Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today

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Fri 16 Aug 2013 09:37
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - pullgees

Drivers middle lane hogging, tail gating, and using mobile phones phones, face tougher penalties from today.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23713732

As far as middle lane hogging goes could this new enforcement have unintended consequences, could we see much busier inside lanes with unsafe distances between vehicles? Will we see vehicles lane hopping or weaving unsafely resulting in more accidents?

I can foresee that spotting a police car in you rear view mirror if you happen to be in the middle lane for whatever reason will put pressure on you to get into the insde lane in a panic..

I don't think this is the best way to tackle the problem . Better education and another test for motorway driving.

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Fri 16 Aug 2013 09:46
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - V4 Heaven

I fear, though, that this new law will just be like the mobile phone law. IE, it may well be illegal but without any police to enforce it, no-one will take any notice.

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Fri 16 Aug 2013 10:03
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - RT

Given the number of cameras on motorways, can they not be used to "police" some of the issues like tailgating and lane hogging ?

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Fri 16 Aug 2013 12:13
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Bobbin Threadbare

I think most people will completely ignore this, until they spot some coppers out, and then try and get into the inside lane, whilst slowing down, to avoid the triple whammy of speeding, tailgating and hogging infractions. This will cause chaos. There are multiple lanes for a reason; if people used them properly in the first place (having been taught in their lessons) then this legislation wouldn't exist.

I think there should be a two part test comprising the standard test, then when you have passed that, you do the extended test, to get you onto the motorway. Basically, make Pass Plus compulsory. Most people don't bother with it as it only knocks about £40 of your insurance and it costs more than that to do it!

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Fri 16 Aug 2013 12:18
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Armitage Shanks {p}

I still don't really see how this going to work, if at all. Motorist pulled over for using a hand-held mobile; says he/she wasn't. What will be proof of the alleged offence? Same with tailgating, we all know, broadly, what it is but it if it is going to be a punishable offence it is going to have to be defined, presumably. And even if it is defined what will the proof be? Opinion, measurements taken from photographs? More knee-jerk legislation IMO. It is in force today, where can we see the rules? I don't condone either of the offences but I do see a major enforcement problem along the lines of who is around to do it and what will the proof be?

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Fri 16 Aug 2013 12:30
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Andrew-T

Motorist pulled over for using a hand-held mobile; says he/she wasn't. What will be proof of the alleged offence?

Most patrol cars have recording cameras? Can't really argue with those if it comes to the crunch.

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Sat 17 Aug 2013 19:42
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - barney100
All they have to do is check the phone account..aren't all call records available to read?
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Fri 16 Aug 2013 12:18
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - AngieS

Middle lane hogging is one of the lesser motoring misdemeanors, Police should be allowed to concentrate their efforts on catching people doing 'really' dangerous things like talking on their mobiles, something that goes on undected up and down the country and no real way of enforcing the law unless police and mobile yapping motorist happen to cross paths....why start another law when the ones in place are ineffective?? ah...revenue.

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Fri 16 Aug 2013 12:52
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Sofa Spud

This will turn lane hoggers into lane hoppers, which will be much more dangerous.

For instance, in place where the inside lane becomes a slip road leading off the motorway, one needs to get in lane in good time. If the motorway is busy and you want to stay on the main route, it makes good sense to get in the middle lane in good time, to avoid being trapped in the inside lane and forced to take an unwanted route. But now there's a possibility that people who select the middle lane at such junctions 'too earlly' could end up with a fine and 3 penalty points.

Re tailgating, I think that's a bit more clear-cut - if you follow someone too close for the speed or conditions, it's clearly dangerous and easy to spot. However, even then, there could be confusion. For instance, a single still photograph might not be evidence of tailgating, since it could be that an overtaking car had just cut in front of the alleged tailgater.

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Fri 16 Aug 2013 13:06
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - RT

What constitutes tailgating? We all have our opinion but how do you define it?

Very few drivers observe the 2-second "rule", more like under 1-second, but few of us count that as tailgating.

Few drivers stop at lights/junctions with the recommended "tyres visible on tarmac" distance and are often closer in traffic - is that tailgating?

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Fri 16 Aug 2013 13:20
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Armitage Shanks {p}

My point(s) exactly

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Fri 16 Aug 2013 13:58
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Galaxy

As with all these ideas, who is going to enforce them?

Please don't say the Traffic Police; there aren't any!

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Fri 16 Aug 2013 18:49
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - alastairq

Dunno what the issue is?

All that has changed is, the Police [or enforcing officer] now do not have to go to the hassle of preparing a case /evidence for Court.

And if the perpetrator doesn't agree with the ticket, they can opt to go to court anyway...as always was the case?

I don't think it will change the habits too many so-called drivers have got themselves into one iota.

And observations about the complete lack of enforcement are spot-on.

This can be recitified if [a] we go to a national ''highway patrol' system like the US, rather than policing roads via the local constabulary, or [b] we all, indvidually, stump up more money [and most of you are wealthy enough to not notice the hit]...to fund our local constabularies better, so they can employ more trafpols?

My views regarding motorway driving, and the apparent need for extra special training to drive on motorways, is that ,the idea is total boswewellox!

Motorways are the safest roads to drive on..and the easiest. [due for the most part to the lack of major conflicting traffic .]

Dual carriageways, on the other hand are vastly more challenging to drive on [although most so-called ''experienced'' drivers fail entirely to adapt from motorway driving mode to dual carriageway driving mode]..due to the presence of total conflict with other road users..ie the same conflict as on any other ordinary [single carriageway] road.....spiced up by those who still think dual cariageways are motorways in disguise..and so readliy get caught out.

And dual carriageways can, and do, fall as part of the syllabus for anyone undergoing a Cat B driving test.

Pass Plus is as much, if not more, about raising the awareness of a new driver to adverse conditions, night driving, and ettiquette on dual carriageway/motorway roads as anything else. A person who receives training on a dual carriageway [as they do now..or should do] will be more than correctly prepared for the realtive simplicity of a motorway.

If anyone thinks a motorway is a more dangerous place to be, they'd better slow down a lot more next time out..as it is the sheer unadulterated [and unwarranted ]speeds some people drive at, which creates any sort of danger...far more so than the ignorant actions of anyone else.

Lose some speed, and the actions of others will be easier to cope with.

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Fri 16 Aug 2013 19:31
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Armitage Shanks {p}

I regret that, if there is any extra funding for the police. I want it spent on proper investigations of burgalries and car theft, public violence, domestic violence and anit-social behaviour, amonng others. We could divert funds from some of our CCTV cameras to spend on feet on the beat

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Fri 16 Aug 2013 19:39
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Bobbin Threadbare

My views regarding motorway driving, and the apparent need for extra special training to drive on motorways, is that ,the idea is total boswewellox!

Motorways are the safest roads to drive on..and the easiest. [due for the most part to the lack of major conflicting traffic .]


There's no need for 'extra special training for the motorway'; I do believe that there is a need to teach people how to join the motorway safely, and the lane etiquette, which is neither taught or examined currently, unless you pay to do Pass Plus.

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Fri 16 Aug 2013 18:51
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Hamsafar

It should be enforced subjectively, by the Poilce, and people should be directed off at the next exit, but they no longer patrol motorways anyway.

I fear that I will be going down the centre lane at 4am because it is safer to do so and the road is empty and some dumb camera/computer will send a penalty 10 days later.

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Fri 16 Aug 2013 19:47
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Armitage Shanks {p}

Relax! SFAIK there are not, yet, cameras that can produce coordinated pictures of all 3 lanes of a Motorway. The Germans have have cameras which can detect tailgating and lane hogging isn't much of a problem as the majority of their motorways are 2 lane

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Fri 16 Aug 2013 21:02
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Sofa Spud

What about drivers who follow you along a slip road and decide who overtake you just as you're about to pull onto lane 1? That can be very dangerous and needs an awareness campaign to try and stop drivers from doing it.

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Fri 16 Aug 2013 22:23
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - RT

What about drivers who follow you along a slip road and decide who overtake you just as you're about to pull onto lane 1? That can be very dangerous and needs an awareness campaign to try and stop drivers from doing it.

That's partly down to poor road design - many slip roads have two marked lanes but then have no lane divider in the merge area - it wouldn't be an issue if driving standards were higher but what you describe happens all the time.

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Fri 16 Aug 2013 22:47
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - jamie745

Start today do they?

I find that hard to believe, as I've only seen two Police cars in the last month.

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Sat 17 Aug 2013 00:43
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - alastairq

I saw five the other week.....all surrounding a traffic incident.....leaving the rest of the county of Dorset to mind its own business?

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Sat 17 Aug 2013 07:37
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Armitage Shanks {p}

Perhaps you ought to get out more? LOL! Seriously, you are right, more laws to enforce and no enforcers. I saw a commentr the other day that we live in a Police State but without enough police to run it!

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Sat 17 Aug 2013 01:22
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Smileyman

Police patrol looking for illegal driving - someone has changed career into a comic ..........if the day is like today then half of any specific forces road police will be on the local motorway keeping eveyone waiting for 3+ hours ... I suppose proof for insurance claims will not be too difficult to obtain.

I expect there will be a 'blitz' at some point in the future, lots of press and then the lane hogging law will only be used when a stopped motorist cannot be caught for any other offence.

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Sat 17 Aug 2013 12:47
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - pullgees

Another kind of lane hogging or is it?

I'm overtaking a long line of vehicles who are travelling in the inside lane. They are travelling just under the speed limit of 70mph. There are some gaps I could pull into but no sooner have I done that I would need to pull out again. My speed is a constant 70mph so it takes me a while to get past the line and about a mile to do so. Meanwhile a line of vehicles has formed behind me all eager to go faster than myself ( over 70mph) and when I eventually pull into the the inside lane most of them overtake me.

Okay was I hogging and could I be given a ticket.?

Edited by pullgees on 17/08/2013 at 12:50

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Sat 17 Aug 2013 13:29
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - 72 dudes

Yes, you should pull over and let faster traffic past. If they want to break the law, let them.

No, you wouldn't get a ticket, because the gaps in the inside lane are small in the scenario you describe.

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Sat 17 Aug 2013 16:04
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - pullgees

Yes, you should pull over and let faster traffic past. If they want to break the law, let them.

No, you wouldn't get a ticket, because the gaps in the inside lane are small in the scenario you describe.

Okay so slow overtaking isn't hogging, HGVs do it all the time - but not pulling over no matter for how brief a period is hogging..

As an asde, it's a strange perception that if you prevent someone from breaking the speed limit you are hogging.

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Sat 17 Aug 2013 16:51
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - RT

The "keep left except when overtaking" is qualified in practice with "within a reasonable time" - so if the gap in the inner lane is sufficient to return there, travel in that lane and then indicate/move out to overtyake the next vehicle then that's how it should be done.

Some drivers seem to think that if they can see a vehicle travelling slower, however far away, that it's justified to stay out in an overtaking lane - this is lane hogging!

You're only hogging if it's reasonable to move over and then pull out again later - travelling at the permitted limit when others wish to exceed it still requires you to move over WHEN reasonable.

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Sat 17 Aug 2013 17:46
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - galileo

As has been pointed out previously, the self righteous MLOC members who believe they are travelling at 70 mph may only be travelling at 65 mph due to optimistic speedometers (mine is just 2mph over true speed) and it is not up to them to enforce speed limits, anyway.

Some believe middle lane hogging can be a symptom of lack of skill/confidence/awareness. I personally give them a wide berth, get past and away from them as soon as possible.

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Sat 17 Aug 2013 18:57
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - pullgees

As has been pointed out previously, the self righteous MLOC members who believe they are travelling at 70 mph may only be travelling at 65 mph due to optimistic speedometers (mine is just 2mph over true speed) and it is not up to them to enforce speed limits, anyway.

The term "hogging" suggests greed and selfishness but staying in middle lane is not necessarily so. Take somene who is over the speed limit in the middle lane - as most are anyway. All that person is doing is preventing a vehicle behind in the same lane from going even faster still, unless that vehicle chooses to use the outside lane which it usually does anyway. This is the method of motorway driving now - fast drivers do not bother with the inside lane.

Real hogging to me is when you get someone who is going below the speed limit and thinke he/she is on the limit in the centre lane and stubbornly refuses to move over. There is a difference.

Edited by pullgees on 17/08/2013 at 18:59

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Sat 17 Aug 2013 19:02
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Armitage Shanks {p}

I reckon to pull over into a slower lane if I can get in there and stay there for 10 seconds. About right or should I be looking at something a bit lower?

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Sat 17 Aug 2013 23:36
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - pullgees

The purpose of the new hogging enforcement is to deter those that drive within the speed limit or there abouts, but are causing inconvenience. Yet paradoxically the criminally fast drivers who never use the inside lane are the real serial hoggers, yet do not cause an inconvenience as they leave the rest behind. So it's not actually hogging per se that everybodys so riled up about, it's SLOW HOGGING, as judghed by others who want to get past.

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Sun 18 Aug 2013 00:25
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - 72 dudes

The purpose of the new hogging enforcement is to deter those that drive within the speed limit or there abouts, but are causing inconvenience. Yet paradoxically the criminally fast drivers who never use the inside lane are the real serial hoggers, yet do not cause an inconvenience as they leave the rest behind. So it's not actually hogging per se that everybodys so riled up about, it's SLOW HOGGING, as judghed by others who want to get past.

I don't agree. There are plenty of outside lane hoggers too, who because they are doing 80, refuse to pull into the middle (or third) lane when it's empty. Loads of this going on around Peterborough on the 4 lane stretch of the A1M

I'm not condoning the speeders who want to get past, but hogging is not speed related and more an arrogant state of mind, or as others have said, lack of confidence and incompetence.

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Sun 18 Aug 2013 00:42
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Smileyman

ie those who want to drive at 85 or 90 (or faster) - you could say the same on M2 on the approach to the Medway bridge, 4 lanes downhill then, after the bridge 4 lanes uphill

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Mon 19 Aug 2013 01:07
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - pullgees

I'm not condoning the speeders who want to get past, but hogging is not speed related and more an arrogant state of mind, or as others have said, lack of confidence and incompetence.

Pushing your way though traffic, going as fast as possible is hogging of the most dangerous kind; the inside lane is poison to them.

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Mon 19 Aug 2013 01:07
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - pullgees

I'm not condoning the speeders who want to get past, but hogging is not speed related and more an arrogant state of mind, or as others have said, lack of confidence and incompetence.

Pushing your way though traffic, going as fast as possible is hogging of the most dangerous kind; the inside lane is poison to them.

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Sun 18 Aug 2013 12:44
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - barney100

If we were allowed to overtake on the inside as well as the outside then the problem would go. I have just had two weeks with this system and encountered no road rage. It is just as easy to check your nearside mirror as your offside one and no one cares which lane you are in.

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Sun 18 Aug 2013 13:16
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Ben 10

Okay they're addressing middle lanehoggers.

But when you are in lane 1 and lane 2 is free, you still see the speed merchants bombing down lane three and refuse to move over to lane 2 or 1. No matter what you do these people complain about lane hoggers but seem to be stuck in lane 3 for their whole journey until they peel across at the last minute to leave at a junction. I find this manouvre more dangerous than lane hogging.

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Sun 18 Aug 2013 13:19
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Armitage Shanks {p}

It is permiied to overtake on the "inside" so long as one does not change lanes to do so. You doing 70 in left lane, coming on a mid-land user doing 65 - undertaking legal but an element of risk, obviously.

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Sun 18 Aug 2013 13:36
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - RT

It is permitted to overtake on the "inside" so long as one does not change lanes to do so. You doing 70 in left lane, coming on a mid-land user doing 65 - undertaking legal but an element of risk, obviously.

Not in the UK !!

Highway Code - section 163:-

* only overtake on the left if the vehicle in front is signalling to turn right and there is room to do so.

* stay in your lane if traffic is moving slowly in queues. If the queue on the right is moving more slowly than you are, you may pass on the left.

There are no other exceptions.

Edited by RT on 18/08/2013 at 13:37

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Sun 18 Aug 2013 14:57
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Armitage Shanks {p}

I agree, not in the circumstances id hypothesised! However it is permitted, obviously, in slow moving queuing traffic where lanes ar moving slowly and at varying speeds.

  • On all roads, undertaking is permitted if the vehicles in the lane to the right are queuing and slow moving. Undertaking in an aggressive or reckless manner could be considered Careless Driving or more seriously Dangerous Driving, both of which are legally enforceable offences
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Sun 18 Aug 2013 15:51
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - veryoldbear

Whatever.

Just come home from daughter's via A1(M), M25 and M40 and the middle lane mob were out in force today. It's made b*****all difference.

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Sun 18 Aug 2013 16:08
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - 72 dudes

Whatever.

Just come home from daughter's via A1(M), M25 and M40 and the middle lane mob were out in force today. It's made b*****all difference.

Weekends do seem to be worse in this respect: Possibly people who use motorways less travelling somewhere at the weekend with the mindset "I'm doing the speed I want to in the 'safest' lane. You lot can go around me".

Seem to be even fewer traffic cops around at weekends, so not surprised at veryoldbear's experience.

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Sun 18 Aug 2013 16:09
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - veryoldbear

I suspect you're right ...

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Sun 18 Aug 2013 18:15
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - alastairq

Seem to be even fewer traffic cops around at weekends, so not surprised at veryoldbear's experience.

Hey, it's August.....all the traffic Police are on leave.....things will be better after the next bank holiday.....unitl Christmas, that is.....
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Tue 20 Aug 2013 13:30
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Snakey

Another rule that won't be enforced.

Only time I see plod around my area is occasionally hiding in one of their 'safety' camera vans, on a corner on a dual carriageway, and only on sunny days I've noticed!

So although I don't use my phone etc whilst driving, its not going to bother anyone who does is it? I mean, its against the law to drive to work plastered/high etc, but in theory I could have done this every day for the that last year and as long as I kept to 50mph past the cash van I would have been ok.

Do we even have plod patrols on the motorways these days? I only ever see the wombles and they're usually in the service stations.

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Tue 20 Aug 2013 14:24
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - Bobbin Threadbare

Lancs police do - I see BTP and county officers most days on my way to work up the M6. They've got themselves some very nice cars too; unmarked silver Audi A6 is the latest.

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Wed 21 Aug 2013 22:06
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - rfm943

How about extending the offence to include HGV drivers who decide to overtake on a dual carriage way and take about 2 or 3 miles to complete the manouvre because of the speed limiter? Surely this is equally a form of lane hogging.

I drove up the M11 and A1 today to North Yorkshire and this must have happened three or four times, causing very long tailbacks in each case.

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Wed 21 Aug 2013 23:05
Lane hogging on-the-spot fines start today - alecsmart

Passing on the inside and outside works well in the USA where the majority of people seem to stick to the speed limit, there are fewer cars and far fewer trucks/lorries.

However (back in the UK) if drivers were aware that they may be 'undertaken' they may well be more inclined to move into the correct lane.

it is a real bugbear of mine when driving on th M25 - millions have been / are being spent on widening to 4 lanes and yet drivers insist on staying in lane two, three and four leaving lane one virtually empty!

Perhaps more reminders are needed to get evryone to stick to 'proper' lane discipline.

Edited by alecsmart on 21/08/2013 at 23:07

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