Identifying Appropriate Overtaking Opportunities

Overtaking on a single carriageway public road is potentially the most dangerous

manoeuvre you can make as a driver, and it is therefore something that requires careful
preparation and planning. Also, when reading this series of four chapters devoted to
overtaking, it should always be remembered there is no rule or law that says you have
to overtake. It is a voluntary action, and it needs to be properly risk assessed.
Factors to be considered when planning to overtake another moving vehicle will be
many. The condition of the road surface is important, as a broken, damaged or a
contaminated road surface can easily wrong foot a vehicle and driver and cause a
crash. Potholes are particularly dangerous, as these the potential to damage your
tyres, wheels or suspension, and disturb the stability of the car, as well as cause the
deterioration of tyre grip.
Standing water is another big issue, as to hit a deep puddle during an overtake, or at
any time come to that, may cause a serious vehicle stabilitycontrol problem.
What is the visibility like (weather conditions or otherwise), for example? Fog, mist,
drizzle, spray, falling snow, sleet, low sunlight these are all factors to think about.
Third Party Perception is another good one, not that it will cause you to crash in itself,
but if the person who you are overtaking perceives it is inappropriate to perform such a
manoeuvre, then it probably is inappropriate. Ask yourself what that individual will tell a
court of law after what you are doing all goes horribly wrong?

The Law Doesnt Excuse Speeding When Overtaking

Will you exceed the speed limit whilst you are overtaking? Yes, it is annoying to follow
another car at 55mph in a 60mph speed limit, but there are no exemptions in law to
say you can exceed the speed limit to overtake, even if you do slow again immediately
after. If you meet with these circumstances there are ways in which you can pass, and
these tactics will be discussed in chapter4.
Are you about to enter a speed limit that is lower than the speed of the vehicle you
wish to pass? Use your forward observation here, and use your common sense. You do
not want to be blasting into a 30zone at 60mph as a result of a misstimed overtake,
as that will make you look a real idiot.

What Are The Road Markings Telling You?

What are the road markings telling you? Double solid white lines, or double white lines
with a solid line next to you, are a strict NO when it comes to overtaking, unless the
vehicle ahead is travelling at 10mph or less. Even if you start the manoeuvre before the
lines begin it doesnt excuse you to contravene them if an overtake puts you on the
wrong side of them just as much as if you cross them.
Stay off the white painted crosshatchings at junctions as well. These are the shaded
areas in the road (see above) that are typically found as a prelude to a rightturn lane.
If the shaded area has a solid line marking its borders, this is to be regarded the same
as a centre solid double white line system, which means you are prohibited from
crossing them.
Watch out for those on motorway slip roads too, as these shaded areas that separate
slip roads from the main carriageway can earn you licence penalty points if you are
caught driving over them.

The above photograph, which is actually a still picture from some video footage we
were shooting from within the car, you will see the box lorry driver obviously didnt like
the idea of following us at the approach to the 90degree lefthand bend, and thought
he would chance his arm at the overtake on double white lines.
He actually got away with this, but look up ahead. There is a farm tractor waiting to pull
out of the lane that joins our road at the bend, and the bend is blind. This is an
occasion that could easily all have gone so horribly wrong.

Sometimes you will

find two parallel
broken white lines
along
the
road
centre, and with
diagonal
lines
shading the area
between
them.
These
are
lane
separator markings
and are commonly used on wide single carriageway roads to discourage drivers from
making an imaginary middle lane for the purpose of overtaking.
As long as these shaded areas have broken white lines around their borders it is not an
offence to drive over them. However, if that action is deemed to be inappropriate, such
as overtaking whilst passing the mouth of a junction, then driving within the shaded
area could be considered as Careless or Inconsiderate driving, for which you can be
prosecuted.

Overtaking Through Junctions is Suicide

Some other factors to consider when assessing an overtaking opportunity are the
presence of junctions within the proposed overtaking area. We dont just mean road
junction either, as domestic driveways, access points to other premises can be just as
dangerous. Overtaking at, or close to, a junction of any kind is always going to be
fraught with danger, and even overtaking a vehicle that is turning left ahead of you is to
be regarded as inappropriate.
When following another vehicle, and you see its left hand indicator comes on, drop
back and let it run clear, because until it has made the turn and cleared your path, you
have not a clue what that driver is really going to do.
Never assumed anything, as people have a great capacity to do soemthing completely
off the wall and when you least expect it. Drivers will sometimes use a junction mouth
to assist in doing a U turn, and that is not something you want to get in the way of.
Watch out of drivers emerging from junctions too. If you have ever watched vehicles
pulling out from laybys, entrances and driveways, especially when they are making a
left turn, how many people look towards their left before they do pull out? When and if
they do, 9 times out of 10, it will be after they have committed themselves to emerging
onto the carriageway. Kids, dogs, cyclists, other vehicles they all have the potential
to become the ingedients to a disaster.

Learn as Much as You Can About The Vehicle You Wish to Overtake
Consider what is the type of vehicle is it that you are about to overtake? Are you
behind a just a truck, or is it actually the trailer being towed by a truck, and really
double the length you thought? Could it be two trucks travelling
close together, or a truck concealing a car or two travelling
ahead? Is that car you are following just an ordinary motorist, or
a car full of yobs, or even a stolen vehicle?
Even though your car may be considerably more powerful than
the one you wish to overtake, it does not preclude that driver
from wanting to make life difficult for you, or even trying to
have a race with you. If you overtake a more powerful car to
that of your own, will that driver take offence and try to pass
you back just to score the point back again. Oh yes, it
happens.
What sort of reaction are you likely to get from the driver of the
vehicle ahead when you begin to overtake? What is the manner
in which that vehicle is being driven, i.e. steady course &
speed, erratic movements etc?
Is the driver elderly, driving steadily within his or her lane? If it is towing a trailer, is it
swaying about on the road, or is something likely to fall from it? Is the driver of the
vehicle ahead actually paying attention, perhaps on the phone, searching for a
junction, or other entrance to turn into? Never trust anyone.
Can you reasonably expect to complete the overtaking manoeuvre and regain your
own side of the road within the distance you can see to be clear ahead? This basically
asks the question as to whether you have enough road in sight to be able to complete
the overtake. It may be clear when you pull out, but will it remain so for the duration of
the whole manoeuvre?

Consider What You Cant See as Much as What You Can

Could another vehicle, as yet unseen, approach from the opposite direction, and if it
does, are you likely to cause that driver to alter course or speed? Again, whilst the road
ahead may be clear when you start the process of overtaking, are you prepared for an
opposing vehicle travelling at the same speed as yourself and suddenly coming into
view?
If it happens, it will mean the distance you thought you had available is now actually
closing down at double the rate. If that is the case you will half the amount of time

available to get back to your side of the road.

Even to cause another driver to alter course or speed can be enough to prove an
offence of Careless Driving, and besides which, it will do nothing to enhance your level
of popularity with those who witness your shortcomings. If you are involved in a head
collision, whatever the speed you are travelling at the time, this will be added to the
speed of the oncoming vehicle at impact, but then you already know that, dont you?

Is The Overtake Really Necessary Anyway?

If you are shortly to turn off at a junction, you are approaching a roundabout, traffic
signals, or you can see there is a long line of traffic ahead, is there any point in trying to
get passed the vehicle you are following? That being the case, if you are not going to
overtake then dont make it look like you are trying to.
If there is nothing to be gained by passing the car ahead then why bother? Dont try
and push the car ahead, as that will be extremely bad for your image and probably
cause that driver to drive more slowly?
Many more examples could be listed here, as if there are not enough already, as to
what to look out for when risk assessing a potential overtake. However, if you do wish
to overtake another vehicle, and after considering all the factors, there is an
opportunity, then at least the decision to do so will have been based upon good sound
reasoning and a balanced risk assessment.
Julian Smith Ride Drive Limited

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Part1 Identifying Overtaking Opportunities

Part2 Planning & Preparation to Overtake

Part3 Overtaking Another Moving Vehicle

Part4 Creative Overtaking Opportunities

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This page was last updated Monday, 13-Oct-2014

Identifying Appropriate Overtaking Opportunities