Undertaking...
- Thread starter Vibez
- Start date
I have no issues with undertaking and do it frequently as long as it is safe to do so. Having drvien on freeways in the USA where undertaking is legal, I just can't understand why it's not legally allowed in this country.
my new technique rather than blowing the numb nuts doors off, is to wait up their backsides for 5 minutes, realise the person in front (usually a woman) only has a rear view mirror for the sake of personal vanity, pull into the middle lane, slowly pull level, make some gestures with my fingers, drop it a couple of cogs, depress accelerator and let them see just how usable the lane they seem to be oblivious to can be!
it boils my blood something chronic
it boils my blood something chronic
If I'm driving in a lane and there's someone in an outer lane, but the lane I'm in is clear, I'll just continue as I would normally, which is permitted in the highway code.
If the motorway is empty (such as at night) and someone is sitting in the middle lane, I will indicate and go right past them in the outside lane, then immediately indicate and pull back over into the inside lane. This is usually because I'm bored if the motorway is empty, so it gives me something to do
If the motorway is empty (such as at night) and someone is sitting in the middle lane, I will indicate and go right past them in the outside lane, then immediately indicate and pull back over into the inside lane. This is usually because I'm bored if the motorway is empty, so it gives me something to do
i always stick to the left lane until i overtake. i undertake if the muppet in the fast lane is driving stupidly slow and have no problem doing so as they're causing me to do it.
if im in the left lane doing the speed limit and overtake someone in the fast lane i just put it down to the only reason they're not doing the speed limit must be down to traffic and i can legally overtake on the inside
i think the people who cause you to undertake should be the ones fined for dangerous driving, as they're not driving correctly as they should only be in the fast lane to overtake.
MW
if im in the left lane doing the speed limit and overtake someone in the fast lane i just put it down to the only reason they're not doing the speed limit must be down to traffic and i can legally overtake on the inside
i think the people who cause you to undertake should be the ones fined for dangerous driving, as they're not driving correctly as they should only be in the fast lane to overtake.
MW
I try to avoid it tbh, not for any particular reason - just rather not. I'll pass on the inside if it's congested and the outer lane is moving more slowly. But otherwise, I'll either move out to the outer lane to overtake, or if its a dual carriageway I'll sit behind them until they get the message.
One for the legal experts.
Something I've always wondered after reading this - http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/EndorsementsAndDisqualifications/DG_10022425
If you undertake someone who refused to change lanes and are subsequently prosecuted, could the person you passed also be charged with inciting your own offence?
Something I've always wondered after reading this - http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/EndorsementsAndDisqualifications/DG_10022425
If you undertake someone who refused to change lanes and are subsequently prosecuted, could the person you passed also be charged with inciting your own offence?
Soldato
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- 2 Mar 2004
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- 11,919
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- SE England
Same here, doesn't feel right.
Of course, sometimes it's unavoidable - i.e. in heavy, slow moving traffic.
I generally avoid it as well - the only times I do it if the traffic is flowing slowly (but not slow enough to filter), or I'm about to turn left. I also undertook someone after coming off a roundabout side-by-side (2-lane exit, obviously) - not entirely sure it was a legal manoeuvre but if they aren't going to use the overtaking lane for overtaking then I'm not going to sit around waiting for them.
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
There is no need to undertake. If someone accidently strays into the BMW Lane when I'm heading down at 140ish, I'll turn the PDC on, wait until I get a solid beeping to indicate I'm close enough and sit there until they get the point and move over.
Then when they've gone I'll drop it into 3rd and bury the throttle.
HAI GUYS ANYONE KNOW WHY MY FUELZ ECONOMIES SUX?
Then when they've gone I'll drop it into 3rd and bury the throttle.
HAI GUYS ANYONE KNOW WHY MY FUELZ ECONOMIES SUX?
Soldato
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- 22 Oct 2004
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- Berkland
Morba said:
Weird. Its one of the only stretches of NSL Dual Carriageway where I can actually predict its going to happen, and it does. Its only going in the Bath/Saltford direction though, the Brislington direction seems no different than any other.
As some people have said, the general police opinion is that if you are in the left-hand lane and at constant speed cruise past someone in the middle lane who is travelling more slowly, that is not undertaking. Undertaking is generally taken to mean a deliberate lane change to the left simply in order to get past someone. Of course there's no clear-cut difference, so have fun in court.
The biggest problem with passing on the left is that it's dangerous: a lot of people assume that it's safe to change lanes to the left without looking or indicating because obviously the left-hand lane is for lorries and they're doing 62mph. If they were to collide with you, you would be unlikely to do better than a 50:50 settlement, and may end up fighting it out in court, where nobody wins except the solicitors.
M
The biggest problem with passing on the left is that it's dangerous: a lot of people assume that it's safe to change lanes to the left without looking or indicating because obviously the left-hand lane is for lorries and they're doing 62mph. If they were to collide with you, you would be unlikely to do better than a 50:50 settlement, and may end up fighting it out in court, where nobody wins except the solicitors.
M
Soldato
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Meridian said:
If you're alive that is
I undertake without even trying and not even at speed, i just drive in the left lane most the time, no one uses it anymore.
The funny thing is, when i'm in the car with my dad driving, he sits in the middle and yes he drives a merc. I always try to get him to understand that sitting in the middle is not only annoying but dangerous for other drivers. He argues it's safer to drive in the middle because u have the 2 outside lanes to fall back on should he need to. So i just constantly preach and obviously take the ****. One of these days he'll learn. My mum on the other hand is actually very good.
I'm not actually sure it is mostly women that hog middle lanes, it's mostly men and old people i generally find.
The funny thing is, when i'm in the car with my dad driving, he sits in the middle and yes he drives a merc. I always try to get him to understand that sitting in the middle is not only annoying but dangerous for other drivers. He argues it's safer to drive in the middle because u have the 2 outside lanes to fall back on should he need to. So i just constantly preach and obviously take the ****. One of these days he'll learn. My mum on the other hand is actually very good.
I'm not actually sure it is mostly women that hog middle lanes, it's mostly men and old people i generally find.
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2 weeks ago I had a police motorbike training course. One of the biggest things I wanted to ask about was the legalities of undertaking and filtering.
The police said that if someone is sitting in the outside lane, and you are approaching in the nearside lane, if you continue on in your lane past the other car, that is not classed as undertaking. They are in the wrong lane, and the dual carriageway becomes like in a queue and they wouldn't think anything of it.
What they would class as undertaking is if someone is sitting in the outside lane and you are approaching in the outside lane. If you then move into the nearside lane to pass that car, you are undertaking.
To to summarise, as long as you move to the nearside lane well in advance of the 'middle lane hog' you are fine to pass on his nearside.
The police said that if someone is sitting in the outside lane, and you are approaching in the nearside lane, if you continue on in your lane past the other car, that is not classed as undertaking. They are in the wrong lane, and the dual carriageway becomes like in a queue and they wouldn't think anything of it.
What they would class as undertaking is if someone is sitting in the outside lane and you are approaching in the outside lane. If you then move into the nearside lane to pass that car, you are undertaking.
To to summarise, as long as you move to the nearside lane well in advance of the 'middle lane hog' you are fine to pass on his nearside.
Soldato
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I don't normally pass on the inside/undertake unless its a natural thing to do in heavy traffic, but I actually felt the need to do it twice yesterday.
Going to work in the morning I was in the outside lane behind a beaten up old Escort. The traffic cleared and there was a 200 meter gap in both of the outer lanes and the Escort was proceeding at a lesiurely 65mph in the outside lane. I waited a little while thinking he must notice me behind soon, I even tried a quick flash of the headlamps but on closer inspection the driver didn't see me in his rear view mirror because the car didn't have one!
Then on the way home a Saab was doing much the same thing. I undertook him and about 20 cars followed me down the middle lane doing the same.
Going to work in the morning I was in the outside lane behind a beaten up old Escort. The traffic cleared and there was a 200 meter gap in both of the outer lanes and the Escort was proceeding at a lesiurely 65mph in the outside lane. I waited a little while thinking he must notice me behind soon, I even tried a quick flash of the headlamps but on closer inspection the driver didn't see me in his rear view mirror because the car didn't have one!
Then on the way home a Saab was doing much the same thing. I undertook him and about 20 cars followed me down the middle lane doing the same.
