How do you deal with 'Tailgaters' ?

Andy From Sligo

Driving home the other night, pouring with rain really wet roads had a car tailgating me, right up the Ars* of my car, if I had to break suddenly absolutely no way he/she would have stopped in time. It was long 50km/h stretch , no-where to pull in and let them overtake, and i was driving close to 50km/h so i wasnt dawdling - what have you found the best way to deal with people like this? - who's fault in an 'accident' caused by this? is it always the car drivers fault thats travelling behind?

Slow down gradually to reduce any damage / stopping distance in the event of an impact, and drive tight left to let them know they can overtake if they want

Sheep Lover

Deploy a barrage of thumbtacks and oil slick from the rear of my car usually, Wacky Races style.

bucketybuck

I don't brake check them because that is dangerous, but I do find myself getting slower and slower when there is a tailgater behind me. I'm in no rush, so they can sit behind me and dawdle if they want to drive like dicks.

Tapping the brake pedal without actually applying the brakes usually does the trick.

cml387

I have a device that sprays oil all over the road behind me when this happens.
But then I have a thing to get rid of unwanted passengers as well, and machine guns behind the front grill.

gandalf

Engage the windscreen washers initially is normally what I do. Some people tend to hang back after that.

If they hit you from behind then they are normally in the wrong because they haven't allow enough space to control their own car if an incident happens ahead of them.

iDave

Don't know how to do deal with them myself but...now you might think this as dramatic...but they are the scum of the Earth.
90% of drive a combination of Audi or BMW.

Macy0161

Rear fog lights turned on.

veryangryman

Pull into the nearest hard shoulder momentarily to allow them to pass. What's the issue?

Bio Mech

iDave wrote: »

Don't know how to do deal with them myself but...now you might think this as dramatic...but they are the scum of the Earth.
90% of drive a combination of Audi or BMW.

Slightly dramatic yes.

Whats a combination of Audi or BMW? Baudi?

Tokyo

Pump the brake pedal without actually engaging the brakes - makes most people back off to a reasonable distance.

Custardpi

The Russian method is probably the most effective in these cases.

MarkR

veryangryman wrote: »

Pull into the nearest hard shoulder momentarily to allow them to pass. What's the issue?

I hope you're joking! If they are doing the correct speed for conditions, why should they pull over? There's always someone who wants to go faster, doesn't mean you have to take any evasive maneuvers.

I tend to slow down slightly. I may also engage the brake light, but not brake, if I feel they are dangerously close.

buck65

What about caution / hazard lights , this usually gives the message to back - off. Then pull in let them pass, follow them with your headlights on until you drive them off the road. Get out , take hurley from the boot and finish them off.

AnonoBoy

I have an LED display in my back window.

I click a button on my steering wheel and it flashes 'Back Off Buddy' in red letters.

It can be changed to say other things but I keep that one as a default.

Very handy.

AnonoBoy

AnonoBoy wrote: »

I have an LED display in my back window.

I click a button on my steering wheel and it flashes 'Back Off Buddy' in red letters.

It can be changed to say other things but I keep that one as a default.

Very handy.

Where would one purchase such a device?

wilhelm roentgen

I simply hold a severed head out of the window, to show that I am not one to be Fúcked with! It usually does the trick.

AnonoBoy

Snotaul Goodman wrote: »

Where would one purchase such a device?

In my imagination sadly.

AnonoBoy

AnonoBoy wrote: »

In my imagination sadly.

That's disappointing

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

veryangryman wrote: »

Pull into the nearest hard shoulder momentarily to allow them to pass. What's the issue?

Very few 50km/h zones have a hard shoulder. Anyway driving on the hard shoulder is a motoring offence.

uch

buck65 wrote: »

What about caution / hazard lights , this usually gives the message to back - off. Then pull in let them pass, follow them with your headlights on until you drive them off the road. Get out , take hurley from the boot and finish them off.

I'm Intrigued by this Hurley Idea,,

AnonoBoy

AnonoBoy wrote: »

I have an LED display in my back window.

I click a button on my steering wheel and it flashes 'Back Off Buddy' in red letters.

It can be changed to say other things but I keep that one as a default.

Very handy.

It exists!!

http://m.ebay.com/itm/12V-Car-Red-LED-Programmable-Message-Sign-Scrolling-Display-Board-with-remote-/251058089393

AnonoBoy

Snotaul Goodman wrote: »

That's disappointing

Actually.... I spoke too soon!

http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/d138/

There you go.

Not sure if you can legally use 'em in Ireland though - it might be a distraction or an incitement to road rage.

AnonoBoy

AnonoBoy wrote: »

an incitement to road rage.

So do baby/lil princess on board signs but they're legal

Carpentry

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Driving home the other night, pouring with rain really wet roads had a car tailgating me, right up the Ars* of my car, if I had to break suddenly absolutely no way he/she would have stopped in time. It was long 50km/h stretch , no-where to pull in and let them overtake, and i was driving close to 50km/h so i wasnt dawdling - what have you found the best way to deal with people like this? - who's fault in an 'accident' caused by this? is it always the car drivers fault thats travelling behind?

Dont' drive like a pussssy

maxwell smart

iDave wrote: »

Don't know how to do deal with them myself but...now you might think this as dramatic...but they are the scum of the Earth.
90% of drive a combination of Audi or BMW.

An AUBM or a BUMDI?

Tokyo

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Actually.... I spoke too soon!

http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/d138/

There you go.

Not sure if you can legally use 'em in Ireland though - it might be a distraction or an incitement to road rage.

That thing would be a magnet for every ****wit driver in the area, tailgating you to see what face or writing it would display next....

AnonoBoy

Carpentry wrote: »

Dont' drive like a pussssy

Something tells me I'll be using my now not-imaginary back off sign on you soon.

Carpentry

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Driving home the other night, pouring with rain really wet roads had a car tailgating me, right up the Ars* of my car, if I had to break suddenly absolutely no way he/she would have stopped in time. It was long 50km/h stretch , no-where to pull in and let them overtake, and i was driving close to 50km/h so i wasnt dawdling - what have you found the best way to deal with people like this? - who's fault in an 'accident' caused by this? is it always the car drivers fault thats travelling behind?

Dont' drive like a pussssy :-P

AnonoBoy

mike_ie wrote: »

That thing would be a magnet for every ****wit driver in the area, tailgating you to see what face or writing it would display next....

That is probably true.

I would love to have one to deal with those 'full beams right behind you' idiots though.

Carpentry

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Something tells me I'll be using my now not-imaginary back off sign on you soon.

oh well, you're not the only one

The_Captain

If someone is driving agressively behind you, slowing down only makes them more likely to do something dangerous to get past you.

If you aren't in a hurry and you're a sensible driver, why not just let them pass?

FullblownRose

Decrease speed gradually (obviously!).
Hazard lights or gentle brake- tapping.
Indicate left when theres clearance for them to overtake (but for some reason a lot of them dont want to overtake, and prefer to stay there tailgating!)
What are Mercedes and Lexus drivers the worst for or is only Baudi drivers?

The_Captain

The_Captain wrote: »

If someone is driving agressively behind you, slowing down only makes them more likely to do something dangerous to get past you.

If you aren't in a hurry and you're a sensible driver, why not just let them pass?

Slowing down is letting them pass more safely and frankly I'd be safer slower with some muppet near me than trying to race them

FullblownRose

The_Captain wrote: »

If someone is driving agressively behind you, slowing down only makes them more likely to do something dangerous to get past you.

If you aren't in a hurry and you're a sensible driver, why not just let them pass?

Unless you're driving over the line how are you stopping them?
You cant make a safe place to pull in magically appear in front of the driver ahead, by harassing them

Carpentry

What if the driver behind you doing this purposelessly and just feeling confident enough behind the wheel with not feeling the need to leave more space between two cars ?

uch

Carpentry wrote: »

What if the driver behind you doing this purposelessly and just feeling confident enough behind the wheel with not feeling the need to leave more space between two cars ?

Whaa ??

Carpentry

uch wrote: »

Whaa ??

purposelessly - without a clear purpose; "let's not purposelessly dispense the aid"

I know sometimes english language - hard language

Viper_JB

Carpentry wrote: »

What if the driver behind you doing this purposelessly and just feeling confident enough behind the wheel with not feeling the need to leave more space between two cars ?

I guess it depends on what a safe stopping distance at 50 kph would be, I know in city traffic you'd be pretty close to other cars at this kinda speed, probably would leave a bit more distance on country roads.

Probably not relevant....but was driving yesterday pretty much same deal as OP, 50 kph on the road I was on can in front was I guess like 50 meters or so out, we reached a small incline on the road and I ended up having to break quiet a bit as the car in front dropped down to about 30 kph as they couldn't be bothered accelerating up the hill which brought me fairly close to his car...so not always the car behinds fault, if you're not maintaining a consistent speed cars may end up tailgating you even if they don't intend it.

EazyD

Carpentry wrote: »

What if the driver behind you doing this purposelessly and just feeling confident enough behind the wheel with not feeling the need to leave more space between two cars ?

What? So confident that the laws of physics don't apply to them?

OldNotWIse

buck65 wrote: »

What about caution / hazard lights , this usually gives the message to back - off. Then pull in let them pass, follow them with your headlights on until you drive them off the road. Get out , take hurley from the boot and finish them off.

I like this one the best

OldNotWIse

Carpentry wrote: »

purposelessly - without a clear purpose; "let's not purposelessly dispense the aid"

I know sometimes english language - hard language

I've never seen that word in my life until now.

Carpentry

OldNotWIse wrote: »

I've never seen that word in my life until now.

that's why OldNotWise ???

jpb1974

Pumped the brakes on a raving lunatic one morning, was doing 100 in a 100 zone, he basically tried to bully me out of his way... a few miles later we had to stop at roadworks, he got out of the car after me and started mouthing off. I got out and was bigger than him, a lot bigger (6"4 18 stone) and told him to f off.

A few weeks later I seen him a few feet behind another car at top speed trying to bully his way by... dipstick. A punch in the bollocks might not have been wasted on him.

Carpentry

jpb1974 wrote: »

Pumped the brakes on a raving lunatic one morning, was doing 100 in a 100 zone, he basically tried to bully me out of his way... a few miles later we had to stop at roadworks, he got out of the car after me and started mouthing out. I got out and was bigger than him, a lot bigger (6"4 18 stone) and told him to f off.

A few weeks later I seen him a few feet behind another car at top speed trying to bully his way by... dipstick.

remember ---> the bigger the target the easier to hit :O)

Shiraz 4.99

I had a mad ex who was a cigarette rep, she used slam on the brakes when it happened with no warning.
She was never rear ended but many of her victims would have to swerve off the road depending on where she did it.
I did say she was a nutter.

ratracer

I don't get this at all. Why would you be intimidated by anyone driving behind you?? I'd just keep driving my own course. If someone wants to pass, let them off but don't stress over it, unless you are not confident in your own driving ability.

ratracer

ratracer wrote: »

I don't get this at all. Why would you be intimidated by anyone driving behind you?? I'd just keep driving my own course. If someone wants to pass, let them off but don't stress over it, unless you are not confident in your own driving ability.

In case you have to brake heavily and they slap into the back of you? Thought that was pretty obvious

FullblownRose

ratracer wrote: »

I don't get this at all. Why would you be intimidated by anyone driving behind you?? I'd just keep driving my own course. If someone wants to pass, let them off but don't stress over it, unless you are not confident in your own driving ability.

When you have to brake suddenly because a child or animal runs out in front of you you'll understand. Your driving ability has nothing to do with the cars braking distance.

Carpentry

FullblownRose wrote: »

When you have to brake suddenly because a child or animal runs out in front of you you'll understand. Your driving ability has nothing to do with the cars braking distance.

But they do teach you to look bit futher down the road and try to predict any hazards on the road so you should slow down anyway seeing children playing near the road, sudden braking not going to save their lives... common sense