Motorway Middle Lane Hoggers & Shareholders

Have you ever asked yourself why it is that many drivers, who use our motorways, seem to have an aversion to using lane–one, i.e. the inside or nearside lane? Everyone should know that the appropriate way to drive on a motorway is to use the furthest lane to the left, except for when overtaking, in which case, you should return to the left after completing the overtaking manoeuvre.

Why is it that some people will perminantly remain
in the middle of a three lane motorway?

What is fascinating to watch is when a three–lane carriageway changes into a four–lane carriageway, the Lane–Two Shareholder will immediately move over one more lane to the right and so become a Lane–Three Shareholder! Why? For what reason? It doesn’t seem to make any sense.

If these drivers were actually overtaking, or about to overtake something, their actions could be understood, but that is rarely the case. They will just change lanes on an empty section of motorway and sit there, mile after mile, very often at a speed that is less than the maximum permitted rate for the road.

Some of The Theories to Explain Lane Hogging

Laziness – Basically sitting there with thumb up bum, mind in neutral and can’t be bothered to do anything else. This type of driver will very often be completely oblivious as to what is going on behind as they very rarely look in the mirror, yet yhey cause congestion and certainly frustration to others.

Lack of confidence – This is a driver who does not feel comfortable with their ability to judge the speed of other vehicles approaching from behind and who has a fear of being a nuisance by getting in someone’s way when pulling out into Lane–Two from Lane–One. Their answer to this is to stay put in lane–two and let everyone else sort their lives out around them, whilst pretending not to notice.

Lack of consideration – Well, this one is included in most of the examples here. Basically, this is the driver that doesn’t give a monkey’s and who will carry on regardless of what effect he or she is having on everyone else.

Lack of knowledge – Do you know there are actually people out there who think that on a three lane motorway, lane–one has a 50mph speed limit, lane–two is 60mph and lane–three is 70mph? Where did this come from?

The preception of this being so has been heard of often and yet is totally wrong. The speed limit is the same whatever the lane you are in (unless signed individually by overhead gantry mounted variable speed limit signs). Actually, let us look at the lack of knowledge argument more closely, or shall we call it lack of training?

Who Was Ever Taught to Drive on a Motorway Properly?

This isn’t part of the driving test, as provisional licence holders are not permitted to drive on a motorway. Before you all start screaming about Pass Plus, just understand that even the worst driving instructor can apply to become a Pass Plus trainer, just by paying a fee and receiving a piece of paper in return.

As part of the process that takes a driving instructor to the point of being a recognised as being qualified to deliver driving lessons, they get no driver training for motorways and will not have any more of an idea about motorway driving than the general public you will meet on that road.

The only people who have any driver training in motorway techniques, and for working within the motorway environment, are those who have a job of work on that road type.

Roads policing officers (what used to be called police traffic patrol officers in the good old days), highways agency traffic officers, highways authority drivers and works contractors specialising in motorway works. These are people who spend their working days within the motorway environment and who have been trained to work there.

Almost All Driving Instructors Have No Motorway Driver Training

So you see, unless you are lucky enough to find a driving instructor who previously worked in one those occupations above, and was provided with motorway environment and motorway driver training, how is the Pass Plus driving intructor any better qualified than your mum or dad to teach you the techniques? Bear in mind also that no one with any real knowledge taught them either.

When hogging Lane–2 of a three land motorway it should be remembered that large trucks, buses and coaches are restricted from using the outermost lane by law, as are vehicles towing trailers. Therefore, drivers of these vehicles are prone to becoming rather annoyed when they are held back by someone in a car or light van who has poor lane discipline, sitting in what is the lorry driver’s only overtaking lane.

How do you deal with the Lane–2 or Lane–3 shareholder?

The first rule is to stay calm, rational and level–headed. Remember, that driver in front of you is very much an unknown quantity, and as such must be regarded as being somewhat unpredictable. it is easy to get carried away with the idea that you are a wonderful driver, and expect that everyone else should be of the same calibre, but it is not a bad idea to remind yourself that for the person in front, this could be their very first visit to a motorway. They could only just be finding their feet.

It could also be they have just that day passed their driving test, or they may have an eyesight defect. Don’t judge others by your own perceived standards. Always regard the ability of other drivers to be of the lowest and minimum level, and make allowances accordingly.

You Can Easily Become Involved in a Road Collision

This may not necessarily happen through the actions of another driver, but as a direct result of your actions made in response to the actions of that other driver, and because you have made a poor situation into a bad one.

Many drivers, when they encounter someone driving erratically, will insist upon getting up really close to them. Tailgating a driver who is exhibiting unpredictable behaviour really is the last position you want to be in. If you have a ditherer, or an erratic driver in front of you, then back off. Back right away, because you may need all the space you can get if the driver of that car you have been following does something completely off the wall.

Think DANGER! Think space! There is nothing heroic or macho in using your vehicle to breathe down another drivers neck, just because he or she has annoyed you in some way.

Trying to punish another driver can so easily end in tears for you, and is definitely not worth losing your no claims bonus over, when it all goes wrong. So many incidents are caused in this way.

How To Deal With a Motorway Lane Hogger

If you encounter an outer lane shareholder who is impeding your progress, and you are wondering what to you do, consider the following options.

Try to assess the occupant(s) of that vehicle. Are they elderly? Are they foreign (remembering that in some other countries the rules allow overtaking on either side)?

Is the driver apparently paying attention to what he or she is doing? Are they chattering, or have unruly kids leaping around inside the car?

Have you found yourself a car containing yobs who are just waiting for an opportunity to bait someone into creating an incident? It does happen.

All these matters are what we call Impact Factors, and that simply means that you should ask yourself the question, what impact could the vehicle and its occupants have upon me due to the way the driver is behaving? What can I reasonably expect to happen as a result of any action I make in response to that behaviour?

Having considered all these matters, and if you make the judgement the driver ahead is just perhaps having a lapse of concentration, keep a nice safe distance back and give one flash of your headlights, lasting for a period of no more than about two–three seconds. Now wait for about twenty to thirty seconds to see if you get a response before trying it again.

We recommend this should be attempted on no more than three occasions, after which you are just going to have to be patient and be content to follow. If you are really smart you will move left and let someone else have a go. After all, it won’t be you that is seen as being aggressive in that case, and if the other driver does get a result, you can take the opportunity to pass also.

If the headlamp flashing achieves a favourable result, overtake the vehicle smartly, and when you are ahead, show some common courtesy by acknowledging the other driver’s actions by raising your left hand to the level of the internal mirror for a moment. Keep your fingers closed tight together so as not to make the action look like any other form of salute.

How to Use a Headlamp Flash and Not Cause Offence

With regard to the headlight flashing procedure, it may serve well to remember some very important points where this is concerned.

Always make sure the driver ahead, who you are asking to move left, actually does have a break in the traffic to move into. It is no use getting angry with someone who is along side an articulated truck and not instantly moving out of your way.

When making a flash of the headlights always have a good look into the mirrors of that vehicle to see if the driver had seen you and is in fact looking back at you.

Don’t get in so tight to the vehicle ahead, especially if it is a van or other goods vehicle, as your lights may be outside the field of view offered by their rear view mirrors. It can also be regarded as intimidating, bullying or aggressive. Not only that, you could end up having a shunt into the back of it, and that will then be your fault.

Don’t, under any circumstances, use multiple flashes as this really is aggressive. Very large areas of British motorways are now covered by CCTV, so think to yourself how your actions will be perceived in the cold light of another day in a Courtroom when the Magistrates are watching a playback of a video of your behaviour.

With no commentary sound track, and with only the part where you are apparently intimidating another driver being captured on the footage, what will that look like? It’s called Third Party Perception and we’ve dedicated a whole edition of within our series of Advanced Driving Tips to this topic, as it is an important subject.

Don’t sound your horn and don’t pressure or intimidate others, no matter how much you feel it may be justified. If you don’t want to see someone get really angry, then don’t make someone who has his or her children in the car feel threatened. That will really bring out the primeval instincts and you will quickly find that you have bitten off more than you can chew.

Don’t overtake on the inside. This can also be picked up on camera and is something for which you can be prosecuted for in Court.

Don’t overtake using the hard shoulder. This can actually result in you spending time in prison. Not recommended!

Just chill out. Getting angry does not make your vehicle go any faster. It clouds your judgement and your sense of reasoning. It can also bring upon you a whole heap of trouble. Take deep and slow breaths, and remain focused away from emotion. Keep your wits about you, stay safe and within the rules.

To finish off this edition we would just like to say this to those who do like to claim lane–two or lane–three as their own.

This may be a good opportunity to re–evaluate your driving habits by taking a good, long and hard look at what it is that you do. Be honest with yourself, and if you can admit that you are perhaps lacking in some way, then why not do something about it? Get yourself a refresher or an advanced driver training course. There are plenty of companies and organisations out there delivering good service. It will make life so much easier in the long–term.

Julian Smith
Ride Drive Limited

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This page was last updated
Thursday, 27-Jan-2011

Motorway Middle Lane Hoggers & Shareholders