Messages saying "Keep left unless overtaking" and "Don't hog the middle lane" will be shown on parts of the M1, M6, M18 and M62 in the north of England and the East Midlands.

Whether it does become a permanent feature of the motorway network will be decided after a week-long trial.

Will warning signs stop middle lane hogging? Do you tend to stay in the middle lane? What do you think of road hogs?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

SUGGEST A DEBATE This topic was suggested by David P, London, UK: Will clamping down on middle lane drivers really ease congestion and make motorways safer? Send your suggestions for Have Your Say debates

I spent many years travelling the UK motorway network. The middle lane hogger is definitely an issue and has been for many years. Not convinced this action will pay dividends. On my last visit to the UK it seems there is just too much traffic, folk use motorway networks to commute short distances and I see in the email responses to this subject some folk still referring to the slow and fast lanes, they need to refer to the Highway Code section 238. It is still a big enigma to me that motorway driving is not a mandatory part of the driving test as I would suspect 50% or more of driving time is spent on motorways. As with all these initiatives, its worth a trial and see what transpires.
Ron J Spencer, Longmont Colorado USA

The problem I find is the nearside is cruising at 55mph with lorries and caravans that can't get any faster. But on the far side lane you get flashed by idiots in their BMW/Golfs/Mercs because you're not driving at the speed of light. Where are we supposed to go - the hard shoulder? It's impossible to do a steady 65-70 in the middle as often you are cut up by lorries (especially the foreign ones) that pull out without hardly any warning. Perhaps a little black box with speed information transmitted back to the owners insurance company might slow people down.
Self Confessed Hogger, London UK

Just relax, your life doesn't depend on getting past whoever is dawdling along in the middle lane Joss Kent, Chorley, England

Middle lane hogging is a mild annoyance - but there are just too many cars on the road, trying to get places in too much of a hurry. Just relax, your life doesn't depend on getting past whoever is dawdling along in the middle lane - you'll get a chance to go past just be patient.
Joss Kent, Chorley, England

The standard of driving on Britain's roads is generally appalling. I can't remember the last time I saw a police car out on a motorway or major route. However, I pass nine speed cameras on my way home from work, a mere 15 miles. Public awareness and policing Britain's roads is what is needed, not speed camera's.
Garry, London

These people don't realise there doing it, I occasionally work nights in London and driving back home down the M4 at 4.30am on an empty motorway, there is always someone in the middle lane doing 65mph overtaking fresh air.
Duncan Tibbett, Reading, England

Unless the motorway is clear, I do tend to stick to the middle lane - there is otherwise no hope of travelling at a normal and reasonably constant speed. I find most who complain about 'mid lane hogs' are actually people who have lost all respect for the speed limit and dislike having to share the road with more speed-conscious drivers.
G Solis, Manchester, UK

I pay road tax, I pay fuel duty, I will drive in whatever lane I choose to drive in. Others should follow my lead until people are allowed to overtake in any lane, and motorways are widened. It's not the middle lane hog that causes congestion but the ridiculous law that only permits overtaking on one side. Change this out of date law and widen the motorway network and Britain might just start moving again.
Rob, UK

One way to reduce hold-ups on major roads and motorways is to stop large lorries and vehicles towing caravans etc from overtaking on hills. This is done on the Continent
Martin Bird, Bedfordshire, UK

Everyone has been guilty of breaking the Highway Code every now and again including myself. Why not toughen up the driving test include night driving and especially motorway driving. At present you can pass your test then drive on a motorway with no previous experience - it's madness! No wonder there's idiots all over the road........
Simon, Plymouth, Devon

How can these drivers possibly even see a sign flashing? Steve, Bristol, UK

As a Chauffeur I can only concur with a large number of the contributors. The middle lane is "hogged" by one of the following groups, weekend drivers, those who don't use the motorway system that often and have no idea how to drive over 60mph, females who always appear to have a male in the passenger seat asleep and look little startled rabbits caught in headlights staring straight ahead. How can these drivers possibly even see a sign flashing? Perhaps the new Highways Agency Incident units should be given authority to stop and warn these inconsiderate and also often scared and nervous drivers.
Steve, Bristol, UK

Reduce all the road network to single carriageways - it's evident people don't know how to use more than one lane.
Chris, Chelmsford, Essex

It's about time, and they should be doing this all over the UK, especially on the M25. There's so much talk of widening motorways to provide an extra lane - but there's a whole lane unused on almost every mile of motorway in Britain! These signs cost far less than road building. Now they just need to add wrong lane hogging to the penalty points system.
Avril Jones, Caterham, Surrey

I have to put my hands up! I was one of these "lane hoggers". It is only over the last couple of months, with the press coverage on this that I realise how annoying I was. After 10 years of driving I now know it's not the fast lane. Perhaps all it may take, is the problem to be highlighted. We all develop some bad habits when driving, and this is probably the easiest to correct.
D. Hicklin, Crawley, W. Sussex

Until enforceable legislation is brought in to restrict this then the problem will remain the same Jon, Warrington, UK

The vast majority of middle lane hogging is due to slow overtaking heavy goods vehicles that don't think twice about the inconvenience to other motorists. The motorways are now single carriageways at rush hour due to slow overtaking HGVs. Until enforceable legislation is brought in to restrict this then the problem will remain the same.
Jon, Warrington, UK

Being French, I often have to put up with remarks such as "French people drive like maniacs". Being a regular commuter (especially around the M25), I have to say that driving in the UK is by far a lot more dangerous and frustrating than driving in France, and the main reason for this is middle lane hogs! The sad thing is that roads are not always congested because of the amount of traffic, but simply because motorists cannot drive ... 4 cars on a 4 lane motorway are enough to cause a traffic jam! I wish people understood that unless you are over-taking or the left lane is blocked, you keep on the left lane ... The only way to enforce such a behaviour in my view is by starting to fine those drivers who believe that they can carry on driving in the middle lane forever (and educate lorry drivers) ...
Herv� Zilliox, Maidstone, Kent, UK

Oh yes, definitely, of course it will stop people sitting in the middle lane. Just like speed limit signs have stopped people speeding, the invention of double yellow lines means that nobody ever, ever parks in the most inappropriate of places and the exclusion boxes on junctions etc are always empty! Let's face it - Britain's roads are a bit of a free for all these days!
SC, Croydon, UK

Unfortunately, those mindless idiots who refuse to use the left hand lane are yet another symptom of the ills caused by relying on cameras for policing our highways. It's damning that you can neck a bottle of vodka whilst drive down the middle of the M6 at 55mph, oblivious to everything going on around you, yet no one does anything until you stray over the speed limit.
Paul, Colchester

I certainly hope so, however perhaps it would be more useful if Motorway Driving formed part of the UK Licence Examination. I still find it amazing that the powerful and somewhat oppressive Road Safety campaigners don't press for better tuition including part of the test that relates to motorways
Chris Taylor, Haslemere, UK

I doubt it. Traffic enforcement is now almost completely reliant upon automated cameras, which are useless in this sort of situation.
Dean, Maidenhead, UK

E for effort, but I don't think it will have much effect. In my experience, these lane-hoggers don't know they are doing it. The same goes for the outside lane maniacs, who join a motorway and make straight for the overtaking lane. The next thing we see is a stream of brake-lights, and we 'slower' drivers go hurtling past on the inside lane.
A. Hewlett, Manchester, England

The police could and should do more to enforce lane discipline instead of focusing wholly on speeding John, Cheshire, UK

These signs won't make any difference. One can drive along the M6 Toll road when it is empty and still find drivers hogging the outermost lane even though the road is clear ahead for hundreds of yards. The police could and should do more to enforce lane discipline instead of focusing wholly on speeding. More often than not it is the 'hoggers' that cause frustrated motorists to have to break the rules of the road and undertake in order to pass. We might also stop referring to the non-existent 'slow lane'.
John, Cheshire, UK

This is long overdue. I don't know why they haven't utilised those gantry signs for this purpose already. The problem of hogging the middle lane comes from people's belief that we have a 'slow' and 'fast' lane. I regularly drive up from London to Scotland which often involves journeys throughout the night. Despite the roads being empty at this time, people still drive along in the outside lane in the belief that because they are going 'fast' then they should use the 'fast' lane. Why trial this idea? - Just implement it nationwide now!
Paul H, Essex

This is unlikely to improve matters. Driving standards appear to have declined hugely over the last 7 years. The only thing which would improve this is if the police patrolled the motorways, stopped offenders and explained to them the problems they cause. Instead the police are to be found sitting on A roads in speed camera vans, issuing tickets to safe motorists who are slightly over the speed limit.
Alan, Northampton UK

Oh dear - get a life! There are far more important issues to deal with and finance.
Patricia Humphrey, Maidenhead UK

It's a step in the right direction Dan, Manchester UK

It's a step in the right direction. What we need to do now is follow the continental method; have a driving test for the motorway before a driver is allowed to use it! As someone who drives a lot on the motorways, nothing infuriates me more than bad lane discipline.
Dan, Manchester UK

The worst motorway driving I have seen is from the drivers who aren't commuters - those people who are on holiday or on a day out. Regular motorway commuters are, for the most part, solid and safe drivers and the middle lane hogging and dangerous driving occurs when the amateurs who rarely use the motorway pile on at Bank Holiday time. Motorway driving should be a mandatory extension to the driving test.
Derek Blighty, Royal Tunbridge Wells, UK

Just more waffle to appear on roadside screens to take your eyes of the road ahead. It is only police on the road that will solve this problem.
Mike, Hampshire

Keeping trucks out of the middle lane would make motorways better. Having two trucks driving side by side causes far more problems than drivers "hogging" the middle lane. If the inside lane was trucks only & the outer two lanes were cars only, everything would be safer & free moving.
Peter, Nottingham (U.K)

Middle Lane drivers are one of the most annoying aspects of motorway driving. The selfishness of some people and there obvious lack of road sense causes congestion and encourages dangerous driving, like undertaking. I would like to see this idea implemented on every motorway . Also I would love to see lorry drivers banned from overtaking on more stretches of road - the number of times traffic is backed up because of a lorry overtaking on a hill is stupid and so annoying - no wonder road rage is a growing problem!
Rob, London, UK

I have driven extensively in Europe and I have to say that the British are by far the worst when it comes to lane discipline. Whatever our perceptions of the failing of Dutch, French, German and Spanish drivers, lane hogging is not one of them. People in this country don't seem to understand that the outside lane is for overtaking only - it is not the 'fast lane'. Too many drivers seem to think it an affront to their masculinity to move into the left-most lane.
Rob Lovett, Swindon

Middle lane hogging is just another symptom of our increasingly selfish and lazy society. The police should be able to pull over and fine anyone causing an obstruction by doing it. It's also worth mentioning how many people seem incapable of using their indicators when changing lanes. Then again, it takes a huge amount of thought, time and effort to move the fingers of your left hand. And that switch is soooo heavy to move.
Andy Moore, Wednesbury, England

I hope lorry drivers take particular note of this Paul, UK

I hope lorry drivers take particular note of this. Taking 10 minutes to slog your way past another lorry causes all kinds of problems for those stuck behind.
Paul, UK

As a daily user of the motorway network, any initiative to get people to use motorways appropriately is welcomed. However, motorway etiquette should be part of the driving test and not left to theory.
Nik, Sheffield

Could it be that the powers that be finally admit there is more to bad driving than speeding Dan, Yateley, UK

Could it be that the powers that be finally admit there is more to bad driving than speeding? Whilst totally agreeing with the sentiment behind these signs, sadly you need traffic police to enforce them, and since policing by camera took off, they are few and far between. I hope they work, but can't see it somehow.
Dan, Yateley, UK

....and the outside lane will be signposted for BMW and Mercedes mid-life crisis males only.
Andy, Biddulph, UK

The problem we have with these traffic laws is simple, we don't make the penalty harsh enough. If it hurts enough then people will observe the law. Impound their vehicle or take away their licence, or both, until they agree how they will behave in future. Some people put others lives at risk, we are too lenient.
Don Oddy, London, UK

The signs won't stop lane hogging, just as speed limit signs don't get people to slow down when going through road works. Put simply, most don't care. They want to get where they are going and to hell with the other road users. Lorries are one of the worst culprits for this, overtaking other lorries, and causing a right jam up behind. Limit them to the left hand lane, except when it's blocked. That will help lower their speed as well, hopefully causing less fatal lorry accidents that seem to happen all too often
Anthony Collins, Basingstoke, England

I'm sure I've seen these signs already on the M56 in Manchester, but to no avail. The worse offenders are old people who took their tests before motorways were in the Highway Code, and businessmen who think they own the road. I commute 80 miles a day to and from work, and I see all sorts of bad driving. Middle lane hogs cause traffic jams. Use the 10 second rule: If you can go to the lane on your left for at least 10 seconds, go in it!
Dave, Manchester

I hate to say it but it tends to be the less confident drivers who hog the middle lane, saves them having to move in and out. We really need to address motorway driving in the driving test.
Gerry, Scotland

Where I drive, all three lanes are completely full. The real issue is a refusal to build any roads for the last 12 years.
John, Coventry UK

Staying in the middle lane means that you are not constantly overtaking the slow-coaches in the slow lane. Also by staying in the middle lane, you are avoiding accidents as you are not having to constantly gauge the speed and distance of the car in the overtaking lane. Yes - I am a middle lane hogger
Romesh, UK

To Romesh, if you think that driving in the middle lane reduces your requirement to think about speed and distance, you should not be allowed on a motorway, because that is a vital skill for safe driving. While middle lane hogs are annoying, the worst are the dangerous tailgaters and lane changers who cut people up in heavy traffic. I drive past the M4/M5 junction at rush hour everyday and some of the driving there is beyond belief. I once saw someone undertake an articulated lorry on the hard shoulder at high speed!
Tom Mason, Bristol, UK

Signs will not make any difference. However the sight of a police patrol car has everyone driving as though they have just passed the driving test. Will people who are driving untaxed and uninsured vehicles, assuming that they can read, pay any attention to any signs.
Tony M, Portsmouth, UK

I doubt if this will have much effect. There seem to be some people who never wish to drive in the slow lane on a motorway, even if they are only doing 50 mph and the slow lane is absolutely clear. I've come across this many times, and I find them more dangerous and distracting than people who drive too fast.
Paul F, London, UK

It's about time motorway drivers were told to consider those around them. However, on the M25 variable speed limit section, drivers are advised to 'stay in lane'. When leaving this section, at least at J10 anti-clockwise, there's no countermanding instruction 'keep left unless overtaking'. The small sign 'End of variable speed limit' doesn't quite make the point. So the 50 mph in the middle lane people are just doing what they're told, as they see it, and they're surprised that drivers joining later have problems with them.
Paul, Surrey, UK

The people who should be taking notice as usually the ones who ignore them Tracey, Durham, UK<

I don't think that it will have any more impact than the signs warning people to take a break! The people who should be taking notice as usually the ones who ignore them! I get very frustrated with middle lane hoggers but what annoys me more is the lorries that try to overtake each other going up hills which cause everyone problems especially on the 2-lane section of the A1(M).
Tracey, Durham, UK

Drivers who are oblivious as to lane discipline, are also the ones who fail to heed warning signs. They won't read 'em! And it will result in more road rage.
Nick, UK

At last something is being done to tackle this major problem. As far as I'm concerned, people refusing to move from the middle lanes is a bigger problem than speeding drivers. In this country there are too many under-confident drivers who clog up the motorways and inconvenience the rest of us. I think it's a good idea, it will certainly help improve traffic flow. Now, if only they could ban lorries from overtaking on dual carriageways in rush hour.
Chris, Oxford