Lane hogging and tailgating: The bad habits grinding drivers' gears

Whether it is lane hogging or not indicating on a roundabout, most motorists have a driving bugbear. Instructor Steve Watson says there are unspoken rules when it comes to being polite on the road, but not all drivers follow them.

"Everyone seems to be rushing around more these days and they don't have time for the common courtesies that we used to," says Steve, 68, who has been teaching people to drive in North Lincolnshire for 11 years.

"People park on pavements – that's bad manners. People can't get past with buggies and wheelchairs. You even see people park across driveways.

"They [motorists] seem to have a lot less patience for learner drivers and everyone else.

"A regular thing is for people getting really close behind our car. So close that they are almost touching the back bumper.

"You are sitting at a busy roundabout and there are cars coming round and not indicating. It's certainly bad manners and it makes you feel angry."

He says that it is not law to indicate at roundabouts, but feels drivers should.

"I teach my students how to indicate on roundabouts, but I also teach them that other people don't," he adds.

An example that Steve gives that motorists who drive on motorways may not be familiar with is merging in turn when there is a lane closure.

Not all motorists use all three lanes or let fellow drivers in when it gets to their turn.

"When you reach the point where the road closes, you're supposed to let every alternate driver merge in. But people don't do that.

"That's a sign people are getting less patient nowadays," he adds.

According to Steve, if something is written in bold capital letters in the Highway Code it means that is law and drivers must do it. If it says should, then that is not law, but preferential.

In Brigg, drivers have been revealing what grinds their gears when it comes to being inconsiderate on the roads.

"Lane hogging, tailgating and not indicating - that's really frustrating. I wish I was a police officer," Aaron says.

"When they get aggressive and do signs out of the window at you. I find that worse than rude," Amanda Oldershaw adds.

"I think people need to calm down and accept that they're driving killing machines. We need to go a little more carefully. It's better to arrive late, than not at all."

Reejay says he sometimes feels unsafe when drivers "do not use the proper signs when they are taking a left, or right, or exiting a roundabout".

Breakdown and insurance company RAC says poor manners from drivers is a leading cause of road rage.

The 2024 RAC report on motoring found that 29% of drivers surveyed said the poor standard of other motorists' driving was a top concern for them.

Head of policy Simon Williams says there are various things that "push people's buttons".

"Manners is one thing that can upset drivers, particularly if you've given way to one driver and they've gone past without thanking you. Some can get very angry about that," he adds.

"Some drivers are far less tolerant and patient than others. Equally, there are plenty of drivers on the road who do thank everyone."

He added that road rage can be "incredibly dangerous".

"Anyone who displays road rage is a road safety risk, because they are probably not concentrating fully.

"In our research, aggressive driving also features in the top motoring concerns, with around a fifth of drivers listing that."

In 2023, a study by University of Warwick measured the changes in driving that occur during an aggressive state.

It found that aggressive drivers have a 3mph (5km/h) mean faster speed than non-aggressive drivers and make more mistakes.

Steve has one message he hopes drivers will take on board.

"Show good manners, be patient, be forgiving, because people make mistakes.

"If everyone's a bit more forgiving and a bit more patient, then everyone would enjoy driving a lot more."