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Tailgating
Wednesday morning I witnessed someone tail gating on the motorway. I think the situation was that the person in front hit their brakes and caused a pretty bad mess! I don't know whether the tailgaiter deserved it or not, because it looked quite damaging. But it is a serious inconsideration for the driver in front from those who do tailgate!
I often try to not react to them, but it happens pretty much 80% of the time! I don't hog, I don't drive slow. It's just utter impatience for those in flash cars! I often deal with them at roundabouts, by hanging back just before joining, closing the gap for them to join the roundabout behind me, causing them to wait for next gap to join the roundabout
How do you guys deal with them? I hear people turn their rear washer round! Or are you a tailgater?
I often try to not react to them, but it happens pretty much 80% of the time! I don't hog, I don't drive slow. It's just utter impatience for those in flash cars! I often deal with them at roundabouts, by hanging back just before joining, closing the gap for them to join the roundabout behind me, causing them to wait for next gap to join the roundabout
How do you guys deal with them? I hear people turn their rear washer round! Or are you a tailgater?
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I agree that tailgaiters are very annoying.
The trick is to just carry on driving as normal and let them get on with it- however annoying it may be, dont react to them. If they want to overtake then they will. If they want to go into the back of you- then as annoying and inconsiderate as it is- they might learn their lesson as they will be the one paying for it all through their insurance.
The trick is to just carry on driving as normal and let them get on with it- however annoying it may be, dont react to them. If they want to overtake then they will. If they want to go into the back of you- then as annoying and inconsiderate as it is- they might learn their lesson as they will be the one paying for it all through their insurance.
Original post by Emma:-)
I agree that tailgaiters are very annoying.
The trick is to just carry on driving as normal and let them get on with it- however annoying it may be, dont react to them. If they want to overtake then they will. If they want to go into the back of you- then as annoying and inconsiderate as it is- they might learn their lesson as they will be the one paying for it all through their insurance.
The trick is to just carry on driving as normal and let them get on with it- however annoying it may be, dont react to them. If they want to overtake then they will. If they want to go into the back of you- then as annoying and inconsiderate as it is- they might learn their lesson as they will be the one paying for it all through their insurance.
My thoughts too. Just wanted to see if anyone would admit to doing it
Original post by AdampskiB
My thoughts too. Just wanted to see if anyone would admit to doing it
As tempting as it is to go slower etc, to try and get them to back off, or annoy them, its best just to let them get on with it.
If someone is right behind me then sometimes I tap my brakes, just so the lights come on. It's stupid to be driving so close to me so i'm going to do something to try and make them back off.
On motorways if someone comes up behind me when I am in the fast lane i'll move over as soon as I can because I know how annoying it can be when you've got someone in front who won't move over. I just wish everyone would follow that simple rule!
On motorways if someone comes up behind me when I am in the fast lane i'll move over as soon as I can because I know how annoying it can be when you've got someone in front who won't move over. I just wish everyone would follow that simple rule!
shortly after passing my test i was driving home along the main road (pretty quiet) and they were doing road works on the dual carriage way so it was down to one lane (one narrow lane at that becuase the cones were well over the line) so the speed limit was 40, i was going through at 50 but there was still some guy sitting on my bumper all the way there must have been about a foot between us. I slowed down to 30 knowing that he couldn't overtake and the second we got clear of the road works there was a stretch where he could over take so i dropped it to third and floored it, he went to overtake but couldn't so pulled back in.
As we approached oncoming traffic and corners i dropped back down to 50 before speeding up again. This went on for a good 3 miles then I let him passed and flicked the Vs at him
As we approached oncoming traffic and corners i dropped back down to 50 before speeding up again. This went on for a good 3 miles then I let him passed and flicked the Vs at him
When people tailgate me on roads which aren't multi-lane and I can't get over, then either I pull over or, as our driving theory always suggested, distance myself from the person in front - I would rather a two car crash than a pile-up. It's so irritating though - I live on a 30mph road which is the only way to get to basically everything between one exit of the dual carriageway and the next (they are nine miles apart so that's a lot) and people always race down off the slip road and try and speed through my village. So I just stay at 30 (we always have the police on my road too!) and the second I pull into my drive the people roar off down the street... to get caught by the police at the end of it! 
The worst I find, are taxis, vans and young guys on motorbikes (usually with loud obnoxious engines too!).
The worst I find, are taxis, vans and young guys on motorbikes (usually with loud obnoxious engines too!).
If they do it on the motorway I just tap my hazards on for 2-3 seconds, they soon back off
Posted from TSR Mobile
Posted from TSR Mobile
Tailgaters are a nuisance. They can also be a dangerous distraction which takes your focus away from the road ahead.
Therefore, tailgaters should be shot and their bodies displayed at the roadside
Therefore, tailgaters should be shot and their bodies displayed at the roadside
Original post by Grim_Squeaker
Tailgaters are a nuisance. They can also be a dangerous distraction which takes your focus away from the road ahead.
Therefore, tailgaters should be shot and their bodies displayed at the roadside
Therefore, tailgaters should be shot and their bodies displayed at the roadside
Bit extreme
You can tailgate me all you want, I usually drive a Land Rover Discovery or a Volvo XC90 and don't really feel intimidated when someone tailgate. In any case from the years of having Alfa Romeos I tend to replace my tyres every 4 months and brakes are replaced when it is 1/3 worn down. You better hope you have just as good a brakes and tyres as I do if you want to tailgate because I'll be slowing down sooner than you, just ask that German in an Audi TT from a few months back.
Whenever I drive in UK 3 car lengths away and I will be flashing those road hoggers to get out of the way, if they are still hogging the outside lane I hold down the horn while tailgating them. One good thing about driving a Land Rover is in most car's rear view mirror it will appear to be a lot closer than it really is. If it is at night I simply turn on the high beams on them. Usually either they start flooring it or they if they move away they then get on my bumper to tailgate me. I just ignore them and get on my way. I have yet to do that to anyone who drove the speedlimit though, most who did that often were driving at 50 or 60mph on the outside lane and wasn't overtaking or was usually talking on their mobile.
Admittedly whenever I'm in Norway or Sweden I don't drive that way. The chances of being caught is simply too high and police complaints on such behaviour are taken extremely seriously and simply telling them I didn't do that won't suffice plus the fines for it is a lot to pay as it goes proportionate to your income. Thankfully generally in Norway and Sweden there are very few selfish drivers on the road.
Whenever I drive in UK 3 car lengths away and I will be flashing those road hoggers to get out of the way, if they are still hogging the outside lane I hold down the horn while tailgating them. One good thing about driving a Land Rover is in most car's rear view mirror it will appear to be a lot closer than it really is. If it is at night I simply turn on the high beams on them. Usually either they start flooring it or they if they move away they then get on my bumper to tailgate me. I just ignore them and get on my way. I have yet to do that to anyone who drove the speedlimit though, most who did that often were driving at 50 or 60mph on the outside lane and wasn't overtaking or was usually talking on their mobile.
Admittedly whenever I'm in Norway or Sweden I don't drive that way. The chances of being caught is simply too high and police complaints on such behaviour are taken extremely seriously and simply telling them I didn't do that won't suffice plus the fines for it is a lot to pay as it goes proportionate to your income. Thankfully generally in Norway and Sweden there are very few selfish drivers on the road.
Original post by Alfissti
You can tailgate me all you want, I usually drive a Land Rover Discovery or a Volvo XC90 and don't really feel intimidated when someone tailgate. In any case from the years of having Alfa Romeos I tend to replace my tyres every 4 months and brakes are replaced when it is 1/3 worn down. You better hope you have just as good a brakes and tyres as I do if you want to tailgate because I'll be slowing down sooner than you, just ask that German in an Audi TT from a few months back.
Whenever I drive in UK 3 car lengths away and I will be flashing those road hoggers to get out of the way, if they are still hogging the outside lane I hold down the horn while tailgating them. One good thing about driving a Land Rover is in most car's rear view mirror it will appear to be a lot closer than it really is. If it is at night I simply turn on the high beams on them. Usually either they start flooring it or they if they move away they then get on my bumper to tailgate me. I just ignore them and get on my way. I have yet to do that to anyone who drove the speedlimit though, most who did that often were driving at 50 or 60mph on the outside lane and wasn't overtaking or was usually talking on their mobile.
Admittedly whenever I'm in Norway or Sweden I don't drive that way. The chances of being caught is simply too high and police complaints on such behaviour are taken extremely seriously and simply telling them I didn't do that won't suffice plus the fines for it is a lot to pay as it goes proportionate to your income. Thankfully generally in Norway and Sweden there are very few selfish drivers on the road.
Whenever I drive in UK 3 car lengths away and I will be flashing those road hoggers to get out of the way, if they are still hogging the outside lane I hold down the horn while tailgating them. One good thing about driving a Land Rover is in most car's rear view mirror it will appear to be a lot closer than it really is. If it is at night I simply turn on the high beams on them. Usually either they start flooring it or they if they move away they then get on my bumper to tailgate me. I just ignore them and get on my way. I have yet to do that to anyone who drove the speedlimit though, most who did that often were driving at 50 or 60mph on the outside lane and wasn't overtaking or was usually talking on their mobile.
Admittedly whenever I'm in Norway or Sweden I don't drive that way. The chances of being caught is simply too high and police complaints on such behaviour are taken extremely seriously and simply telling them I didn't do that won't suffice plus the fines for it is a lot to pay as it goes proportionate to your income. Thankfully generally in Norway and Sweden there are very few selfish drivers on the road.
So you are saying your a idiot driver that everyone hates on the road and love to danger other drivers... You sir I award the bad drivers award. Let's hope while you tailgate someone they have better breaks then you, that would be justice.
And you call drivers selfish for doing it yet you say you put on high beams (which is dangerous) and tailgate them, that could cause accidents...
Original post by Alfissti
You can tailgate me all you want, I usually drive a Land Rover Discovery or a Volvo XC90 and don't really feel intimidated when someone tailgate. In any case from the years of having Alfa Romeos I tend to replace my tyres every 4 months and brakes are replaced when it is 1/3 worn down. You better hope you have just as good a brakes and tyres as I do if you want to tailgate because I'll be slowing down sooner than you, just ask that German in an Audi TT from a few months back.
Whenever I drive in UK 3 car lengths away and I will be flashing those road hoggers to get out of the way, if they are still hogging the outside lane I hold down the horn while tailgating them. One good thing about driving a Land Rover is in most car's rear view mirror it will appear to be a lot closer than it really is. If it is at night I simply turn on the high beams on them. Usually either they start flooring it or they if they move away they then get on my bumper to tailgate me. I just ignore them and get on my way. I have yet to do that to anyone who drove the speedlimit though, most who did that often were driving at 50 or 60mph on the outside lane and wasn't overtaking or was usually talking on their mobile.
Admittedly whenever I'm in Norway or Sweden I don't drive that way. The chances of being caught is simply too high and police complaints on such behaviour are taken extremely seriously and simply telling them I didn't do that won't suffice plus the fines for it is a lot to pay as it goes proportionate to your income. Thankfully generally in Norway and Sweden there are very few selfish drivers on the road.
Whenever I drive in UK 3 car lengths away and I will be flashing those road hoggers to get out of the way, if they are still hogging the outside lane I hold down the horn while tailgating them. One good thing about driving a Land Rover is in most car's rear view mirror it will appear to be a lot closer than it really is. If it is at night I simply turn on the high beams on them. Usually either they start flooring it or they if they move away they then get on my bumper to tailgate me. I just ignore them and get on my way. I have yet to do that to anyone who drove the speedlimit though, most who did that often were driving at 50 or 60mph on the outside lane and wasn't overtaking or was usually talking on their mobile.
Admittedly whenever I'm in Norway or Sweden I don't drive that way. The chances of being caught is simply too high and police complaints on such behaviour are taken extremely seriously and simply telling them I didn't do that won't suffice plus the fines for it is a lot to pay as it goes proportionate to your income. Thankfully generally in Norway and Sweden there are very few selfish drivers on the road.
That's incredibly selfish and worse because you only do it here - British people don't want the roads endangered because of you, whether you are likely to get caught or not.
Posted from TSR Mobile
(edited 11 years ago)
If you feel annoyed by whose tailgating you that means you're looking at your rear-view mirror more than you should. Looking at the rear view mirror far too often is a new drivers mistake. If you're driving straight and just cruising... I can't think of any need to look at the rear view mirror. If someone behind you and want to overtake, they should be able to over take... unless you're driving at the high speed lane and you should be at the lower!
Most tailgating on the motorway is because people have big ego and don't know how to move out the way... no i'm not trying to race you, I'm not trying to keep up with you, I want to get past, your in my way...
I'm usually very very patient, give it a few minutes, then I start getting very close and become intimidating...
I'm usually very very patient, give it a few minutes, then I start getting very close and become intimidating...
Original post by Alfissti
You can tailgate me all you want, I usually drive a Land Rover Discovery or a Volvo XC90 and don't really feel intimidated when someone tailgate. In any case from the years of having Alfa Romeos I tend to replace my tyres every 4 months and brakes are replaced when it is 1/3 worn down. You better hope you have just as good a brakes and tyres as I do if you want to tailgate because I'll be slowing down sooner than you, just ask that German in an Audi TT from a few months back.
Whenever I drive in UK 3 car lengths away and I will be flashing those road hoggers to get out of the way, if they are still hogging the outside lane I hold down the horn while tailgating them. One good thing about driving a Land Rover is in most car's rear view mirror it will appear to be a lot closer than it really is. If it is at night I simply turn on the high beams on them. Usually either they start flooring it or they if they move away they then get on my bumper to tailgate me. I just ignore them and get on my way. I have yet to do that to anyone who drove the speedlimit though, most who did that often were driving at 50 or 60mph on the outside lane and wasn't overtaking or was usually talking on their mobile.
Admittedly whenever I'm in Norway or Sweden I don't drive that way. The chances of being caught is simply too high and police complaints on such behaviour are taken extremely seriously and simply telling them I didn't do that won't suffice plus the fines for it is a lot to pay as it goes proportionate to your income. Thankfully generally in Norway and Sweden there are very few selfish drivers on the road.
Whenever I drive in UK 3 car lengths away and I will be flashing those road hoggers to get out of the way, if they are still hogging the outside lane I hold down the horn while tailgating them. One good thing about driving a Land Rover is in most car's rear view mirror it will appear to be a lot closer than it really is. If it is at night I simply turn on the high beams on them. Usually either they start flooring it or they if they move away they then get on my bumper to tailgate me. I just ignore them and get on my way. I have yet to do that to anyone who drove the speedlimit though, most who did that often were driving at 50 or 60mph on the outside lane and wasn't overtaking or was usually talking on their mobile.
Admittedly whenever I'm in Norway or Sweden I don't drive that way. The chances of being caught is simply too high and police complaints on such behaviour are taken extremely seriously and simply telling them I didn't do that won't suffice plus the fines for it is a lot to pay as it goes proportionate to your income. Thankfully generally in Norway and Sweden there are very few selfish drivers on the road.
The phrase see you next Tuesday comes to mind reading this.
If you are going 20 in a 30 or 50 in a 60, im driving bumper to bumper.
I'll hold my hands up, I sometimes tailgate. Not 1-inch-off-your-bumper tailgating, but still a bit too close. Mostly just do it either when someone is doing something stupid like 40 in a safe 60, or when people aren't using the lanes properly on the motorway. If you're not overtaking, you shouldn't be in the middle lane, and definitely not in the fast lane. The amount of times I've been stuck behind some prat who sits in the fast lane at 70 on a motorway is ridiculous.
But when I get tailgate, usually just ignore it. Tapping the brakes seems like a good idea to **** the person up, but if it ends in a bump, you'll be the one in the **** for doing it. Usually I wait for a roundabout, junction, or national speed limit zone and gun it. When my mate does it in his diesel Pug the ****ers get enveloped in black smoke! Derv Life <3
But when I get tailgate, usually just ignore it. Tapping the brakes seems like a good idea to **** the person up, but if it ends in a bump, you'll be the one in the **** for doing it. Usually I wait for a roundabout, junction, or national speed limit zone and gun it. When my mate does it in his diesel Pug the ****ers get enveloped in black smoke! Derv Life <3
My current job involves me going to people's houses and I'm paid on a minute-by-minute basis I'm in their homes. When travelling inbetween, I get so frustrated with slow drivers, because I'm not paid to be sitting in my car stuck behind them. When I'm late (e.g. because a client has run over) and stressy, I'm ashamed to say I have tailgated a couple of times. We're not given enough travelling time - some of my clients live 4-8 miles apart and on my rota I'm still only designated 5 minutes to phone out of one house, drive to the next house and then phone in there. It's just not enough time and it can make you get frustrated at slow drivers that really don't help.
When I'm not working though, I'm a very patient driver. I'm quite happy tootling along behind someone going slowly. Before this job, I never tailgated and despised those who did it (tbh, I still think it's pointless - it's not going to get you anywhere).
When I'm not working though, I'm a very patient driver. I'm quite happy tootling along behind someone going slowly. Before this job, I never tailgated and despised those who did it (tbh, I still think it's pointless - it's not going to get you anywhere).
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