Overtaking

Andrewf20

Every now and then I come across someone who is doing under the speed limit on the road ahead of me, and so when I get good visibility and its safe to do so, I will overtake, only then to get horns or lights flashed at me from either people driving towards me (despite having roughly 100m distance between me and them by the time I have pulled back in), or by the person I have just passed. I have to be honest and say it really gets on my nerves.

Do others get this?

mikemac

Can't say that I have.
I'm not questioned your driving but if it regularly happens to you do you think it's something you are doing?

100 metres is nothing and it can be covered in seconds. Are you cutting it closer than most people?

As for the person you passed, again do you cut it close and almost clip them?
Of course you'll always get people who get offended at being overtaken and speed up as you do it :eek:

TheBazman

Andrewf20 wrote: »

Every now and then I come across someone who is doing under the speed limit on the road ahead of me, and so when I get good visibility and its safe to do so, I will overtake, only then to get horns or lights flashed at me from either people driving towards me (despite having roughly 100m distance between me and them by the time I have pulled back in), or by the person I have just passed. I have to be honest and say it really gets on my nerves.

Do others get this?

Yeah it drives me crazy. Some people just dont like being overtaken. They feel that they are doing a perfectly safe speed so that anyone overtaking them is a stark raving lunatic and should be flashed and have the horn blown at them to show them the error of their ways

Alanstrainor

micmclo wrote: »

Can't say that I have.
I'm not questioned your driving but if it regularly happens to you do you think it's something you are doing?

100 metres is nothing and it can be covered in seconds. Are you cutting it closer than most people?

As for the person you passed, again do you cut it close and almost clip them?
Of course you'll always get people who get offended at being overtaken and speed up as you do it :eek:

I agree, i never have come across this, perhaps it's down to the OP cutting it too fine?

ShayK1

I wont't say that it happens ALOT but yes it definately happens.
I'd agree with TheBazman and say that some people just don't like being overtaken.

Scottie99

Horns and lights....................well there not doing it to say hello! Maybe you should consider others on the road and not just yourself

Mena

I get this from time to time as well, after performing a perfectly safe overtaking maneouver. It pisses me off as well for some reason.

MrPudding

I have experienced it myself, even on my bike. I don't know the OP, so he might be doing something wrong, I cannot comment. I know in my own case I was overtaking safely. I think part of the problem is some people do not like to be overtaking, or indeed to see other people overtaking and some people have faulty risk assesment processes.

MrP

Black_Knight

Happens to me the odd time too. I dont mind the on comming traffic giving me a bit of stick if it does take me a little longer then expected to pass a car(s).
But people that I pass and then get flashed by!! Do they not know the rules of the road? If your intention is to not pass the car infront of you, you are supposed to leave sufficient space between you and the car infront:mad:. Countless times ive passed out cars only to find they are tailgating another car, ive nowhere to pull in, and either have to force my way (if oncomming traffic makes me) or continue passing out longer then I want!

If I do find my way inbetween I get a flash, WTF, maybe if you wernt kissing that guys bumper id not have to squeeze in!:mad:

And then there are just the idiots who flash for no justifiable reason other then they really really dont like being passed out! Plenty of space, didnt cut accross them...

Cant wait for that motorway:)

Zube

Black_Knight wrote: »

Countless times ive passed out cars only to find they are tailgating another car, ive nowhere to pull in, and either have to force my way (if oncomming traffic makes me) or continue passing out longer then I want!

Good god man, this is an admission of horribly dangerous driving on your part. You must not start overtaking on the assumption that there'll be room to pull in if oncoming traffic appears!

Cyrus

what gets my goat is people who overtake a car travelling at say 95kmph and proceed to overtake at 100kmph

taking bloody ages and turning a safe maneouver into a dangerous one

get in and out people!

cabrwab

Overtaking is such a funny thing, safe to some unsafe to others, i know the situation where you are waiting a chance to overtake a slow moving car and you've got a person forcing you into the hard shoulder because they think they know better!

But i must say overtake drop it down a gear and go for it quick! With my licence so important for work, i need to only overtake in the correct areas (broken white lines) as not to give an gardai any excuse this is frustrating sometimes to me and other drivers.

I dont give a flip if you want to overtake go ahead, i wont flash at you. What more annoy's me is when your doing for example 100km in a 100zone you pull in to let a guy flying up behind you and they don't say thanks!

Pete67

100m is not really enough space to have between you and an approaching car on the opposite side. Lets say both you and the oncoming car are doing 100 km/h that leaves less than 2 seconds margin to avoid a head on collision. And nobody ever exceeds the speed limit when overtaking right, so it could be nearer 1 second.

I'm not surprised the OP is getting flashed for overtaking in this manner, you might want to rethink your driving style.

As for the the other poster who admits to 'forcing' his way back into a line of traffic, the mind boggles. Do you really think you are invincible? There are far too many fatal accidents already, chill out and get to your destination a few minutes later in one piece.

Rant over.

alias no.9

Black_Knight wrote: »

Happens to me the odd time too. I dont mind the on comming traffic giving me a bit of stick if it does take me a little longer then expected to pass a car(s).
But people that I pass and then get flashed by!! Do they not know the rules of the road? If your intention is to not pass the car infront of you, you are supposed to leave sufficient space between you and the car infront:mad:. Countless times ive passed out cars only to find they are tailgating another car, ive nowhere to pull in, and either have to force my way (if oncomming traffic makes me) or continue passing out longer then I want!

If I do find my way inbetween I get a flash, WTF, maybe if you wernt kissing that guys bumper id not have to squeeze in!:mad:

And then there are just the idiots who flash for no justifiable reason other then they really really dont like being passed out! Plenty of space, didnt cut accross them...

Cant wait for that motorway:)

Sweet jesus man, do you not know the rules of the road? You only overtake when you have room and time to overtake safely including time to safely move back into your own side, i.e. not have to force your way in between two cars. You say you don't mind getting a bit of stick from oncoming traffic :eek:. Have you considered that in the situation you described, the cars in front of you were maybe waiting for a safe opportunity to overtake the slowest car in front, except they were waiting for a safe opportunity, i.e. when there are no cars coming the other way? It's reckless in the extreme to attempt to overtake a line of cars, regardless of the road.

Zube

cabrwab wrote: »

With my licence so important for work, i need to only overtake in the correct areas (broken white lines) as not to give an gardai any excuse this is frustrating sometimes to me and other drivers.

As well as dodging the old points on your license, it might be a good idea to avoid overtaking on solid white lines because you'll get yourself and several other people killed in an unrecognizable, crushed heap of twisted, smoking metal that way.

lightening

alias no.9 wrote: »

It's reckless in the extreme to attempt to overtake a line of cars, regardless of the road.

Is it? I honestly didn't know this. I have done it in the past with excellent visibility and a perfectly clear road ahead of me. There was five cars driving quiet slowly. They each had left quiet a small distance between them.

alias no.9 wrote: »

the cars in front of you were maybe waiting for a safe opportunity to overtake the slowest car in front

They still need to check their mirrors and signal before doing so!

Joe Malone

Zube wrote: »

Good god man, this is an admission of horribly dangerous driving on your part. You must not start overtaking on the assumption that there'll be room to pull in if oncoming traffic appears!

I think that the one guilty of dangerous driving in the above scenario is the tailgating car, not the overtaking car. Most reasonable drivers drive with the "2 second rule" and leave enough space for cars to overtake etc. Some idiots don't.
I have come across this idiotic driving countless times. Someone unwilling to overtake a slow moving truck/bus/tractor etc but right up their hole making it difficult for a competent driver to overtake each vehicle one at a time.

DonJose

Black_Knight wrote: »

Countless times ive passed out cars only to find they are tailgating another car, ive nowhere to pull in, and either have to force my way (if oncomming traffic makes me) or continue passing out longer then I want!

OMG I can't believe what I just read :eek: Why are you overtaking when you can see clearly ahead. Its foolish actions like your that cause accidents and kill innocent people.

DonJose

Joe Malone wrote: »

I think that the one guilty of dangerous driving in the above scenario is the tailgating car, not the overtaking car.

No, if you can't see whats ahead you DON'T OVERTAKE.

TomMc

100m is too close for safety but I know what you mean. There are a lot of nervous drivers out there that would flash at you for much less. Some people just freeze up at the wheel given even the slightest degree of the unexpected. They are quick to judge your manoeuvres (sp) based on their own driving limitations.

But it would be wise to review your driving behaviour if it is a common occurrence. It might just save your life. Take it handy, think twice before overtaking and make sure you are not putting yourself & vehicle under pressure. If you have to say giddy up to the old girl, it is time to change your ways. And I'll take this onboard myself, as someone who has a heavy right foot as well.

cabrwab

What i meant Zube is that the road marking in this country can be funny sometime, solid white line straight stretch of road clear visiblity nothing coming but you over take a gaurd see's you points!

My orginal point was that sometimes iam driving close (not bumper touching close) waiting to overtake safely as soon as possible, then somebody thinks they know better overtake, s**t them selves and pull in slamming on breaks etc.

Saruman

Happens sometimes to me but its rare. I usually overtake safely and with plenty of room. I do not usually get flashed by the person i overtake, it happens though... And the incoming cars i get flashed the odd time. Its funny as they may be flashing me even though they are so far ahead that 2 more cars would be able to overtake the slow driver safely.

Then again it may not even be the overtaking... maybe its because i always drive with dipped headlights (safer) and there are still people out there who believe headlights are for when its dark and should not be on no matter the conditions until they can not see in front of them.

Black_Knight

Just to clarify, ive never come anyway close to on comming traffic, if they flash, its no skin off my nose. There gone once they pass by me and ive never been in a situation where they need to use the hard shoulder to avoid me, never even close to this situation!

Why are you overtaking when you can see clearly ahead.

Because I can clearly see ahead, obviously.
I never overtake without being cautious!
I always look!

@ alias no.9: I do wait for cars to pass out the slower car infront, but after 2 or 3 empty straight roads when no cars attempt to pass out I feel they've had enough opportunity.

And maybe ive phrased it a bit wrong when I say "countless" times I pass and i find a tailgating car. Got a bit carried away with the typing. Countless times ive passed cars and they leave only the smallest of room for me to fit, enough room but still, 99% of the time theres nothing coming so I indicate to pull in in plenty of time and slowly make my way in, then get flashed! I dont get it, its not like im weaving wildly in and out of traffic, they easilly see me and if they were anyway decent they would make a bit of room, or at least accept that I passed them instead of sheepishly flashing at me.

Edit: @ DonJose: So you dont mind having someone driving a few meters behind you?

Saruman

I think the most dangerous overtakers (might be exaggeration) are the slow ones.. The other day i was on my way up the M4 on the way home when a car about a km ahead pulls out and overtakes a truck.. no problem except he barely went any faster so i ended up closing the gap pretty quickly... and then while im still about 100m away and he has finally overtaken the truck he does not pull back but stays in the overtaking lane where i have now pulled into so i can overtake the truck and as soon as he sees someone behind him who is gaining on him (im still about 50m behind at this stage) i see him look in his mirror and jam on his brakes!! What an ass!!! I was far enough behind him that it was no big deal but i still had to hit my own brakes just in case as you never know how hard these brake tappers are going to slow down. So i flashed him and he then moved and i overtook him looking at him with clear body language of WTF???

Black night Im the same though, i sometimes have to overtake more than one car as no one is prepared to overtake when its perfectly safe, and since they are packed so close together i can not do it one car at a time so i might do 2 or 3 cars and not see a car in the other direction because its long, straight and perfectly safe to do so. I wish i did not have to and the other cars would either overtake, or keep a distance so other cars can overtake them.

Marcus.Aurelius

Rather than comment on all the high horse nonsense and question the OP's judgement I think I'll answer his question.

I get it sometimes too, some people are irate to be overtaken by anyone. I do find that a lot people bumper hug and don't leave room for another car, and sometimes you have to bully them to move in between them, unfortunate, but they are in the wrong for not following ROTR. (Don't force your way if it's not safe, obviously)

Nothing less than they deserve IMHO, pigs.

Some drivers are so incompetent they cannot judge what safe overtaking is, but they shouldn't get so close to a car they have no intention of overtaking. They force any other car overtaking to stay over the white line for longer than would otherwise be necessary, these are the dangerous drivers I encounter, not the overtakers.

Black_Knight

Saruman wrote: »

Black night Im the same though, i sometimes have to overtake more than one car as no one is prepared to overtake when its perfectly safe, and since they are packed so close together i can not do it one car at a time so i might do 2 or 3 cars and not see a car in the other direction because its long, straight and perfectly safe to do so. I wish i did not have to and the other cars would either overtake, or keep a distance so other cars can overtake them.

Exactly!

Marcus.Aurelius

DonJose wrote: »

OMG I can't believe what I just read :eek: Why are you overtaking when you can see clearly ahead. Its foolish actions like your that cause accidents and kill innocent people.

Depends entirely on the skill and judgment of the driver, not arbitrary generalisations.

Ferris

I've even had one (lady driver) who squeezed up the the car in front so that I couldn't get in.

Otherwise with regard to overtaking, if in doubt - don't.

Marcus.Aurelius

Ferris wrote: »

I've even had one (lady driver) who squeezed up the the car in front so that I couldn't get in.

Otherwise with regard to overtaking, if in doubt - don't.

Exactly, different people have different skill levels in driving. Some know they can make it, some think they can, there's an essential difference. Your car, engine and your own skills are the key variables, not an arbitrary set of circumstances governing all situations.

And to all the space hoggers, stay back from the car in front by at least 2 car-lengths for God's sake! :mad:

colsers22

Saruman wrote: »

I think the most dangerous overtakers (might be exaggeration) are the slow ones.. The other day i was on my way up the M4 on the way home when a car about a km ahead pulls out and overtakes a truck.. no problem except he barely went any faster so i ended up closing the gap pretty quickly... and then while im still about 100m away and he has finally overtaken the truck he does not pull back but stays in the overtaking lane where i have now pulled into so i can overtake the truck and as soon as he sees someone behind him who is gaining on him (im still about 50m behind at this stage) i see him look in his mirror and jam on his brakes!! What an ass!!! I was far enough behind him that it was no big deal but i still had to hit my own brakes just in case as you never know how hard these brake tappers are going to slow down. So i flashed him and he then moved and i overtook him looking at him with clear body language of WTF???

Black night Im the same though, i sometimes have to overtake more than one car as no one is prepared to overtake when its perfectly safe, and since they are packed so close together i can not do it one car at a time so i might do 2 or 3 cars and not see a car in the other direction because its long, straight and perfectly safe to do so. I wish i did not have to and the other cars would either overtake, or keep a distance so other cars can overtake them.

Ah I see this on the M4 all the time.. Most people in Ireland don't actually know how to use motorways.. Even if you're speeding (as most people are on the M4) you should not be cruising in the overtaking lane. It's so dangerous! I've started using the old N4, saving myself 2.70 and probably saving my life.

Marcus.Aurelius

colsers22 wrote: »

I've started using the old N4, saving myself 2.70 and probably saving my life.

At least you'll keep your sanity as well. It can be really frustrating all those morons hogging the overtaking lane.

pburns

I overtake quite a lot and never, if ever get flashed. If you're getting this on a regular basis you're obviously doing something wrong.

Marcus.Aurelius

I remember my housemate, in the Guards, telling me that he gets flashed occasionally when he overtakes slow drivers in the traffic car, he can't fathom the arrogance at all.

It could be some people's style of driving, but I notice its mostly jealousy and rage at being overtaken by someone with better driving style

ZiabR

To the OP.

I get this alot of the time. And i know i will get flamed for this but i feel it is because of the car i drive which is totally unfair. I do believe in the law but what gets on my nerves the most is people who refuse to drive anywhere near the speed limit for a given road. I am talking about your 60km drivers on a 100km road etc. These cause crashes and makes people take chances.

I have quite a powerfull car but i do know its limitations and how much space i need to safely overtake people but i have got the lights flashing, horns beebing and the finger on more than one occasion.

Marcus.Aurelius

well said!

Photoguy

OP, 100m isnt nearly enough, 2 cars heading towards each other at even 80kmh and I assume you're doing more than that if youre overtaking, will close 100m in about 2.1seconds.
Leave more room see if you still get flashed.

Saruman

I wonder, is one flash or a torrent of them? Im only talking about the car you are overtaking here by the way.
The reason i ask is that when a truck overtakes another truck, the truck being overtaken flashes the overtaking truck to signal its safe for them to pull in front now.
Maybe some drivers do this too? Then again, maybe they are just arrogant assholes who think they are first in the line of traffic and they do not want anyone in front.

colsers22

pburns wrote: »

I overtake quite a lot and never, if ever get flashed. If you're getting this on a regular basis you're obviously doing something wrong.

+1
Think of all the times you see someone overtaking in a dangerous place with insufficient room.. Most people aren't getting flashed for overtaking safely. You must be doing something wrong OP

alias no.9

lightening wrote: »

Is it? I honestly didn't know this. I have done it in the past with excellent visibility and a perfectly clear road ahead of me. There was five cars driving quiet slowly. They each had left quiet a small distance between them.

Any of those cars in front may chose to overtake at the same time. The ones near the front of the queue will check their mirrors and not recognise your intention to overtake because their view is compromised by the cars in between. They need much less time to complete their manouver than you do and as such may overtake at a much more leisurely pace. Say you both commit to the manouver at the same time, without them being in any way in the wrong, they become an obstacle to your manouver very quickly and compromise your ability to complete it safely.
Worse still, and I've witnessed this first hand and know of another similar incident where I knew both drivers involved, you do see an indicator a few cars ahead and assume they're about to overtake but you see a huge stretch clear ahead and move out anyway assuming you'll both be able to make it. Suddenly they brake and begin to make a right turn into a gateway, you've already dropped a cog, put the foot down and a split second after they checked their mirror, you've moved out, the cars in front of you brake because they see the car that's turning right, sure you can hit the brakes but which direction do you point the car?

lightening wrote: »

They still need to check their mirrors and signal before doing so!

What about the oncoming traffic? The reason they hadn't commenced an overtaking manouver was oncoming traffic. That's the same reason that makes it unsafe for cars further back the queue to overtake. The poster I replied to seemed to think nothing of overtaking when there's oncoming traffic, in fact he (or she) said

Black Knight wrote:

I dont mind the on comming traffic giving me a bit of stick

and

Black Knight wrote:

Countless times ive passed out cars only to find they are tailgating another car, ive nowhere to pull in, and either have to force my way (if oncomming traffic makes me) or continue passing out longer then I want!

His hazard perception is so poor that he doesn't see the harm in moving out into the path of oncoming traffic to overtake. His observation is so poor that he can't recognise that cars are too close together for him to fit in between before he starts his manouver and his arrogance is so high that he perceives oncoming traffic as forcing him to do something he shouldn't have to, maybe he believes that the oncoming traffic should pull into the hard shoulder to let him by and to top it all off, he believes it was the other drivers fault.

Marcus.Aurelius

alias no.9 wrote: »

His hazard perception is so poor that he doesn't see the harm in moving out into the path of oncoming traffic to overtake. His observation is so poor that he can't recognise that cars are too close together for him to fit in between before he starts his manouver and his arrogance is so high that he perceives oncoming traffic as forcing him to do something he shouldn't have to, maybe he believes that the oncoming traffic should pull into the hard shoulder to let him by and to top it all off, he believes it was the other drivers fault.

Judgment is key here, he is not happy about having to force oncoming traffic into any situation. Other drivers should be forced to let him in, they have no right to drive on each other's bumpers with no intention of overtaking.

I've seen the looks of shame on some driver's faces when you force them back so you can squeeze in, and I've heard countless times from guards and other advanced drivers that this is the only way of teaching the morons how to drive with some courtesy.

At the same time, if the road cannot accommodate your manoever, even when cut short, you shouldn't make the attempt in the first place. I'm forced into the squeezing in part very rarely, usually because the oncoming driver is bombing along.

WHITE_P

Cyrus wrote: »

what gets my goat is people who overtake a car travelling at say 95kmph and proceed to overtake at 100kmph

taking bloody ages and turning a safe maneouver into a dangerous one

get in and out people!

Well said, the least amount of time spent on the other side of the road, the safer it is for all concerned.

alias no.9

Marcus.Aurelius wrote: »

Judgment is key here, he is not happy about having to force oncoming traffic into any situation. Other drivers should be forced to let him in, they have no right to drive on each other's bumpers with no intention of overtaking.

I've seen the looks of shame on some driver's faces when you force them back so you can squeeze in, and I've heard countless times from guards and other advanced drivers that this is the only way of teaching the morons how to drive with some courtesy.

At the same time, if the road cannot accommodate your manoever, even when cut short, you shouldn't make the attempt in the first place. I'm forced into the squeezing in part very rarely, usually because the oncoming driver is bombing along.

Judgement is indeed the key, if there isn't room to pull in between cars, you shouldn't start the overtaking manouver. It doesn't matter how wrong the tailgater is, and trust me it's a pet peave of mine too, two wrongs do not make a right and even if they did there's no consolation in being right but mangled in a wreck.
As for being forced to pull in because an oncoming driver is bombing along, I think there's a little bit of an irony in that statement.

Saruman

Agreed.. even though its illegal to exceed the speed limit when overtaking, to be honest i will gladly break that law as it makes no sense and is far safer to do so quickly rather than stick to 100kph and risk someone flying in down the road in the other direction meeting up with you.

lightening

alias no.9 wrote: »

The ones near the front of the queue will check their mirrors and not recognise your intention to overtake because their view is compromised by the cars in between.

If they can't recognise the intention of a car overtaking them they shouldn't be on the road.

alias no.9 wrote: »

assume they're about to overtake but you see a huge stretch clear ahead and move out anyway assuming you'll both be able to make it. Suddenly they brake and begin to make a right turn into a gatewa

Assumption is the mother of all screw ups

You never start an overtaking maneuver until the person overtaking in front of you has completed their one. This is simple learner rules of the road stuff. Both drivers you know need to re-sit their test if the started overtaking behind a car they 'assumed was overtaking"

Marcus.Aurelius

Saruman wrote: »

Agreed.. even though its illegal to exceed the speed limit when overtaking, to be honest i will gladly break that law as it makes no sense and is far safer to do so quickly rather than stick to 100kph and risk someone flying in down the road in the other direction meeting up with you.

+1 Any garda who did the advanced course knows that its best to overtake at maximum acceleration, move crisply and smoothly and minimise your time accross the white line. Move out early and move back in as soon as safe to do so. And none of this 20 feet to the right of the car you're overtaking, such a swing out and in is dangerous.

alias no.9

lightening wrote: »

If they can't recognise the intention of a car overtaking them they shouldn't be on the road.

Sure once the car begins to move out any driver should be able to recognise what a car, several cars back in the queue is doing, but just before that happens, it's not always possible for them to see an indicator 4 cars back because of the cars in between.

lightening wrote: »

Assumption is the mother of all screw ups

You never start an overtaking maneuver until the person overtaking in front of you has completed their one. This is simple learner rules of the road stuff. Both drivers you know need to re-sit their test if the started overtaking behind a car they 'assumed was overtaking"

Likewise you never start an overtaking manouver without room to get back onto your own side of the road safely and and safely does not include having to bully or force your way back onto your own side of the road. Tailgaters are pricks but are also clearly visible before commencing an overtaking manouver.

lightening

alias no.9 wrote: »

Sure once the car begins to move out any driver should be able to recognise what a car, several cars back in the queue is doing, but just before that happens, it's not always possible for them to see an indicator 4 cars back because of the cars in between.

Simple, mirror, signal maneuver. Works every time. Either your mirrors are not set right or you are checking and then leaving it to long to maneuver.

alias no.9 wrote: »

Likewise you never start an overtaking manouver without room to get back onto your own side of the road safely and and safely does not include having to bully or force your way back onto your own side of the road. Tailgaters are pricks but are also clearly visible before commencing an overtaking manouver.

You shouldn't have to "bully or force" your way back in to anything. You simply make sure you have enough room to overtake full stop.

WHITE_P

Spatial awareness seems to be a big problem here, wheather it is the car overtaking, the one being overtaken, or oncoming traffic.

As for people being overtaken, I read a report carried out by some german institute years ago that stated people actually showed destinct signs of hatred towards other motorists who overtook them, all be it only monmentary.

I usually let any one behind me pass, if they make their intention clear, either by their position on the road or preferably using their indicator. However I do dislike having some muppet 6 inches off my rear right hand corner when I'm travelling along at or above the speed limit.

As for oncoming traffic I can't see why they have to get all shirty about an oncoming car overtaking if there is a perfectly usable hardshoulder they could move on to safely, again this comes back to their awareness of the road ahead.

I have often moved onto the hardshoulder if I'm the only car travelling in my direction and I see cars on the opposite side of the road stuck behind a slow moving vehicle. Before anyone comes along and tells me it is illegal to drive on the hardshoulder I know.

alias no.9

lightening wrote: »

Simple, mirror, signal maneuver. Works every time. Either your mirrors are not set right or you are checking and then leaving it to long to maneuver.

I've no problem with my mirrors and I was thought and always practice mirror, signal, mirror, manouver. In the situatiuon where there is a queue of traffic and a car from well back the queue decides to overtake at the same time as one near the front, the intentions of the car further back are not always clear to the one further forward until they move out. That is what makes overtaking lines of traffic unsafe.

Saruman

To be honest, i have no problem when i am overtaken. I am usually either doing the limit or a little over it if its safe. For instance when on the Old N4 i will typically drive at 100kph as this is a perfectly safe speed on most of it and it was perfectly safe to drive at that speed before it was demoted when the toll road opened.

I am technically breaking the law so if someone comes up behind me and wants to get past i will move over and let them. At the very least, if there is a speed check ahead it will be them caught and not me

lightening

alias no.9 wrote: »

In the situatiuon where there is a queue of traffic and a car from well back the queue decides to overtake at the same time as one near the front, the intentions of the car further back are not always clear to the one further forward until they move out. That is what makes overtaking lines of traffic unsafe.

No, your wrong I'm afraid. There are rules to be followed. If a car further up the line indicates and starts overtaking at the same time as you, you abort the attempt to overtake until is safe to do so.

I think you are mistaking a driver overtaking a line of slow driving traffic to a driver leap frogging his/her way through a long line of backed, traveling traffic.

Overtaking a number of slow cars in the right conditions is perfectly safe and legal.