Multiple car overtakes

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Discussion

Loyly

17,995 posts

159 months

Friday 26th May 2017
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On multi-vehicle overtakes, I always bear in mind that biggest risk; one of your targets pulling out on you when you're mid-overtake.

I ride motorcycles, which puts multi-vehicle overtakes in sharp focus, as the opportunities come up fairly regularly, moreso than even in a quick car. Whilst the motorbike provides more power and flexibility for overtaking, it's also particularly vulnerable to people pulling out without looking.

In any situation where it's possible to pass several vehicles at once, I always bear in mind that someone further up the queue (or behind me) may have the same thing in mind, but more than likely has not thought of the possibility that someone behind them may be passing when they pull out. You can take steps to minimise the likelihood of being caught out by this but it'll never go away entirely so long as the vehicle you're passing requires human input to control it.

M4cruiser

3,608 posts

150 months

Sunday 28th May 2017
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Multiple car overtakes are inherently dangerous, even people with good judgement of speed and distance get it wrong. As I recall this person lost his job as a result of attempting a bad multiple overtake (that's how it was reported at the time);-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Banks



Countdown

39,817 posts

196 months

Sunday 28th May 2017
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M4cruiser said:
Multiple car overtakes are inherently dangerous, even people with good judgement of speed and distance get it wrong. As I recall this person lost his job as a result of attempting a bad multiple overtake (that's how it was reported at the time);-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Banks
That seems harsh, especially after his England heroics....


Johnnytheboy

24,498 posts

186 months

Sunday 28th May 2017
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The biggest risk is the people ahead who only start overtaking because they see that you have started.

I had one yesterday. I'm diligent about warming my car up before driving quick, so I'd followed the same two cars for five minutes in which car two in the queue didn't overtake. Yet the second I went to do them both he lurched out in front of me at the last possible moment.

Solocle

3,272 posts

84 months

Sunday 28th May 2017
quotequote all
M4cruiser said:
Multiple car overtakes are inherently dangerous, even people with good judgement of speed and distance get it wrong. As I recall this person lost his job as a result of attempting a bad multiple overtake (that's how it was reported at the time);-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Banks
EDIT: due to gremlins, this was originally posted without anything added!

Multi car overtakes are, of course, inherently dangerous. So is overtaking... people with good judgement of speed and distance can get them wrong. As mentioned, the main danger is one in the queue pulling out. Make sure you have a return gap everywhere and it shouldn't be more hazardous than an ordinary overtake.

Edited by Solocle on Sunday 28th May 19:21