Is overtaking a lost art?

[Haltamer]

The HPC Young drivers day is telling for this - When you ask a room of people how many were taught by their instructors to safely overtake, it's usually one or two at most.

I was among that crowd - After my ADI "Test Passing" lessons, all I would've known about overtaking is "look for a big gap and go as fast as you can" which is lacking some nuance...

[MissChief]

Haltamer said:

The HPC Young drivers day is telling for this - When you ask a room of people how many were taught by their instructors to safely overtake, it's usually one or two at most.

I was among that crowd - After my ADI "Test Passing" lessons, all I would've known about overtaking is "look for a big gap and go as fast as you can" which is lacking some nuance...

I've found the instructions some provide, 'Once you are sure it is clear, indicate and pull out so you can be seen by the person you are overtaking, only once you have pulled out increase your speed to complete the overtake' to be nonsense. No way do most family cars, especially with a family in them, have the power to do so safely. Most 'normal' cars, and by that I mean 9+ seconds to 60 will need a run before signaling and then overtaking.

[911hope]

MissChief said:

I've found the instructions some provide, 'Once you are sure it is clear, indicate and pull out so you can be seen by the person you are overtaking, only once you have pulled out increase your speed to complete the overtake' to be nonsense. No way do most family cars, especially with a family in them, have the power to do so safely. Most 'normal' cars, and by that I mean 9+ seconds to 60 will need a run before signaling and then overtaking.

Might be a good idea to first check someone isn't about to or currently overtaking you. This forum is full of people who boast about overtaking multiple cars in one go.

In general, if someone don't have the intelligence to work out what is a safe and effective approach, they should avoid doing it at all.

It really isn't difficult, so someone who can't think it through should worry about their abilities.

[trashbat]

MissChief said:

I've found the instructions some provide, 'Once you are sure it is clear, indicate and pull out so you can be seen by the person you are overtaking, only once you have pulled out increase your speed to complete the overtake' to be nonsense. No way do most family cars, especially with a family in them, have the power to do so safely. Most 'normal' cars, and by that I mean 9+ seconds to 60 will need a run before signaling and then overtaking.

I disagree with you. I've never had a properly powerful car and in fact I've overtaken absolutely loads of stuff on country roads, using this method, in a now 17 year old Renault Laguna estate that once upon a time had a massive, naturally aspirated 130bhp. Just needs more space, time and planning.

Runups, aka the flying banana, give you other problems like having to slow back down to abort in a car that is just as feeble on slowing as going.

[Pit Pony]

MissChief said:

Haltamer said:

The HPC Young drivers day is telling for this - When you ask a room of people how many were taught by their instructors to safely overtake, it's usually one or two at most.

I was among that crowd - After my ADI "Test Passing" lessons, all I would've known about overtaking is "look for a big gap and go as fast as you can" which is lacking some nuance...

I've found the instructions some provide, 'Once you are sure it is clear, indicate and pull out so you can be seen by the person you are overtaking, only once you have pulled out increase your speed to complete the overtake' to be nonsense. No way do most family cars, especially with a family in them, have the power to do so safely. Most 'normal' cars, and by that I mean 9+ seconds to 60 will need a run before signaling and then overtaking.

I learnt to overtake in a mini 850, and perfected it in an AX 1.4D
The only "safe" way is to hang back, start accelerating mid bend, and at the moment of truth, when you can see the straight, make a split second decision, to go for it and overtake, as you are already 20 mph faster than the car in front or abort the overtake, and brake hard to stay behind the car in front and not have a head on.
Or better, look across the fields to the next straight, see that there's nothing coming and start your overtaking as the car in front is braking for the next bend. Ie just don't bother braking and take the bend on the wrong side of the road. Mind you it will promote road rage.

[james6546]

After driving a tractor on Sunday that does 20mph flat out and is a bit sketchy over bumps so I don’t even do that, I can confirm that yes overtaking is a lost art.

I do pull over where it’s safe to do so and let people pass, but a few of the parts of the road had a clear view and a straight road with nothing coming and people still just sat behind me. I just don’t get it, it just makes my life harder as I have to pull over and let people pass when they could have just gone round me. I could have carried on for the next 20 miles, would they still have just sat there?

I tried to go earlyish yesterday, but apparently lots of people wanted to be out in the sunshine, including an impressive amount of classic fords which I tried not to get into the middle of!

[Chamon_Lee]

Completely lost. Most people don't know how to do it and if they do its never, calculated, smooth and flowing as to not disturb other road users.
Add to that the utter disgust people show at any overtake done.
Sad times

[bigothunter]

One way of ensuring safer overtaking: median wire-rope barrier.

[911hope]

Wondering who teaches hgv drivers how to overtake on dual carriageway or motorways..

Procedure seems to be...

Approaching hgv in front at relative speed of 0.1mph.
Back off or overtake? Obviously overtake.

Check lane next to see if it is occupied or has much faster traffic to endanger. The result of this check can be ignored.

Just indicate and wait for the other road users to take evasive action. (They have to do this as they have all experienced the indicate and go manoeuvre. )That could mean braking or lane changing, which will create congestion and possibly an accident. Non of this should be of concern to the hgv driver.

The overtake may take several minutes or fail altogether or be reversed on the next hill. Never mind ....just repeat all day. Don't worry about the fact that the journey time will not be shortened in the slightest.

If it is a 4 lane motorway, this is the chance to block 3/4 of the motorway with the futile and dangerous practice.