BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?

Subject: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 12:44 PM

Have just got home (phew!) after driving quite a long way alone. I was tailgated for much of this distance by a large 4X4 driven by a young lass. I was already doing the limit of 60mph on a single carriageway, but she was nearly touching my rear bumper. I was very frightened, as at that speed she'd surely have hit me had I braked for any reason. Any hints or tips from drivers here on the best way to deal with this menace? I still feel quite shaken; it was so aggressive, and I was keeping up the correct speed all the way, not dawdling along at all.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 12:51 PM

Gradually slow down and pull in, let the bugger pass you, take the registration and report to local police. The driver may have been reported before, and if not will go on record as having been reported.

I always have my camera on the passenger seat.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Ed T
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 12:52 PM

How about, pulling over somewhere and let them pass, versus continuing with the annoyance?

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Will Fly
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 12:53 PM

Good advice from Bonzo.

If I'm tailgated, I just get slower and slower and slower until they get the message. If they can't overtake, tough.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 01:16 PM

Yep, my tactic too.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 01:17 PM

I have on occasion turned on my 'hazard' warning blinkers. This, along with gentle taps on the brake, will 'usually' get the point across. If not, finding another lane and slowing to get them in front of me is the best answer.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 01:22 PM

I did consider pulling over, but there didn't seem to be many suitable stopping places. I'd much rather she had overtaken me and disappeared into the distance! I've been driving for over fifty years, all over Britain, without (touch wood) ever having had any sort of accident. I also keep up my speed to the correct limit so as not to delay people behind me. It's a good tip to take the number and report it, as she could be doing this to everyone and cause an accident. We get a lot of elderly drivers who only ever do forty mph, but I'd never do that to them, it's IMO terribly dangerous. Time for a nice cup of tea and some crumpets. Plus, my old friend I'd been visiting had made me a ginger cake to take away, so a slice of that will calm me down no end!
Thank you all for your advice!

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: frogprince
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 01:23 PM

I've had one particular instance of tailgating that stands out for me. I was on my way to work, before dawn, on a rural stretch of highway. It was four lane (two each way), but with frequent hills and curves, and in deer country. A heavy pickup pulled up tight behind, with his headlights glaring into my car. I slowed; he stayed right on my bumper. I switched lanes. He switched after me. Perhaps I should have pulled to the shoulder and stopped, but I was getting flat scared. If I accelerated to 75 mph, much to fast for the conditions, he would stay back at a reasonable distance. I was hoping dearly that there would be a patrolman along the way, but none appeared. He followed until I came to my turn-off point, and went on. It took a bit for my hair to settle back down.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 01:23 PM

The rule of thumb is "one car–length for every 10 mph"—so if the vehicle behind you is one car-length back, you shouldn't exceed 10 mph.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Ed T
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 01:24 PM

Annoying a tailgater could present a danger, as incidents of road rage are on the rise in some locations.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 01:40 PM

Good advice, Bonzo. Get out of the way; a report to the police could prevent a future accident. It pays to be meek in such situations.

A method I definitely do not advise is dealing with the nut. One case reported here, on a multi-lane, the guy was flashing lights and tail-gating. When it was safe, the "victim" changed lanes, then the nut pulled in front and applied brakes- the "victim" was not quick enough with his brakes, and clipped the nut, throwing his car sideways across lanes and into a roll. Could have been deadly not only for the nut, but for others as well. Unfortunately, the nut lived.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 01:41 PM

Advice from the police and advance driving institute is to slow down so you will not be in the situation where you have to brake suddenly causing the tailgater to hit you.

Aside from that you could always carry a rear-facing missile launcher...

An old Lada I had used to have a reversing spot light on a manual switch. That worked wonders for tailgaters when I switched it on.

:D tG

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 01:42 PM

Yes, Ed, this was in my mind. I didn't want to provoke worse behaviour from her by slowing down etc. She may have even rammed me! I should really have turned off the main road into one of the villages, waited a couple of minutes then retraced my way to the road again. I couldn't have changed lanes as it's a single carriageway. My husband is quite concerned, but the crumpets and cake have taken away the shakes! He's had a bit of ginger cake too, while he watches the football. I'll try to forget the incident.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 01:46 PM

By the way, it was an enormous 4X4, and the lass was smoking a cigarette. She had lots of face-piercings (you can see how close she was!) It does make one prejudiced against the 'type', which I always try to avoid. (I'm wondering now what was in the ciggie??)

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 03:00 PM

i) Make sure you have more speed available to you than the tailgater
2) Lightly apply the hand brake which will make your brake lights go on
3) Simultaneously accelerate and wave bye-bye

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 03:09 PM

Playing games with the brake lights is always tempting (mea culpa) but is very dangerous as evasive action by the tailgater could cause him to collide with another innocent motorist.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 03:43 PM

The passive-aggressive stuff is fun to think about it, but you're risking something by actually doing it.

I had a boss once who had a rainbow-black primer 69 Camaro, who would let a tailgater go just so far and slam on the brakes. She figured she was ready for the impact and could use the resultant funds to get stuff fixed on the car. I stop short sometimes, but never with other people in the car or close by in other cars. Sometimes it becomes a matter of "the closer you get, the slower I go". Sometimes they figure it out an back off, and sometimes they just keep riding your ass. Still, it's less dangerous if they hit you going really slowly than if you're up to speed.

Keep in mind that you're not crazy, but you don't know about the "other guy". In the US, sometimes these people have guns, but 100% of other drivers have cars, which cause more deaths than guns.

The most intelligent, safest thing to do is to pull over when you can and just let them drive on to find someone else to piss off.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: GUEST,pete from seven stars link
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 04:00 PM

I remember some years past when driving an articulated truck that a car driver, annoyed with me, pulled around me and braked hard , which of course meant that I had to do the same. I am sure he was very pleased with himself as he accelerated off, knowing that it takes a while to get a heavy goods up to speed again.
I don't suppose he would have been so pleased if I had not braked in time!

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 04:01 PM

"2) Lightly apply the hand brake which will make your brake lights go on"

Nonsense.

The brake lights are operated by the brake pedal, not the hand-brake. At least that's the case in Europe and the UK (which is where Eliza lives). Might be different in the US, but I'd be astonished if that's the case.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: GUEST,BobL
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 04:11 PM

For the car customizer a number of options spring to mind:

1) Remotely operated spray can of WD40 on back of car at about windscreen height,
2) ditto expanding foam at radiator grille height,
3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heIQSnokZ8s

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 04:29 PM

I don't think the hand brakenmakes the brake light come one. If I go outside and start my car, then apply the hand brake and leave it parked, the brake light doesn't come on. What happens is that when I drive off, I get a "stupid-driver" light and something starts smelling bad. I used to use the hand brake to slow down and surprise tailgaters. This isn't good if you don't want to risk being hit.

Oh, I almost forgot: it's not as much fun as WD-40, but requires less tech. Windshield washers. It helps if the squirters over-shoot a little. If it's rained recently, drive through all the puddles you can.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 04:49 PM

'"2) Lightly apply the hand brake which will make your brake lights go on"

Nonsense.'

You're absolutely right, it WAS the floor brake I tapped ever so slightly.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Ed T
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 04:56 PM

People with Ladas (older or newer) likely have many cars behind them, and speeding away is not an option:) 

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Ed T
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 04:59 PM

I recall the 51-hp Chevette, that used to be at the front of every highway line-up during busy holiday week ends.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 05:03 PM

My car's a very old Fiesta with over 100,000 miles on the clock, but it does have excellent acceleration. However, I was already doing the speed limit and would never, ever exceed that. I actually passed through two static permanent speed cameras with her on my tail, so I probably saved her an automatic fine through the post! She eventually turned off (phew!) down a side road to a village several miles from mine, and they're welcome to her. A silly and dangerous girl.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 05:17 PM

If you have rear fog lights they can be mistaken for brake lights when switched on and off.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Don Firth
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 05:24 PM

One afternoon in the early 1970s, while driving home from work (twenty-five miles on the freeway from where I worked near Everett to Seattle), as I was accelerating down the on-ramp to the freeway, a burly guy in a red Pontiac Firebird (muscle car—I was driving a Toyota Corona, not a muscle car) was about three feet off my rear bumper. I wanted to get out of this guy's way, and since I was going to be on the freeway for some miles, I checked to my left, saw no cars for several hundred feet, and cut diagonally toward the left (express) lane. When I got to the express lane, to my horror, I see this moron passing me on MY left—on the shoulder of the road. And he shot me a dirty look.

He was driving a hot car, and he wasn't going to have some stinkin' little Toyota beating him to the fast lane!

I held a steady 70 mph, the legal speed on this highway at the time, and maintained the correct distance from other cars. In the meantime, I watched this dude's progress.

If he had a clear stretch of the road, he accelerated, exceeding the speed limit, until he wound up tailgating someone. When he got the chance he would shoot around then and go to warp speed until he was tailgating someone else. He was a messy accident looking for a place to happen.

Over the twenty-five miles, he was never more than two block's distance ahead of me.

And the cute part was that he headed for the same off-ramp that I normally take.

There was a stop light at the end of the off-ramp.   Several cars were taking that same exit, and for all his risky, dangerous driving, he was only two cars ahead of me at the light!

========

I've had this situation a number of times. I'm on a freeway approaching the off-ramp I want to take and I'm moving to the right in preparation. But there is some guy in the right-hand lane I want to move to hanging right off my right rear quarter-panel, much too close. I speed up, he speeds up. I slow down, he slows down.

So I turn on my right turn signal and suddenly speed up. Then HE floors it to get ahead of me. Damned dangerous thing for him to do, if I were to actually change lanes right then, But I let him, then quickly move in behind him and take the off-ramp I want.

I just want to get him the hell out of my way!

Not speed and aggression. Tactics!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 05:30 PM

People with Ladas (older or newer) likely have many cars behind them, and speeding away is not an option:)

You have obviously never had a 1600 with twin Webber carbs, Ed. I have. 0-60 in less than 9 seconds. Used to really piss the boy racers in their Peugeot 205's off :-)

I suppose you think that Skoda are a laugh as well? Even though their pre-Volkwagon versions won the under 1300 class of the RAC rally 17 years running?

Sorry, but I really do get cheesed off with stereotyping. At least I suppose doing it to a car does no harm but it is a lazy shot and one that anyone with more than half a brain can do without.

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Janie
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 05:35 PM

Just glad you made it home, Eliza. I think we share the same approach - simply put, how do I keep safe in this circumstance? You were wise, imho, to not play games or try to teach the tailgater a lesson.

Experienced a similar situation to that Frogprince related early in the thread, though even a bit more menacing. Dark, 2 lane highway in the country late at night. The guy was flashing his lights at me and occasionally pulling into the opposing lane and pacing me. Definitely trying to intimidate at best, and meaning harm at worst. To the best of my knowledge I had not driven in any way to provoke road rage - he had started following me in town though I didn't realize that until we got out of town a little ways. Was so close behind me when he was behind me that I could not even safely slow down and pull over or turn down another road without fear of being rear-ended (and then possibly assaulted.) Finally, at one of the times he was in the wrong lane beside me, I was able to make a turn onto a side road that he could not anticipate. Pulled into the driveway of the first house I came to with lights, and called the police.

Was even more frightening than the one time I was robbed at gunpoint on a sidewalk on a city street.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: GUEST,Guy Behindju
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 05:39 PM

Question 2 in the quiz:
What do you do about someone who drives at 20mph down a country road and there's a dozen or so cars backed up behind it?

I don't like tailgaters either but if you are being tailgated, have a look in your mirror and see if it's you that's the problem for driving ultra slow.

Just a thought.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Ed T
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 05:40 PM

Not only did I not own one of those DTG, I never saw one on the highways where I live. We just mostly had the annoying slow ("boxy") stereotype ones on the local highways for a very few years. Glad you enjoyed yours (though not persuaded to be envious).

I dont know much about the Skodas, they were never too popular in my local, not suited for our salty and colder winters, I suspect.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 06:10 PM

Get TWO of something like this- they aren't phenomenally expensive compared with a court case- and have one facing forwards and one backwards. Make them conspicuous- the idea is to prevent or at least deter bad behaviour, not gather evidence (though they do). If the rear facing one isn't obvious enough, attach a flashing LED to it.

And if anyone still misbehaves, post the footage on a public forum.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 06:15 PM

I used to know a guy who had a switch on his dash to turn his brake lights on & off.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 06:21 PM

Guest Guybehindju, I quite agree that slow drivers can be very frustrating. I never hassle them however, just overtake correctly when safe to do so. As for myself, I always drive up to speed (but never over the limit) if the road conditions permit (visibility, icy surface etc mean one should reduce speed a little) I'm quite a positive, confident and safe driver (if I say so myself!) but like Janie, when alone in the car I'm always thinking how to keep myself safe. There are some strange people out there, and one tries to avoid Big Trouble. This lass had a very scary expression on her face. She could have overtaken me in several places, but didn't.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 06:25 PM

Plenty of affordable front and rear window mounted mini digital cam-recorder kits available these days.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 06:29 PM

That reversing spot I mentioned had a dash mounted switch, Jeri. Like I said - Great to shine on tailgaters :-)

Ed - You don't know what you missed!

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Janie
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 06:37 PM

Eliza, you made abundantly clear that you were driving the speed limit. Guy Behindju apparently doesn't read first. Hope that is not a reflection of how he drives.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: GUEST,Guy Behindju
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 07:03 PM

Janie, I (Guy Behindju) always endeavour to drive within legal limits. The problem I have is with people who drive excessively OVER and UNDER the given speed limits. This was the point I was trying to make i.e. slow drivers cause just as much chaos on the roads as the fast ones.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Janie
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 07:31 PM

Good on you, Guy Behindju. Eliza made clear she does also.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 07:45 PM

The main problem I have around here is people who drive fairly normally on the straight bits then slow down really excessively on corners, accelerating away again so as to be impossible to pass safely/legally on the straights but slowing again to a real crawl into bends. I don't tailgate them or get aggressive, but it can be quite frustrating sometimes. I can undertand it (and do it myself) in areas where sight-lines are bad and there may be pedestrians, horses or wildlife concealed by a corner, but when sight-lines are good I find it a bit of an odd way for someone to drive.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 08:09 PM

I like to refer to drivers who follow the "Massachusetts Rule":

"You may drive at any speed you wish, EXCEPT within the range from ten MPH below the posted limit to ten MPH above it."

Problem is, Mass. drivers come to Vermont...

P.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Janie
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 08:33 PM

I agree, Gbj. In some ways and at some times, slow drivers are even more of a hazard. Bad drivers are a fact of life. All good reasons to drive defensively.

Should confess that in my early 60's I am increasingly plagued by night blindness. Not a big problem on freeways because there are not approaching headlights directly in my line of vision. I fortunately changed jobs several months ago that mean I no longer have to drive 40 miles of 2 lane country road, infested by crossing deer on dry nights, and on which I was literally rendered blind by approaching headlights on rainy winter nights when it was dark by the time I left work at 6:00pm. Was wondering if I might have to resign simply from inability to safely drive come this next winter as I was well aware the night blindness was getting worse and worse. Although those were not heavily traveled 40 miles they were not lightly traveled either, and it was always a challenge to figure out, when traffic began to back up behind me, if and where I might be able to pull over to let cars pass. Has made me a bit more compassionate when I get behind an obviously elder driver who really can't safely drive the speed limit any more, even on dry rural roads in daylight. Easy to say they shouldn't drive. But also know that many in rural areas don't have alternatives to get around to the limited extent it is essential they do.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Janie
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 08:45 PM

Know what you mean, Rob. I still drive that 40 miles once a week for the private practice I expanded to that locale after the clinic closed. (Fortunately I now control those hours and don't have to drive it at night now.) It's really irritating to be behind some one who speeds up to a reasonable speed only in the passing zones. I finally decided it is simply unconscious on their part, take a deep breath, and try to let rational mind be in charge of me when I am behind the wheel. Also helped that about a year ago I acquired my first car that doesn't need a long, running start to get up to passing speed, and if the passing zone is clear, is now enough length for me to safely pass in the few passing zones along that route.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: meself
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 08:48 PM

All my life, I've heard people expounding on the great danger posed by slow drivers. Funny though, in all the reports of accidents that I've heard or read, I've never encountered the phrase "lack of speed was a factor ... "

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 09:02 PM

Several things. First, and let me make this clear, tailgating is stupid and dangerous.

But.

Our roads are very crowded. Life can be fairly frenetic at times and there are people, rightly or wrongly, who need to get on, and fast. If you are driving at well below the speed limit for the road you're on, and the road is busy, you are in serious danger of being a twat. If there is a convoy of traffic behind you which had been behind you for a mile or more, and you are driving at less than the speed limit for that road, you are definitely a complete twat. Humanity is what it is, whether you like it or not. You are causing exactly the kind of frustration that could lead to a serious accident. It wouldn't be your fault, of course, humanity being what it is, but the naked fact is that the accident might well not have happened had you bloody well got out of the way. Wives may not have been widowed and children might not have been orphaned. Quite a thought, as you're sitting there doing 39 on a 60 road feeling all sanctimonious with a massive queue behind you. Pull over, fer chrissake, if you're a member of the Sunday velvet steering wheel club, and let us pass. Some of us can drive a bit faster than you, and yes, we left home two minutes later than we should have. But that's what being a human being is all about. Basically, eliminate your stress completely by getting out of the bloody way. Using your mirror once in a blue moon, and cutting the yap whilst driving, might help. Hope this helps.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 09:19 PM

The main hazard created by ridiculously slow drivers is the impatient people they piss off and what those people do because they can't control themselves or their car. Slow drivers are annoying, that's all, and yes, I've done stupid things because they irritated me. I really try not to be an idiot these days, because there are just so many opportunities that don't allow me a choice.

Using what other people do as an excuse for tailgating doesn't make sense. How is driving close enough to their car so you can't control it in an emergency EVER a good idea? If you say you're trying to give them a clue they should speed up, if they don't comply with your wishes in a couple minutes, maybe you should give up. All you're doing is reducing your ability to control your car.

Another thing is that if you hit somebody in front of you, legally (in all cases I can think of), you're the one who's going to be found to be at fault.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 10:10 PM

Does any tailgater seriously believe it helps them economise on fuel
by slipstreaming so close behind...???

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 11:17 PM

Dave, how did you ever end up owning a Lada? I didn't think those things were ever sold outside the Warsaw Pact. Are they seen very often in the U.K.? How about East German Trabants?
I knew about Trabants when I lived in West Berlin, but never saw one until I visited Prague a few years ago. And I've seen Ladas only in museums.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 22 Jun 14 - 11:51 PM

My favorite tailgating story involved a friend driving to Chicago on the expressway. Someone in a low slung sports car started tailgating him. He changed lanes, and the other person did to keep tailgating. He was driving along and saw that he was about to run over a muffler that had dropped in the fast lane. He swerved to avoid it and the other car didn't have time and went right over it, probably ruining his suspension.

Subject: RE: BS: How Should I Deal With Tailgating?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Jun 14 - 01:50 AM

They were very popular in the UK during the 1980s, Joe. And, unlike Eds view, they were a good car provided you didn't mind the 1960s technology!

Cheers

Dave