New fixed penalties

[wurlycorner]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22770064

No problem with the fines going up for driving on a mobile or not wearing a seatbelt and I'm pleased to see tailgaiting becomes an offense too, but I wonder how on earth you determine in a legal sense that someone is hogging the middle lane?

I very much doubt that the police will actually pull anyone for middle lane hogging and very very few for tailgating (unfortunately) so really it's a waste of time.

I bet I'm still dealing with tailgaters by drawing up alongside a car in the middle lane and then backng off to match their speed so said tailgater ends up with no-where to go and turns purple in the face, until I'm well into retirement...
Oooh yes, look, I can flash the lights on the back of my car too!

[W1ggz]

I've never thought of using a middle lane higher to an advantage like that have to give it a try. I do agree tho I can't see anyone being pulled for this unless they are in the police's way. Just another time wasting and money wasting idea

[Merlin]

Typical drokking stupid rules that try and treat the symptoms instead of the cause "Lets stop bad driving through punishment rather than making people better drivers" . Twats.

Like you guys say, how can they determine a lane hog?

IMO if the government was really intent on making people better drivers they would make it that everyone should resit their test every 5 years or so.

[toadster]

LO

I think drivers using their mobile phones whilst driving should have their license taken away for a year

I have seen people driving on-to a around round-abouts on their phones

Cheers

Toadster

[4th Gen Doug]

It's the outside lane hoggers they should do something about..
Only last week I was stuck behind some muppet on the M27 in a Beemer crawling along at 95, no matter how close I got to him he wouldn't pull over.
I dropped my bloody phone in the end undertaking him..

[Nick_Riptide]

Its not going to make any difference unless they get more Police to enforce it. I go on long journeys and am amazed about the lack of Police sometimes.

[Merlin]

I dropped my bloody phone in the end undertaking him..

I go on long journeys and am amazed about the lack of Police sometimes.

They would rather pump their money into speed vans

[wurlycorner]

IMO if the government was really intent on making people better drivers they would make it that everyone should resit their test every 5 years or so.

I can't see that would have any effect tbh? Anyone can play the game on a one-off occasion and the test doesn't include things that would uncover those bad driving practices. They're a general behavioural thing rather than a driving thing really.

Just shoot them at birth...

[lewd lude lover]

Kill em all.


But then I am a sociopath so I would say that.


Driving is the best way to kill stupid people imho. give a stupid person a car and more than likely they will take themselves and a few others out. darwin in action.
On a serious note though this is a knee jerk reaction to public pressure with zero consideration toward the causes of bad driving. That being the lack of driving education. The test is the same as in schools, we teach to pass, not to gain a full understanding of the subject. We should take a page or few out of the scandinavian driving tests.... they seem to do pretty well.

[Merlin]

IMO if the government was really intent on making people better drivers they would make it that everyone should resit their test every 5 years or so.

I can't see that would have any effect tbh? Anyone can play the game on a one-off occasion and the test doesn't include things that would uncover those bad driving practices. They're a general behavioural thing rather than a driving thing really.

Laziness aside, there are some shocking drivers out there who plainly don't know rules of the road and can't control / position their car properly. Half of these people passed their tests when the test was easy. Cars should be treated as a weapon and the users licence periodically reviewed IMO. Some people shouldn't be behind a wheel.