So what would you have done?

noiseboy72

So twice while out today I ended up undertaking people in dubious circumstances, but would you have done the same? Bearing in mind I am driving my 240BHP BMW Z4 which is small, quick and really maneuverable.

1: I was following an Audi Q3 along a single carriageway road up to a roundabout. I was turning left, so indicated and stayed in the left hand lane. The Q3 didn't indicate but drifted into the middle lane as if going straight on as he entered the roundabout. As the roundabout was clear, I undertook the lumbering mini SUV, booted it and exited the roundabout. Looking in the mirror I saw that the Q3 was now behind me, having used the middle lane to turn left, using lane 2 on the roundabout exit and filtering back in as it ended. In hindsight, I think he was going too quickly as he entered the roundabout to make the inside lane and had under-steered into the middle lane. Would you have waited for him to sort himself or just have mouthed "T!t" and carried on? The danger being that he could cut back inside if he was not expecting me to be there.

2: At a busy right hand junction - signal controlled, there's a very short turn lane due to another minor junction to the left just before the lights - so traffic coming towards you has a filter lane and tiny ghost island. There's a car ahead that is in the right turn lane. leaving about enough room for 1 more car (It's really that short!) before the oncoming turn lane and another car just ahead of me is indicating right and is in the middle of the road, but waiting before the ghost island. There's shops and off road parking opposite at this point, so I assume she is waiting to turn into one of those spaces. I undertake her and join the filter lane, turning right shortly afterwards. I look in my mirror to see her following! Would you have waited behind her to see if she was turning right at the junction or was I just being impatient??

Comments welcome

DOBLY

#1 - you were in the correct lane to turn left - the fact that there was another car in another lane doing something slower than you is largely irrelevant.  I would have done the same as you.

#2 - I can't quite picture the situation from your description, so won't comment.

I find that lots of other drivers can't decide where to position their vehicle, especially when given a choice, and often don't indicate their intentions until they have started or even completed their maneuver.

I tend to keep left when going left, right when going right as a basic rule of thumb.

Greg Hook

I’d have done the same for number 1.
As with Dobly, I’ve no idea what you are describing in number 2!

You do have to drive for other people these days. Too many shockingly poor drivers out there who seem to have no idea what they are doing.

IronGiant

Agree with others on 1, and if I interpret 2 correctly you assumed she wasn't turning right at the junction but turning right into parking before it so you went around her and in effect "cut her up" even though you didn't do so in any dangerous way. So I would say that you misinterpreted her actions, but having done so, acted correctly for what you perceived she was planning to do. So more oops than wrong

un1eash

Neither is what I would define as undertaking.

IronGiant

Agreed and rather more succinctly put

ChuckMountain

I would be slightly worried if the q3 had actually understeered going into the roundabout.  More likely they didn't know where they were going or can't drive.

At a roundabout you don't have to wait for the others in the other lanes, it's up to you if you think you can safely make the maneuver. I guess the question is what happens of a traffic officer was behind you, would your booting have been considered careless?

jendo

Anyone who analyzes their driving looking for learning points gets my respect.

Bl4ckGryph0n

1. At first description I would have done the same. However your hindsight analysis seem to suggest a different possibility of what the vehicle may have been up to. Regardless of the ability of my vehicle I’d probably would have played it safe (in my mind) and hung back to let them make up their mind.

2. Similar story. I would probably have hung back and let the other vehicle be clear about their manoeuvre and intentions.

But saying that, unless actually presented with either situation who knows what actual decision I’d have made in the moment.

As was mentioned, I wouldn’t class either as undertaking per se.