Motorway middle-lane hoggers to face on-the-spot fines.

Having had some lessons from a police class 1 instructor I'm well aware of their capabilities and opinions. Most of them are petrol heads and love getting to drive fast. Once the boss hands out quotas (that don't exist of course) their behaviours will change just like those of traffic wardens.

General guidance from road craft is if you will have to change lanes again within 20 seconds stay put. Add in that you should maintain and leave a safe distance (think the two second rule), when changing lane then a lot of the time you should stay put. Add in the HGV racing and you've got a recipe for something almost unworkable.

I'm going to be investing in both front and rear facing witness cams for both cars. Partly for the protection in the event of an accident, but also in case of needing to dispute an arbitrary ticket attempt. And of course the added benefit of catching an unmarked car tailgating which several of us have had...
 
I recall when I was a child back in the 60s they used to show adverts on how to drive correctly on motorways and the one regarding moving back into the left lane still sticks in my mind today. Maybe if they bring these informative short clips back onto our TVs things may improve on our roads. Far better to improve the nations driving through education than through on the spot fines :|
 
Blimey, there are some real conspiracy theorists on here.
The new tickets will not result in loads more on the spot fines, the idea is education. If you get stopped for middle lane hogging (obviously no one on here would do such a thing) and you are "normal"...I.e aren't a self righteous gobshite, you will either receive a warning OR be given the option of attending an educational course...either theory or practical. This will cost you obviously but will keep your licence free of points. If you are a self righteous gobshite, you will probably get the offer of a ticket OR exercise your right to go to court.
Quite why everyone is so wound up tho...I regularly drive from Yorkshire to Dover and return and seldom ever see a cop car. :wink:
 
boristhebold said:
Quite why everyone is so wound up tho...I regularly drive from Yorkshire to Dover and return and seldom ever see a cop car. :wink:
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Did you not hear the acpo rep on the radio today? This was addressed on the interview and she talked about using the mainstream police for this. So non specialists will be writing your traffic tickets. You could probably get a replay on iPlayer from this morning's today program if you're so inclined.
 
I just don't get all the negative stuff. The police will not be looking for every opportunity to trump up a stupid charge and hit someone with a £60+ fine. All this does is enables them the catch blatant offenders and educate and discuss without the need to resort to court and all the paperwork involved.

Take a drive down the M40 and witness doddering old fools (and other groups that I will not mention :wink: ) sat in the middle lane with not a car around or in other places Mr impatient undercutting and using the hard shoulder. They will be the target and hopefully be educated and if not, get a ticket. If they don't like it they can appeal, but in my experience the police like real clear cut examples.

Clearly what we have now isn't working very well so has to be worth a try..
 
If applied correctly I'm sure it would help

I have a problem with another instant 3 point hit though without trial - this costs a fortune over the years on added insurance and let's face it you are not going to argue in the back seat of the traffic car!

Why are all road traffic offences increasingly coming with points - surely the fine is enough??
 
This was addressed on the interview and she talked about using the mainstream police for this. So non specialists will be writing your traffic tickets.
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Where do you think Traffic Cops come from ? If you were sideswiped at a set of lights by someone running a red light and a 'mainstream cop' turned up, would you expect him/her to deal with it or say, ''oops, sorry, it isn't something I am qualified to deal with''. I personally can't see what is wrong with RodthePlod writing a ticket for most offences, speeding being the general exception due to the lack of electronic equipment in a Corsa/Astra.
There are fewer and fewer traffic cops now, some Forces do not have a dedicated traffic dept, others use them for firearms/traffic depending on what's going on.
I do find it amusing how people get on their high horse about getting issued a ticket for an issue with their driving. I have had 3 speeding tickets in 30 yrs. Didn't argue the toss, didn't moan and try to 'get off it'. I am like most motorists, I exceed the speed limit most days..if only by a few mph. I don't lane hog or drive like a twat so the new tickets won't worry me. :thumbsup:
 
Spikey said:
If applied correctly I'm sure it would help

I have a problem with another instant 3 point hit though without trial - this costs a fortune over the years on added insurance and let's face it you are not going to argue in the back seat of the traffic car!

Why are all road traffic offences increasingly coming with points - surely the fine is enough??
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I think more offences need points as fines are of little matter to most people.
What's a £60 fine when you drive £10k - £100k+ car. I wouldn't care, but points would bother most as they affect insurance and enough would cost the licence.
 
For many high miler motorist who frequent the motorways, middle lane hoggers are the most deplorable, it's just so frustrating to see. The more miles you do the greater the frustration, for me it's typified by the 4 lane M1 near Nottingham lanes 1 & 2 quiet, lane 3 busy and lane 4 full, nose to tail.

As far as I'm concerned there should be an automatic fine, policed by motorway surveillance, for middle lane hoggers. However, for those that use their rear intensity lights in rain, they should just be shot....no trial, no jury, no judge just a bullet in the back of the head :D
 
sars said:
For many high miler motorist who frequent the motorways, middle lane hoggers are the most deplorable, it's just so frustrating to see. The more miles you do the greater the frustration, for me it's typified by the 4 lane M1 near Nottingham lanes 1 & 2 quiet, lane 3 busy and lane 4 full, nose to tail.
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That is bad Sars. I share your pain.
 
original guvnor said:
sars said:
For many high miler motorist who frequent the motorways, middle lane hoggers are the most deplorable, it's just so frustrating to see. The more miles you do the greater the frustration, for me it's typified by the 4 lane M1 near Nottingham lanes 1 & 2 quiet, lane 3 busy and lane 4 full, nose to tail.
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That is bad Sars. I share your pain.
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+1 - it's the high motorway milers that will feel the strongest about this, me being one of them. I have been told by a middle laner at work he can't be bothered changing lane because it will make him dizzy looking around! Get off the fooking road then you :wkr:
 
For me, a great idea. Every time I go on M1 it feels like things are reversed. All the traffic in outside lanes.

Be interesting to see how it is enforced though. As someone noted earlier, hardly see any police cars on motorway.
 
Silverfox said:
I recall when I was a child back in the 60s they used to show adverts on how to drive correctly on motorways and the one regarding moving back into the left lane still sticks in my mind today. Maybe if they bring these informative short clips back onto our TVs things may improve on our roads. Far better to improve the nations driving through education than through on the spot fines :|
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I remember those! They also advised on how to join a motorway - Not just barge on like they do now. :x
 
Tricky.

Will the police dish out fines they needn't? Every now and then probably. As is always the way from any enforcement.

We have too many cars on the roads, driving conditions that some folk cant handle so just use the middle lane as a safe zone and a lane people think is a 'fast lane' rather than an overtaking lane.
Even if you change the mindset to that of the French just the sheer weight of traffic on our roads makes it difficult for us all to adhere to all the time though.

I think we should be leaving the indicator flashing for the whole overtake process like the french do as a reminder that we are in a particular lane for a reason.

What else can you do apart from issue fines and warnings?
 
Education is the way foward; go on a short journey in a car with a few of my girlfriends mates who drive in lane 3 with nothing in 1 or 2 for miles and miles until sombody "sneaks" up behind and flashes the head lights and then its all 'whats this guys problem?'

Errr you might be in the 3rd lane for no reason

Same as going round roundabouts and cutting through every lane until somebody toots and then they can't work out why????

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
 
sam1832 said:
Education is the way foward; go on a short journey in a car with a few of my girlfriends mates who drive in lane 3 with nothing in 1 or 2 for miles and miles until sombody "sneaks" up behind and flashes the head lights and then its all 'whats this guys problem?'

Errr you might be in the 3rd lane for no reason

Same as going round roundabouts and cutting through every lane until somebody toots and then they can't work out why????

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
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Top tip: NEVER comment on this behavior - it'll only end in tears!
 
ItHurts said:
sam1832 said:
Education is the way foward; go on a short journey in a car with a few of my girlfriends mates who drive in lane 3 with nothing in 1 or 2 for miles and miles until sombody "sneaks" up behind and flashes the head lights and then its all 'whats this guys problem?'

Errr you might be in the 3rd lane for no reason

Same as going round roundabouts and cutting through every lane until somebody toots and then they can't work out why????

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...

Top tip: NEVER comment on this behavior - it'll only end in tears!
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My lips are always sealed

I just close my eyes and pretend to be asleep otherwise I feel like I have to say something

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
 
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