Why do people do this.....
Discussion
Travelling to work today in a 40mph zone - doing 40 - had a white van man right up my backside.
40mph zone turns into NSL zone - so I start to accelerate as I pass the NSL sign - at the same moment white van man decides he wants to overtake despite having ample opportunity to do so in the 40mph zone.
White van mans van is probably heavily loaded and so cannot out accelerate me (I wasnt booting it) - and we ended up almost side by side, before he dropped back behind again due to on coming traffic.
What should you do in these situations? Hold back and let them pass - or just ignore them for being a muppet and choosing the wrong moment to overtake.
40mph zone turns into NSL zone - so I start to accelerate as I pass the NSL sign - at the same moment white van man decides he wants to overtake despite having ample opportunity to do so in the 40mph zone.
White van mans van is probably heavily loaded and so cannot out accelerate me (I wasnt booting it) - and we ended up almost side by side, before he dropped back behind again due to on coming traffic.
What should you do in these situations? Hold back and let them pass - or just ignore them for being a muppet and choosing the wrong moment to overtake.
Some will accuse you of bad driving, but I honestly don't know how to answer - you let him past, inevitably you will be in a position later to pass him back, and then he gets more wound up etc.
Best bet is to stop and have a couple of pints and a fag before carrying on your journey...(after all, he probably has)
Best bet is to stop and have a couple of pints and a fag before carrying on your journey...(after all, he probably has)
You should never accelerate if you're being overtaken. It exposes the other driver to oncoming traffic for longer and places them in more danger. I've seen enough threads on here complaining about people who accelerate when they're being overtaken, so it makes a change to see a thread from someone who does it themselves but doesn't understand why it's a problem.
When going from a lower speed limit to a higher speed limit, I've always taught students to check their mirrors before accelerating, and not to accelerate if someone is overtaking.
As for why the van didn't overtake you in the 40 limit - I'd hazard a guess that it was because the driver couldn't do so without breaking the speed limit.
When going from a lower speed limit to a higher speed limit, I've always taught students to check their mirrors before accelerating, and not to accelerate if someone is overtaking.
As for why the van didn't overtake you in the 40 limit - I'd hazard a guess that it was because the driver couldn't do so without breaking the speed limit.
R_U_LOCAL said:
You should never accelerate if you're being overtaken. It exposes the other driver to oncoming traffic for longer and places them in more danger. I've seen enough threads on here complaining about people who accelerate when they're being overtaken
I didnt accelerate to stop him overtaking - I was just making progress and I had already begun to accelerate into the NSL zone when he decided to begin his overtaking manouver. Are you supposed to lift off and halt your progress just because somebody has decided to overtake you. Surely there is a rule that you shouldnt overtake an accelerating car - since it impossible to judge whether you have the room to complete the overtaking manouver under these circumstances.
Edited by Moonhawk on Thursday 2nd August 15:42
Edited by Moonhawk on Thursday 2nd August 15:48
Just my personal take ...
Most drivers accelerate when they go from a 40 zone to NSL zone, it's bad driving from the white van not to anticipate this. They should wait to see what speed you get up to, then decide whether to overtake or not. Had you been in the NSL zone for a while and then accelarated, that would be very bad form - but that's not what happened.
Personally I have stayed at the lower speed limit for a bit whilst moving into a NSL zone if I know the person behind would like to overtake and an overtake is potentially on. But rightly or wrongly I wouldn't have done so for a white van as their acceleration is usually crap and mine isn't (unless they caught up to me in the NSL before the 40 zone). If they catch me up later in the NSL zone and would like to overtake, I have no issue letting them past and slowing down as they go past to assist.
Most drivers accelerate when they go from a 40 zone to NSL zone, it's bad driving from the white van not to anticipate this. They should wait to see what speed you get up to, then decide whether to overtake or not. Had you been in the NSL zone for a while and then accelarated, that would be very bad form - but that's not what happened.
Personally I have stayed at the lower speed limit for a bit whilst moving into a NSL zone if I know the person behind would like to overtake and an overtake is potentially on. But rightly or wrongly I wouldn't have done so for a white van as their acceleration is usually crap and mine isn't (unless they caught up to me in the NSL before the 40 zone). If they catch me up later in the NSL zone and would like to overtake, I have no issue letting them past and slowing down as they go past to assist.
Edited by 2something on Thursday 2nd August 15:54
2something said:
Just my personal take ...
Most drivers accelerate when they go from a 40 zone to NSL zone, it's bad driving from the white van not to anticipate this. They should wait to see what speed you get up to, then decide whether to overtake or not. Had you been in the NSL zone for a while and then accelarated, that would be very bad form - but that's not what happened.
I agree it is bad form to accelerate just because somebody is overtaking - and have been the victim of this on numerous occasions - middle lane hoggers seem to be the worst culprits of this, trundling along at 60 only to floor it when you indicate and pull out.Most drivers accelerate when they go from a 40 zone to NSL zone, it's bad driving from the white van not to anticipate this. They should wait to see what speed you get up to, then decide whether to overtake or not. Had you been in the NSL zone for a while and then accelarated, that would be very bad form - but that's not what happened.
Edited by 2something on Thursday 2nd August 15:54
I accelerate hard from the limit out of the zone i'm leaving up to the limit for the one i'm entering. If someone happens to be behind me, whether they stay left or pull out or accelerate or dance a 
ing jig, I couldn't give a rats hind tit. Why should I have to moderate what i'm going to be doing anyway for the benefit of anyone following on? I would say that I have more of a right to be accelerating away than they do, because i'm ahead of them and out of the zone first. Likewise, if i'm the one doing the following, I wouldn't dream of just going for an overtake as soon as leaving a zone, until i've established that the vehicle i'm following isn't going to floor it anyway, therefore negating any need for me to overtake.
ing jig, I couldn't give a rats hind tit. Why should I have to moderate what i'm going to be doing anyway for the benefit of anyone following on? I would say that I have more of a right to be accelerating away than they do, because i'm ahead of them and out of the zone first. Likewise, if i'm the one doing the following, I wouldn't dream of just going for an overtake as soon as leaving a zone, until i've established that the vehicle i'm following isn't going to floor it anyway, therefore negating any need for me to overtake.Edited by Balmoral Green on Thursday 2nd August 16:13
Marki said:
R_U_LOCAL said:
You should never accelerate if you're being overtaken. .
But thats bollax in this situation the speed limit changed so he was going to accelerate anyway just because White van Chimp could not predict that why should the OP continue at 40 Clearly I have no idea what I'm talking about.
Withdraws from discussion and bows down to posters with superior knowledge.
R_U_LOCAL said:
Marki said:
R_U_LOCAL said:
You should never accelerate if you're being overtaken. .
But thats bollax in this situation the speed limit changed so he was going to accelerate anyway just because White van Chimp could not predict that why should the OP continue at 40 Clearly I have no idea what I'm talking about.
Withdraws from discussion and bows down to posters with superior knowledge.
Failure in understanding on RU's part but not bollax. Let's face it it is annoying if you are alongside and the other driver does it.
Edited by telecat on Thursday 2nd August 16:22
You asked why ...
WVM was so intent in tailgating you and wanting to overtake, that when he saw the NSL he just tried to overtake without any thought or attempt at anticipation whatsoever. It's a bit like tunnel vision, he became so obsessed with getting ahead and judging distances that he didn't have any thought processes left for what else was going on.
Bottom line IMHO is he made a mistake, but an easy one to make.
WVM was so intent in tailgating you and wanting to overtake, that when he saw the NSL he just tried to overtake without any thought or attempt at anticipation whatsoever. It's a bit like tunnel vision, he became so obsessed with getting ahead and judging distances that he didn't have any thought processes left for what else was going on.
Bottom line IMHO is he made a mistake, but an easy one to make.
I am with R_U_Local on this one. If someone (idiot WVM or not) tries to overtake then I do feel slightly (totally?) responsible for the amount of time he has to spend in the outside lane. If he has started the manoeuvre(sp?) then accelerating at the same time he does could cause no end of trouble.
Here we already know the guy is trouble (tailgating), we know he is a slow accelerator(white van) and hence we can anticipate he might well want to use the change to NSL as a chance to pass what he sees as the slower car. Why not let him pass as easily as possible (for him)?
Here we already know the guy is trouble (tailgating), we know he is a slow accelerator(white van) and hence we can anticipate he might well want to use the change to NSL as a chance to pass what he sees as the slower car. Why not let him pass as easily as possible (for him)?
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