The danger is that if you undertake someone (and the person your are undertaking is sitting in the middle lane) you can't rely on them to check their mirror, as if they decide to move over to the inside lane (without them checking the mirrors or blind spot) they are going to hit the side of your car at the moment you are under taking them
Undertaking Law
- Thread starter Marky
- Start date
The danger is that if you undertake someone (and the person your are undertaking is sitting in the middle lane) you can't rely on them to check their mirror, as if they decide to move over to the inside lane (without them checking the mirrors or blind spot) they are going to hit the side of your car at the moment you are under taking them
That's because (as I understand your comment) they were in a queue of traffic
yes, moving at a steady 40mph while one lane was clear. Its still undertaking so
at you.If you have overtaken Mr Solitary Middle Lane Driver on the left then the only obvious reason you did so was because he must have been in a queue of slower moving traffic or turning right, otherwise they would have been in the inside lane.
As far as I was aware, if you approach a car in lane 2, switched to lane 1 to move round them and move back to lane 2, that would be an "overtake on the left", and is a DO NOT in the HC.
If you're in lane 1 doing 70 and pass some numpty doing 60 in lane 2, not chainging lanes, that's just passing slower traffic.
Not that I'd suggest doing either; being passed by people on their left is pretty much unexpected by the typical motorist.
If you're in lane 1 doing 70 and pass some numpty doing 60 in lane 2, not chainging lanes, that's just passing slower traffic.
Not that I'd suggest doing either; being passed by people on their left is pretty much unexpected by the typical motorist.
Soldato
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True, then again I'm talking from a bikers perspective, I don't drive cars often.
yes, moving at a steady 40mph while one lane was clear. Its still undertaking so
Man of Honour
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As I understand it, you need to move left immediately behind someone, pass them on the left and then pull out in (fairly closely) front of them to have actually completed an 'undertake' that would get you prosecuted.
However, I feel that the police should concentrate on prosecuting those who are undertaken, because if it is possible to be undertaken then you are in the wrong ****** lane.
Since ignorance is no defence in the eyes of the law, could the person being undertaken be prosecuted for aiding and abetting?
Have you read the thread? It isn't illegal in the UK per se, but can (and does!) come with some caveats.
My general rules of thumb:
1. Only overtake on the left on an otherwise quiet motorway with an obvious Middle Lane Moron - don't move lanes to "undertake" and then swap straight back again to beat the traffic on more congested motorways.
2. Never go past on the left unless there is a hard shoulder, or other get out of jail free route should said MLM decide to suddenly change lanes without warning.
3. Don't do it at big closing speeds.
4. If there is a collision, be prepared to be "frowned upon" by the police.
I do a whole bunch of motorway driving, and haven't had an issue with passing on the left like this, even with a police car in view.
1. Only overtake on the left on an otherwise quiet motorway with an obvious Middle Lane Moron - don't move lanes to "undertake" and then swap straight back again to beat the traffic on more congested motorways.
2. Never go past on the left unless there is a hard shoulder, or other get out of jail free route should said MLM decide to suddenly change lanes without warning.
3. Don't do it at big closing speeds.
4. If there is a collision, be prepared to be "frowned upon" by the police.
I do a whole bunch of motorway driving, and haven't had an issue with passing on the left like this, even with a police car in view.
Its quite simple, its not hard.
You can pass on the left if you are already in lane and the person on the right is moving slower than you.
There, how hard is that, nobody will get done for dangerous driving, traffic police dont view it as dodgy, its a simple to understand rule.
It applies on dual carriage ways, and on motorways.
What is illegal is undertaking, which is quite a different thing entirely.
You can pass on the left if you are already in lane and the person on the right is moving slower than you.
There, how hard is that, nobody will get done for dangerous driving, traffic police dont view it as dodgy, its a simple to understand rule.
It applies on dual carriage ways, and on motorways.
What is illegal is undertaking, which is quite a different thing entirely.
Soldato
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Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake. In congested conditions, where adjacent lanes of traffic are moving at similar speeds, traffic in left-hand lanes may sometimes be moving faster than traffic to the right. In these conditions you may keep up with the traffic in your lane even if this means passing traffic in the lane to your right. Do not weave in and out of lanes to overtake.
Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake. In congested conditions, where adjacent lanes of traffic are moving at similar speeds, traffic in left-hand lanes may sometimes be moving faster than traffic to the right. In these conditions you may keep up with the traffic in your lane even if this means passing traffic in the lane to your right. Do not weave in and out of lanes to overtake.
An old sales rep I knew used to to do this to dozy middle lane hoggers - except he would keep dropping back and repeating it on the same unsuspecting driver whilst making Red Indian hand to mouth gestures until the hogger got the point and pulled in.
He called it 'Cowboy's & Indians'
Associate
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As stated by some, nothing wrong with going past on the left if they are moving slower, if you were already on the left and remain on the left for a while after.
People who sit in the left hand lane ( on a dual carriageway mainly ) frightened to go past the car on the right are just as bad, if not worse than those in the right hand lane going slow regarding causing congestion / a hazard.
But also use common sense, if its a nana / grandda in their aygo/micra doing 40 in a 60 in the right hand lane, expect them to pull in on you without warning. This is not to say that you will be at fault, just their lack of awareness.
People who sit in the left hand lane ( on a dual carriageway mainly ) frightened to go past the car on the right are just as bad, if not worse than those in the right hand lane going slow regarding causing congestion / a hazard.
But also use common sense, if its a nana / grandda in their aygo/micra doing 40 in a 60 in the right hand lane, expect them to pull in on you without warning. This is not to say that you will be at fault, just their lack of awareness.