Undertaking other vehicles, when is it OK?

[Urban Sports]

I've seen loads of threads on here about undertaking over the years, yet I'm still non the wiser.

I was always taught that you shouldn't undertake. However I'm becoming really frustrated by being held up by wkers / oblivious people that generally just get in the way, so much so that I am now partial to a bit of undertaking every now and then.

I always thought that the etiquette was that you shouldn't hold up the traffic in the outside lane if there is no reason to be there?

Is undertaking other vehicles OK?

[Raize]

Never unless the traffic in the other lane is stop-start queuing.

[HeatonNorris]

Do it all the time on dual carriageways and motorways.

Nothing wrong with it if you're not moving left, passing, then moving right again straight away.

[KelWedge]

HeatonNorris said:

Do it all the time on dual carriageways and motorways.

Nothing wrong with it if you're not moving left, passing, then moving right again straight away.

I hope you get caught

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

HeatonNorris said:

Do it all the time on dual carriageways and motorways.

Nothing wrong with it if you're not moving left, passing, then moving right again straight away.

You won't think that when the muppet to your right decides it's time to change lane

[jagnet]

KelWedge said:

I hope you get caught

Caught for what? It's not illegal.

[crostonian]

If the opportunity is there then it implies the car in front is in the wrong. Wouldn't do it in front of a copper though.

[CAPP0]

KelWedge said:

HeatonNorris said:

Do it all the time on dual carriageways and motorways.

Nothing wrong with it if you're not moving left, passing, then moving right again straight away.

I hope you get caught

Do you? Do you actually hope he gets caught? And what would that achieve in practice?

[ohtari]

KelWedge said:

HeatonNorris said:

Do it all the time on dual carriageways and motorways.

Nothing wrong with it if you're not moving left, passing, then moving right again straight away.

I hope you get caught

Get a life!

If you're going faster in the inside lane than they are in the outside, you're not doing anything illegal. It's only an issue if you move left to go AROUND them.

We drive on the left. If MLM can't get that into their thick skull, then I'll sail past in the correct lane and be on my merry way.

[mollymoo]

Jimboka said:

Same here. Most Motorways etc are more like freeways. Invaribly the outside lane is full of stressheads trying to gain a few car lengths, a few dodderers in middle lane. Inside lane is clear & quicker!

You must live in the land without lorries.

[tjob]

I've spoken to a traffic cop who basically advised me on what is and isn't deemed as illigal, but it was merely how she views it, as most things are discretionary (her words)

If you are in the inside lane bumbling along at 70mph and it's clear ahead, but someone is sitting in the middle lane at 60mph, if you just continue your course and therefore technically undertake, it's usually deemed as acceptable.

If you are in the fast lane, and then move into the middle/slow lane JUST to get past someone, then you have changed lanes with the sole purpose of undertaking them..

So, that's pretty much what I go by. At 3am there are plenty of people sitting in the outside lane for no reason, lorries in the slow lane so I just sit in the middle most the time and if I happen to undertake someone going slower in the fast lane then so be it...I'm not going to move into their lane, just to sit behind them and wait for them to move..

[aww999]

I think it's pretty obvious when the person in front has no intention of moving over. It's less stressful for everyone involved if you can just nip round them on their left, rather than weaving, tail-gating, flashing lights etc. For best results, make sure the hard shoulder is available for emergency evasive action, and drive something fast enough to complete the overtake with minimum fuss.

Weaving through traffic to make up 10 seconds in rush hour = stupid, getting past someone safely so you can access the clear road in front of them = no problem.

[chevy-stu]

ohtari said:

If you're going faster in the inside lane than they are in the outside, you're not doing anything illegal. It's only an issue if you move left to go AROUND them.

We drive on the left. If MLM can't get that into their thick skull, then I'll sail past in the correct lane and be on my merry way.

Pretty much how I view it, especially with such poor lane discipline on our motorways, and very obvious in the south east.... And weekends

[Baz Tench]

crostonian said:

If the opportunity is there then it implies the car in front is in the wrong. Wouldn't do it in front of a copper though.

I have before. The police looked across at me as I overtook them afterwards, but didn't do anything. Maybe I was lucky, but I'd just had enough of the lane-hogging tt in one of those 4x4 pickup things.

He was going ape by the way.

[MarkRSi]

HeatonNorris said:

Do it all the time on dual carriageways and motorways.

Nothing wrong with it if you're not moving left, passing, then moving right again straight away.

This. As long as I

• can maintain a 2 second gap behind and ahead at all times
• don't excessively speed
• don't pass with a large speed differential.

Happens at least once a month on our quiet Aberdeenshire duallers. On busier roads in Englandshire I could see myself undertaking passing on the left daily (although obeying the first rule might be difficult).

[LMC]

aww999 said:

I think it's pretty obvious when the person in front has no intention of moving over. It's less stressful for everyone involved if you can just nip round them on their left, rather than weaving, tail-gating, flashing lights etc. For best results, make sure the hard shoulder is available for emergency evasive action, and drive something fast enough to complete the overtake with minimum fuss.

Weaving through traffic to make up 10 seconds in rush hour = stupid, getting past someone safely so you can access the clear road in front of them = no problem.

Totally agree. If you're in the right gear then there's no problem. That way you can accelerate if he/she decides to move left. Which is by and large unlikely given that they probably sat out there for the last 10 miles.

Of course you then have the knowledge that they'll be calling YOU the wker when you pass them

[aww999]

I think if you give yourself this option of undertaking, you are less likely to come steaming up behind them, trying to get them to notice that they are holding you up. On a reasonably quiet motorway I bet half of these people don't even notice me as I sneak past them. A fair proportion of people are just too scared/incompetent to change lanes, so it's probably easier on them if you just go around them. The self-righteous types who wish to deliberately hold others up probably think I'm a wker, but I don't have much interest in their opinion

[*Al*]

tjob said:

I've spoken to a traffic cop who basically advised me on what is and isn't deemed as illigal, but it was merely how she views it, as most things are discretionary (her words)

If you are in the inside lane bumbling along at 70mph and it's clear ahead, but someone is sitting in the middle lane at 60mph, if you just continue your course and therefore technically undertake, it's usually deemed as acceptable.

If you are in the fast lane, and then move into the middle/slow lane JUST to get past someone, then you have changed lanes with the sole purpose of undertaking them..

So, that's pretty much what I go by. At 3am there are plenty of people sitting in the outside lane for no reason, lorries in the slow lane so I just sit in the middle most the time and if I happen to undertake someone going slower in the fast lane then so be it...I'm not going to move into their lane, just to sit behind them and wait for them to move..

Slow lane and fast lane? Here lies the problem!

[Baz Tench]

LMC said:

Of course you then have the knowledge that they'll be calling YOU the wker when you pass them

I sometimes have a quick glance across as I pass them. They usually look a bit confused bless 'em.

[Lumpyuk]

Everytime the inside lane is empty!