Overtaking - set the record straight!
Discussion
Can anyone clarify this for me, I have had a bit of a discussion with a colleague that concerns overtaking 2 or 3 cars in a row on a country road.
I have made such a move a few times, always when I am driving in Scotland and get stuck behind a car towing a caravan and a Nissan Micra for example.
Is it legal to overtake more than one car on a country road?
If you were overtaking; and in someones blind spot who decides to overtake as well, if there is a collision whos fault would it be?
Thanks,
Deester.
I have made such a move a few times, always when I am driving in Scotland and get stuck behind a car towing a caravan and a Nissan Micra for example.
Is it legal to overtake more than one car on a country road?
If you were overtaking; and in someones blind spot who decides to overtake as well, if there is a collision whos fault would it be?
Thanks,
Deester.
I witnessed an accident like this only this morning. Guy overtakes van and lorry. Van then tries to overtake lorry forcing car off the road. It looked like the van's fault - surely he should yield to traffic on the other side of the road be it form the front or back. Certainly he invaded the roadspace already "owned" by the car.
Interested in responses from our legal friends!
Interested in responses from our legal friends!
I believe (and maybe wrongly) that if you are trying this manouvre you have to consider the actions of the car in front of you (behind said lorry) as you would be expected to consider that they would have a similar intent as you to overtake..
Matt.
>> Edited by M@H on Wednesday 8th January 10:44
Matt.
>> Edited by M@H on Wednesday 8th January 10:44
You must always look in your mirrors before overtaking. If I pulled out and hit somebody trying to overtake me I would definitely hold up my hands and admit fault. Don't know the legalities though. My best mate got hit by a granny doing this a couple of years back when he was on his bike. Almost killed him. There was a lengthy inquiry and I think it came out in his favour, he certainly got compensated. The granny involved did try to plead innocence fairly vigorously though.
Mirror, signal, maneouvre......
Says it all.
As long as you are not exceeding the posted speed limit when overtaking a line of traffic, if one of them pulls out on you without leaving you sufficient room to slow down safely then it is his fault, pure n simple.
You, however, do have a duty to expect one of the numpties to do something stupid, so always be ready to dive in behind him if he pulls out on you. If he does it as you're alongside - then stop and shoot the b@stard.
Says it all.
As long as you are not exceeding the posted speed limit when overtaking a line of traffic, if one of them pulls out on you without leaving you sufficient room to slow down safely then it is his fault, pure n simple.
You, however, do have a duty to expect one of the numpties to do something stupid, so always be ready to dive in behind him if he pulls out on you. If he does it as you're alongside - then stop and shoot the b@stard.
Hmm, it makes sense to be able to overtake more than one car I just thought the law would have some funny clause that disallows it.
Last summer I was driving in Scotland and was overtaking a car in front when he decided to overtake the truck in front of him and almost took me off the road! I was lucky!
Last summer I was driving in Scotland and was overtaking a car in front when he decided to overtake the truck in front of him and almost took me off the road! I was lucky!
I almost had a very similar thing happen to be yesterday!
3 lane carriage way, i got on from the right(sliproad) so i'm in lane 3, lane 2 is empty so i move over as you would(with indication), there is a bus in lane 1, the car behind the bus then starts to overtake the bus just as i'm moving into lane 2!!! my girlfriend squeels and i do a quick manoeuvre and avoid collison, phew.. so if we'd had collided who would of been at fault? i say him...
but then i would!
3 lane carriage way, i got on from the right(sliproad) so i'm in lane 3, lane 2 is empty so i move over as you would(with indication), there is a bus in lane 1, the car behind the bus then starts to overtake the bus just as i'm moving into lane 2!!! my girlfriend squeels and i do a quick manoeuvre and avoid collison, phew.. so if we'd had collided who would of been at fault? i say him...
but then i would!Overtaking more than 1 vehicle is not against any law. advanced driving techniques can teach you how to do this by planning and observation very successfully.
On the day I took JSG on his charity drive back in July last year, I taught him and he executed several multi vehicle overtakes (one of which if I recall on the Long Crendon Road just outside Bicester was 7 vehicles in a long line) without regaining the correct side of the road between vehicles. If you know what you are doing then it is perfectly safe to do so.
Anticipation is required with some in built safety procedures when aproaching the next in lane to be passed.
Before changing lanes on any road, you should first check your mirror to see if it is safe to do so.
People generally, when driving on a single carriageway raod and contemplating an overtake do not do this as they are more concerned in the safety angle from the opposite danger than from behind them. Concentration on opposing traffic and view takes over at the cost of a quick mirror check.
Strangely (or understandably not) this doesn't happen on multi laned single direction carriageways as the main danger from changing lanes is from behind with no need to calculate view and closing speeds from opposing traffic.
That is the answer.
On the day I took JSG on his charity drive back in July last year, I taught him and he executed several multi vehicle overtakes (one of which if I recall on the Long Crendon Road just outside Bicester was 7 vehicles in a long line) without regaining the correct side of the road between vehicles. If you know what you are doing then it is perfectly safe to do so.
Anticipation is required with some in built safety procedures when aproaching the next in lane to be passed.
Before changing lanes on any road, you should first check your mirror to see if it is safe to do so.
People generally, when driving on a single carriageway raod and contemplating an overtake do not do this as they are more concerned in the safety angle from the opposite danger than from behind them. Concentration on opposing traffic and view takes over at the cost of a quick mirror check.
Strangely (or understandably not) this doesn't happen on multi laned single direction carriageways as the main danger from changing lanes is from behind with no need to calculate view and closing speeds from opposing traffic.
That is the answer.
As well as anticipating numpty pull outs, it's worth making the aware that you're there if possible.
If I'm doing a multi vehicle overtake I'll often turn my lights on for the manouvre. Flashing your lights as you overtake can also be effective but you need to be careful that people don't interpret that as a signal to pull out too.
If I'm doing a multi vehicle overtake I'll often turn my lights on for the manouvre. Flashing your lights as you overtake can also be effective but you need to be careful that people don't interpret that as a signal to pull out too.
PetrolTed said: As well as anticipating numpty pull outs, it's worth making the aware that you're there if possible.
If I'm doing a multi vehicle overtake I'll often turn my lights on for the manouvre. Flashing your lights as you overtake can also be effective but you need to be careful that people don't interpret that as a signal to pull out too.
Yeah - stick your fogs on at the same time!
Bib your horn as you approach each car is a good idea, long flash of lights as well. Works for me and gets their attention.
But yes watch each driver - head movement and sholder movement as you approach and pass.
Not illegal, and should be safe if done carfully. This is one of the times when if your overtake speed is too high it will causes problems for you and the other driver.
But yes watch each driver - head movement and sholder movement as you approach and pass.
Not illegal, and should be safe if done carfully. This is one of the times when if your overtake speed is too high it will causes problems for you and the other driver.
I find that the main problem is that if you're overtaking a long line it's natural to keep accelerating as you overtake, which can mean by the time you're passing the 6 or 7th car you could be travelling 2 or 3 times the speed of that car which doesn't give much time for reaction. I try to accelerate to a good overtaking speed (about 20-25mph faster than the queue) and keep to that, but the temptation is always to accelerate.
my passenger was counting as we were travelling along the A52 and only doing 40mph..... I thought well what is the point sitting here when it is obviously some decrepid old tosser sitting up front and we overtook the entire lot...... It was so clear I could have turned around and done it all over again..
oh and yes it was a
old git sitting at the front hunched over the wheel
oh and yes it was a
old git sitting at the front hunched over the wheel
dougal said: Madcop, would you recommend exceeding the posted limit (if required) during the overtake (only if appropriate) to lessen the time on the opposite side of the road?
It is not fair to ask Madcop this kind of question since the law is at odds to common sense. Common sense says yes, the law says no.
dougal said: Madcop, would you recommend exceeding the posted limit (if required) during the overtake (only if appropriate) to lessen the time on the opposite side of the road?
I would but you have to be aware that you are still exceeding the limit and to get caught doing so at that moment, then claim justification for your actions on a safety basis would not cut any ice with anyone, especially a magistrates court.
i've done a few multi vehicle overtaking manouvers in the past, the most i've done is 5... as long as the road is clear, and you can see it is, plus your car has the ability to pull off the manouver its got to be alot safer than overtaking 1 car, then the next, then the next...
to back up madcops comments i overtook 3 or 4 cars at the same time and one of those was a police car and nothing came of it.
to back up madcops comments i overtook 3 or 4 cars at the same time and one of those was a police car and nothing came of it.
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