OV9

Had to pop out this morning. Quiet A-roads.

Came up behind dawdling hatchback. Maintained 3 second gap to them for a mile or so through bends and short straights.

I know there is a long straight around the next bend, so I am considering that as my potential passing opportunity.

Heavy coming the other way as we round the bend, so of course I pause briefly and have ample time to slot into 3rd whilst maintaining the gap. Still around 800m of completely clear straight tarmac ahead of us after the heavy has passed me. Accelerate whilst taking the other lane - I'm doing at least 20mph more than them as I approach their rear bumper, and ..... their brake lights come on.

Old people. TADTS.

It’s no wonder single carriageway overtaking appears to be becoming a forgotten skill

I think the correct procedure is to only accelerate once you’re completely in the other lane for that reason but it’s not practical if you’re in a slower car - or that might just be some IAM bollocks I read. I will typically build momentum right behind them which is also handy as in 3/4 of cases they put the foot down once you draw alongside them.

Mr Mik Sir, begin your acceleration once you've popped out to confirm the road ahead is clear!

* you know this anyway
** do what you like IDGAF
*** Glad you're still alive

Ja - Roadcraft states "Position your vehicle so that you have a clear path beyond the vehicle you wish to pass, without accelerating" (my underline), but this is generally reflecting the start of the process being "The Overtaking Position" - which is "generally closer than the following position and minimises the distance you have to travel to overtake. It also shows the driver in front that you wish to overtake".

So that's generally what I do if I am starting from that position - which is the norm on roads you don't know very well, and when traffic is marginal.

But if I've remained back 'cos I know there is a long straight coming up, that traffic conditions are light, and I can already see from my "right of lane" position with a 3-ish second gap that it's all good to go (avoiding putting the dude in front under any perceived pressure by following them closely), then I'll accelerate whilst I am moving fully into the other lane.

It's not the break lights that bother me, it's the mid-overtake wobble where they seem to drift a wheel across the white line as you pass alongside.

What age motor? Maybe panicky adas?

I’ve seen similar lots.

There’s a short uphill section with an overtaking lane. Many many times after overtaking a truck and fully off the throttle to blend back into the left lane behind someone they’ve seen me rapidly approaching and started braking.

Such bizarre behaviour, if someone is closing up behind you surely your last thought would be to brake to increase the chance of a collision.

Yeah, I’ve pulled out and floored it just to watch numpty both a: accelerate and b: move over the central line.. it’s the reason I can’t wait for driverless cars.

integrale_evo wrote: Wed May 14, 2025 5:36 pm There’s a short uphill section with an overtaking lane. Many many times after overtaking a truck and fully off the throttle to blend back into the left lane behind someone they’ve seen me rapidly approaching and started braking.

I know that bit my favourite place to school folks in the progressive nature of an old Mondeo mit turbot and an extra cylinder

Last summer I was driving west on the M7 from Dublin to Limerick. If anyone knows the road, it’s 2 lane and has many straight sections 3 or 4 miles long.

It was very early in a Sunday morning - maybe 06:30 or 07:00 and I’m making steady progress at 75mph on cruise control. In the distance I see a familiar sight - a Ford fiesta in the fast lane but no other cars about either in front or behind.

So as I approach I pull in behind them. They don’t react. I wait, they don’t react. Just sitting at 68mph, away with the fairies.

So I give a little flash of the headlights and all of a sudden, they swerve wildly to the left, half into the hard shoulder and then swerve wildly back into the fast lane behind me, flashing their lights and gesticulating wildly…

I shook my head, floored it and with a dab of oppo, I was gone…

Every single day up here we see these behaviours, either on their own or a combination-of...

- Drivers over-estimate the power of their car
- Drivers under-estimate how long it will take to do overtake
- Drivers take too long to decide its safe to overtake but do it anyway
- Drivers don't check mirrors so don't see me already indicating and pulling out... then they pull out in front of me
- Long queue of tail-gaters meaning you either can't overtake a car or two at a time... or people are then "forced" to overtake 4, 5, 6 cars in a row very unsafely
- Slowing right down for corners then accelerating away like a banshee on the straights

Ascender wrote: Thu May 15, 2025 11:39 am
- Drivers don't check mirrors so don't see me already indicating and pulling out... then they pull out in front of me

I've taken to giving a friendly double flash of the high beams as the throttle hits the stop to remind them that they're too slow. I generally can tell if they're thinking of an overtake and just follow them through and occasionally turn it into a double overtake if they weren't overly aggressive.

I guess it helps to have a car that non car people think might be an unmarked police car.

Jimmy Choo wrote: Thu May 15, 2025 11:49 am
I guess it helps to have a car that non car people think might be an unmarked police car.

You've just reminded of being in Boston USA more than 20yrs ago - called a private hire car to take us from outside of the city into "downtown" and a guy turned up in a black Crown Vic. He was very keen to explain to us that people would just pull out of his way on the freeway if he drove aggressively - assuming he was an unmarked cop car. And when we got to the freeway (about 10miles of it) he insisted on showing us....

mik wrote: Thu May 15, 2025 12:21 pm

Jimmy Choo wrote: Thu May 15, 2025 11:49 am
I guess it helps to have a car that non car people think might be an unmarked police car.

You've just reminded of being in Boston USA more than 20yrs ago - called a private hire car to take us from outside of the city into "downtown" and a guy turned up in a black Crown Vic. He was very keen to explain to us that people would just pull out of his way on the freeway if he drove aggressively - assuming he was an unmarked cop car. And when we got to the freeway (about 10miles of it) he insisted on showing us....

An old boss had a navy blue V70 D5, also about 20 years ago. He told me he could just drive down the outside lane of the M1 flashing his lights and everyone cleared the way for him. He was a cunt, to be honest.

One from today to add to the "who knew that was a thing" was someone in a Golf Gti gesticulating at me as I overtook him and a lorry because he thought he should go first but hadn't even indicated by the time I was nearly past him.

Jimmy Choo wrote: Thu May 15, 2025 11:49 am I've taken to giving a friendly double flash of the high beams as the throttle hits the stop to remind them that they're too slow.

The problem with that is people don't know if your flash means "too slow, idiot" or "after you, I'd like to die in a fireball please".

So I wouldn't do that.

Overtake in half the distance you can see, then lots of space to deal with any shenanigans.

Dave!

Ascender wrote: Thu May 15, 2025 11:39 am - Drivers don't check mirrors so don't see me already indicating and pulling out... then they pull out in front of me

I sometimes think these people do check their mirrors and are relying on your judgement to see if it’s ok to overtake rather than not seeing you