Tailgating

[jackatesme]

I have seen many young girl drivers tailgating lorries on dual carriage ways when they're only doing 20mph up a steep hill. It could be they are unaware of it being a d/carriage way or they lack confidence to overtake. As my g/daughter, who has just started driving lessons,is standing at my shoulder i must say i am not sexist. But it is mostly girls.

[Leyland Worldmaster]

Originally Posted by Avulon

Except when on a motorway the pulling over isn't really an option. Tailgated by a lorry in a 50mph limit on the M1 last week. kept slowing to 45 and then speeding up to open up a gap, but he kept deliberately closing it again. Eventually slowed down to 35mph - he still wouldn't overtake. Settled on 40mph with fogs on - no effect! Approached my junction slowed to 25mph without indicating before pulling off a the last moment and putting my foot down (them slip roads can be long and boring . Whilst all this was going on at least half a dozen other lorries passed us both. This was definately not a telematics thing had he been on telematics the speed up/slow down (accompanied by some definite gear changes) on the motorway would have been flagged no doubt: he'd have been better off overtaking me and going being an idiot somewhere else. Even if I had been going further I would have to have left at that junction just to rejoin without him behind me.



Should have pointed out to him that 'it's 40mph here' is a limit not an instruction and that you'll happily proceed at a safe speed below that limit. If he wants to put himself and his passengers at risk then he's welcome to overtake.

Yes, that's a very good point; I was surprised at his behaviour as that part of Surrey is well known for speed traps. He was so close to me that when I stopped to have a chat, there was no way he could get round me!

There were no places to overtake due to traffic islands; narrow lanes; parked vehicles and a central reservation!

Madness!

[johnnyb44]

It happens to me all the while. I once started to question whether my driving was generally to slow. I always find it worse in the early morning while travelling to work. People seem to think speed limits only apply in day time hours when the police are about as well as the general public. I've tried all sorts of methods to let the tailgater know of his actions but none really work 100%. You either enrage them or it just simply doesn't sink into there thick heads. I remember once touching my brakes to get to message over to some rep in a Mondeo. He over took me and slammed his brakes on to try and get me to run into him. He sped off in the distance and a few minutes later there he was stuck at a level crossing. I was so angry I got out and had a few choice words with him. He just kept facing forward focused on the level crossing with his doors locked and windows up tight. The thing is you just don't know who's about nowadays on our roads. They could be some psychopath for all we know. Nowadays if I get some clown driving to close I just simply indicate and slow down and stop on the side of the road and let them wait there before the traffic clears the opposite way so they can pull out. As soon as he over takes I then continue on my way. Just let them go and aggravate some one else. That's my moto. It's an age old pet hate of drivers that will be with us for evermore.

[Yella Fella]

They are in a big rush to get there. I often wonder what it is they are missing if they don't get there on time. What happens in that 30 seconds they miss out on if they are not there?

[lady zed]

I never drive too close to the car in front, far too nerve wracking when I'm trying to apply my lippy..........

[KeithA]

Originally Posted by lady zed

I never drive too close to the car in front, far too nerve wracking when I'm trying to apply my lippy..........

Mr De Burgh says.....

Lady (in) Zed, is tailgating me....

(Gets coat)

[lady zed]

Originally Posted by KeithA

Mr De Burgh says.....

Lady (in) Zed, is tailgating me....

(Gets coat)

lolololololololoololololol nearly spat out me mcflurry there!

[marinabrian]

Originally Posted by lady zed

I never drive too close to the car in front, far too nerve wracking when I'm trying to apply my lippy..........

Best post of the day

Coffee out of the nose moment

Brian

[macafee2]

slowing down or pulling over so they can overtake is the way to go. I don't normally pull over but I may slow down sometimes. generally and perhaps wrongly I just drive at the speed limit and leave a big gap to the car in front. if they want to drive so close, I let them.
it is not that they are always trying to bully you, they just don't realise the danger. friends of mine tailgate just because they don't realise the danger, they think the gap is big enough. these drivers don't consider the emergency stop situation and if the car in front brakes because they are for example about to miss their turn they will blame the car in front. if you approach a lower speed limit and brake at the last moment to get down to the correct speed they will be taken by surprise but what did they think was going to happen when the speed limit reduced?

macafee2

[Elliott]

After many years driving I think I read the highway code wrong, as around here the the speed signs of 30 or 40 seem to be a minimum not a maximum lol.

Annoys me that so many people including mums picking kids up drive through the flashing 20 mph sign (lights and numbers you can't miss it unless your just looking at the end of your bonnet) at stupid speeds well in excess of 40 which is the normal speed of the road except for school opening and closing time,

And with all the poorly adjusted lights (not the normal setting but the loaded setting using the thumb wheel) round here on the Island tailgating down these roads is positively lethal, thank god my interior mirror auto adjust or my hand would be up and down to the dip lever on the mirror more time than John Travolta's arm doing Saturday night fever