So, you're driving on a 3-lane motorway, middle of the night and nothing around. Then you come across a nobhead in the middle lane, overtaking no-one. Do you stay in your lane, effectively undertaking, as the hazard is not in your lane so there is no need to alter course, or do you have to pull out to the outside line, overtake, then move back to the inside lane, no doubt swearing and gesturing profusely?
I'm not sure of the legality of this, and have performed both manoeuvers...
Move out to overtake, move back into lane 1 to continue.
Either that, or lap the MLM* (Middle Lane Moron). Excerpt from a roadrage website, through the MLM's eyes:
Numpties. They're everywhere.report by Outraged. updated 19/Apr/2011
Fiat 500, Yellow driven by Male
Seen at 12:30pm on 19-Apr-2011 on M25 Surrey
I was sat in the middle lane of the M25 when this hooligan passed me on the outside lane at around 65mph as I was doing a fuel efficient 55-60. He then proceeded to cut in front of me, pulling into the slow lane, then slowed down so I passed him again. As soon as I passed him, he pulled out to the fast lane, passed me again, and then pulled into the slow lane AGAIN!!! And he did this 5 or 6 times?! I mean, just what was he trying to achieve? He obviously had no understanding of lane discipline and seemed upset that I was minding my own business. Disgraceful.
*not in any way, shape or form a serious recommendation
Biscuit (11-01-2012),DanceswithUnix (21-12-2011),ik9000 (06-01-2012),kalniel (21-12-2011),malfunction (21-12-2011),nichomach (12-01-2012),Rave (24-12-2011),Smudger (21-12-2011)
I would say that legally you would have to overtake as normal. However, I normally cut right in front of them on my way back to the left lane.However, if someone was in the the right most lane, then I would guess you could undertake as there would be no other option (other than tail gating them).
Smudger (21-12-2011)
I think legally you can either stay in your lane or move out two lanes to over take. Moving out two lanes is definitely the safer of the two and less likely to attract unwelcome attention. From what I remember though staying in your lane is also permitted as you are not moving to deliberately undertake someone, just making progress in your own and correct lane.
The anti-MLM response would be to overtake in lane three then move back to lane two and decrease speed to 2mph lower than the MLM was travelling.
You should overtake and pull back in to lane 1 as stated. Pretty sure what kalniel said is only true at much slower speeds such as in slow moving traffic jams.
As for getting yourself wound up about it I would just ignore it and get on with your journey. As its unlikely whatever you do will have any positive effect on the MLM or any of the other growing poor drivers who lack even the most basic knowledge of the highway code, general etiquette or awareness of what is happening around them.
In queuing traffic you can change lanes to undertake. I'm not suggesting undertaking. Same way if someone overtakes you and then while still in the outside lane slows down - you don't have to suddenly slow down with them to stay behind them. This happens to me a lot on my commute - some (BMW!) driver usually overtakes me on the dual carriageway at about 75-80, then they spot the speed camera and slow down to 60, causing me to continue past them on the inside lane because I've been going a steady 70 and I don't change my speed as I actually know what the right speed limit is for a dual carriageway...Originally Posted by awsm
This is the highway code:
According to the HC you're not supposed to change lanes to undertake even in congestion. While the above is a "Do Not" and only an advisory rather than a "Must Not" which is a legal requirement. The police can still prosecute drivers for undue care for not following advisories so it's a fairly grey area.268
Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake. In congested conditions, where adjacent lanes of traffic are moving at similar speeds, traffic in left-hand lanes may sometimes be moving faster than traffic to the right. In these conditions you may keep up with the traffic in your lane even if this means passing traffic in the lane to your right. Do not weave in and out of lanes to overtake.
The only safe answer to the OP would be to move to lane 3 and over take then move back to lane one when safe to do so.
Same as staying in the middle lane:
Seems fairly clear to me that this is an overtake, so you move to lane 3, overtake, then move back to lane 1.
The nasty here is that you need to change lanes in definate phases. Indicate, change to lane 2. Stay there for a moment, indicate, change to lane 3. I have heard policemen saying that a change directly from lane 1 to 3 is considered reckless so that would put you as no better than undertaking!
There's no specific law against passing on the left, but you might get done for careless driving or you might not, it would depend on the view of the policeman in question. If there's no one around and the MLM is not likely to move lane I tend to just pass on the left.
i normally pass on the left as the can then see my middle finger extending from the window after i pip my horn to get there attention on the way past.
Capitalization is the difference between helping your Uncle Jack
off a horse and helping your uncle jack off a horse.
I would always pass on the right, I just think other drivers pay more attention to their right hand side, with them being on the right of the car.
Gotta be careful overtaking women as well, nearly been taken out by a women before.
This is my plan - and then when after passing them, I indicate and move slowly into lane 2, then pause and then indicate, and move back into lane 1.
I've only had this happen a few of times, but a couple of those, after I'd done that, the MLM moved over too, perhaps noticing that someone else did it and realising that it is okay to be in lane 1.
On an empty motorway though, other than passing an entry slip-road & roadworks, there's no excuse not to be in lane 1.
This is definitely the right thing to do. Ignore them and carry on without getting wound up. You and society gain nothing by making some kind of pointless point to the moron in the middle lane.
However, as a flawed human, it is sometimes difficult to resist making some kind of point as they are pretty irritating.
TBH I can ignore the MLM's provided the 2nd overtaking lane isn't also blocked. What does tend to get a reaction out of me is the road hogs in the outside lane that are just staying there with nothing to overtake. Usually, a quick flash when you are a good distance from them is enough to remind them to wake up and get out of the way. Sometimes it isn't. I have been known in these cases to undertake them and use the horn whilst undertaking. This is the wrong thing to do but when you're that annoyed at some utter idiot, it's hard to resist.
"In a perfect world... spammers would get caught, go to jail, and share a cell with many men who have enlarged their penises, taken Viagra and are looking for a new relationship."
I over take on the right whilst looking over and staring them out.
My dad on the other hand likes to teach them to drive and will sit right on their arse flashing his lights until they move over. I've had many words with him about this and he no longer does it when I'm in the car, but when I'm not... well old dog's, new tricks and all that!
I really like the lapping idea. This is the technique I am going to employ to educate motorway users in future.
@leonkehoe: I'm on a strict diet of French bread. That's just how I roll.
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