Overtaker Haters
Discussion
What's to be done?
On the one hand you get the flashing lights and gestures which can be ignored, but (increasingly I believe) we're getting people closing gaps and deliberately trying to keep you in danger for longer during the pass. Very often I'll see a telltale puff of diesel smoke from the vehicle I've just commenced overtaking.
Are there any figures for head on collisions where an overtaker was forced into incoming traffic like this?
Around Norfolk and Suffolk I'm finding it happening more and more -- in the GT2 it's not an issue but in my little Peugeot 207 it becomes a little more of a consideration, making the old sneak-up-and-take-them-unawares approach mandatory.
Familiarity with the danger means it's always in my overtake plan so has so far not caused an accident, but maybe one day on an unfamiliar road or some other situation where I've made a mistake, this factor might just make the difference between getting away with it or not.
What is the correct way of bringing these dangerous scum to account? If I abort the overtake in order to fall back in behind the perp and take his number, will the police be interested? Or do I just carry on regardless and notch up another case in the memory banks?
SM
On the one hand you get the flashing lights and gestures which can be ignored, but (increasingly I believe) we're getting people closing gaps and deliberately trying to keep you in danger for longer during the pass. Very often I'll see a telltale puff of diesel smoke from the vehicle I've just commenced overtaking.
Are there any figures for head on collisions where an overtaker was forced into incoming traffic like this?
Around Norfolk and Suffolk I'm finding it happening more and more -- in the GT2 it's not an issue but in my little Peugeot 207 it becomes a little more of a consideration, making the old sneak-up-and-take-them-unawares approach mandatory.
Familiarity with the danger means it's always in my overtake plan so has so far not caused an accident, but maybe one day on an unfamiliar road or some other situation where I've made a mistake, this factor might just make the difference between getting away with it or not.
What is the correct way of bringing these dangerous scum to account? If I abort the overtake in order to fall back in behind the perp and take his number, will the police be interested? Or do I just carry on regardless and notch up another case in the memory banks?
SM
Sciroccology said:
Is this really as widespread as posts on here would have us believe? I can honestly say I've never experienced this.
(Maybe I'm just not overtaking enough!)
I'd like to know. It's certainly becoming more common in Norfolk and Suffolk, but that might be something to do with the insane focus on speed limits our rubbish councils have. The hard of thinking might decide it means speed is bad/dangerous therefore discouraging "speeders" by forcing them into oncoming traffic is a useful aid to road safety.(Maybe I'm just not overtaking enough!)
SM
Sciroccology said:
Is this really as widespread as posts on here would have us believe? I can honestly say I've never experienced this.
(Maybe I'm just not overtaking enough!)
Yes it is as widespread as the posts infer. That is - it is a very small minority - but significant enough that with as big a sample as PH offers you will get a story every few days.(Maybe I'm just not overtaking enough!)
I reckon I encounter a person who accelerates whilst being overtaken a few times a year. So far I have not had anyone accelerate whilst I have needed to deal with oncoming traffic. This is because if there is the possibility of coming into contact with oncoming traffic I do not consider an overtake.
This, quite possibly, means I am missing some 'takes that are on. I don't mind missing a few if it means that each time I pull out to overtake I can be sure of getting by - or, at least, I can be sure of getting by/aborting with no drama.
Proper overtaking technique should ensure that you can either do the 'take or abort. It would require a ridiculously evil person to:
- Wait for a car behind you to follow you out
- Accelerate only as fast as you to keep you on the far side of the road
Sadly I believe they exist. But most simply stand on the gas. At which point you can usually (Vectra) abort the overtake by moving back over or (Porsche) go by anyway.
Don said:
Yes it is as widespread as the posts infer.
We know ways of mitigating the danger they pose, but there remains the possibility that their actions compounded with a mistake on the part of the overtaker makes the difference between a near miss and death.So I ask again, what's to be done to bring them to account?
SM
I have only had this happen to me twice in 10 years of driving (and yes, I do overtake wherever possible to make sensible progress when a drive is driving very slow)
One that I overtook on a mile long straight bit of single carrageway (60 limit) with nothing to see as far as the eye could register, the old chap I was overtaking was doing 35ish. I overtook, pulled in quite a distance in front and got an amazing display of flashing headlights and the car behind practically wobbling about in the road as the guy was pretty much jumping around in his seat. Was at a distance by that point but I am sure he was probably looking like he was having a heart attack. Before I went round the bend I saw another car overtake him and the same thing happened
Second one was a car that was doing 40 in a 60, I went to overtake and he sped up. Luckily I was in a 2.2 Vectra SRi and he was in a Rover 100 so no problem. But again massive light flashing action etc.
These people are best ignored.
Its all do to with this stupid competition driving thing everyone has in their heads. I dont want to race anyone, I dont want to "be the one in front". I just want to get from point a to point b safely and make as good progress as safely and legally as I can. I couldnt give a monkeys if someone overtakes me whatever the circumstances as long as they are will to continue to make progress as at the time they overtook me
One that I overtook on a mile long straight bit of single carrageway (60 limit) with nothing to see as far as the eye could register, the old chap I was overtaking was doing 35ish. I overtook, pulled in quite a distance in front and got an amazing display of flashing headlights and the car behind practically wobbling about in the road as the guy was pretty much jumping around in his seat. Was at a distance by that point but I am sure he was probably looking like he was having a heart attack. Before I went round the bend I saw another car overtake him and the same thing happened
Second one was a car that was doing 40 in a 60, I went to overtake and he sped up. Luckily I was in a 2.2 Vectra SRi and he was in a Rover 100 so no problem. But again massive light flashing action etc.
These people are best ignored.
Its all do to with this stupid competition driving thing everyone has in their heads. I dont want to race anyone, I dont want to "be the one in front". I just want to get from point a to point b safely and make as good progress as safely and legally as I can. I couldnt give a monkeys if someone overtakes me whatever the circumstances as long as they are will to continue to make progress as at the time they overtook me
supermono said:
What is the correct way of bringing these dangerous scum to account? If I abort the overtake in order to fall back in behind the perp and take his number, will the police be interested? Or do I just carry on regardless and notch up another case in the memory banks?
SM
Please, this isn't the thread for (albeit interesting) anectodal accounts of overtaker haters in action.SM
SM
supermono said:
Don said:
Yes it is as widespread as the posts infer.
We know ways of mitigating the danger they pose, but there remains the possibility that their actions compounded with a mistake on the part of the overtaker makes the difference between a near miss and death.So I ask again, what's to be done to bring them to account?
SM
If and when some knob does deserve a dangerous driving charge? You can bet that Trafpol will decide that it was the Overtaker not the Overtakee was the problem. After all - the Overtaker did not need to pass. This assumption would take quite a bit of contradictory evidence to shake IMO.
And, yes, I have thought of a video system. There are (somewhat paranoid!) people who do this already!
supermono said:
What is the correct way of bringing these dangerous scum to account? If I abort the overtake in order to fall back in behind the perp and take his number, will the police be interested? Or do I just carry on regardless and notch up another case in the memory banks?
SM
If the plod get a few reports about this type of thing against a driver then they can take action. Many times I've wished I could have performed the PITT manoeuvre on one of these cretins.SM
In some cases couldn't it just be their lack of observation?
Some drivers take the twisty bits a lot slower than others but then increase speed when the road straightens... If you're following one of these and start to overtake when the road straightens...
Not an excuse... they irritate the sh
t out of me too but an awful lot of drivers are completely unaware of what is going on around them
Some drivers take the twisty bits a lot slower than others but then increase speed when the road straightens... If you're following one of these and start to overtake when the road straightens...
Not an excuse... they irritate the sh
t out of me too but an awful lot of drivers are completely unaware of what is going on around themYes, it is common enough around here, Suffolk and Essex. Loads of nice straight NSL roads, wherein said prune thinks that 40 is pushing it, and so you can overtake and still stay within the speed limit. But tend to get coffee beans and flashing of lights, and it is usually 70-80 year old blokes handing out the abuse as well....
stepej said:
In some cases couldn't it just be their lack of observation?
Some drivers take the twisty bits a lot slower than others but then increase speed when the road straightens... If you're following one of these and start to overtake when the road straightens...
Not an excuse... they irritate the sht out of me too but an awful lot of drivers are completely unaware of what is going on around them
To most drivers this would seem normal, the problem is the guy behind wants to go quicker round the twisty bits so he is feeling angry before they get to the straight. When the road does open up and both cars begin to accelerate SM can't expect the lead car to hold back just so he can pass, what happens if there are 10 cars behind, does the lead car have to let them all through?.Some drivers take the twisty bits a lot slower than others but then increase speed when the road straightens... If you're following one of these and start to overtake when the road straightens...
Not an excuse... they irritate the sh
t out of me too but an awful lot of drivers are completely unaware of what is going on around themI agree if some old duffer is pi55ing about he want running off the road.
Was following 2 cars (doing around 30 - 35) on a 50 limit road last night, the car infront of me overtook the car and it then sped up to around 40 - 45 ish i stuck behind it for around 2 mins then got to a hill (40 limit, he was doing 30) and signalled and started to overtake it, i had to do about 60 to get around him (smallish overtaking lane) ! Then dropped back to 40 with him stuck up my arse.
He had obviously been annoyed about the previous overtake, and put his foot down as i overtook, thankfully my car is no slouch so i had no problems, if it had been a smaller engined car it would have been a different story... silly silly man !
He had obviously been annoyed about the previous overtake, and put his foot down as i overtook, thankfully my car is no slouch so i had no problems, if it had been a smaller engined car it would have been a different story... silly silly man !
Edited by Martin_Hx on Monday 29th October 10:16
On one particular day I was following an X type Jag.
The driver was in front of me and a line of traffic was coming the other way headed by a slow moving van.
Now the second car coming the other way started to overtake the van. But this was a stupid move as the Jag in front of me was approaching them.
A head on collision seemed almost inevitable.
I braked anticipating the Jag in front of me braking but he didn't in fact he kept his exact course and speed and didn't even pull nearer to the verge to give the other (silly) driver room.
Now I have a self preservation policy and whenever I see someone drive badly I get away from them.
He was doing 55mph so on the next straight I overtook him when it was clear.
I had actually accelerated to 80mph because the Jag driver had sped up as I past him and when I had looked over he had 'The finger' up in the air.
What a pratt... we stopped further up the road when a set of lights were on red.
No he then got out of his car and came to me. I lowered my window and he swung a punch through it at me.
I picked up my mobile and he went back to his car. So I got out and followed him.
I explained what a complete dick he was and that his driving was dangerous in the extreme and that as far as I was concerned even though the overtaking driver coming the other way was at fault he was just as liable if an accident had occured for not taking evasive action or making the situation safer and then the finger to me etc and the thrown punch.!!
He obviously had personal issues he was taking out on Joe Public in his car.
I went on my way after telling him his dick must be the size of a chipolata.
The driver was in front of me and a line of traffic was coming the other way headed by a slow moving van.
Now the second car coming the other way started to overtake the van. But this was a stupid move as the Jag in front of me was approaching them.
A head on collision seemed almost inevitable.
I braked anticipating the Jag in front of me braking but he didn't in fact he kept his exact course and speed and didn't even pull nearer to the verge to give the other (silly) driver room.
Now I have a self preservation policy and whenever I see someone drive badly I get away from them.
He was doing 55mph so on the next straight I overtook him when it was clear.
I had actually accelerated to 80mph because the Jag driver had sped up as I past him and when I had looked over he had 'The finger' up in the air.
What a pratt... we stopped further up the road when a set of lights were on red.
No he then got out of his car and came to me. I lowered my window and he swung a punch through it at me.
I picked up my mobile and he went back to his car. So I got out and followed him.
I explained what a complete dick he was and that his driving was dangerous in the extreme and that as far as I was concerned even though the overtaking driver coming the other way was at fault he was just as liable if an accident had occured for not taking evasive action or making the situation safer and then the finger to me etc and the thrown punch.!!
He obviously had personal issues he was taking out on Joe Public in his car.
I went on my way after telling him his dick must be the size of a chipolata.
Jasandjules said:
Yes, it is common enough around here, Suffolk and Essex. Loads of nice straight NSL roads, wherein said prune thinks that 40 is pushing it, and so you can overtake and still stay within the speed limit. But tend to get coffee beans and flashing of lights, and it is usually 70-80 year old blokes handing out the abuse as well....
In CAMBS too, completely legal speed and safe overtakes get the fist and the lights quite often by older drivers.Speed is dangerous, see? Even when within the limits...
What to do?
Well according to the highway code and common sense the person on your inside (who is trying to kill you and the oncoming driver) is in the wrong.
Oncoming traffic is always innocent.
You are within your rights and making progress.
Therefore you must _pull in_, even if that runs them into the ditch/wall/etc.
All other courses result in worse accidents and innocents getting hurt. If it comes to court, you can explain that they speeded up, I cannot imagine they'll get much sympathy. Attempted murder/manslaughter is a nasty thing.
BTW, never react to these people, it only encourages them.
Yup common on the surrey/berks area too where I live. Folk are too happy to break the limit in 30 & 40 areas but when they get to an NSL stretch they're surging between 40 and 55 completely unaware of the queue of traffic behind them who would prefer to travel at 60 because it's safe to do so.
Notable cars seen recently exhibiting this trait include SLKs, TTs and anyone who drives with sidelights on.....
Notable cars seen recently exhibiting this trait include SLKs, TTs and anyone who drives with sidelights on.....
It has happened to me personally on 2 occasions. Once by a driver of a Merc CLS 500 so I didn't even have the option of accelerating past him.
I have seen it happen to others on another 3 or 4 occasions, the worst when my friend was following me and the car behind me closed a gap from about 4-5 car lengths to 2ft just to stop him slotting in behind me.
Seems to be worst in the Summer when tourist season is on and queue's are forming. No one wants to overtake yet they are also unwilling to allow others the opportunity to make safe and swift progress.
I have seen it happen to others on another 3 or 4 occasions, the worst when my friend was following me and the car behind me closed a gap from about 4-5 car lengths to 2ft just to stop him slotting in behind me.
Seems to be worst in the Summer when tourist season is on and queue's are forming. No one wants to overtake yet they are also unwilling to allow others the opportunity to make safe and swift progress.
supermono said:
The hard of thinking might decide it means speed is bad/dangerous therefore discouraging "speeders" by forcing them into oncoming traffic is a useful aid to road safety.
SM
These dangerous fools should think things through a little more clearly.SM
Any of these t
ts try forcing me into oncoming traffic whilst I'm overtaking then I will have to push them off the road before having a head on collision with an innocent driver.It is the continual hammering of 'speed kills' doctrine that fosters this.
I find it every where too.
I have overtaken slow moving traffic only to have oncoming [1/2 a mile away] flash me, I look doubly hard in case there is something I missed and slow abit and screw the manoeuvre a bit... why did they flash repeatedly?
Well manoeuvre complete no hazard, nothing dangerous at all, nothing in the mirrors that would suggest that I was about to have a collision, nothing, I drive on another 4/5 seconds and the 'flasher' is level doing the 'dickhead' gesture.
The bunching is madness, I cannot think of a solution that can be tried on the road though.
So until we collectively see through the deceit that 'speed kills' or we educate the drivers of this nation sufficiently to leave a space then we're screwed.
I wish I had an answer as I believe this is another one of those things that increases frustration and causes rash moves on occasion.
A bad bit of driving that engenders a fatal bit of driving.
I find it every where too.
I have overtaken slow moving traffic only to have oncoming [1/2 a mile away] flash me, I look doubly hard in case there is something I missed and slow abit and screw the manoeuvre a bit... why did they flash repeatedly?
Well manoeuvre complete no hazard, nothing dangerous at all, nothing in the mirrors that would suggest that I was about to have a collision, nothing, I drive on another 4/5 seconds and the 'flasher' is level doing the 'dickhead' gesture.
The bunching is madness, I cannot think of a solution that can be tried on the road though.
So until we collectively see through the deceit that 'speed kills' or we educate the drivers of this nation sufficiently to leave a space then we're screwed.
I wish I had an answer as I believe this is another one of those things that increases frustration and causes rash moves on occasion.
A bad bit of driving that engenders a fatal bit of driving.
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff