OTHER bad drivers everything would be great .
So I will put my hand up and admit to being an average to bad driver who sometimes gets things wrong . Please excuse me for posting on a topic where most contributors are really good drivers. :rolleyes:

This! The thread must be the top 100 drivers in Ireland, surprised they haven't made it to formula 1! Gods on the road!

Wanderer78

markmoto wrote:

I have notice for sometime on motorway, car owners keep driving in the middle lane. Is there any reason for that?

Human behaviour id imagine, left lanes are generally slower, and right lanes are generally faster, so less pressure in the middle

Deub

shtpEdthePlum wrote: »

I was driving around Cork yesterday and the amount of people i saw straddling the middle line between lanes was absolutely mental.

Pick a lane please.

I saw what could have been the start of a congestion yesterday. Someone driving at 70/80 km/h in the middle lane with a dozen cars behind who couldn’t overtake because of the constant flow of cars on the outside lane. I was on the left one and no one behind me.
If only there was enforcement of the rules.