Letter: Life in slow lane

Sir: I wonder if the writers of the two letters on motorway lane discipline (1 March) have understood the point of a three-lane motorway. As I recall it, the original purpose was to enable two vehicles to overtake at the same time. Clinging relentlessly to the centre lane prevents this.

It also contravenes the Highway Code, which instructs drivers to stay in the nearside lane except when overtaking, and diminishes a motorway from three lanes to two.

Unless such drivers are actually overtaking, the area of nearside lane beside them (frequently long stretches of it) is rendered legally off- limits, unusable and empty, creating unnecessary congestion in the centre and offside lanes. They also force the rest of us to cross from the nearside to the offside lane if we want to overtake them.

They have no mandate to control the speed of other vehicles, and offer a provocation to road rage rather than a contribution to safe motoring.

HELEN WIDGERY

London SW4