From: Mrcheerful on
aaa wrote:
> Fat richard wrote:
>
>> On 18 July, 15:54, %ste...(a)malloc.co.uk (Steve Firth) wrote:
>>> Ian <i...(a)henden.co.uk> wrote:
>>>> Why twice? because anything coming intop sight from
>>>> the opposite direction, is likely to be travelling at much the
>>>> same speed as you are, so the gap is getting smaller twice as
>>>> quickly as you thought.
>>>
>>> On an "A" road (presumably NSL) oncoming traffic in this case would
>>> be going three times faster than the overtaking vehicle leading to
>>> a very narrow overtaking opportunity. Even more care needed than
>>> usual.
>>
>> I have lived in London now for about 8 years and am very comfortable
>> with driving in the suburbs and central London at all times of day.
>> Before this I lived in deepest Bedfordshire and drove for about 20 of
>> these years in a car and prior to that a motorbike.
>>
>> Aside from a few visits down the A1 / M11 back home or the A12 to the
>> in laws andr indeed a fairly frequent traveller abroad, I don't do
>> that much driving on "normal" roads in this country anymore. Last
>> Easter we drove down to the bracing delights of Skegness - Dont ask
>> why please - and I was suddenly smacked in the face when I realised
>> that I was back in the world of overtaking on A / B / minor roads
>> again. It really was that long since I had been on roads where
>> overtaking was pretty much required in order to actually get where we
>> were going in any reasonable amount of time.
>>
>> I know it sounds stupid, but the first time that I had to get going
>> past some lorries etc it really sort of whacked me in the face. I was
>> not especially "worried" it was more like a Tango advert..... I
>> believe I actually remarked "Oooh I am overtaking" which probably
>> seemed obvious to the wife and kids........
>>
>>
>> Richard
>
> Over-taking is not a skill used by as many drivers as in the past.
> Most of my driving is on dual carridgeways (or better) or in more
> congested single carridgeway traffic, where over-taking is pointless,
> because you would progress 40 yards and hit the next group of cars
> etc.
>
> You have to seek out specific B roads to do any over-taking, and now
> most of these roads have much lower limits (than in the past), so it
> is no longer really lawfull to do this.
>
> The standard of driving today is different (perhaps not worse but
> different).
>
> I went on holiday to Ireland and hired a car. You needed to over-take
> there, and also judge narrow lanes / stopping distances.
> But on the few stretches of dual-carridgeway, the local's lane
> discipline was terrible.

When I underwent some driving tuition under a class 1 police driver he
remarked that mine was the first overtake (on a single track road) manouevre
that any pupil had done with him in the passenger seat. I passed (although
I am fairly sure I exceeded the speed limit a little)


From: Adrian on
"Mrcheerful" <nbkm57(a)hotmail.co.uk> gurgled happily, sounding much like
they were saying:

> When I underwent some driving tuition under a class 1 police driver he
> remarked that mine was the first overtake (on a single track road)
> manouevre that any pupil had done with him in the passenger seat. I
> passed (although I am fairly sure I exceeded the speed limit a little)

I think we may differ slightly on our understanding of "single track
road".
From: Brimstone on

"Adrian" <toomany2cvs(a)gmail.com> wrote in message
news:8al6taFpdU3(a)mid.individual.net...
> "Mrcheerful" <nbkm57(a)hotmail.co.uk> gurgled happily, sounding much like
> they were saying:
>
>> When I underwent some driving tuition under a class 1 police driver he
>> remarked that mine was the first overtake (on a single track road)
>> manouevre that any pupil had done with him in the passenger seat. I
>> passed (although I am fairly sure I exceeded the speed limit a little)
>
> I think we may differ slightly on our understanding of "single track
> road".

I too was wondering how one overtakes on a "single track road".


From: Cynic on
On Mon, 19 Jul 2010 23:24:13 +0100, "Clot" <clot.1(a)ntlglobe.goon>
wrote:

>Having followed the two threads, I appreciate money is tight. After my
>younger son passed his test (through a Driving School), I was not happy that
>he could accommodate situations such as this and paid for him to go on the
>Pass Plus course, which incidentally reduced his insurance premium.

>I subsequently rode with him as he drove my car on a motorway and, by the
>sound of it, the sort of roads you were on. It dramatically improved his
>perception of road conditions. I can commend them.

>I think the cost was circa �200.

>Talk to your parents, they might cough up for their peace of mind!

A very good way IMO is to find an experienced driver who will sit in
the passenger's seat. (It really needs to be an older person rather
than a young blood who claims to be the dog's bollocks when it comes
to driving.) You then have someone who can give you instant advice
whenever you get into a situation that you are uncertain about and who
you can discuss your thoughts with vis a vis upsetting other road
users etc.

A parent may be suitable, but it is often the case that the best
person to give such advice is not the person who changed your nappies
17 or so years ago!

--
Cynic



From: Mrcheerful on
Brimstone wrote:
> "Adrian" <toomany2cvs(a)gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:8al6taFpdU3(a)mid.individual.net...
>> "Mrcheerful" <nbkm57(a)hotmail.co.uk> gurgled happily, sounding much
>> like they were saying:
>>
>>> When I underwent some driving tuition under a class 1 police driver
>>> he remarked that mine was the first overtake (on a single track
>>> road) manouevre that any pupil had done with him in the passenger
>>> seat. I passed (although I am fairly sure I exceeded the speed
>>> limit a little)
>>
>> I think we may differ slightly on our understanding of "single track
>> road".
>
> I too was wondering how one overtakes on a "single track road".

one width of road with one lane in each direction and no central reservation
was what I meant (as opposed to a dual carriageway).