TWeaK

You're talking about the risk of the maneuver as if it is significant and completely unwarranted. I would argue that the driver in the middle lane is causing far greater risk; they are absentmindedly driving along without any consideration for other road users or proper roadcraft. Neither of these actions are significantly risky.

I also wouldn't call it "messing with someone". I'm driving around them in an innocuous manner, not obstructing them or interfering with their driving in any way. The fact that they have to pay a little more attention to me is a far lesser offense than the hassle they're causing by not adhering to the rules of the road.

It might not be my responsibility to notify another driver, but no one else is going to do it. I think my proposed action is better than letting bad driving go by completely unaddressed.

Nonetheless, thank you for your response, it was well reasoned.

The big assumption you've made is that everything I've described is brought out of rage.

Only flashing the indicator could perhaps be rageful, and even then it's more of an innocuous vent than anything else.

The best option would be for ongoing training for driving.

Police don't enforce the laws. Police are quite happy to punish people for speeding, because it's an easy charge to convict - it's much harder to convict someone with the crime of sitting in the middle lane. So they don't bother.

In my experience in the UK, most drivers actually respond to an interaction like I've described. When I flashed the indicator, then moved over to the inside lane, many drivers followed and moved into the inside lane. When I've looped around them, I've never been able to complete that many loops, because the other driver has realised what I'm doing and moved into the inside lane.

Communication =/= confrontation. When driving, we are very limited in our communication - but that doesn't mean there is no way to communicate.

Yeah, it’s illegal here in Germany.

Maybe by a strict reading of the rules, but it would certainly be hard to prove that one loop around someone would be illegal. There's plenty of legitimate reasons to pull in and slow down after travelling at speeds, even if you've just overtaken someone.

And it’s dangerous.

I challenge you to explain how this is more dangerous than slowly overtaking someone at nearly the same speed.

Driving is inherently dangerous. Overtaking someone is dangerous. It's all about the relative significance of the risk - what I'm proposing is not a significant risk in any way, especially when the maneuvers are executed properly and with care, per driver training. Specifically, you pull ahead well in front of them, move over in two moves, then don't slow down until you're in the inside lane (and slow down gently with inidication via the brake lights).

I don’t participate in that behaviour. I can’t be angry at the world the whole time.

I've only ever done the loop thing when I'm driving in a very relaxed way, like I say it costs me money in excess fuel through accelerating up again. Even without the money thing, it's the inefficiency of the move that bothers me.

At the same time, living in a country where this is an exasperating problem, it's nice to be able to communicate with people and have them realise they're causing a problem. Most drivers I see carry on sat in the middle lane without even realising - at least, until you make a loop, then they quickly realise and pull in. Even pulling into the inside lane and driving away in front of them causes no reaction 98/100 times.

In my experience they’re mostly way past learning anything.

I think this is skewed by your experiences driving in Germany. The standard of driving there is so much better than many other countries, particularly the UK which I'm referencing. When I've driven in Germany, the only real issues I've had have been around rush hour, the rest of the time people aren't even in the way to begin with (or they're driving faster than me).

Frankly, I think driving licenses should be subject to mandatory re-training every 5 years. Not like a pass/fail test, but a compulsory course. That way, changes in roadcraft can be taught, and bad habits can hopefully be addressed before they fester.

Really? Go on, back that up with some objective reasoning.