The lost art of overtaking

[baggy798]

Why are most people unwilling or scared of overtaking? They obviously WANT to go faster otherwise they wouldn't be tailgating each other so closely. I see it all the time.

+ YouTube Video

[Ulrikas PA]

I have scientifically studied this for many, many years There are a few answers:-

Not taught to overtake any more ?
Roads too busy?
Scared of someone speeding up as you overtake them?
Scared of road rage?
Car isn't quick enough?
Don't know how to 'get their gears down' ?
Don't look any further than the car in front, so no planning of overtakes ?
'Get out of my way', rather than getting out of the way, (by overtaking) ?

I think the last one is true of a lot of drivers these days. Same as on a motorway where you are already making good progress but someone sits an inch from your back bumper, despite the traffic in front and to the side.

[Simmy]

that overtake in the vid is not good. he only just makes it back before the hatched section of road i hope he never encounters another driver doing the same kind of thing coming in the opposite direction this is how people have major accidents .

[Phil Croxley]

I think it's the lost art of driving generally.

[AlwaysLearning]

That was an "I'm going too fast to pull in".

Folk think overtaking is going as fast as possible to get past when it should be to go fast enough.

Most people think they're a better than average driver but few do any training after passing. Where I grew up it was common to take a winter driving course so you were better prepared to drive on slippery surfaces, and had kit in your car to survive in a snowstorm.

Question to the viewers ... how many cars in that line would you have passed before pulling in?

[Phil Croxley]

Originally Posted by AlwaysLearning

That was an "I'm going too fast to pull in".

Folk think overtaking is going as fast as possible to get past when it should be to go fast enough.

Most people think they're a better than average driver but few do any training after passing. Where I grew up it was common to take a winter driving course so you were better prepared to drive on slippery surfaces, and had kit in your car to survive in a snowstorm.

Question to the viewers ... how many cars in that line would you have passed before pulling in?

That's a good question although difficult to answer as you would need to be there at the time. I've found that in most cases it really doesn't matter how and when I overtake because ultimately I'll end up behind a mustard coloured Nissan Micra doing not much at all, and usually just as a dual carriageway becomes one lane and I haven't got there in time!

[VOLVOBOY]

The thing that i can`t fathom is why did the two cars touch their brakes ?
The first time i watched it i did think it was a bit extreme . The more i watch it the less so . Difficult to call really , as Phil says.

[Chris1Roll]

Originally Posted by AlwaysLearning

That was an "I'm going too fast to pull in".

Folk think overtaking is going as fast as possible to get past when it should be to go fast enough.

Don't take off if you don't have somewhere to land.

Question to the viewers ... how many cars in that line would you have passed before pulling in?

None, as it appears to be a 30 limit, maybe 40 tops.

Speed limit notwithstanding, one - once the first car was passed there was a bus stop and a small junction next to it on the right.

Don't overtake past junctions.

The first time the camera car looked, an overtake wasn't 'on' either, even if the other car wasn't approaching.

[DaveNP]

Definitely an example of the lost art of overtaking, the overtaking car was far too close to the last car before the overtake meaning that its view of the road ahead was impaired causing the duck in and out manouver to see ahead, and then hen the overtake did occur it had to pull out before any significant acceleration thereby making the time on the wrong side of the road longer.
Or just take a deep breath, chill your beans, drop back from the bunch of traffic, and cope with the fact that your safe journey may be a few seconds longer.

[Pidgeonpost]

It's a difficult one to call as it's dark and the camera distorts the view to a degree.
The overtaker appears to steam up behind the last car rather, but it's the car behind the silver one at the front that seems too close, neither overtaking nor leaving space for someone who does want to. Maybe they don't want to overtake because they know they'll be turning off in a couple of hundred yards - who knows?
As to why those two cars touched their brakes, perhaps they were anticipating a failed overtake and were ready to give him/her space to pull in? Too many imponderables, but it looks a dodgy manoeuvre for reasons already mentioned.