overtaking etiquette

[Tant]

All

I was confronted with a situation whilst driving a while ago and wondered what the collective thoughts on here were. Now, I tend to be a press on sort of driver, but never take silly risks when overtaking. However, if a safe overtake within speed limits is possible, then I'll go for it and not dawdle along in a queue.

I was driving a while back, and came up behind a 7.5 tonne lorry, plodding along at 40 on a mixed A Road. An overtake wasn't possible, and a couple of cars came up behind me. I was hanging back a little for a decent sight line.

I did move out to make a potential overtake, using mirrors, and signalling to check behind, so the drivers behind would have seen I was trying to get past. I had to abort this move as a car came round a bend some 300m or so in front, and I thought it not safe.

When the next clearly sighted spell came, I checked my mirrors and signalled, then suddenly the car behind me pulled out to pass me without signalling, and I had to pull back just as I was about to pull out and pass.

No harm done really, and I'm not bothered by it, but if I'd have been in the car behind mine, I'd have assumed the car in front was going to go for it on the next clear stretch and let them have first shot at the overtake.
How does anyone else play it?
Cheers
Ant

[trickywoo]

Tant said:

but if I'd have been in the car behind mine, I'd have assumed the car in front was going to go for it on the next clear stretch and let them have first shot at the overtake.

Same for me.

Only caveat is if their car was fast enough to make the first 300m overtake that you (in their mind) may have blocked.

Overall best to let the first one go especially if they have already shaped up to do so.

[slipstream 1985]

First of all i'd always break the limit to make an overtake as short a period as possible. Secondly how many times do you come up behind a group where no-one is bothered (capable) of ovetaking that lorry. That car behind you would statisticly rightly think you had no intention of overtaking.

[trickywoo]

slipstream 1985 said:

That car behind you would statisticly rightly think you had no intention of overtaking.

Expect he tried a move seconds before.

[mike-r]

I'd let the car in front have a decent crack at it, until it was beyond all reasonable doubt they aren't going to go. More self-preservation than etiquette, though.

[Captain Muppet]

When overtaking a large group of cyclists apparently the right thing to do is to overtake when the chap at the back waves for you to pass, regardless of whether you can see it's clear, and if you don't he gets to call you a wker.

If the large group of cyclists has a gap in the middle large enough to take a car and appropriate safe distances in front and behind, it it is the correct etiquette move in to this space, but allow any overtaken cyclists to pass you on the left if they are faster than the cyclists in front. The thing to remember is that although they rightly demand 6 feet clearance from you when you pass them, they are happy to squeeze past you in the gutter clipping your mirror on the way. Sometimes they'll try this one handed.

I am a keen cyclist, one of my bikes cost more than one of my cars. However I'm not a member of a riding club so didn't find out about these rules until this weekend.

[Previous]

Been 3 abreast once when an MG ZR took an age to pass a lorry on a wide A road.

As I made my move the MG also Pulled out... There was enough room so I carried on, was a bit risky though as the MG wasn't really expecting it I dont think. I was pretty close to the edge of carridgeway line.

The MG must have been impressed by my overtake, as he waved and flashed me to show his appreciation. He even satyed in the wrong lane after I had pulled back in, I guess to pull up next to me to tell me how good my overtake was, or possibly he thought i'd be moving slower than the HGV and he had decided to suddenly go a lot faster to pass me in a bizarre game of leapfrog. Either way however he overestimated the capability of his MG, and was left on the wrong side of the road watching as I accelerated away.

As a rule I try to avoid it. If anyone's itching to pass me and have a go at on overtake Im not going for, regardless of the reason ive not gone for it whether car capability, visibility or just plain happy to drive along slowly-bility then fair enough, I'll make room for them to do so. I expect them to do the same for me.

[Gandahar]

Have to confess one of my bad habits when in a queue like that is not checking behind me to make sure someone else is not already making the overtake, I just always forget. So one day it might end in tears and we will be in the same space at the same time.

[BGarside]

Captain Muppet said:

When overtaking a large group of cyclists apparently the right thing to do is to overtake when the chap at the back waves for you to pass, regardless of whether you can see it's clear, and if you don't he gets to call you a wker.

If the large group of cyclists has a gap in the middle large enough to take a car and appropriate safe distances in front and behind, it it is the correct etiquette move in to this space, but allow any overtaken cyclists to pass you on the left if they are faster than the cyclists in front. The thing to remember is that although they rightly demand 6 feet clearance from you when you pass them, they are happy to squeeze past you in the gutter clipping your mirror on the way. Sometimes they'll try this one handed.

I am a keen cyclist, one of my bikes cost more than one of my cars. However I'm not a member of a riding club so didn't find out about these rules until this weekend.

I think you've got it wrong. From my own observations, riding on average 145 miles a week, the etiquette to use while passing cyclists is to do it absolutely anywhere, without slowing down prior to overtaking, and never to wait until forward visibility enables a safe overtaking manouevre. You should just blast past regardless, cutting in to avoid oncoming traffic if necessary. After all, if the cyclist is hit he's not going to be able to remember your number plate or report you to the police so you're home and dry.

Do not slow down or give way under any circumstances - it's a sign of weakness...

[Captain Muppet]

BGarside said:

Captain Muppet said:

When overtaking a large group of cyclists apparently the right thing to do is to overtake when the chap at the back waves for you to pass, regardless of whether you can see it's clear, and if you don't he gets to call you a wker.

If the large group of cyclists has a gap in the middle large enough to take a car and appropriate safe distances in front and behind, it it is the correct etiquette move in to this space, but allow any overtaken cyclists to pass you on the left if they are faster than the cyclists in front. The thing to remember is that although they rightly demand 6 feet clearance from you when you pass them, they are happy to squeeze past you in the gutter clipping your mirror on the way. Sometimes they'll try this one handed.

I am a keen cyclist, one of my bikes cost more than one of my cars. However I'm not a member of a riding club so didn't find out about these rules until this weekend.

I think you've got it wrong. From my own observations, riding on average 145 miles a week, the etiquette to use while passing cyclists is to do it absolutely anywhere, without slowing down prior to overtaking, and never to wait until forward visibility enables a safe overtaking manouevre. You should just blast past regardless, cutting in to avoid oncoming traffic if necessary. After all, if the cyclist is hit he's not going to be able to remember your number plate or report you to the police so you're home and dry.

Do not slow down or give way under any circumstances - it's a sign of weakness...

Yes. I'm also a cyclist. Car drivers are often terrible at overtaking safely. Car drivers are also terrible to overtake when driving in a large convoy several cars wide all within arms reach of each other, or I imagine they would be, but I've only ever seen this done on bicycles and motorbikes, not cars, horses, trucks, milk floats, traps, vans or light aircraft.

When motorbikes do it I assume they are violent and avoid overtaking them even when I'm also on my motorbike.

In summary: packs of people are often thoughtless and stupid in a way that individuals aren't.

[ch108]

Captain Muppet said:

When overtaking a large group of cyclists apparently the right thing to do is to overtake when the chap at the back waves for you to pass, regardless of whether you can see it's clear, and if you don't he gets to call you a wker.

I had that a while back. Group of cyclists on a road that varied between 30 and 40 limits going through some small villages. The road had traffic islands down the middle making overtaking tricky, as well as oncoming traffic at times and junctions as you would expect. The queue was building up and you could see cars were having to wait before overtaking. But this wasn't good enough for Mr.Angry at the back of the cyclist pack. He kept turning round and trying to wave people through when it wasn't actually safe.

When it came to my turn to pass he done the same. Eyes bulging, waving furiously turning round every few seconds because I hadn't passed them. So I ignored him. And passed them when I was good and ready. This was about 10 cyclists riding 2 abreast, not just an isolated couple. And as the overtaker I should be the one making the decision on when to go, not him. How he never had a heart attack through stress on that stretch of road I'll never know!

But on the original point the OP raised, I think he done the right thing letting the other car go if he was determined to. Just a bit bad that the other car didn't see fit to indicate. I think it could just be partly coincidence that both parties decided to overtake about the same time.

[shost]

I've queue jumped like that. Self preservation, as I can usually work out that the car in front will take longer to pass than I could do both. So I generally go for it as fast as poss.

Also been three wide on an open A road, a rover and a tractor.

[shost]

[Raize]

I never break the limit for an overtake unless the situation becomes dangerous (eg. oncoming traffic.)

I always judge the car in front by their road positioning. Weaving = wants to get past. Centered in lane = cares not.

So far I have not died or caused problems.

[CB2152]

The other day I had another 9-5 Aero behind me whilst I was planning an overtake on the way to work. I had the location and commitment circumstances worked out and was prepared for the manoeuvre, but noticed the 9-5 behind me also seemed to be close to the centre of the road.
I decided not to risk it and didn't go for the overtake, which was a good thing as the other 9-5 disappeared from the rear view mirror and appeared alongside quite quickly, then overtook the van in front of me. Certainly worth the observation.

[goldblum]

1. Rearview
2. Faster car than mine, and he's close.
3. Think