When I first raised this subject I made the comparison of poor overtakes on the motorway to punishment passes cyclists suffer. The example that started me off happened to be someone flashing a lane 2 user on an empty motorway and I questioned the reason for the flashing. It seems that some motorway drivers think it is beneficial to do this as it tells the lane 2 user that they are breaking the rules. But from that driver's point of view the overtaker is probably just another bullying speeder, as they might also get the same flashing while they are legitimately using lane 3 and the speeder arrives behind them then.
Only one post, by wakou, had a logical reason that lane 2 drivers can be a problem, because they effectively block the motorway for the commercial vehicles that are banned from lane 3. In contrast most of the responses to my post have been along the lines of 'driver in lane 2 should get the hell over, they are obstructing the road, breaking the rules, are even 'particularly dangerous' but haven't answered the question of whether the danger may actually be caused by the overtaker.
In another post, by Mr Hippo, where he is having a bit of a go at these armchair arguments, a new commuter by the name of Paul says that he is now a better and more considerate driver because of his experiences as a cyclist. I think I am too, and many more of us I'm sure. Why is it that a high proportion (at least of those few that expressed an interest!) seem supportive of the (probably speeding, possibly flashing, maybe cutting back in too close) overtaker? Bearing in mind that they can only overtake if lane 3 is empty, the lane 2 driver was really just an inconvenience.
The wider picture here is that there are all sorts of objects and people and vehicles that can get in your way when driving or cycling. The lane 2 driver was just an example that prompted my post. Surely the thing to do is just accept that they are there, and find a safe way past. Flashing or performing a punishment pass is no benefit to anyone, and is more likely to cause an accident than a correct 'highway code based' pass.
