Types of Overtakes

Kieran_Burns

We've all experienced the wide range of possibilities available to motor vehicles passing us: The overtake.

The more naive would question how there can be more than one way to overtake someone, but the wise amongst us have sub-consciously compiled the list of the many and varied ways it is possible for two road users travelling at different speeds to interact:

So, here's my list:

The post overtake:
This is when the car passes you, barely misses, THEN moves out to the correct distance to overtake

The pre-overtake:
This is when the car moves out to overtake properly, moves in well before passing you and barely misses

The timid overtake:
This is when the car takes an age to start the overtake maneouvre and almost apologetically goes past giving you loads of room and barely going any quicker than you. Most scary to EVERYONE around.

The punishment pass:
The angry (generally overweight / unhealthy) motorist who knows all cyclists are scum and should not be on HIS road. Brushes by in a clear attempt to intimidate / scare.

Left Hook:
Does not complete the over-take maneouvre before taking that junction they were looking at all along.

Pavement Pass:
So called because this is where you end up after the vehicle that is overtaking then pulls in to the kerb while still alongside you. Closely related to the left-hook.

The wait overtake:
This is when the car starts to, then stops, then starts, then.. Oh wait. No.

The non-overtake:
Generally at (very) high speed where the car does not change its line at all. You're really not sure whether the driver even saw you.

The late pass:
Starts the overtake long after it's safe and ends up on the wrong side of the road either facing: the junction / oncoming (possibly stopped) traffic / the hedge / God.

Neanderthal overtake
Involves a small, under powered chavved up sh*t-mobile and the waving of some small appendage while uttering mono-syllabic grunts from an open window on the passenger side. May also involve missiles.

Nirvana:
Waits for a suitable gap, indicates, gives plenty of room, checks the wing and rear view mirrors to see when it is safe to pull back in.

cyclingprop

I think you should re name the non-overtake to the "cockrocket"

markhewitt1978

Kieran_Burns wrote:

The timid overtake:
This is when the car takes an age to start the overtake maneouvre and almost apologetically goes past giving you loads of room and barely going any quicker than you. Most scary to EVERYONE around.

Nirvana:
Waits for a suitable gap, indicates, gives plenty of room, checks the wing and rear view mirrors to see when it is safe to pull back in.

How is it that your 'worst' and 'best' are almost identical?

Agent57

I was going to say you missed the "Free Gift", but then I read the Neanderthal fully.

thistle_

Where does "waits patiently behind you on a clear, straight, wide road then waits until the road narrows/blind bend imminent/car comes the other way to overtake" fit in to your list

markhewitt1978 wrote:

How is it that your 'worst' and 'best' are almost identical?

Speed I think.

markhewitt1978

I'm the type that overtakes bicycles in the same way I overtake cars. Hang back until I can see a clear straight bit of road, then floor it as fast as my car will take me, before slotting back in.

Agent57

You're definitely missing another scary overtaking move.

The Contraflow
This happens when a car is overtaking someone coming the other way. Sure, he's giving them a lot of space, but wait... he's coming straight towards me!

Ber Nard

Then there's the the driver that takes Nirvana too far and waits far too long for the perfect passing opportunity that will never come, all the while building up a queue off traffic that that will punishment pass you because it's your fault they've been held up.

Rob

SteppenHerring

I recently returned from my first every cycling experience in France (those mountains are big). I recall on the first day being shocked at how much room cars were giving me. And coming down from the Col de Lauteret, I checked behind and saw I'd built up a queue of 4 cars without anyone beeping or trying to pass on a corner. They just waited until the next long straight and then passed on the other side of the road.

Or did I dream it ...

tgotb

What about the white van driver who pulls alongside and winds down the window to holler that you should be on the glass-strewn cycle lane painted onto the pavement?

kamiokande

The double trouble
You can tell from the sound of the engine that it's a large vehicle, it pulls alongside leaving just about acceptable room. You let out a sigh of relief as the rear of the vehicle comes into view then feel the whoosh of the massive great horse box about 8 inches from your ear and closing...

jimmypippa

Agent57 wrote:

You're definitely missing another scary overtaking move.

The Contraflow
This happens when a car is overtaking someone coming the other way. Sure, he's giving them a lot of space, but wait... he's coming straight towards me!

This

Kieran_Burns

I did think about this one and the right hook, but I deliberately limited myself to when vehicles overtake us.

Agent57

Kieran_Burns wrote:

I did think about this one and the right hook, but I deliberately limited myself to when vehicles overtake us.

Bah! The right hook isn't an overtaking move anyway.

OK, how about the one where the guy overtakes, then deliberately slams on? It's a bit like the Pavement Pass and the Left Hook, but more deliberately designed to make a statement. Admittedly, sometimes it's precipitated by some Anglo Saxon or hand gestures.

First.Aspect

What about "the brake light overtake"? You know, as they pass you, they are cutting in and braking for the traffic lights/queue/right turn/left turn.

Or, "the sandwich overtake". Astra with chimpanzee in the passenger seat, cigarette/sandwich/"witty one liner" comes your way out of the window.

Or "the school run overtake". Driver deep in conversation with protohuman in back seat, navigating using the force and the rear view mirror, creeps past about 6 inches away, so you have no idea whether they've seen you, the traffic lights, the upcoming bend, the red light, the kids crossing the road...

Kieran_Burns

First Aspect wrote:

What about "the brake light overtake"? You know, as they pass you, they are cutting in and braking for the traffic lights/queue/right turn/left turn.

Or, "the sandwich overtake". Astra with chimpanzee in the passenger seat, cigarette/sandwich/"witty one liner" comes your way out of the window.

Or "the school run overtake". Driver deep in conversation with protohuman in back seat, navigating using the force and the rear view mirror, creeps past about 6 inches away, so you have no idea whether they've seen you, the traffic lights, the upcoming bend, the red light, the kids crossing the road...

Covered the 1st and 2nd ones: Pavement pass and Neanderthal

School run mum overtake is a variation on the non-overtake

CiB

I was going to add the one that became the contraflow but it's there now.

markhewitt1978 wrote:

I'm the type that overtakes bicycles in the same way I overtake cars. Hang back until I can see a clear straight bit of road, then floor it as fast as my car will take me, before slotting back in.

I always wish I had my gun handy when people do this. Pass at a sensible speed, not giving it a bootful of throttle in the carpet. It's completely unnecessary and a lot of modern 'sporty' cars kick out an awful racket when it happens. It might sound cool inside your cabin but it makes me jump, and for doing that hanging's too good for some people.

mbthegreat

....The London Dynamo....

markhewitt1978

CiB wrote:

I was going to add the one that became the contraflow but it's there now.

markhewitt1978 wrote:

I'm the type that overtakes bicycles in the same way I overtake cars. Hang back until I can see a clear straight bit of road, then floor it as fast as my car will take me, before slotting back in.

I always wish I had my gun handy when people do this. Pass at a sensible speed, not giving it a bootful of throttle in the carpet. It's completely unnecessary and a lot of modern 'sporty' cars kick out an awful racket when it happens. It might sound cool inside your cabin but it makes me jump, and for doing that hanging's too good for some people.

Why? I want to get past as quickly as possible for both our sakes.

London_Falcon

"The Prious Pass"

You going along minding your own business when an almost silent electric vehicle suddenly appears alongside with no prior warning, frightening the pants of you.

bobbygloss

What about the Motorbike Overtake? Kind of a contrast to the Prius Pass, very sudden very loud noise that scares the crap out of you without you ever seeing anything.

mudcow007

what about when a milk float goes skimming past you an all you can hear is the clatter of milk bottles as if they are laughing at you....


just me then? i really do need to speed up

daxplusplus

The silent but close and f*cking fast overtake are the worst.

You know that if you'd had a sudden wobble (for whatever reason e.g. pothole/glass) and moved out a few inches at exactly the wrong time you'd be history and not known anything about what happened. Especially on quite roads where you've seen no cars for 20 minutes.

I think silent cars/tyres are a bad thing .. god help us when electric cars are the norm.

CiB

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Why? I want to get past as quickly as possible for both our sakes.

Same reason as this...

Bobbygloss wrote:

What about the Motorbike Overtake? Kind of a contrast to the Prius Pass, very sudden very loud noise that scares the crap out of you without you ever seeing anything.

There's no need to get it over with as fast as possible with a burst of noise and acceleration. No probs if you have a big torquey diesel but the ones that do my ead in are the Beemer M3 or Porsche drivers that go into rasping mode beyond 5000. And anyway however you dress it up, like a hooter a loud engine on the rev limiter sounds aggressive. And it makes me jump, so Quo Vadis or whatever the Latin is for gotcha.

slowbike

What about the "I'm like a Pro" cyclist overtake ...

Where they come up behind you - may be sit there for 5 minutes to catch their breath - then pass you as close as possible - preferably rubbing elbows.
Usually done during Sportives ..

dee4life2005

Not seen The Junction Overtake mentioned.

You're cycling along a straight road and a car waiting at the junction of a side-road up ahead on your right. You can see that the driver keeps looking at you, so you know they've seen you, and as you get closer they start to pull out straight into an overtake manouver - they do usually give you plenty of space, but it still scares the crap out of you when you see them start to pull out!

bails87

dee4life2005 wrote:

Not seen The Junction Overtake mentioned.

Oooo, I hate those, I normally point and mouth "stay there" at them!

The Goldfish
Driver sits behind for a bit and then moves out to overtake. As soon as they get ahead of you (just the driver, not the whole car) they forget you exist and calmly squeeze you back into the pavement. Sometimes done to avoid a bollard in the road that's 'jumped up out of nowhere'. At this point you're now visible in their rear view mirror, because you've had to brake, and you can see them jump and think "where did that cyclist come from?".

Similar to the pavement pass, but not done with the intention of pulling over.

jedster

how about the hang-out or formation flying pass? Typically takes place in 30 zones. Law-abiding driver pulls out, gives you plenty of room then realises that you are already close to the speed limit which he is unwilling to break for even a second leaving him alongside you for a daunting amount of time while you look at every pedestrian and entrance for something bad about to happen...

Wrath Rob

First Aspect wrote:

What about "the brake light overtake"? You know, as they pass you, they are cutting in and braking for the traffic lights/queue/right turn/left turn

That happened to me last night at Battersea Bridge. A lady was in such a hurry to get past me that she then had to stop smartish to avoid the car in front, whilst cutting back in to the lane. Cue sarcastic remarks as I filtered back past her open window

jedster

oh and shouldn't there be a special category for the "ignorance is bliss" manouvre whereby some drivers are reassured by the fact that they can't see any oncoming traffic so it must be a good time to overtake... despite the fact that the reason they can't see anything is the blind bend just ahead

DonDaddyD

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

The timid overtake:
This is when the car takes an age to start the overtake maneouvre and almost apologetically goes past giving you loads of room and barely going any quicker than you. Most scary to EVERYONE around.

Nirvana:
Waits for a suitable gap, indicates, gives plenty of room, checks the wing and rear view mirrors to see when it is safe to pull back in.

How is it that your 'worst' and 'best' are almost identical?

No they are not.

The first one is 'most scary' because you simply cannot tell what the driver's intention is as he pulls up alongside you/doesn't complete the overtake. Couple the vehicle driving alongside you with an approaching side road to the left, or oncoming traffic, or a narrowing of the oncoming road or your own need to maneouvre - assume to the right because there is a obsticle you need to move around - and scary becomes dangerous.

Not showing your intention, completing a move or hesitating can be just as dangerous as overly aggressive driving.