[Closed] Scots dislike overtaking

Perhaps the van driver knew you at high school ??

Perhaps the van driver knew you at high school ??

Unlikely, but possible! Doesn't explain the rest though!

14 years of driving in Scotland and I can't say I agree with your conclusion.

It does seems odd, were you on your iphone typing this blog at the time? Do you look famous?

What you can absolutely guarantee is that the bell end doing 40 on the NSL A-road will then maintain that speed through the 30 zone in the next village.

Mono-speeders - the curse of the A702.

Kit - Member
14 years of driving in Scotland and I can't say I agree with your conclusion.

This is after 3 years so I don't have the length of experience of you Kit, but it's a definite obvious "thing" around here. Maybe it's regional.

rewski - no, no phone and while I do have a jaw like Coulthard I don't think I could be mistaken for him, even when overtaking.

Mono-speeders - the curse of [s]the A702[/s] country roads across rural Britain.

FTFY

racist

Were they driving a Nissan Micra?
Lived and driven in Scotland all my life, however when I have been Down Sarf with work, I have noticed the drivings a bit more hectic i.e. cars closer together, cutting each other up on the Motorway, leaving less room to overtake etc.

maybe your idea of safe overtaking isn't the same as the people you're overtaking or driving towards?

the only time i ever get frustrated enough to raise a hand and gesture or flash my lights at an overtaker is when they've cut too close back into the lane or hung about in my lane driving towards me not giving a shit about the speed at which i'm approaching them.... why should i have to slow down cos they couldn't be patient?

philconsequence - Member
maybe your idea of safe overtaking isn't the same as the people you're overtaking or driving towards?

what car do you drive?

Where's local for you then coffeeking? You get some right tools pulling overtaking manoeuvres, but the only times I've seen me or others flashed have been justified! 😳

Maybe they just don't like you.

What you can absolutely guarantee is that the bell end doing 40 on the NSL A-road will then maintain that speed through the 30 zone in the next village.

Indeed, a big bug-bear of mine. I don't mind people driving slowly at all, I'm all for nervous people sticking to a reasonable slow speed to keep them happy, but at least follow the limits in built up areas and CHANGE your speed in faster ones OR don't get upset when someone overtakes.

druidh - maybe I'm just over-sensitive then! Must have happened to me on 60% of my overtakes here, suggesting either I'm useless at overtaking (not apparent in other UK locations) or others are easily upset.

It just confused me this morning, I'm strangely taken aback by strangers abusing me.

Are you a bmw driver by any chance?

I'm in Scotland too and I [b]concur[/b] with Kit and druidh, I generally find the roads a lot more chilled out than down south. I mean, at Christmas I was down in Essex visiting family, and I was so busy flicking V's at people driving aggressively I went the wrong way twice on the way to Bluewater. It's crazy down there.

EDITED for druidh

coffeeking - maybe it's the big, wide, open spaces confusing you and your spatial perception is being affected 😉

mean, at Christmas I was down in Essex visiting family, and I was so busy flicking V's at people driving aggressively I went the wrong way twice on the way to Bluewater.

😆

thegreatape - Member
I'm in Scotland too and I'm with Kit and druidh

I have been accused by non-crowded sarf-eest dwellers of going for gaps that they wouldn't have considered while in their neck of the woods, when I considered them absolutely fine.

A lot of seems to be what you're used to. I drive in the southern rush hour most days and have driven through London quite a lot.

The above was on a wide Cornish road with little traffic and plenty of visibility.

Horses for courses.

Are you a bmw driver by any chance?

Or an Audi? 😉

That's the obvious answer, but that would suggest that the OP is in the wrong and everyone else is in the right.

Not quite, I was posing the statement as a question really, as I'm a bit baffled. My overtaking has never been questioned by passengers including IAM members, but it seems to cause some offence up here. I have pulled some stupid moves in my time but I do tend to be much more courteous these days and try to consider everyones feelings on the matter (hence the post).

Where's local for you then coffeeking? You get some right tools pulling overtaking manoeuvres, but the only times I've seen me or others flashed have been justified!

Just north of Glasgow.

Were they driving a Nissan Micra?
Lived and driven in Scotland all my life, however when I have been Down Sarf with work, I have noticed the drivings a bit more hectic i.e. cars closer together, cutting each other up on the Motorway, leaving less room to overtake etc.

Actually yes, one was a micra a while back. But I've had BMWs, white vans, you name it. These overtakes were nice and safe, huge amounts of room - you could get a bus through. Thats why I'm genuinely baffled by it, I specifically take the time to ensure it's safe and don't go for random darts or anything that might frighten people. Down near bristol/bath area the driving is scary and no-one has any road manners, up here it seems to be too far the other way (though no-one has any bloody lane discipline)!

what car do you drive?

306 Diesel estate. Not sure that matters.

Maybe they just don't like you.

Tis possible, but I'm a nice guy, they should stop and chat.

racist

hmmm.

If its such a re-occuring theme, perhaps your unaware of something your doing to upset them?

Do you leave a good safe distance behind you before pulling back in?

Do you drive over the loose stone and gravel that tends to build up in the cross hatched area, throwing it up all over the car your overtaking and pebble dashing their windscreen?

Do you drive right up their arse for miles before passing?

Does this happen mostly with shakey old giffers in nissan micra's? Theres nout you can do about the latter, but they occur everywhere not just scotland? are there more old people driving in scotland? Hmmmmm

No, its not just you, and its not just in Scotchland.

I find it too, but then I also overtake people.

In fact I'm sure 'been overtaken' was in the top 5/10 things that drivers hate a while back.

f its such a re-occuring theme, perhaps your unaware of something your doing to upset them?

Hence the question (posed as a statement).

Do you leave a good safe distance behind you before pulling back in?

Yep, more than the distance I'd leave when driving behind them.

Do you drive over the loose stone and gravel that tends to build up in the cross hatched area, throwing it up all over the car your overtaking and pebble dashing their windscreen?

Nope, there's very little gravel in the section I'm talking about, already considered that one - I'd use that as a reason not to overtake.

Do you drive right up their arse for miles before passing?

Nope, I have to hang way back as the Hdi is so slow at getting up to speed I'd never overtake without a run up! This gives me loads of time to check the road out.

Does this happen mostly with shakey old giffers in nissan micra's?

Mostly, yes, but not always - like this morning, it was a youngish chap in a white van with his mate coming the other way. He was so openly aggressive about it too I was a tad confused, if I had been in his lane rather than a parallel wide lane I'd have accepted that maybe I'd scared him/made him brake.

Theres nout you can do about the latter, but they occur everywhere not just scotland? are there more old people driving in scotland?

Good question, I'm not sure. I know there's a nice laid-back driving style here, it's very noticable, but it's almost as though people don't like me shaking their world of dawdling. I don't do it all the time, very often I do what everyone else does and sit like a sheep 20mph below the limit in a queue 20 cars long, but on rare occasion that I do overtake it seems to be taken very badly!

I'm always willing to learn what I'm doing wrong, but a bit confused as to why this doesn't raise an eyebrow elsewhere, especially as my driving style has mellowed a lot while up here which is a good thing.

What is up with these people? Why does it seem that a significant proportion of people up here dislike people overtaking them or overtaking anywhere near them? I've driven all over the UK and never met an attitude like it!

I have. I've seen it everywhere. For some odd reason some people just can't STAND to be overtaken, or to see someone overtake.

When I did my driving lessons (in 1987) I lived in a small village near Newar on Trent, and I had to drive 7 miles to Newark to practice. My instructor taught me how to overtake back then, and I've been doing it ever since. I don't take the slightest risk, because that's pointless, but I'm very good at spotting spaces others just don't consider, and I tend to line the overtakes up from some distance away (Being to close to the vehicle in front is cutting your own throat, and I've never had a fast car) then swoop quickly past.

I think people consider it an insult to be overtaken, to be honest, a slur on their driving if you like? I'm used to it now and I don't even let it register any more, I'm past and gone, so, like, whatever dude!

NB - Try riding a motorbike and seeing how many people try and block you from overtaking, which REALLY IS pointless and petty!

Overtaking is not a crime! 🙂

I find drivers in Scotland to be far more considerate than those down south when it comes to overtaking. Many of them actually leave a gap between themselves and the vehicle in front, if they don't fancy overtaking themselves.

And the lane discipline is much better than anywhere else I've driven in the UK too.

Don't worry Scottish drivers, I like you even if Coffeeking doesn't.

Not in a menage á trois fashion btw.

Oh... oh, OK then... 🙁

For your perusal...
One overtake, using hatched area (right turn in hatched area in the middle distance is the right turn to an industrial unit), further down there's a house driveway on the right but that's much nearer the other end and the speed difference between me and the car being overtaken was big enough that I was back in before the end of the right turn. In this case it was a van coming the other way that got upset and he was at the far end of the second hatched area in the distance.
http://tinyurl.com/6y4s9t7

Second one:
http://tinyurl.com/6zgl9dy

Nothing coming the other way, clear road, dry, other car doing 40mph in the NSL. Right turn is right down near the white dot of a van here, but that's plenty clear enough to overtake IMO. Car I overtook got REALLY upset and was flashing lights and having a fit.

Baffled.

coffeeking....[url= http://goo.gl/maps/f99E ]http://goo.gl/maps/f99E[/url] 😆

I indicate, pull out into the hatching (which is legal if you've checked it's safe to do so, which I had and it was)

I wasn't sure about this so I did a quick Google for "Highway Code chevrons" and got this:

"109. Areas of white diagonal stripes or chevrons painted on the road. These are to separate traffic lanes or to protect traffic turning right..."

(Skip a bit about areas of chevrons with solid borders.)

"...If the area is bordered by a broken white line, you should not enter the area unless it is necessary and you can see that it is safe to do so."

Was your overtaking necessary?

I wouldn't have gone on the first one (through the hatchings) personally, unless the car was going silly slow and there was nobody else around at all anywhere, second one, fair game IMO

That said, it's not illegal to enter a hatched area surrounded by a dashed line, but maybe they thought it was?

PeterPoddy - Member
I wouldn't have gone on the first one (through the hatchings) personally, unless the car was going silly slow and there was nobody else around at all anywhere, second one, fair game IMO

That said, it's not illegal to enter a hatched area surrounded by a dashed line, but maybe they thought it was?

Ive lived in Scotland all my life and drove for the last 18 years, I also visit my brother in law in Welwyn Garden City quite regularly and there is a massive difference in the driving styles.

What I can say is there are a massive amount of tools on the road regardless where you stay who either rely on sat-nav and end up driving into a river or they're too interested in tweeting/facebooking every move they make on their smart phones to pay attention to the car/cyclist/pedestrian they have stuck to their windscreen.

Some people are just flash happy, although according to the highway code, a flash of the lights is only to let other traffic know you are there.

I think the problem is, speaking as a regular overtaker, a lack of knowledge/understanding/application of the Highway Code. Not sure that it is specific to Scotland but the perceived higher intolerance may be due to the fact that it happens less, due to the more laid back driving style generally.
The white van man was probably trying to get at you for being on the hatched area which he assumed (wrongly) to be highly illegal, taking the moral high ground if you like.
What really gets me is the long queues doing 40 on NSL roads but sitting far too close to each other, so if you overtake and try to get back in you have to cut it a bit tighter than they like due to the lack of space which they should be leaving in the first place! I really want a message screen on my back window to point them to the relevant rule in the Highway Code on this one. Or maybe I should just wait like a sheep.

I generally won't overtake anywhere near a junction - people do forget to indicate - a lot of drivers seem to be in a dream half the time. I know it's unlikely a little old lady is going to enter a brickworks / industrial estate, but what if sh'e taking a packed lunch to her son and likes to take corners at 40 / almost overshoots her turn off? Unlikely but perfectly possible.

I also visit my brother in law in Welwyn Garden City quite regularly and there is a massive difference in the driving styles

I drive differently in WGC as well to be fair.

You have to boot it to overtake anyone because there's a roundabout every 200m (v slight exaggeration).

I've been driving in Scotland for 13 years and have to say I don't agree either.

Only ever had this when it was fully deserved. I head up and down to the borders from Edinburgh fairly often and have used the A702 quite a few times and can't say I've ever seen this happen unless it was deserved.

I don't tend to hang about either and will overtake as soon as the opportunity presents itself.

No idea why you are getting this treatment, not got an England flag on the car boot do you???? 😉

After years of driving north and south of the border, one thing that Scottish drivers are really bad at is:

On a motorway and you overtake a car and they speed up!

Even if you have caught up with them from miles back. So I have got into the habit if a car is slightly slower. I will sit behind for a while then overtake them at my original speed. Then they are fully aware they are speeding up, and tend not to.
It does happen south of the border by in Scotland it really is bad.

Monospeeders are everywhere, winds me up no end.....and relax...2..3...

Was your overtaking necessary?

Personal question really isn't it, but the definition of necessary in this case is...?

White solid-bordered hatch lines are illegal to cross except in an emergency or if there's a REALLY slow person <10mph, so the designation of broken white lines to me is "don't generally use it as a lane but if it's safe then you can use it if it's necessary to overtake". If it was not then they'd all be solid white as overtaking would not be allowed except in emergencies/exceptions. And the "if necessary" was only added in the last couple of years, until recently that bit was not present. There are areas of solid whites, the change to broken whites to me indicates it's up to the drivers discretion of what's safe?

I do agree that in Scotland drivers seem to be more courteous and generally better than elsewhere, so it's not an attack on them per se.

No idea why you are getting this treatment, not got an England flag on the car boot do you????

😀 No, I did check that I didn't have one on the number plates just in case 🙂

I don't drive enough in Scotland for this comment to have statistical validity but I find the driving better there than in most of England.

I can confirm that people in Cheshire really, really, really do not like being overtaken. Sorry to sound like my dad but, when I learnt to drive overtaking was something people did routinely. As someone above said, if someone wants to drive slowly, I don't mind at all. As long as they don't mind me overtaking where I can do it safely and legally.

But it seems that Joe Public's opinion has changed over time and overtaking is now seen as the actions of a dangerous lunatic.

I think the problem is, speaking as a regular overtaker, a lack of knowledge/understanding/application of the Highway Code

+1

I am constantly surprised that people do not understand the NSL properly. I suspect people also don't like being overtaken as they see their own speed as the correct and most appropriate speed, and if you want to go faster, you are clearly in the wrong.

I can relate to the A702 comments. I always slow down through the villages, these idiots then creep ahead at a steady 45mph, so when I accelerate briskly out the other side and catch up with them, I am always hopeful that they will then realise that they should have slowed down.* Muppets.

* The reality is that the mono-speeders probably have no idea where they are, never look in the mirrors and have no idea that I dropped back through the 30mph section. Grr.

For reference on my road etiquette, 6 months back I did go for an overtake and checked in my mirror but then left it a bit long (couple of seconds) before making the move. A motorbike pulled out to overtake me from about 6 cars back and I spotted him as I pulled out, he'd had to brake to stay at a safe distance from me. I followed him home (he lived near me by coincidence) and apologised for not checking again in my mirror, he apologised for not indicating he was pulling out to overtake but I still consider that my fault. So while I'm not a saint/perfect, I am willing to admit when I'm an idiot.

Ah well, I'll not get quite so defensive in future!

At least from the sound of it they aren't speeding up to try & stop you from overtaking.....that has to be the most stupid reaction to an overtake.

Don't get me started on overtaking......oh, too late.

What I find bemusing is when you overtake something and the person behind you takes this as a challenge that they have to overtake not only the vehicle you have just gone past, but you as well in the same manoeuvre. Shortly afterwards they slow back down and start holding you up.

You also get the idiots who decide they want to drive at 40mph, but will speed up to 60mph at any overtaking point to stop you overtaking, then straight back down to 40mph when the overtaking opportunity passes.

AND, the people who try & pre-empt where you are going and try to 'block' you, so you can't 'get past them'.
Going to Thetford last Sunday and on the approach to a roundabout that I am turning right at, I start to indicate. The bloke in front is looking in his mirror and thinks that I am going to use the 'wrong' lane at the roundabout to overtake him and then carry straight on, so moves over to the right of the lane, giving me less space to come alongside him when the road splits to two lanes at the roundabout. There's enough space and he's cheesed me off (very mature, I know) so I move to come alongside his car. As I do so, he indicates right and shunts over to the right hand lane. He then gets onto the roundabout (still indicating right) and proceeds to go straight over it....

The junction would put me off overtaking at the first one more than the hatching. Second one looks fine as far as I can see.

you think its bad in scotland try driving in Ireland, especially County Cork and the far south
Can't even fart inside your own car there without some dodery old ****er that has never passed a test in their lives flashing you

For reference on my road etiquette, 6 months back I did go for an overtake and checked in my mirror but then left it a bit long (couple of seconds) before making the move. A motorbike pulled out to overtake me from about 6 cars back and I spotted him as I pulled out, he'd had to brake to stay at a safe distance from me. I followed him home (he lived near me by coincidence) and apologised for not checking again in my mirror, he apologised for not indicating he was pulling out to overtake but I still consider that my fault. So while I'm not a saint/perfect, I am willing to admit when I'm an idiot.

Ah well, I'll not get quite so defensive in future!

if STW had some kind of "respect" rating, i'd be clicking furiously on it right now... fair play old bean 🙂

You also get the idiots who decide they want to drive at 40mph, but will speed up to 60mph at any overtaking point to stop you overtaking, then straight back down to 40mph when the overtaking opportunity passes.

I usually put this down to a very nervous driver because overtake spots are generally much wider and safer by definition, so they feel a bit better going fast. But they clearly are not considering the people behind, I agree.

I'd have to disagree, but to be fair there are *duffers* everywhere. From my perspective the Scots (*and French) [usually older people] appear to be among the last people on earth to understand that if somebody blips the left indicator a few times and slows on a straight that it's an invitation to overtake, rather than an inviation to get closer and closer and slower and slower ........ it's also a real shame that so,so,so few people will repay me the courtesy when I'm trying to crack on.

I did go for an overtake and checked in my mirror but then left it a bit long (couple of seconds) before making the move.

There are a lot of people who seem to drive without ever checking their mirrors [b]ever[/b]! Must have had 5 or 6 yesterday pull out on me while I was overtaking car(s) which had pulled over to let me pass while I was on blue lights and sirens. Always amazes me that it never occurs to them that there is a reason the cars in front have all pulled over 👿

To the OP - when I go to Scotland I tend to want to get to my destination asap and therefore do a lot of overtaking. I can't recall ever being flashed at or having someone 'wave' at me. I would suggest that as it happens regularly to you that there is probably something wrong with [b]your[/b] driving and judgement.

My thoughts are that you probably missed something. Overtaking going past a junction is NEVER a clever thing to do. What about a truck coming out of the quarry and the driver doesnt look left? You'd be in a wee bit of bother then wouldnt you.

What George said. I have tried explaining this a few times to somebody I know who regularly overtakes other cars in built up area 30 zones. Cos all drivers look left before they turn onto a road to go left don't they ?? As they are obviously expecting a car coming on the wrong side of the road at speed...

Given that this seems to have become somewhere to air pet grievances, I shall add mine 🙂

Tailgating, obviously. I just flip my mirror up these days - that way, all the stress dissipates very quickly.

And my favourite, as alluded to by stumpy^^^. Folk who drive at 70 on the straights, then slow down to 20 at the slightest sign of a corner. This is particularly applicable to the windy, narrow roads on the west coast of Scotland, where the corners can go on for several miles - they crawl along through the twists and turns doing 20, when 40 or even 50 would be perfectly safe, then the second the road straightens up, their foot is down, they move to the middle of the road and they're glaring at you in their mirror.

You can be stuck behind this brand of twit for hours sometimes.

I realise that the above description may make it sound like I'm sitting 10 feet behind their rear bumper, hissing in fury. And yes, after 60 miles of this torture, I probably am!! And just for the record, it's always tourists in hire / foreign cars, not locals (I usually get out of the locals' way sharpish!).

I would suggest that as it happens regularly to you that there is probably something wrong with your driving and judgement.

Normally Id agree but I have put it out here for analysis/feedback.

My thoughts are that you probably missed something. Overtaking going past a junction is NEVER a clever thing to do. What about a truck coming out of the quarry and the driver doesnt look left? You'd be in a wee bit of bother then wouldnt you.

No, the wall is low enough for me to see any traffic coming up the lane, but unless the truck pulled out into the middle section (not really necessary even with a long vehicle, it's a wide road) Id be prepared for it and stop.

What George said. I have tried explaining this a few times to somebody I know who regularly overtakes other cars in built up area 30 zones. Cos all drivers look left before they turn onto a road to go left don't they ?? As they are obviously expecting a car coming on the wrong side of the road at speed...

Did you actually look at the road? As I say, not really important as I'm [i]not on the wrong side [/i]of the road at all and the junction is aligned with the right turn lane, if they pulled out without looking they'd hit someone decelerating to turn right just as likely as someone overtaking. It's totally different to overtaking in built up 30 zones, surely you can see that?! And regardless, that has absolutely sod all to do with the guy who's 300 yards further down the road coming the opposite way.

Is your boot open?

Is your boot open?

Would be fairly obvious, I'd be being sucked out the back!

Probably at the speed you drive you maniac

In all seriousness it's just down to what the locals are used to. You're probably doing it safely, they're just not used to seeing it done. I've witnessed the same heading for the ferry at Cairnryan.

Bring them down here and I'll drive them into Manchester or Leeds at rush hour.

Maybe they were getting upset at you driving over the hatching?
Apparently the highway code is "unclear"

109. Areas of white diagonal stripes or chevrons painted on the road. These are to separate traffic lanes or to protect traffic turning right.

* If the area is bordered by a solid white line, you should not enter it except in an emergency.
* If the area is bordered by a broken white line, you should not enter the area unless it is necessary and you can see that it is safe to do so.
* If the area is on a motorway and consists of a triangle bounded by continuous white lines marked by chevrons, you MUST NOT enter it except in an emergency.

*I'm making some assumptions here so don't get upset if I got it wrong and I [i]may[/i] have done the same in that situation, dunno, just offering a possible reason for other drivers upset.

7 years driving in Scotland, and I kind of agree with [b]coffeeking[/b]. Drivers in Scotland are generally slower on NSL roads than they are in England, i.e. 5mph under the NSL rather than 10mph over.

Wouldn't have a clue about overtake flashers though, cos I'm either in a car that doesn't have enough oomph to overtake in the first place or one that's so ridiculously fast that the light from their headlights can't catch up to my rear view mirror.

I've witnessed the same heading for the ferry at Cairnryan

I had the dubious honour of watching an empty milk tanker overtake my mother driving at 35mph on the road from Auchenmalg to Port William when we were down there last time.

I vowed to take my own car regardless of the cost of fuel to save any future embarrassment.

Ox - its normally the oncomers who have a hairy fit and give you the digits.

I've made some overtakes on a wide single carriageway road where oncoming people have swerved towards the white line to illustrate their anger - quite possibly the most stupid thing ever.

Have taken a look at the pictures you provided and only thing I would be saying is that I wouldn't be encouraging anyone to be overtaking in either of those places due to poor sight lines and hidden hazards. So basically you need to chill out a wee bit with your driving. Finally, you wouldn't be gaining much time by overtaking on either of those stretches of road, but you are drastically increasing your exposure to risk.

Coffeeking, people here are generally just a bit more chilled and in a bit less of a rush. This is a good thing, you should try it (leave a few minutes earlier). I'd say flashing and aggressive behaviour is less common here too - so if you are getting it 60% of the time you must be driving too aggressively (for the local attitudes, I'm not saying you are actually unsafe).

You've rewritten the highway code to allow you to overtake a tractor on solid chevrons etc. The rule is an emergency - being stuck behind a tractor, cyclist, horse is not an emergency. That MIGHT be grounds for it being necessary on a broken white line, someone doing 40 on a two lane country road is probably not. Are double white lines just for guidance too?

Your overtake approaching the brickworks was probably niave. Little old lady may realise she's going the wrong way and decide to turn in the entrance, or perhaps she's going to pick up her son from work etc. However I've not really noticed many little old ladies flashing lights and flicking v's so either I am much more polite to them or she wasn't that old / you really upset her!

The two vans situation you describe could have been gesturing to each other rather than you.

Other situations might be someone using their lights "correctly" to say "I'm here" which you'll often see lorry drivers do, as in "I'm here, feel free to pull back in now".

When I first passed my test and thought I was a "superhero" I flashed lots of people. I rarely flash/hoot at anyone unless I actually have to break as a result of their actions.

There is of course another benefit to driving with a lighter right foot - with fuel approaching £1.50 a litre in some parts of Scotland - you'll find its lighter on the wallet!

Bishopbriggs is bad for people doddling about- hard not to get annoyed sitting behind someone going SO slow!

[i]You also get the idiots who decide they want to drive at 40mph, but will speed up to 60mph at any overtaking point to stop you overtaking, then straight back down to 40mph when the overtaking opportunity passes.[/i]

Just reminded me of an incident on the A7 (but the English end) at Christmas. I overtook a row of cars and as I past the last one (before the lorry) I obviously gave him a 'shock' as I was shifting at this point.

He immediately sped up and latched on to me flashing his lights, as I pulled in he dragged alongside and started with threatening arm-waving. At this point I put my foot down. He managed to keep up (now in excess of 120) until an oncoming corner forced him to drop, behind. He ran close behind for the next few miles before turning off.

He was driving a McRae rep. Subaru and built like a brick out-house - I wasn't stopping to discuss the legalities of anything.

What the hell are you people doing on the roads - ffs.

Folk who drive at [s]70[/s][b] 60 [/b]on the straights [b]and slam on their brakes when they spot the speed camera as they pass it[/b], then slow down to 20 at the slightest sign of a corner. This is particularly applicable to the windy, narrow roads on the west coast of Scotland,

.....and the A68 !

Coffeeking...its not something else you're doing, such as driving with your fog lights on, not indicating, driving with headlights that are adjusted too high, not leaving enough sideways clearance as you pass, leaving a trail of black smoke behind (my old diesel Citroen did that...good for tailgaters!) or plain just shifting at 90mph after completing the overtake?! Or, as you admit you get a run up, are you just passing too quickly and scaring the other driver, once he flashes you, its more likely an oncoming vehicle will join in to back them up! For oncoming cars to flash you they obviously think you are driving carelessly. (Hatchings example excepted as its quite common for people to treat them as if they are bordered with a solid line)

[i]What really gets me is the long queues doing 40 on NSL roads but sitting far too close to each other, so if you overtake and try to get back in you have to cut it a bit tighter than they like due to the lack of space[/i]

Oh, your one of them! Unless you are on two wheels, why overtake when there is no space to pull in (as the highway code recommends) especially when you will need numerous overtakes to get to the front of the queue? The reason people are following each other two close is that they are all itching to get past as well, except you've decided you are more important and are going to keep jumping the queue, annoying everyone in the process!

[i]I had the dubious honour of watching an empty milk tanker overtake my mother driving at 35mph[/i]

Probably made the tanker drivers day 🙂 I was grinning from ear-to-ear after managing to (perfectly safely) overtake a horsebox, in my campervan, towing a horse trailer, with a horse on board. 120bhp, the aerodynamics of two house bricks, and 5.5tons and we sailed past resisting the urge to wave 🙂 It did need a half mile dead straight to make sure we had the visibility to get past though...

...slam on their brakes when they spot the speed camera as they pass it, ...This is particularly applicable to the windy, narrow roads on the west coast of Scotland,

My 2p,

It's certainly not *all* of Scotland.

I was on holiday there a year or two back, somewhere near, uh, Fort William I think. Whatever, it was pretty rural, most of the roads were single lanes with passing places (ie, two-way roads the width of a one way).

I've never seen roads work quite like it. You get twenty yards behind another car and they pull in to let you past. The passing places are quite long, so they can nip in without losing much speed if you're quick to pass. With oncoming traffic, it's practically a competition to see who can give way to the other first. The entire time, driving round there was a joy. It should've been utterly painful to get anywhere, but because everyone was so courteous it was an absolute breeze.

you think its bad in scotland try driving in Ireland, especially County Cork and the far south
Can't even fart inside your own car there without some dodery old ****er that has never passed a test in their lives flashing you

My experience of driving round that area is that it's impossible to be flashed at because no-one ever turns off their main beam.

Fully agree with OP, on the drive from Cambridge to FW for 10 Under the Ben, locals seem to really object to being overtaken on the A82. East Coast, eg A9, doesn't seem so bad.

my recollection is there are very few speed cameras

I added that in reference to the A68 (my additions are in bold and not the OP's) and can't comment on the west as I haven't driven there much.

I drive everywhere, all year, with my dipped beam headlights on. I regularly get flashed at because of the headlights. I'd rather be seen than unseen.

As for:

Is your boot open?

Would be fairly obvious, I'd be being sucked out the back!

Unfortunately I can't recall the last time I was "sucked out the back", but would have expected flashing headlights and gesticulations from concerned road users...

coffeeking - Member
I would suggest that as it happens regularly to you that there is probably something wrong with your driving and judgement.
Normally Id agree but I have put it out here for analysis/feedback.

Change your motor?
[img] [/img]

OK a few too many to answer to directly but here I go...

Coffeeking, people here are generally just a bit more chilled and in a bit less of a rush. This is a good thing, you should try it (leave a few minutes earlier).

I was/am fully chilled. There was not even a hint of a rush to me, I just don't see the point in driving at 30 when it's perfectly safe and possible to drive at 60. It's hardly like I'm ragging around like a nutter 🙂 Kindly don't make assumptions.

I'd say flashing and aggressive behaviour is less common here too - so if you are getting it 60% of the time you must be driving too aggressively (for the local attitudes, I'm not saying you are actually unsafe).

I rarely overtake, when I say 60% of the time I mean 60% of overtakes, not 60% of commutes 🙂 Maybe I'm just more happy overtaking than most peope around here, but I wouldn't have thought so considering the surrounding hills and roads - if people didn't overtake the dodderers round here no-one would get anywhere.

You've rewritten the highway code to allow you to overtake a tractor on solid chevrons etc.

Fair point on the solid lines, but that wasn't the point of the matter, the broken lines were.

The rule is an emergency - being stuck behind a tractor, cyclist, horse is not an emergency.

Good point, but I'd not pass on a solid border anyway.

That MIGHT be grounds for it being necessary on a broken white line, someone doing 40 on a two lane country road is probably not. Are double white lines just for guidance too?

You're mixing and matching lines and status. Broken lines are only a guide and can be crossed if necessary. Solid lines require specific exceptions (I just mentioned the wrong ones).

Your overtake approaching the brickworks was probably niave. Little old lady may realise she's going the wrong way and decide to turn in the entrance, or perhaps she's going to pick up her son from work etc. However I've not really noticed many little old ladies flashing lights and flicking v's so either I am much more polite to them or she wasn't that old / you really upset her!

You've mis-read again, the little old lady had no problems with the overtake, it was a guy coming opposite miles ahead. It's not niave to expect people to operate reasonably on the road and drive accordingly.

The two vans situation you describe could have been gesturing to each other rather than you.

There was no two-van situation?

Other situations might be someone using their lights "correctly" to say "I'm here" which you'll often see lorry drivers do, as in "I'm here, feel free to pull back in now".

Very possible, I'd not thought of that situation. I suppose that's distinctly possible with the general good standard of driving rule following. Curious.

When I first passed my test and thought I was a "superhero" I flashed lots of people. I rarely flash/hoot at anyone unless I actually have to break as a result of their actions.

I've never felt the need to flash/beep people, generally I can't affect how other people drive so I save it until I need to be spotted.

There is of course another benefit to driving with a lighter right foot - with fuel approaching £1.50 a litre in some parts of Scotland - you'll find its lighter on the wallet!

I get a regular 48mpg from a car that most people get 40-44 from, I get 60 on a motorway, trust me I'm not heavy footed most of the time, there's not much point in a slow car - I save that for my slightly more nippy car and accept the 17mpg that gets.

What is the history of that particular stretch of road and why is there hatchings?

In the 3 years I've lived here I've never seen or heard of an accident there. It really isn't a dangerous spot at all - you can see all accesses to the road clearly meaning there are rarely surprises and the road is wide enough for 4 cars abreast at a squeeze, it's well lit and well drained with no potholes (amazingly).

I witnessed a near head-on collision recently caused by some impatient driver doing exactly what you did because the car in front of them left their signalling very late, started to move over just as the overtaking car was level with it forcing it into the path of the oncoming car.

That's not caused by the overtaker strictly, that's caused by a late signaller who didn't check before signalling and manouvring. Not helped by the overtaker I admit.

Coffeeking...its not something else you're doing, such as driving with your fog lights on, not indicating, driving with headlights that are adjusted too high, not leaving enough sideways clearance as you pass, leaving a trail of black smoke behind (my old diesel Citroen did that...good for tailgaters!) or plain just shifting at 90mph after completing the overtake?! Or, as you admit you get a run up, are you just passing too quickly and scaring the other driver, once he flashes you, its more likely an oncoming vehicle will join in to back them up! For oncoming cars to flash you they obviously think you are driving carelessly. (Hatchings example excepted as its quite common for people to treat them as if they are bordered with a solid line)

Tis possible some people get upset by a rapid overtake, but I'd not overtake above the speed limit so as far as I'm concerned it's their problem not mine if they get surprised, they should look in their mirrors more and see me indicating to pass.

I'll see if I can find time to respond to the other posts. Sniff - damn, you found me!