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Never Assume a Gap Is Actually Clear
The second durable principle: a gap that looks clear of car-sized traffic isn't confirmed clear until you've specifically checked for smaller, faster-closing hazards too. This is a perceptual habit, not a comment on any road user — smaller vehicles are inherently harder to judge for distance and closing speed, especially on a straight road, which is exactly why the specific check matters regardless of who's riding them.
The same logic applies on the other side of the manoeuvre: before returning to your lane, re-check both mirrors and your blind spot — even if you checked them seconds earlier. The situation on either side of you can change during the few seconds an overtake takes.
The practical rule this produces: treat every overtake as a multi-vehicle problem, not a two-vehicle one — you, the vehicle you're passing, and whatever might be approaching or filtering that isn't following the same lane discipline you are. The more exposed a road user would be in a collision, the more the burden of vigilance sits with you, not them.
Good to know
Current context: the vehicle most likely to catch a driver out this way today is a boda boda — smaller profile, higher closing speed than expected, and more likely than a car to be riding partly on the wrong side or filtering past on your inside mid-manoeuvre. If two-wheeler lane discipline improves, this framing can be revisited; the habit — never judge a gap or a returning lane by car-sized hazards alone — remains correct regardless.
Key takeaways
- A gap clear of cars is not a confirmed gap — scan specifically for smaller, faster-closing traffic before committing
- Re-check mirrors and blind spot before returning to your lane, seconds after the last check — an overtake is a multi-vehicle problem throughout
Quick check
You check for oncoming traffic before overtaking and the road looks clear. Is that sufficient to proceed?