The Overtaking Lorry and the Cyclist Ahead
You are on a straight two-lane road outside St. John's at about 45 mph. Ahead of you, a cyclist is riding near the left edge of your lane. You intend to overtake, and you have begun to move toward the centre line. In your mirror, a lorry is approaching quickly from behind and is already straddling the centre line to overtake you. Oncoming traffic is visible about 200 metres ahead. The cyclist wobbles slightly, suggesting they are avoiding a pothole.
1. What is the correct decision about overtaking the cyclist, and why?
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Abandon the overtake. Return to your lane and stay behind the cyclist.
Why:
- The lorry is already overtaking you. If you also move out, you will be alongside the cyclist while the lorry is alongside you - three vehicles competing for the same stretch of road.
- The cyclist is wobbling, which means their line is unpredictable. You need to leave a wide gap, and you cannot do that while a lorry is passing.
- Oncoming traffic at 200 m is closing fast at combined speeds. There is not enough clear road for two overtaking manoeuvres.
What to do instead: ease off, hold your lane, let the lorry complete its pass, then reassess. Give the cyclist plenty of room - at least a car's width where possible - and only overtake when you can see clear road ahead and no one is overtaking you.
The principle: overtaking is a privilege granted by clear road, not a right. When in doubt, wait.
2. The lorry passes, but the cyclist swerves further into your lane to avoid a pothole. How should you have anticipated this, and what do you do now?
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Anticipation: a cyclist riding near the edge of a poor road surface is likely to move out to avoid defects. The earlier wobble was the warning. A defensive driver reads the road surface ahead of the cyclist and expects the deviation before it happens.
What to do now:
- Brake smoothly and early - do not swerve right, as the lorry may still be alongside or oncoming traffic may be near.
- Increase the gap - drop back so the cyclist has room to correct without you being on top of them.
- Do not sound the horn aggressively - a sudden noise can startle a cyclist and cause a fall.
- Wait for a clear, wide gap before overtaking, and give the cyclist a full car's width where the road allows.
The wider point: cyclists are vulnerable road users. The responsibility for a safe pass rests with the driver of the larger, faster vehicle. A few seconds lost is nothing against the consequences of a collision.