Make a donation

Author Topic: Anti-Social Motoring Reforms - Your Thoughts?  (Read 7757 times)

Offline ConeKiller

  • Always Involved
  • ****
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 15
  • -Receive: 5
  • Posts: 215
Re: Anti-Social Motoring Reforms - Your Thoughts?
« Reply #15 on: June 05, 2013, 04:48:10 pm »
I don't think pass plus should be mandatory. I think some sort of motorway training would be ideal however it's not really that hard to understand is it?
Use the left-most lane when possible at all times.

Don't think you need to pay an addition £400 for some further lessons to work that out!  :happy2:

Price has gone up then  :surprised:

I paid £125, was with the same instructor that taught me to drive and was for 6 hours! Driving in dark, rain, motorways, and a few other parts.

Definitely should be put in the theory test!

Offline Hurdy

  • Just look at my post count
  • ******
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 52
  • -Receive: 137
  • Posts: 7683
Re: Anti-Social Motoring Reforms - Your Thoughts?
« Reply #16 on: June 05, 2013, 05:11:54 pm »
I must admit, I tend to stay in the middle lane longer than I probably should do after overtaking, especially if there is another vehicle a few hundred yards ahead. Although I'm not exactly a middle lane hogger, or doing 50mph.  :laugh:

However if there are two vehicles 150m apart it would take more than half a mile to overtake the second vehicle if it was doing 60mph and I was doing 70mph, so I'd fall foul of the law given video evidence over half a mile, BUT if I pulled in after overtaking the first car and leaving a 50m gap before doing so, I'd be too close to the vehicle in front! :confused:
Golf R gone.

Offline bigeyd

  • Always Involved
  • ****
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 66
  • -Receive: 31
  • Posts: 454
Re: Anti-Social Motoring Reforms - Your Thoughts?
« Reply #17 on: June 05, 2013, 05:15:35 pm »
Whats wrong with this is that if your on your mobile phone talking to someone or texting them then you get the same fine as someone driving in the middle lane of a motorway,surely you have more chance of causing a crash when on your mobile ??
The phone fine should be upped imho

Offline vRS Carl

  • Just look at my post count
  • ******
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 282
  • -Receive: 240
  • Posts: 3088
  • I'm the F.A.G (Forum Apple Guru)
Re: Anti-Social Motoring Reforms - Your Thoughts?
« Reply #18 on: June 05, 2013, 05:18:17 pm »
The phone fine is being increased, or so it said on the news today.

Offline Hurdy

  • Just look at my post count
  • ******
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 52
  • -Receive: 137
  • Posts: 7683
Re: Anti-Social Motoring Reforms - Your Thoughts?
« Reply #19 on: June 05, 2013, 05:20:37 pm »
Whats wrong with this is that if your on your mobile phone talking to someone or texting them then you get the same fine as someone driving in the middle lane of a motorway,surely you have more chance of causing a crash when on your mobile ??
The phone fine should be upped imho

The middle lane fine should be lowered to a nominal £30. Enough to deter people if caught, but not too much as to bankrupt someone if they are strapped for cash. Fines for mobile users should definitely be upped too as it is dangerous. Hogging the middle lane isn't exactly dangerous, it is just annoying for car users and downright pisses off lorry drivers who can't use the outer lane.
Golf R gone.

Offline benj1989

  • Always Involved
  • ****
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 0
  • -Receive: 0
  • Posts: 138
Re: Re: Anti-Social Motoring Reforms - Your Thoughts?
« Reply #20 on: June 05, 2013, 05:21:23 pm »
I think if the lanes are all free then should be able to stay in the middle. Saves having to move from left to middle back to left at every sliproad and service station. If the roads start to clogg up then yeah reapply the stay left rule tho.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

Offline bigeyd

  • Always Involved
  • ****
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 66
  • -Receive: 31
  • Posts: 454
Re: Anti-Social Motoring Reforms - Your Thoughts?
« Reply #21 on: June 05, 2013, 05:21:39 pm »
The phone fine is being increased, or so it said on the news today.


"Current fixed penalties for using a phone while driving or not wearing a seatbelt will also rise by £40 to £100."
BBC News

Offline xjay1337

  • Just look at my post count
  • ******
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 15
  • -Receive: 377
  • Posts: 4916
  • My Ride: http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,88399.0.html
Re: Re: Anti-Social Motoring Reforms - Your Thoughts?
« Reply #22 on: June 05, 2013, 05:53:27 pm »
I think if the lanes are all free then should be able to stay in the middle. Saves having to move from left to middle back to left at every sliproad and service station. If the roads start to clogg up then yeah reapply the stay left rule tho.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

Sorry let me just be clear.
Save yourself the HASSLE of moving lanes?

If you can't drive in the correct lane at 2am then I severely doubt you are going to drive in the correct lane at 5pm in rush hour.

Offline jonnym

  • Won't Shut up.
  • *****
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 40
  • -Receive: 22
  • Posts: 902
Re: Re: Anti-Social Motoring Reforms - Your Thoughts?
« Reply #23 on: June 05, 2013, 06:23:42 pm »
I think if the lanes are all free then should be able to stay in the middle. Saves having to move from left to middle back to left at every sliproad and service station. If the roads start to clogg up then yeah reapply the stay left rule tho.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

Sorry let me just be clear.
Save yourself the HASSLE of moving lanes?

If you can't drive in the correct lane at 2am then I severely doubt you are going to drive in the correct lane at 5pm in rush hour.


Correct there Jay. The BBC had a qoute saying that people feel """safer""" sitting in the middle lane. When I was passenger on the drove up to Harrogate on the weekend I looked at each driver just 'sat' in the middle to try and gauge any reaction (ie: where were they looking/hand position on steering wheel/any head movement checking mirrors). Yes, I have about 4 seconds per driver but a common trait was........hand locked at 10-2, dead stare straight, no movement to check blind spots/ mirrors. Yes a very crude test, but as said above, this to me says, I don't want to be here and i'm scared. More training is a potential answer but don't think it'll work with lots. I genuinely don't know what i'd do.

As for evidence for the offences. All it needs now is a police officer to witness some bad driving, think that's enough to prosecute, stop driver, report to court and officer does a QUALITY statement and report thing. Forwarded to traffic people who get the court to summons. Nothing will change. It'll be like any other ticket. As it's a 3 points ticket the quality of evidence will need to be good. Problem atm is alot of people just accept tickets. If challenged to court, alot of tickets would be cancelled. As most ticket get paid, police officers don't generally write good statements as it's another thing to do before they clock off. In the case of the new ticket for careless driving, if you get one and think hang on, that's not very fair, take it to court and you'll be sent the evidence. If the evidence doesn't prove the offence beyond reasonable doubt then it'll be easy to get it binned. All you need to do is bring in an element of doubt.

Video evidence is good, but not necessary, but of course if we're talking about motorways generally you will be videod.
@PSW - "Candy white ones are the nicest and fastest"

Offline rich83

  • Just look at my post count
  • ******
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 165
  • -Receive: 802
  • Posts: 13444
    • MK5 Golf GTI
  • My Ride: https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=cbi72c3i698kho9nqeq5v1ttq9&/topic,19740.0.html
Re: Anti-Social Motoring Reforms - Your Thoughts?
« Reply #24 on: June 05, 2013, 06:28:42 pm »
I must admit.... it does feel safer in the middle lane when doing 17 leptons...   :evilgrin:

Offline benj1989

  • Always Involved
  • ****
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 0
  • -Receive: 0
  • Posts: 138
Re: Re: Re: Re: Anti-Social Motoring Reforms - Your Thoughts?
« Reply #25 on: June 05, 2013, 06:37:40 pm »
I think if the lanes are all free then should be able to stay in the middle. Saves having to move from left to middle back to left at every sliproad and service station. If the roads start to clogg up then yeah reapply the stay left rule tho.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

Sorry let me just be clear.
Save yourself the HASSLE of moving lanes?

If you can't drive in the correct lane at 2am then I severely doubt you are going to drive in the correct lane at 5pm in rush hour.
not sure I said I do it.I drove in the slow lane when on the motorway most of the time anyway as have little boy. Also you have no idea of my driving ability good or bad...... Thanks for you reply tho. It was just my opinion.

Iv never been on the motorway and thought dam that person in middle lane  move over to the left... Not my business what other drivers do.

I no some people get angry about middle lane driving to the point of road rage but I'm not too bothered. I can see a lot more congestion because less people will use the middle lane.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

Offline stealthwolf

  • Just look at my post count
  • ******
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 306
  • -Receive: 291
  • Posts: 7835
  • ED30 No.1412
    • Email
Re: Anti-Social Motoring Reforms - Your Thoughts?
« Reply #26 on: June 05, 2013, 07:03:53 pm »
I hate middle lane hoggers because they tend not to be thinking about what's around them, as pointed out above. If they're too afraid to drive on the motorway, perhaps they shouldn't be there?

FWIW I passed my test during uni but didn't start driving until a little later. I did what was essentially pass plus and it gave me much more confidence. I also did six hours' motorway driving with parents and was happy to drive solo thereafter.

The GTI isn't just a machine. It's very much a living, breathing thing.

Offline xjay1337

  • Just look at my post count
  • ******
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 15
  • -Receive: 377
  • Posts: 4916
  • My Ride: http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,88399.0.html
Re: Re: Anti-Social Motoring Reforms - Your Thoughts?
« Reply #27 on: June 05, 2013, 07:22:58 pm »
I think if the lanes are all free then should be able to stay in the middle. Saves having to move from left to middle back to left at every sliproad and service station. If the roads start to clogg up then yeah reapply the stay left rule tho.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

Sorry let me just be clear.
Save yourself the HASSLE of moving lanes?

If you can't drive in the correct lane at 2am then I severely doubt you are going to drive in the correct lane at 5pm in rush hour.


Correct there Jay. The BBC had a qoute saying that people feel """safer""" sitting in the middle lane. When I was passenger on the drove up to Harrogate on the weekend I looked at each driver just 'sat' in the middle to try and gauge any reaction (ie: where were they looking/hand position on steering wheel/any head movement checking mirrors). Yes, I have about 4 seconds per driver but a common trait was........hand locked at 10-2, dead stare straight, no movement to check blind spots/ mirrors. Yes a very crude test, but as said above, this to me says, I don't want to be here and i'm scared. More training is a potential answer but don't think it'll work with lots. I genuinely don't know what i'd do.

As for evidence for the offences. All it needs now is a police officer to witness some bad driving, think that's enough to prosecute, stop driver, report to court and officer does a QUALITY statement and report thing. Forwarded to traffic people who get the court to summons. Nothing will change. It'll be like any other ticket. As it's a 3 points ticket the quality of evidence will need to be good. Problem atm is alot of people just accept tickets. If challenged to court, alot of tickets would be cancelled. As most ticket get paid, police officers don't generally write good statements as it's another thing to do before they clock off. In the case of the new ticket for careless driving, if you get one and think hang on, that's not very fair, take it to court and you'll be sent the evidence. If the evidence doesn't prove the offence beyond reasonable doubt then it'll be easy to get it binned. All you need to do is bring in an element of doubt.

Video evidence is good, but not necessary, but of course if we're talking about motorways generally you will be videod.

I was reading that report earlier.  :smiley:
Personally I don't think that is an excuse. You are not really any further away from a verge/fence/barrier in the middle lane than you are the inside lane, taking into account the hard-shoulder.  :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared:
In effect you are simply changing which "side" you have more space on.... It's still no excuse.


I agree with your findings, normally they are the "stare ahead, 10-2 position" driver, but is that an excuse? They are so blind/ignorant of what's going on around them that they are not able to follow the most simple, basic of rules that, as drivers, we should be abiding by?
My personal believe is if you are scared of driving on the motorway, stick to the inside lane and do 55-60 the lorrys. Or don't drive on them at all.

Middle lane hoggers DO cause congestion, cars in the 3rd lane cannot go past slower moving vehicles, who have been forced out, they cut up other cars in order to get past, causing vehicles behind to brake, etc etc.  :surprised:

Offline Scottymon

  • Just look at my post count
  • ******
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 83
  • -Receive: 125
  • Posts: 2139
  • UnNaturally Aspirated
  • My Ride: http://www.voodish.co.uk/misc/6n/6n-alive1.jpg
Re: Anti-Social Motoring Reforms - Your Thoughts?
« Reply #28 on: June 05, 2013, 07:33:20 pm »
As with anything the individual will always have the right to question the decision. It will be up to the police to prove it. I would imagine it will need video evidence.

For me it's long overdue.

What about Section19, you don't get any say in that and that's been open to abuse for some time.

Middle lane hogging, should be based on time I guess, but I agree very difficult to Police.

Section 19 of what act ?

Don't you mean 59 ??

Yeap 59... no evidence required.

Offline Hurdy

  • Just look at my post count
  • ******
  • Thank You
  • -Given: 52
  • -Receive: 137
  • Posts: 7683
Re: Anti-Social Motoring Reforms - Your Thoughts?
« Reply #29 on: June 05, 2013, 07:38:59 pm »
I must admit.... it does feel safer in the middle lane when doing 17 leptons...   :evilgrin:

For the purposes of clarity 1 lepton = 4.117 mph  :wink: :signLOL:
Golf R gone.