Moggy

Funny thing-peoples perceptions of other cars.

Generally most people avoid confrontation with the M5-I think it's probably because it looks like a unmarked police car from 100yds back.

MarkB

With something that has a huge scoop on the bonnet?

Every cockend in their Golf knows what's coming up behind them and makes it their life's mission to 'beat' it.

Stealthy it ain't.

NigelC

Try hanging back a bit more before the overtake. This will often allow you to read the road a bit further ahead due to improved forward visibility.
Hanging back usually makes the car in front think any 'threat' of an overtake is removed. Change down, overtake and by the time the car in front realises, you are usually level and you can then use the slingshot of extra speed to get you where you want to be and the car being overtaken usually doesn't have time to close the gap.
Hope that makes sense but it seems to work for me.

MarkB

The problem with this, if I read your post correctly is that by the time you get to the back of them, closing speed is quite high.
So unless you've done the recommended 'move out, accelerate', rather than what most people do (accelerate, swing out) then you're vulnerable to rear-ending them if they have to brake suddenly.
And if you move out from a distance away, they see you coming and close the gap.

I don't think there is a safe way to pass someone who's determined to block you, the only thing to do is to let them have their sad little victory and pull back.

dreamer

I did what Mark said - move out, look, accelerate (and yes a powerful car certainly helps) - if you hang back too far you loose that amount of space when you come to overtake and as Mark says - you're closing on them very quickly leaving you no emergency-abort option.

By going out for a quick look you gain better visibility and an emergency opt-out option (i.e. pull back in) until the wise-guy behind you closes the gap anyway !!!

dreamer

PS Mark - try dressing as a girl, not a single person tries to take on my scoob, instead they tend to move out of the way (at least on motorways)

MarkB

Only at weekends Jo, only at weekends......

NigelC

Safety is the utmost priority of course. I may not have articulated the maneuver accurately but it works for me. Use progressive acceleration up to the pull out point before committing to the overtake. You obviously don't want to rear end someone as that will be your fault.
Obviously if the car being overtaken sees you approaching and duly closes the gap, you simply abort. With this progressive acceleration, not too much speed has been created at that time.
I learnt this from a defensive driving course a few years ago that was run by ex police drivers

syvee

On the subject of overtaking... had a golf try and block my overtaking move this morning... dead straight rd and a 60mph limit.. the golf was doing 40ish.. i idicated gave plenty of notice and moved out to overtake.. just as i was getting up to it .. it moved out .. so i backed off thought nothing of it and gave it a second go... she did the same thing... this time it was done in an almost defensive driving manouver .. now this too me is dangerous.. why do people do this?.. because to me all this does is make a dangerous(and s2000 damaging) situation... sure you've all had this before at sometime but it really makes me mad

RedUn

I tend to find you get the best response overtaking people on national speed limit B roads