Varboy

Yeah I agree, why should you have to drive defensively? You're not doing anything wrong afterall.

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Ta

I had a brilliant one the other day. Chap in a Rover doing 35mph in a 40 mph road (nothing wrong with that) then he got to an NSL sign whereupon he slowed down to 30!!

Needless to say, I did not hang around behind him!

Ns04

d5hof

Squidword Alert!!!

Blueblaster

Yes. I'm doing 60mph. Slip road approaches. I accelerate. Pull out. Make room for joining traffic. Pass slip road and move back to left lane and slow to 60mph again. Easy peasy. Safe, considerate and good for fuel economy. Everyone's a winner...unless they're going for a Vmax record in the outside lane and think anyone slower should move over and let them through.

Blueblaster

??

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

no sorry. the point i was getting at is i seemed to think you suggest that theres different speed limits for different motorway lanes.

Blueblaster

That's overtaking done properly...assuming you looked down the road and all that jazz. Now I wonder if anyone can see the difference between this overtaking and jumping in and out of a queue of traffic? Fat chance.

mbayley77

iTrader: (4)

Is this not simple in that - if it is safe to do so then overtake if thats what you want to do....if not dont.

And I am an impatiant B@stard myself

bish667

iTrader: (1)

thats the point i was trying to make

94legturbo

iTrader: (6)

just the other day i was driving on the road to between odiham and hook which is a very wide single carriageway road and where it was safe to do so, pulled out and overtook a car travelling at less than 60 to be met by flashes of the lights?? i can only assume the noise from the exhaust scared them or something?

trails

iTrader: (41)

...because its the decent\reasonable thing to do you have just undermined all your well thought out and reasonably well presented point of view. Good work.

BTW, are you going to admit to being old bill?

d5hof

Blueblaster, test for you...next time you have the police behind you, do 45MPH on 60MPH and let us know how you get on.

Shof

speedking

That's what I thought as I passed a marked car on an uphill NSL dual carriageway, him doing about 50, me doing exactly 70. About three miles later he eventually caught me up and pulled me over. Apparently I had drawn attention to myself , I guess they don't get overtaken that often.

The other time was on a really long straight single carriageway road. There was a convoy of a couple of artics and a van, all doing about 56mph. As I passed the rear artic at speed, I noticed a marked car tucked up between the two trucks, too late to de-commit I had to just press on. Thankfully they must have been tuning the radio or something because nothing came of it hew:

FWIW I would rather that people drove at 45 in a 60, than 55, as it makes them easier to pass. The amount of cameras around these days I hate being committed at speed on the wrong side of the road in an area I don't know. The cameras are more dangerous than other road users and hazards.

T5NYW

iTrader: (4)

i agree with sentiments of the original poster and understand blue blasters comments. like most things in life no simple answer

My 2p's worth

This weekend I was overtaking 2 slow cars with nice gap between, on a nice long stretch of single NSL road. As I'm alongside the first Car, an oncoming car 1/4 mile away, decided to flash his lights at me although plenty of time to continue overtaking the next Car, I felt oncomming drivers poor judgement gave me concern where may cause problems to vehicals behind him.

I therefore easily pulled in behind second Car and Flashed 3 times at the oncomming driver, he then Flashed back at me twice so i flashed twice and on his next flash i mangage to waved to him, all this happened to oncoming Vehicals at 55-60mph so you can see the amount of time available

and yes he was obviously going to collect his pension

Blueblaster

No I haven't. I never said I wouldn't lift off the accelerator and increase the gap. I said why should I have to. If someone wants to overtake me then fine but I should not have to adjust my course or speed to compensate for someone being inconsiderate. In reality I would have no choice as I like to keep enough room to brake if necessary.

And no I am not the Plod.

Blueblaster

Wildo. I can tell you what would happen though. They would wait for an appropriate moment and overtake. HOWEVER, if I was at the front of a queue of cars the police would not leapfrog their way up the line to get past. There is a difference and if people actually read what I write rather than jumping to conclusions about me being just another killjoy out to ruin their fun then they would see that too.

AngloSaxon

That is absolute bo***cks! Its no the wonder people have no time for the police when they pull drivers for crap like that. Drawing attention to yourself? How? By making a perfectly legal manoeuvre? Muppets .
Personally I would have complained to the Chief Constable and local MP about them wasting police time

Guv

iTrader: (8)

I beg ur pardon, i thought this was a discussion, obviously not a Subaru driver (you sounds like a troll) as your reply is not what i was talking about. The point i was making was with cars doing less than lorries do. PS what lorries do 65mph? (and how many of then are unladen? cost a lot to drive an empty lorry around) i've never driven them in 17 years of driving, all HGV, of 11.5 tonnes are restricted to 56mph, all lorries of 7.5t to 70mph. any one doing more than that is breaking the law!!.

Any sensible driver should be looking up to a minimum of 1-2 miles in front depending on visibility, if u see lorries in the middle lane any one you comes up the 3rd lane at 100 is a ****.

I got a better idea why don't you bend over so my size twelve can go where the sun don't shine.

it mite even be en-lighting

C_WRX

iTrader: (2)

Normally don't take part in these types of discussions but have to admit it is a bug bearer of mine too.
I choose to have an able powered car but NOT so I can drive around fast everywhere but because of where I live (loads of A and B roads). I like to know that when I am stuck behind a slow driver, whether it be a car/truck/tractor, my car has the ability to easily complete the manouvre - some of the A roads I travel to work are 20 miles long and 45mph is just not on for that distance - 1 mile to go yes I do just sit in the queue.

When I took motorcycle lessons I was told if overtaking get out and back in as quickly, and yes safely, as possible. When taking car driving lessons (allll those years ago) I was also told to travel as close to the speed limit (not exceed of course) as possible/safe and to "keep up with the flow of traffic" as the expectation is that everyone else is travelling at a similar speed. Personally I wouldn't travel at 45mph on an A road as who know what's coming round a long tight bend behind you (e.g. emergency services) ! Your choice though Blueblaster as ,correct, no-one says there is minimum limit. Personally though 55mph on a motorway does seem a little unnecessary and would open an interesting topic, and even reply from the police, as to whether that would be safe to other motorway users travelling at 70mph (allowing for 10% potentially 77) ?? It isn't by any means illegal though...an ex-neighbour who is a terrible driver was hit from behind while travelling at 40mph on the motorway! I believe they were paid out in full for damages from other driver.

Now, for the people being overtaken :
- Firstly, leave a sufficent gap, it should be there for safe braking distance anyway. It's common sense and was a part of your driving lessons/test !
- Secondly, when you look in your mirror(s) and see someone is overtaking you think about, or preparing to, gently decelarating as the person might need to move in front of you which now means you don't have to brake (just saved them money on petrol and brake pads there! ) and it is time and energy better spent than all that peeping, flashing and rude hand gestering.

In the years I've been driving I do think that peoples driving habits are a lot worse e.g. sitting in outside lane of 3 lane motorway doing 60mph or when an ejit stupidly overtakes when on coming traffic exists and, when is quite rightly flashed, giving the on coming traffic the fingers (that one is just disbelief!). Also suppose cause the roads are busier too.
So to reply to the original question - I feel it is okay to overtake, and that includes moving in and out of a queue of traffic, if it is safe to do so and the law permits....and lets just hope people being overtaken start thinking about points 1 and 2 above.

Just my thoughts on the topic.

trails

iTrader: (41)

I was going to disagree, but I would be wrong, grammatically you haven't said you wouldn't lift off...however you have presented your argument in such a self righteous manner I felt compelled to respond. Trolling at its best?

I am a huge fan of the two second rule; if I'm travelling in a car where the driver does not keep a decent gap I will moan until they do. I like a nice relaxed journey when I'm a passenger

Back to the self righteous language; makes you sound like old bill

scunnered

iTrader: (1)

Here's a quote from 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.
_______________________________

Blueblaster, you quite obviously know better than the highway code. I hope I never have the misfortune to attempt to overtake you. In my opinion you're a danger to other road users.

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Oh yes,.
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In fact, in doing so I dropped the mobile I'd had wedged between my right shoulder and ear, which annoyed me cause it fell into my lap and dislodged both the bacon roll and cigarette that I had balanced there at the time.

bish667

iTrader: (1)

Personally I'd much rather wait for a good long road to overtake a bunch of cars all at once than have to work my way past 1 at a time. Usually have to wait longer but would rather do it all at once when its possible.

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Spare a thought for bikers

YouTube - Must overtake mentality

PMSL at the comment after 17:15:13

Bloody TT drivers

YouTube - Scary overtake

P*ss poor overtake in an Elise

YouTube - Scary Overtake in a Lotus Elise

Guv

iTrader: (8)

Sweet mate, i think that clears up this thread quite nicely,

blueblaster.

d5hof

[QUOTE=scunnered;7826503].Blueblaster, you quite obviously know better than the highway code. I hope I never have the misfortune to attempt to overtake you. In my opinion you're a danger to other road users!!QUOTE]

Agree!

dunx

iTrader: (3)

Hi all !

1. I detest being flashed ten seconds after completing a safe overtake...
2. In my "pro" driving mode, I hate being held up by blind fuel conscious numpties...
3. Hatched areas are not forbidden territory, a friend of mine (pedestrian) was clipped by a passing car and the police told her off for standing in the way ! ! !
4. God forbid we "force" BB to ease off the throttle on his latest fuel economy run...
5. I recently got followed by a traffic car after safely passing it on a roundabout. But to keep up he had to under-take a petrol tanker and then cut it up across a hatched off junction..... 14 miles later he went home !

DunxC

P.S. Thanks for making me smile this lunch-time....

Blueblaster

Ah excellent. Mr Professional Driver is back. When you said professional I thought you meant police or perhaps some kind of instructor or even a amateur racing driver. I did have my doubts when you told me to "get off the ****ing road" and it seems they were realised as what you really meant to say what you have spent the 17 years trucking up and down motorways in your lorry.

You said cars travelling at 50-60mph are a danger because lorries have to pull out to overtake them. Given you have just told me that I must be wrong for stating that a couple of lorries every month overtake me doing 65mph because they can only do 56mph then those cars doing 56-60mph are not a problem because they will never be caught will they? Or could it be that some lorries along with most of the people telling me I am talking rubbish might be breaking the law?

Now, I suggested 25% below the speed limit is not unreasonable in a 60mph limit. Given everyone seems keen to extrapolate that statement and apply it to every type of road in order to discredit me I'll run with it for a moment. 25% under the 70mph limit is 52.5mph. Therefore according to you the fastest any lorry will close down even the slowest car using my formula is 2.5 miles every hour. That's hardly like two fighter jets on a constant bearing now is it? Just just in case I'll be sure to watch out for the hoards of evil drivers travelling between 52.5mph and 55mph if I'm ever driving a lorry. I won't bother looking out for all the other motorists doing 71mph+, especially those driving a subaru because they're obviously driving gods and should be given free access to all public roads and be allowed to drive as they please.

People regularly moan on this site about how motoring is becoming less and less fun in this country. When you read what other people write it is not hard to see why. Essentially, the general view is that most people think they should basically be able to do whatever they like on A/B roads and motorways and so long as they don't crash that is justification enough for their actions. In the end the very people who love driving are going to be the ones who put the final nail in the coffin because, as my posts have shown, they have no regard for the law. And in the end the law will win because it will just get tighter and tighter until we have a little black box sitting in our boot sending details of our every movement back to the government so they can fine us. You're on borrowed time, but you'll never change until you're foced to. Fools

pslewis

I'm going to jump to the defence of Blueblaster here.

Facts:-

1. The speed limit is the MAXIMUM speed allowed.

2. To do 75% of that speed is not wrong.

3. There can be many reasons why a car is being driven slowly.

4. There are a multitude of reasons why the cars behind do not overtake.

However, I also get rather annoyed at the flashing lights if I overtake - if it is accompanied by some hand gesture then I slow right down to give them a chance to explain themselves .... they rarely want to!

But, there is NOTHING wrong with driving slower than the speed limit - hate it though we do when they get in our way!

Blueblaster

Ah, another f*ckwit. Excellent. Well done for showing you can cut and paste from the internet. Now perhaps you would like to point out which part of those paragraphs specifically applies to anything I said?

I haven't said anything contrary to paragraph 168. In fact, what I have said is precisely in accordance with paragraph 168.

Paragraph 169 doesn't even apply to this argument. We're talking about overtaking a long column of cars in a succession of manoeuvres that causes other drivers to take avoiding action as you barge in in front of them.

If you're going to try and be smart then get someone else to check your facts before you post them because you might end up looking a stupid as Guv 'Spec C' Dhillon who has just made himself look a total **** by agreeing with you.