Roadworks, Middle Lane Hogging Among Motorists' Biggest Irritations
15/04/2025 11:02 Share
Roadworks, Middle Lane Hogging Among Motorists' Biggest Irritations
Heavy congestion, time-sapping roadworks and persistent ‘middle-lane hoggers’ have been ranked as UK motorists’ biggest pet peeves, according to new figures.
In a survey commissioned by Vauxhall, 2000 British motorists were asked to identify what gets them most riled up when out on the roads.
Perhaps unsurprisingly it was congestion that emerged top of the rankings with 34 per cent of respondents saying stop-start traffic – which is often in well-known hotspots and bottlenecks around the country – were their biggest pet peeve.
However, it wasn’t the only frustration among drivers, with delays caused by roadworks coming in a close second at 27 per cent.
More interestingly, the ‘scourge’ of the so-called middle-lane hogger was also called out with 18% of those surveyed counting it as among the most irritating issues when driving.
While not a lot can be done to counter congestion and roadworks as a driver, ‘middle-lane hogging’ does at least create a dim view in the eyes of the law with fines and penalties being imposed on the regular offenders.
According to the Highway Code, drivers must use the left-hand lane on motorways, reserving the middle and right-hand lanes only for overtaking. Unnecessarily long periods spent in the middle lane when there is space in the left-hand lane is classed as ‘careless driving’ and can be subject to punishment.
Despite this, as many as 19 per cent of respondents say they drive in the middle lane when there is little or no traffic around, with 10 per cent reporting that they do so ‘wherever possible’. Only a quarter, however, admitted to receiving a fine or penalty points for doing so.
As many as 53 per cent, meanwhile, say they have been forced to brake hard or quickly change lanes to avoid a driver that was going slowly in the outside or middle lane on a motorway.
While not a lot can be done for a van to encourage a driver to adhere to lane discipline, most do at least come with ‘lane keep assist’, which monitors a driver’s attention levels.
If the van begins to err to the edge or just outside of the lane it has been keeping, it will alert a driver that has potentially slipped in concentration.
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