Overtaking on the left

[stRobe]

I just watched Crimewatch and there was a segment on motorcycles.

 

It was mentioned that motorcyclist should avoid overtaking on the left. e.g. i am on lane 2, then move to lane 3 to overtake a vehicle in front.

 

Actually what are the reasons this is discouraged?

 

I overtake on the left myself, and quite often too. Especially if there are fast moving vehicles on lane 1 and the vehicle in front is too slow.

[Fad]

I didn't watch the show, but i think it's because drivers in general take less caution when switching lane to the left. Usually when they switch to the left, it's to filter out and they might think that there won't be any vehicles since the left lane is meant for those at slower speeds. Vice versa, when u want to switch to the fast lane, u will be more careful cos right lane usually faster traffic.

 

Another thing is maybe the blind area of the left rear of the car is more than the right, therefore less chance of spotting a bike.

 

I sometimes overtake on the left too, due to the road hoggers. i feel it's abit safer than on the right sometimes when the speed is too fast and furious and mine is just a small bike, cannot overtake fast enough.

[xiaobanz]

Ya, i'm also riding a small bike and sometimes i find that overtaking on the left is safer. Although we are taught to overtake on the right, but i feel that most of the time is quite dangerous as the right most lanes are usually for the faster vehicles.

[contrarian]

From personal experience, here is one reason:

 

The one overtaking on the left changes lane to the middle lane at the same time as another overtaking vehicle from the right lane to the middle lane.

 

You don't expect the other guy coming from the right, and he can't see and doesn't expect you to come from the left while he's doing the overtaking from the right.

[R_yan_2]

like some of us already said. . .we generally dun check on the left side when we want to change to the left lane. . .so its nt that safe to overtake on the left unless u use a bloody bright headlight to warn others u are overtaking on the left but then again bright headlight distract . . and also if you think its not safe to overtake on the right because vehicles-esp all the rossis and capirossi- tend to go fast on the roght most lane , simple. . . don overtake lorrr. . . better be safe rather than have a sense of satisfaction as WE sometimes do stupid stufffs to feed our EGO until satisfy. . .

Edited August 5, 2010 by DM

[snowparang]

like some of us already said. . .we generally dun check on the left side when we want to change to the left lane. . .

Something's not right about this...

[Yatz86]

whats with the big yellow fonts...sounds angry.

[ost28]

lolz

yea ... looks as if he's shouting ya ?

 

anyway .. i also always overtake from left also as mentioned from bros above..

 

but ultimately ... juz pay attention to the traffic around u lor..

take a glance to where ever u are goin or intend to change lane to plus ride defensively and safely lor

 

crimewatch advise not to overtake from left only mah .. not cannot wad.

 

safety comes 1st lor

juz my point of views

[xiaobanz]

Haha yupz i agree. Most of the time is due to circumstances that we have to change on the left. But for me is that you have to be even more concern of your safety then should not be a prob le.

[kito]

yeah agree too..well just remember to check ur left blindspot when changing lane..coz sometimes some hell riders also tend to speed on e left lane lane..

[karmatrix]

If you're overtaking, you accelerate...but if you are exiting out of highway, you slowdown, thus the advise.

[mohgui]

i'm guilty too for overtaking on the left. however, whether i overtake on the left or right, i'll always check my rear before doing so. also check the front and see if any jokers on the left do a sudden lane change as well.

[Arturius]

1 or 2 ppl overtake from the left not so bad lar but imagine many ppl doing that, sure chaos one.

[Arcfire]

1 or 2 ppl overtake from the left not so bad lar but imagine many ppl doing that, sure chaos one.

 

But that is what happens if you have a numbnut going at 60km/h on the middle lane of the expressway......

[ost28]

well by right as we all learnt from driving centers.. always overtake on right mah ..

so by right is right..

lolz

[Refugee]

In theory....

 

By right....

 

By law....

 

"Keep left unless overtaking"

 

Lane 1 is used for overtaking....but singapore too many vehicles... if keep lane 1 empty... CTE everyday jam from chin swee tunnel to Mandai Avenue....

[jackson_ngo]

I never understand why is overtaking on the left dangerous until once when I drove (a car) along msia NS highway, those 2 lanes one. there was an ambulance on the right lane travelling at about 100km/h. I was already very near to the tail of the ambulance, hoping the ambulance will keep to the left to allow my car to pass but they just dun bother and I dun blame them as they have all the rights to use the right lane.

 

I then pick up my speed and tries to overtake from it's left. To my suprise!! there is a tralier moving on the left lane without any light at turtle speed. btw it was during the night. I quickly does a e brake with my heart in my throat to avoid tail kissing the trailer and move back to the rear of the ambulance. It will be disaster if my reaction had been slower.

 

Lesson learned.

[byteblock]

i second that.only my outcome wasn't so lucky,and it was ith a car instead.bad move to overtake from the left dude.

 

I never understand why is overtaking on the left dangerous until once when I drove (a car) along msia NS highway, those 2 lanes one. there was an ambulance on the right lane travelling at about 100km/h. I was already very near to the tail of the ambulance, hoping the ambulance will keep to the left to allow my car to pass but they just dun bother and I dun blame them as they have all the rights to use the right lane.

 

I then pick up my speed and tries to overtake from it's left. To my suprise!! there is a tralier moving on the left lane without any light at turtle speed. btw it was during the night. I quickly does a e brake with my heart in my throat to avoid tail kissing the trailer and move back to the rear of the ambulance. It will be disaster if my reaction had been slower.

 

Lesson learned.

[sfowner]

There are rules and there are rules. Cannot apply blindly.

On the road, must be nimble and flexible enough to figure out what is safe to do... for ourselves and also others.

One more thing to look out for when overtaking (left or right) is vehicle ahead turns (left or right), right into us. Especially on roads with many side streets, and they don't signal.

Ride safe.

[FY]

Overtake from which lane there's no restrictions, as long as you check it properly and make sure its safe to do it!

I overtake from emergency lane also sometimes, opps

[Revan]

I think if you have to do it, make sure the overtaking is completed as soon as possible.

[Idono]

I'm both a rider & driver. As mention b4. Drivers tend to be more "careless" on their left side. Also, as drivers are seated on the right, whatever is happening on the right is more obvious to us. However, I think the most impt point is that drivers do not expect to be overtaken on the left + if the driver is not experienced & not a rider himself, he/she cannot imagine how fast bikes can accelerate.

[Pandoras Kitten 3]

I prefer to overtake the proper way but there are cases where everyone and their cat and dog filters right immediately after a highway entry, leaving the left lane completely empty. It's blatantly unsafe to join the rest of the crowd tailgating each other waiting to see who kisses bumpers first.

 

Lane 1 in rush hour = prepare to jam brakes at any time. Someone cuts in front of the convoy of cars you're following and that's it, emergency brakes en masse. Most street bikes today have no ABS so.......

 

Lane 2-4 - safe separation between vehicles, constant speed.

 

There are also instances whereby you're being tailgated, wish to speed up and overtake to avoid the road hog ahead and some typical mei you jia jiao driver/rider purposely slows down beside you on lane 1 creating a sandwich situation.

 

In this case while it's against common road rules to "undertake" from the left, sometimes you gotta take care of your own skin first.

[CSV]

possibly because being right hand drives, drivers can see more from their right side than they do on the left. field of vision. and also habit.

[Your Mother]

The reason as to why we're thought to overtake on the right is because of the perception that we have to filter on on the left. Thus, to overtake on the right. I too am very much guilty of overtaking on the left sometimes because of road hoggers but nevertheless to all riders, please do exercise checking of blind spots whenever changing a lane.

 

Rmb. Safety first.