Road captains
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From: Frustration
Originally Posted by GarethB' timestamp='1316863839' post='21001709
I probably didn't describe the overtake clearly.
The road ahead was clear. There was time enough for the Zafira driver to look and make a decision whether he wanted to overtake the car in front of him or not and subsequently for me to decide that there was enough time and space for me to over take him.
I had indicated out, pulled out, and was progressing past the Zafira. As I overtook him the gap in front of him closed from being plenty of room to being a manoeuvre which would look like I pushed in. This was entirely due to the Zafira driver accelerating as I overtook him.
If I'd accelerated up to 100 and whipped in and out at high speed he wouldn't have had time to close the gap. As it was I made the move at an appropriate speed. Until he decided to be a tw*t. He had no other reason to accelerate than to make life difficult for me and potentially dangerous for us both. For me to pull out of the overtake at that stage would leave me exposed on the wrong side of the road while he passed me (and who's to say he wouldn't slow down with me as he'd already demonstrated how wreckless he could be). And who's to say that the driver behind hadn't closed the gap on the Zafira?
Where would I go?
In summary. It was safe to go past.
The only unsafe element was the idiot in the Zafira who chose to make a safe situation unsafe by his actions.
The road ahead was clear. There was time enough for the Zafira driver to look and make a decision whether he wanted to overtake the car in front of him or not and subsequently for me to decide that there was enough time and space for me to over take him.
I had indicated out, pulled out, and was progressing past the Zafira. As I overtook him the gap in front of him closed from being plenty of room to being a manoeuvre which would look like I pushed in. This was entirely due to the Zafira driver accelerating as I overtook him.
If I'd accelerated up to 100 and whipped in and out at high speed he wouldn't have had time to close the gap. As it was I made the move at an appropriate speed. Until he decided to be a tw*t. He had no other reason to accelerate than to make life difficult for me and potentially dangerous for us both. For me to pull out of the overtake at that stage would leave me exposed on the wrong side of the road while he passed me (and who's to say he wouldn't slow down with me as he'd already demonstrated how wreckless he could be). And who's to say that the driver behind hadn't closed the gap on the Zafira?
Where would I go?
In summary. It was safe to go past.
The only unsafe element was the idiot in the Zafira who chose to make a safe situation unsafe by his actions.
and as nick says if he was fiddling with his armrest surely that is driving without due care and attention.
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Joined: May 2002
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From: Survivalist enclave
I probably didn't describe the overtake clearly.
The road ahead was clear. There was time enough for the Zafira driver to look and make a decision whether he wanted to overtake the car in front of him or not and subsequently for me to decide that there was enough time and space for me to over take him.
I had indicated out, pulled out, and was progressing past the Zafira. As I overtook him the gap in front of him closed from being plenty of room to being a manoeuvre which would look like I pushed in. This was entirely due to the Zafira driver accelerating as I overtook him.
If I'd accelerated up to 100 and whipped in and out at high speed he wouldn't have had time to close the gap. As it was I made the move at an appropriate speed. Until he decided to be a tw*t. He had no other reason to accelerate than to make life difficult for me and potentially dangerous for us both. For me to pull out of the overtake at that stage would leave me exposed on the wrong side of the road while he passed me (and who's to say he wouldn't slow down with me as he'd already demonstrated how wreckless he could be). And who's to say that the driver behind hadn't closed the gap on the Zafira?
Where would I go?
In summary. It was safe to go past.
The only unsafe element was the idiot in the Zafira who chose to make a safe situation unsafe by his actions.
The road ahead was clear. There was time enough for the Zafira driver to look and make a decision whether he wanted to overtake the car in front of him or not and subsequently for me to decide that there was enough time and space for me to over take him.
I had indicated out, pulled out, and was progressing past the Zafira. As I overtook him the gap in front of him closed from being plenty of room to being a manoeuvre which would look like I pushed in. This was entirely due to the Zafira driver accelerating as I overtook him.
If I'd accelerated up to 100 and whipped in and out at high speed he wouldn't have had time to close the gap. As it was I made the move at an appropriate speed. Until he decided to be a tw*t. He had no other reason to accelerate than to make life difficult for me and potentially dangerous for us both. For me to pull out of the overtake at that stage would leave me exposed on the wrong side of the road while he passed me (and who's to say he wouldn't slow down with me as he'd already demonstrated how wreckless he could be). And who's to say that the driver behind hadn't closed the gap on the Zafira?
Where would I go?
In summary. It was safe to go past.
The only unsafe element was the idiot in the Zafira who chose to make a safe situation unsafe by his actions.
You can't be responsible for someone else's actions as well as your own and if all planning was based on the worst possible scenario then you'd never overtake would you?
I don't know about you but if someone did that and put me seriously at risk I'm obviously going to put them off the road rather than take a head on.
It doesn't count as barging in if someone tries to close a gap...if they want to do that (and it is their perogative) then they should bunch up before any overtaking starts.
In that scenario the overtaker has the responsibility to manage a multiple overtake or abort - not rely on a space being made for him/her.
I've had a relatively pain-free experience on the roads recently but it may be because I've not been pressing on at all.
I 've certainly seen that kind of behaviour when I have had the need or desire to get a move on.
Joined: Jun 2009
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The problem with that is what Ultra said above. You need proof otherwise and unless you have an onboard camera / gps / witness then it's your word against theirs and as the police will say, well if you weren't overtaking then you'd not have been in the situation you found yourself in. Personally I think you have to allow for every possible outcome and if being 'safe' means overtaking the entire line of traffic ( if it's safe to do so) then that's what you do. Otherwise you don't overtake and stay in line. It doesn't ever save THAT much in real time.
Not pressing on is the sole reason you find the roads less painful as you're not eating into the error margins of other fools and as such, they aren't in your way.
Not pressing on is the sole reason you find the roads less painful as you're not eating into the error margins of other fools and as such, they aren't in your way.
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Plymouth
After giving everyone a couple of long straights to make a pass I decided to try to make progress. At the next clear straight I overtook the car in front of me. At the next straight I went to pass the Zafira - who was sat behind the Mondeo. As I went past he sped up giving him the opportunity to vent at me for trying to get into a smaller gap. Thanks mate.
So rarely is this a problem.
And I live around these roads (Somerset) and this pisses me off too.
Just wave thankyou in the rear view and carry on regardless.
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From: North Yorks
How can you allow for morons?
Not everyone will close a gap through malice OR stupidity (though I suspect it's far more a case of the former than the latter), most people will simply maintain their speed and allow you to pass safely.
Despite some people's perception to the contrary, the police are neither anti-sports car or anti-overtaking, if an incident were to occur, they would take statements from everyone concerned and pass the case to the CPS, if they thought there was a case against the Zafira driver they would act on it. I'm not sure where people get the impression that driving anything remotely sporty immediately marks you out as more guilty in the eyes of the law, it's simply not true.
There appear to be a significant minority of resentful morons and self-appointed road police on the roads these days (the lorry driver straddling two lanes nearly a mile before a lane closure so no-one could make their way safely to the closure in lane 2 before merging was this weekend's misguided prick), but we absolutely should not drive to their standard or in a way that validates their poor driving.
Nor should we criticise someone for attempting an overtake that to all intents and purposes seemed safe when he committed. The Zafira driver is 100% to blame for accelerating and whether or not Gareth should have pulled out is only for him to decide, often it's more dangerous to abort (especially if there is following traffic) than to 'force' one's way in.
Not everyone will close a gap through malice OR stupidity (though I suspect it's far more a case of the former than the latter), most people will simply maintain their speed and allow you to pass safely.
Despite some people's perception to the contrary, the police are neither anti-sports car or anti-overtaking, if an incident were to occur, they would take statements from everyone concerned and pass the case to the CPS, if they thought there was a case against the Zafira driver they would act on it. I'm not sure where people get the impression that driving anything remotely sporty immediately marks you out as more guilty in the eyes of the law, it's simply not true.
There appear to be a significant minority of resentful morons and self-appointed road police on the roads these days (the lorry driver straddling two lanes nearly a mile before a lane closure so no-one could make their way safely to the closure in lane 2 before merging was this weekend's misguided prick), but we absolutely should not drive to their standard or in a way that validates their poor driving.
Nor should we criticise someone for attempting an overtake that to all intents and purposes seemed safe when he committed. The Zafira driver is 100% to blame for accelerating and whether or not Gareth should have pulled out is only for him to decide, often it's more dangerous to abort (especially if there is following traffic) than to 'force' one's way in.
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From: Hertford
Originally Posted by GarethB' timestamp='1316854280' post='21001591
After giving everyone a couple of long straights to make a pass I decided to try to make progress. At the next clear straight I overtook the car in front of me. At the next straight I went to pass the Zafira - who was sat behind the Mondeo. As I went past he sped up giving him the opportunity to vent at me for trying to get into a smaller gap. Thanks mate.
So rarely is this a problem.
And I live around these roads (Somerset) and this pisses me off too.
Just wave thankyou in the rear view and carry on regardless.
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From: Survivalist enclave
I must have been tempting fate...
Experienced a version of this speeding up thing the other day
I have know idea why it happened but the car and driver fit suggested a wannabee cop
I was in a position where the abort would have been tricky as I was being followed (way too closely) by a bike
Without the speeding up, which was blatant and dangerous, it would have been a simple overtake
As it was, I quickly decided I'd had enough of this silliness so gave the blocker the option of behaving themselves or losing their front end/visiting the ditch
I'm sure in their version of events I 'barged in' or 'cut them up' but in their heart they know better
maybe I'll have to get one of those cameras, film my driving experiences and post them up here for affirmation
Experienced a version of this speeding up thing the other day
I have know idea why it happened but the car and driver fit suggested a wannabee cop
I was in a position where the abort would have been tricky as I was being followed (way too closely) by a bike
Without the speeding up, which was blatant and dangerous, it would have been a simple overtake
As it was, I quickly decided I'd had enough of this silliness so gave the blocker the option of behaving themselves or losing their front end/visiting the ditch
I'm sure in their version of events I 'barged in' or 'cut them up' but in their heart they know better
maybe I'll have to get one of those cameras, film my driving experiences and post them up here for affirmation
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From: Ulaanbaatar
Banned
Joined: May 2002
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From: Survivalist enclave
Originally Posted by gaddafi' timestamp='1317713626' post='21037160
I must have been tempting fate...
Experienced a version of this speeding up thing the other day
(Stuff)
Experienced a version of this speeding up thing the other day
(Stuff)
past life is already sorted - I am being cryogenically stored so I can come back and gloat over all of my predictions coming true