Men and overtaking

[anonymous-user]

V1nce Fox said:

It also adds context to how pointless most overtakes done in a car are.

I don't think so. On a long distance overtaking can save you quite a bit of time, but often the real reason I often overtake is to not be stuck behind another, or several other vehicles. Having a clear road ahead, with unobstructed vision, setting the speed that's most suitable for your vehicle and the conditions, yes even for a few short minutes, is wonderful. Sitting behind other vehicles being driven in a very over cautious fashion is often mind numbingly boring.

Plus I enjoy the process of overtaking whether that's in a fast car or a slower vehicle. Sometimes a slower vehicle is more fun because you really have to plan ahead and pick your moment and conserve momentum. I remember years ago overtaking 10 or so other vehicles (basically every vehicle I came across) on an approx 15 mile long and winding country B road in Devon. It was late on a warm summers evening, and I was driving a very under powered Transit van. One of the best drives of my life.

[rayny]

Some time ago there was a thread where it was pointed out that:
- UK drivers feel emasculated if they are overtaken by another person.
- European men feel emasculated if they hold another car up.

The times I object to being overtaken are when somebody passes me, only to drop into my safe space immediately in front of my car. Especially when it is a van, because it then puts me into a blind spot and I have to drop back even further.

Edited by rayny on Sunday 29th March 23:53

[Bigends]

Andy20vt said:

V1nce Fox said:

It also adds context to how pointless most overtakes done in a car are.

I don't think so. On a long distance overtaking can save you quite a bit of time, but often the real reason I often overtake is to not be stuck behind another, or several other vehicles. Having a clear road ahead, with unobstructed vision, setting the speed that's most suitable for your vehicle and the conditions, yes even for a few short minutes, is wonderful. Sitting behind other vehicles being driven in a very over cautious fashion is often mind numbingly boring.

Plus I enjoy the process of overtaking whether that's in a fast car or a slower vehicle. Sometimes a slower vehicle is more fun because you really have to plan ahead and pick your moment and conserve momentum. I remember years ago overtaking 10 or so other vehicles (basically every vehicle I came across) on an approx 15 mile long and winding country B road in Devon. It was late on a warm summers evening, and I was driving a very under powered Transit van. One of the best drives of my life.

Honestly cant remember the last time I overtook another car on a non motorway / dual carriageway - I never have the need to 'make progress' and plan my journesy to arrive in plenty of time.

[Bigends]

Bigends said:

Andy20vt said:

V1nce Fox said:

It also adds context to how pointless most overtakes done in a car are.

I don't think so. On a long distance overtaking can save you quite a bit of time, but often the real reason I often overtake is to not be stuck behind another, or several other vehicles. Having a clear road ahead, with unobstructed vision, setting the speed that's most suitable for your vehicle and the conditions, yes even for a few short minutes, is wonderful. Sitting behind other vehicles being driven in a very over cautious fashion is often mind numbingly boring.

Plus I enjoy the process of overtaking whether that's in a fast car or a slower vehicle. Sometimes a slower vehicle is more fun because you really have to plan ahead and pick your moment and conserve momentum. I remember years ago overtaking 10 or so other vehicles (basically every vehicle I came across) on an approx 15 mile long and winding country B road in Devon. It was late on a warm summers evening, and I was driving a very under powered Transit van. One of the best drives of my life.

Honestly cant remember the last time I overtook another car on a non motorway / dual carriageway - I never have the need to 'make progress', and plan my journey to arrive safely in plenty of time.

Edited by Bigends on Monday 30th March 15:03

[Johnnytheboy]

Women don't seem to mind so much as the OP says.

However young women seem frequently to speed up once overtaken on motorways/DCs so that if I'm on cruise control they will often re-overtake me.... then slow down again...

[RazerSauber]

There is a single lane road near me that has a NSL sign right before a tight chicane then a lovely swoop for a good mile or so that can be easily traversed at 50mph by even the most clumsy of drivers. I often find myself stuck behind people who go round the chicane then just forget to accelerate.. It's quite infuriating. They'll get to the very end having broke the 39mph barrier then continue into a village doing 39 right through a busy housing estate with a 30 limit. Of course, overtaking them doing 50-60 results in flashing, screams and various gesticulations telling me I'm an awful person.

[227bhp]

Overtaking is classed as anti-social behaviour by most road users now.

[dvenman]

I overtake quite frequently, but that's more a function of the drivers round here not driving at the speed limit where safe to do so.

Being overtaken - I haven't got an issue where it's done safely and I'll actually make it easier for me to be overtaken if I think someone's trying, as it avoids messiness down the line.

[Pooh]

Bigends said:

Andy20vt said:

V1nce Fox said:

It also adds context to how pointless most overtakes done in a car are.

I don't think so. On a long distance overtaking can save you quite a bit of time, but often the real reason I often overtake is to not be stuck behind another, or several other vehicles. Having a clear road ahead, with unobstructed vision, setting the speed that's most suitable for your vehicle and the conditions, yes even for a few short minutes, is wonderful. Sitting behind other vehicles being driven in a very over cautious fashion is often mind numbingly boring.

Plus I enjoy the process of overtaking whether that's in a fast car or a slower vehicle. Sometimes a slower vehicle is more fun because you really have to plan ahead and pick your moment and conserve momentum. I remember years ago overtaking 10 or so other vehicles (basically every vehicle I came across) on an approx 15 mile long and winding country B road in Devon. It was late on a warm summers evening, and I was driving a very under powered Transit van. One of the best drives of my life.

Honestly cant remember the last time I overtook another car on a non motorway / dual carriageway - I never have the need to 'make progress' and plan my journesy to arrive in plenty of time.

You clearly don’t do much driving on country roads. I live in rural Perthshire and do most of my driving on country roads, if I catch up with a slower car I will always overtake it if it is safe to do so, I make faster progress, have a better view of the road and will not be stuck behind them when they fail to overtake one of the numerous tractors that are on these roads.

[Boosted LS1]

nonsequitur said:

Boosted LS1 said:

Pothole said:

I ride a bike. I rarely get overtaken.

You must pedal like crazy!

He might mean MOTOR bike.

Where's the parrot emoticon when you need it :-)

[RDMcG]

227bhp said:

Overtaking is classed as anti-social behaviour by most road users now.

I think it depends where you are.

I drive a lot in Canada and the US and it is not normally an issue at all. Like anywhere , there are some bad drivers, bu I have never heard of the concept of overtaking being antisocial.
I also drive a lot in Germany and it is a pleasure. you can driver briskly and people generally do not block you at all, and equally expect you to avoid blocking faster traffic.

[nonsequitur]

Boosted LS1 said:

Where's the parrot emoticon when you need it :-)

Where's the parrot emoticon when you need it

[anonymous-user]

Westblue said:

I'm interested - is being overtaken something that most men can't accept?

I'm a bloke OP and you are correct that most men cannot accept it. And don't even think about using your horn if a man does a dangerous manoeuvre....

[NewUsername]

I don't mind being overtaken at all as long as its a decent manoeuvre


If some idiot blasts past me in an urban 30mph zone i'd probably give them a flash but out on the open road as long as I dont have to make any reaction to their manoeuvre ( ie brake, swerve etc ) then I'm utterly ambivalent to being overtaken.

[clayts450]

Some people seem incapable of overtaking even when I do all the prep and observation for them so they can overtake my van safely, which is restricted to 50 mph on single carriageway NSL roads.

In my last two trips out I've pulled right over to the left, indicated left, with some numpty right up my chuff - the overtake of my tortoise van is on for the pursuer, it's gift-wrapped with a pretty little bow, and a cherry on top. Do they take it ? Nope.

[Boosted LS1]

nonsequitur said:

Boosted LS1 said:

Where's the parrot emoticon when you need it :-)

Where's the parrot emoticon when you need it

We need 2 of those and a beer. :-)

[anonymous-user]

RDMcG said:

I also drive a lot in Germany and it is a pleasure. you can driver briskly and people generally do not block you at all, and equally expect you to avoid blocking faster traffic.

It's a shame that people in the UK don't do that. On days when I just feel like pottering along I frequently pull over if there is someone behind clearly wanting to go faster. Common courtesy I think.

[anonymous-user]

Couldn’t care less about being overtaken as long as it’s done safely.

[jase_llan]

NNH said:

I think there's a certain type of man who has a chip about anything. They don't always drive a Zafira, but there's definitely a correlation.

I can definitely relate to this!

As has been mentioned elsewhere, it's the 40 everywhere brigade that seem to get annoyed most; whether that be flashing their lights at you when you pull back in, regardless of if there was any oncoming traffic etc.; speeding up whilst you're overtaking them (which is downright dangerous); or tailgating you through the next village where you have rightly slowed down to 30mph.

Edited by jase_llan on Tuesday 31st March 08:32

[768]

NNH said:

I think there's a certain type of man who has a chip about anything. They don't always drive a Zafira, but there's definitely a correlation.

To be fair, it's probably in the other direction. I'd have a chip about anything if I drove a Zafira.