1. Middle lane hogging and tailgating

In the Highway Code, the instruction is to keep left unless overtaking, it’s as simple as that. Staying in the middle lane when you don’t need to creates delays and frustration, leading to aggression and tailgating. When it comes to gaps between cars, we should leave at least two seconds between ourselves and the car in front – driving any closer puts both vehicles at serious risk of a collision. Unfortunately, many people do it without realising, and the consequences can be devastating. Who really cares if somebody else goes into the gap you’ve created? Dropping back a little will only add microseconds to your journey. 

2. Merging and overtaking

When two lanes merge into one, cars are supposed to alternate at the merge point, coming together like a zip. People who don’t understand this can often move left very early and become angry when they see drivers (who are actually acting correctly) continue past and use the empty lane ahead of them. This often leads to very dangerous and illegal behaviour such as tailgating, lane-blocking and active acts of aggression as drivers on the left try to prevent the others joining (or “pushing in” as they see it). Regardless of how it’s viewed, in a polite society the obvious thing to do is allow people to take their turn and we should follow the same practice on the road. Merging in turn aximises the use of the road space, reduces congestion and when done properly speeds up everybody’s journey.  

It’s a similar story with overtaking. The Highway Code clearly states that when somebody is trying to overtake, you must maintain a steady speed or even slow down a little to aid them in doing so and doing anything else (i.e. speeding up to prevent it) is just plain dangerous. And rude. 

3. Roundabouts

Lane discipline is critical when it comes to roundabouts. Read the road markings: if the right hand land is right turn only, don’t use it to go straight on. As a rule, use the left hand lane if you’re going left, the right hand lane if you’re going right, and your common sense if you’re going somewhere in between. Using filter lanes to gain a couple of car lengths is pointless and stupid, but give the people who do this plenty of room anyway as these are the drivers who tend to end up with problems… 

4. Yellow boxes and junctions

It sounds obvious, but don’t drive into a yellow box unless you are confident you will be able to come out the other side. Similarly, if you’re stuck in a queue, make sure that you’re not blocking a junction. Blocked junctions only increase the congestion, delays and problems for you and for everybody else. 

5. Vulnerable road users

Many car drivers seem to forget that not everybody on the road is as safe and secure as they are in their tin box. Regardless of the fact that vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders have as much right as anybody else to use the road, common courtesy dictates that we as drivers need to treat them with special care when we come in contact with them. Pass slowly and carefully, leaving them plenty of room – a car’s width is a good rule of thumb. 

Sadly, the good manners of the past don’t always appear on today’s roads, but it’s encouraging to think we tend to remember the ones who DON’T say thank you when we let them out at a junction, or help them overtake, simply because these are the exception rather than the rule. Most people out there are just like you and me, trying to get from A to B in a safe and pleasant manner, so it’s up to all of us to lead by example.