Your overtaking experiences - any negative responses?

[The Black Flash]

Don't like the poll options - should separate regularity with severity. Mine would really be "very rarely", but "severe" (for the one time I had someone speed up and try to hang me out to dry).

Almost never have any problems though, and typically overtake at least one car a day.

[adycav]

The Black Flash said:

Don't like the poll options - should separate regularity with severity.

Think of it as an 'and/or'. I like to keep my polls simple.

[mat205125]

Survey said:

More frequent/moderate: weaving/speeding up:

I'm not able to put a statistic to the quantity, however my impression is that I more frequently observe people deliberately / aggressively defending what they see as their road, and pace of travel. Economy vigilanties!

My daily observations would lead me to hypothesise that increased fuel price has slowed the average speed of road traffic by at least 10%. 85-90mph used to be a comfortable 3rd lane motorway commute, and 60mph on an NSL was the norm. The latter is 55 at best these days.

I leave early enough in the morning to encounter minimal daily commuter traffic, however embarking on my 45 mile return leg at 16:45 used to mean that I would be home, changed and out on my mountain bike by 6pm at the latest at this time of year. I'm lucky to have even walked through the door by that time now, and typically get home at 18:15.

[Angry Sheep]

I don't think I've ever been flashed at when overtaking. People waking up and accelerating is VERY common though. It's rare for me to get the chance to overtake in a diesel Freelander

[PintOfKittens]

I end up overtaking people a fair amount as I drive back from the gf's at 11ish most nights from Woking, along a 50mph road (drive up and down it every day for the last ~8 months, i know it fairly well ), most of the time most drivers dont care and just let me get on with it, id personally rather get home sooner rather than later. A small minority of idiots decide to gesticulate / flash beams, the odd idiot every now and then attemps to block me (poverty spec clio with 5 chavs not gunna be as fast as my farm tractor mini).

Although last night I did an overtake on the way to the gf's, on one of the roundabouts (Mclaren, for those of you who are local) and got massive thumbs up from the clean overtake slingshot manoever

[Typhon]

I overtook someone on the M1 (I actually undertook, but he was going way too slow in the right lane) and slotted infront with plenty of space both sides.

He proceeded to flash lights and beep the horn. As I moved over into the left lane, this guy swerved accross all three lanes immediately and started slamming his brakes on infront of me. This was at a Very busy time, on the M1 approaching Notts (going north).

[braddo]

I haven't encountered any of these anti-overtaking psychos in London and Surrey/Sussex, although it's always on the weekends that I'm driving.

[PintOfKittens]

braddo said:

I haven't encountered any of these anti-overtaking psychos in London and Surrey/Sussex, although it's always on the weekends that I'm driving.

There tends to be quite a few anti undertaking psycho's on the A3 heading into London on most late week nights, but thats for another topic

[Dog Star]

I've had the odd one - funniest are women - if you watch carefully you can see them squirting the washers and wiping the windscreen and then eventually when you're miles in the distance there's the pitiful flashing of lights

A couple of times I've had people pull up at traffic lights and to the traffic light GP thing and get VERY upset indeed when they get hosed off (had two thugs out of their car coming for me once so I had to make a sharp exit - luckily to come across some coppers round the next bend who saw me gesticulating, apprehended said car and sent me on my way. No idea what became of them - nothing I suspect but I got away without further trouble).

I've found driving what is obviously a big engined quite fast looking car has reduced the problem significantly though. I can really tell on the motorway if I'm in the missus's car - it's back to being tailgated again

[Killer2005]

I've had one bloke try to speed up and squeeze me a little but I already a decent run him and a sailed passed him, but apart from that I've never had any bad responses to me overtaking

[Vincenzo2010]

A few months ago whilst driving home from breaking up with my girlfriend, it was a fantastic evening for a good blast down some A and B roads. So there I was making some fairly decent progress when I approach a car (cannot remember what it was). Well this chap was not happy with me overtaking him, not entirely sure as to why. The road was completely dead, perfectly straight, I had indicated that I was pulling out and gave him plenty of room. But no. This guy decided upon himself to undertake me on a roundabout and then proceed to drive at 10mph afterwards. To say this wound me up is an understatement after the previous events that evening. I was in my mums car so I didn't want to damage it, so I let him carry on at his stupid little game. Absolutely pathetic!! Oh and I did zoom past him at a million leptons after having a pretty good run up

[robemcdonald]

This morning I was taking the alternative route to the M25. I found myself behind a white van doing about 40-45 in an NSL. I hung back leaving at least a 2-3 second gap. At a nice long straight I indicated, pulled out and overtook, pulling back in several lengths ahead of the van (which had unsurprisingly accelerated during my overtake) Checking the rearview mirror I saw the driver callling me a W**ker. Other than overtaking him there was nothing I did that could have offended. Some people just don't like being overtaken.

[clarkey318is]

Typhon said:

I overtook someone on the M1 (I actually undertook, but he was going way too slow in the right lane) and slotted infront with plenty of space both sides.

He proceeded to flash lights and beep the horn. As I moved over into the left lane, this guy swerved accross all three lanes immediately and started slamming his brakes on infront of me. This was at a Very busy time, on the M1 approaching Notts (going north).

I do that all the time (the undertaking), although I find it best if you can actually be in the inside lane while doing it, they tend to mind less. I received a honk once when undertaking, so they got the finger.

[FraserLFA]

adycav said:

The Black Flash said:

Don't like the poll options - should separate regularity with severity.

Think of it as an 'and/or'. I like to keep my polls simple.

you failed

[L1AM]

Vincenzo2010 said:

A few months ago whilst driving home from breaking up with my girlfriend, it was a fantastic evening

That bad was she?

[neilV8]

I've occasionally had people flash at me after I pass them but I like to think they are showing their appreciation and waving me on my way.

[tyranical]

I had one occassion where I overtook a Vauxhall Vectra on a perfectly straight road, Vectra was as fast as my little car at the time but he was going much slower so i overtook with no problem.

For whatever reason he then tailgates me, following me at every turning, I thought it was coincidence to start with and he was just having a play as some people do on the road so I took a turning into a housing estate (the one I lived in, I didn't go to my house though), drove round it and then came back onto the main road at the next turning along and he followed me doing that too, I then realised he was definately following me for a purpose as there is no reason at all anyone would follow me that way as you could just carry on down the main road instead of all the housing estate driving.

I didn't really want to find out what his purpose was so I drove 5 miles out of my way with him following me (including sitting in very slow moving stop - start traffic at one point, he could of got out if he wanted a word in that) before parking up outside my local police station and getting out. He then drives past sticking his fingers up at me and drives off, I chuckled to myself and went off on my way.

I still don't know to this day what his problem was bless him, I think it may have been Vauxhall Vectra Syndrome but one can never be sure.

[DangerousMike]

Marf said:

Generally no issues, but this happened to me about three years ago

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=14&...

so did the police catch up with him?

[Marf]

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[Lennaldo]

I've never had anyone annoyed at me for overtaking them, in fact the other day i had someone pull over to let me past.