Would you overtake here?

[AJA]

60 mph National speed limit. (You are in a car.)

Two cars ahead which have been doing 40 mph for the last mile and a half in the 60 mph limit and are not about to go any quicker. Due to the lack of oncoming traffic (see below) you can get past both in one go.

Guaranteed nothing coming the other way because from the top of the hill you have seen there is nothing on the road for miles ahead and the 60 mph limit is unchanged for the duration of the overtake with plenty of road ahead to spare.

Nothing is coming the other way or is parked around the bend and that tree on the right is not concealing anything. You and the other two cars are the only ones on the road and there is nothing else, pedestrians/tractors/horses etc. that will interfere with the manoeuvre.

 

[renault12ts]

If you got it wrong and a car went into the water...you'd end up in jail.

Though it does look like you could do it safely. If not...paint a solid line.

 

[artyman]

No, not with the tree obscuring the view further round the bend.

 

[davidjpowell]

Can't answer because I know what happened. - Is that a layby on the right though? I'd like to know if anyone else was in there at the time.

 

[jaymanek]

its obviously some kind of trick question and a photo of the road is no substitute for actually being there but that aside, I would do it.

 

[renault12ts]

its obviously some kind of trick question and a photo of the road is no substitute for actually being there but that aside, I would do it.

Not a trick...see my answer.

 

[ridgeley]

all depends

 

[Paul/]

Is that a layby on the right before the wall?

 

[Deleted member 55947]

If I could overtake and back in position before the start of the bend then yes

 

[bpsorrel]

If it was exactly as described, I probably would. Having driven in Russia so much where overtaking is an everyday occurrence whether safe or not, I've become a bit more cautious than I normally am in the UK...but yes, I think I would..

 

[davidjpowell]

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/nor...amily-in-car-in-lake-incident-55578-31715913/

 

[jaymanek]

theres going to be a dying sheep rolling down the hill or something... or the OP has been done as one of those cars was undercover?

 

[Paul/]

Ah, I know the case now. I'd say it would be reasonable to go for it- but anticipating that either or both of the 2 cars could pull out (to layby, or overtaking, or just swerving for whatever reason). You'd need to try and make sure they were both aware of your intentions, and ensure that you could abort or avoid- so just pretty normal considerations when overtaking?

 

[GreetMe]

If one of the cars was indicating right (as in the article) then no, I wouldn't overtake.

 

[moonloops]

The photo is obviously a fake, seriously there are no cars on the road, never seen that ever..

 

[Paul/]

If one of the cars was indicating right (as in the article) then no, I wouldn't overtake.

Indeed. Unless they'd been indicating from a previous turn some time back- in which case would want to draw their attention to cancel it.

 

[WOODYTHEWISE]

The long length and the short gap of the white lines indicate a hazard ahead, you should only cross it if you can see the road is clear (to overtake) or to turn off. Given the scenario, I would overtake.

 

[AJA]

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/nor...amily-in-car-in-lake-incident-55578-31715913/

The long length and the short gap of the white lines indicate a hazard ahead, you should only cross it if you can see the road is clear (to overtake) or to turn off. Given the scenario, I would overtake.

Well spotted.

Here's the outcome of the court case -

BBC News - Gordon Dyche trial: driver jailed after Llyn Clywedog crash that killed family

 

[markjay]

It's a classic... sadly. Heard of similar cases before.

Not sure where the law stands, though we'll soon find out (well we already know what the police and CPS think).

But regardless of who's legally at fault here, I would say:

When overtaking always be on your highest alert and carefully scan the behaviour of the drivers you are about to overtake.

When making a manoeuvre observe in all direction including those where you don't expect traffic or pedestrians to come from.

Based on the description in the article, it seems that if just one of the drivers was more alert, the accident would have been prevented.

I am sure we have all experienced cases when a crash was averted because you or the other driver were alert. But statistically the time will come when neither driver is sufficiently alert...

Very very sad.

Edit: just read the post with the link to the verdict .

 

[AJA]

The driver jailed had been banned for three months and had be caught driving whilst disqualified, before getting his license back. So the profile of this person is a chancer and a careless driver.

I wonder if the driver of the car who pulled into the layby really did check her mirror before pulling across the road. I guess we'll never know.

In answer to my question, I would overtake there, and now with hindsight, with caution.