Novel overtaking move this morning

[ian s]

I was proceeding through a local village, where the road is a succession of bends, a car was behind me waiting for a good view before passing me, when we were both overtaken by a pickup completely on the wrong side of the road around a blind bend. What, if anything, was the driver thinking?? It is down hill, so I wasn't going all that slow.

In my experience, that was a first

[hondated]

I was proceeding through a local village, where the road is a succession of bends, a car was behind me waiting for a good view before passing me, when we were both overtaken by a pickup completely on the wrong side of the road around a blind bend. What, if anything, was the driver thinking?? It is down hill, so I wasn't going all that slow.

In my experience, that was a first

Hopefully he got away with it because where you live was the same as down here there was very little traffic about.
I did a round trip of a hundred miles taking my son back home and it was like driving back in the 60s with very few vehicles about.

[peetee]

About two years ago I was a passenger in a car when I witnessed exactly the same thing. This was downhill in a suburban road. The overtaking driver had to pass the wrong side of a traffic island. No more than 10 seconds later we pulled up behind the offender at a set of traffic lights that were visibly on red when he passed us.
That's exactly the sort of behaviour that should invite an instant ban.

[mjr]

I was proceeding through a local village, where the road is a succession of bends, a car was behind me waiting for a good view before passing me, when we were both overtaken by a pickup completely on the wrong side of the road around a blind bend. What, if anything, was the driver thinking?? It is down hill, so I wasn't going all that slow.

In my experience, that was a first

Been going on for a few years. They think they've got round-the-bend radar. Cars ending up in trees near blind bends suggests they don't.

[Grandad]

I reckon to see one x-ray eyed overtaker on 50% of my rides.

[Carpediem]

I was proceeding through a local village, where the road is a succession of bends, a car was behind me waiting for a good view before passing me, when we were both overtaken by a pickup completely on the wrong side of the road around a blind bend. What, if anything, was the driver thinking?? It is down hill, so I wasn't going all that slow.

In my experience, that was a first

Been going on for a few years. They think they've got round-the-bend radar. Cars ending up in trees near blind bends suggests they don't.

I was involved in a similar incident last week, out on the bike on a dead straight minor road with good visibility., only frighteningly the overtaking manoeuvre was with a car overtaking another one coming straight towards me at I guess 50mph,and ending up on my side of the road...it missed me by a whisker,and the thought of what almost happened made me stop a few seconds to regain my composure.
Why the driver couldn't have waited a few seconds to overtake after I'd passed I don't know...but it was a very scary experience.

[ambodach]

Something similar happened to me last summer. A line of traffic with a bus in front. Range Rover pulled out to overtake the bus but was thwarted when bus driver put on his right indicator and pulled over to centre of road. RR was obviously enraged but bus driver gave me a friendly wave in return for mine.

[MikeF]

I was proceeding through a local village, where the road is a succession of bends, a car was behind me waiting for a good view before passing me, when we were both overtaken by a pickup completely on the wrong side of the road around a blind bend. What, if anything, was the driver thinking?? It is down hill, so I wasn't going all that slow.

In my experience, that was a first

MGIF ie first "law"of motoring for some.

[philsknees]

Recently queuing (in a car) at night at a narrow crossroads with restricted sight lines, our traffic lights changed to red with the "regulation" 2 cars sneaking through on amber/red. The car ahead of me stopped, as did I, but the one immediately behind me pulled out of the queue onto the opposite side of the road, tyres squealing, overtook two stationary cars at speed & turned right at the junction, completely blind, just as the cross traffic was moving away. What really chilled me was that the driver seemed oblivious of the fact that Toucan crossing lights were incorporated in the junction.
Horrifying & thoughtless driving, too frequently seen amongst younger drivers in fast cars on very busy roads in my area. One wonders how (if?) they afford the insurance. I'm not a dash-cam owner but really regretted not being able to hand that one over to the police.....

[fastpedaller]

I'm not a dash-cam owner but really regretted not being able to hand that one over to the police.....

I've thought the same (re dashcam) on a couple of ocassions recently - but would the Police do anything?
A few miles from us (on a twisty road) there was a big hold up ..... Dry Summer day, car had rolled over on bend- driver clearly went too fast, but was she prosecuted? No. (middle-aged female driver) I can only be lead to believe that the Police just sort the mess, and take the view that she's 'paid' by way of the experience, and the insurance will pay, no one hurt! If it had been a young lad driving the car would he have been prosecuted?

[ThePinkOne]

The impatience does seem to be getting worse. It's not just aimed at being on a bike either, and it's part of why I am increasingly reluctant to ride my trike on roads near home now. Most drivers are ok (the local chemicals tanker company is outstandingly courteous to and patient of cyclists), but a significant minority tailgate, harass and pass in an unsafe way. In my neck of the woods it's the SUV brigade who seem most impatient.

Even in my car or van, obeying the speed limit (genuinely, I always make every effort to do so) is enough to "provoke" stupid overtakes, if you slow down a bit for the conditions even more so. Aggressive tailgating is another response- when I'm in my (small) car anyway. Funny though I get much less of that in the big van.....

The "big SUV" culture unfortunately seems to breed a "I am bigger so you must get out of my way" attitude.

TPO

[Carpediem]

The scary thing with this head on overtaking manouvere is the speed the car is approaching gives little or no time to take avoiding action,even if your lucky enough t have somewhere to bail out.
From now on I pay extra attention to an oncoming car, and th car behind that one,and make a guess as to if they're suddenly going to make an overtake manouvere.

[philsknees]

Hmm, perhaps its a north west of England driving affliction? My erstwhile touring companion, now sadly deceased, recounted how on a day ride near Kirby Lonsdale he was overtaken by a mid-size truck approaching a blind bend on a narrow country lane. Shaken by the ultra close pass at speed, my mate heard a squeal of tyres as the truck met with an oncoming vehicle. He was enjoying a Freudian chuckle when the truck driver slammed it into reverse and charged back round the blind bend at totally stupid speed, zig-zag reversing on his mirrors, heading for a gateway pull-in, seemingly totally unaware of the cyclist that he'd just overtaken. To avoid going under the truck my mate had to dive up the steep bramble covered banking & pull his bike up after him, considerably shaken & suffering cuts & bruises. Of course the truck drove off without a second glance as soon as the oncoming car had passed.....
It's getting bad when they come back for a second go at you!

[Cyril Haearn]

Large vehicles have far too much 'performance'

[reohn2]

I was proceeding through a local village, where the road is a succession of bends, a car was behind me waiting for a good view before passing me, when we were both overtaken by a pickup completely on the wrong side of the road around a blind bend. What, if anything, was the driver thinking?? It is down hill, so I wasn't going all that slow.

In my experience, that was a first

A first?
I've had it happen a number of times,the most memorable was one of the new Minis overtaking me on a blind right hander against double white lines on the wrong side of the road and giving me ample room.The problem being the stupid woman driving couldn't see a thing and she had a toddler in a car seat in the rear!

One wonders what on earth these people are thinking if anything at all but MGIF at all costs,even if it means their own or someone else's life!

EDIT,I heard a driver on the JV phone in show on Friday complaining that cyclists made him overtake in the face of oncoming traffic.
He seemed to think that he shouldn't wait until it was safe to overtake,that it was all the cyclists fault.
How he worked than one out who knows but he felt justified in complaining