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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be annoyed at cars flashing to overtake?

302 replies

moutonfou · 04/06/2017 19:09

I was on a dual-carriage way, traffic in the inside lane going about 65mph, me in the outside lane overtaking several cars steadily at about 70mph (okay, maybe it was a couple over that...). And then someone comes up behind me at 80+mph and starts flashing me, presumably to get in so he can continue to speed.

AIBU to think the overtaking lane is for overtaking and as long as I'm doing that, I've every right to be there? And that there's no god-given right to travel at 80mph even if that's your thing?

OP posts:
Orlantina · 06/06/2017 09:52

I could do a diagram if you want?

I have a label for your car in mind.

IntheBenefitTrap · 06/06/2017 09:59

In the way of what?

You?

Why do you get preference? If you're not speeding then surely there isn't a problem.

Figaro2017 · 06/06/2017 10:00

Many years ago on the M25 I had a car come behind me flashing his lights. I pulled over as, to be honest, I would rather he pissed off. He came to the next car. Same thing and so on.

As the M25 has a wont to do, it ground to a halt a few miles down the road. Two huge blokes got out of a van, walked to this car, opened his door took the keys out and threw them over the other carriageway before calmly getting back in their van!

Scoobydoobydont · 06/06/2017 10:02

But like it or not you have no right to get there quicker than anyone else because of family emergency. Driving recklessly whatever the situation is wrong. Most of us I'm sure can recount awful tales of having to drive to hospitals because of someone close to us, when my mother died I had to drive for 5 hours to get there, it didn't entitle me to drive any differently to usual. Otherwise your family emergency may turn into someone called .

Why the assumption that driving at a higher speed than someone who is happy to bimble along, is reckless?

As said previously I am regularly the bimbler so I just get out of people's way, it's polite, shows awareness of what is going on around you, and does no harm so why the fuck wouldn't I? People saying tailgaters etc are in the wrong are correct in that they shouldn't be driving right up your chuff but why didn't you see them coming, and preemptively get out of their way. The faster vehicle is no more guilty of trying to pressure you into driving at their speed than you are of forcing them to drive at yours.

You should look up what advanced driving is about. It's about reading road conditions and hazards and what is going on around you, and is about safely making progress without impeding others or putting you or other road users at risk. It's also about showing thought for and courtesy to other road users rather than just blindly driving in your own bubble at your own set speed and not giving a toss about those around you - i.e., not being the sort of tossed who would give others cause to have to sit behind them in moving traffic.

Orlantina · 06/06/2017 10:05

People saying tailgaters etc are in the wrong are correct in that they shouldn't be driving right up your chuff but why didn't you see them coming, and preemptively get out of their way

If I am overtaking cars and I am still overtaking them , I am not going to increase my speed just because someone wants to go faster than the speed I am going.

Scoobydoobydont · 06/06/2017 10:08

If I am overtaking cars and I am still overtaking them , I am not going to increase my speed just because someone wants to go faster than the speed I am going.

I would, or I would pull back into the line of cars I was overtaking for a few seconds. Why wouldn't I? It's hardly a big deal

Orlantina · 06/06/2017 10:10

I would, or I would pull back into the line of cars I was overtaking for a few seconds

Doesn't that very much depend on the gap?

And what if I was doing the speed limit?

Scoobydoobydont · 06/06/2017 10:16

*Doesn't that very much depend on the gap?

And what if I was doing the speed limit?*

You are obviously talking about dual carriageways or motorways in which case you should have had plenty of time to observe a faster vehicle coming up behind you and to have found a gap in the line of vehicles you are passing. People don't just appear on your back bumper unless you aren't paying attention to what is going on around you.

I would 100% recommend everyone do the IAM course and test. It's not expensive and really does teach huge amounts about courtesy to other road users and general awareness of what is going on around you.

Orlantina · 06/06/2017 10:17

People don't just appear on your back bumper unless you aren't paying attention to what is going on around you

If people appear on your back bumper, then they are the ones who need to do the advanced driving course as they should be looking ahead and judging the road as well. Looking ahead and asking themselves why they are going faster than the speed limit.

Orlantina · 06/06/2017 10:20

Like the arsehole who decided to appear behind me as I was overtaking and doing the speed limit on a 3 lane motorway getting past slower lorries and cars. He then cut inside me, cut the lorry up, then undertook me, went back to the outside lane and then repeated the manouvre up ahead.

All in busy motorway traffic.

Still, I guess he was the one in the right?

hazeydays14 · 06/06/2017 10:27

The faster vehicle is no more guilty of trying to pressure you into driving at their speed than you are of forcing them to drive at yours.

I agree with this. Obviously no one is saying move if it is unsafe or that it is right to tailgate someone.

If you're purposely slowing down to annoy the faster driver then you are just as bad as them. If your attitude is I have the right to drive this speed regardless of any other road user, when there is space for you to move over safely, then your attitude is no different to that of the faster driver.

I do think because learners aren't allowed to drive on motorways and pass plus isn't compulsory that there are a lot of drivers that don't use the motorway correctly. Lane hoggers are just as bad as tailgaters IMO.

Tazerface · 06/06/2017 10:42

So my biggest takeaway from this thread is that apparently no one should trust their speedometer, especially if someone in a big souped up car comes racing up behind you. Because you're obviously going too slow even if overtaking and therefore should immediately concede to the souped up car because their speedo calibration and driving skillz are far superior. And you should do this immediately even if you don't feel it is safe to move over.

Increasinglymiddleaged · 06/06/2017 15:19

Why the assumption that driving at a higher speed than someone who is happy to bimble along, is reckless?

So if you were driving safely on your family emergency then why exactly did you post about it? Tailgating is dangerous, which is what this thread is about whether you are in a hurry or not.

Scoobydoobydont · 06/06/2017 15:43

So if you were driving safely on your family emergency then why exactly did you post about it? Tailgating is dangerous, which is what this thread is about whether you are in a hurry or not.

Errr to point out that people don't only flash at inconsiderate dawdlers who hold them up because they are twats, which is basically what the OP suggested.

Instasista · 06/06/2017 16:06

A family emergency isn't an excuse to flash. The person you're flashing doesn't know about it

PoorYorick · 06/06/2017 16:07

Scooby, if your driving was so safe and reasonable, you wouldn't think that other road users would consider you a twat and you wouldn't feel the need to justify it with your family emergency.

Driving too slowly is also dangerous and irresponsible but the way to respond is not with tailgating and light flashing. What if someone has to do an emergency stop?

Scoobydoobydont · 06/06/2017 16:21

Who said anything about tailgating or having to justify a way of driving?

I said that sometimes if people are just being unobservant/selfish/bloody minded they sit in front of you and hold you up for no good reason and that on one occasion when I really wanted to get somewhere quickly I had had to flash the unobservant drivers to make them aware I was there and wanting to make faster progress than they were.

If you want to assume that involves speeding, recklessnsss, tailgating or anything else that is your lookout but none of those were factors.

Drivers who hold people up for no good reason and aren't polite enough to get out of their way when safe to do so are just selfish. As I said previously I regularly get out of other people's way if I am holding them up same as I would on a footpath - it's just good observation and good manners

Tippexy · 06/06/2017 16:27

If your speedo says the same as your GPS then your speedo has been illegally and incorrectly calibrated.

sharklovers · 06/06/2017 16:37

If your speedo says the same as your GPS then your speedo has been illegally and incorrectly calibrated

Got a link to back that up?

PoorYorick · 06/06/2017 16:38

Scooby, by your own admission you were driving in such a way that you believe other road users considered you a twat. You also felt the need to tell us that you were driving this way because you were having a family emergency. This means you know you were driving badly, but you think you were entitled to because of your crisis.

Actually, you also admit to driving like those people under normal circumstances. So it seems you dawdle when you're not in a hurry, and intimidate people with tailgating and flashing when you are.

You sound like a menace.

LurkingHusband · 06/06/2017 16:44

A rear-facing dashcam is a good thing to have - it can catch the car, the flashing, the speed, and (certainly mine) the drivers face.

PoorYorick · 06/06/2017 16:48

If my speedometer and my satnav agree with each other, why on earth would one of them have to be wrong?

Orlantina · 06/06/2017 16:56

If your speedo says the same as your GPS then your speedo has been illegally and incorrectly calibrated

Really?

Have you got a link to show that speedometers are supposed to underread the speed by law?

Orlantina · 06/06/2017 16:57

Drivers who hold people up for no good reason and aren't polite enough to get out of their way when safe to do so are just selfish

I suspect that the definition of 'no good reason' depends on the individuals perspective.

My idea of a good reason may be different to others.

LurkingHusband · 06/06/2017 17:03

If my speedometer and my satnav agree with each other, why on earth would one of them have to be wrong?

First Google hit ...

www.thecarexpert.co.uk/how-accurate-is-a-car-speedometer/

The UK law is based on the EU standard, with some minor changes. A speedo must never show less than the actual speed, and must never show more than 110% of actual speed + 6.25mph. So if your true speed is 40mph, your speedo could legally be reading up to 50.25mph but never less than 40mph. Or to put it another way, if your speedo is reading 50mph, you won’t be doing more than 50mph but it’s possible you might actually only be travelling at 40mph.

Generally my speedo always reads true speed + 2mph (when checked against SatNav).

I tend to leave my limiter linked to the cars speedo, so I have a slight margin...