Overtaking when in a normal, family type car.

[Willy Nilly]

Benbay001 said:

NSL, single carriage way, 2 cars in front your in a Ford Focus. Thats the scenario i was thinking about.

Speed kills. Overtaking kills. Think of the children, or the environment.

Javelin

[ewenm]

Benbay001 said:

matthewg said:

Overtaking what

in what car?

NSL, single carriage way, 2 cars in front your in a Ford Focus. Thats the scenario i was thinking about.

You give the car in the middle a chance to overtake, if they show no signs of it (and you can usually quickly tell from their driving style and road position) then you overtake. It can be tricky when they don't leave enough space between cars 1 and 2 to slot in if need be, but that's just a case of waiting for a better opportunity if necessary.

I often overtake in the Volvo but don't usually register how it "feels" apart from the satisfaction of doing a competent, safe and efficient overtake. I don't know what "feeling like a Chav" means.

[dome]

Oops, I passed someone in my Primera last night. Should I go out and buy a tracksuit now?

[Caulkhead]

Benbay001 said:

Makes you feel like a chav.
Discuss.

An odd statement from someone whose profile claims they are both 18 years old and an IAM Advanced Driver.

[Benbay001]

Andehh said:

I know where the OP is coming from, whenever I over take cars on A roads I always know the overtakees are calling me horrible names!

Exactly, thanks. Someone agrees!

Mastodon2 said:

Benbay001 said:

Looks like its just me then.
Wasnt the reaction i was expecting, maybe im just paranoid.

Why is it chavvy to overtake in a normal car? It's not just for people who own performance cars. I think this kind of attitude shows the lack of driver education that contributes to standards on our roads, perhaps combined with a bit of good old, not making a show of it style Britishness. "Must not overtake now, wouldn't want to stand out and make a scene!".

If more drivers were better educated and informed, the flow of traffic on single carriageway roads would be much quicker and smoother.

I know this.
Just got back from a 200 mile trip and overtook about 6 cars on some real tasty B roads, all safe (i think? )and legal. But every time i passed something i just got the impression that the people in the car behind would no longer be discussing their bingo winning and now be cussing me.
I doubt i saved my self much time, but it certainly made it all much more enjoyable.
To the person who asked about speeds, id say they were doing around 45, so my overtake speeds would have been about 70 leptons (which were then quite quickly reduced to 60 leptons when i had passed)

[Prof Prolapse]

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.

[*Al*]

Chav? Get a bike and you'll soon learn the art of overtaking. Just back in after a 5 bike 150 mile run, plenty of overtaking today.

[Benbay001]

Caulkhead said:

Benbay001 said:

Makes you feel like a chav.
Discuss.

An odd statement from someone whose profile claims they are both 18 years old and an IAM Advanced Driver.

In what way is that odd? Just because i have passed my AD test doesnt mean i feel i can lord it above other road users and not give a hoot about the impressions my driving give out. It also doesnt necessarily mean my overtaking skills are any better than those of others.
As to being 18, maybe that is why i feel like overtaking brandishes me with the "chav" brush?

[D1bram]

Overtaking a car doing 45 in a NSL is not chavvy in the slightest. Assuming you resume a 60mph speed then you will be leaving them a mile further behind every 4 minutes which is pretty decent progress and is exactly why the law allows us to overtake when safe.

So no, not chavvy in the slightest.

Only thing I'm ever aware of is that in my Astra (75bhp) making a safe overtake is often difficult to do.

[Benbay001]

*Al* said:

Chav? Get a bike and you'll soon learn the art of overtaking. Just back in after a 5 bike 150 mile run, plenty of overtaking today.

I have a bike, and this is exactly the reason i worry about the "normal car overtaking= chav" image.
On a bike everyone expects you to come whizzing past, in a car you just never see anyone overtake, which is why i feel like a loon when you do.

[Jasandjules]

If they are travelling slowly and you can get past safely (and sometimes within the speed limit) then why not overtake?

I overtake plenty of people in my Passat Diesel estate (usually need a 14 mile straight or a downhill section though to help the hamsters under the bonnet) but then I do live in Suffolk....

[geeteeaye]

A well timed, well executed overtake is one of the simple pleasures still possible on the roads today. Most fun is overtaking one car but staying on the 'wrong side' of the road for ages to overtake another car or cars ahead, I will also 'hop' overtake past cars and make them let me in, annoying when they tailgate each other but have no intention/ability to overtake themselves. Using the term 'chav' is inappropriate though, what you should have said is 'does overtaking make you feel hated by other road users' and I think the answer is often yes.

ETA - Am I alone in ignoring speed limits when it comes to overtaking? I want to be past as quickly as possible and will still gladly overtake cars going at or above the speed limit themselves.

[Benbay001]

geeteeaye said:

A well timed, well executed overtake is one of the simple pleasures still possible on the roads today. Most fun is overtaking one car but staying on the 'wrong side' of the road for ages to overtake another car or cars ahead, I will also 'hop' overtake past cars and make them let me in, annoying when they tailgate each other but have no intention/ability to overtake themselves. Using the term 'chav' is inappropriate though, what you should have said is 'does overtaking make you feel hated by other road users' and I think the answer is often yes.

• Edits title to 'does overtaking make you feel hated by other road users' **

[Benbay001]

geeteeaye said:

ETA - Am I alone in ignoring speed limits when it comes to overtaking? I want to be past as quickly as possible and will still gladly overtake cars going at or above the speed limit themselves.

[matthewg]

Benbay001 said:

NSL, single carriage way, 2 cars in front your in a Ford Focus. Thats the scenario i was thinking about.

I would feel fine doing this. May change depending on speed and speed differential

[poing]

Benbay001 said:

Makes you feel like a chav.
Discuss.

Then I think you have some much deeper issues about self image if you honestly feel bad for overtaking a slower moving vehicle. Do you worry about what other people think about you in other parts of your life, like dressing to fit in, buying certain brands etc?

I'm also confused why the car type doing the overtaking matters?

I don't think I've ever felt bad in any way after overtaking someone, no matter what car I'm driving and I spent years driving a few small cars like Micra's and KA's.

I honestly never knew anyone thought like this but I guess it explains why there are so many lines of cars being driven by half asleep sheep and it probably explains why some feel the need to flash their lights if you dare to overtake them.

[Benbay001]

poing said:

Do you worry about what other people think about you in other parts of your life, like dressing to fit in, buying certain brands etc?

Yes..

[gareth.e]

Benbay001 said:

geeteeaye said:

ETA - Am I alone in ignoring speed limits when it comes to overtaking? I want to be past as quickly as possible and will still gladly overtake cars going at or above the speed limit themselves.

I will happily admit when I look to overtake I usually drop a cog or two so I'm at 5k and from when I plant the throttle and pull out, until overtake is complete.. I won't even consider looking at the speedo - a quick blink of the rev counter is the most I'll ever do.

[g3org3y]

Benbay001 said:

NSL, single carriage way, 2 cars in front your in a Ford Focus. Thats the scenario i was thinking about.

Not using the correct your/you're.

Benbay001 said:

Makes you feel like a chav.
Discuss.

^Certainly.

But back on topic. A pokey little 4 cyl 1.8 will always make overtaking a bit of an effort as you'll have to give it some revs.

Any overtake conducted in a proper (safe) manner, is acceptable. 'Chav' does not come into it. Unfortunately, the current population have it drummed into them that speed kills and anyone conducting overtaking manoeuvres is next on the 'most wanted' list now Osama has been dealt with.

[Benbay001]

g3org3y said:

Benbay001 said:

NSL, single carriage way, 2 cars in front your in a Ford Focus. Thats the scenario i was thinking about.

Not using the correct your/you're.

Did that on purpose so my post would appeal to a wider audience.. Namely, grammar police..