Undertaking or Not??
Discussion
In the Sunday Times yesterday there was a letter that indicated that if you were on the inside lane of a multi-lane road and you caught up with someone sitting in one of the outer lanes, you could legally pass him on his left.
However if you changed lanes to pass him and then changed back, this was illegal.
This sounds logical to me.
Thoughts.
However if you changed lanes to pass him and then changed back, this was illegal.
This sounds logical to me.
Thoughts.
I often undertake then glare at them as I pull alongside before giving an indicator left-right-left and carrying on my merry way. Probably 1 in 10 take the hint and pull in. Many others are completely oblivious. 
The alternative is to cruise up the inside lane until almost alongside indicate right give 'em full beam for a few seconds then overtake and indicate left going all the way back to lane 1 close in front of them.
Again hardly any actually take the hint, in fact I suspect most don't even notice they've been overtaken.
Both wrong and probably illegal, but bo
ocks, they're breaking the law and there's no fuzz on the road anymore to educate them.
The alternative is to cruise up the inside lane until almost alongside indicate right give 'em full beam for a few seconds then overtake and indicate left going all the way back to lane 1 close in front of them.
Again hardly any actually take the hint, in fact I suspect most don't even notice they've been overtaken.
Both wrong and probably illegal, but bo
ocks, they're breaking the law and there's no fuzz on the road anymore to educate them.I think you are about right.
It's a bit wooly though - say I overtake a car in L2, move back to L1, pass a dimwit in L3, and then need to overtake a vehicle in L1 and move out to L2, at what distances am I just passing in lane, and what distances am I undertaking? (ie how far past before you could re-enter the lane that the lane hog you have passed is in?)
It's a bit wooly though - say I overtake a car in L2, move back to L1, pass a dimwit in L3, and then need to overtake a vehicle in L1 and move out to L2, at what distances am I just passing in lane, and what distances am I undertaking? (ie how far past before you could re-enter the lane that the lane hog you have passed is in?)
I think the law has been changed or is it merely guidance so that if you are on a motorway or dual carriageway and traffic flow is such an inner lane is moving faster than an outer lane it is not an offence to undertake if you are in the inner lane.
Thats not quite the same as doing 80 in the inside lane on a clear road, and undertaking the only other vehicle on the road which is in an outer lane doing 70.
Thats not quite the same as doing 80 in the inside lane on a clear road, and undertaking the only other vehicle on the road which is in an outer lane doing 70.
E36GUY said:
I was always told that you can undertake on an inside lane as long as you are not exceeding the speed limit. So if the outside lane is doing 60 you can legitimately overtake on the inside at 70.
I have to say i am unsure whether this is legal or not, but it is the rule i stand by. If they aint doing 70 and they arent in the inside lane, then i pass. (usually its the muppets on the A1 round newcastle who see the "fast lane" as the outside lane and stick to it no matter what.Denis O said:
Springbok said:
However if you changed lanes to pass him and then changed back, this was illegal.
What
You make a perfectly legitimate ovetaking move to get round a middle lane moron and it's illegal. What total boocks.I was driving through Lewisham (doors locked!) a year or so ago I was on the dual carriageway by the Peter Pan Homebase if you know the area. Approaching one of the many sets of traffic lights I was in the left lane, cops were in the right and my lane had fewer cars so I passed the cops on their left at the red lights. 400 yards later I was pulled over for 'undertaking' and spent an hour at the roadside while everything, inc what I'd eaten 14 years and 12 days ago for lunch was checked! It was cold too, I wasn't happy! Personally, I think the cops lied to me and just wanted to pull me over, this was their excuse.
When I was 'done' for a without-due-care concerning an undertake, the officer's statement specified how I moved from L3 into L2, passed another car that was in L3, then moved back from L2 into L3, as if these were the factors necessary and sufficient for the 'crime'.
I'm not saying this is actaully the case as I didn't bother fighting it (quite a result really IMHO, four points for WDC and zero points for the speeding).
I'm not saying this is actaully the case as I didn't bother fighting it (quite a result really IMHO, four points for WDC and zero points for the speeding).
beastoe said:
Many times I find myself on the M40 or M6 cruising on the inside lane only to swing into the outside lane to overtake the moron in the middle lane and return to the inside lane. In future I shall simply continue my cruise.
It's even worse on the 4-lane sections. All the MLMs position themselves in lane 3, meaning I can end up in a perfectly clear lane 1 undertaking them without exceeding 70.beastoe said:
Many times I find myself on the M40 or M6 cruising on the inside lane only to swing into the outside lane to overtake the moron in the middle lane and return to the inside lane. In future I shall simply continue my cruise.
Agree, but the the problem is the moron who in L2 probably has a blind in his nearside, and a has a sudden thought that perhaps he should change back to L1, doesnt see you coming up alongside, some dont see you coming up on their offside for that matter.But I dont think staying in L1 to pass a slower car in L2 is "Undertaking". Cant be bothered to look up the Highway Code, but will tomorrow.
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