Undertaking Law

markweatherill · 1 Mar 2011 at 19:12

As I recall, the Highway Code also says somewhere that you should be prepared for vehicles in the right hand lane to move to the left and give them room to do so.

I do sometimes pass on the left. But I am not sure anyone can feel aggrieved at someone 'sitting in the middle lane' whilst overtaking on the left. I mean, don't complain that people are breaking the rules if your response is to, like, break a rule.

Mucky_Pup · 1 Mar 2011 at 19:21

If theyre a solitary middle lane owners club member on an otherwise empty motorway, the best thing to do is do laps of them, as in pull out to lane three, overtake, return to lane 1, slow down to allow them to pass, then rinse and repeat until they get the message. Majority of the time they are dawdling in the middle lane anyways so once I'm in lane 3 I'm gone now.

End Creditz · 1 Mar 2011 at 19:22

Freefaller said:
For the middle lane hoggers, I pull out from lane 1 to lane 3 (if safe to do so and whilst indicating), overtake, then whilst indicating pull over from lane 3 to lane 1 (if safe to do so). 5/10 times they get the hint.

This. It's probably the only time that I'd overtake at under 70, usually 65 as the idiot will be doing 60, in lane 3. Done it many times when driving on the motorway at night as you never know when the "dozy idiot" in the middle lane is a bored traffic cop in an unmarked waiting for you

InvaderGIR · 1 Mar 2011 at 19:32

Meridian said:
It is illegal to undertake. They grey area is that (as is common) the law is a bit fuzzy about what "undertaking" means. The view of a couple of Trafpols I know is that to be guilty of undertaking you must have changed lanes to the left in order to pass. If you were already in the left and stayed there then it could reasonably be argued that what you did was not an undertake, but driving in the correct lane. I understand that the mags tend to support this view (assuming it even got that far).

However...

it should be obvious that the sticking point will be: how long were you in the lane to the left of the car you overtook, before you did overtake? A second? Ten? Thirty? The first is clearly undertaking, the last is probably not. On this rests whether you have committed an offence.

M

I've always taken the view that it is illegal but lately with idiots on my commute I've taken to performing a perfectly legal and obvious overtake, then travelling at the speed limit in lane 1, often passing slower cars in lane 2, then proceeding to overtake a slower moving car in lane 1...this often means I'm 'undertaking' other cars, but the fact is most people just sit in lane 2 (I'm on about a dual section, not M-way) so lane 1 is mostly empty and a lot more free flowing...up until you meet a lorry or an old dear.
I'm sure most people view what I do as being illegal and an undertake, despite being in lane 1 for a considerable amount of time. A Focus today for example seemed to get annoyed with me constantly passing in the left lane, so much so he'd tailgate the car in front of him so I'd be unable to pull in front of him. :rolleyes:

I just waited a bit if I wanted to overtake someone in lane 1 then pulled out behind him, and then back in and proceeded to have the same situation for about 8miles. :/

Freefaller said:
For the middle lane hoggers, I pull out from lane 1 to lane 3 (if safe to do so and whilst indicating), overtake, then whilst indicating pull over from lane 3 to lane 1 (if safe to do so). 5/10 times they get the hint.

They ignore it when I do it, even with indicating...you'd have thought the shock factor a BMW in lane 1 as well as using it's indicators would knock sense into them.

Freefaller · 1 Mar 2011 at 19:43

Zefan · 1 Mar 2011 at 19:53

Freefaller said:
For the middle lane hoggers, I pull out from lane 1 to lane 3 (if safe to do so and whilst indicating), overtake, then whilst indicating pull over from lane 3 to lane 1 (if safe to do so). 5/10 times they get the hint.

This

Meridian · 1 Mar 2011 at 21:21

Freefaller said:
For the middle lane hoggers, I pull out from lane 1 to lane 3 (if safe to do so and whilst indicating), overtake, then whilst indicating pull over from lane 3 to lane 1 (if safe to do so). 5/10 times they get the hint.

I think 5/10 may be a bit generous. There's a four lane bit of the A1 near me where the habit is for these idiots to sit in lane three. Makes the pull out and back in even more obvious. But they stay there in lane three...

M

Marky · 1 Mar 2011 at 22:20

It's so so soooo frustrating

I've done the whole - move to the third lane and over take properly and then move back to the first lane - but it's just to much easier to just zoom (at the 70mph limit of course

) past as usual

robj20 · 2 Mar 2011 at 05:45

Its dodgy overtaking on the left. My mate hit a car that was overtaking him on the left and they were found to be in the wrong, he doesnt have a passenger side mirror so couldnt see the person.

Valentino · 2 Mar 2011 at 05:57

robj20 said:
Its dodgy overtaking on the left. My mate hit a car that was overtaking him on the left and they were found to be in the wrong, he doesnt have a passenger side mirror so couldnt see the person.

Yeah, you can argue that the person on the right should check the left when moving lanes to the left (and he should, for self preservations sake!), but the highway code says unless it's traffic don't do it.

I've done it a few times and I've always been nervous about it, because you know the guy is sitting on the complete opposite side to the left lane, and is most likely going to think the road is completely empty as nobody is overtaking him.

robj20 · 2 Mar 2011 at 06:18

My point is its not a legal requirement to have a passenger mirror which can then lead to blind spots. Some cars never even had one from the factory.

Valentino · 2 Mar 2011 at 06:23

My post does agree with you! I was just saying if you have the ability to look far down your left flank then it is just good practise to do so regardless.

If someone goes through a red light nearing you but you have the ability to stop you wouldn't carry on and crash just because you are in the right. I'm sure if your mate could look left, he would have avoided the aggro

Matt82 · 2 Mar 2011 at 08:47

i hate it when im travelling along in lane one, i catch up with a gommo who is in lane two with no traffic in lane one.

i really cant be arsed to cross three lane to pass him/her and then cross another three to get back to where i started, so i will undertake.

in terms of legal, how illegal is it to drive like a gommo in lane two with no traffic in lane one?

Uriel · 2 Mar 2011 at 10:46

I've often been tempted to loop-de-loop around them if the road is clear. Overtake on the right, pull over to left, brake, overtake on right again. Repeat until they get the message.

Never actually done it mind...

-Ad- · 2 Mar 2011 at 11:31

Freefaller said:
For the middle lane hoggers, I pull out from lane 1 to lane 3 (if safe to do so and whilst indicating), overtake, then whilst indicating pull over from lane 3 to lane 1 (if safe to do so). 5/10 times they get the hint.

+ brake slightly until you are behind them and in lane one.

Repeat until bored or they get the drift.

Matt82 · 2 Mar 2011 at 11:31

Uriel said:
I've often been tempted to loop-de-loop around them if the road is clear. Overtake on the right, pull over to left, brake, overtake on right again. Repeat until they get the message.

Never actually done it mind...

they would never get the hint, surely?

Overlag · 2 Mar 2011 at 11:58

Diggsy said:
Guys, overtaking on the left is not legal, read the Highway Code. Yes there are certain exceptions, but bottom line it is not legal. Look at Rule 267. Oh and go and undertake a Traffic Policing car if you are so certain

i undertook a traffic policing car last night on the A12. He was in a queue of cars all in lane 2, while lane 1 was clear. I didnt get pulled over...

DJMK4 · 2 Mar 2011 at 12:03

Middle lane hoggers are not a problem, as you could overtake them on the outside lane, its the people who sit in the on the outside lane and drive slow with traffic piling up behind which really naffs me off.

Although be careful if you are going to persue behind them and flash until they get out the way.

I done this once to a car as he would not get out the way, flashed like mad, he eventually moved over on to the middle lane, as I passed him I looked at him with an evil eye, he looked at me and held up his police badge.

D'oh

he was an off duty rozzer going home after a shift.

shifty_uk · 2 Mar 2011 at 12:07

DJMK4 said:
Middle lane hoggers are not a problem, as you could overtake them on the outside lane, its the people who sit in the on the outside lane and drive slow with traffic piling up behind which really naffs me off.

No, they really are. They force average speed motorists into the third lane, forcing everyone doing higher speeds to slow down and brake, not good.

bloodiedathame · 2 Mar 2011 at 12:17

IIRC Undertaking isn't illegal per se (lanes moving faster than other lanes etc). However it can land you in trouble with charges of dangerous driving.

I would argue if pulled over that the driver in the wrong lane is driving without due care and attention. And that it is not a dangerous manoeuvre to undertake them at speed as the hard shoulder is a viable escape route, and crossing two lanes of traffic to move into the fast lane would be more dangerous (in certain circumstances).