Forums Forums National News Police get new powers under road traffic act

New traffic legislation comes into force today which will give police powers to dish out instant fine for tailgaters and middle lane hoggers
It is hoped that fines of £100 pus three points the driving licence will act as a deterrent as well as making it easier for the police to tackle what are sadly becoming everyday problems without taking offenders to court.

Under the new legislation fines for other offences, from using hand-held mobile phones or not wearing a seatbelt, to driving without insurance, have also been increased – from £60 to £100 and from £200 to £300 respectively.

A spokesperson for the Department of Transport said, “The police will also be able to offer educational training as an alternative to licence endorsement, and drivers will still be able to appeal any decision in court.”

I didn't see any difference on the way to Sheffield this morning.

The increase in fines for using a mobile whilst driving is pathetic. Should be £500 minimum + 9 points. Using a hand held mobile whilst driving KILLS. Trying to tell that to the arrogant and the ignorant is another matter!

I had the pleasure of a Neanderthal no-mark in a white tranny van within half a vehicles length of me yesterday. Doing 30mph in a 30mph area trying to make me go faster. Guess what... he was on his bloody phone for the whole time. WHERE ARE THE POLICE when you need them??

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Using hand-held mobile phones & driving while not insured should entail a Ban for 3 years. Simple.

I went up and down the M53 to Chester and back 4 times today and was amazed to see so many people using the inside lane. The flow speed on the inside lane was 70mph, it was nice to see. middle lane hoggers are idiots and deserve a fine.

Pinz, Could your rear gunner not have got him?

define middle lane hogging

Middle lane hogger = someone going under 70 mph in the middle lane whilst there is space in the inside lane and forcing drivers driving at 70 mph to use the outside lane. Middle lane hogging slows the whole motorway down and makes drivers wanting to drive up to the speed limit take chances they should not have to take.

Not just 70mph, any speed on any road with more than 1 lane. It's causing an obstruction to other drivers, making them brake for no reason other than the middle lane hogger is selfish, clueless of what they are doing and shouldn't be on the road if they can't see what they are doing.

Yesterday I came across yet another hogger on the new ferry bypass. She was in the outside lane, when the inside lane was vehicle free. I was in the inside lane doing 50mph, I came upto her and pulled out into the outside lane to see if she understood that she needs to move over or i'd have had to undertake her. She stayed in the outside lane doing 40mph oblivious to what she was doing!

Other cars started under taking her and taking dangerous actions because she doesn't know how to drive. That would be middle lane hogging. They are dangerous.

Lane 1,2,3 or the faster lanes are defined in the highway code as Overtaking lanes only. So if there is nothing to overtake move to the left

Phone users and tail gaters give them hell but I can forsee a lot of problems if they start ticketing so called middle lane hoggers.

I pull out into the middle lane to overtake a slow lorry and see another one half a mile ahead, I am going to stay in that lane rather than weave in and out every couple of seconds. As any experienced driver knows, half a mile on a motorway is nothing in respect of time. As I will be doing at least 70mph, anyone who wants to go faster and break the law can use the third lane. Their choice!

I also think that so many drivers will be afraid to come into the middle lane for fear of being done that the inside lane will become clogged and even if you overtake, it will be hard to get back in.

It would have been better had they targetted those idiots who come roaring up the third lane and then cut right across the two other lanes to exit at a junction. I see it all the time.

By all means do those who sit there when the inside is empty but if a copper is bored and doesn't like the look of you or needs to get his numbers up then justice will not be served.

It seems to suggest to me a period of time and/or distance rather than just speed. But has that time been defined legally or is it just up to the police to arbitarily decide---in which case you can see a potential abuse of power.
1/4 mile ? 1/2 mile? 3/4 mile? 1 mile?. Will be interesting to see if the accident rates go up, down or what.

not sure what all the fuss is about, how often do you see a police car on the motorway anyway?

also middle lane morons don't even realise what they are doing anyway



half a mile is just under 30 seconds, so plenty of time to pull back in and then pull back out to overtake again.

Okay, you do that, I'll stay out rather than cause chaos by weaving in and out!