Quick traffic question

Fremen

(Originally posted in the cricket forum due to a misclick. They weren't impressed )

Is there a word for what a motorist is doing when he overtakes you on the right then takes a left turn just in front of you? Is that legal?

There's one particular stretch of road on my commute to work where it seems to happen a lot. It annoys the hell out of me and doesn't seem safe.

Captain Havoc

A googly

Captain Havoc

Would it just be cutting you off?

Cutting you off. I'd suggest a road position more to the right to stop this happening.

penexpers

I have seen it referred to as a "right hook" in the US ("left hook" here I guess)

Mint Sauce

Cutting you up, not sure if illegal, if its not it should be. Highly dangerious anyhow. Have had it done to me several times.

Beasty

There can't be a specific law against this, as you could never define what constitutes "cutting-up" or "cutting-off" - it's covered by the dangerous driving legislation - if it's dangerous, it's illegal. I guess if it could be expected to cause you to brake or veer to the left, it's in the "dangerous" territory. If the junction is 200m ahead and the driver gives you plenty of room, I wouldn't see a problem.

goldencleric

had a driver overtake me/ turn left at a roundabout from the outside lane while I was pulling off from the inside lane last weekend ... fool of a took

Donny5

Beasty wrote: »

There can't be a specific law against this, as you could never define what constitutes "cutting-up" or "cutting-off" - it's covered by the dangerous driving legislation - if it's dangerous, it's illegal. I guess if it could be expected to cause you to brake or veer to the left, it's in the "dangerous" territory. If the junction is 200m ahead and the driver gives you plenty of room, I wouldn't see a problem.

It is illegal in that a driver cannot overtake while approaching a junction, but, of course, there's a lot of subjectivity there.

Beasty

Donny5 wrote: »

It is illegal in that a driver cannot overtake while approaching a junction, but, of course, there's a lot of subjectivity there.

I would be surprised if there is any legislation specifying this, precisely because of the subjectivity. It may well be in the Rules of the Road, but they are not the law (although in many cases they do reflect the legal position). I would imagine the scenario you mentioned is again covered by the dangerous driving legislation.

Of course if there is an unbroken white lines there, a driver could not cross it, but that does not mean the driver could not overtake another "vehicle" without crossing the line

Beasty

From the Rules of the Road

Overtaking

Never cut in front of cyclists or motorcyclists when overtaking them. Give them plenty of space, especially:
in wet or windy weather,
when road conditions are icy,
when they are starting off. Cyclists tend to wobble until they build up their speed, and
when the road surface is poor. Cyclists and motorcyclists may need to avoid potholes.

Turning left
On left turns, watch out for cyclists and mopeds close to the kerb in front of you or coming up on your left. Do not overtake a cyclist as you approach a junction if you are turning left. The cyclist might be continuing straight ahead.

fat bloke

Some w@nkbag taxi driver did that to me last year, at frickin 7 in the morning, on a practically empty Tallaght bypass, and he was so close that he actually grazed my front wheel. Another millimetre and I was on the ground. Fuppin baxstart. :mad:

michael196

Dónal wrote: »

Cutting you off. I'd suggest a road position more to the right to stop this happening.

i realy second this approach: make the motorist treat the cyclist as though the cyclist is another car or vehicle.

as a cyclist, take up an assertive position on the road. make the car wait and make the car wait untill it is safe to overtake you. the the car takes the risk of overtaking into oncoming traffic.

i know its not that simple, but an assertive position can be safer for the cyclist.

when i an going through a main town or city center road or street, I am following the center of the bumper of the car in front, thats my line, as the road clears and becomes quite, i still give parked cars a wide enuf space to permit the door to open.

Jawgap

Captain Havoc wrote: »

A googly <a href="{smilies}/biggrin.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Big Grin" smilieid="1" class="inlineimg" />

<br />
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howzat? :-)

Cookie_Monster

Beasty wrote: »

From the Rules of the Road

while it may be a rule in there they are not legally binding so may not be an actual law against it in the road traffic act (which is the one that counts)

Beasty

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

while it may be a rule in there they are not legally binding so may not be an actual law against it in the road traffic act (which is the one that counts)

That's exactly my point, if you look at all my posts above. Essentially it's the "dangerous driving" laws that could be invoked against such behaviour, and I would guess that the fact the Rules of the Road are quite explicit on the matter would lend support to any prosecution.