Question: I overtake, car matches my speed and I have to
Discussion
hora said:
Hypothetical question really.
At the weekend I was behind an Audi TT that was sat at an indicated 45 for a couple of miles in a NSL. As soon as we got to a straight with good visibility.....
Devil's advocate mode:At the weekend I was behind an Audi TT that was sat at an indicated 45 for a couple of miles in a NSL. As soon as we got to a straight with good visibility.....
Implication is that the road up to then had been not straight with poor visibility. Perhaps he was driving more slowly because of that. 'Sat at' implies you found this frustrating.
People vary their speed between straight and twisty roads to differing degrees. Imho when reaching a good straight stretch for overtaking it's always a good idea to let the car in front reach it's new speed before judging whether overtaking is necessary or safe.
Btw it wasn't me
and yes, they could have just been bloody minded, dangerous and stupid.As much as I don't like the possible misuse of a section 59 I'd take the reg number of idiots like this and report them. From comments on PH it seems that one person's evidence is enough. From memory a section 59 can be issued if a driver causes "distress". That would be a reasonable description of forcing a driver into a possible accident.
hora said:
I decided to indicate/hit the horn and start to move over - it worked. He lifted off and let me back in.
If you had hit him, the fault would have been 100% yours, and I suspect the police would have been arresting you for dangerous driving. When you find yourself in this "hypothetical" situation again, there is only ONE SENSIBLE thing to do, and that is back off and drop behind him at a safe distance. If his speed is bother you that much, and you cant overtake safely, change your route to use another road for part of your journey onwards, or pull over for a few minutes to put some space between you. turning in, in the assumption that the ass will give you room is putting WAY too much faith (not to mention your own well being) in the hands of an unknown person.
Hudson said:
The trick is to catch them off guard, Don't indicate (obviously if it's clear) or give any clue that your going to overtake until you're doing it.
I agree with that, except that as you start to pass, flash your headlights. We were told to do this by ex-Police drivers on our 'Defensive' (there's a misnomer, if ever there was one!) Driving courses.I drive a lot on rural A roads and it does work. I reckon people see the flash, think "WTF was that" and by the time they gather their thoughts you've passed them.
I posted this in the thing that makes you think knob thread but I'll put it here as well...
A silver Peugeot on Sunday with 'L' plates on.
Doing 35 through some NSL which was ok, it's a bit twisty and they're obviously a bit nervous, slow down to 20 for a 30 limit and then back to 35 when it goes back to NSL. A straight appears so I indicate to overtake and pull out early so they can see what I'm doing. They then boot it up to 70+ to stop me overtaking.
A car appeared in the distance coming the other way and I aborted the overtake. They went back to doing 35 but I wasn't going to try that again.
What kind of weapons grade cock is teaching that sort of driving?
With hindsight I should have accelerated up behind them and overtaken without warning but at the time my thought process was: They're a learner, I'll give them clear indication of what I intend to do which will be safest for all.
A silver Peugeot on Sunday with 'L' plates on.
Doing 35 through some NSL which was ok, it's a bit twisty and they're obviously a bit nervous, slow down to 20 for a 30 limit and then back to 35 when it goes back to NSL. A straight appears so I indicate to overtake and pull out early so they can see what I'm doing. They then boot it up to 70+ to stop me overtaking.
A car appeared in the distance coming the other way and I aborted the overtake. They went back to doing 35 but I wasn't going to try that again.
What kind of weapons grade cock is teaching that sort of driving?
With hindsight I should have accelerated up behind them and overtaken without warning but at the time my thought process was: They're a learner, I'll give them clear indication of what I intend to do which will be safest for all.
Hudson said:
The trick is to catch them off guard, Don't indicate (obviously if it's clear) or give any clue that your going to overtake until you're doing it. 9/10 they never react in time to show how much of a man they are by blocking you.
I used to commute down B roads teeming with bellends on a daily basis, in a heavy 130bhp diesel mondeo and this method never failed
I used to commute down B roads teeming with bellends on a daily basis, in a heavy 130bhp diesel mondeo and this method never failed
I do this on the bike too as there is a group of drivers around here who try to swerve right & stop me getting past. The plebs appear to think that I won't fit even though cars manage to come the other way perfectly ok.
I think you have to look at each situation and weigh up the options accordingly. No one approach works all the time.
Obviously it's nice to have a car that will dispense with any silliness, either by using braking or acceleration but even then you can be caught out, unless you are only ever going to overtake in the knowledge that you have a faster and better braking car than the car you want to pass. That's pretty unlikely for most of us.
In the OP's case I would have said brake was the right option but the red mist can descend and just occasionally that option is removed even with forward planning. I experienced it with a Volvo estate and mid-overtake the gap that was behind me as a contingency was compromised by the arrival of a biker at warp speed. An oncoming car meant the easy overtake had been made risky by the car I was passing speeding up and braking risked problems with the following biker. That did push me into a very assertive move to get back to my side of the road which predictably resulted in faux outrage from the Volvo driver.
These are people playing bloody dangerous games. Their pay off is forcing you to abort the overtake thereby 'teaching you a lesson' so if the overtake is not prevented they 'lose.' If you feel you have 'lost' by having to abort then you have been dragged into the game. Havoc typically ensues. It's the kind of behaviour that if witnessed should result in an instant ban. Only a Police focus and some high profile prosecutions will change behaviour. As stated earlier in this thread and others, many people now think all overtaking is wrong, all speed kills, sitting in the outer lane is fine because I'm travelling at the speed limit, etc and the sooner these morons are educated the better.
Obviously it's nice to have a car that will dispense with any silliness, either by using braking or acceleration but even then you can be caught out, unless you are only ever going to overtake in the knowledge that you have a faster and better braking car than the car you want to pass. That's pretty unlikely for most of us.
In the OP's case I would have said brake was the right option but the red mist can descend and just occasionally that option is removed even with forward planning. I experienced it with a Volvo estate and mid-overtake the gap that was behind me as a contingency was compromised by the arrival of a biker at warp speed. An oncoming car meant the easy overtake had been made risky by the car I was passing speeding up and braking risked problems with the following biker. That did push me into a very assertive move to get back to my side of the road which predictably resulted in faux outrage from the Volvo driver.
These are people playing bloody dangerous games. Their pay off is forcing you to abort the overtake thereby 'teaching you a lesson' so if the overtake is not prevented they 'lose.' If you feel you have 'lost' by having to abort then you have been dragged into the game. Havoc typically ensues. It's the kind of behaviour that if witnessed should result in an instant ban. Only a Police focus and some high profile prosecutions will change behaviour. As stated earlier in this thread and others, many people now think all overtaking is wrong, all speed kills, sitting in the outer lane is fine because I'm travelling at the speed limit, etc and the sooner these morons are educated the better.
Edited by 9mm on Thursday 16th August 12:17
Edited by 9mm on Thursday 16th August 12:18
Similar thing happened to me when I was in the UK a few years ago, on a straightish, empty road across the Cotswolds. Nothing like that ever happened to me before in 45 years of driving and it made me paranoid for ages. Maybe it was the foreign reg that riled him.
Luckily the road was empty and I let the Vtec take care of it but what sort of freaking mentalist would even think about doing something like that?
Luckily the road was empty and I let the Vtec take care of it but what sort of freaking mentalist would even think about doing something like that?
The obvious solution is to buy a massive V8 . Then it doesn't matter if they try and speed up, it isn't going to make any difference!
Looking at your profile, the only things I would overtake in your car (lovely though I'm sure it is) would be tractors, HGVs and OAPs. Anything else would require such a huge clear straight to leave adequate safety margin that it just wouldn't happen.
. Then it doesn't matter if they try and speed up, it isn't going to make any difference!Looking at your profile, the only things I would overtake in your car (lovely though I'm sure it is) would be tractors, HGVs and OAPs. Anything else would require such a huge clear straight to leave adequate safety margin that it just wouldn't happen.
This seems to be happening more and more often - put someone behind the wheel of a tin box and they think they become indestructible.
As frustrating as it may be to bail out of the overtake and drop back in behind the idiot (who will invariably slow back to a dawdle), that is the safest option. At 80 mph you shouldn't have to stamp on the brakes, just lifting the throttle should be enough to slow you down and drop back in behind - unless the oncoming car was much closer than you imply. You'd need many hundreds of horsepower to accelerate out of an 80mph overtake at the same rate you can drop back. Side swiping them is frankly not an option I would even consider, it will always be your fault, assuming you live through it.
I live in a county with no motorways and few dual carriageways. It's very hilly and there are many sections of A road that become two lane on the steep hills (effectively creating a crawler lane). It's nearly always the case that when you get to one of these places to overtake, the car trundling along in front accelerates on the two lane bit. I can only think of three reasons:
1) they think because it's 2 lanes, it becomes dual carriageway speed limit,
2) they want to thrash their diesel hatchback up the hill (out of character!),
3) they can't stand the thought of being overtaken.
As frustrating as it may be to bail out of the overtake and drop back in behind the idiot (who will invariably slow back to a dawdle), that is the safest option. At 80 mph you shouldn't have to stamp on the brakes, just lifting the throttle should be enough to slow you down and drop back in behind - unless the oncoming car was much closer than you imply. You'd need many hundreds of horsepower to accelerate out of an 80mph overtake at the same rate you can drop back. Side swiping them is frankly not an option I would even consider, it will always be your fault, assuming you live through it.
I live in a county with no motorways and few dual carriageways. It's very hilly and there are many sections of A road that become two lane on the steep hills (effectively creating a crawler lane). It's nearly always the case that when you get to one of these places to overtake, the car trundling along in front accelerates on the two lane bit. I can only think of three reasons:
1) they think because it's 2 lanes, it becomes dual carriageway speed limit,
2) they want to thrash their diesel hatchback up the hill (out of character!),
3) they can't stand the thought of being overtaken.
This does happen regardless of what you are driving, had it twice in the 911 and on both occaisons just doing a lazy overtake and had deploy a flex of the ankle to dispatch them. It always amazes me that these people then drop straight down to their slow un moving progress.
I suspect these are the same people who flash you when you overtake, I think that they believe that overtaking is dangerous and so they should stop you doing it, even if means stranding you on the wrong side of the road.
I also suspect that these are the people who mindlessly drive along at 45mph everywhere, 20 limit, 30 limit, 40 limit, 50 limit and 60 limit.
Sadly there are a lot of a
holes in the world and every now and then somebody gives them a driving license.
I suspect these are the same people who flash you when you overtake, I think that they believe that overtaking is dangerous and so they should stop you doing it, even if means stranding you on the wrong side of the road.
I also suspect that these are the people who mindlessly drive along at 45mph everywhere, 20 limit, 30 limit, 40 limit, 50 limit and 60 limit.
Sadly there are a lot of a
holes in the world and every now and then somebody gives them a driving license.I had a variant on this, when on a Yamaha R1, coming out of a 30 zone to the NSL in the country near my house, with a Range Rover up my arse. We got 30 yards from the end of the 30 zone - I was doing 30 - and he started to overtake. As we hit the NSL and I started to accelerate, I realised what this idiot was doing, and thought, do I wait for him to finish this manoeuvre, or just gas it. It was quicker and easier to just nail it - so off I shot. He pulled back in. I slowed down to 60-65 ish for the next couple of miles and then, just as we got the next village (30 zone again) and I slowed down, he caught up, doing at least a ton, and overtook me, just missing an oncoming car (swerving violently) and shot into the 30 zone at the same speed. Lost sight of him at that point.
I see this a lot if I stick to the speed limit coming up to the edge of my village. Cars start to overtake before the speed limit changes - however, it is obvious that the car in front (me) is then going to accelerate, so they are then in that dangerous position of being stuck next to another car. Several times I have had to back off, or delay accelerating so they can finish their maneur..manouevr...manoeuvre (sp?) safely. Idiots. And this is often when I'm on a 1000cc bike or in my 911.
I have no problem with being overtaken. It depends on whether I'm in the LandRover (all the time), the Saab (sometimes) or the Porsche (not that often).
I see this a lot if I stick to the speed limit coming up to the edge of my village. Cars start to overtake before the speed limit changes - however, it is obvious that the car in front (me) is then going to accelerate, so they are then in that dangerous position of being stuck next to another car. Several times I have had to back off, or delay accelerating so they can finish their maneur..manouevr...manoeuvre (sp?) safely. Idiots. And this is often when I'm on a 1000cc bike or in my 911.
I have no problem with being overtaken. It depends on whether I'm in the LandRover (all the time), the Saab (sometimes) or the Porsche (not that often).
SmoothCriminal said:
There would be no way I would be willing to risk a head on if it come to that point then the car that's accelerating would be in the ditch.
But you'd still rather risk a collision and jail for dangerous driving than lose some ego and just brake and slot in behind?RtdRacer said:
I had a variant on this, when on a Yamaha R1, coming out of a 30 zone to the NSL in the country near my house, with a Range Rover up my arse. We got 30 yards from the end of the 30 zone - I was doing 30 - and he started to overtake. As we hit the NSL and I started to accelerate, I realised what this idiot was doing, and thought, do I wait for him to finish this manoeuvre, or just gas it. It was quicker and easier to just nail it - so off I shot. He pulled back in. I slowed down to 60-65 ish for the next couple of miles and then, just as we got the next village (30 zone again) and I slowed down, he caught up, doing at least a ton, and overtook me, just missing an oncoming car (swerving violently) and shot into the 30 zone at the same speed. Lost sight of him at that point.
I see this a lot if I stick to the speed limit coming up to the edge of my village. Cars start to overtake before the speed limit changes - however, it is obvious that the car in front (me) is then going to accelerate, so they are then in that dangerous position of being stuck next to another car. Several times I have had to back off, or delay accelerating so they can finish their maneur..manouevr...manoeuvre (sp?) safely. Idiots. And this is often when I'm on a 1000cc bike or in my 911.
I have no problem with being overtaken. It depends on whether I'm in the LandRover (all the time), the Saab (sometimes) or the Porsche (not that often).
This came to mind for me too. I used to live out in the sticks when I had Imprezas. I'd stick to around the speed limit in villages and then push on in the NSL sections, but regularly got tailgated through the villages by the 45-everywhere brigade who I then dropped at the NSL sign. I used to position my car to the right to discourage an overtake just before the NSL sign so they wouldn't be forced to abort when I pulled away, but I could imagine that to them it would look a lot like it did to the OP as I was "holding them up" in the 30 zones.I see this a lot if I stick to the speed limit coming up to the edge of my village. Cars start to overtake before the speed limit changes - however, it is obvious that the car in front (me) is then going to accelerate, so they are then in that dangerous position of being stuck next to another car. Several times I have had to back off, or delay accelerating so they can finish their maneur..manouevr...manoeuvre (sp?) safely. Idiots. And this is often when I'm on a 1000cc bike or in my 911.
I have no problem with being overtaken. It depends on whether I'm in the LandRover (all the time), the Saab (sometimes) or the Porsche (not that often).
oyster said:
But you'd still rather risk a collision and jail for dangerous driving than lose some ego and just brake and slot in behind?
Well that's going to depend on if the car on the inside lane also brakes is it not? It seems (incredibly to me) that some appear to do this as well.Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff