I would like to know what is the correct legal way to overtake a gritter when in is traviling at approx 50mph in the middle lane of a three lane motorway. the motorway is clear in front of the gritter and the gritter is spreading grit/salt.
1 is it ok to pass inside (undertake) the gritter in lane one?
2is it ok to overtake the gritter by traviling in the third lane?
3.stay behind the gritter
Tonight I undertook one and used a bit of the hard shoulder to avoid his sticky out bit on the front as I’m sure they are used to it.
I saw two Jenkinsons on the other side overtaking one on both sides the wicked buggers.
I overtook one going up the 725 Bellshill this morning and he decided to floor it and stay up the inside of me like the A1 driver he was.
It is legal to undertake any vehicle travelling slower than you provided you remain in the same lane (ie not going from 3 to 1 then back again). I remember Coffeeholic saying this on a previous thread.
HTH
dar1976:
It is legal to undertake any vehicle travelling slower than you provided you remain in the same lane (ie not going from 3 to 1 then back again). I remember Coffeeholic saying this on a previous thread.HTH
Don’t bring me into it, I don’t recall saying that and if I did I must have been drunk at the time. 
Thankyou.
RedlorryMan:
I would like to know what is the correct legal way to overtake a gritter when in is traviling at approx 50mph in the middle lane of a three lane motorway. the motorway is clear in front of the gritter and the gritter is spreading grit/salt.
1 is it ok to pass inside (undertake) the gritter in lane one?2is it ok to overtake the gritter by traviling in the third lane?
3.stay behind the gritter
1, 2 or 3, you decide.
1 or 2 make no difference and the guys who drive them expect to be passed on both sides so you aren’t going to catch them unaware passing on the left.
3, that would depend why they are gritting. If it’s prevention as in they are gritting early to stop it getting icy later then no real benefit to staying behind, unless you don’t like the boss and fancy messing up his paintwork. If it’s because it is already very slippery then why would you want to pass it?
Thankyou.
Coffeeholic:
dar1976:
It is legal to undertake any vehicle travelling slower than you provided you remain in the same lane (ie not going from 3 to 1 then back again). I remember Coffeeholic saying this on a previous thread.HTH
Don’t bring me into it, I don’t recall saying that and if I did I must have been drunk at the time.
Thankyou.
That’s ME told
dar1976:
Coffeeholic:
dar1976:
It is legal to undertake any vehicle travelling slower than you provided you remain in the same lane (ie not going from 3 to 1 then back again). I remember Coffeeholic saying this on a previous thread.HTH
Don’t bring me into it, I don’t recall saying that and if I did I must have been drunk at the time.
Thankyou.
That’s ME told
Highway code Rule 267 Overtaking.
“Overtake only on the right”.
Rule 268.
“Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake”
A single gritter lorry would not constitue a “queue” of traffic so you can’t pass on the left claiming the ‘get out clause’ of rule 268.
If your vehicle is not allowed in the rightmost lane, then I guess you can’t legally overtake the gritter hogging lane 2 of a 3 lane motorway.
I don’t think a motorway is classed as a One Way street, so you cant use Rule 143 here either.
Regards,
LandyLad
LandyLad:
Highway code Rule 267 Overtaking.
“Overtake only on the right”.Rule 268.
“Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake”A single gritter lorry would not constitue a “queue” of traffic so you can’t pass on the left claiming the ‘get out clause’ of rule 268.
If your vehicle is not allowed in the rightmost lane, then I guess you can’t legally overtake the gritter hogging lane 2 of a 3 lane motorway.
I don’t think a motorway is classed as a One Way street, so you cant use Rule 143 here either.
Regards,
LandyLad
Overtaking is not the same as passing
A working gritter in the middle lane can be passed on either side if safe to do so
In the case of a LGV on a 3 lane motorway then lane 1 should be the chosen option
RedlorryMan:
I would like to know what is the correct legal way to overtake a gritter when in is traviling at approx 50mph in the middle lane of a three lane motorway. the motorway is clear in front of the gritter and the gritter is spreading grit/salt.
1 is it ok to pass inside (undertake) the gritter in lane one?2is it ok to overtake the gritter by traviling in the third lane?
3.stay behind the gritter
I would say that it’s illegal to overtake a gritter doing about 50 mph in lane 2, 50 mph is hardly an obstruction so I would say that legally you should stay behind the vehicle.
Having said that I generally go passed on the inside and use part of the hard shoulder to give the gritter a bit more space, if the hard shoulder isn’t clear I’ll often wait until it is or sometimes go past in lane 3 if I’m satisfied that I can give the gritter enough clearance.
These people do an important and necessary job and deserve to be shown some consideration
Hi ROG,
what’s the difference between overtaking and passing?
LandyLad:
Hi ROG,what’s the difference between overtaking and passing?
Lane 2 . lane 1 - lane 2 = undertake
lane 1 - lane 1 - lane 1 = pass
lane 2 - lane 1 - lane 1 = pass
There is no law in the road traffic act which says no undertaking
tachograph:
These people do an important and necessary job and deserve to be shown some consideration
They’re not children.
Thankyou.
Coffeeholic:
tachograph:
These people do an important and necessary job and deserve to be shown some considerationThey’re not children.
Thankyou.
Who aren’t children ?
Let’s remember, this is a newbie site.
ROG is absolutely correct when he says
“There is no law in the road traffic act which says no undertaking” (or overtaking on the left).
But a copper seeing it happen usually forms the opinion that it is
“Driving in a manner or at a speed likely to endanger the lives of other road users” and has an instant excuse to pull you over and try on a case of Careless Driving or even Dangerous Driving. Oh, and check your documentation, lights, tyres, tacho/hours compliance etc. etc.
They say that the other driver wont be expecting it to happen and you may be in their blind spot, they may then go in to the left lane without checking properly and crash into you.
Personally, if I were the hypothetical copper here, I would be prosecuting the ‘other’ driver for
not expecting it to happen and not checking their blind spot, and going in to the left lane without checking properly .
“OK, you have convinced me that the other driver knew you were there so I am not proceeding with the DD or the DC, but I am interested in your inner wheel tyre tread. Did you check it this morning before driving off ? . . . . . How secure is your load? Lets have a look at it while I am here.”
Anyway, the Gritter Driver will have had so much experience of this kind of thing that he/she WILL be expecting it and so I can agree that it isn’t dangerous as they will be ready for it and driving accordingly.
Nobody else around at the time, overtake the bugger.
Lots of other traffic around at the time; form your own opinion but be very very careful if you do undertake.
tachograph:
Coffeeholic:
tachograph:
These people do an important and necessary job and deserve to be shown some considerationThey’re not children.
Thankyou.
Who aren’t children ?
The drivers of the gritters. We don’t need to be diverting thinking time away from the children by thinking of them.
Thankyou.
Coffeeholic:
tachograph:
Coffeeholic:
tachograph:
These people do an important and necessary job and deserve to be shown some considerationThey’re not children.
Thankyou.
Who aren’t children ?
The drivers of the gritters. We don’t need to be diverting thinking time away from the children by thinking of them.
Thankyou
I see.
Thank you.
LandyLad:
Let’s remember, this is a newbie site.ROG is absolutely correct when he says
“There is no law in the road traffic act which says no undertaking” (or overtaking on the left).But a copper seeing it happen usually forms the opinion that it is
“Driving in a manner or at a speed likely to endanger the lives of other road users” and has an instant excuse to pull you over and try on a case of Careless Driving or even Dangerous Driving. Oh, and check your documentation, lights, tyres, tacho/hours compliance etc. etc.
They say that the other driver wont be expecting it to happen and you may be in their blind spot, they may then go in to the left lane without checking properly and crash into you.
Personally, if I were the hypothetical copper here, I would be prosecuting the ‘other’ driver for
not expecting it to happen and not checking their blind spot, and going in to the left lane without checking properly .“OK, you have convinced me that the other driver knew you were there so I am not proceeding with the DD or the DC, but I am interested in your inner wheel tyre tread. Did you check it this morning before driving off ? . . . . . How secure is your load? Lets have a look at it while I am here.”
Anyway, the Gritter Driver will have had so much experience of this kind of thing that he/she WILL be expecting it and so I can agree that it isn’t dangerous as they will be ready for it and driving accordingly.
Nobody else around at the time, overtake the bugger.
Lots of other traffic around at the time; form your own opinion but be very very careful if you do undertake.
I do not hesitate to pass a gritter or road maintenance vehicle on either side and would quite happily argue my case in court if it came to it. It never has, so far
Wheel Nut:
LandyLad:
Let’s remember, this is a newbie site.ROG is absolutely correct when he says
“There is no law in the road traffic act which says no undertaking” (or overtaking on the left).But a copper seeing it happen usually forms the opinion that it is
“Driving in a manner or at a speed likely to endanger the lives of other road users” and has an instant excuse to pull you over and try on a case of Careless Driving or even Dangerous Driving. Oh, and check your documentation, lights, tyres, tacho/hours compliance etc. etc.
They say that the other driver wont be expecting it to happen and you may be in their blind spot, they may then go in to the left lane without checking properly and crash into you.
Personally, if I were the hypothetical copper here, I would be prosecuting the ‘other’ driver for
not expecting it to happen and not checking their blind spot, and going in to the left lane without checking properly .“OK, you have convinced me that the other driver knew you were there so I am not proceeding with the DD or the DC, but I am interested in your inner wheel tyre tread. Did you check it this morning before driving off ? . . . . . How secure is your load? Lets have a look at it while I am here.”
Anyway, the Gritter Driver will have had so much experience of this kind of thing that he/she WILL be expecting it and so I can agree that it isn’t dangerous as they will be ready for it and driving accordingly.
Nobody else around at the time, overtake the bugger.
Lots of other traffic around at the time; form your own opinion but be very very careful if you do undertake.I do not hesitate to pass a gritter or road maintenance vehicle on either side and would quite happily argue my case in court if it came to it. It never has, so far
+1
Let the cars use lane 3, and we use lane 1 - gotta be the safest option IMO.