Undertaking at Speed Cameras

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Lugy

Active Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2009
Messages
567
Location
Midlothian, Scotland
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W140 S320
Here's something I wouldn't mind a few views on this, today I was heading down the A1 (dual carriageway) I was in the inside lane doing just under 70 , there was an Astra in the outside lane doing the same speed just a little in front of me (I had pulled in just earlier as I didn't feel the need to be sitting in the outside lane when the inside was clear :rolleyes:). As we approached the speed camera he slowed down to a good bit under 70. Now I didn't feel the need to use more of my fuel to slow down to the same speed as him then speed up using yet more of my fuel to speed back up to the same speed so I may have undertook him, albeit one of the most sedate manouvres ever :eek: and carried on my merry way.

So next time should I slow down to the same speed as the person in the outside lane next time? And slam on my brakes like some people do? Or should they pay attention to what speed they're doing along with what the limit is?
 
If the car in the outside lane slowed sufficiently to level with your car then you did nothing wrong in my opinion as that car was slowing in the traffic without due care and attention for the other road users.

Let's face it - the Astra was somewhere it shouldn't have been unless it spotted an obstruction further on and you didn't.
 
+4.
You are not undertaking, you are traveling in the same direction on a multi lane carriageway and the other driver slowed.
 
Technically - in eyes of the law you were wrong undertaking no matter how you try to explain it away.

Theoretically - you acted responsibly and you did what I and 95% of others would have done given the same set of circumstances.

So its a +5 from me......................
 
Pretty sure that doesnt apply in this case. Its not a queue as such - and they are not going slowly.

I think this is the applicable rule here............

"only overtake on the left if the vehicle in front is signalling to turn right, and there is room to do so".
 
+6
If you follow the other conclusion, you could have an idiot in the outside lane doing 50 in a 70 limit and nobody could legally overtake him/her on the inside.
It all about using reasonable care and attention
 
+8

ok so I can't count
 
Last March while on my way to London late at night I was on the M1 outside St Albans where it is 4 lanes wide. There was an elderly gentleman in lane 3 travelling at a speed well below 70. I was in lane 1 cruising at 65mph and had been for several miles, there were only the 2 of us on the road but I continued past him in lane 1.

Was I wrong?
 
I think you already know the answer..............................

In the eyes of the law, yes.

But the elderly gentleman was much worse than you. He should be given a ticket for driving like that.
 
I suppose the correct actions going by the book could have been to move out to the outside lane (can't undertake legally in those circs), come up behind said elderly gentleman (keeping a safe distance), then use headlights/horn to alert him to your presence (since he clearly isn't aware that you are there) and then wait politely for him to wake up and move over.

Alternatively do as you did - much safer.

edit - just noticed you said it was four lanes wide - probably should have swung across 3 lanes to get past him and then swing back into the inside - still more dangerous IMHO!
 
I regularly get to do this three times on the A505 from baldock to Cambridge - loads of muppets who think the limit is 60 and slow down to pass the three cameras between Baldock and Royston and I will happily (remain in and) cruise by at a steady 70 in the left lane
 
+9. 70 is the limit, he didn't know this and slowed to 60 (?) why should you be expected to slow down in an unreasonable way because of another driver's ignorance especially since he was slowing down due to ineptitude rather than traffic condition.
 

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