Solving the “middle lane hoggers” problem.

tom1ie · 13-01-2020 3:25pm #1

So as the title of this thread suggests I’m putting forward an idea to maybe help with the problem of people driving in the middle lane of a 3 lane motorway when there is no traffic in the left hand driving lane of that motorway.
Paint road markings on the middle lane and the outside lane that say “please merge into lane 1 for driving lane. Overtaking lane only.”
I’m sure this could be shortened. It should be accompanied by a merge arrow.
Would this work?
We have a big problem with people not even knowing they are driving incorrectly on 3 lane motorway, so why don’t we tell them when they are on the actual motorway by using the paint coupled with overhead gantrys.
Please discuss and tell me why it’s a terrible idea and destined not to work

CelticRambler · 13-01-2020 3:44pm

tom1ie wrote: »

Please discuss and tell me why it’s a terrible idea and destined not to work

Same reason painting "BUS LANE" in big letters on the road doesn't stop people who shouldn't be in there using it. :rolleyes:

pablo128 · 13-01-2020 3:47pm

Gardai and more Gardai on the roads are the only solution.

_Kaiser_ · 13-01-2020 3:50pm

Wouldn't work on something like the M50 where the sheer volume of traffic and number of exits/merges in close proximity mean that all lanes become driving lanes at rush hour. all would do is cause even more lane-hopping than there is now.

Outside of busy periods, it's unnecessary anyway. I always fail to see what the obsession is with middle lane drivers. Just overtake them and be done with it and focus on your own driving.

_Kaiser_ · 13-01-2020 3:53pm

pablo128 wrote: »

Gardai and more Gardai on the roads are the only solution.

Gardai are among the worst offenders - some of the standard of driving I've seen is ridiculous (and yes, internal policy means they are meant to abide by the same rules as the rest of us under normal circumstances).

Besides, AGS are only interested in speeding and disc checks. I've witnessed numerous occasions where someone did something stupid in full view of a squad car and the latter had no interest.

13-01-2020 3:55pm

People drive in the middle lane for a number of reasons*, but the one I've heard most often is because they don't want to have to keep moving in/out to overtake others in the left lane. The vast majority of people who give out about middle lane hoggers are doing so because, surprise surprise, they don't want to have to keep moving in/out to overtake others in the middle lane.

"look at this dope sitting here in the middle lane instead of moving left, now I have to change lanes so that I can overtake him and move back into the middle lane"

*A lot of the time its because those in the left are driving slower due to whatever reasons (reluctance to change lanes because you're leaving next exit or driving to match the speed of those already in the lane as you join are two common, reasonable ones).

Personally, the only time I deliberately opt not to drive on the left is if the traffic is heavy and the left-most lane is moving a lot slower than the others. the correct thing to do is move in, then back out when you go to overtake your man in front. Often, there won't be a break in traffic to move back out, and you're forced to match the speed of the guy in front, which in turn makes it more difficult to merge into lane 2.

13-01-2020 4:28pm

I predict I'll get crucified for this but...

This kind of thing wasn't emphasised at all in getting my license. I drive where ever there is space. I don't want to drive in the left lane as that's where people merge at slower speeds.

tom1ie · 13-01-2020 5:10pm

CelticRambler wrote: »

Same reason painting "BUS LANE" in big letters on the road doesn't stop people who shouldn't be in there using it. :rolleyes:

Yes but people who drive in bus lanes when they shouldn't, KNOW they're chancing their arm
Middle lane drivers generally haven't a clue.

tom1ie · 13-01-2020 5:11pm

pablo128 wrote: »

Gardai and more Gardai on the roads are the only solution.

If we had 2000 guards dedicated to the traffic core dedicated to the M50 we'd still have mlh's (middle lane hoggers ðŸ˜€)
I've even seen guards guilty of the above.

tom1ie · 13-01-2020 5:12pm

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Wouldn't work on something like the M50 where the sheer volume of traffic and number of exits/merges in close proximity mean that all lanes become driving lanes at rush hour. all would do is cause even more lane-hopping than there is now.

Outside of busy periods, it's unnecessary anyway. I always fail to see what the obsession is with middle lane drivers. Just overtake them and be done with it and focus on your own driving.

They reduce capacity as technically you can't overtake them in lane 1 even if you are doing under the speed limit.
In effect they refuse 3 lane roads down to 2 lanes.

tom1ie · 13-01-2020 5:14pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I predict I'll get crucified for this but...

This kind of thing wasn't emphasised at all in getting my license. I drive where ever there is space. I don't want to drive in the left lane as that's where people merge at slower speeds.

Overtaking is for lane 2 and lane 3.

13-01-2020 5:46pm

tom1ie wrote: »

Overtaking is for lane 2 and lane 3.

So everyone should be in the left lane unless overtaking? That may be the rules but I don't get the logic.

Professor Genius · 13-01-2020 5:47pm

tom1ie wrote: »

So as the title of this thread suggests I’m putting forward an idea to maybe help with the problem of people driving in the middle lane of a 3 lane motorway when there is no traffic in the left hand driving lane of that motorway.
Paint road markings on the middle lane and the outside lane that say “please merge into lane 1 for driving lane. Overtaking lane only.”
I’m sure this could be shortened. It should be accompanied by a merge arrow.
Would this work?
We have a big problem with people not even knowing they are driving incorrectly on 3 lane motorway, so why don’t we tell them when they are on the actual motorway by using the paint coupled with overhead gantrys.
Please discuss and tell me why it’s a terrible idea and destined not to work

The left lane is the slow lane and the middle lane the medium lane and the right lane the fast lane. It’s fairly straightforward

pablo128 · 13-01-2020 5:50pm

Deleted User wrote: »

So everyone should be in the left lane unless overtaking? That may be the rules but I don't get the logic.

If you got a couple of points on your licence you'd get the logic quick enough.

is_that_so · 13-01-2020 5:51pm

There are very few out and out three lane roads. The M50, as stated above, is a law onto itself and I've never been irritated by this so-called middle lane hogging anywhere. Plenty of "fast lane" hogging everywhere, though!

_Kaiser_ · 13-01-2020 5:53pm

Deleted User wrote: »

So everyone should be in the left lane unless overtaking? That may be the rules but I don't get the logic.

Agreed - in theory if the lead car was doing exactly the legal limit, you'd have a single line of traffic on a 3 lane motorway

In reality, many drivers can't even do the legal limit (when no reason not to), or cannot maintain a consistent speed, are oblivious or just ignorant of other drivers, plus - as I said above - the number of exits and merges on something like the M50 where this is an "issue" means cars would be constantly weaving lanes.

13-01-2020 5:54pm

pablo128 wrote: »

If you got a couple of points on your licence you'd get the logic quick enough.

Because its the law. Is that the best reason you can come up with

_Kaiser_ · 13-01-2020 5:55pm

is_that_so wrote: »

There are very few out and out three lane roads. The M50, as stated above, is a law onto itself and I've never been irritated by this so-called middle lane hogging anywhere. Plenty of "fast lane" hogging everywhere, though!

Is this because you yourself are trying to overtake L2 dwellers, or just because it annoys you on a personal level?

Genuine question.. often I find the worst drivers are those who think they're in the "right" and try to police the behaviour of others around them.

El_Duderino 09 · 13-01-2020 6:10pm

CelticRambler wrote: »

Same reason painting "BUS LANE" in big letters on the road doesn't stop people who shouldn't be in there using it. :rolleyes:

I’d say it stops people who didn’t know it was a bus lane. And it stops people who don’t want to be seen obviously breaking the rules.

I’d say tv ad campaigns are a good idea to promote good practice.

I wonder if middle lane hogging actually causes problems or is it just annoying to see?

andekwarhola · 13-01-2020 6:12pm

Whereas people that veer straight into the overtaking lane, stay there and tailgate at high speed and then veer across to the exit with seconds to spare are not the real issue behind most crashes on motorways

Princess Calla · 13-01-2020 6:20pm

The only road I drive on regularly with 3 lanes is the m50.

I'll be honest and say you will find me in the middle Lane.

Why?

People merging don't build up their speed before exiting the slip road, it's like they have to join ASAP. The amount of times I've been motoring along and then have to reduce speed substantially is ridiculous.

You will also have the right Lane hoggers realising that their exit is 200 m ahead so they are pulling in aggressively from the right.

With exits and mergers nearly every 2-5 km along the m50 the above behaviour is a pain in the hoop.

You will also have drivers who are uncomfortable going over 60-80 km/h.

So yeah I'll cruise at the limit in the middle Lane, I'll move over to the right if I need to overtake and then back into the middle Lane.

Now if someone is driving 60-80 km/h in middle Lane with an open road in front of them, I find that very annoying.

andekwarhola · 13-01-2020 6:22pm

While there are lane hoggers, most of the criticism of Lane hogging isn't about altruism and good driving, it's more I drive like a cnut and want everybody to get out of my way.

anacc · 13-01-2020 6:22pm

pablo128 wrote: »

Gardai and more Gardai on the roads are the only solution.

Just last week I got stuck behind a traffic corps car cruising along at 80kph in the middle lane of the N40 while the left lane was empty and the right lane was held up by someone going about 1kph faster than the cop car. Very frustrating when the people who are supposed to police the road don't even know the rules of the road.

tuxy · 13-01-2020 6:24pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I predict I'll get crucified for this but...

This kind of thing wasn't emphasised at all in getting my license. I drive where ever there is space. I don't want to drive in the left lane as that's where people merge at slower speeds.

Is this the real issue?
Many drivers do not know how to allow other cars to merge?

Deleted User wrote: »

So everyone should be in the left lane unless overtaking? That may be the rules but I don't get the logic.

Try to look at it from a traffic flow point of view that's where the logic is.

is_that_so · 13-01-2020 6:57pm

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Is this because you yourself are trying to overtake L2 dwellers, or just because it annoys you on a personal level?

Genuine question.. often I find the worst drivers are those who think they're in the "right" and try to police the behaviour of others around them.

I actually don't think about it. I just watch the road and get home safe. People will do all sorts of dumb things on the road without my input!

tom1ie · 13-01-2020 7:01pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

So everyone should be in the left lane unless overtaking? That may be the rules but I don't get the logic.

They are the rules and if everyone obeyed those rules we would have people overtaking and then getting back into the left lane thus freeing up capacity on the road.
What we have at the moment is people driving from the red cow to new bridge in the middle lane at 70kph thus making people overtake in lane 3 and leaving lane 1 empty.

tuxy · 13-01-2020 7:05pm

Princess Calla wrote: »

The only road I drive on regularly with 3 lanes is the m50.

I'll be honest and say you will find me in the middle Lane.

Why?

People merging don't build up their speed before exiting the slip road, it's like they have to join ASAP. The amount of times I've been motoring along and then have to reduce speed substantially is ridiculous.

You will also have the right Lane hoggers realising that their exit is 200 m ahead so they are pulling in aggressively from the right.

With exits and mergers nearly every 2-5 km along the m50 the above behaviour is a pain in the hoop.

You will also have drivers who are uncomfortable going over 60-80 km/h.

So yeah I'll cruise at the limit in the middle Lane, I'll move over to the right if I need to overtake and then back into the middle Lane.

Now if someone is driving 60-80 km/h in middle Lane with an open road in front of them, I find that very annoying.

I don't think I need to get into the nightmare that is the m50, so many things need to be fixed I wouldn't know where to start.

The occasional time you are on other 3 lane roads do you use the lanes correctly?
The issue is that middle lane hoggers force other drivers to use the other lanes incorrectly. It has a dominoes effect that means very few are using the road correctly which causes traffic jams and collisions.

They have 3 lanes on part of the M7 now, it was a complete waste of time and money. No one uses the driving lane

BelfastVanMan · 13-01-2020 7:06pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

So everyone should be in the left lane unless overtaking? That may be the rules but I don't get the logic.

Sorry; what exactly don't you understand..?

BelfastVanMan · 13-01-2020 7:08pm

BelfastVanMan wrote: »

Sorry; what exactly don't you understand..?

It's perfectly simple...in the 6 Counties, it's part of the test. In fact, it's part of most driving tests in Europe.

Middle-lane hoggers need re-educated on how to drive properly, otherwise they shouldn't be on the road.

The clue is in the name; OVERTAKING LANES.

13-01-2020 7:32pm

BelfastVanMan wrote: »

Sorry; what exactly don't you understand..?

Having three lanes and using two of them to only overtake. Without doing any research whatsoever; this seems inefficient.

13-01-2020 7:33pm

BelfastVanMan wrote: »

It's perfectly simple...in the 6 Counties, it's part of the test. In fact, it's part of most driving tests in Europe.

Middle-lane hoggers need re-educated on how to drive properly, otherwise they shouldn't be on the road.

The clue is in the name; OVERTAKING LANES.

You forgot to change accounts

Solving the “middle lane hoggers” problem.

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