A DRIVING expert has shared their little-known trick to beat ‘frustrating’ middle lane hoggers and warned that your current method could actually be illegal.
Shaun Cronin, from road safety charity IAmRoadSmart, revealed how to get around obstructive motorists without being slapped with a £100 fine and points on your licence.
GettyA driving expert has revealed how you can beat ‘frustrating’ lane hoggers[/caption]
Lane hogging, as the name suggests, is when a driver stays stubbornly in the middle lane, often slowing down other traffic behind.
This is actually a violation of the Highway Code, with Rule 264 stating: “Keep in the left lane unless overtaking.
“If you are overtaking, you should return to the left lane when it’s safe to do so.”
Lane hoggers are an irritation that Brits face regularly on motorways and dual carriageways.
Thankfully, Shaun was on hand to share his handy hacks for dealing with them.
He told The Mail: “Middle-lane hoggers disrupt the flow of traffic on our motorway network leading to delays and frustration for everyone, they are also committing an offence in doing so.
“Stay calm, hold back, and focus on your own driving, overtaking only on the right before moving back left when safe to do so.
“If enough drivers repeat this, the driver may realise they are hogging the middle lane and move to the left except for overtaking.”
And he urged drivers not to lose their cool and resort to more aggressive solutions.
While it might be tempting, driving up close behind, honking your horn or flashing your lights could actually land you in trouble with the law.
Shaun added: “Annoying though they are, the repeated flashing of headlights, driving too close or undertaking them could antagonise the other driver and is unsafe.
“Do not tailgate or undertake. These are both illegal and dangerous.”
Indeed, either of them could land you with a £100 fine and several points on your licence, even though the lane hogger is breaking road laws themself.
Instead, Shaun recommended using a dashcam to film evidence of lane hogging and submitting it to the police, who then may take further action.
It comes after it was revealed that more than half of learner drivers failed their theory test last year, costing them a collective £16 million.