As the warmer months loom on the horizon, plenty of motorists are gearing up for heartening long drives to sunnier shores and family-friendly locations - all while ready to spend a bit more time on Britain's motorway networks.
But one persistent gripe among such enthusiasts is the stubborn middle-lane occupants who refuse to move over. Damian Maginn, director of campervan conversion company Wessex Vans, warned that lingering too long in the middle lane could lead to complications.
In his words: "A law introduced in 2013 means that hogging the middle lane is now considered careless driving and can even land you in trouble with the police." And he added: "While the middle lane exists for overtaking slower vehicles, it's not meant to be a permanent residence, and people should get back to the left-hand side when they're no longer overtaking."
The Highway Code indeed advises to always remain in the left-hand lane on a free-flowing motorway, reports the Express. Drivers are told to only swing into a right-hand lane when it's safe to do so for an overtake, before returning to the left-hand lane once clear. On the smart motorways, this might mean taking up the hard shoulder as guided by overhead signs indicating if it's open for use.
Motorists who insist on hogging the middle lane of motorways claim it makes sticking to the speed limit a breeze, eliminating the need to constantly switch lanes to overtake slower vehicles like lorries and coaches. However, these lane hoggers, especially those travelling below the speed limit, can contribute to traffic jams, as drivers typically have to navigate across two lanes to overtake.
This behaviour could also tempt other drivers into breaking the law, with undertaking - overtaking a vehicle in a lane to its right - also being illegal. The Highway Code offers little sympathy for middle lane hoggers, labelling the act as careless driving.
Consequently, drivers caught unnecessarily occupying the middle lane could face a £100 fine and three penalty points on their licence. While this means repeat offenders risk having their driving licence revoked, it's likely to push up car insurance premiums for all culprits.