# Someone is trying to pass your car but won't make it. What do you do? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 7, 2017, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815 "2017-12-07T19:12:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2017, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/21 "2017-12-07T23:54:33Z")
Compute the cubic displacement of the passing car and compare with your car. If the passing car has muscles, brake. If your car has the muscles, hit the gas! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/22 "2017-12-08T00:05:12Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > I’d pull a [toonces](https://78.media.tumblr.com/9fc8dcf1a48ebe036b9fb605d59c967a/tumblr_okui58C83I1qb4xj6o1_500.gif). Me and toonces, I do alot of that. I have been known to scream out loud! Usually I just curse. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/23 "2017-12-08T01:03:18Z")
My wife and I travel a lot by car, have been in the OP’s situation many times, so I know from experience what my immediate reaction is: I hit my brakes hard enough to slow down as quickly as possible without losing control of my vehicle. I’ve never had time to think about it, or second-guess the imbecile attempting to pass. More of a gut reaction. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/24 "2017-12-08T01:19:01Z")
Need answer fast? You were already prepared for this. Drive constantly aware of all the traffic around you, and anticipate what might arise in every situation. Learn to read the driving habits of every driver around you. ---
**Author:** ![JPrescott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e36b37/32.png) [@JPrescott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JPrescott)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/25 "2017-12-08T03:38:46Z")
Slow down and take the shoulder if safe/necessary, and do it swiftly! It moves you as far away from the action as possible, gives the passing driver a chance to complete the pass, and a chance to get at least mostly out of the oncoming lane otherwise. The oncoming car gets a clear warning signal and time and room to make a space for the passing car. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/26 "2017-12-08T04:53:25Z")
As often as not I am on a motorcycle and if push comes to shove I am going to lose big-time. So the long and short is I usually slow down. Or nail the throttle and give them an old-fashioned AMF on my Harley. ---
**Author:** ![PointlessCertificatesGuide](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@PointlessCertificatesGuide](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PointlessCertificatesGuide)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/27 "2017-12-08T04:57:20Z")
No one voted to speed up? A very responsible group you have here. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/28 "2017-12-08T07:01:55Z")
Well…fortunately the OP does not “need answer fast”! I say match the driver’s speed and ride it out until fate decides. He made his choice and must now live with it. Buy a more powerful car in the next life. ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/29 "2017-12-08T07:08:16Z")
Back in the day, my HS driving instructor taught us to maintain speed. That way the idiot passing can make their decision based on a known constant, your speed. They still teach this in our local HS. IRL, I almost always know what is going on around me. That comes from riding motorcycles for decades. Thus, I have a plan before they even try to pass me. It usually involves slowing down. When I am caught unaware, It does happen, I resort to this; unless I have a muscle car, of am riding a bike with an amazing power to weight ratio, I slow down just a bit & then read the idiot. At that time I do the opposite of what they do. If I am driving a muscle car or riding a quick bike, I nail the throttle & leave them in the dust. ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/30 "2017-12-08T09:52:02Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Well…fortunately the OP does not “need answer fast”! > > I say match the driver’s speed and ride it out until fate decides. He made his choice and must now live with it. Buy a more powerful car in the next life. Agree and add, make a video of the incident and capture a close-up of the driver’s expression when they realize death in imminent. Post on YouTube. Wait a few days and you’ll be able to soon enjoy 3 hots and a cot. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/31 "2017-12-08T10:04:27Z")
I’m with **48Willys**. It really depends on several factors. Usually the answer would be to slow down but sometimes the correct answer is to maintain speed, and sometimes the correct answer is to accelerate. > [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > When the passing car was almost even with mine… One variable not mentioned so far is the relative speed between our cars. ► If the passing car is almost even with mine and is going 20 MPH faster than me, then I likely slow down. ► If the passing car is almost even with mine and is going 1 MPH faster than me, then I would consider speeding up. Other variables not accounted for are hill (are we going uphill or down, and is it steep or not?j, and who is driving what, and what is my speed when the passing is taking place? Am I doing 45 or am I doing 85? My Diesel Jeep has a lot of torque. Accelerating is easy. I may just punch the gas pedal to creat a safe space for the passing car to tuck in behind me. Lots of variables, and they determine what is the correct answer. The correct answer for me is, it depends. So, no vote made here ---
**Author:** ![Krouget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/32 "2017-12-08T14:17:29Z")
It’s definitely situational. Everything from speed, to the types of vehicle, whether or not more vehicles are involved, to the road layout, matter, but in general I’d go with the following: -The person who has failed their passing attempt needs to brake and get back into the lane, asap, preferably (and predictably) behind the car they were trying to overtake. They _should not close any more distance with the oncoming car_, and the priority is on them to reduce their speed in the case of an eventual impact. -The person already in the lane should maintain speed or accelerate a bit and try to take some of the shoulder. It’s within their interest to create the widest gap they can, both behind and within the lane. -The oncoming car should slow down and also take some of the opposing shoulder. Their priority is also to reduce speed in case of a collision. Personally, I wouldn’t have hit the brakes in this particular scenario. Brakes stop the wheels, they don’t necessarily stop the situation. There is a guaranteed space which the passing driver just left, and there’s less risk to get there. I need to ensure that space is there, so I wouldn’t brake so as to avoid inhabiting it-- depending on the road, I’d possibly accelerate to increase it. Again, it’s all situational and luckily the oncoming driver was attentive enough to do their part to avoid something worse. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/33 "2017-12-08T16:01:31Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > What does speeding up accomplish? It’s situational but it gets me some distance where I can go into other options like pulling over or looking for a better/safer place for him to execute a pass. Lets say that You are trying to pass me as we close in on a crest of a hill. If I just slow you may be beside me as a car comes from the opposite direction and given the choice between hitting a car head-on and forcing a bike off the road you may pick option 2. I slam the gas, get 50 yards on you, we crest and see its clear --------- I can throttle down and let you go around clean and fine; even signal you to go ahead. Or I can duck a driveway without having you up my muffler. But there are times when it is a good option to have up your sleeve. Another version of slowing down I sometimes use is going harder to the brakes and letting you seriously sling around me. That isn’t a bad move either now and again. But even within my own driving (let alone considering yours or anyone else) its just one of many tricks I have to try to stay alive out there. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/34 "2017-12-08T22:01:27Z")
Maintain the speed of the passing car so as not to allow him to pass or cut in behind you. It’s the only truly sociopathic response, and the resulting mayhem can be quite entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![SamuelA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@SamuelA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SamuelA)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2017, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/35 "2017-12-08T22:48:00Z")
You know, one of the reasons the standard response is “slow down” is because a. Most cars can’t accelerate nearly as fast as they can brake b. Human reactions are slow, so once you commit to a response, stick to it Autonomous electric cars could change their mind and accelerate like a rocket to make a gap for the other car to get back into the lane. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/36 "2017-12-09T09:10:24Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Maintain the speed of the passing car so as not to allow him to pass or cut in behind you. > > It’s the only truly sociopathic response, and the resulting mayhem can be quite entertaining. Film at 11. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/37 "2017-12-09T11:10:08Z")
I clicked ‘Slow Down’ before even reading OP. The crisis in OP wouldn’t have presented — i’d already have been going much slower than the passer. Once upon a time I was a slightly reckless California driver, frequently hearing ‘Where’s the fire, bub?’ when a cop pulled me over. But living in Thailand has made a big change in my driving habits. ([Thailand is in the Top Ten List of Traffic Fatalities](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate)! **That’s absolute death rate, NOT _per capita_.** In the ‘Most Fatalities among Countries Smaller than 80 Million’ category, Thailand holds undisputed 1st place, with South Africa a distant 2nd.) _ **In Thailand, some drivers pass even when they can see it puts them on a collision course with on-coming traffic — the on-comer is expected to swerve onto the shoulder.** _ > [@Jackmannii](#): > > Maintain the speed of the passing car so as not to allow him to pass or cut in behind you. > > It’s the only truly sociopathic response, and the resulting mayhem can be quite entertaining. You’d fit in real well driving on our roads. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/38 "2017-12-09T11:29:02Z")
It depends on the other car. I would do whatever I need to to help the other car get back in the lane quickly. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/39 "2017-12-09T11:46:49Z")
I remember once, I was at the head of a long line of cars driving from Columbus, IN, to Nashville, IN. Speed limit, 55. Me, 60-68, depending on terrain. It was a tortuous road. There were maybe six cars behind me. I’ve been in the middle, and the back of such a line before. I get that the lead driver isn’t poking along, and we’re like this because it’s a two-lane road that has needed to be widened for about 20 years. Most people behind me probably also get this. If they don’t, then they are tourists who don’t know the road, and their hearts are in their throats driving it this fast. Once some dude with a V8, and those duellers (he PAID MONEY to make his car sound like it has a bad muffler) Came up behind us, and started passing, about two cars at a time. Since most people are leaving the one to two car lengths between them that the BMV recommends, the guy has room to slide in. Finally, he gets to me. We’re on a solid yellow line (not that this has stopped him before), and he’s got his nose up my tailpipe. He keeps pulling out, looking for a chance to pass, and then pulling back in. He’d better be going to the hospital. He’s an ugly dude in my rearview mirror. He’s missing a front tooth, smoking a cigarette with dirty hands, and has hair like a muppet. And bad skin. I really want to get away from this dude. There’s a hill coming up. I slow down going up the hill. My car isn’t really underpowered, and I could go up at 55, but I take it at the Yellow-sign suggested speed of 45. The yellow line is, of course, solid, but he passes me. Sure enough, a semi crests the hill. I slow down a tiny bit more. Mr. Pass-it pulls back it leaving skid marks on the road, he turned so sharply. He went onto the shoulder, corrected, and got back on the road, and started going over the hill. I noted his license plate. I happened to have the car phone from work (this was before cell phones were ubiquitous), because I had the pager. I reported him as an impaired driver. I wondered if I’d upset the other drivers, and glanced at the guy behind me. He smiled. I wish I knew what came of my “impaired driver” report. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815/40 "2017-12-09T14:14:48Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > The roads I travel, in the outback of So. Arkansas are very narrow and little to no shoulders. One of my fears is an unfamiliar driver in a big hurry. They seem to always take chances with passing. It is just too treacherous in some places. Log trucks, semis, drunks and deer. It is an obstacle course some days. I swear I have more age on me because of these roads. I rarely pass and I am always on the lookout for unaware drivers. If the deer don’t get me, they will! Pretty much the same for me but mountain roads that are often snow or ice covered. I try to prevent the passing situation problem in the OP by pulling over on turnouts if someone is behind me. I drive the speed limit and don’t like people tailgating me. As to the OP’s question, if it looks like the passing person is cutting it close, I’ll just let off the throttle and get ready to brake if need be. A few years ago, an idjit in a hurry passed me on a blind corner (in the snow of course) and in that situation I did brake to stay as far away from what might happen as possible. He ended up in the ditch when a car did come around the curve. I have a tool to prevent such things from happening. It’s called a clock. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/someone-is-trying-to-pass-your-car-but-wont-make-it-what-do-you-do/803815.md?page=3)