Tailgating

eddiem10

I am sick to f@ck of tailgating f#ckers!!! I was gated 3 times today in freezing conditions while I was doing the legal speed limit and a line of traffic in front of me. All in the space of 70 km. I drive (not perfectly all the time I might add) 50,000 km a year and the amount of tailgating is getting ridiculous. Its hateful at all times but it REALLY pisses me off in fog, frost or even worse both. In 30 years of driving I have never reported anyone. But I have had enough. The next pr*ck that wants to sit in my back seat will not get the "pump of the brakes" treatment. But for all the use its worth I WILL report every single one of them. Every one of us should. ......I feel better now. Hopefully the guy driving the 11D BMW on the M8 southbound nr Cahir, today wont feel as good when he gets a call from the Guards!

Celly Smunt

Tbh this is something i've also been noticing a lot more of lately.I'd be going usually around 35 in a 30 zone (speeding :eek:) and never less than the speed limit,yet you still get gob****es up your arse.Another bunch i've noticed are people who just don't realise they're tailgating when they are,the ones that just sit up your hole obivious to their surroundings.I'm beginning to get tired of constantly watching my breaking in traffic in order to stop them ramming up my arse all the time.

I find there's two stress free solutions.
a; Tilt the rear view down with the anti-glare latch.
b; let them around you.

c; fit a ball hitch

eddiem10

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

I find there's two stress free solutions.
a; Tilt the rear view down with the anti-glare latch.
b; let them around you.

Sick of letting them out....Reporting them from now on. A_sholes that they are!

Celly Smunt

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

I find there's two stress free solutions.
a; Tilt the rear view down with the anti-glare latch.
b; let them around you.

On country roads this is a lot easier than in cities.

maxfresh

a long squirt of the windscreen washers usally does the trick

eddiem10

maxfresh wrote: »

a long squirt of the windscreen washers usally does the trick

Must try that one.... after I have filled me washers with slurry:D

Reporting them isn't going to achieve a lot given that there's no actual incident and it's your word against theirs.
I'm generally infuriatingly slow for some drivers given the the age of my vehicle, condition of my suspension and mpg conservation attitude. I find once I make allowance for this people generally get around me city or country.
Acting aggressively only makes the situation worse.
There's too much selfish driving out there imo If I was to deliberately detain faster traffic by my principles that begets two frustrated drivers. I'm not letting them win by letting them out. I'm circumventing a higher risk circumstance.
It's generally white van drivers and them eye-browey lighty cars (audi's, bmw's...etc) who are the villains which usually have plenty of tenacity to be on their merry way given an opportunity.

CiniO

I must admit I very seldom encounter tailgating on Irish roads.
At least comparing to amount of tailgating you get on roads on the Continent.

Anyway - one thing that is most bizarre in Ireland is tailgating on motorways.
I never encountered it anywhere else.

Example from few months ago. I was travelling from Dublin to Galway. Late evening so very little traffic. I had my cruise control set at exactly 120km/h.
I see in my mirror a big van (transit like) approaching. He eventually came as close as probably 1 metre behind me and sits like this for few minutes. I though what the hell. I accelerated, overtook few trucks, and lost him, then again slowed down to 120km/h. After 5 minutes he is back again on my tail sitting even closer than previously.
I didn't have a choice but just floored it to the bottom, did 200km/h for 5 minutes, and that was enough not to see the idiot again up to Galway.

This was extremal example, but when driving a bus (which is limited to 100km/h on motorway) i see very often people who come close to me and don't overtake for some reason.


Few days ago I had another incident. I was again going Dublin-Galway in the middle of the night. (around 4am). Virtually no traffic at all.
I was in a bit hurry so I was doing around 160km/h.
Suddenly something shows up behind me right on my tail. Stays there for a minute. I kept my speed. He then changed lane to the right one so I though that he will be overtaking, but no. He kept the same speed and stayed on the right lane just behind me at 160km/h for few minutes, to eventually slow down. This all lasted for few minutes. No other vehicles around. I must admit I got bit scared, but after he slowed down I didn't see him anymore.

Nothing even similar ever happened to me anywhere else than in Ireland.

eddiem10

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

Reporting them isn't going to achieve a lot given that there's no actual incident and it's your word against theirs.
.

http://www.rulesoftheroad.ie/accidents-gardai-and-penalties/penalty-points-fixed-charge-offences/index.html


"Failure to leave appropriate distance between you and the vehicle in front". 2 points and a €80 fine.

very difficult to prove over the phone

eddiem10

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

very difficult to prove over the phone

The tailgater will have to prove his case too. And believe me, if he has succeeded in p_ssing off me he will have p_issed off many, many more drivers as well. I suppose my main point is, I for one, am not willing to tolerate these dangerous lunatics any longer. Report them AND/OR be damned!

Celly Smunt

eddiem10 wrote: »

The tailgater will have to prove his case too. And believe me, if he has succeeded in p_ssing off me he will have p_issed off many, many more drivers as well. I suppose my main point is, I for one, am not willing to tolerate these dangerous lunatics any longer. Report them AND/OR be damned!

get a rear dash cam

djimi

CiniO wrote: »

Anyway - one thing that is most bizarre in Ireland is tailgating on motorways.
I never encountered it anywhere else.
.
.
.
This was extremal example, but when driving a bus (which is limited to 100km/h on motorway) i see very often people who come close to me and don't overtake for some reason.

Ive heard people who genuinely think that "slipstreaming" on a motorway is a great way of saving petrol... Its actually frightening to think how stupid some of the people on the roads are.

Best of luck to you. Better idea than pumping the breaks anyway.

visual

most times I see a car being tailgated is because they are hogging the over taking lane, with what I can only presume is a self-righteous attitude " I'm doing the speed limit no one getting past me".

djimi

eddiem10 wrote: »

The tailgater will have to prove his case too. And believe me, if he has succeeded in p_ssing off me he will have p_issed off many, many more drivers as well. I suppose my main point is, I for one, am not willing to tolerate these dangerous lunatics any longer. Report them AND/OR be damned!

Or you could pull over, take a deep breath and then get on with your day! Life is too short to get worked up over some prat who thinks that their timekeeping is more important than everyone elses safety.

eddiem10

djimi wrote: »

Or you could pull over, take a deep breath and then get on with your day! Life is too short to get worked up over some prat who thinks that their timekeeping is more important than everyone elses safety.

If we all continue with this attitude these guys would just take over. Sorry, but deep breathing, cursing and swearing... none of it has worked. So from now on I will calmly report these thugs.;)

bazz26

This is what you need on the back of your car OP:

dgt

I had to deal with a tailgater on the motorway today. Not just a tailgater but a lane hogger too!

When I got by them, they were up my arse with the lights on full. So I drove on the white line and blew all sorts of water, muck and rubbish all over the front of their car. Not only did they keep back fairly fast, they pulled into the other lane with the wipers on full.

That might make them think twice before pissing me off again

Merch

eddiem10 wrote: »

I am sick to f@ck of tailgating f#ckers!!! I was gated 3 times today in freezing conditions while I was doing the legal speed limit and a line of traffic in front of me, today wont feel as good when he gets a call from the Guards!

I dont think the Gards will care, too many other things to be at. I suppose its ok to assume you were not in the overtaking lane
I had a BMW driver (I try not to narrow it down to that make) try to make his turn into his right turning lane early and drive towards me in my right turning lane. Some things may have improved, but Ive noticed in the last few years, some things regarding driving like chancing the lights among others are getting worse.

CiniO wrote: »

Anyway - one thing that is most bizarre in Ireland is tailgating on motorways.
I never encountered it anywhere else.

Example from few months ago. I was travelling from Dublin to Galway. Late evening so very little traffic. I had my cruise control set at exactly 120km/h.
I see in my mirror a big van (transit like) approaching. He eventually came as close as probably 1 metre behind me and sits like this for few minutes. I though what the hell. I accelerated, overtook few trucks, and lost him, then again slowed down to 120km/h. After 5 minutes he is back again on my tail sitting even closer than previously.
I didn't have a choice but just floored it to the bottom, did 200km/h for 5 minutes, and that was enough not to see the idiot again up to Galway.

Presume that wasn't the overtaking lane?

djimi wrote: »

Ive heard people who genuinely think that "slipstreaming" on a motorway is a great way of saving petrol... Its actually frightening to think how stupid some of the people on the roads are.

tbh Im sure it does save energy, cyclists use it, birds use (and probably even the bees use it? ), wind resistance, creating drag increases fairly fast (exp) when you are exposed to it.
On the other hand the amount of energy saved compared to the risk, well its not worth it.
I heard someone mention about saving energy while driving, by not turning on the lights, it was on the radio and related to some comment made by someone, I think they said they were from the RSA, in fairness I only caught the end of the report, so I hope they were saying turn off the fog lights.

Elfinknight

I got tailgated last week between Shannon and Limerick when a guy in a Avensis started tailgating and flashing his lights while I was overtaking. I was already doing the speed limit as it was. I pulled in after I overtook left the ass overtake me and then proceeded to take his number and reported him to the gardai........

........To be told that unless they witness it themselves all they can do is ring him and let him know there was a complaint about him IF his contact details are on file.

Then tonight on my way down from Gort just before the Shannon turn off, I was doing 120kph when I was overtaken by one car which meant he was going faster, about 140 by my estimate. No problems so far.

He hadnt gotten 20 feet ahead of me when an UK reg car came flying on faster again, gave the first guy no chance to pull in started flashing and tailgating and then overtook on the inside and was out of view within seconds. He was absolutly hopping of the road.

Silvera

Tailgating is my pet (motoring) hate!
It is intimidating, dangerous and stupid behaviour....and is very prevalent on Ireland's roads. Personally, I believe a large majority of the drivers who tailgate simply don't see anything wrong with their behaviour.

When I recently drove in Scotland I only experienced tailgating behaviour ONCE in the c.1000 miles I covered.

Driver training/awareness - or lack of same - is what I put it down to.

renofan

I used to hit the brakes but realised it was dangerous so now I turn on my rear fogs. They usually keep back or pass when I do that. Its a pet hate of mine too.

deandean

Yea I get a bit of it too, I have a dash cam and I am seriously thinking about moving it to be rear-facing 'cos that is where the hassle is. I can control the gap in front of my car; I have no control over the gap to the driver behind me.

Around Dublin it seems to be mostly women in their 20s, also soccer moms bringing their kids and themselves between appointments - they'd drive over you if they could. No respect/consideration for anyone except themselves.

Merch

Silvera wrote: »

Tailgating is my pet (motoring) hate!
It is intimidating, dangerous and stupid behaviour....and is very prevalent on Ireland's roads. Personally, I believe a large majority of the drivers who tailgate simply don't see anything wrong with their behaviour.

When I recently drove in Scotland I only experienced tailgating behaviour ONCE in the c.1000 miles I covered.

Driver training/awareness - or lack of same - is what I put it down to.

If only I had one pet motoring hate! or even just one pet hate

road_high

visual wrote: »

most times I see a car being tailgated is because they are hogging the over taking lane, with what I can only presume is a self-righteous attitude " I'm doing the speed limit no one getting past me".

Yep. Most tailgating I see is very much self inflicted.

Elfinknight

Regardless of whether it's self inflicted or not, it's still illegal. I'm only in the overtaking lane when I'm overtaking and gone up to the limit.

I once got tailgated and flashed by a guy on a backroad barely wide enough for one car and the speed limit was 60kph. That wasn't self inflicted. That was him being an a$$.

I pulled up, put on my hazards switched off the ignition, got out of the car, looked at the back of it, then went back and asked the a$$ what was wrong with my car that he was trying to alert me to cause as I said to him " it must be something serious seeing as you must've been pulling the flasher switch out of the steering column."

He wasn't the road warrior he thought he was coz all he did say sorry. Still took his number and made it obvious that I was, and reported him too, telling the Ban Garda behind the desk exactly what I'd done.

the culture of deference

deandean wrote: »

Yea I get a bit of it too, I have a dash cam and I am seriously thinking about moving it to be rear-facing 'cos that is where the hassle is. I can control the gap in front of my car; I have no control over the gap to the driver behind me.

Around Dublin it seems to be mostly women in their 20s, also soccer moms bringing their kids and themselves between appointments - they'd drive over you if they could. No respect/consideration for anyone except themselves.

Put a strobe or powerful flash on the rear parcel shelf. I would do it to people using mobiles as well. I was on the lucan celbridge road recently, wet weather, dusk. I had a woman in a people carrier behind me on the phone and on my bumper with a car full of kids. They have no concept of stopping distances or the hazards of the way they were driving.

ballooba

eddiem10 wrote: »

Hopefully the guy driving the 11D BMW on the M8 southbound nr Cahir, today wont feel as good when he gets a call from the Guards!

I don't understand how tailgating can arise on a motorway. There are two lanes.

Elfinknight wrote: »

He hadnt gotten 20 feet ahead of me when an UK reg car came flying on faster again, gave the first guy no chance to pull in started flashing and tailgating and then overtook on the inside and was out of view within seconds. He was absolutly hopping of the road.

If there's room to overtake someone on the left, then they are usually hogging the overtaking lane. Some people are just too lazy to change lanes if they will be overtaking again soon.

Silvera wrote: »

Tailgating is my pet (motoring) hate!
It is intimidating, dangerous and stupid behaviour....and is very prevalent on Ireland's roads. Personally, I believe a large majority of the drivers who tailgate simply don't see anything wrong with their behaviour.

It seems one form of disrespect begets another unfortunately. If you can't beat them, join them.

Kevwoody

CiniO wrote: »

I must admit I very seldom encounter tailgating on Irish roads.
At least comparing to amount of tailgating you get on roads on the Continent.

Anyway - one thing that is most bizarre in Ireland is tailgating on motorways.
I never encountered it anywhere else.

Example from few months ago. I was travelling from Dublin to Galway. Late evening so very little traffic. I had my cruise control set at exactly 120km/h.
I see in my mirror a big van (transit like) approaching. He eventually came as close as probably 1 metre behind me and sits like this for few minutes. I though what the hell. I accelerated, overtook few trucks, and lost him, then again slowed down to 120km/h. After 5 minutes he is back again on my tail sitting even closer than previously.
I didn't have a choice but just floored it to the bottom, did 200km/h for 5 minutes, and that was enough not to see the idiot again up to Galway.

This was extremal example, but when driving a bus (which is limited to 100km/h on motorway) i see very often people who come close to me and don't overtake for some reason.


Few days ago I had another incident. I was again going Dublin-Galway in the middle of the night. (around 4am). Virtually no traffic at all.
I was in a bit hurry so I was doing around 160km/h.
Suddenly something shows up behind me right on my tail. Stays there for a minute. I kept my speed. He then changed lane to the right one so I though that he will be overtaking, but no. He kept the same speed and stayed on the right lane just behind me at 160km/h for few minutes, to eventually slow down. This all lasted for few minutes. No other vehicles around. I must admit I got bit scared, but after he slowed down I didn't see him anymore.

Nothing even similar ever happened to me anywhere else than in Ireland.

200 kmh for 5 minutes?

I think you sir, are the idiot here

CiniO

ballooba wrote: »

I don't understand how tailgating can arise on a motorway. There are two lanes.

Even though there are 2 lanes, some people willingly decide to tailgate on left lane.
They just probably don't tailgate because they plan to overtake, but tailgate just for no reason.

CiniO

Kevwoody wrote: »

200 kmh for 5 minutes?

I think you sir, are the idiot here

You can call me whatever you like.
I still don't see anything idiotic about driving at 200km/h on empty motorway, especially that this solved my problem (the tailgater)

Merch

is this my opportunity to say
gets popcorn

ballooba

CiniO wrote: »

Even though there are 2 lanes, some people willingly decide to tailgate on left lane.
They just probably don't tailgate because they plan to overtake, but tailgate just for no reason.

Those people are really special cases. The rule book goes out the window. Not one I've seen much before though.

Conmaicne Mara

ballooba wrote: »

I don't understand how tailgating can arise on a motorway. There are two lanes.

Makes no odds to some people. I reported a tailgater on the N59 before, he had ample opportunities to pass me, clear road, good day, wouldn't over take me, just sat right on my ass.

I can't think of a journey I've done on that road when I haven't been tailgated lately, even today I got it.

Have to say, there's nothing else that'll get me in :mad: as being tailgated, it's so irresponsibly and dangerously stupid.

Nino Brown

I obviously hate tailgaters too, but IMO the people who drive in the overtaking lane at 120KPH with the attitude "I'm doing the speed limit so nobody should be passing me" are even worse. The right hand lane is for overtaking, so unless that's what your doing get back in the inside lane and let people pass.

razorgil

bring back the old car stickers for the rear bumper, " get off my tail" and the like.

road_high

Nino Brown wrote: »

I obviously hate tailgaters too, but IMO the people who drive in the overtaking lane at 120KPH with the attitude "I'm doing the speed limit so nobody should be passing me" are even worse. The right hand lane is for overtaking, so unless that's what your doing get back in the inside lane and let people pass.

Totally agree. Flashed one numpty the other day on the M9 outside KK. To be fair they did pull over but immediately after I'd wizzed past back into the overtaking lane.
Biggest problem is total ignorance to the rules of the road.

Conmaicne Mara

razorgil wrote: »

bring back the old car stickers for the rear bumper, " get off my tail" and the like.

Or,

"If you can read this, I'm about to jam on..."



Not that one should, but it might get the message across.

visual

Car speedo over read the speed so when displaying 120 the actual speed is 110kph or less.

I use GPS speed and cruise control and often find I slowly come up on small convoys of cars traveling below the speed limit. I pull out in plenty of time into overtaking lane only to discover one of the cars decides to pull out and slowly overtake. This forces me to brake to reduce speed and often a car or two that was following me at same speed. As we are slowing the gaps between cars in overtaking lane is reduced. Finally after what seems like a life time the slower car returns to left lane allowing more progressive drivers accelerate back up to 120kph and return to left lane.

Im sure the guy doing his slow overtake feels his space is being encroach on and may feel its tailgating. But what he has done is forced two or more cars to brake and that is breaking the rules of the road. He also was driving without due care and consideration to leave his overtaking so late.

Now I encounter this much more than tailgating and sometime I meet a idiot who will deliberately hold up many cars by doing this slow overtake and remain in overtaking lane much longer than needed. Its no wonder they get flashed and dare I say it frustrate drivers than they do tailgate in an attempt to get this stubborn idiot to pull over into the left lane.

So while tailgating is wrong so is the guy who thinks they are enforcing the speed limit and holding up traffic.

McCrack

If your driving and somebody is up your hole it probably means you are driving too slow so just move ****ing over

Mint Sauce

McCrack wrote: »

If your driving and somebody is up your hole it probably means you are driving too slow so just move ****ing over

If I am doing on or near the speed limit on a single carriage way, on in the left lane of a dual carraige way or motor way, I'm only moving over for a blue light.

I'm not trashing my car in a littered hard shoulder for anyone.

If for some reason I'm driving well under the limit, then I will move over, but only on a single carriage way, anything else, go around me, thats what the over taking lane is for.

teR_

visual wrote: »

So while tailgating is wrong so is the guy who thinks they are enforcing the speed limit and holding up traffic.

People can only drive by the guide they have infront of them..

Sam Kade

visual wrote: »

Car speedo over read the speed so when displaying 120 the actual speed is 110kph or less.

I use GPS speed and cruise control and often find I slowly come up on small convoys of cars traveling below the speed limit. I pull out in plenty of time into overtaking lane only to discover one of the cars decides to pull out and slowly overtake. This forces me to brake to reduce speed and often a car or two that was following me at same speed. As we are slowing the gaps between cars in overtaking lane is reduced. Finally after what seems like a life time the slower car returns to left lane allowing more progressive drivers accelerate back up to 120kph and return to left lane.

Im sure the guy doing his slow overtake feels his space is being encroach on and may feel its tailgating. But what he has done is forced two or more cars to brake and that is breaking the rules of the road. He also was driving without due care and consideration to leave his overtaking so late.

Now I encounter this much more than tailgating and sometime I meet a idiot who will deliberately hold up many cars by doing this slow overtake and remain in overtaking lane much longer than needed. Its no wonder they get flashed and dare I say it frustrate drivers than they do tailgate in an attempt to get this stubborn idiot to pull over into the left lane.

So while tailgating is wrong so is the guy who thinks they are enforcing the speed limit and holding up traffic.

So in your opinion everyone that relies on their speedometer are going under the speed limit :rolleyes:

Nino Brown

Sam Kade wrote: »

So in your opinion everyone that relies on their speedometer are going under the speed limit :rolleyes:

It depends on the type of tyre, the weight in the car, how worn the tyres are, what pressure they are at. Car speedos can never be exact because of those variables so there is always an margin of error, so they are designed to err on the side of caution, ie. read at or below the speed of the car. GPS is a more exact measure of distance over time because it removes those variables, but way to use the sarcastic eye roll when you have no clue what you're on about!

colm_mcm

Most speedos overstate the speed, its very rare that it'll understate it, usually if someone has fitted stupidly big wheels.

cocobear

djimi wrote: »

Ive heard people who genuinely think that "slipstreaming" on a motorway is a great way of saving petrol... Its actually frightening to think how stupid some of the people on the roads are.

Yeah drafting its called and not very advisable either
The yanks are big into it
Theres a load of stuff on the net, search under the term hypermiling or hypermileing not sure what way it's spelt, it relates to changing your driving style to maximise fuel economy
Some of it is extreme such as the drafting

teR_

My speedo can overstate all it wants i am going to continue to drive using it as my guide. Couldn't give a fiddlers what other peoples speedos or fancy GPS are reading :pac:

Sam Kade

Nino Brown wrote: »

It depends on the type of tyre, the weight in the car, how worn the tyres are, what pressure they are at. Car speedos can never be exact because of those variables so there is always an margin of error, so they are designed to err on the side of caution, ie. read at or below the speed of the car. GPS is a more exact measure of distance over time because it removes those variables, but way to use the sarcastic eye roll when you have no clue what you're on about!

Most motorists will use their speedometer to gauge their speed