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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 · 04/06/2017 21:44

beingatwat

Fair enough.

Getting out to the overtaking lane seems to vary a lot between drivers. Some go very early. Some go very late.

scottishdiem · 04/06/2017 21:48

If a driver is doing 70 then it is rude to flash. After all, what you are basically doing is saying, get out of my way, I want to break the law. Not sure its on lawful drivers to stop what they are doing to let others break the law.

Ollivander84 · 04/06/2017 21:48

I hate it when you overtake someone in the middle lane that's sticking at say 60mph. Then the minute you go to overtake they fuck off at 80, so you pull in behind them. Then they're back at 60. Argh Angry

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 04/06/2017 21:49

My driving instructor taught me to wait until I could see the entire front of the vehicle I was overtaking in my wing mirror before moving over. I find that works quite well for me. I'm not cutting them up and I'm not waiting unecessarily long.

scottishdiem · 04/06/2017 21:52

The speed limit in a dual carriage way is 40 unless there is a national speed limit sign in which case it is 60 it's only on motorways that you can do 70

I can't believe how many people don't know the bloody speed limits

If you are doing 40 on a 70 road because you clearly dont know the rules then you deserve to be flashed at.

ShotsFired · 04/06/2017 21:54

@Birdsbeesandtrees I drive a smaller car and I think there's something about that that makes people behave differently regardless of speed and behaviour.

I've noticed quite different attitudes from other road users in the much larger sleeker work cars. BMW or Vauxhall insignia usually.

I agree with this. My first car was a very small car and I got bullied all the time.

The worst bullies are usually those with top-spec non-luxury marques (the Insignias and like), and the lower-spec luxury models (3 series BMWs, Audi A4s etc).

Drivers in 7 Series or Astons or Ferraris etc have no such desperate need to prove themselves.

Haffiana · 04/06/2017 21:59

If a driver is doing 70 then it is rude to flash. After all, what you are basically doing is saying, get out of my way, I want to break the law. Not sure its on lawful drivers to stop what they are doing to let others break the law.

You are not the road police. It isn't your job to judge whether or not another driver is breaking the law and it isn't your job to decide what speed another driver should do. Driving lawfully does not make you a good driver. Driving safely makes you a good driver. Being rude does not make a driver unsafe. You are confused.

reetgood · 04/06/2017 22:02

Tailgaters gonna tailgate. I've been tailgated on a residential road with a 30mph speed limit.
In terms of overtaking on a dual carriageway, waiting to move into the overtaking lane until you can see the front of the vehicle (?) will inevitably see you stuck behind a line of slow moving lorries, unable to move into the faster moving overtaking traffic.

I'll move over as soon as I can, because I'm a captain sensible inner lane speed limit kind of driver. I'm quite aware of that! However sitting on my arse when it's clearly not safe or viable for me to move over is totally unreasonable!

Voice0fReason · 04/06/2017 22:13

its no safer to drive at 70 than at 85 in the overtaking lane and considering most people drive around 85 in the right hand lane you are obviously going to piss people off.
Pissing off people who speed doesn't make them unreasonable.
As long as the person in the right hand lane is overtaking vehicles in the left hand lane and travelling close to the speed limit, it's tough if you don't like being forced to drive within the speed limit.

honeyroar · 04/06/2017 22:19

Why would you need to flash your lights to let other cars know you're there? Doesn't quite make sense to me. Around me we flash headlights to let traffic coming the other way that there is a hazard round the corner (usually a sheep wandering about on the Pennine roads).

MsStricty · 04/06/2017 22:37

Because they don't always move over, honey - in spite of their looking in their mirrors and knowing there is nothing in the lanes to their left. In that moment, they are breaking the law.

MsStricty · 04/06/2017 22:38

And I would prefer not to break the law in turn by overtaking them on the inside.

Whisky2014 · 04/06/2017 22:42

Mmm i have done this when the person thinks 70mph is an acceptable speed but will take 5 hours to overtake the car on the left doing 68mph. It is acceptable to go up to 80 to overtake then back to 70 btw. It can't take long to overtake a car but the op makes it sound like it's a big deal. Makes me wonder what kind of driver they are that thinks overtaking is an event.
Also happens when people sit with their cruise control on and have misjudged the speed of all other cars in the fast lane.

Whisky2014 · 04/06/2017 22:44

jupitar is just plain WRONG. Jeez

justkeepswimmingg · 04/06/2017 23:36

HunterHearsHelmsley... so you expect me to UNDERTAKE you if you are sitting in the 2nd/3rd lane, when the 1st/2nd lane is EMPTY?! And that's somehow my fault that you are Lane hogging, and I should risk mine and my DS life to allow you to continue doing so? I said no where that I tailgate, I never sit close to someone, I give them plenty of time to move over. If they don't I will flash my headlights, to let them know I'm there. I think you need to re-read the Highway Code, or stop driving, because clearly if you think lane hogging and undertaking is ok then you're a dangerous driver. Glad your entitled life is more important Wink.

TittyGolightly · 04/06/2017 23:59

If a driver is doing 70 then it is rude to flash.

Many think they're doing 70, but are actually doing closer to 60.

memememum · 05/06/2017 00:11

If they had space to undertake you you were in the wrong fucking lane

If they actually Did 'have space' to do so then yes. The vast majority of those who would resort to undertaking, however, only 'think' that they have the space. The safe stopping distance at 70 is almost one hundred metres (and of course that goes for the vehicles behind as well as in front of you). So the typical gap used for this behaviour is neither large enough for the steadily overtaking vehicle to safely pull into or the hurrying person to safely nip past.

TittyGolightly · 05/06/2017 00:31

On my morning commute there's a section of motorway that goes from 2 to 3 lanes as an extra lane is added from the left hand side. Generally, the lorries from the left hand lane of the 2 lane section move into the new left hand lane when it kicks in. The cars in the right hand lane more often than not stay in lane 3 doing about 65mph leaving lane 2 completely empty. When all rational attempts to get the idiots to move over fail, I have been known to undertake. My record is 14 cars in one go. There is absolutely no excuse for any of those drivers to remain in lane 3.

It's actually one of the reasons I'm about to change jobs. I can't bear sharing road space with these idiots any longer!

HunterHearstHelmsley · 05/06/2017 05:44

swimming no I expect you to get out of my arse. You've just made up a little scenario in your head.

Yes my life is more important than a crazy pregnant woman and her toddler.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 05/06/2017 05:52

I have to say the M25 is the worst for lane hogging. People seem to get in the correct lane for certain exits about 10 miles in advance. Very annoying.

NightWanderer · 05/06/2017 06:00

This happened to me recently. He didn't flash but car came right right up behind me very aggressively. I pulled in to let him past. A bit later saw him in a layby with a unmarked police car pulled up next to him. Served him right the twat.

bungaloid · 05/06/2017 06:08

Aggressive driving is stupid, but the idea that "I'm doing 70 so I don't need to move over" is just as silly and aggressive (maybe passive aggressive?!).
I remember driving in Italy and it seemed pretty normal for people to roar straight up and flash like mad if you were in their way!

londonrach · 05/06/2017 06:17

Titty..you have to stop at every roundabout. You would fail a driving test for not stopping.

HappenedForAReisling · 05/06/2017 06:23

Sounds like any normal day in the UAE. It's a day out of the ordinary when one doesn't get flashed. Dickheads flash police cars out of the way there.
Things could always be worse :)

PoorYorick · 05/06/2017 06:28

You're supposed to slow down if you're being tailgated so that if the moron behind you rams you, you won't concertina into the car in front.

I slow down when I'm being tailgated, partly because of this and partly because it's fun.

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