On-the-spot fines for middle laners and tail-gaters

Mr Jack

Mr Jack

Mr Jack

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The Police are to be given new powers to impose £100 on the spot fines to middle lane hogs and tail gaters. Good news, I guess, but when was the last time you saw Police out on the motorways? It won't do anything unless it's actually used.

Fines for using mobile phones and not using seatbelts are going up too.
 
As much as I'd love to see middle lane hogs pulled over and reprimanded by police, I can't see this working. Going to be too hard to enforce, and like you said, its quite rare to see a lot of police on the motorways. If there were more of them around, then perhaps middle laners/tailgaiters wouldn't be a problem anyway, because they could have been dealt with through other means.

Edit: If it does work, then it would be great if the revenue went into tackling the root cause of the issues. Like, helping to pay for "Keep apart - 2 chevrons" road markings on motorways.
 
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To me it appears to be more about money making as opposed to educating people and improving driving standards.
 
Mr Jack said:
BBC News Link

Fines for using mobile phones and not using seatbelts are going up too.
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Fixed penalties for using a mobile phone while driving or not wearing a seatbelt will also rise by £40 to £100.

Still not enough, for using a mobile while driving, double it I say:D.
Harsh you say, I've lost two friends due to idiots using phone while driving.:(
 
russ9898 said:
To me it appears to be more about money making as opposed to educating people and improving driving standards.
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People can choose not to drive like idiots so not a penny would go to the police, it really is that simple. If people then change their driving habits because of that, then it has done the job has it not? It would have improved driving standards and educated them that if they dont comply, they will be fined.

The question really should be, will it change anyones driving habits? After all thousands of people still drive whilst using a mobile or speed, not wear seatbelts etc. Each person will decide whether its worth the risk to them ultimately but to say its all about money is nonsense as its the choice of the motorist.
 
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It's less about powers or fines and more about awareness, now all the do goodies who sit at 70 the middle lane will at last move over because it was on bbc news 24 in their £15 year rfl Pacific rim diesel eco box driving most economically.
 
I think it's a good idea.

Middle lane hogging would be easier to enforce with technology.

But I still think there's a culture of 'we're all better than the average driver' so I can hold a mobile phone and drive at the same time.

I remember reading why people 'hog' the middle lane and I can sort of understand the rational... (although I don't agree with it). E.g why is anyone going over 70 MPH.:o
 
I'm in favour of this, provided they also "do" people who sit in the middle lane overtaking a car in lane 1 that's indicating to move out into the middle lane (instead of moving into lane 3 to let them out like their supposed too), as that's the main cause of middle lane hogging in the first place (middle lane hogging is a symptom of the problem not the problem, drive long enough on the motorway and you will either do it instinctively or force yourself not to out of spite).
 
Really the government should just introduce a new "moronic driving" charge and let the police apply it to motorway morons. Let's face it, if you could be charged with "driving like a cretin" or "moronic driving", it'd be a deterrent due to the embarrassing label. ;)



Nightglow said:
Fixed penalties for using a mobile phone while driving or not wearing a seatbelt will also rise by £40 to £100.

Still not enough, for using a mobile while driving, double it I say:D.
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All well and good but they need to change the fact that you can get penalised for using your phone while parked with the engine running, as that is utterly ridiculous IMHO.
 
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Howard said:
All well and good but they need to change the fact that you can get penalised for using your phone while parked with the engine running, as that is utterly ridiculous IMHO.
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This would be a common sense thing, because if I'm at the traffic lights, engine in neutral, handbrake on, could I use my phone?
 
Yeah I don't mean when sitting in traffic :p


Although if you're in heavy traffic I don't see the big deal but hey ho.
 
It's just another way to penalize the motorist... £££ more fines, more points, more driving courses @ £80 a pop, higher insurance renewals and so on!

I HATE THIS TORY "rich boy club" a so-called government... "were all in this together" yeah RIGHT!
 
All you have to do is drive properly, what reason is there for driving like a moron unless you dont have the talent? if you dont have the talent, see it as idiot tax.
 
ubersonic said:
I'm in favour of this, provided they also "do" people who sit in the middle lane overtaking a car in lane 1 that's indicating to move out into the middle lane (instead of moving into lane 3 to let them out like their supposed too), as that's the main cause of middle lane hogging in the first place (middle lane hogging is a symptom of the problem not the problem, drive long enough on the motorway and you will either do it instinctively or force yourself not to out of spite).
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+1000! Took the words out of my mouth.

I would also like to see fines for drivers who remain in L1 on approach to on-slips who then "Close the Door" on joining slip traffic rather than allowing it to merge or moving into L2!
 
Parabellum said:
It's just another way to penalize the motorist... £££ more fines, more points, more driving courses @ £80 a pop, higher insurance renewals and so on!

I HATE THIS TORY "rich boy club" a so-called government... "were all in this together" yeah RIGHT!
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It's only penalising the self righteous idiots.
 
Hmm I'm 95% in favour of this but what's the chance of them also fixing lane 1 on most motorways that have massive ruts? I do actually use the middle lane about 20% of the time just so my car isn't tramlining to ****. The z4 is far far worse then anything else I've driven for it though.

I do also hate people that sit in the wrong lane so I'm slightly torn.
 
!bluetonic! said:
I remember reading why people 'hog' the middle lane and I can sort of understand the rational... (although I don't agree with it). E.g why is anyone going over 70 MPH.:o
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There is no rationale to that mindset though. It's not for idiot motorists to police what speed other people drive at, in fact, it's downright dangerous.
 
Whilst i dislike bad lane discipline i do not feel that it should ever be punishable, its not actually a big deal at all :/
 
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