Accelerating whilst being overtaken

Accelerating whilst being overtaken

Poll: Accelerating whilst being overtaken

Total Members Polled: 411

Accelerate as normal and let him sort it out.: 26%
Let him past and remain behind.: 22%
Let him past then re-overtake.: 16%
Floor it.: 36%
Author
Discussion

Rubber-Ducky

Original Poster:

284 posts

204 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
Okay fellow PHers - what's a chap to do in the following situation:

Driving through a local village. 30 mph limit, regular community speed watch, occasional camera van (although neither there on this occasion). I'm sticking rigidly to the limit. White van comes barrelling up behind me and is forced to slow down to match my speed. He drives in close formation with my rear bumper for a few hundred yards. As we get to the end of the limit and I start to accelerate, he pulls out to overtake. The road ahead is clear. My car has a significant performance advantage...

My options were:

1. Accelerate as normal and let him sort it out.
2. Ease off the loud pedal and let him past. Accept being stuck behind him for the fun, derestricted, twisty bits up ahead.
3. Let him past then immediately re-overtake. As already mentioned, road ahead perfectly clear.
4. Floor it and leave him for dust.

This happened to me today - what should I have done? What view might plod have taken of any of the above courses of action.

Mgd_uk

368 posts

103 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
Floor it and leave him for dust! Wouldn't want to be stuck behind a van!

Spx

182 posts

101 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
Floor

brrapp

3,701 posts

161 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
I didn't vote as I couldn't choose between 2 and 3 as I wasn't there so couldn't judge on the situation at the end of the overtake, but it has to be one of these two. If someone is overtaking you, you have to let them complete their overtake without hindrance. Up to you what you do after he's safely past.

Wacky Racer

38,099 posts

246 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
Let him pass then re overtake him.

He might be a psycho with a spade...smokin

aka_kerrly

12,416 posts

209 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
I reckon the poll is going to be 50/50 on either accelerating at your normal rate and not letting a tt intimidate you and floor it.

Personally, in those situations when someone is following too closely and we are approaching a NSL I have already assessed if their desire to pass me & their car's ability then let them have it! Being able to accelerate from 30>NSL+ in 2nd gear in a couple of seconds helpssmokin

Toltec

7,159 posts

222 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
Providing you do it before he gets or can get along side just go for it, he gets to drive at the speed he wants to and you get the same. He probably won't be happy, but it is not like you are leaving him stuck on the wrong side of the road. He was rather stupid trying to overtake into a limit change without waiting to see what you were going to do anyway.


Johnnytheboy

24,498 posts

185 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
Accelerate as normal. Presumably only up to 60?

If you then catch him later going less than 60, re-overtake, but unless this is a single village in a featureless plain of NSL, no doubt he'd end up tailgating you through the next village.

Flooring it to make a point is the surest sign of tttery in the whole world, and surprisingly dangerous.

Doing pretty much anything differently because of what the person behind you is doing is pretty tttish.

Ekona

1,652 posts

201 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
Common sense says to let him past. Rather an idiot in front of you than behind you.

Rubber-Ducky

Original Poster:

284 posts

204 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
Johnnytheboy said:
...unless this is a single village in a featureless plain of NSL, no doubt he'd end up tailgating you through the next village.
It pretty much is, hence the regular community speed watch and occasional camera van.

Johnnytheboy

24,498 posts

185 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
Not Dorset then.

Village, mile of NSL, village, two miles of random 40 limit, village (repeat forever). frown

The other thing to bear in mind in your scenario is the potential for road rage.

Some people would get very angry at someone (in their eyes) trying to stop them overtaking, and as many YT videos show us, this doesn't always end well.

smashie

685 posts

150 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
So what did you do then?

caelite

4,273 posts

111 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
Let him pass safely then re-overtake if he is holding you up. It doesn't matter of the scenario if you accelerate whilst you are being passed then this is a dangerous maneuver.

Marvtec

421 posts

158 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
When you say 'derestricted' do you mean NSL or Autobahn? I strongly suspect its the first but that you have no intention of sticking to the limit on that part of the road?

Rubber-Ducky

Original Poster:

284 posts

204 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
Marvtec said:
When you say 'derestricted' do you mean NSL or Autobahn? I strongly suspect its the first but that you have no intention of sticking to the limit on that part of the road?
NSL. It's a C road with some nice twisty bits that can be enjoyed at speeds which won't land you in court.

cmaguire

3,589 posts

108 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
Rubber-Ducky said:
NSL. It's a C road with some nice twisty bits that can be enjoyed at speeds which won't land you in court.
That's highly unlikely. I'm not sure I can think of any road that is enjoyable at anywhere near the speed limit.

InitialDave

11,854 posts

118 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
I say floor it, assuming your assessment of relative performance is correct. If you're sticking to the 30 limit with the intent of accelerating once it becomes NSL, their trying to get an overtake in on the "runout" of the 30 is a total knob move. The road as you've described it would have plenty of room for them to pass you once into the NSL section should you prove to be a dawdler.

This is on the basis that there is a serious performance difference, so you'll fk off into the distance and not be around for them to rage at.

developer

265 posts

156 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
I would have been keeping an eye on him (particularly as he was tailgating) and another on the approaching NSL.

He'd have been a spec in the rear view mirror before he was able to commence his overtake.

Be aware of your surroundings.

Though I'm aware 700+hp would have helped me make the above decision...

Johnnytheboy

24,498 posts

185 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
A352 Dorchester to Middlemarsh.

Mostly NSL and twisty. I've used to it demonstrate to my Mrs that sticking to the limit can feel very fast in the right car.

paintman

7,669 posts

189 months

Wednesday 30th November 2016
quotequote all
Ekona said:
Common sense says to let him past. Rather an idiot in front of you than behind you.
+1