French Overtaking

[onlinegenie]

Hi everybody.

Just returned from a holiday in France. I noticed that French drivers have a tendency to overtake those who keep to a legal speed a few feet before an "end of town" sign that signals an increased speed limit. I dread to think what the consequences would be if the law-abiding driver decided to accelerate without checking the mirror as he reached the sign. I can't help feeling it takes a special kind of stupidity to overtake someone who is just about to enter a stretch of road with a higher speed limit. I think I'm right in saying it's only ever been done to me once in this country - by a police car.

[martine]

Oh it's happened to me in the UK many times.

Any other observations about driving in France - I'm driving down to Bordeaux next month.

[michael769]

Oh it's happened to me in the UK many times.

And me. It's a risk that is specifically mentioned in Roadcraft if I recall.

[triquet]

French people drive very fast at 1210 as they go home for lunch and even faster at 1355 going back from lunch.

French people signal completely randomly at roundabouts and dribble round the outside even if going right round.

It is harvest time and on back roads you will meet agricultural vehicles. Driving on back roads in a RHD car, your limit point is a bit close on RH bends as you are driving in the gutter.

Fill up at supermarkets. They are considerably cheaper, particularly if you have a diesel wagon. Service areas on motorways are few and far between.

[gannet]

had it happen to me many times here also...

erm, I've also done it myself - but only if I have prior knowledge of how that car has behaved in that situation previously. ie, I'm confident that they aren't on the ball and going to give it the beans at the sign. I of course wait for the end of town sign and not before though...

[Ancient]

It's the 'not waiting until the NSL' (or other increase) sign that's irritating though, especially when (as so often) the overtaker in unable to drive progressively through upcoming bends or even hit a change slope without significantly dropping speed.
Ho-hum, swings and roundabouts: If there is shortly another village the 30 sign in that will be ignored by the overtaker and they'll be long gone by the next NSL.

[Mike H]

Absolutely as above.

Happened to me (again) earlier this week. What really gets to me though is the fact that they will then often be travelling at 50 in the NSL. I'll execute an overtake and be long gone, only for a repeat performance in the next village.

[trashbat]

Particularly in the French context, what makes you think that the sign has anything to do with it? i.e. that they wouldn't have overtaken you at the higher limit anyway.

Being overtaken when travelling at the speed limit on B roads is rare in this country. It's not in France, IME.

[onlinegenie]

Particularly in the French context, what makes you think that the sign has anything to do with it? i.e. that they wouldn't have overtaken you at the higher limit anyway.

I'm sure they would, trashbat, but I'm referring to several occasions where drivers stayed right behind me through a town then overtook a few feet before the higher speed limit sign.

Interesting to see that it's happened to other members in this country. I wonder if it's a regional thing?

[fungus]

Happens a lot here, and it's made worse because there's often a queue built up behind you if you keep to 40.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.78318 ... z7Barg!2e0

[Kimosabe]

Reason to be overtaken in France:

Lunchtime.
driving infront of anyone.
blind bends.
Lack of care for you or anybody else.
Lack of appreciation for foreign drivers.
Being a Parisian on holiday.
Needing to stop or turn off shortly after overtaking someone.

It's often not personal, just cultural. France is a big and beautiful place, so try taking the backwaters occasionally.