Middle Lane Driving Conviction

This came as a surprise to me...we dont have anything with 3 lanes here, so have been unaware of this new legislation...

A van driver from the North-west has become the first person to be convicted under new anti-social driving legislation.

http://www.confused.com/car-insuran...terMR20150706manual&utm_source=Newsletter0706

I remember this law coming in.
There are many "Don't Hog The Middle Lane" warnings on the overhead gantry signs these days.

Its a very subjective "law" and a simple revenue earner , If i,m on the motorway and the traffic in the nearside lane is for example interspersed lorries traveling below 70 mph then I stay in the middle rather than lane changing every 45 seconds the only people wanting to pass on the offside are people that are speeding so am I committing an offense?

I was in the UK in June and unaware of this new law. Could have easily been nicked.

Yes is the short answer, Keith.
The motorway speed limit for lorries is 60mph (most have engines governed to less, typically 50 to 56) so if you are staying in the middle lane all the time, the boys in blue can pull you over if they really want to. I doubt they'd do it in the scenario you mentioned though and think that the driver in the article was just a hogger so had his collar felt!

Thanks Mike no fault in my logic though constant lane changing with speeding cars about is a worse scenario its the lack of clarity I dont like

Many people don't realise that the speeds for trucks/lorries have just increased.
It is now 50mph on A roads instead of 40 previously.
Trucks were holding too many people up before.

At the foot of the article it does mention this difficulty with this one.

I find the same syndrome as you, Keith.

If you are in the middle lane on a Motorway, Keith, trucks will overtake the slower ones on the inside lane and then get back into the inside lane when they can so, hopefully, you shouldn't have to wait for a long time. Trucks are not allowed to use the outside lane also so that will allow cars to pass.

The fine was nearly a thousand quid Sounds like the nanny state has gone to far yet again. Next they will be telling you how to breath in and out

I think most of that was because he refused to pay initially.

I often find I am being tailgated at 70mph.

I see drivers hogging the motorway middle lane all the time and I don't like them being selfish when they are trained to drive and get back in by using their mirrors. They clog the motorways up and this is why it is now against the law which I agree with a lot.

Yes you are , you must move into the nearside lane when its safe to do so. Its not your concern that overtaking vehicles are speeding !

Hi Scott and therein lies the rub "when its safe to do so" is a subjective condition in my view it is "safer" to be at 70 in the middle lane rather than continual lane changing with lorries, speeders are of my concern as they add extra danger to lane changes

I think the argument about hogging the middle lane is separate to any consideration of speed limits. Even if you're doing 90mph and in the centre lane, you should still move over to the left if you're able to do so (without of course being forced to pull out again within ten seconds).

Whilst I agree that continual lane changing is also hazardous, I feel that this law is intended to penalize the more egregious examples of middle lane road-hogging where someone is bumbling along at whatever speed in the middle lane with a perfectly clear left-hand lane that they should be driving in.

I personally find it annoying to be driving fast in the left hand lane, rapidly catch up to someone stuck in the centre lane, no matter what speed they are going, and then have to move all the way across to the right hand side to pass them.

The only time I have heard of "someone" intentionally driving in the centre lane was for safety reasons on an empty motorway, when many years ago, at 3am, he wanted to see how fast he could drive the 200 miles to Yorkshire. The answer, 1 hour 40 minutes at an average of 125 mph also demonstrated to him that the British motorways are not built for that sort of speed. I seem to remember that he had to slow down to 120mph for the bends.

A (racing driver) friend of mine managed to exceed 200mph on the York ring road...early one morning.

That is not something to be proud of - Speed kills

Whatever...