Tailgating getting more common

KTRIC

I was driving my bike through the city center this morning at about 5 am on the way home from work when a Transit with full beams and spots on decided to see if he could count the hairs on the back of my neck. I'd say he was about a meter behind my back wheel and there was no-one else on the roads, so it wouldn’t have been any problem to over take if he was in a hurry.

Speeding up just made things worse, so what I did after about 5 minutes is gradually slow down to about 20kph, this p!ssed him off no end and he tore past me.

Has anyone experienced this recently, I think it is getting more and more common around the Dublin area.

TempestSabre

Seems pretty common everywhere IMO. Morons.

Squirrel

The only time I've been in a car that was tailgating someone was coming home from Belfast earlier this year when my dad was practically sitting on the bumper of a dozy fcuker doing 25 in the overtaking lane of a motorway, deadly serious, still up North

colm_mcm

tailgating a bike is fairly silly, you've more chance of overtaking by building up some speed first.

I can't imagine how a van got stuck behind a bike for 5 minutes in the city centre at 5 am. were you in the middle of the road or something (or carrying a wardrobe?)

KTRIC

colm_mcm wrote:

tailgating a bike is fairly silly, you've more chance of overtaking by building up some speed first.

I can't imagine how a van got stuck behind a bike for 5 minutes in the city centre at 5 am. were you in the middle of the road or something (or carrying a wardrobe?)

I was driving in the middle of my lane, there was plenty of opertunity for this guy to pass me and he made no attempt until I slowed down gradually to crawling pace.

colm_mcm

ever hear of "keep left, pass right"

sounds like you were acting the maggot

KTRIC

colm_mcm wrote:

ever hear of "keep left, pass right"

sounds like you were acting the maggot

Do you drive a bike ? Have you never heard of the "command" position ?

rymus

happened to me a few times when I was on the bike more regularly years ago. Most recent was a foreign reg car with a blind drunk passenger leaning out his window hurling empty beer cans. There are some idiots around alright.

KTRIC

I really don't think this is related to me driving a bike. This is happening with cars aswell.

I don't understand the mentallity of the people that do it, its extremely dangerous.

Kazujo

Happens fairly regular on the M1-M50, some people expect you to cut the nose off the vechicle you are over taking to get out of their way so tehy can speed off down the motorway :mad:

What iritates me even more is the people who not only tailgate but when you do start to move out of their way they move furtehr to the right hand side of the lane to pass you that little but quicker

fatboypee

Was driving the N7 about four weeks ago, massive tailback both sides...crawling past it, guards everywhere, a NUN on the verge other side of the road talking to a Guard and shaking like a leaf, her Renault Clio in the middle of the road with its right hand indicator flashing, it's ass totalled. Behind it, a stream of no less than eight cars, all but the last one, smashed front to back in varying bits all over the road, on the hard shoulder (even one nose-down in the ditch).....

I dunno if it would be construed as careless driving by the NUN or not as I happened upon the scene, all you could glean from it was that if the d*ckheads in the cars had kept a proper distance then the very most one or maybe two would be smashed but not eight.....:rolleyes:

Even today, thick fog, bumper to bumper down the N7 alot without even side lights on....

Pee

impr0v

If tailgating is getting more common, then light-breaking is now endemic in Dublin, if not the country as a whole. It's visible at most sets of lights, at any time of day, as is a general ignorance of yellow hatched areas, etc. Without coming over all Victor Meldrew they're both symptomatic of the overall decline in road manners and courtesy and the 'me first' mentality that's increasing in prevalence.

Big Balls

From my own experiences, a bike hogging the middle of the road is fairly annoying, particularly if the road is wide enough to allow both vehicles to go about their business but without forcing anyone to cross over the other side to overtake.

However, I find it's only idiots on mopeds that do this - guys on real bikes know better.

If someone tailgates me, it's gonna be because they want to be a pr*ck, not because I'm going too slow and on the rare time it happens, I just drop a cog.

White van drivers think they own the road though. :rolleyes:

Idleater

Noticed some nice gentleman in a focus about 1m from the back of my bike on the way to work this morning too. Now, on the section of back road that I was driving on, it was "fairly icy", and I was taking account of the conditions so taking good care. I was slowing gradually for a sharp corner and then at it, I heard wheels locking behind me.
Kept the speed up as best I could throught the corner, the gentleman slid towards the ditch (outside of the corner) rather than into me.

Needless to say, he stayed back a bit further for the next couple of k.

I mean, if you are going to tailgait someone, at least take the road conditions into account!

L.

KTRIC

Big Balls wrote:

From my own experiences, a bike hogging the middle of the road is fairly annoying, particularly if the road is wide enough to allow both vehicles to go about their business but without forcing anyone to cross over the other side to overtake.

However, I find it's only idiots on mopeds that do this - guys on real bikes know better.

If someone tailgates me, it's gonna be because they want to be a pr*ck, not because I'm going too slow and on the rare time it happens, I just drop a cog.

White van drivers think they own the road though. :rolleyes:

Are you really trying to say that Bikes shouldn't drive in the center of their lane ??? Are you for f**king real ??

I drive a proper bike, not a moped / scooter and the proper place for it is in the center of the lane or one third from the righthand line marker.

There are 2 lanes on most of the bigger roads around the city, when someone wants to overtake they can use one of them, not run up your backside and try to run you off the road.

Ginger83

Nice quick hard jab on the brakes normally gets the message across!;)

Tomohawk

On the odd occasion a car is tailgating my vespa 200, I will glance backwards over the shoulder a couple of times till the driver gets the message. I make them aware that they are aware of me. If that doesn't work I might choose to literally wobble the bike a bit!! That usually gets them worried and they might drop back a bit. I don't do one this very often though, keep it for special occasions!

If there driver behind is still tailgating, I make them "earn" the overtake by holding my "command" position, and maintaining my speed right on the speed limit. All proper and legal. Most times I will just put on a few kmh and get away from them. If they are just being bullish and insistent on passing I will end up just letting them as I usually meet them at the next lights, where I can sail around them and sit in front of them at the lights on pole. That always makes me smile...ah the perks of riding a motorbike

I also drive a car on a full licence, and was a white van driver for a couple of years in a previous occupation, so I know what its like driving behind a wheel too. Driving standards on Irish roads are getting worse by the month...:(

Big Balls

K-TRIC wrote:

Are you really trying to say that Bikes shouldn't drive in the center of their lane ??? Are you for f**king real ??

I am yeh, if you're hogging the road holding up traffic.

luckat

Friend of mine was driving her car on the Stillorgan dual carriageway when a car came up behind her on an almost empty road and deliberately rammed the back, then sped away.

She's not a slow driver - she doesn't speed, but she's always nudging the top of the limit.

This was obviously deliberate. Wrecked the back of her car - it was totally crumpled.

maidhc

Big Balls wrote:

I am yeh, if you're hogging the road holding up traffic.

I'm not a bike driver, and never have driven one, but why are they not entitled to use the lane they are in like anything else? In fairness if a bike kept into the left too much they would probably end up between an artic and a wall, which isnt a nice place to be.

Mexicola

Not So Big Balls wrote:

From my own experiences, a bike hogging the middle of the road is fairly annoying, particularly if the road is wide enough to allow both vehicles to go about their business but without forcing anyone to cross over the other side to overtake.

However, I find it's only idiots on mopeds that do this - guys on real bikes know better.

Have you ever driven a bike Balls? I drive a bike and as much as I dont like mopeds, I think they have as much right as anyone to hold the road. The fact that they are driving such a low-powered machine means they have to compensate for the lack of power by making themselves more conspicuous.

Not So Big Balls wrote:

guys on real bikes know better.

Why the heck does that mean - are you overtaking loads of bikes or something?

franksm

luckat wrote:

Friend of mine was driving her car on the Stillorgan dual carriageway when a car came up behind her on an almost empty road and deliberately rammed the back, then sped away.

Drunk driver maybe ? May they rot in hell.
Guess it was early/late if that road was empty.

jwt

Years ago, as a biker I learned that the worst place for oil on a wet road was dead centre of a lane (between the two tyre tracks) and out near the white line.

Leaving aside Bends/positioning for max observation , 1/3 or 2/3 position on a bike is reasonable.

Any 4 wheeled driver that can't see past you in either of those two positions has some serious vision problems


John

seamus

Without sparking up the whole car -v- bike debate, a bike has much more tendancy, and need to change its road position. I would never advise any biker (moped or otherwise) to stick to the kerb to allow following vehicles to pass. If you do this, people will try their utmost to squeeze past you, without crossing the white line. If they have to make an emergency manouver or hit another vehicle, mid-overtake, you're screwed.

By retaining command of the lane, and forcing following vehicles to at least partially cross the white line to overtake you, they're much less likely to make a decision that will put you at risk. By all means move left to give them more room - like you would in any vehicle - but never drive in the gutter, or two inches from the kerb.

There's no better indicator of a complete and utter ignorant prick than someone who forces the bike sidewards and squeezes by without crossing the line/changing lanes.

Sparky

I found this when i was biking that drivers tend to come up to your rear wheel alot, even if your are going the limit or slighty over by 3kmh, the worst time in in cold wet weather, some car drivers tend to think a bike can just sail around a tight corner.
Ive been driving the past couple of weeks, and i still notice this now, i tend to go through my gears nice and smoothly while still gaining speed up till the limit, some drivers think that there in a race and tend to be right behind you with only a foot to spare.
And more recent on coming back from delgany i was doing 120kmh exact, and a northern reg megane was literally on my bumper, i knew if i had to brake suddenly he would be into the back of me, so he was either forcing me into the outside lane, by which he should of used, but i wasnt going to give way, so i tapped the brake so the lights would come on and he slapped on his brakes resuting in his rear tires screeching, he then decides to over take and cut in tightly to me and slow down to 40kmh then speed up to 70kmh, at this stage i tried to over take and he would cut in before i could.
Having the phone cam handy i recorded his reg and made it look like i was ringing the gardai. Im not sure if he noticed this but he then decided to merge off at the tallagh exit.

Of all my road experience that has to be the worst to date and it really test's you patience, i told my mam and dad and they reckon that he could of been looking for you to have an accident to claim insurance.

Kermitt

Tailgating is a bugbear of mine, was coming back from cork last august on cashel bypass. I was passing an artic in the 'fast' lane when a green avensis sat on my back bumper and started flashing his lights. I had nowhere to go and there was a roundabout ahead so i thought he can wait, he passed me on the inside on the roundabout and almost took my front wing off cutting me up on the exit. Happily he got stuck behind a line of trucks and out of pure divilment my gf prompted me to flash lights at him.. he gave me the finger.. Pathetic attitude to 'time saving' on the roads.. relly pi$$es me off.

Big Balls

Listen lads, bikers spend their time swerving in and out of lanes and breezing through the traffic, rarely driving along in a lane like a car has to so I don't even get the point you are trying to make.

On the odd occasion where for example, a moped wants to sit in the middle of a lane barely being able to reach 30 mph in less than 20 seconds and they are holding up traffic because of it, then I think that is a pain in the arse and I doubt any other drivers think any different and don't see why they can't pull in a bit and let cars past. Traffic is Dublin is bad enough without people on two wheels trying to make a point - but like I said, most of the time on a bike is spent swerving between cars and overtaking them due to traffic congestion.

I do about 800 kms a week purely in Dublin city so I'm well used to seeing what I see happening.

seamus

Big Balls wrote:

On the odd occasion where for example, a moped wants to sit in the middle of a lane barely being able to reach 30 mph in less than 20 seconds and they are holding up traffic because of it, then I think that is a pain in the arse and I doubt any other drivers think any different and don't see why they can't pull in a bit and let cars past.

In my experience, most do. But there's no reason why they should put themselves in danger just to ease the traffic a little.

Big Balls

I'm not saying anyone should.. but if there's room to do both, there is no need for a moped/bicycle/bike/jogger to hog the whole road!!!!!!!

KTRIC

Big Balls wrote:

I'm not saying anyone should.. but if there's room to do both, there is no need for a moped/bicycle/bike/jogger to hog the whole road!!!!!!!

You clearly have a problem with anyone on the road apart from you. A motorbike has just as much right to be driving on the road as anyone else.

It's people with your attitude that tailgate because you seem to thing nobody else should be in front of you.

skibum

Any time I have somebody trying to hook their bumper on my tow bar I just spray the windscreen and the excess goes all over their screen, 9 times out of 10 they back off.

Big Balls

K-TRIC wrote:

You clearly have a problem with anyone on the road apart from you. A motorbike has just as much right to be driving on the road as anyone else.

It's people with your attitude that tailgate because you seem to thing nobody else should be in front of you.

Not ONCE did I say I go around sitting on people's bumpers... my car is worth a lot more to me than that thanks.

If you want to hold up traffic just to pootle along in your own world, do so at your own risk.

maidhc

Big Balls wrote:

I do about 800 kms a week purely in Dublin city so I'm well used to seeing what I see happening.

Maybe you should get a bike!

spockety

I hope that there are no bikers reading this who now feel they are doing the wrong thing by using the centre of their lane.

Ignore anyone who says you are wrong to do this. It is vital for your own personal safety that you hold a commanding position in the centre of your lane, no matter what speed you are capable of doing.

For those people in cars who don't understand bikers holding their line in the centre, you should take some driver training, and ask your instructor about safely overtaking motorcycles and scooters. If you're basing your discontent with bikers holding the centre of their lane on your own ignorance, then it's just something you're going to have to live with.

Bikers, hold a commanding position in the centre of your lane. Don't be intimidated into thinking that you are obliged to pull to the left etc, to allow someone in a car or van to perform a ludicrously dangerous and over confident overtake.

TempestSabre

A guy I know driving down the country on a bad wet night, was forced to brake suddenly when someone made as if to pull out in front of him from a side road. Couldn't go around as there was on comming traffic. Almost as soon as he braked he heard and felt something hitting his car from behind. He pulls over, and sees cars in the other direction stopping. As he walks back it becomes clear, a biker tailgating him, probably about to overtake as gone into the back, and bounced across into far lane, straight into the oncoming car. Killed instantly.

Don't screw about on the road with all this braking and putting on lights. You'll kill someone.

ballooba

I personally would much prefer that motorcyclists would stick to the centre of their lane rather than sitting on the rear wing of my car in my blindspot. You don't know when the muppets are going to try and pass you and they probably won't see your indicators if you turn because they're so close.

eth0_

Tailgating on motorways is getting worse. It's really astounding to see all these cars up ahead, driving up each others arses!

What if they hit fog? or an accident? Do these people not worry about a pileup or a rear-end at 120km/h?

TempestSabre

ballooba wrote:

I personally would much prefer that motorcyclists would stick to the centre of their lane rather than sitting on the rear wing of my car in my blindspot. You don't know when the muppets are going to try and pass you and they probably won't see your indicators if you turn because they're so close.

Same here. Stay where I can see you, and I'll pull over and let you pass. However when you see one in that corner you should check the other side because where theres one theres often two. The other guy will pass you on the inside.

Sparky

spockety wrote:

I hope that there are no bikers reading this who now feel they are doing the wrong thing by using the centre of their lane.

Ignore anyone who says you are wrong to do this. It is vital for your own personal safety that you hold a commanding position in the centre of your lane, no matter what speed you are capable of doing.

For those people in cars who don't understand bikers holding their line in the centre, you should take some driver training, and ask your instructor about safely overtaking motorcycles and scooters. If you're basing your discontent with bikers holding the centre of their lane on your own ignorance, then it's just something you're going to have to live with.

Bikers, hold a commanding position in the centre of your lane. Don't be intimidated into thinking that you are obliged to pull to the left etc, to allow someone in a car or van to perform a ludicrously dangerous and over confident overtake.

I agree with this, ive been using a bike for 2 and a half years now and always use the commanding position, after all i am going the speed limit and with the flow of traffic and i pay my road tax aswell so im entitled to also.

I dont generally overtake cars but i only overtake in slow moving traffic and/or stopped traffic, taking into consideration people hanging their hands out windows and being the arse not using indicators.

If at all i think bikers are more road aware than car drivers

I think some drivers need to have a week on a bike on the roads, we are all not couriers on a deadline, some of us know the limits and keep to them.

Big Balls

Sparky what you desribe is something everyone can agree on.. the only reason a car would be close to the rear of a bike anyway is if the bike was going particularly slow.. in every other situation the bike would be quicker I'd imagine.

The initial poster clearly was causing an obstruction that morning if someone couldn't get by him at 5 in the morning and that is the type of driving I have a problem with be it car or bike.

If a car for no reason is doing under 30 or a bike is doing under 30 then I will go around it.

KTRIC

Big Balls wrote:

Sparky what you desribe is something everyone can agree on.. the only reason a car would be close to the rear of a bike anyway is if the bike was going particularly slow.. in every other situation the bike would be quicker I'd imagine.

The initial poster clearly was causing an obstruction that morning if someone couldn't get by him at 5 in the morning and that is the type of driving I have a problem with be it car or bike.

If a car for no reason is doing under 30 or a bike is doing under 30 then I will go around it.

How the hell do you know what speed I was doing !! or if I was causing an obstruction. The van driver behind me had loads of opertunities to get by me and chose not to. Stop jumping to conclusions and padding up your posts with facts you made up yourself.

I've been driving a bike for 5 years now and like many other posters on this thread I know the rules of the road and how to behave.

Idleater

Big Balls wrote:

the only reason a car would be close to the rear of a bike anyway is if the bike was going particularly slow..

There is no reason why a car should be close to the rear of a bike or any vehicle for that matter.

And what does particularly slow mean? There are no prescribed minimum speeds on the roads apart from on motorways...


L.

Kazujo

I think alot of people seem to be mis-reading the OP. He said he was driving in the centre of his LANE not the middle of the raod. This is where all bikes should ride. I've been muscled in towards the kerb i the past. it never ceases to amaze me how little some car drivers feel they need to leave when over taling a bike, be it in the city centre or on the motorway.

I know people are going to jump on me startight away with the whole "bikes are always weaving in and out of traffic" and how close the bikers sometimes drive to cars.

There is one very big difference between a car and a bike. The next time your driving your car look to your left. What do you see? That's right your passanger door a short distance away from you. on the other side could be an object. Your perception of the disance of that object from said door is all personall judgement and mirrors.

Now imagine the same situation onaa bike. I look left I see the car next to me. I look down I see the road. Everywhere I look I see the actual distance between me and other objects around me. It's not the distance betwwen the side of my vehicle and the object. It's the distance between me and the object. My vision is completely unobstructed ot the world around me so I'm in a much better position to make a judgement if it is safe to proceed though a gap or overtake, taking into account all of the other environmental variables like weather road condidtions, the other vehicles and my visibliltiy to otehr motorists.

Just to reiterate IT IS NEVER ACCEPTABLE TO TAILGATE A BIKE. While tailgating a car if the lead brakes there is a crash maybe some whiplash and damage to the car. If a rider has difficulty and falls he could end up under your car?

The whole Bike v Car debate/arguement will never cease

Most of the people on Irish roads are simpy lacking in common sence and a little bit of patience.

Kermitt

Dare i say we forget the bike/car tribunal and agree that everyone should cop on when driving and stay back from other vehicles.. Tailgating has no positive outcomes. you either pi$$ someone off and get nowhere fast or you crash and end up doing damage to car/bike/person/all of the above. I had a rear end crash last year and i think most people don't realise how quickly you can end up in the ar$e of the vehicle in front if they stop suddenly. Made me change my habits, pity it took a smash to do so. Wise up folks.. End of rant/waste of time..

Kazujo

I agree it's not a matter of what you drive but rather how you drive it. Cars and motorbikes are not dangerous. They are safe stationery objects until someone jumps in/on and takes control.

omb0wyn5ehpij9

Big Balls wrote:

Listen lads, bikers spend their time swerving in and out of lanes and breezing through the traffic, rarely driving along in a lane like a car has to so I don't even get the point you are trying to make.

On the odd occasion where for example, a moped wants to sit in the middle of a lane barely being able to reach 30 mph in less than 20 seconds and they are holding up traffic because of it, then I think that is a pain in the arse and I doubt any other drivers think any different and don't see why they can't pull in a bit and let cars past. Traffic is Dublin is bad enough without people on two wheels trying to make a point - but like I said, most of the time on a bike is spent swerving between cars and overtaking them due to traffic congestion.

I do about 800 kms a week purely in Dublin city so I'm well used to seeing what I see happening.

I read up to this point in the topic and couldn't go on without saying something. You are a f*cking moron. I don't care if i get banned for this post. You have absolutely no road sense. I would love it if i could make you drive a bike for a few months instead of your car and then you would see how SOME car drivers like yourself are so retarded and haven't a clue about how to drive properly. Every motor vechicle in this country has to pay road tax and insurance, so everybody has as much right to be on the road as you. Bikers like myself are a lot more vunerable on the road than somebody in a car.

Driving a bike close to the left of the lane, near the kerb is the most dangerous place on the road for a bike. A lot of new/less experienced people on bikes think this is a safe place to be, which it is not. It is dangerous because morons like you think it is safe to squeeze past which can lead to all sort of trouble for a bike.

Again, this guy is an example of how much of a shambles the driving system over here is. England have the right idea with the CBT (compulsary basic training)

omb0wyn5ehpij9

Kermitt wrote:

agree that everyone should cop on when driving and stay back from other vehicles.. Tailgating has no positive outcomes. you either pi$$ someone off and get nowhere fast or you crash and end up doing damage to car/bike/person/all of the above. I had a rear end crash last year and i think most people don't realise how quickly you can end up in the ar$e of the vehicle in front if they stop suddenly. Made me change my habits, pity it took a smash to do so. Wise up folks.. End of rant/waste of time..

Well said mate