Overtaking when in a normal, family type car.

[Ricky_M]

Prof Prolapse said:

Remember to hand in your IAM membership on the way out....

In all fairness though, even if you're overtaking properly (i.e. with no inconvenience to the "overtakee") you still often feel their eyes burning into the back of your head.

I've always thought the reasons are:

1) They weren't paying attention to their mirrors so you startled and annoy them.

2) They have misjudged the conditions and believe they are maintaining an appropriate speed, so by extension you are a hooligan driving too quickly.

3) They have deep routed psychological issues which means they feel emasculated when overtaken, especially by a car that is perceived as having modest performance.

All human nature. Just ignore them and get on with it.

Agree completely with all of these points.

I find it hard to believe that some posters in this thread haven't encounter negative opinions towards overtaking.

Maybe it is the company the keep. Most of my friends and family are not interested in cars or driving in any shape or form.

Anything past 3000 RPM and my Mum is screaming at me to slow down, an overtake is a big no-no.

I've been in the car with many other friends and family whilst being overtaken, the general opinion of the "overtaker" is not good.

[Benbay001]

Riley Blue said:

Not only that but the OP also feels paranoid when he does it (see his second post) yet he's an IAM advanced driver. Wonder how he feels when he overtakes a bus - all those people thinking such bad things. It beggars belief.

Ow my, do you ever give up? Need counseling? Getting a bit sad, 3 times now you have posted the same thing, contribute or fk off.

[Benbay001]

Benbay001 said:

Riley Blue said:

Not only that but the OP also feels paranoid when he does it (see his second post) yet he's an IAM advanced driver. Wonder how he feels when he overtakes a bus - all those people thinking such bad things. It beggars belief.

Ow my, do you ever give up? Need counseling? Getting a bit sad, 3 times now you have posted the same thing, contribute or fk off.

And yes, you are rattling my cage. But im sure that was the desired effect.

[Vladimir]

On a good day with a strong tailwind I can overtake a granny in a wheelchair in our 110 Defender...

The BM is a great family car fitted with stealth overtaking powers - my insistence on getting an SE model so it looks like a 318d (only the geek knows about chrome grilles and twin tailpipes) means it's a handy little machine for dispatching angry reps in 2.0TDI Audis/Insignias/Mondeos/whatever.

Still no match for a white van though.

Edited by Vladimir on Wednesday 4th May 21:40

[Welshbeef]

Don't get this thread at all

One chap on pg2 made a big thing about overtaking 6 cars in total in a 200 mile run on b or a roads..
Big deal.


I'd say I drive a normal family car - but with a big unit - to date record on a B road is ahem ... 15 cars and an artic... I knew the road well and totally clear the other way gave it the beans thinking I'd need all available power but my god I didn't I passed the lot in half the distance I expected. Result. Had I not gone or it was not clear then the next chance would have been a long wait unless you do bit by bit but when you have a big unit you use the power fly past.


What I find interesting is holding a constant 60mph on undulating tight b roads really good fun and testing. You have to be fully aware of tractors artics and others coming the other way at pace likewise cyclists and potholes. But get it right over a crest into an off camber with poor condition road get a wiggle on yea baby

[anonymous-user]

poing said:

Hugo a Gogo said:

Benbay001 said:

Hugo a Gogo said:

what does thinking overtakes are impossible without 200bhp make you?

overtaking in a low powered car is much more fun, timing your 'run up' to where you know there's a bit with good visibility then just sweeping past is much better than 'pull out, mash right foot to the floor'

Run up? I do hope you are joking, im all for banana shaped overtakes, but not a run up, in the hope that when you get around a bend, nothing is coming (is that what you mean?)

yes, but still with time to slow back down and abort if the overtake isn't on

what's wrong with that?

It seems there are a lot of people that can't overtake, I fully agree with the run up method because I had to do it in my small low powered cars. It was the only way, that and dropping to the lowest possible gear.

I have been in a car (an old Fiat Punto) with a scary female driver who was sat at 40mph behind a slow moving car on a 60mph road. It was clear on the other side so she decided to overtake, she pulled out and we were not accelerating very fast, I looked down and we were in 4th gear so I said "we'll get past a lot faster in a different gear" as a subtle hint. She changed to 5th and we almost went backwards. After we eventually got passed I asked why she changed to 5th and she said because that's the fastest gear! I explained that 3rd would have been best but she just looked shocked and said it would blow up the engine. I gave up and have never been in a car with her driving since.

I fully agree too. In fact, it's taught as being one of the better options when properly executed. It's all about speed differential, observation and position. I was taught by my instructor that this method, closing the gap between you and the car in front when entering a corner before a clear straight, is a perfect way of executing the overtake effortlessly as the speed differential between the two cars is already greater for the following car. Equally, it's just as easy to ease off if the overtake's not on.

I always think you can tell an awful lot about a driver by the way they overtake. So few people do it now when it really should be the norm but even so, the vast majority just drive inches from the bumper infront unable to see a thing, swing out and floor it not realising that by hanging back or position ing the car to either side of the car infront on a corner can give great early visibility.

I'm still running a 70hp (when it was new) 10 year old berlingo van with 130,000 mile on it and that took some serious planning to overtake in! I may as well have planned it on a post it note.

I agree with the feeling you get from other motorists whilst overtaking though, it's almost like it's become naughty ffs.

[Blakewater]

Benbay001 said:

Benbay001 said:

Riley Blue said:

Not only that but the OP also feels paranoid when he does it (see his second post) yet he's an IAM advanced driver. Wonder how he feels when he overtakes a bus - all those people thinking such bad things. It beggars belief.

Ow my, do you ever give up? Need counseling? Getting a bit sad, 3 times now you have posted the same thing, contribute or fk off.

And yes, you are rattling my cage. But im sure that was the desired effect.

The thing about being an advanced driver is you have to think through the possible consequences of all your actions. If you overtake someone and have an accident further up the road that person will most likely stop and tell any police officer in attendance how you went flying past him like he was standing still when he was doing bang on 60mph, even if he was doing 40mph and you overtook perfectly safely. It's not something you need to be paranoid about and it's no reason not to ever overtake anybody, but it's something you need to consider and is maybe reason to overtake discreetly rather than doing full bore overtakes with the exhaust letting rip. I'm not saying I would never do that but I at least know that, should that person round the next bend to find me upside down and on fire, they'll tut and say it serves me right. In that respect, a grey Ford Focus is probably better than an M3 or TVR.

[BBS-LM]

Well, if you are going to do an overtake in a Normal Family car make sure you have the speed and space, and if not that, the power to get you out of trouble. Don't over take an articulated lorry when you clearly to not have the room or power to get you out of a very st situation and almost make a head on collision with the car coming the other way, which almost happened to me 3 years ago.

To tell the truth when I had my Little 1.4 Fiesta I just did not bother to overtake people because I new I did not have the power to get the job done properly. What do I call a family car which can overtake safely, Audi RS6 would do the job just fine.

[Benbay001]

Blakewater said:

The thing about being an advanced driver is you have to think through the possible consequences of all your actions. If you overtake someone and have an accident further up the road that person will most likely stop and tell any police officer in attendance how you went flying past him like he was standing still when he was doing bang on 60mph, even if he was doing 40mph and you overtook perfectly safely. It's not something you need to be paranoid about and it's no reason not to ever overtake anybody, but it's something you need to consider and is maybe reason to overtake discreetly rather than doing full bore overtakes with the exhaust letting rip. I'm not saying I would never do that but I at least know that, should that person round the next bend to find me upside down and on fire, they'll tut and say it serves me right. In that respect, a grey Ford Focus is probably better than an M3 or TVR.

With an M3 you could waft on past on tick over, not screaming the nuts off it at 5 and a half thousand.
He wouldnt know you had passed him.

[kayos]

I overtook a bus in a landrover today - wickid skilz.

[Vladimir]

I overtook a van in the BM (ageing Peugeot Partner I think) wheezing up a hill today on a B road - plenty of visibility and an easy one to execute.

Yet when I got stuck behind another slow car a mile or so ahead, Mr Van Driver, clearly annoyed I dared overtake him, sat a foot from my rear end. He would NOT back off but luckily I turned off into a car park (for a surf) another mile later.

I often find people are irritated by overtaking like it's some kind of affront to their masculinity.

I have no issues being overtaken - and in the 110 Defender, it's a common occurrence!

Done all the IAM stuff and cop training (Portishead) - helps awareness and increases safety but doesn't make you a magic driver. Too many IAM drivers adopt a snooty IAM "holier than thou" attitude. Which is the reason I would NEVER display an IAM badge on my grille like many do - would rather keep it quiet and use it as a tool to raise self awareness (like when I make a mistake) than out snoot the next driver for some trivial error.

[Welshbeef]

I remember the first time I was properly overtaken - on a dual carriageway.

This must be 15 years ago I was doing a pleasing 90 next thing a black e34 5 series went by like I was standing still the speed diffeence caused my car to wobble (worn shocks too). The engine in that BMW was screaming and it sounded great.
It was debadged that's for sure and I believe it was M reg - I believe it must have been doing 160plus. So maybe it was the M5? Or even a 540i v8.

I do find it fun sometimes to build up a lot of speed and pass at a silly amount of knotts faster than the other person

[Blakewater]

Benbay001 said:

With an M3 you could waft on past on tick over, not screaming the nuts off it at 5 and a half thousand.
He wouldnt know you had passed him.

I suppose so, and to a none car person an M3 looks like a fairly ordinary saloon. The point is, you have to consider the perception of the person you overtake in case it becomes an issue later. You may have an accident which they'll tell the police and insurance companies was your fault, they may declare war on you and play silly beggars putting you in a dangerous situation, they may write about what an idiot you are on MyRoadRage.com. It's not silly for an IAM member to consider these things, which is what has been suggested by some parties, it's just part of your awareness.

[Wills2]

Benbay001 said:

Blakewater said:

The thing about being an advanced driver is you have to think through the possible consequences of all your actions. If you overtake someone and have an accident further up the road that person will most likely stop and tell any police officer in attendance how you went flying past him like he was standing still when he was doing bang on 60mph, even if he was doing 40mph and you overtook perfectly safely. It's not something you need to be paranoid about and it's no reason not to ever overtake anybody, but it's something you need to consider and is maybe reason to overtake discreetly rather than doing full bore overtakes with the exhaust letting rip. I'm not saying I would never do that but I at least know that, should that person round the next bend to find me upside down and on fire, they'll tut and say it serves me right. In that respect, a grey Ford Focus is probably better than an M3 or TVR.

With an M3 you could waft on past on tick over, not screaming the nuts off it at 5 and a half thousand.
He wouldnt know you had passed him.

Not so, an M3 needs revs I've had 2 the e46 and e92 and both need revs, when I overtake in the 911 I do it as quickly as possible in the lowest gear possible.

Oh and at 5.5k an e92 is just getting into its stride.

Edited by Wills2 on Wednesday 4th May 22:40

[Ricky_M]

kayos said:

I overtook a bus in a landrover today - wickid skilz.

How did they get the bus to fit inside a Land Rover?

[Boba Fret]

Ricky_M said:

How did they get the bus to fit inside a Land Rover?

It's the New People Carrier Landie

[klarky]

As I drive a z4 I'm no doubt being called tosser anyway so why should I feel bad for overtaking someone in a safe mannor? I paid for the fuel and I'll burn it how I please !

[grimfandango]

Kind of off topic, but this has made me think about something that happened yesterday.
I was driving along in my dads deisel Saxo and forgot to change down for a corner, I was in no rush and couldnt be bothered to change gear so just let it build up speed slowly. Then I noticed the car behind had pulled out to overtake. he was quite a way back still and procceded to try and overtake at about 45 mph. At this point I was probabley going about 40 and didnt want to look like a knob by speeding up any more, but in the end I had to slow down to let him past!!! it took ages and after that he just sat a 40 mph in front! not to be content with this he also decided to swerve out to the oposite side of the road for every corner?! a little bit like a racing line or more like if you were driving with a really big trailer?!?!?

[Benbay001]

klarky said:

As I drive a z4 I'm no doubt being called tosser anyway so why should I feel bad for overtaking someone in a safe mannor? I paid for the fuel and I'll burn it how I please !

Naa, z4 is the sort of car i believe this doesnt apply to, because people see a sports car and realise that you enjoy going faster than the flow (?)
With a z4, i guess its when you park up that you get called a tosser?

[blueg33]

grimfandango said:

Kind of off topic, but this has made me think about something that happened yesterday.
I was driving along in my dads deisel Saxo and forgot to change down for a corner, I was in no rush and couldnt be bothered to change gear so just let it build up speed slowly. Then I noticed the car behind had pulled out to overtake. he was quite a way back still and procceded to try and overtake at about 45 mph. At this point I was probabley going about 40 and didnt want to look like a knob by speeding up any more, but in the end I had to slow down to let him past!!! it took ages and after that he just sat a 40 mph in front! not to be content with this he also decided to swerve out to the oposite side of the road for every corner?! a little bit like a racing line or more like if you were driving with a really big trailer?!?!?

Moral - concentrate in being in the right gear and you will spend less time stuck behind slow stuff that has just passed you