Was talking with my mate this week and he informs me that failing to slow down a bit and let the guy taking 5 miles to overtake you on the motorway is now (or is going to be) an offence. You all know the scenario, your doing 55.5mph and the guy overtaking you is doing 55.6mph. From a defensive driving view point, it would be good practice to slow down a bit and let them pass as it gives you a space or way out of danger if thing go a bit pear shaped and I can see its benefits to maintaining traffic flow ( especially on 2 lane dual carriageways etc). However, power to weight ratio and windage affects how trucks cope with inclines and slight changes in topography so I for one can’t see how any honest copper can make that distinction in an instant. Anyone heard of this or is it just more waiting room BS…
As I’m resticted to 85kph (to save the planet) I spend half my life going backwards in traffic anyway. Having to slow down still further is going to really make driving more boring than it is already.
like you say policing it will be fun ,but in theory its not a bad idea.
only on 2 lane stretches of dual carriageways and motorways though, m11 etc.
we are supposed to be professionals and 2 lorries playing elephant racing for 5 miles and more, just gets us a bad name.
i know we all have deadlines to make etc, etc, but abit of planned overtaking and common sense should prevail surely?
glad i do nights tbh.
If its obvious that im going to be overtaken, I back off the CC anyway. Less stress for me, less stress for the guy trying to get past and everyone goes home less knackered.
Cant see a problem with it myself.
Gembo:
If its obvious that im going to be overtaken, I back off the CC anyway. Less stress for me, less stress for the guy trying to get past and everyone goes home less knackered.
Cant see a problem with it myself.
Agree with your sentiments entirely but here’s the problem. You see matey boy looming in your rear view and sensibly back it off of a few k’s to let him past, as he gets three quarters past you hit a slight incline. He’s fully freighted and you are lighter with 10 more horses than him. Do you 1 back it off still further or 2 keep going and let him fall in behind. Just how slow do you have to go and how long does this have to go on for? Don’t see a set of rules that could be applied.
Well at one point he was going faster than you to get 3/4 of the way past you, it’s one of them things but I back off as he is the overtaking vehicle. It is annoying though but that driver may not know the lay of the road ahead.
I too back off if (in the unlikely situation that) I am getting overtaken. I must admit, there’s not many get past me and the Mighty chuckles to himself Stralis. As far as the scenario of being overtaken, and then a hill being involved, with the overtaking wagon losing speed, I think it’s fair to say I would quickly assess the situation:
How steep is the incline?
How quickly is he losing speed?
Can I pull away with easily, depending on my own weight?
How old is the overtaking wagon? Does it look gutless?
If the overtaking wagon is only gonna lose a couple of mph, then what’s the issue with backing off just another couple yourself? If it’s a bloody old thing, revving the knackers off it on a seriously steep hill, then just get your boot down, and pull through? Surely either of those answers would show professionalism in the driver?
I see far too many drivers these days that just don’t acknowledge that they’re being over taken, or instances that you’ve virtually passed them, and then they let it freewheel downhill at stupid speed coming back up yours inside, only for you to have to come passed them again. Maybe, just maybe if we all started taking a mature, professional mind on the road, the other loonies on the road will start to see us as the professional people we’re meant to be?
I always back off unless the truck over taking is going to get by quite quickly. I hate it when others dont do likewise and as mentioned above, the worst thing is when you’re almost past a truck and the oxygen thief then lets it roll downhill and comes up your inside. Complete pig ignorance and the actions of a female genital part.
robinhood_1984:
Complete pig ignorance and the actions of a female genital part.
I’ve gotta be honest, Mr Robinhood, I’ve had better conversations with ‘female genital parts’. At least they can do as they’re bloody we’ll told! Well, even sometimes is better than no times. . .
M42 on Thursday at around 0530 hrs there was an Arctic overtaking a Rigid for… 14k yes thats right 14k I don’t know why the Actic driver even bothered trying to overtake.
NewLad:
M42 on Thursday at around 0530 hrs there was an Arctic overtaking a Rigid for… 14k yes thats right 14k I don’t know why the Actic driver even bothered trying to overtake.
Who do you blame though? The artic driver? Or the rigid driver? Personally, if I attempt something like that, and the steering wheel attendant on the nearside is being a banana, then I just back off 1 mph for a short period of time myself, just to let him well ahead.
Im 58 and the older drivers on here will remember, as I do, that a loaded truck overtaking you always used to get a "lift off the gas" to get him past, and it was more difficult in those days to judge someones average speed. These days of CC and 56 mean its easy to see.... if hes caught you over a few miles…hes faster than you. Simple. So he overtakes and comes upon a hill, a lift off the throttle will get him past and hell be gone. Whats the problem?
NewLad:
M42 on Thursday at around 0530 hrs there was an Arctic overtaking a Rigid for… 14k yes thats right 14k I don’t know why the Actic driver even bothered trying to overtake.
Now theres a classic give them both a ticket situation, shortly after you’ve bashed their heads together - several times…
cheekymonkey:
Im 58 and the older drivers on here will remember, as I do, that a loaded truck overtaking you always used to get a "lift off the gas" to get him past, and it was more difficult in those days to judge someones average speed. These days of CC and 56 mean its easy to see.... if hes caught you over a few miles…hes faster than you. Simple. So he overtakes and comes upon a hill, a lift off the throttle will get him past and hell be gone. Whats the problem?
The behavior and mindset of those who do the job today are totally different to when you started, old trucks had to be “driven” and courtesy was more apparent.
I’m so glad I do nights.
Every time this subject comes up, the majority of drivers say that they knock it down a tad to let someone who is obviously faster (as they’ve caught up) get past. But where are you lot when I’m being hung out to dry in the middle lane? And it’s not just over-taking. Recently, I find that moving over to let another “professional” join the carriageway often ends up in me getting just past the cab, then having to pull in behind as the ignorant git seems to be blind to the fact that I’m only there because I moved over to let him in!
I only overtake if I have been catching someone up and so am obviously faster. Also, while I’m in rant mode - although I use cruise control regularly, I occasionally realise that I’ve knocked it off without realising and am midway through being overtaken. Now this is my fault, and I’ll let the other driver pass. It seems to me, that when I start to pass someone who seems to be getting slower, and then suddenly realises when I get level has probably done the same thing - but then puts his wellie down and holds me out there again!
Had a couple of similar this last week. Pulled out to overtake, was over halfway past and hit a downhill slope. The other driver let his truck go and went past me on the inside. I pulled in, then when we levelled off i overtook him. Didn’t see the point personally, he could have just braked and stayed at the same speed let me passed then let it run. Loads on the M18 just seem to find it funny to stay flat out instead of backing off. If i’m being overtaken i always back off, they get passed quicker and it doesn’t add anytime on the my journey, so whats the problem?