Overtaking (In the Dark)

[MikeG]

Now that the nights are drawing in or in fact driving at any time during the hours of darkness set me to thinking about overtaking. Would the same method be employed as during daylight hours (see Advanced Overtaking) but bearing in mind the shortened vision.

I'm particularly thinking about going to the offside for a look, and if going onto full beam to maximize your view ahead, would this spook the driver you were planning to overtake, or would it be better to stay on dip until you decide the overtake is on and then go to 'mains' as you draw level.

Or is their a completely different method for night time overtaking?

Mike

[vonhosen]

Now that the nights are drawing in or in fact driving at any time during the hours of darkness set me to thinking about overtaking. Would the same method be employed as during daylight hours (see Advanced Overtaking) but bearing in mind the shortened vision.

I'm particularly thinking about going to the offside for a look, and if going onto full beam to maximize your view ahead, would this spook the driver you were planning to overtake, or would it be better to stay on dip until you decide the overtake is on and then go to 'mains' as you draw level.

Or is their a completely different method for night time overtaking?

Mike

You can't make your decision to go until you can see it's safe to & the only way you can do that (particularly if they aren't using main beam) is for you to light up the road with main beam. You can't make your decision & then main beam to light up the road because in the abscence of street lamps you won't see enough.

A great deal of caution & restraint needs to be shown with overtaking at night. As you say the main beam could spook them a little & I would be poistioned fractionally further back in my contact position offside than if it was in daylight. I would use the main beam to light up the road ahead & look out for junctions/entrances ahead, particularly offside ones.

Being that little further back will make it easier if you get a little reaction from your intended overtake because of the main beam use. If they ease off you & you are happy you may be better positioned to seize that opportunity. If they ease off & you aren't happy, you will have a bit more room to ease your way back in.

If in doubt, hold back.

[MikeG]

Knew I could rely on you Von, some good sound advice, thanks.

Mike

[wenlocksimon]

Personally I find overtaking in darkness is dependant on the road i.e. how well do you know it.

On unknown roads, I always keep it steady however on roads I DO know well then I tend to use the darkness to my advantage if needs be.

The best example I can give is a long right hander prior to entering Gnosall on the A518 from Newport. Interesting corner as the visibility through it changes with the seasons! Between November and March the hedgerows on the opposite side of the carriageway are leaf-free and afford enough visibility through the corner to perform an overtake if needed even though it looks like a blind corner. However, during the summer months the hedges are in foliage and overtakes are a no-go.

Nights are a little different. The limit of visibility in this corner is about a quarter of a mile ahead and uphill to where the 40 limit of Gnosall starts. Now, as I said, during the summer that quarter mile is obscured by hedges. But, during the hours of darkness if there is no tell-tale headlight beam between the exit of the village and the turn-in point of the corner then an overtake could be safely executed.

S

[MikeG]

Personally I find overtaking in darkness is dependant on the road i.e. how well do you know it.

On unknown roads, I always keep it steady however on roads I DO know well then I tend to use the darkness to my advantage if needs be.

The best example I can give is a long right hander prior to entering Gnosall on the A518 from Newport. Interesting corner as the visibility through it changes with the seasons! Between November and March the hedgerows on the opposite side of the carriageway are leaf-free and afford enough visibility through the corner to perform an overtake if needed even though it looks like a blind corner. However, during the summer months the hedges are in foliage and overtakes are a no-go.

Nights are a little different. The limit of visibility in this corner is about a quarter of a mile ahead and uphill to where the 40 limit of Gnosall starts. Now, as I said, during the summer that quarter mile is obscured by hedges. But, during the hours of darkness if there is no tell-tale headlight beam between the exit of the village and the turn-in point of the corner then an overtake could be safely executed.

S

Always assuming they have remembered to put their lights on!

[vonhosen]

Always assuming they have remembered to put their lights on!

Indeed

[JamesAllport]

A friend of mine, a very skilled driver with all the usual civillian merit badges was driving along years ago (before his advanced training) in the dead of night and, despite dipped headlamps, hit a tramp wearing a matt black raincoat.

Ever since he told me that story I have been much more cautious at night, and often find myself thinking "Where's the tramp?"

I also vividly remember being told by John Lyon, while training for HPC, that, at night, the national speed limit will often equate to the limit of one's vision, even in a car with excellent headlamps. This from an ex-Hendon instructor who is never shy of making good progress where vision allows.

James

[Nigel]

All very valid points.

I find driving at night easier than driving in the day on A roads,( as far as identifying oncoming vehicles) due to the added advantage of oncoming "tell tale" headlights.

I have however been hit head on by a car on my side of the road, at night, on sidelights, and in line with up to date thinking on cyclists ( they have absolute immunity from every possible road rule), I'm finding the amount of times I'm surprised by their "sudden" presence ( on unlit roads at night, I'm not joking) increasing.

Another thing I'm noticing when driving at night is how horrid these super bright lights that are fitted to the likes of my beloved BMWs are, they dazzle so much, even on dipped beam, I question their approval for fitment.

[crr003]

Another thing I'm noticing when driving at night is how horrid these super bright lights that are fitted to the likes of my beloved BMWs are, they dazzle so much, even on dipped beam, I question their approval for fitment.

Amen to that. Absolutely no need on British roads.

[AdamW]

Just one thing to add is to try and use the 'cats eyes' and centre line markings where-ever possible.
Some people still don't recognise them and their different markings.

[wenlocksimon]

Excellent point @ AdamW

I think it was the esteemed Safety1st on the old forum who stated, "road markings let you see further ahead than your sight will allow"?

S

[Roadcraft]

the esteemed Safety1st

Is that tongue in cheek ?

[wenlocksimon]

Why ask?????

[Roadcraft]

to guage what response is required.

[wenlocksimon]

tongue firmly disengaged from cheek..................