Overtaking on the inside are destined for the undertaker's

[gr1nch]

....as the old adage goes. Though we all are in the end, I guess they meant early.
Today heading north up to Lincolnshire, two lads in a lowered, matt grey 3 series bombed past me on the inside at 100+ , with me doing 70 and about to overtake a lorry. The lorry was a way off perhaps 6-10 car lengths, so it wasn't a 100% lunatic maneouvre. But the speed was shocking.
I checked in my mirrors afterwards and the rear traffic was half a km behind me. Might it be the open road that induces these dangerous, race car antics?

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[John]

You get a mix of weirdos really - so many possibilities.

Left lane warriors usually.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Caveat quiscunque

Under-takers are always a good source of organs for the local transplant clinic. (Not enough motorcyclists around these days)

But if those two Korean ladies will chat earnestly to one another at 45mph in the outside lane of the A3, I'm I will slide past, carefully, on the inside, watching them very carefully. But I'll argue that's not undertaking, it's outside lane hogging.

Caveat quiscunque as they say in Latin: Undertaker beware.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

The lorry was a way off perhaps 6-10 car lengths, so it wasn't a 100% lunatic maneouvre.

I'm going to assume you were on the A1?

Putting to one side their terrible choice of car and also their speed, as you were lane hogging I don't blame them for undertaking, the A1 is rife with those who sit in the outside lane when they should be in the near side.

 

[geraldrobins]

I'm going to assume you were on the A1?

Putting to one side their terrible choice of car and also their speed, as you were lane hogging I don't blame them for undertaking, the A1 is rife with those who sit in the outside lane when they should be in the near side.

He wasnt lane hogging he pulled out to overtake.

 

[219]

He wasnt lane hogging he pulled out to overtake.

Not only that - he was travelling at the maximum permitted speed .

 

[renault12ts]

Not only that - he was travelling at the maximum permitted speed .

Travelling at 70 in the outside lane about to overtake is fine.

Travelling at 70 in the outside lane not overtaking is bloody minded.

The OP may have taken to the overtaking lane a bit early/or not...only he knows.

 

[st13phil]

Not only that - he was travelling at the maximum permitted speed .

While that may be true, it's not the responsibility or indeed duty of any road user* to prevent another from travelling at whatever speed they deem appropriate. Who, when they are travelling at the maximum permitted speed in lane 3, knows with certainty that the vehicle behind them trying to get past doesn't have a legitimate need and the authority to exceed the posted limit?



* With the exception of the Police, of course.

 

[rf065]

He wasnt lane hogging he pulled out to overtake.

A wise policeman once said, "if they have the time & space to overtake on the inside, then you had plenty of time to pull over and let them past".

Russ

 

[geraldrobins]

A wise policeman once said, "if they have the time & space to overtake on the inside, then you had plenty of time to pull over and let them past".

Russ

Yes but I dont think this was the scenario. They should have approached the OPs car and when he saw them in the mirror he may have had space to pull over and let them pass.
If they were driving at excessive speed they wouldnt need much time and space.
Undertaking is still unsafe and illegal.
I'm not sure what 6-10 car lengths means but you should overtake when the vehicle in front is approx 100 metres away if driving at 70, in my opinion anyway.

 

[renault12ts]

Yes but I dont think this was the scenario. They should have approached the OPs car and when he saw them in the mirror he may have had space to pull over and let them pass.
If they were driving at excessive speed they wouldnt need much time and space.
Undertaking is still unsafe and illegal.
I'm not sure what 6-10 car lengths means but you should overtake when the vehicle in front is approx 100 metres away if driving at 70, in my opinion anyway.

100 metres is about 20 cars length...that's a huge distance.

On an single carriageway road you might be about 2 cars length whilst waiting for a gap to overtake...so 20 is...excessive?

 

[geraldrobins]

The recommended 2 second rule at 70 mph gives you a 62m gap from the vehicle in front.So I suggest if you are rapidly approaching a slower moving vehicle then when about a 100 metes away is a suitable time to signal and pull out if nothing is within 100 metres behind in the lane you want to overtake on. If there isnt sufficient space to pull over then wait.
On a single carrriageway and following a slower vehicle distance would be less of course.

 

[alabbasi]

My hobby shop is about 65 miles from my house, near the Texas Oklahoma border. I would say that on an average trip, At times, I have sat on the inside lane for 20-25 miles without moving and passed just about every car on the middle and the outside lane. People here like to enter a highway and jump right on the outside lane or middle lane. Once they're there, it will usually take an act of congress to get them to move.
Especially if they're driving a something with a cummins diesel.

 

[rf065]

My hobby shop is about 65 miles from my house, near the Texas Oklahoma border. I would say that on an average trip, At times, I have sat on the inside lane for 20-25 miles without moving and passed just about every car on the middle and the outside lane. People here like to enter a highway and jump right on the outside lane or middle lane. Once they're there, it will usually take an act of congress to get them to move.
Especially if they're driving a something with a cummins diesel.

Big difference though is that it's not illegal for you to pass them in any of the other lanes, over here is someone is in the overtaking lane and won't move over, you have to pass them illegally on the inside or sit behind them all day.

Russ

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

I'm not sure what 6-10 car lengths means but you should overtake when the vehicle in front is approx 100 metres away if driving at 70, in my opinion anyway.

I'd be pretty peeved if you pulled out 100 metres away from the vehicle ahead to overtake it

It's people that pull out that early when not needed that makes these idiots undertake

Unless the average persons job involves 70% of the day driving to and from places, you never really get any experience from all this

 

[renault12ts]

The recommended 2 second rule at 70 mph gives you a 62m gap from the vehicle in front.So I suggest if you are rapidly approaching a slower moving vehicle then when about a 100 metes away is a suitable time to signal and pull out if nothing is within 100 metres behind in the lane you want to overtake on. If there isnt sufficient space to pull over then wait.
On a single carrriageway and following a slower vehicle distance would be less of course.

On a busy motorway have you ever seen everyone keep as far apart as 62m?

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

100m=

Big Ben
Twice the height of the Arc de Triomphe
7 HGV trailer lengths
Nearly as long as a football pitch

I'd definitely undertake

 

[geraldrobins]

On a busy motorway have you ever seen everyone keep as far apart as 62m?

I have seen lots of motorist driving less than that, and maybe myself at times, but 2 seconds,equating to 62m at 70, is the recommendation in the Highway Code I believe. We also occassionaly have reports of mutiple pile ups.

 

[geraldrobins]

100m=

Big Ben
Twice the height of the Arc de Triomphe
7 HGV trailer lengths
Nearly as long as a football pitch

I'd definitely undertake

Its also about 3 seconds, but if youre undertaking which is unsafe why would you worry about safe breaking distances.
Why not wait say 20 seconds and let the person in front overtake and then overtake him.

Just my opinion.!!!

 

[geraldrobins]

I'd be pretty peeved if you pulled out 100 metres away from the vehicle ahead to overtake it.
How far would you suggest, taking into account time to check mirrors, blind spot and indicate. Indicate before maneuvering not simultaneously?

It's people that pull out that early when not needed that makes these idiots undertake

Unless the average persons job involves 70% of the day driving to and from places, you never really get any experience from all this

I disagree. And experience can bring complaency. Until recently I drove on motorways daily and on the M5 lane hogging is not that common in my experience.
If youre overtaking a slower moving vehicle at 70 the gap rapidly diminishes.