Safer Structured Overtaking / Rider Training Blogs

PACE: A Smarter, Safer System for Overtaking

Overtaking is one of the highest-risk things a motorcyclist ever does.

It can feel smooth and natural when it goes right … and utterly unforgiving when it doesn’t.

UK road-safety data consistently shows how serious the danger is: motorcyclists make up only 2% of traffic but account for over 20% of road deaths and overtakes ... especially offside passes of moving vehicles ... carry a collision rate almost four times higher than predicted averages.

Ineffective observation is one of the top contributory factors in fatal and serious motorcycle crashes.

So if we’re going to overtake, we need a system that keeps us thinking clearly under pressure.

That’s where PACE comes in ...

1. PLAN

Planning begins with observation — what you see determines what you can safely do.

This is the thinking phase where the overtake is built, not performed.

Good planning means:

a) Assessing single-vehicle overtakes

What is the speed of the vehicle ahead vs yours?

How much acceleration do you need to clear it safely?

Is the view ahead sufficient — for the whole manoeuvre, not just the start?

Where is your abort point? Where is your merge-back point?

b) Assessing multi-vehicle overtakes

This is where many riders get it wrong.

Multiple overtakes demand:

A much longer clear view

A realistic understanding of how long your bike takes to accelerate and clear two, three, or four vehicles

A clear plan for where you will safely merge back if anything changes

Awareness that “vehicle 2” may behave differently from “vehicle 1”

Never let the desire to ‘clean up the line’ override the maths of time/distance.

c) Planning around large vehicles

Large vehicles like HGVs, buses, vans and agricultural kit drastically reduce your forward view.

A key advanced-rider trick:

Drop back to increase view, not speed up to ‘keep your place’.

When you drop back:

Your view opens up

You get more time to plan

You can see hazards earlier

Opportunities reveal themselves sooner

Sitting close behind a large vehicle destroys your planning phase — you’re reacting, not riding.

d) Only plan overtakes that give you real benefit

If it won’t reduce risk, improve flow, or increase safety… why bother?

Planning is the difference between a controlled manoeuvre and a hasty guess.

2. ANTICIPATE

Good riders don’t just observe the present — they predict the future.

Anticipation is the art of seeing problems before they become threats.

This includes:

Predicting what the overtake vehicle might do

Could they speed up? Brake? Turn right? Drift toward the centre?

Reading the road ahead

Any junctions, farm tracks, cresting hills, dips, bends, or masking hedges?

Looking deep into the oncoming lane

Oncoming vehicles appear suddenly from dips, shadows, or rises.

Watching other road users in the chain

In a multi-vehicle line, drivers behave differently — the first might brake while the second speeds up.

Anticipation is why hesitation is so dangerous:

you burn valuable time in the worst possible place — in the danger zone.

3. COMMIT

Once the plan is sound and the picture is safe, the decision must be firm.

Commitment means:

A final mirror + shoulder check

A last look ahead to confirm nothing has changed

Clear body or indicator signalling

A firm decision: go or don’t go — but don’t go halfway

Being mentally ready to abort if circumstances shift

Hesitation during the commitment phase is where many overtakes fail.

Indecision extends your time in the wrong lane and removes predictability for other road users.

Commitment doesn't mean stubbornness — it means clarity of thought.

4. EXECUTE

This is the physical overtake — time for smooth, professional control.

Execution includes:

Strong, progressive acceleration — enough to shorten exposure time

Using the correct position in the oncoming lane to maximise vision and safety

Passing quickly but smoothly

Keeping the scan alive: forward, oncoming lane, mirrors, vehicle being passed

Staying mentally agile: if something changes, abort cleanly

At this moment, your risk is highest.

Everything you’ve planned comes together — or it doesn’t.

After the pass:

Merge smoothly back into lane without cutting in

Rebuild space from the overtaken vehicle

Adjust speed back to safe flow

Re-establish observation: new hazards, new opportunities, new plan

Reset your composure

Many riders complete the pass but fail to reset — then ride into the next hazard mentally “offline”.

Why Overtaking is so Dangerous ...

Both When We Do It AND When We Don’t

Here’s why:

When we DO overtake

We move into oncoming traffic’s lane. Closing speeds can exceed 120 mph on rural roads. We are exposed for longer if we hesitate or misjudge. Drivers may speed up, drift, turn, or react unpredictably. Our view ahead can be blocked — especially behind vans, HGVs, tractors, or SUVs

When we DON’T overtake

Slower vehicles in front set our speed, that can increase our danger from behind ... which is one area we cant control. Frustration can build, leading to poor judgement later. Following too closely behind a slow or large vehicle reduces visibility. We may miss opportunities because we’re sitting too tight. Poor positioning reduces planning time and increases risk.

The answer is not “overtake more” or “never overtake” — it’s to overtake only when the risk is controlled, the plan is good, and the rider’s system is sharp.

Thinking Like an Advanced Rider

The PACE method aligns perfectly with the GDE (Goals for Driver/Rider Education) model:

Plan → Higher-level strategy and risk management

Anticipate → Tactical planning and hazard prediction

Commit → Decision making under pressure

Execute → Operational control and precision. Reintegration and resetting the riding system

It keeps your mind structured, calm and informed — and reduces emotion-driven mistakes.

Conclusion

Overtaking Doesn’t Need to Be Dangerous — But It MUST Be Smart

Every overtake is optional. Every overtake is a high-risk moment. Every overtake can also be controlled, predicted, and executed safely with the right mental framework.

Safer Structured Overtaking