I commute each day between Bath and Bristol and on reaching the M4 I slip into cruise control mode at a steady speed just below 70mph. I endeavour to use the inside lane as much as I can, especially as one who readily castigates those who hog the middle lane. But other drivers make this difficult. Last week a car alongside me in the middle lane was matching my speed and seemed not to see my indicator. There was quite a queue behind him but a large gap in front, so I increased my speed until there was plenty of room for me to pull out, which I did with ease.

The driver then seemed to wake up, accelerated to catch up with me, flashed his headlights repeatedly, swerved into the outside lane, overtook me, swerved in front of me and braked heavily. Whilst I acknowledge this to be extreme behaviour, I’m becoming increasingly persuaded that hogging the middle lane has distinct advantages - unless people show more benevolence to those who, having ‘moved over’, want to move back from time to time.