Problem is it can be a bit tricky - people who drive like that often do silly things like changing lanes without looking and/or you get other people stuck behind them who may try to pull into the left lane, etc.
What is undertaking ?
- Thread starter sithlord
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Problem is it can be a bit tricky - people who drive like that often do silly things like changing lanes without looking and/or you get other people stuck behind them who may try to pull into the left lane, etc.
Being stuck in a long train of bunched together traffic caused by a slowcoach in the middle lane though is probably way more dangerous than someone creeping by on the inside!
Not saying don't do it - just can be a bit leery.
Soldato
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Bit of a grey area! the way i see it.
Bad (punishable) > Unadvised (debatable, cop having a bad day) > ok
Changing lanes to the left lanes to overtake > making progress past a middle lane hog > bunched up traffic
Bad (punishable) > Unadvised (debatable, cop having a bad day) > ok
Changing lanes to the left lanes to overtake > making progress past a middle lane hog > bunched up traffic
Soldato
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I asked a friend who is a driving instructor this a few months ago.
His comment was that if you intentionally overtake on the left to pass someone, whether you’re on a two lane carriageway or a motorway, you’re “undertaking”, and this is an offence.
However, if you happen to be travelling more quickly than traffic on the right, e.g. you’re on cruise at 70 in the left lane, go past someone doing 65 in the middle, it isn’t an offence, but you should be very mindful, and it is recommended you always pass on the right where possible.
I often get people undertaking me when they come off a slip road, where I’ve moved over to make room, but they proceed to accelerate to get ahead of me, rather than pull behind me for me to move out their way again.
His comment was that if you intentionally overtake on the left to pass someone, whether you’re on a two lane carriageway or a motorway, you’re “undertaking”, and this is an offence.
However, if you happen to be travelling more quickly than traffic on the right, e.g. you’re on cruise at 70 in the left lane, go past someone doing 65 in the middle, it isn’t an offence, but you should be very mindful, and it is recommended you always pass on the right where possible.
I often get people undertaking me when they come off a slip road, where I’ve moved over to make room, but they proceed to accelerate to get ahead of me, rather than pull behind me for me to move out their way again.
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If traffic on your right is moving slower then its not an offense - Rule 163. If you were to switching to your left in order to overtake a vehicle which would then be on your right, that is an offense.
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I should have made it clearer, but when I said “overtake on the left”, I meant change lane to the left to move in front of someone
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The irony there is that of you're passing them, they're slower moving traffic
. I class it as going back into the same lane after moving over.
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First time driving on the freeway in the US is interesting, cars just weaving their way through traffic.
Rule 134 of the Highway Code states: "In congested road conditions do not change lanes unnecessarily."
If someone is sitting in the middle lane when the left lane is clear and they are slowing down traffic behind them, they are causing congestion.
If you are already in the left lane travelling faster than them, and the lane is clear, then moving across 2 lanes to pass on the right and then moving back to the left lane is 4 unnecessary lane changes.
Based on the above, passing on the left is in accordance with the advice in the Highway Code.
Why are you both sat in the middle lane if there is space on the left lane?
If someone is sitting in the middle lane when the left lane is clear and they are slowing down traffic behind them, they are causing congestion.
If you are already in the left lane travelling faster than them, and the lane is clear, then moving across 2 lanes to pass on the right and then moving back to the left lane is 4 unnecessary lane changes.
Based on the above, passing on the left is in accordance with the advice in the Highway Code.
Why are you both sat in the middle lane if there is space on the left lane?
Oh please don’t be that guy, it was a simple left and right example not an indication of my personal driving standards. Be angry somewhere elseRule 134 of the Highway Code states: "In congested road conditions do not change lanes unnecessarily."
If someone is sitting in the middle lane when the left lane is clear and they are slowing down traffic behind them, they are causing congestion.
If you are already in the left lane travelling faster than them, and the lane is clear, then moving across 2 lanes to pass on the right and then moving back to the left lane is 4 unnecessary lane changes.
Based on the above, passing on the left is in accordance with the advice in the Highway Code.
Why are you both sat in the middle lane if there is space on the left lane?
As a few people have mentioned it, for clarification, the simple act of undertaking is NOT an offence or illegal. This is another one of those things (like doing 100mph=instant ban) that gets banded around a lot but there is not a specific offence for this and it is not a black or white, automatic thing
It only becomes an offence if your act causes another driver to, very generally speaking, to have to change their path or speed and it would fall within the realm of driving without due care and attention.
Like most DWDCAA cases, the full context of the situation would need to be examined and it is certainly not the case that undertaking=DWDCAA. It could be that the person hogging the right lane was in fact the one guilty of DWDCAA/inconsiderate driving and the person undertaking is blame free
It only becomes an offence if your act causes another driver to, very generally speaking, to have to change their path or speed and it would fall within the realm of driving without due care and attention.
Like most DWDCAA cases, the full context of the situation would need to be examined and it is certainly not the case that undertaking=DWDCAA. It could be that the person hogging the right lane was in fact the one guilty of DWDCAA/inconsiderate driving and the person undertaking is blame free
Find it 'funny' how the police will never 'undertake', even with their lights/sirens on. Seen them a few times on the motorway, lights and sirens going but the car in front of them hasn't noticed them and isn't moving over, plenty room in the left lane to pass but they never do....plenty room to pass a line of cars sometimes..
Saw two unmarked X5's with lights on obviously in a hurry on the M8 last year...the one behind was straddling the two lanes presumably so the cars further ahead sitting in lane 2 would see them easier and move over but again they never pass on the left.
Must be a strict rule!
Saw two unmarked X5's with lights on obviously in a hurry on the M8 last year...the one behind was straddling the two lanes presumably so the cars further ahead sitting in lane 2 would see them easier and move over but again they never pass on the left.
Must be a strict rule!