Undertaking...allow it?

[Bunkermagnet]

Just lately I have seen an upsurge of drivers sitting in lane 3 of a 4 lane motorway/A road, doing speeds that are more appropriate on a country lane. Obviously this causes major bunching, and some just undertake.
So is it time to allow undertaking, mainly in the hope that those who sit hogging a middle lane will actually get into the empty inside lanes? Also our road networks are horribly overcrowded, and freeing up the lane use might help the flow.
Personally I have no issue with those who stay in an inside lane and go past those in outer lanes as long as they dont change lane before or after the car to do it, then to me your just keeping with the flow in your lane.

What do you think?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I think it is very dangerous except on urban motorways when we expect it as different lanes are allocated for different routes.

Middle Lane hoggers are breaking the law, but it is definitely tempting to undertake - but I don't. Make it OK and you'll have idiots thundering up the inside lane when you are in the middle - and as some other idiot comes thundering up behind you and tail-gates you (now also illegal) you have to move in to let him past...and...

No - patient driving gets us to our destination. Allowing undertaking simply increases risk of mistakes being made.

 

[Hobbit]

I think undertaking is legal but must be done with extra care. It was removed as an offence in the 1972 Road Traffic Act.

 

[CliveW]

You have three and four lane motorways???

 

[ManinBlack]

I think undertaking is legal but must be done with extra care. It was removed as an offence in the 1972 Road Traffic Act.

You're right.

 

[Tashyboy]

If people did not hog lanes there would be no undertaking. People do hog lanes so am all for undertaking. Most folk who are undertook are oblivious to there fault on causing other drivers to undertake. I have undertaken people before. Got a mile down the road and they are still in the same lane.

 

[SaintHacker]

I think undertaking is legal but must be done with extra care. It was removed as an offence in the 1972 Road Traffic Act.

Not illegal per se however the Highway Code certainly says not to do it, and so if you do and it causes an accident you are likely to be charged with driving without due care at a minimum

 

[SaintHacker]

If people did not hog lanes there would be no undertaking. People do hog lanes so am all for undertaking. Most folk who are undertook are oblivious to there fault on causing other drivers to undertake. I have undertaken people before. Got a mile down the road and they are still in the same lane.

That makes you as bad as the person hogging the middle/outside lane IMO

 

[Old Skier]

You just have to look at the M25 to see undertaking is the only way to get anywhere these days. The more lanes they add the more the inner lanes are empty.

While we have idiots that refuse to move in the more the practice will occur. Who's the problem? The undertakers or the middle lane hoggers

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

You just have to look at the M25 to see undertaking is the only way to get anywhere these days. The more lanes they add the more the inner lanes are empty.

While we have idiots that refuse to move in the more the practice will occur. Who's the problem? The undertakers or the middle lane hoggers

The M25 is effectively an urban motorway with each lane running at it's own speed.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Sadly those that hog the middle/outside lanes are oblivious and won't change their habits but undertaking can be dangerous and will lead to move to more cavalier and reckless driving. Not to be encouraged in my humble opinion

 

[FuzzyDuck]

I've driven extensively in the US and had no issues with how relaxed they are to under/overtaking.

 

[Old Skier]

The M25 is effectively an urban motorway with each lane running at it's own speed.

Are you saying that is ok on the M25 but not on the M5

 

[User2021]

I do 90 odd miles minimum on the M25 every day.

The rise of lane 2, 3 and 4 "joggers" is on the increase - mostly oblivious to there being nothing in the lanes to there left.

Never see anyone pulled for it.
Theres enough "wobbles" about in their 4x4 sat drinking tea.

So undertaking goes on all the time already in my experience.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Prior to going on holiday a few years ago to the US I would have been against it. Now, having experienced it in action I'm all for it. It worked beautifully and meant the moronic middle lane hoggers didn't jam the motorway.

I think it would need to be trialled first of all to see if the change was to much for British drivers who have not been brought up with this system but it is well worth trying out.

 

[Hobbit]

Prior to going on holiday a few years ago to the US I would have been against it. Now, having experienced it in action I'm all for it. It worked beautifully and meant the moronic middle lane hoggers didn't jam the motorway.

Ditto. Once people got used to it, it'd be fine.

 

[ColchesterFC]

My preferred method of dealing with it is to pass them on the outside and then pull back into their lane in front of them. Then indicate and pull in to the inside lane to show them where they should be. Probably works about half the time.

 

[AmandaJR]

On a short, regular trip I do I come to a section of the A1 that is 4 lanes. Most times I undertake as I'm in the inside lane and figure it's a riskier manouvre to swing across three lanes to get past the idiot sat in lane 3 oblivious to all that's going on around them! As has been said they are still in that same lane as far as the eyes in the rear view mirror can see...I find it one of the most irritating displays of poor driving there is (and there are many of those)!

 

[Tashyboy]

That makes you as bad as the person hogging the middle/outside lane IMO

Because?

 

[ManinBlack]

That makes you as bad as the person hogging the middle/outside lane IMO

I disagree. Done properly there's less risk of the car you're undertaking moving in than there is of a car you're overtaking moving out. You just have to be careful.