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[the alarming man]

I tend to use the company's vehicles as  battering rams as it saves me no end of money on body repairs to my car

ahhh I see my training is paying off lol.............

[Rods2]

We all have a duty to drive with due care and attention. This means defensive driving and accepting that like ourselves other people also make mistakes.

Riding a motorcycle is very good for practicing observation and defensive riding as it is irrelevant who's fault it is as it is you that is going to get hurt.

I would say in the situation mentioned, that there is more of a a being polite driver onus by the person overtaking in lane three as they have more options and they are also not impeding the car in lane one who wants to overtake a slower moving vehicle.

If there is a collision between the cars in lane one and three, where they both are trying to occupy the same space, then IMO they are both not driving with due care and attention.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Of course the common way to overcome the lane 1 and 3 dilemma is to stay in the middle lane at all times! 

[chrisgixer]

Of course the common way to overcome the lane 1 and 3 dilemma is to stay in the middle lane at all times! 

...yeah....while admiring the view. Aye Tig

[Sir Tigger KC]

Of course the common way to overcome the lane 1 and 3 dilemma is to stay in the middle lane at all times! 

...yeah....while admiring the view. Aye Tig

[/highlight]

No Chris the determined middle lane driver wears virtual blinkers, so he/she is oblivious to his/her surroundings and fellow motorists!   

[Kevin Wood]

Of course the common way to overcome the lane 1 and 3 dilemma is to stay in the middle lane at all times! 

...yeah....while admiring the view. Aye Tig

What? Looking through the windows? Sheesh! Observant drivers in your middle lane, clearly. Down here on the M3, they're normally sitting with a clipboard / iPad on their laps, gradually slowing down until they're being overtaken by lorries on the inside.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

It's such a grey area, as said, surprised no-one's been able to quote directly from a highway code/similar book. It's a serious point, made, of course,and in the event of a collision - who is responsible - who's insurance pays for the damage/injury to who? Hmm...

Have to say I normally merrily bimble along on motorways in lane 1, and can sit behind a lorry, pop the cruise control on, knowing I'm at an economical speed, and will get to my destination eventually.  Hate middle lane owner's club (who doesnt?) but lane 3 has unofficially become the 'Exec Saloon / Porsche / Rep / Chav in Fiesta' lane where you can apparently do 90mph all day long without anyone batting an eyelid. The concept of a vehicle then overtaking said person in lane 2 seems to massively aggravate the lane 3 guy in the 5-series who has 'the right' to be doing 95mph, were it not for this 'idiot' 'crawling along' at a mere 70mph in some beat-up old Vauxhall Omega, getting in his way.

Off topic, but was in a 20 the other day. Car 6 inch off my back bumper. Now to be fair I was doing 22-25mph, so really I was speeding. But he was there, waving his arms, fuming mad at this 'idiot' in front of him. Sorry, but if you do the maths I'm basically doing 20% over the speed limit.  That intimidating attitude precipitates me to want to move to 30, and potentially get done for speeding... again. And it's ultimately that intimidating attitude that causes accidents.

[Jusme]

I realise this is totally pedantic relevant to Op's initial post but, I must have been labouring under a misconception all these years?? I always understood that on a 3 lane motorway, lane 2 is the 'fast' lane and lane 3 is the overtaking lane?? It never made sense to me as, if the middle lane is the fast lane, e.g. travelling at max allowable speed, to overtake in any lane would be speeding...?? 

[Kevin Wood]

Off topic, but was in a 20 the other day. Car 6 inch off my back bumper. Now to be fair I was doing 22-25mph, so really I was speeding. But he was there, waving his arms, fuming mad at this 'idiot' in front of him. Sorry, but if you do the maths I'm basically doing 20% over the speed limit.  That intimidating attitude precipitates me to want to move to 30, and potentially get done for speeding... again. And it's ultimately that intimidating attitude that causes accidents.

I normally "drive to rule" if that happens. Down to the speed limit and stop for every old lady who looks like she might be thinking about crossing. The retard behind isn't going to be able to stop if anything happens, so I have to be doubly sure that I have all bases covered.

[Kevin Wood]

I realise this is totally pedantic relevant to Op's initial post but, I must have been labouring under a misconception all these years?? I always understood that on a 3 lane motorway, lane 2 is the 'fast' lane and lane 3 is the overtaking lane?? It never made sense to me as, if the middle lane is the fast lane, e.g. travelling at max allowable speed, to overtake in any lane would be speeding...?? 

There is no distinction between any lanes on a motorway except that certain vehicles are prohibited from the right hand lane. (towing vehicles, minibuses, goods vehicles, etc.)

You should be driving in the left hand lane when the road is clear, and move to the right to overtake, moving back left when the road is clear. Weight of traffic might result in  vehicles cruising in all lanes, of course.

Oh, and when there are more than 3 lanes, the majority of drivers seen unable to comprehend that the above can still be applied. The middle lane hoggers appear to gauge their driving by the numb er of lanes between them and the central reservation, and ignore any lanes to their left, save to swerve across them when they come to exit the motorway.

[aaronjb]

Oh, and when there are more than 3 lanes, the majority of drivers seen unable to comprehend that the above can still be applied. The middle lane hoggers appear to gauge their driving by the numb er of lanes between them and the central reservation, and ignore any lanes to their left, save to swerve across them when they come to exit the motorway.

Yes, yes and thrice yes! Drives me absolutely nuts. 2am, deserted M25 and what do you find? Someone in L4 of 5 with nothing around them.

Makes me feel like installing something like this on the truck: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3042699/Bomb-disposal-scrambled-terror-police-alert-dummy-wearing-balaclava-spotted-boat-sailing-Thames-fake-missile-launcher-top.html

[Kevin Wood]

Oh, and when there are more than 3 lanes, the majority of drivers seen unable to comprehend that the above can still be applied. The middle lane hoggers appear to gauge their driving by the numb er of lanes between them and the central reservation, and ignore any lanes to their left, save to swerve across them when they come to exit the motorway.

Yes, yes and thrice yes! Drives me absolutely nuts. 2am, deserted M25 and what do you find? Someone in L4 of 5 with nothing around them.

Makes me feel like installing something like this on the truck: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3042699/Bomb-disposal-scrambled-terror-police-alert-dummy-wearing-balaclava-spotted-boat-sailing-Thames-fake-missile-launcher-top.html

Yes, a  kind of "Right turn, Clyde" on steroids.

[chrisgixer]

I realise this is totally pedantic relevant to Op's initial post but, I must have been labouring under a misconception all these years?? I always understood that on a 3 lane motorway, lane 2 is the 'fast' lane and lane 3 is the overtaking lane?? It never made sense to me as, if the middle lane is the fast lane, e.g. travelling at max allowable speed, to overtake in any lane would be speeding...?? 

There is no distinction between any lanes on a motorway except that certain vehicles are prohibited from the right hand lane. (towing vehicles, minibuses, goods vehicles, etc.)

You should be driving in the left hand lane when the road is clear, and move to the right to overtake, moving back left when the road is clear. Weight of traffic might result in  vehicles cruising in all lanes, of course.

Oh, and when there are more than 3 lanes, the majority of drivers seen unable to comprehend that the above can still be applied. The middle lane hoggers appear to gauge their driving by the numb er of lanes between them and the central reservation, and ignore any lanes to their left, save to swerve across them when they come to exit the motorway.

Indeed
Simply,keep left. It's in the Highway Code. It's how motorways where designed afaik.

The only time not keeping left is the ideal is when traffic is joining the motorway. But that is simply an extension of overtaking slower traffic in that moving to lane 2 means passing slower vehicles to give them room IF SAFE TO DO SO. Not shouting here but emphasising the fact that it still isn't appropriate to change lanes and cause other traffic to swerve or brake to accommodate, more that driving in lane 1 means one might very well need to adjust ones speed to allow traffic onto the motorway.

http://www.m.driving-test-success.com/motorwaydriving.html

It's a very simple theory. Keep left. Only moving right to overtake. Regardless of the number of lanes.

[05omegav6]

I realise this is totally pedantic relevant to Op's initial post but, I must have been labouring under a misconception all these years?? I always understood that on a 3 lane motorway, lane 2 is the 'fast' lane and lane 3 is the overtaking lane?? It never made sense to me as, if the middle lane is the fast lane, e.g. travelling at max allowable speed, to overtake in any lane would be speeding...?? 

Always use the left hand lane unless actually overtaking unless it is unsafe to do so.

Pretty clear cut imho

Doesn't matter whether the road has two, three, five or even six lanes. Unless you are passing a vehicle to your left, there is a red cross above the lane or the lane has become an exit lane, then all the lanes are equally overtaking lanes except for the leftmost one

[Gaffers]

I utterly agree although on roads like the m25 by heathrow where you have 5 lanes it gets tricky.  If everyone followed the highway code on that stretch in the mornings there would be no space to pull in to the nearside and make you exit.  It's already like threading a needle though a gnat's vagina as it is.