Reg puts his money where his mouth is - overtaking demo

[freddytin]

Congratulations to No.1 son, I'd have been as sick as a dog trying to hold the camera steady on those lanes.
And well done for being so brave as to post a driving video on this forum, it's so easy to criticise as I'm sure you are only too aware .
Did you deliberately drive around looking for grids and potholes to test the underpaid camera crew ?

[Mr Whippy]

Nice video...

That looks like my average sunday drive out into the Dales...

The technique is certainly different though, having the power to overtake and be off the power and coasting ready to return to your nearside before you even pass the overtakee must be alot more comfortable than the rather more drawn out affairs in less powerful cars.

Dave

[SneakyMcC]

Mr Whippy said:

having the power to overtake and be off the power and coasting ready to return to your nearside before you even pass the overtakee must be alot more comfortable than the rather more drawn out affairs in less powerful cars.

Dave

If you know where the overtakes are on the road, have you tried dropping back and taking a run-up at the Target Vehicle? If you can time it correctly, you can have most of the momentum required for a safe OT in a low power vehicle.

On these back lanes, the hard bit on many OT's is to make the OT and then get the speed back off for the next corner, without showing brake lights to the despatched TV. Prolly where Acceleration Sense becomes Engine Braking! :-)

[CommanderJameson]

mattrm said:

Quite a nice video, I look forward to the hopefully less shaky sequel. The M3 does sounds rather good.

There were pictures? I was just listening.

Vroom vroom.

[skeggysteve]

waremark said:

Quinny said:

He's a cop

A police advanced driving instructor, and a great writer about driving!

Edited by waremark on Monday 26th March 00:07

Ah, I understand a lot now!

Anyway, nice video and explanation.
BTW Son did a video of his drive home from Uni (some type of project) he tank taped the camera to the dash - worked very well.

We have some nice roads around us like that and knowing the road makes it so much easier to 'plan' your overtake.

One question, if you don't mind, SWMBO has always told me that according to some Police driving manual she read years ago that it is OK/legal to exceed the speed limit when overtaking, to make the overtake as safe as possible - is this correct?

Steve

[R_U_LOCAL]

No Steve, it's not correct.

[skeggysteve]

R_U_LOCAL said:

No Steve, it's not correct.

And you think SHMBO is going to take that for an answer

BTW I was sure she was wrong but I'm not that daft that I'd disagree with her.

[AL666]

skeggysteve said:

One question, if you don't mind, SWMBO has always told me that according to some Police driving manual she read years ago that it is OK/legal to exceed the speed limit when overtaking, to make the overtake as safe as possible - is this correct?

Steve

A friend of mine seems adamant that this is the case too, he even went to court to protest his innocence at being caught speeding whilst overtaking a car on a single-carriageway NSL road. He lost, mind, but he argued to death that he'd found something in the Highway Code that said you were allowed to break the speed limit if it meant that you could safely complete an overtaking manoeuvre.

[zevans]

Re overtake #1:

I'm pleased to say I read the road the same way, and I knew you were going to go when you did...

...but if I had done that, the Skoda would have given me the Vs and headlights. I find people get very upset about being overtaken on a road that wide, and/or on a bend, however slight. Do you also find that?

Likewise #2 and a few others, especially with the stone walls closing the view.

#3 I guess you'd already spotted the opportunity behind the second car and it was just a case of waiting for the two to pass you?

[R_U_LOCAL]

zevans said:

Re overtake #1:

I'm pleased to say I read the road the same way, and I knew you were going to go when you did...

...but if I had done that, the Skoda would have given me the Vs and headlights. I find people get very upset about being overtaken on a road that wide, and/or on a bend, however slight. Do you also find that?

Likewise #2 and a few others, especially with the stone walls closing the view.

#3 I guess you'd already spotted the opportunity behind the second car and it was just a case of waiting for the two to pass you?

I didn't get any adverse reactions from any of the overtaken vehicles, and I don't often get them when overtaking. I try to make sure that I don't get too close when I'm in the following position or when I'm passing, and that I don't cut in too suddenly after the overtake. If you aim to not make other road users alter their course or speed to allow you to pass, then you rarely get bad reactions.

There are, of course, some drivers who think that overtaking is tantamount to raping their wives, but there's not a lot you can do about them - I just tend to give them a cheery wave and leave it at that.

That's after overtaking them, of course - not after raping their wives.

[cw42]

Great examples of overtaking there Reg, terrible video though!

I did a video a while ago after getting some abuse from a club member on my overtaking technique, if you need any pointers on making vids, or actually coming out with you, give me a shout

Video is here: www.scoobysmacs.co.uk/Videos/overtaking.wmv 33mb
and more vid of what we get upto here: www.scoobysmacs.co.uk/video.asp

Edited by cw42 on Tuesday 17th April 17:52

[dfen5]

If you were driving a less powerful car would you still use the same technique?

[R_U_LOCAL]

dfen5 said:

If you were driving a less powerful car would you still use the same technique?

Yes.

You need to plan further ahead and more space is required to complete the overtakes, but the basic technique is exactly the same.

[Get Karter]

Reg,

If you are behind a car doing 55mph on a single carriageway NSL road, with short straights/periods of visibility do you just tune in to Terry Wogan and light your pipe?

(or do you use the power that Bayer Motor Werk has endowed you with and nip past at xxmph?)

Just curious........

Edited by Get Karter on Thursday 20th September 14:03

[R_U_LOCAL]

Get Karter said:

Reg,

If you are behind a car doing 55mph on a single carriageway NSL road, with short straights/periods of visibility do you just tune in to Terry Wogan and light your pipe?

(or do you use the power that Bayer Motor Werk has endowed you with and nip past at 80mph?)

Just curious........

You may find the answer to your question here...

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Get Karter]

Thanks. Have just had a quick read of that.

I'm quite new on here, so haven't read your complete works yet

Glad you are human enough incorporate common sense with Roadcraft rules.

Like others have suggested, a book would be a good idea (if practicable financially). You write in the "Idiot's Guide" humourous style, that is easy to read, and aids remembering salient points.

[L14MNV]

I think this chap has adopted a similar overtaking demo -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjjwt0hHnts

[g5pry]

S. Gonzales Esq. said:

Looking forward to more of the same from the rest of the PH community perhaps?

here's part 1 of my 45 min commentary video, it's split into 5 parts, you'll see the rest if you select "more from this user", overtaking is on part 2 iirc

comments welcome!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b95nkBdXVA&mod...

[rsv gone!]

Lovely stuff, Reg. The camera can be a bit deceptive of speeds and distances. And when you were overtaking the Alfa, I thought there was alorry coming. Turned out to be a tree.

My faves were the blue van on the twisty road and the caravan combo - bet that worried them. The following car probably related tales of BMWs overtaking blind because they'd not taken in the whole view.

[R_U_LOCAL]

rsv gone! said:

Lovely stuff, Reg. The camera can be a bit deceptive of speeds and distances. And when you were overtaking the Alfa, I thought there was alorry coming. Turned out to be a tree.

My faves were the blue van on the twisty road and the caravan combo - bet that worried them. The following car probably related tales of BMWs overtaking blind because they'd not taken in the whole view.

Thanks, but I suspect you meant to post your reply in this thread?...

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...