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Difficulty: MediumSafe and Courteous Overtaking

At night, you are travelling behind a slower car on an unlit road and wish to overtake. What is the safest and most courteous way to complete this manoeuvre?

  1. A
    Flash your headlights repeatedly to indicate that the driver in front should yield and pull over to let you pass.
  2. Keep your headlights on dipped beam until you draw level with the vehicle, perform all necessary mirror and blind-spot checks, and leave plenty of clearance before moving back in.Answer
  3. C
    Move immediately into the overtaking lane relying solely on your wing mirrors without performing a shoulder blind-spot check.
  4. D
    Focus exclusively on the vehicle directly ahead and accelerate out sharply without scanning the road ahead for upcoming bends or hidden junctions.

Answer

Keep your headlights on dipped beam until you draw level with the vehicle, perform all necessary mirror and blind-spot checks, and leave plenty of clearance before moving back in.
Keeping headlights on dipped beam until level with the overtaken vehicle avoids dazzling their interior and door mirrors. Combined with thorough blind-spot checks and ensuring ample distance before pulling back in, this represents safe, defensive, and courteous driving in accordance with the Highway Code.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Assess the forward road and maintain an appropriate separation distance while keeping headlights on dipped beam.
You maintain full visibility of the road ahead without dazzling the driver in front through their rear-view or door mirrors.
Main beam headlights reflect intensely off mirrors and temporarily blind drivers ahead.
2
Perform the full Mirror-Signal-Manoeuvre routine, including a vital shoulder check into the right-side blind spot before moving out.
You confirm that no other vehicle or motorcyclist is already overtaking you from behind.
Wing mirrors have distinct blind zones that can conceal fast-approaching vehicles.
3
Accelerate past safely and move back to the left lane only when there is substantial clearance visible in your interior mirror.
The manoeuvre is completed smoothly without cutting in front of or alarming the overtaken driver.
Cutting in sharply reduces the following driver's safe stopping distance and can cause sudden braking.

Key Concept

Safe and courteous overtaking at night requires headlight management to prevent dazzle, thorough observation including blind-spot checks, and generous clearance upon rejoining.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Safe and Courteous Overtaking

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