the.com/middle of the road

means Describes a position, opinion, or style that avoids extremes and plays it safely moderate.

from A literal 19th-century image before it was a metaphor: the middle of the road was once the smoothest, best-maintained part of a dirt or cobbled street, with ruts, mud, and traffic hazards nearer the edges. By the early 20th century, especially in American political and musical speech, 'middle of the road' had shifted to mean steering clear of extremes — a driving metaphor repurposed for anyone unwilling to swerve toward a strong opinion in either direction.