I think the young guns with their shiny Corsa's or Fiesta's (or whatever the Wheels of Choice are these days for guns) that sit in their cars alongside each other in the Tesco car park most evenings and chat between taking their wheels out for a timed lap of "Down the A339, Burger King roundabout and back" would probably think of themselves as enthusiasts. Cautious they ain't.

Or are you just referring to 'Classic Car Man'?

I doubt if these youths would think of themselves as anything other than youths! Interested in cars? About as interested as we were in bikes....!

I disagree.
To me the procedure and discipline is defined perfectly well in the Highway Code.
What some people need to do is to read it occasionally to re-familiarise themselves with it's contents rather than putting it down after passing the test and never touching it again!

Where? Would you point me to the section that does this?

Rules 264 - 269.
(I know you will argue to the hilt that they are ambiguous, but to me it is perfectly clear from these rules how one should overtake and stay in the correct lane on a motorway).

Well that is the rub: it contains subjective elements; words like 'safely' and 'clear' are not absolutes. When you have this then you have a space for argument and debate.

"Rule 264

You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past. Slow-moving or speed-restricted vehicles should always remain in the left-hand lane of the carriageway unless overtaking. You MUST NOT drive on the hard shoulder except in an emergency or if directed to do so by the police, HA traffic officers in uniform or by signs."

Fairly clear then - once you have overtaken, and allowed for a 2 second reaction time distance for the vehicle you have overtaken, pull back into the nearside lane.

No grey area there then!

Why 2 seconds, where does it say that? What if it is wet? What if two cars going slower on the inside lane are four seconds apart; should you pull in or continue on in the middle lane?

Another example of the rarity of common sense?
It is a judgement call, varying by the circumstances of the moment.

If the two cars a four seconds apart the road isn't clear then is it? Obviously in the wet those distances increase!

Yes, and this is where the rules become vague; hence my point. I think the HC should be more clear about when one is entitled to 'stay' in the over taking lanes.

Clearly, when you are overtaking, but my point is that if I have passed two lorries and there are one or two more that I will need to overtake within a couple of minutes and I am knocking on 70mph and there is not much behind me and anybody who wants to go by can use the third lane then why dodge into the rutted inside lane. My view is that it is simple common sense driving. If MM wants to throw his car from lane to lane then that's up to him. I look ahead, watch my mirrors and drive intuitively.

So your desire is 'You must pull in after x seconds'? Or leave the Highway Code as guidance that expects road users to be able to assess a situation and adapt accordingly? Man cannot live by Law alone

No. The argument I was making is that unless you have black and white rules, you have room for debate and argument (as to what is deemed OK). Biker1 feels 'the procedure and discipline is defined perfectly well in the Highway Code' regards motorway driving; I am refuting that notion.

My view is that someone in the middle lane going less than ~70, and with no intention to yield, is a nuisance; however, if the near side lane is busy with a continuous line of sub 70mph traffic, then I see no issue with proceeding indefinitely in the middle lane provided one is going 70 or more (thus continually overtaking).

I don't throw my car about at all.



I drive like someone who's capable of, I don't know, driving on the motorway in a correct manner?
You have said before many times that you sit in the middle lane, often irregardless of traffic.

Because the HC says "Keep to the inside lane except when overtaking".

My view is that correct lane discipline is "common sense driving".

No one is asking you to "throw your car from lane to lane"

So, when you are middle lane hogging and you see a vehicle coming up behind you, you pull over to the inside lane in plenty of time to let them past?

My Dad sits in the middle lane a lot "when there's a slip road coming up"!

My driving instructor told me that this should be done for 'on-ramps', when I was on driving lessons.

My Dad sits in the middle lane most of the time.
I don't like going in the car with him

You must have had a poor driving instructor then! Be prepared to move out if there is traffic wishing to join and it is safe - but not move out regardless.