“Undertaking”
Watched a video this morning on Threads filmed by passenger, asking what a certain vehicle was.
The video was recorded from the perspective of a car in lane 2 and in the distance appeared to be bubble car in lane 1. The video starts just as the car passes underneath a signed gantry indicating lane 1 is for exiting at the next junction 0.5 miles away, and lanes 2-3 are for the NORTH. Vehicles in lane 1 are moving faster than those in lane 2.
The far majority of replies to the video are people smugly telling the poster that the driver is in the wrong lane, forcing cars to undertake it, that they should be in lane 1 and that it is an offence to sit in lane 2.
Clearly there is a large section of the population who think “undertaking” is an actual offence defined in the Highway Code while actually not knowing what the offence is.
I genuinely think driving would be improved if people had to retake a one question driving test every two years on “undertaking”.
Comments
I'm a big believer that periodic retesting would be a good thing for driving standards (obviously) but also the economy, as you'd invent an entirely new sector for people brushing up on their driving skills, and hopefully making that something to aspire to.
I would hate to go through the stress of being retested and risk losing my license. I also think it would be mostly unnecessary. Driving, like most skills, improves with experience, regardless of whether, on the spot, we can identify all traffic signs or road markings and the like.
Yes i always get on a line about how "driving past somebody on their left hand side" is very different from "undertaking" which I always think of being where you change lanes to go around somebody on their left side then cut back out in front of them whilst gesturing aggressively in your rear view mirror.
The lack of observation from fellow drivers in those kinds of situations where there are clearly signs indicating what is correct never ceases to astound me
The lack of observation from fellow drivers in those kinds of situations where there are clearly signs indicating what is correct never ceases to astound me
I walked across the entrance to a car park this morning and was nearly run down by an irate driver wound up by the need to buy everything in Tesco for Christmas.
So few people seem to understand that pedestrians have right of way at junctions, car park entrances, etc. I wasn't even waiting to cross the road - I had already stepped on to the road.
So few people seem to understand that pedestrians have right of way at junctions, car park entrances, etc. I wasn't even waiting to cross the road - I had already stepped on to the road.
I'm pretty sure those enhanced rights for pedestrians were only codified in 2022. Another argument for periodic retesting - to keep people au fait with the evolving Highway Code!ewal said:I walked across the entrance to a car park this morning and was nearly run down by an irate driver wound up by the need to buy everything in Tesco for Christmas.
So few people seem to understand that pedestrians have right of way at junctions, car park entrances, etc. I wasn't even waiting to cross the road - I had already stepped on to the road.
If you can pass someone on the inside they are in the wrong lane !
whilst generally correct, if you overtake them on the left and this causes an incident, you'll be the one had up for it.M1ck said:If you can pass someone on the inside they are in the wrong lane !
A far more sensible solution is to follow them home, wait until the wee small hours, silently gain entry to their property and then "educate" them on proper lane discipline.
It isn't an offence but if undertaking causes an accident then you can be done for careless or dangerous driving, depending on the consequences.euan said:Clearly there is a large section of the population who think “undertaking” is an actual offence defined in the Highway Code while actually not knowing what the offence is.
euan said:The far majority of replies to the video are people smugly telling the poster that the driver is in the wrong lane, forcing cars to undertake it, that they should be in lane 1 and that it is an offence to sit in lane 2.
"Highway Code Rule 264:
You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past. Slow-moving or speed-restricted vehicles should always remain in the left-hand lane of the carriageway unless overtaking. You MUST NOT drive on the hard shoulder except in an emergency or if directed to do so by the police, traffic officers in uniform or by signs."
You can get a £100 fine and three points but it is so common place and hardly anyone gets charged.
I used to get annoyed by people driving in the middle lane.
These days I don't bother.
What I really hate is when some toss pot, annoyed with someone driving in the middle lane, speeds up, overtakes and then drives 3 lanes across, cutting up the person in the middle lane to say 'you should move over'.
It is dumb and dangerous.
The other thing I dislike is when cars intentionally block motorcycles from filtering in stopped traffic.
It is legal to filter (and safer for the bike), but some people don't know this, especially in the north of England in my experience.
You can get a £100 fine and three points but it is so common place and hardly anyone gets charged.
I used to get annoyed by people driving in the middle lane.
These days I don't bother.
What I really hate is when some toss pot, annoyed with someone driving in the middle lane, speeds up, overtakes and then drives 3 lanes across, cutting up the person in the middle lane to say 'you should move over'.
It is dumb and dangerous.
The other thing I dislike is when cars intentionally block motorcycles from filtering in stopped traffic.
It is legal to filter (and safer for the bike), but some people don't know this, especially in the north of England in my experience.
What if their lane is turning right, and is busier than yours which is turning left?M1ck said:If you can pass someone on the inside they are in the wrong lane !
if the middle and fast lanes are for "straight on" and that's where you need to go, why would you go in the left lane in this scenario? It's not always easy to move over at the last second and is probably more dangerous to do so.
A lot of the time people who moan about people being in the wrong lane or not pulling off quickly enough etc are just unaware of what the person they are getting annoyed at can see from their position
A lot of the time people who moan about people being in the wrong lane or not pulling off quickly enough etc are just unaware of what the person they are getting annoyed at can see from their position
When being on the motorway isn’t part of the test it’s no surprise.
Even then though… I was in a restaurant a few months ago and this guy in his 80s was talking to his early 20s relative at the next table about how she just passed her test.
He was asking her all sorts of questions like “if you entered a roundabout/if you’re doing this and that what would you do?”
She couldn’t answer any of them and he started to get a bit wound up.
He was asking her all sorts of questions like “if you entered a roundabout/if you’re doing this and that what would you do?”
She couldn’t answer any of them and he started to get a bit wound up.
Finally she said “I can’t remember, it was 6 months ago!” and he had to say “6 months?! I took mine 50 years ago and I’ve remembered!!”
I hate when you're in the left or middle lane during some delays and different lanes are moving at different speeds which ebb and flow. Occasionally you'll be undertaking hundreds of cars, any of which might try to dart into your lane at any moment with no observation or indication.
People think passing on the left is the offence rather than overtaking on the left.octatonic said:It isn't an offence but if undertaking causes an accident then you can be done for careless or dangerous driving, depending on the consequences.euan said:Clearly there is a large section of the population who think “undertaking” is an actual offence defined in the Highway Code while actually not knowing what the offence is.euan said:The far majority of replies to the video are people smugly telling the poster that the driver is in the wrong lane, forcing cars to undertake it, that they should be in lane 1 and that it is an offence to sit in lane 2."Highway Code Rule 264:You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past. Slow-moving or speed-restricted vehicles should always remain in the left-hand lane of the carriageway unless overtaking. You MUST NOT drive on the hard shoulder except in an emergency or if directed to do so by the police, traffic officers in uniform or by signs."
You can get a £100 fine and three points but it is so common place and hardly anyone gets charged.
I used to get annoyed by people driving in the middle lane.
These days I don't bother.
What I really hate is when some toss pot, annoyed with someone driving in the middle lane, speeds up, overtakes and then drives 3 lanes across, cutting up the person in the middle lane to say 'you should move over'.
It is dumb and dangerous.
The other thing I dislike is when cars intentionally block motorcycles from filtering in stopped traffic.
It is legal to filter (and safer for the bike), but some people don't know this, especially in the north of England in my experience.
There is no offence for being in the middle lane. Rule 264 is guidance except for the hard shoulder which is a requirement
I know this not a hill worth dying on but:
undertaking
/ˌʌndəˈteɪkɪŋ/
noun
1.
a formal pledge or promise to do something.
"I give an undertaking that we shall proceed with the legislation"
2.
a task that is taken on; an enterprise.
"a mammoth undertaking that involved digging into the side of a cliff face"
/ˌʌndəˈteɪkɪŋ/
noun
1.
a formal pledge or promise to do something.
"I give an undertaking that we shall proceed with the legislation"
2.
a task that is taken on; an enterprise.
"a mammoth undertaking that involved digging into the side of a cliff face"
And yes, the English language is descriptive not prescriptive and common usage will always win but one car passing another is overtaking. The action described in the comments above is overtaking on the left or inside.
Rant over, I shall crawl back under my rock.
inspired by @JEM s correct post above, but not connected to anything except these are driving things you see all the time that many people don't know. Without looking them up (not that I can stop you) what is a dual carriage way? What does SLOW written on the road mean? What does a green traffic light indicate?
I had to know all these and more when I did my emergency response driving and I had to know the highway code inside out, so I like to spread the suffering.
I had to know all these and more when I did my emergency response driving and I had to know the highway code inside out, so I like to spread the suffering.
And these uses of the word are the only ones present in the Highway CodeJEM said:I know this not a hill worth dying on but:undertaking
/ˌʌndəˈteɪkɪŋ/
noun
1.
a formal pledge or promise to do something.
"I give an undertaking that we shall proceed with the legislation"
2.
a task that is taken on; an enterprise.
"a mammoth undertaking that involved digging into the side of a cliff face"And yes, the English language is descriptive not prescriptive and common usage will always win but one car passing another is overtaking. The action described in the comments above is overtaking on the left or inside.Rant over, I shall crawl back under my rock.
Improves with experience? Lorry and Taxi drivers are always the worst drivers around and have more experience than most.Timcito said:I would hate to go through the stress of being retested and risk losing my license. I also think it would be mostly unnecessary. Driving, like most skills, improves with experience, regardless of whether, on the spot, we can identify all traffic signs or road markings and the like.
Hmm not the thread topic I thought it was going to be.
A dual carriageway has a central divider between the directions, I think.VimFuego said:what is a dual carriage way?
What does SLOW written on the road mean?
What does a green traffic light indicate?
SLOW indicates that whoever was writing the warning about owls was pissed.
Green traffic lights warn of nearby Martians.
What's my prize?
you are 33.333333% correct, so you get 33% of the satisfaction, you can use it all at once or spread it out over a few hours.Sporky said:A dual carriageway has a central divider between the directions, I think.VimFuego said:what is a dual carriage way?
What does SLOW written on the road mean?
What does a green traffic light indicate?
SLOW indicates that whoever was writing the warning about owls was pissed.
Green traffic lights warn of nearby Martians.
What's my prize?
Well, it's what's safe for the road and other drivers/pedestrians etc. It could also be that with age and experience as your reaction time, eyesight worsens you become more dangerous, and you've got bad habits that have formed over time, or you've failed to keep up with new information. Everyone thinks they're a good driver but most really aren't. As a motorcyclist the lack of a basic level of observation of 95% of drivers is astounding.Timcito said:I would hate to go through the stress of being retested and risk losing my license. I also think it would be mostly unnecessary. Driving, like most skills, improves with experience, regardless of whether, on the spot, we can identify all traffic signs or road markings and the like.
not entirely convinced most of the taxi drivers round my way have ever sat a driving test.S56035 said:Improves with experience? Lorry and Taxi drivers are always the worst drivers around and have more experience than most.Timcito said:I would hate to go through the stress of being retested and risk losing my license. I also think it would be mostly unnecessary. Driving, like most skills, improves with experience, regardless of whether, on the spot, we can identify all traffic signs or road markings and the like.
I’m certain that most round here have never even had a lesson!VimFuego said:not entirely convinced most of the taxi drivers round my way have ever sat a driving test.S56035 said:Improves with experience? Lorry and Taxi drivers are always the worst drivers around and have more experience than most.Timcito said:I would hate to go through the stress of being retested and risk losing my license. I also think it would be mostly unnecessary. Driving, like most skills, improves with experience, regardless of whether, on the spot, we can identify all traffic signs or road markings and the like.
I love the new driving code, apparently, as evidenced by many round our way, you don't have to give way to oncoming traffic if there is a parked car on your side of the road, you can just pull out and force the cars on the opposite side, with the right of way, to stop or swerve onto the path, verge or into the ditch. It's brilliant.
Particularly evidenced in thew chaos of drop off time at the local school. My wife hit wing mirrors with an ignorant woman who refused to give way behind a car on her side of the road a couple of years ago and was speeding along, the wing mirror on my wife's car folded back but the mirror on the Karen's car came clean off and bounced down the road, she just zoomed off and didn't stop to pick it up. Dumb c*nt.
Particularly evidenced in thew chaos of drop off time at the local school. My wife hit wing mirrors with an ignorant woman who refused to give way behind a car on her side of the road a couple of years ago and was speeding along, the wing mirror on my wife's car folded back but the mirror on the Karen's car came clean off and bounced down the road, she just zoomed off and didn't stop to pick it up. Dumb c*nt.
I'm convinced that the proliferation of driver aids in modern cars have killed the simple acts of normal vigilance and obsevation and have become dangerous.
To a large degree, you simply don't have to bother looking where you're going anymore.
To a large degree, you simply don't have to bother looking where you're going anymore.
And funnily enough, with some modern cars you have to stop looking where you're going in order to turn on the lights, wipers etc - since they're now controlled via touchscreen instead of a stick or other more tactile controls.SimonC said:I'm convinced that the proliferation of driver aids in modern cars have killed the simple acts of normal vigilance and obsevation and have become dangerous.
To a large degree, you simply don't have to bother looking where you're going anymore.
Around me it seems the general practice has become to only indicate if you are exiting a roundabout.TeleMaster said:Well, it's what's safe for the road and other drivers/pedestrians etc. It could also be that with age and experience as your reaction time, eyesight worsens you become more dangerous, and you've got bad habits that have formed over time, or you've failed to keep up with new information. Everyone thinks they're a good driver but most really aren't. As a motorcyclist the lack of a basic level of observation of 95% of drivers is astounding.Timcito said:I would hate to go through the stress of being retested and risk losing my license. I also think it would be mostly unnecessary. Driving, like most skills, improves with experience, regardless of whether, on the spot, we can identify all traffic signs or road markings and the like.
I'm happy plodding at 55-60 these days in the left hand lane
If traffic is moving in queues, then you may pass on either side of another car.
If someone is driving slowly-ish in the middle lane, I have been known to be at the front of the queue of traffic that passes them on the left if the outside lane is rammed nose to tail, to get past.
Middle lane hoggers should be banged up. They cause the motorway to become congested.
I also can't understand those who get on a dual carriageway and them move straight into the right hand lane cos the want to turn right three roundabouts ahead.
SimonC said:I'm convinced that the proliferation of driver aids in modern cars have killed the simple acts of normal vigilance and obsevation and have become dangerous.
To a large degree, you simply don't have to bother looking where you're going anymore.
The amount of drivers staring at their phones while behind the wheel is the reason I gave up riding my bike. Maybe someone can invent an app which streams the dash cam to the phone?
My common grumpy old man argument with whoever deigns to listen is about mini roundabouts,
lots of people think the law and HC say “give way to traffic from the right”
but what the HC actually says is to give way to traffic ready on the roundabout
lots of people think the law and HC say “give way to traffic from the right”
but what the HC actually says is to give way to traffic ready on the roundabout
Now, anything already on the roundabout who you might crash with re going to be on the right, but that is different to saying any traffic from the right , nd specifically traffic on the right but which is not on the roundabout yet
not so critical on large roundabouts, but massive cause of traffic snarl ups on mini roundabouts where huge traffic tailbacks are caused by cars from the right at a mini r driving at speed through the roundabout because nothing is coming from their right
HC only says, “treat a miniR the same s other Rs”, so one should only give way to traffic already on the roundabout, nd not traffic that is coming at 40 mph from the right when there is a queue in our lane (every day).
not so critical on large roundabouts, but massive cause of traffic snarl ups on mini roundabouts where huge traffic tailbacks are caused by cars from the right at a mini r driving at speed through the roundabout because nothing is coming from their right
HC only says, “treat a miniR the same s other Rs”, so one should only give way to traffic already on the roundabout, nd not traffic that is coming at 40 mph from the right when there is a queue in our lane (every day).