Left indication for overtaking on the right...?

[Debs]

Something that never happened at all a decade ago, but over the past few years this happens to me a few times a week:

Whilst cycling along regular UK roads [typical single lane each way with a given speed limit: 30mph, 40mph,or 60mph] one is overtaken by a car, van, or truck which has it's 'left' indicator flashing. It doesn't turn left, but does turns the 'left' indicator off; after moving over to the right to execute the apparent cyclist overtaking manoeuvre.

Shouldn't they be either not indicating at all if it's a wide enough road with little or no risk to other road users, or using the 'right' indictor to warn other road users their intention of moving over to the right [crossing the white line in middle of road] and of their intention of overtaking a cyclist?

The first few times this happened to me i braked under the belief the vehicle was about to 'left hook' me with an imminent left turn, i still do wonder sometimes but after so many years of it happening i'm far more aware but not getting used to it finding it strangely intimidating.

It seems to happen with such regularity these days i worry it maybe an extremely daft amendment to the highway code...

Debs

[meic]

Shouldn't they be either not indicating at all if it's a wide enough road with little or no risk to other road users, or using the 'right' indictor to warn other road users their intention of moving over to the right [crossing the white line in middle of road] and of their intention of overtaking a cyclist?

I would assume that they had already indicated right before they pulled out in order to overtake you and that they switched to left at the moment that they were level with you, or possibly a little before.

I agree as a driver that there is no benefit in indicating left after an overtake on a single carriageway road and a distinct reason not to if there is a left turning there that could be taken.

[SA_SA_SA]

Shouldn't they be either not indicating at all if it's a wide enough road with little or no risk to other road users, or using the 'right' indictor to warn other road users their intention of moving over to the right [crossing the white line in middle of road] and of their intention of overtaking a cyclist?

I would assume that they had already indicated right before they pulled out in order to overtake you and that they switched to left at the moment that they were level with you, or possibly a little before.

I agree as a driver that there is no benefit in indicating left after an overtake on a single carriageway road and a distinct reason not to if there is a left turning there that could be taken.

Perhaps they were worried about another vehicle overtaking thru the space betwixt them and cyclist for whom they correctly left space when passing:----
this happened to me when learning to drive: I overtook a cyclist by changing lane (on dual carriageway), and a <insert your own description> drove their fiesta between the cyclist and me: ie overtook cyclist closely while undertaking me at same time . However, in that case before I would have been signaling left.

[reohn2]

Debs
I have cars pass me regularly on single carriageway roads and indicate to move back into my lane in front of me but not had any indicating whilst by the side of me and can understand the alarm it could cause

Perhaps they were worried about another vehicle overtaking thru the space betwixt them and cyclist for whom they correctly left space when passing:----
this happened to me when learning to drive: I overtook a cyclist by changing lane (on dual carriageway), and a <insert your own description> drove their fiesta between the cyclist and me: ie overtook cyclist closely while undertaking me at same time . However, in that case before I would have been signaling left.

That's an extremely dodgy manouvre
I've had a similar situation on the motorway twice,where I've been in lane 2 @ 70/75mph approaching a HGV in lane 1 travelling at it's normal 60mph with a car closing down on it at 65+ and anticipated the car would need to o/take the HGV at the same time I would.
So with lane 3 clear I indicated and moved over into it,only for richardheadinhothatch,who was behind me,boot it and undertake me and block the now indicating lane 1 car from overtaking the HGV on one of those occasions the lane 1 in the rvm,looked like he had to brake hard and duck back in behind the HGV .

[irc]

I agree it';s probably the driver indicating the move back left after the overtake. So they indicate right, cancel it while overtaking, then indicate left. I was taught not to do this left indicate as any other road user seeing an overtake should expect the vehicle to move back left. Assuming standard 2 way road.

So no benefit and the downside that it might be interpreted as an upcoming left turn.

[SilverBadge]

I thought it was drivers reassuring oncoming traffic that they would cut in sharply in front of the cyclist rather than hit them head on, given that they had been a bit optimistic on whether there was enough room to overtake safely.

[Debs]

It is plausible some are signalling 'right' initially, and then signalling left as they pass me, but i think and sense most are not.
I have a rear-view handlebar mirror and although observant can't say i notice any 'right' indication beforehand.

It bugs me because it happens so frequently now, always causing that moment of tense concern,
and imo is a display of poor driving skills with improper use of indication.
I get the impression they aren't using the indicators to warn other road users of their intension, but rather using the left indicator as a kind of left hand side hazard warning flasher to point at the cyclist they are overtaking; which IMO is a fat lot of good.

Like i said, it never used to happen, now it seems to be a common trend with some drivers.

[Debs]

I thought it was drivers reassuring oncoming traffic that they would cut in sharply in front of the cyclist rather than hit them head on, given that they had been a bit optimistic on whether there was enough room to overtake safely.

I've had it happen on occasion with no oncoming traffic, last week along a national limit road [60mph] i saw the big Tonka Toy type vehicle approach me fast from the rear, knew he would overtake, a strait road ahead clear with no oncoming traffic, he passed doing about 70mph with left indicator on.
These people have an very odd overtaking philosophy and procedure which mystifies me completely

[Debs]

Perhaps they were worried about another vehicle overtaking thru the space betwixt them and cyclist for whom they correctly left space when passing:----
this happened to me when learning to drive: I overtook a cyclist by changing lane (on dual carriageway), and a <insert your own description> drove their fiesta between the cyclist and me: ie overtook cyclist closely while undertaking me at same time . However, in that case before I would have been signaling left.

Duel carriageways are something else, my issue here is only referring to singe lane each way carriageways of all descriptions.
However, i'm pretty sure that 'undertaking' on a DC or motorway is a motoring offence [ Dangerous driving? ].

[The utility cyclist]

Either you've overtaken in a safe manner which means with room to spare for all parties or you haven't. If the former there's really no need to indicate you're moving back left. people only indicate you're moving back left on a motorway say, to let those impatient idiots speeding up behind you know that you're not going to be holding them up or they have to lift from doing 80+mph

I do it sometimes because it's convention and because others don't really know what your intentions are and it's a sort of a reassurance that you are doing x, even though not doing x would have disastrous consequences. However I wouldn't indicate left until I was well clear and thus no thought of doing a left hook could be implied by such or that I would impede their progress (i.e. not making them brake or feel fear of a collision). Also those who indicate after they've already started to change lanes gets right on my wick. Just as it does those who brake first, then indicate halfway through a turn

[[XAP]Bob]

I watched for this last night, and the vast majority of people
Either indicated to pull out, and cut to indicating left before they drew alongside me or just didn't indicate at all...

[Paulatic]

I've seen it but more often than not it's accompanied by them moving into the gutter.
I thought it was them telling me where they thought I should be.

[reohn2]

I've seen it but more often than not it's accompanied by them moving into the gutter.
I thought it was them telling me where they thought I should be.

I've thought the same in the past but after discussing it with other cyclists dismissed it,as whilst most agreed they'd had the same thought we decided it wasn't the case as we'd all had the same thing happen when driving.