speeding up when being overtaken...

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 8:25 am

It is against the law, I believe, for a motorist to increase their speed when being overtaken on one lane each way roads ???

Was on a bit of a drive along the highway and found self stuck behind a woman of her sixties ? (if not, she bloody looked it!) , 100kph signposted and she is doing 90 to 95, as is her right, through some mildly non straight stuff. Given the no straight stuff I wait until the long straight stretch comes up, can see ahead for two kms or so. As this comes up, no one heading towards us on the otherside, so I pull out to pass and WTF, is she going faster all of a sudden ?? So , with plenty of room ahead, I level with her, check my GPS speedo reads smooth 109 long enough to see it is 109 and settled at 109, glance across and mutter something, with her looking at me, then I pass with plenty of room. For the next 15km she remains at the same distance behind me, 300metres back as I travel at 101 - 103 giving her room to accelerate again and catch up, she kept the gap much the same through some more curves and sligtly bendy stuff, and when do you reckon she caught up ?? Only as I have slowed to 40k for the roadworks does she catch up - indicating to me she did not slow to 40 when I did !

My theory is, she felt that she was being overtaken, decided she was not going fast enough so provided some more to her go pedal while I was in the process of overtaking! She was not trying to race me but bloody hell, an increase of 15kph in that short space of time ??

No wonder some die when overtaking - head on collision , no witnesses ....

Stretchomatic · Post by **Stretchomatic** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 8:49 am

Useless drivers. I come across the 'big hat landcruiser drivers' a fair bit. They sit between 80 and 90 in the 100 zone, then slow to 70 in the 50 zone.
You overtake them at 100. They overtake you at 50. Then you get to overtake them heading into the 100 zone again.

Do landcruiser speedos operate in increments of 20 or 30 kms at a time?

Cheers, Stretch.

T.Farm.Brumby · Post by **T.Farm.Brumby** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 10:24 am

Found the same thing with cruiser drivers stretch, spot on.
Although sometimes if I'm driving down the highway in Emma and some tool in a bombodore is riding my ass or something, I will speed up to stop him overtaking me

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 11:09 am

Yeah.. it's annoying big time. I can not count the amount of times it's happened to me

In WA, the law states...

When being overtaken,

1) Keep well left to allow plenty of clearence for any overtaking vehicle and be prepared to brake if the other vehicle suddenly cuts back in front of you.
2) Never drive in a manner that prevents another vehicle from overtaking yours.
3) Dip your lights at night time as the overtaking vehicle approahes the front of your vehicle.

tambox · Post by **tambox** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 12:00 pm

When I drive up to the farm, I get stuck behind cars doing 85-95kmh, then when it comes to the overtaking lanes, they speed up to 100-105kmh, abviously because the road is wider and safer.

That was really annoying, unitl I spent a few days riding a motorbike around Cairns, man, thev'e got there own road rules up there, survival of those with a good reaction time. Lots of new cars up there, I guess they don't survive long.

60766244 · Post by **60766244** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 3:42 pm

Ahh this really winds me up.

Not only is it annoying, but it's also plain dangerous.

What grinds my gears also is 110kmph limits on massive, empty, high quality roads, then seeing the same limit on roads to my place (gravel, windy, thin).

Put up the speed on the fancy roads damnit! How much better would the outback be if limits moved up to 160 for LVs?!

Also,

Fat people on scooters.

You're means of transport is underpowered for your heft, you should never sit in the overtaking lane, and never ever wind between traffic. Been tempted so many times by my bullbar and a fatty on a scooter doing 15 under the limit in built up traffic.

Get a bigger bike!

/Rant

Davidov · Post by **Davidov** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 3:53 pm

60766244 wrote:Ahh this really winds me up.

Not only is it annoying, but it's also plain dangerous.

What grinds my gears also is 110kmph limits on massive, empty, high quality roads, then seeing the same limit on roads to my place (gravel, windy, thin).

Put up the speed on the fancy roads damnit! How much better would the outback be if limits moved up to 160 for LVs?!

/Rant

IMO The highways in WA aren't good enough to warrant anymore than 110km/h. For example heading north from Perth on the coast road, between Jurien and dongara the highways there arent even safe at 110 for a lot of vehicles.

The problem is that there is such a diverse range of vehicles with different capabilities. Sure out nice fancy post 2000 subarus would handle 140 on most highways fine, but what about those 1990's 2wd shiteboxes?

Sure they don't HAVE to do the limit, but the problem is there are all these impatient A-HOLES that rage when someone doesn't do the limit on the highway and ride their ass and pressure them to go faster.

More on topic,
I HATE idiots who speed up when overtaking. Its downright dangerous. Almost as bad as people who dont put on their low beams on the highway.

60766244 · Post by **60766244** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 5:51 pm

Davidov wrote:...people who dont put on their low beams on the highway.

Maybe it's just the Brumby... But I swear I seem to suffer from glare more now than any other vehicle.

If someone's shining me up, I tend to just slow right down and let them overtake. If they're being rude, they'll cop full force of Brumby's Lightforce.

Also, places like the Freeway heading south could easily cope with limit raising. 2 or more lanes, very heavy grade asphalt, caged off to minimize animal contact, and well lit/visioned. Perfect.

dfoyl · Post by **dfoyl** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 6:59 pm

The correct name for these type of drivers is "Triffids" - as coined by the infamous Romsey Quints from Sports Car World back in the mid-70s.

A particular favourite was "accelerating briskly against the overtaking car in a Tight Spot", but there were many more habits of these infernal Triffids noted back in the day that still apply today.

Subyroo · Post by **Subyroo** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 8:41 pm

The drivers that wind me up are those who can't find the LH lane and those who sit in your blind spot on dual carriageways.
FFS overtake me or back off and let me pass the slower car in front.

WeeGee · Post by **WeeGee** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 9:20 pm

People who coast along in the right lane doing 10 under piss me off or those who decide to pull into the right lane to overtake as I'm approaching them from behind at 20k's over whatever dumbass speed they happen to be doing (which doesn't change as they go about their overtaking maneuver). And people who cannot roundabout, its easy... so is merging. Gah. If I can flick on my cruise control and sit back uninterrupted for the entirety of my highway journey I'm a happy man.

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 9:27 pm

Even worse is the driver that sits on 90kph, then speeds up for the duration of a overtaking lane, then slows down again once the lanes merge.

Adelaide to Victor Road is idiot central in my book.

**shakes fist**

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 10:00 pm

Haha I see some idiots driving to and from work every day, mostly same as above i.e doing 10 or 15 under, in the right hand lane. Worst I ever saw was some nut doing less than 60 in a 70 zone, and slowed down as he went past a safety camera. People who slow down for a green light, then speed up again on the other side, people who literally hit the brakes every 2-3 seconds on a flat straight road, people who slam the brakes on when they see a car that wants to turn left onto the road they're on even though the other car stops...and of course those who don't know how a round a bout works...

All this and more every day, by now nothing surprises me and I just have to keep calm so I stay sane

NachaLuva · Post by **NachaLuva** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 11:54 pm

Haha some excellent rants here

Dont get me started on drivers so busy texting they dont even acknowledge there are other cars on the same road! Or eating cereal! Or reading a book!!

60766244 · Post by **60766244** » Thu Feb 21, 2013 3:27 pm

NachaLuva wrote: Haha some excellent rants here ...

NachaLuva wrote: Don't get me started on drivers so busy texting ...

Saw a Trucky back a semi down a thin driveway today. Nearly hit the Colourbond fencing 3 times. He was texting as he did so. Impressive he managed it without incident, sad he considers it normal operations.

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Thu Feb 21, 2013 7:48 pm

NachaLuva wrote:Haha some excellent rants here

Dont get me started on drivers so busy texting they dont even acknowledge there are other cars on the same road! Or eating cereal! Or reading a book!!

I like we are protected by steel...riding motorbikes these days is a real risk.

Mine collects a lot of dust (sad face)

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Thu Feb 21, 2013 8:09 pm

tambox wrote:When I drive up to the farm, I get stuck behind cars doing 85-95kmh, then when it comes to the overtaking lanes, they speed up to 100-105kmh, abviously because the road is wider and safer.

This ALWAYS drives me nuts! Especially when you know that they know you want to pass them

60766244 wrote:Maybe it's just the Brumby... But I swear I seem to suffer from glare more now than any other vehicle.

Not just you. HIDs should be outlawed as they're down right dangerous. But in general the laws on low beams have changed around the time of the ford AU's from memory. The number of cars I flash thinking that they're still on high beam is phenomenal! But I do like it when I'm right

sven '2' wrote:Even worse is the driver that sits on 90kph, then speeds up for the duration of a overtaking lane, then slows down again once the lanes merge.

Again, this infuriates me! Worst is when you're loaded, on tight windy roads that you know you can safely travel at a "better speed" - only to be held up by some overly cautious numpty that really needs to learn how to drive who then speeds up when you can finally get a decent run to pass them - only to be stuck behind them again in the slow (for them) stuff.

sven '2' wrote:Adelaide to Victor Road is idiot central in my book.

**shakes fist**

Well, it is the holiday capital of SA isn't it?? And most in SA can't drive anyway - they're like Bendigoians!

Cheers

Bennie

Subyroo · Post by **Subyroo** » Thu Feb 21, 2013 11:09 pm

NachaLuva wrote:Haha some excellent rants here

Dont get me started on drivers so busy texting they dont even acknowledge there are other cars on the same road! Or eating cereal! Or reading a book!!

Last Winter we pulled up beside a woman driver eating porridge at the lights, when the lights changed she casually put the bowl on the passenger seat and off she went like nothing was ever going to ruin her day.

Another day at the same set of lights we saw a guy with full blown earphones ala Sennheiser style and he was bopping along to the radio probably shattering his eardrums in the process.

Last week we passed a young girl cruising along at 110km/h on the Bruce Hwy with both hands over the top of the steering wheel happily texting away, oblivious to the traffic around her.

Times like that you wished you owned a big 4x4 with a bullbar to give them a gentle nudge into the table drain like the USA cops do.

Stretchomatic · Post by **Stretchomatic** » Thu Feb 21, 2013 11:16 pm

My brumby has a bullbar...but somehow i dont think it will cause the desired effect...

Cheers, Stretch.

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Fri Feb 22, 2013 5:54 am

El_Freddo wrote:
Well, it is the holiday capital of SA isn't it?? And most in SA can't drive anyway - they're like Bendigoians!

Cheers

Bennie

Is one of the more popular spots in summer.

And yes, most people in SA cannot drive - every time I drive interstate am amazed that when you indicate to change lanes, you are let in, rather than the do or die 'must protect MY lane from intruders' attitude the natives have here.