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UK enforcing tighter road laws

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A UK motorist has been fined a total of nearly £1000 for remaining in the centre lane of a motorway when the nearside lane was empty - reported in the Telegraph yesterday.

This is colloquially known as lane-hogging, and has been a road traffic offence in the UK for a couple of years.

Perhaps it could be introduced here? The NZ authorities would probably get (even) more revenue from that than they do from the camera vans!!

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that fines a bit bloody ridiculous isnt it? 1000 GBP is about $2300 NZD. I agree slow people hogging lanes is a pain but bloody hell.

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Isn't there a law "no passing on the left" in the UK ? Being pinged for lane hogging makes sense if so, as you're effectively blocking 2 or more lanes.

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I think if fines were ridiculous like that it would make people think twice way more than the do normally. I know I would!

However.... I suspect that could lead to a genuine reduction in offences, thus less fines , so actually less money for the police gathering machine in NZ... thus they would prefer cheaper fines so it's more likely people will offend more regularly keeping a more steady flow of low dollar fines.

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that fines a bit bloody ridiculous isnt it? 1000 GBP is about $2300 NZD. I agree slow people hogging lanes is a pain but bloody hell.

Would have been a lot less if they had just paid the fine and not ended up in court over it. When it gets to court you have to pay costs, etc... and the pratt didn't even bother to turn up!!

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ah okay, ill admit, i didnt read the article. 100 GBP fine is far more reasonable, and yes his own damn fault for not paying or showing up to court. idiot.

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We already have a suitable law, it's just poorly enforced.

There is a fine available and 20 points for "Failure to drive as near as practicable to the left of the roadway" and the expectations are explained here:

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadcode/about-driving/keeping-left.html

Call *555 on those arseholes and they'll probably get a warning letter, might make the tiniest difference.

Enforcement is the key here. And driving instructors that don't give a toss about actually improving driver standards.

But if you star 555 them, chances are you'll get done for using your mobile while driving in the spur of the moment, if say your hands free wasn't connected. :P

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The stupid woman in the outside lane of SH1 this afternoon, clutching the top of the steering wheel with both hands and leaning so far forward she could have bitten her nails at the same time, travelling at 85km/h - max - would have been better dealt with by a rocket launcher. Queues of traffic, lorries with blaring horns - nothing made the slightest difference.

What excuse do these people have? "You can always overtake on the left", while it may be legally correct, is absolutely no defense.

Grrr... $2000 is nowhere near enough.

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Mike Hoskins had a fairly scathing diatribe describing Kiwi drivers just now... Essentially, he's in favour of the UK law.

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But if you star 555 them, chances are you'll get done for using your mobile while driving in the spur of the moment, if say your hands free wasn't connected. :P

There is an exception to the law for *555 calls and 111 calls.

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