What’s your overtaking like? Do you wait until it’s clear for 100 metres, ahead, look behind and around you, and then signal for 3 seconds before pulling out, as the NZTA recommends?
Well, New Zealanders have had a fair bit of bad press about our overtaking of late!
This man for example, overtook 3 cars on a blind corner, and nearly collided with a police car.
Some blame anti-speeding efforts for hesitation in overtaking.
And Greg Murphy reckons we’re allowed behind the wheel without fully developing skills like overtaking, so how can we be deemed fit to drive?
Well, all that aside, have you ever wondered why people often speed up when there’s a passing lane, just to slow back down again when the road is back to one lane? It makes for a frustrating drive if you’re the one at the back trying to get past!
To find out the answer to this perplexing puzzle for once and for all, check out this article, and this one.
If you want the short summary: it has to do with our perception of risk. The wider road makes us feel safer, so we speed up. We also use noise to help us estimate how smooth and safe a road surface is, so when a gravel road gives us noisy feedback, we slow down. Plus, passing lanes are usually built into roads in places where it’s a bit safer, so this adds to our perception that now would be a great time to speed up.
If you’re interested in learning more about speeding, why we do it, and how to stop, check out our speed module and have a chat with us about how your organisation can access it.
