A chap in Audi this morning

[janm399]

This morning was the first time someone in a new-looking Audi performed a textbook overtake in Heaton Moor in Manchester. He even indicated when he pulled back in!
I caught up with him when he stopped near the shops and commented on his good driving; he was really chuffed.

 

[Ben M]

 

[upsidedown]

I had a terrible pass by a Q5 the other day, presumably they are the new must have school run dippy mom-mobile.
Not as big as the Q7 but equally pretentious and ugly.

 

[Panter]

That's really cool

Much as I love Audi's, I do think that on the whole they have a tendency to be driven by knobs.
Nice to hear of an exception

 

[xpc316e]

I love the way you say that it was a textbook overtake and then go on to say that he indicated to pull back in - did you honestly expect him to drive on the wrong side of the road until he reached the end of his journey? I always think that someone is going to slam on the brakes and cut across me to take a junction on my nearside that I have failed to notice when I see indicators come on after an overtake. Ever noticed how some drivers will overtake on a dual carriageway and still indicate left to pull back in when they are close to an off-slip? Indicators when overtaking serve little or no purpose and are used 'automatically' by many drivers who think that a 21 watt flashing light bulb makes their manoeuvre legitimate.

 

[Lizban]

I love the way you say that it was a textbook overtake and then go on to say that he indicated to pull back in - did you honestly expect him to drive on the wrong side of the road until he reached the end of his journey? I always think that someone is going to slam on the brakes and cut across me to take a junction on my nearside that I have failed to notice when I see indicators come on after an overtake. Ever noticed how some drivers will overtake on a dual carriageway and still indicate left to pull back in when they are close to an off-slip? Indicators when overtaking serve little or no purpose and are used 'automatically' by many drivers who think that a 21 watt flashing light bulb makes their manoeuvre legitimate.

Simple test was the indication helpful to another road user - if so it worth doing if not it's not.

Sounds like it was in this case

 

[Tynan]

indicating in and out is correct and would only be mistaken for a signal to exit because people make such a pig of signaling to exit

 

[Neddy]

I believe that you shouldn't indicate left to complete an overtake. We drive on the left anyway, so you are merely returning to the correct road position. However, on a motorway where you are swapping lanes it can be helpful to signal intent to other road users.

To return to the thread, I was going to post about a similar 'incident' yesterday. The road bears left with a junction to the right and traffic islands before and after (to deter stupid overtakes). Immediately after that, it opens up to a 40mph zone. On my way home last night, I was approaching the pinch-point and I knew I had a BMW 4x4 behind me. Needless to say, I was bracing myself for a close overtake. To my surprise as it approached, the engine note changed and the driver calmly waited behind me until we were well clear of the danger zone. So, it is possible to own a BMW and a 4x4 and still drive courteously.

 

[Arch]

Indicating to pull back in would suggest to me someone who a) had noticed me and regarded me as traffic, and I'd certainly see it as positive. Good on him, and good on janm for a) telling him and reinforcing the good behaviour and putting a positive story on here.

 

[thomas]

Indicating to pull back in would suggest to me someone who a) had noticed me and regarded me as traffic

I probably wouldn't signal past a cyclists unless I felt it benefited other road users.

 

[janm399]

I think I got my careful signaling from years of driving in central Europe. One should signal right before you overtake to tell drivers behind you that you're about to move out and left again to let the person you're overtaking know that you're about to pull back in. A nice side effect is that if people need to signal to pull back in, they are more likely to check that it's safe to do so.
I also remember being told to give cyclists plenty of room; I guess it comes from the fact that even the elderly regularly ride over there and they're not the most predictable riders.

Eh, what can I say; when I was young, we didn't have any dangerous driving. And bikes were made from steel and wood

 

[Arch]

I probably wouldn't signal past a cyclists unless I felt it benefited other road users.

we don't know if there was a car behind. And my point is, he might have been indicating for the benefit of the cyclist, which shows about 100% more awareness and thoughtfulness than many.

It's like holding a door open for someone. You don't have to, but it's nice when someone does.

Frankly, using indicators at all seems to be going out of fashion...

 

[Arch]

I think I got my careful signaling from years of driving in central Europe. One should signal right before you overtake to tell drivers behind you that you're about to move out and left again to let the person you're overtaking know that you're about to pull back in. A nice side effect is that if people need to signal to pull back in, they are more likely to check that it's safe to do so.
I also remember being told to give cyclists plenty of room; I guess it comes from the fact that even the elderly regularly ride over there and they're not the most predictable riders.

Eh, what can I say; when I was young, we didn't have any dangerous driving. And bikes were made from steel and wood

A good point - it shows the driver is more likely to be actually concentrating...

 

[sheddy]

Nowt wrong with indicating - shame that most are too lazy or stupid

 

[thomas]

Frankly, using indicators at all seems to be going out of fashion...

Nowt wrong with indicating - shame that most are too lazy or stupid

It annoys the hell out of me when people don't signal out of roundabouts, just I don't think you need to signal for everything. I'm not criticising the driver, it does show that they're paying attention..I'm just saying that in some situations I probably wouldn't....having said that, I've not driven in nearly half a year now.