Overtaking.

Before the flames, I do not drive an Audi, I am not smurfmat,
I have two children in the car, this is not a troll, just a thought.
I love driving, still even now when I’ve changed my fun super quick petrol saloon for a diesel estate.
However after spending an hour on the a roads today on the journey home I wish I still had that bit more under the bonnet.
Why don’t we teach folk who don’t want to overtake the bus doing 40 mph on an nsl road to leave a good size space for others to make progress safely rather than doing a “five car overtake”
At some points on the road I reckon you could see a good 1/4 mile. I can totally understand why the lads on bikes white line it the whole time!
And why when you do overtake smoothly and safely does the bloke behind flash his lights mentally as though you’ve just clipped his wing whilst pulling back in!

That bloke behind thought you weren’t driving safely, obviously.

‘Love driving’…’bit more under the bonnet’…

‘two children in the car’

Think about it…

Crikey +1
It’s not a race pal, safer not sooner would be my watchword(s?)

APF

Think about it…

The best advice you will get.

You are Jeremey Clarkson and I claim my £5

But I’ve had more under the bonnet and never killed/maimed mine or anyone else’s child’s face, smoothly overtaking via moving in and out in a controlled manner is not dangerous!

Tbh ive chilled alot in my driving from my youth. Its rare that getting infront will save much time. One thing will be sure , youll burn a heap more fuel overtaking.

More fun, though.

Rachel

Actually I know what you mean. I quite often overtake on my commute however recently, (I’ve been doing the same commute for 5 years, same route, same car) people have got very angry when they are overtaken. Now, it could be that I drive like a twonk, but I don’t drive any worse than i used to, overtaking in the same places and yet somehow im now getting the abuse i never used too. Overtaking is beginning to be seen as a dangerous manoeuvre in its own right. Not sure why though..?

But I’ve had more under the bonnet and never killed/maimed mine or anyone else’s child’s face yet, smoothly overtaking via moving in and out in a controlled manner is, in my own opinion, not dangerous!

FTFY.

I’m not suggesting you are a driving menace, but chilling out, accepting that traffic is not a hindrance or an annoyance, but is simply other people trying to get to where they want to be, would seem to be a good thing.

…It’s also a great opportunity to be a good role model for them there future drivers… 😉

So I’m right in thinking you’d happily sit behind a car doing 40 mph on a clear 60 mph road rather than overtake?

But I’ve had more under the bonnet and never killed/maimed mine or anyone else’s child’s face, smoothly overtaking via moving in and out in a controlled manner is not dangerous

Well I have quite a bit ‘under the bonnet’ but really don’t see the point in trying to move up by overtaking one by or one or as you say a “five car overtake”. While it can be frustrating to be stuck behind a slow moving bus or whatever why not just chill or wait until you hit a dual carriage way? I’m speaking from a regular A17 to Norwich perspective and see a lot of people like you popping in and out. It won’t save you much time buddy.

…and all that ‘more fun’ stuff….

Please stop believing what you see in car adverts; the real world isn’t like that; they do it so you’ll buy their cars y’know…

People can’t drive for shit. If they don’t think it safe to overtake, then it’s not safe for ANYONE to overtake! Hence leaving a tiny gap that they close (against the Highway Code) if you try and make use of it. Yes, much safer to try and push you into oncoming traffic, than back off and let you get on with making progress….
Overtaking is sadly becoming a forgotten skill. Blame the tuggers at BRAKE.

So I’m right in thinking you’d happily sit behind a car doing 40 mph on a clear 60 mph road rather than overtake?

Yup.

I might even be the guy doing 40mph.

60mph isn’t a target, but you know that don’t you?

Fair enough, you want to sit there at 40. Your choice. But leave some room for those wanting to make progress. Doesn’t affect your day does it?

People being inclusive of folks who over take into spaces at are not there ?

Tbh what side of the road is safer ? Your own or the other ?

I see folk doing crazy overtakes all the time. They simply cannot be “stuck” behind the van even if its doing the speed limit

Also remember , your not stuck in traffic – you are traffic

So I’m right in thinking you’d happily sit behind a car doing 40 mph on a clear 60 mph road rather than overtake?

I probably would not be happy at the moment when it was happening, but the moment soon passes and as such doesn’t really register that high on my give a **** meter in the grand scheme of things.

I might even be the guy doing 40mph.

But do you make it dangerous for people to overtake you if they want to?

So I’m right in thinking you’d happily sit behind a car doing 40 mph on a clear 60 mph road rather than overtake?

It’s not ideal but instead of assuming it is your right to get somewhere quicker than the guy in front of you why not wait until you can overtake with out pushing in and obviously unnerving other drivers?

I find the overtake a very satisfying part of diving, and there is nothing unsafe about it when done properly. The light flashing, fist waving “I’m going to drive at 40mph regardless of the posted limit, road and weather conditions” brigade are a mild annoyance, yes, but having a car that very, very little on 4 wheels can keep up with means that annoyance is usually a brief one.

But leave some room for those wanting to make progress

You want to be there earlier, set off a bit sooner.

…and ‘make progress’? WTF?

It’s a mode of transport. That’s all. Not a measure of manhood, nothing to do with your standing in society, it’s just a way of getting from here to there. If you overtake me now, I’ll be sat behind you at the next junction, set of lights, traffic queue, etc.

I fully sympathise with the OP.

I was stuck for 10 minutes today behind a line of cars with a tractor doing 20 mph. Numerous safe overtaking opportunities for the cars in front but they were so close together behind the tractor that a. they couldn’t see the road ahead and b. there was not enough space between them to pull in safely or overtake.

In the end I resigned myself to having to wait, kept a good distance back and was happy to let the motorbikes get by.

I was far less happy with the arsehole who pulled straight out in front of me while doing 50 (straight road, 60mph limit) causing me to brake heavily, I gave him a blast of the horn as it was fairly obvious he hadn’t seen either me or the bikes that were approaching rapidly behind and he gave me the finger! He must have been 90 years old but a couple of seconds later and it could have been very nasty for the bikes.

Should have reported him really, as he probably shouldn’t be driving.

‘but having a car that very, very little on 4 wheels can keep up with means that annoyance is usually a brief one’

Oh dear. Issues…

It makes me mad when I am driving along at a safe stopping distance from the vehicle in front and someone overtakes me pulls into the gap in front of me and forces me to brake….

…and ‘make progress’? WTF?

‘Making progress’ is that thing that causes you to fail a driving test when you sit behind a bus at 35 mph in a 60mph limit when it’s safe to overtake. It’s right there on the test marking sheet:
“Progress – Undue hesitation, use of speed’

Lets just clear something up right now. You have a responsibility when being overtaken as laid down in the Highway Code:

168
Being overtaken. If a driver is trying to overtake you, maintain a steady course and speed, slowing down if necessary to let the vehicle pass. Never obstruct drivers who wish to pass. Speeding up or driving unpredictably while someone is overtaking you is dangerous. Drop back to maintain a two-second gap if someone overtakes and pulls into the gap in front of you.

169
Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow-moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently, and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic pass.

Crikey, you don’t appear to be part of the solution so we can only assume you’re part of the problem. What’s wrong with adhering to the Highway Code and letting people make progress?

You have admitted not driving an Audi, but also flagrantly using the Audi Lane… he was probably trying to warn you of your faux pas.

It makes me mad when I am driving along at a safe stopping distance from the vehicle in front and someone overtakes me pulls into the gap in front of me and forces me to brake….

Dear god, not this again…..please.

See fourbangers post from the Highway Code ^^ if it’s that difficult for you to understand 🙄

While it can be frustrating to be stuck behind a slow moving bus or whatever why not just chill or wait until you hit a dual carriage way?

I’ve driven over 150 miles today, was lucky to see double lane roads for about 50 miles of that. Well I say lucky in the loosest of terms as the single lane roads was bloody fantastic fun to drive on.

Fourbanger – the bit you quote doesnt say – leave massive gap so people can move in …..

Common sense says you would but your quote is not saying that at all.

It says dont speed up or drive unpredictably

You are in the wrong if there is not space to complete your manuver safely at time of initiation.

Personally I think we need to concentrate on more important stuff like getting slow cyclists to realise they need to get out of the way of fast ones.

People especially in the crowded south dont even try to make progress but really grips my shit is the ones that close right up to an overtaking position and then dont bother when the opportunity is there and I have also not overtaken as I was leaving a gap for this person obviously in a rush to overtake me…

Hearing my children screaming “Daddy” as our car slammed the barrier & rolled after a blow out on the motorway brought home to me the fragility of life. Likewise crawling around the same overturned car trying to unclip the belts on their car seats convinced the thing was about to blow up. Which one do I get out first…

Speed wasn’t a factor in our accident, but I’ve developed a mental block when it comes thinking on how different the outcome might have been had I been going faster. 😕

crikey – Member
That bloke behind thought you weren’t driving safely, obviously.

‘Love driving’…’bit more under the bonnet’…

‘two children in the car’

Think about it…

POSTED 14 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST
alexpalacefan – Member
Crikey +1
It’s not a race pal, safer not sooner would be my watchword(s?)

APF

POSTED 9 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST
seavers – Member
Think about it…
The best advice you will get.

POSTED 9 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST
Mantastic – Member
You are Jeremey Clarkson and I claim my £5

POSTED 9 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

OP, these are the people that are flashing you!

Overtaking is not illegal you know……..

Good for you Drac. I have nothing against overtaking but I think the point here is the whole “making progress” safely thing. The A17 out of Norfolk does not have many passing double lane points…my point still stands. Why not wait?

Fourbanger – the bit you quote doesnt say – leave massive gap so people can move in …..

Common sense says you would but your quote is not saying that at all.

But it does say:

Drop back to maintain a two-second gap if someone overtakes and pulls into the gap in front of you.

OP, these are the people that are flashing you!

get a life.

…nothing quite so easy to wind up as middle aged frustrated drivers…

It’s a crowded little island, with crowded little roads.

Relax a bit, stop believing in the adverts, realise that motorsport is for entertainment, not example.

I’ve got a wee little car, but you can’t legally get anywhere quicker than I can.