Are you allowed to exceed the speed limit whist overtaking, i was taught this by a driving instructor?

Question

Are you allowed to exceed the speed limit whist overtaking, i was taught this by a driving instructor?

Answer 1

Your driving instructor is wrong, you cannot exceed the speed limit for any reason.

One thing you should be taught is, 'Is the overtake necessary?' If you have to exceed the limit to do it....it isn't!

Answer 2

Nice and easy answer,

NO!

the speed limit is the speed limit, hence the name

Answer 3

No, because if the other person is travelling at the speed limit then you should just drop back and travel at that speed also

Answer 4

i was also led to believe that if a car is doing say 50 in a 60 and you have to exceed the speed limit to overtake that this is ok as long as you are not driving recklessly.

So it will be interesting to find out if we were told right.

x

Answer 5

take no notice of the majority of twats on here that seem to think its a no no......you have a 9mph margin to overtake with .....its a well known fact and your instructor is quite correct.....

Answer 6

The only time you exceed the speed limit whilst overtaking is when you realise you have made a critical error and cannot pull back. ONLY IF YOU CANT PULL BACK you have to speed up to get back in.

Or the only legal reason for speeding whilst overtaking is to get out of the way of emergency vehicles if you were already in the process of overtaking.

Answer 7

If you live in Australia, the answer is NO, you are not allowed to exceed the limit whilist overtaking.

Answer 8

You may exceed the speed of your car to go past the car traveling ahead only up to the max permissible speed limit and not beyond that.

Answer 9

not sure about the laws in your state, but in california, you are not allowed to exceed the speed that is safe for the driving conditions and/or posted under any normal driving situation, including overtaking.  if the person you're passing speeds up, your only alternative is to slow down & move back in behind him.    well, legally anyhow.  there may be some extreme conditions which a judge may take into consideration if you've gotten a ticket for this - like a guy purposely slowing down/speeding up, trying to mess with you.... or perhaps the guy speeds up & a tailgater slipped in after you went to pass, who refuses to yield for you & you are left with no alternative but passing the guy you originally were passing.  of course, this is a lot to have happen & you must not have much oncoming traffic because it'd be too late by now...... anyhow, if you're in california, then it's entirely likely the guy who's tailgating you that wont let you back in is an undercover cop, so no matter how you look at it you're screwed.  take the ticket if that's the case & keep your mouth shut or ...... well, you'll see.   patience is hard to have sometimes but can pay in the long run

Answer 10

Driving instructor needs to be sacked. What he's suggested is illegal.  Full stop.

In practice, some people do, in fact I suspect all of us probably have at some time, but it is still not legal.

Was this why you were "done"?  If so, personally I'd be going around to the instructor and having a meaningful discussion - it won't do anything for your offence but it might help you feel a little better . . .

Answer 11

It may depend on the country... but i seriously doubt you can exceed the speed limit while overtaking.  Driving instructors can be so wrong sometimes.  I've had one tell me you can cross the lined in traffic island to merge.  Which you can't. Solid line for one.  And it's illegal to cross a traffic island.  In Australia, you definitely can't exceed the speed limit to overtake (it was on so many practice exams before taking our learner driver test).  Speed limit's there for a reason.  The right lane (probably left for you) is also there for a reason.  To overtake people going UNDER the speed limit.  Why would you want to overtake if they're going the speed limit.  Doesn't make much sense.  The road would be asking you to speed otherwise.

Answer 12

why would there be a speed limit but you are allowed to EXCEED the speed limit?

I mean, come on. think about it.

Answer 13

You are allowed to exceed the speed  limit if somebodies life is threatened. so technically yes. but then you should be prosecuted for driving dangerously if you needed to speed then the decision to overtake was dangerous.

Answer 14

We all do it but it is not legal. The speed limit is a maximum speed, there is no minimum except on a motorway

Answer 15

In what country is this allowed, please

Answer 16

No, that's not true...

In fact, if you take an adult driving training class they will tell you that most people get busted while overtaking...it makes you stand out more.

Answer 17

well then the instructor needs to be sacked. this is not true.

Answer 18

If you look at a speed limit sign, it states: maximum ( insert number here ) km/h or m.p.h.

It does not state: maximum ( insert number here ) km/h or m.p.h. except in the following cases...

Answer 19

No, you must keep to the speed limit. Why do you want to exceed it?

Answer 20

I was taught this as well, but I have and old copy and the latest copy of the Highway Code and both say "You MUST NOT exceed" the speed limit. Do you still know the instructor, ask him for documentation.

Answer 21

What don't you understand about "speed" and "limit"? Of course you can't. Who was the instructor? When?

Answer 22

NO,NO,NO NO NO!!! If you have to exceed the laid down speed limit for a given stretch of road,during an overtaking manouvre,then you`re already travelling too fast.Far better to drop your speed,and leave a safe distance between you and the car in front,the distance will increase for poor driving conditions - rain,fog,ice,nightitme,etc.

Only overtake when conditions and traffic permit -and don`t break the speed limit -its there for a reason.

Answer 23

Yes you're allowed to do so just to overtake, for us in the UK speed limit in the motorways is 70 mph, you will be allowed an extra 10 miles while you're overtaking one vehicle.