Breaking the speed limit whilst overtaking

[GJD]

I should have given more thought to the lack of options in view of the car downhill towards me, and I should have been more focused on considering up to what point I could safely abort the overtake if the van moved out.

Those both sound like sensible thoughts.

I don't think it would have been appropriate to use lights or horn in advance

But I wonder why you say this? Rather than relying on the other driver to remember to check their mirror, could using the lights or horn in advance be taking a proactive step to try and make sure they know you are there?

(the car has daylight running lights - I think it is obvious the van driver did not look in his door mirror before starting to pull out).

Perhaps a headlamp flash as you approached - the light coming on and going off again - might have caught the van driver's eye and drawn their attention to your presence in a way that the constant light from your DRLs is maybe less likely to.

It's got nothing to do with the speed limit aspect of your post, but...

I had an incident fairly recently where a vehicle I was planning to overtake pulled out in front of me. My situation wasn't exactly the same as yours, but like you I was to their offside and behind, with probably a similar sort of closing speed, and like you I had the impression that the other driver didn't check her mirrors. It wasn't quite as dramatic as yours sounds - I was able to brake and stay behind. Since then I've thought that when planning to overtake and approaching with a significant speed differential, a precautionary headlamp flash prior to the point of no return is worth seriously considering.

[dombooth]

This thread is like picking a scab. I know I should leave it alone, but I just can't help coming back to it

I'll ignore the rest as I didn't understand a word of it.

I've edited my post to add some links for context - hopefully you'll find them interesting.

Still don't get it, and now I have a headache.

And before you ask, it doesn't automatically add an "edited by..." comment because I'm a moderator. So I've stuck a footnote to remark that I've edited it

What's that got to do with anything? :S

Dom

[dombooth]

Thank you, Dave, for leaping to my defence, (although I have to say I can fight/argue my own corner).
It still seems clear to me that the original poster was unwilling to accept that opinions other than his own had any validity. Most people would, on finding that opinions on a forum did not jibe with his own would, I suspect, have simply stopped visiting; it was the petty deletion of all his posts which adduced my "toys/pram" comment.
I do not believe that there is any evidence of anyone here "advocating speeding", rather that, if confronted by a situation where exceeding a limit would avoid an accident, that might be the best thing to do. (I'm aware you don't agree; that doesn't make you either right or wrong).
Quote dombooth "I'll ignore the rest as I didn't understand a word of it." end quote. What a remarkably blinkered attitude.

Why is it? I don't understand the point being made..
Again, lovely attitude here.

Dom

[jcochrane]

At some point a commitment to the overtake has always to be made. Braking is then by deffinition rarely a viable option but more acceleration is.

I guess your comment was tongue in cheek bearing in mind what you have told us about your own car. But it is important that the decision to overtake, or not, does take into consideration the car being driven. When fortunate enough to drive a nice powerful Porsche there are many more possible overtakes that can be taken safely and easily as the extra acceleration is there if required. Like you Dom, my own car is very low powered and so the overtakes I would take in a Porsche are just not possible. Having said that I do get more satisfaction out of the overtakes in my own car as they will require a higher level of work in planning, precision and execution.

If Playtent is still lurking here he will probably pop up and say I don't do overtakes.

To which Dom replied.

(Don't forget I'm talking about overtaking within the speed limit.) Yes a Porsche would accelerate a lot quicker out of the danger than my car would, which is why with my car I would be braking to get out of the danger.
Dom

I fail to see the relevance of this comment (Don't forget I'm talking about overtaking within the speed limit.) in the context of my posts.
Or are you just using any opportunity to push your opinions? I think we all know what they are by now.

[dombooth]

At some point a commitment to the overtake has always to be made. Braking is then by deffinition rarely a viable option but more acceleration is.

I guess your comment was tongue in cheek bearing in mind what you have told us about your own car. But it is important that the decision to overtake, or not, does take into consideration the car being driven. When fortunate enough to drive a nice powerful Porsche there are many more possible overtakes that can be taken safely and easily as the extra acceleration is there if required. Like you Dom, my own car is very low powered and so the overtakes I would take in a Porsche are just not possible. Having said that I do get more satisfaction out of the overtakes in my own car as they will require a higher level of work in planning, precision and execution.

If Playtent is still lurking here he will probably pop up and say I don't do overtakes.

To which Dom replied.

(Don't forget I'm talking about overtaking within the speed limit.) Yes a Porsche would accelerate a lot quicker out of the danger than my car would, which is why with my car I would be braking to get out of the danger.
Dom

I fail to see the relevance of this comment (Don't forget I'm talking about overtaking within the speed limit.) in the context of my posts.
Or are you just using any opportunity to push your opinions? I think we all know what they are by now.

I've given up pushing them since very very few others appreciate it and agree.

I assumed you meant that with the Porsche you would be able to get up to higher (above limit) speeds quicker to overtake.

Dom

[MGF]

...Yes if you was going 30mph faster then yeah I'd say just keep going as it would be quicker but with a 20mph difference (depending on how quick Mr. Van Man is moving towards me) I think I would brake and make good use of the horn.

You're welcome btw.

Dom

Do you think you would avoid swerving if you were alongside him?

[martine]

Everyone...just take a chill-pill, crikey and rather posting about personal stuff about people's attitude, can we stick to driving and discussion thereof?

I really don't want to lock the thread or start banning people but many of the recent posts on this thread aren't in the spirit friendly banter.

[dombooth]

...Yes if you was going 30mph faster then yeah I'd say just keep going as it would be quicker but with a 20mph difference (depending on how quick Mr. Van Man is moving towards me) I think I would brake and make good use of the horn.

You're welcome btw.

Dom

Do you think you would avoid swerving if you were alongside him?

Not sure.

Dom