The joy of overtaking

[A.J.M]

Unlike many on here, i got a rather surprising overtake done today.
Approaching a 07 audi a4 avant,we go from NSL, to 30 for a village, i follow at a good distance behind as is polite.
We leave the village and go back to NSL speed, i'm thinking, "this guy is going to floor it away" but no.
Window goes down, and he waves me past. The road is clear, so on goes the indicator, let him hear the tdv6 noise, pass and put indicator to move back in. Wait 2 seconds then flash my hazards to say thanks, i get a quick flash back for your welcome.

No anger, no swerving into my lane, no ego's hurt, no angry flashing etc. Just 2 adult's driving with different speeds and being accommodating to both. He wanted to enjoy the view's, i wanted to make progress, we both got what we wanted.

Got 20 miles down the road to be met with a bin lorry, artic, astra. All on NSL again, but no one was overtaking, all were leaving excellent gaps between them for overtaking car's to slot into without having to adjust their own speed or braking zones. Waited for a clear straight, checked mirror's, indicator on and away i went. The road was empty of oncoming car's so i passed all 3, moved back over and was another 2 minutes before i passed an oncoming car. Again no ill will to my overtaking from any of the group.

If only everyone could be this way, the roads would be an easier place instead of the anger some people hold for being overtaken.

Internet pint to you 4 mature driver's with common sense.

[Cliftonite]

A.J.M said:

Unlike many on here, i got a rather surprising overtake done today.
Approaching a 07 audi a4 avant,we go from NSL, to 30 for a village, i follow at a good distance behind as is polite.
We leave the village and go back to NSL speed, i'm thinking, "this guy is going to floor it away" but no.
Window goes down, and he waves me past. The road is clear, so on goes the indicator, let him hear the tdv6 noise, pass and put indicator to move back in. Wait 2 seconds then flash my hazards to say thanks, i get a quick flash back for your welcome.

No anger, no swerving into my lane, no ego's hurt, no angry flashing etc. Just 2 adult's driving with different speeds and being accommodating to both. He wanted to enjoy the view's, i wanted to make progress, we both got what we wanted.

Got 20 miles down the road to be met with a bin lorry, artic, astra. All on NSL again, but no one was overtaking, all were leaving excellent gaps between them for overtaking car's to slot into without having to adjust their own speed or braking zones. Waited for a clear straight, checked mirror's, indicator on and away i went. The road was empty of oncoming car's so i passed all 3, moved back over and was another 2 minutes before i passed an oncoming car. Again no ill will to my overtaking from any of the group.

If only everyone could be this way, the roads would be an easier place instead of the anger some people hold for being overtaken.

Internet pint to you 4 mature driver's with common sense.

And you then awoke to find it was all a dream??

[gambisk]

A rare joy when it happens, but a joy nonetheless.

[deadmau5]

A.J.M said:

let him hear the tdv6 noise

I doubt that was the reason he waved you past

Very bizarre behavior from an Audi driver though...

[ikarl]

Never had any issues when overtaking, maybe it's a Scottish thing up here but evertaking seems to be accepted as ok where I am

[monthefish]

ikarl said:

Never had any issues when overtaking, maybe it's a Scottish thing up here but evertaking seems to be accepted as ok where I am

I wish.

I've fairly regularly encountered both helpful drivers, and also the idiots flashing even on the whitest-of-white perfect overtakes.


I now interpret flashing of the headlights as applause.

[funkyrobot]

Meh. I overtook 6 cars and 3 lorries in one go the other night. It wasn't on a dual carriageway or motorway either. Big boy, me.

[deadmau5]

monthefish said:

I now interpret flashing of the headlights as applause.

I have started viewing being flashed as a congratulatory gesture as well.

[CurvaParabolica]

ikarl said:

Never had any issues when overtaking, maybe it's a Scottish thing up here but evertaking seems to be accepted as ok where I am

I was just away to post this! I never had any issues with overtakes (even the rare ones I wasn't too proud of afterwards where I perhaps misjudged something) in the 10 years or so that I lived in Aberdeenshire, but that all changed when I moved to Surrey.

Edited by CurvaParabolica on Thursday 10th January 16:14

[SirSamuelBuca]

ive only every overtaken once. on a NSL road (now a 50mph road).

As long as you stick to the speed limit is it not frowned upon?

[trashbat]

I've had this a couple of times - usually somewhere quiet and rural but with nice roads, so e.g. Kirkstone Pass in Cumbria, somewhere near Capel Curig in Wales and various A roads in the Cotswolds. A few BMWs and Volvos amongst them.

Much rarer to see people leaving big gaps to allow leapfrogs though.

[pilchardthecat]

deadmau5 said:

monthefish said:

I now interpret flashing of the headlights as applause.

I have started viewing being flashed as a congratulatory gesture as well.

I am now too

[Mastodon2]

I bet he was thrilled to hear a clattery diesel passing him at full chat, that is probably why his response was so positive.

[Marcellus]

Just wait.. on the old codgers forum there's a topic; "overtaken by a loon in an A4 Avant Diesel what a tosser"

[Krikkit]

Marcellus said:

Just wait.. on the old codgers forum there's a topic; "overtaken by a loon in an TDV6 Disco 3 what a tosser"

EFA.

OT: Inbetween Xmas and new year I was commuting down my usual route (no opportunities outside of a 15-mile section of derestricted A-road) and, for once, it was a joy. Usually it's full of mouth-breathers who all sit together in big lumps making sensible overtakes impossible, but the slight reduction in traffic volumes meant huge opportunities. One night I managed just over a car per mile, all nice and safe, no flashers or anything! Wonderous.

Cut to the 2nd of Jan, and we're back to normal, the only overtake I've had this week ended up being dicey because the wazzock I was passing decided to race me from 40-80mph in his A5... I reckon he was powerfully built.

[scarble]

this is lies. you lie.
pics or did not happen.

heh, ok, I can believe one, but not four in a row.
As mentioned elsewhere I did have someone pull in to a lay-by (a long one, he kept moving) to let me past but the next car I passed was all flashing lights and tailgating.

Edited by scarble on Thursday 10th January 16:38

[A.J.M]

Mastodon2 said:

I bet he was thrilled to hear a clattery diesel passing him at full chat, that is probably why his response was so positive.

I'm sure he was thrilled, to the point of it being the highlight of his day.
I've only been flashed a few times in my driving years.

The "best" worst reaction was when someone sped up after I overtook them. When I slowed to go to a 30 limit with a off camber corner, they didn't. They skidded, hit a kerb, lost control, fishtail end a few times before mounting the pavement, and destroying 2 railings outside a school. Saw it happen in the mirrors, stopped to make sure they were ok and spoke to the police who attended. Thankfully it was late at night or it could have been very different.

[Prof Prolapse]

Found it was great in the Alps for this sort of behaviour.

[ModernAndy]

CurvaParabolica said:

ikarl said:

Never had any issues when overtaking, maybe it's a Scottish thing up here but evertaking seems to be accepted as ok where I am

I was just away to post this! I never had any issues with overtakes (even the rare ones I wasn't too proud of afterwards where I perhaps misjudged something) in the 10 years or so that I lived in Aberdeenshire, but that all changed when I moved to Surrey.

Edited by CurvaParabolica on Thursday 10th January 16:14

Same view as me. I grew up in Aberdeenshire and am back every now and again. A lot less idiocy goes on up there, or maybe it's just as there's less drivers. The roads are a lot more involved than your average motorway though. My dad was a firefighter so ended up cutting a lot of boy racers out of their cars up that neck of the woods.

[TACottle]

Footage or it didn't happen