Yielding for a not-on overtake?

[CommanderJameson]

Scenario: me in 528i exiting 30 into NSL uphill (1/2 mile straight), I have already dropped a gear to listen to my new toy and zoom off. I'm being followed by youngster in debadged Escort with mesh and badboy bonnet, and am aware that he is very close to my rear bumper.

Predictably, he swings out sans indicator (I've had my foot down for about 4-5 seconds by now, and am comfortably pulling away) and canes it; however, my power arrives and off I go.

He has to pull back in behind me because he's all out of horses.

Question is, did I do the right thing? At the end of the 1/2 mile straight is a bend and I didn't want either car to be on the wrong side of the road at that point. I'd already started my manoeuvre (the firm acceleration).

[TripleS]

If you were already pulling away before he moved out, then he was surely making a fruitless attempt to overtake, in which case I would say you did the right thing by continuing your acceleration and leaving him behind.

If, on the other hand, he was clearly into his overtake and at that point travelling more quickly than you, I think I would have let him go.

It's best to avoid letting these things develop in a competitive fashion. I can't say I've always managed to resist a bit of competition, but I won't get involved these days. HTH.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[CommanderJameson]

TripleS said:

If you were already pulling away before he moved out, then he was surely making a fruitless attempt to overtake, in which case I would say you did the right thing by continuing your acceleration and leaving him behind.

If, on the other hand, he was clearly into his overtake and at that point travelling more quickly than you, I think I would have let him go.

It's best to avoid letting these things develop in a competitive fashion. I can't say I've always managed to resist a bit of competition, but I won't get involved these days. HTH.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

The situation was the former. I think he saw the badge and my initial relatively gentle acceleration and thought he could put one over on the BMW driver.

I am competition-averse on the public roads, and am unhappy when forced into a situation that might appear to a third party as competitive.

I had a hunch that I did the right thing - after all, it's up to the overtaker to assess whether he's got the speed and time to safely execute the manoeuvre - but I clearly entertained sufficient doubt to post here.

[tigger1]

CommanderJameson said:

Predictably, he swings out sans indicator (I've had my foot down for about 4-5 seconds by now, and am comfortably pulling away) and canes it; however, my power arrives and off I go.

Always said BMWs were cack...5 second lag? Perhaps using an appropriate gear might have stood you on better ground!?!

If the overtake was never "on", then what you did seems perfectly reasonable

[GreenV8S]

If you ended up holding him up, I'd say you should have let him go on ahead. If you were going to end up pulling away from him, then you were right to stay in front.

I had a slight variation on this last week. I was pootling cross country late at night, not in any particular rush. I was followed out of a 30 limit by a big merc who sat on my rear offside quarter as if he was about to overtake. Two reasonable overtaking opportunities came and went and he still sat there, far too close for comfort. At the next long straight I pulled well to the left and eased off by 5 mph, and after dithering for a few seconds he pulled out, indicated and then went past. He promptly slowed down by 15 mph and held me up for the rest of the journey. I have no idea what he was doing, and I guess he didn't either, but next time I'll think twice before I help him overtake me.

[CommanderJameson]

tigger1 said:

CommanderJameson said:

Predictably, he swings out sans indicator (I've had my foot down for about 4-5 seconds by now, and am comfortably pulling away) and canes it; however, my power arrives and off I go.

Always said BMWs were cack...5 second lag? Perhaps using an appropriate gear might have stood you on better ground!?!

If the overtake was never "on", then what you did seems perfectly reasonable

I wasn't clear - I was pulling away from the instant we entered the NSL. He pulled out presumably with the intention of demonstrating Ford Escort Powah to me.

[Flat in Fifth]

CommanderJameson said:

tigger1 said:

CommanderJameson said:

Predictably, he swings out sans indicator (I've had my foot down for about 4-5 seconds by now, and am comfortably pulling away) and canes it; however, my power arrives and off I go.

Always said BMWs were cack...5 second lag? Perhaps using an appropriate gear might have stood you on better ground!?!

If the overtake was never "on", then what you did seems perfectly reasonable

I wasn't clear - I was pulling away from the instant we entered the NSL. He pulled out presumably with the intention of demonstrating Ford Escort Powah to me.

Commander Sir!

I don't know what you are worrying about. I have done that to Ford Escort 'Powah' when I had a Laser Dinghy and trailer hooked on the back.

:Cpl Jones:
They don't like it up 'em sir!
:/Cpl Jones:

Permission to dismiss to mess for pie/chips/beans? Can't offer you a gin I'm afraid, dry ship....

FiF

[splatspeed]

another one last night

came up behind escort closing gap had a look at overtaking

road looks clear

second look

cyclist coming the other way

could squeeze through but no safer not to

slow down and increase distance to escort try later

escort decides this guy isnt going to overtake me and decides to overtake the car infront

no preperation no power and a corronery for the cyclist

overtaken car moves over and slows to allow the muppet past

i am wincing as i see a car comming the other way straight at the escort

how do these muppets get a lisence

[GreenV8S]

splatspeed said:

how do these muppets get a lisence

Overtaking isn't taught or tested. (And I wonder how long before it won't be allowed, either.)

[Mr Whippy]

GreenV8S said:

splatspeed said:

how do these muppets get a lisence

Overtaking isn't taught or tested. (And I wonder how long before it won't be allowed, either.)

You'd think common sense and the desire to continue being alive would be a "driving" force (no pun intended) for some people to take pride in their driving.

Ah well.

I think half the problem is a lack of patience, leading to dramatic and stupid overtaking after an extended period of favourable overtaking conditions which are not taken advantage of. They'll follow a car closely for 5 mins not looking like they are in a rush, then suddenly they are aware of being held up and throw their car into the most stupid overtake that makes you cringe!

TrafPol needed, would soon get such cretins off the road!

Dave

[profstoff]

splatspeed said:

how do these muppets get a lisence

We have a woefully inadequate system of driver training and testing, one that teaches a candidate how to do a three point turn without touching the kerbs but fails to show a safe place to do it.

[mv6_stormer]

profstoff said:

splatspeed said:

how do these muppets get a lisence

We have a woefully inadequate system of driver training and testing, one that teaches a candidate how to do a three point turn without touching the kerbs but fails to show a safe place to do it.

Agreed. In three years of motoring ive not needed to conduct a three point turn on a public road more than 4 times in all probability, but I have spent probably 100 hours on motorways. Another thing that isnt covered on the test.

[vonhosen]

profstoff said:

splatspeed said:

how do these muppets get a lisence

We have a woefully inadequate system of driver training and testing, one that teaches a candidate how to do a three point turn without touching the kerbs but fails to show a safe place to do it.

Part of the instruction about doing a turn in the road, covers finding a safe suitable place first.

[raw-sewedge]

CommanderJameson said:

badboy bonnet

Think you were right to get out of the way. At least behind you, he may have driven at a resonable speed.