How would you handle this road?

[true blue]

Working out of the office for a couple of weeks has lead me to use the A507, which is unusual around Shefford:

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=a507&h ... 79,,0,9.73

or perhaps:

http://goo.gl/maps/wksJ9

(apologies - not sure how best to insert links, and certainly can't cope with pictures!)

From the road surface it's evident that it used to be a 3-lane single carriageway, though it's not clear whether the centre lane was for anyone or whether it alternated between sides. Now, however, it's simple a two lane carriageway, with extremely wide lanes. 3 cars can fit alongside comfortably, though I'd not like to try 4 (especially if one is a lorry).

I'm not sure what correct overtaking etiquette is on such a road. Many people simply take the middle of the road (whether or not they can see it is clear), and rely on people tucking in towards the verge. I understand that the road has a pretty bad reputation for collisions in this fashion. Personally I've been treating overtakes as I would on a much narrower road, i.e. waiting for a gap that allows me to be offside for 5/6s, though in places I've relaxed this to allow three-abreast when the oncoming vehicle is in isolation, has clearly positioned itself to cooperate and has no reason to deviate from his course. I feel that this is a safe and reasonable solution, though it can be frustrating, and also lead to cars behind going for the double overtake.

So, advanced drivers, what would you do?

[WhoseGeneration]

So, advanced drivers, what would you do?

You know the answer, ensure my overtake is safe and not reliant on an assumption about how one towards will act.
The followers?, always to be considered, which might mean you will have to ensure space for more than you.
It's always about considering the total environment and not just what you would wish to do.
Sorry, as always, each particular situation demands thought about the approach.

[lordgrover]

(apologies - not sure how best to insert links, and certainly can't cope with pictures!)

[daz6215]

Wouldn't personally advocate overtaking 3 abreast even on that road! Dont assume!!!

[trashbat]

My guess is that it used to be three lanes with the middle a 'suicide lane' - available to either direction without any solid white line. They used to have this on the A584 near Warton and obviously it resulted in high casualty rates; they were also common on the continent with the same results, and are largely extinct now due to modern safety assessments.

I would treat it as much the same as if that were the case today though; if the vehicle you want to overtake explicitly makes room for you to do so, then perhaps it's different, but otherwise I'd be looking at it like a ordinary, narrow single carriageway overtake with the heightened and unusual chance of oncoming traffic going for their own overtake regardless of what you are doing.

[Mr Cholmondeley-Warner]

If you want really scary, try the A5 towards North Wales. Overtaking down the middle is the accepted custom and practice along here and it's a VERY fast and busy road (Here is an example). You either have to go with the flow and join the overtakers, or sit tight and be overtaken. Opportunities for "normal" overtakes are few and far between.

[trashbat]

Another example of this is positioning yourself to overtake cyclists on a wide road with oncoming traffic. You can be assertive in your positioning to communicate a wish for the oncoming car to keep left, and often they are complicit - but do you want to rely on it?

[true blue]

Thanks all - good to know my assessment wasn't too far wrong. My time in Bedfordshire is now coming to an end, so the run home tonight will be my last chance for a while to look at it.

Dave - I've definitely noticed the effects of positioning, and have tended to take a fairly assertive middle-of-lane stance when there are oncoming lorries. When it's not too busy and it's only cars oncoming though, I've tended to tuck in so as not to block the overtake (I figure that continuing to effectively block will simply lead them to try for an even more foolish overtake later on).

[true blue]

Middle of lane is what I've been doing when cars have been hanging on my back bumper but I don't like the idea of them coming by, either because of the density of oncoming traffic or the lack of visibility ahead. It has generally seemed enough to discourage them.

As for cars overtaking towards me, I've not been at all proactive, and have simply tucked in to the verge as and when necessary. Another weakness to add to the ever growing list... it seems that the more I analyse my driving the worse it gets! In the last fortnight, there's only been one day when I've been genuinely happy with what I've done at the end of the 90 mile round trip.

[Kimosabe]

If you want really scary, try the A5 towards North Wales. Overtaking down the middle is the accepted custom and practice along here and it's a VERY fast and busy road (Here is an example). You either have to go with the flow and join the overtakers, or sit tight and be overtaken. Opportunities for "normal" overtakes are few and far between.

Signs you'll never see by the side of the road.

"Road narrowing scheme beginning November. Ending as soon as we possibly can and before busiest times of the year. By the time we've finished, this road is going to be so smooth and well lit."

[Astraist]

From the road surface it's evident that it used to be a 3-lane single carriageway, though it's not clear whether the centre lane was for anyone or whether it alternated between sides. Now, however, it's simple a two lane carriageway, with extremely wide lanes. 3 cars can fit alongside comfortably, though I'd not like to try 4 (especially if one is a lorry).

All single-carriageways with two lanes allow three cars to pass side by side, in the advent of leaving drivers some way out when an unsafe overtake happens before them. In fact, a single carriageway should be just as wide as four cars side by side!

As for the overtaking attiquette. I too wouldn't advise overtaking three abreast without some rigid segregation or some road markings at the very least. Except for the possibilites of how drivers in the offside might respond, some lateral margin is required from the overtaken driver and from drivers going the other way, and sometimes more space is needed to get a good view past the overtaken car before starting the manuever.

[Gareth]

All single-carriageways with two lanes allow three cars to pass side by side, in the advent of leaving drivers some way out when an unsafe overtake happens before them. In fact, a single carriageway should be just as wide as four cars side by side!

In the UK the regulations (pdf) say that single carriageways less than 5.5m wide should not have a centre line (paragraph 4.6).

[michael769]

In the UK the regulations (pdf) say that single carriageways less than 5.5m wide should not have a centre line (paragraph 4.6).

TSM is guidance not law. No such regulation exists.

[Gareth]

In the UK the regulations (pdf) say that single carriageways less than 5.5m wide should not have a centre line (paragraph 4.6).

TSM is guidance not law. No such regulation exists.

Apologies for the inaccuracy - I was trying to put a number on the minimum width of a 'normal' UK single carriageway which has a centre line and lanes of opposing traffic, for the benefit of our friend from Israel (who still has an unread PM from two weeks ago).

If cars are approximately 2m wide, and a single carriageway is, in general, at least 5.5m wide, there is only room for one car in each direction plus a margin for safe passage.

[jont]

In the UK the regulations (pdf) say that single carriageways less than 5.5m wide should not have a centre line (paragraph 4.6).

TSM is guidance not law. No such regulation exists.

Apologies for the inaccuracy - I was trying to put a number on the minimum width of a 'normal' UK single carriageway which has a centre line and lanes of opposing traffic, for the benefit of our friend from Israel (who still has an unread PM from two weeks ago).

If cars are approximately 2m wide, and a single carriageway is, in general, at least 5.5m wide, there is only room for one car in each direction plus a margin for safe passage.

The OS on its Landranger (and probably other series) differentiates as anything under 4m wide is single track.