Car behind flashing?

jjnaas

I was out for a drive with my sister who has her test next week. All was going grand, we were driving along a two lane road between my town and hers when a car came along behind us. Still grand. A mile or so later there’s a second car behind us. She was doing bang on 100kph. The car behind flashed us. She couldn’t pull over but we were just coming to a good wide stretch of road so I thought he’d pass but he stayed behind. We get past the good stretch and he flashes again and again and again.
Now I notice that the car behind him is swerving out into the right side of the road and back in. He did this a few times. Just out and in but never attempted to overtake or anything. I was trying to keep an eye on the wing and rear view without panicking my sister too much because she was starting to get very rattled.

We were now just coming into town so I got her to pull over. Got out and checked the car, all lights working, nothing hanging off or unusual about the car. Never experienced anything like that myself and don’t know how to explain it to her and it’s given her a right setback in confidence so close to the test.

Is this some sort of thing I’m not aware of? I’m rarely out on the roads at night these days. If it was just the flashing it would be one thing, but the flashing and the other car swerving in and out? Very strange. The cars were an suv and a new saloon so not boy racer cars types or anything.

Any ideas?

Did you get their Reg? If so, report them to Gardai. Aggressive behavior like this isn't acceptable.

Old Perry

jjnaas wrote: »

I was out for a drive with my sister who has her test next week. All was going grand, we were driving along a two lane road between my town and hers when a car came along behind us. Still grand. A mile or so later there’s a second car behind us. She was doing bang on 100kph. The car behind flashed us. She couldn’t pull over but we were just coming to a good wide stretch of road so I thought he’d pass but he stayed behind. We get past the good stretch and he flashes again and again and again.
Now I notice that the car behind him is swerving out into the right side of the road and back in. He did this a few times. Just out and in but never attempted to overtake or anything. I was trying to keep an eye on the wing and rear view without panicking my sister too much because she was starting to get very rattled.

We were now just coming into town so I got her to pull over. Got out and checked the car, all lights working, nothing hanging off or unusual about the car. Never experienced anything like that myself and don’t know how to explain it to her and it’s given her a right setback in confidence so close to the test.

Is this some sort of thing I’m not aware of? I’m rarely out on the roads at night these days. If it was just the flashing it would be one thing, but the flashing and the other car swerving in and out? Very strange. The cars were an suv and a new saloon so not boy racer cars types or anything.

Any ideas?

I think ye might have just met a prick. How was her sppeed, she was doing the hundred but was she easing of excessively when coming into bends, some people do this where it's not needed and it can be irritating for following traffic.

Having said that there's really no need for that behaviour. Tell her to not let it rattle her, it's valuable enough lesson in a way, in that you will have occasion to meet these types of people from time to time on the roads.

Water John

If there is an L or indeed an N on a car, you give further leeway than normal. Just gob****es.

jim salter

That behavior is just ignorance.

Some people are just idiots. Hopefully your sister will get over it and regain the confidence....not all drivers are dicks

Throcanter

I had an experience like this last year. A car came very quickly off a roundabout and was on my tail, lights flashing. The crazy thing was that they followed me. I turned right four times, and he did the same. Eventually lost him but it was scary.

There are a lot of idiots on the road, and most of them drive Bmws

Fann Linn

I was stuck behind a car the other night for almost 10km. I couldn't overtake due to the nature of the roads. For the whole time I was behind the car they had both fog lights on even though they weren't required.

There were plenty of times when I flashed the car in front and it didn't make a difference.

jim salter

Fann Linn wrote: »

I was stuck behind a car the other night for almost 10km. I couldn't overtake due to the nature of the roads. For the whole time I was behind the car they had both fog lights on even though they weren't required.

There were plenty of times when I flashed the car in front and it didn't make a difference.

That's a really good point....completely sure the fog light wasn't on (it really písses me of when a driver has the fog light on when there's no fog!)

MascotDec85

Happened to me on a lesson with a pupil before Christmas. Sitting bang on 83 in a clearly marked driving school car complete with roof sign. A driver sat up our arse with the full beam on us, only turning them off when a car was oncoming.

Ignorant, stupid or both.

Doltanian

Banned

doolox

I would describe 100kph on a two lane road at night as pretty damned reasonable speed. It wouldn't happen to be an absence of one or more rear bulbs??

I came across an English regged car on the M50 the other night with absolutely NO rear lights....very unnerving and annoying as most English car owners are pretty good at maintaining their cars.

He was in a different lane to me but some people could be seen approaching from the rear at high speed and then slowing down rapidly in surprise when detecting the presence of the stealth car in front of them......I eventually pulled away in front of the car to see two lovely front lights so he had not forgotten to switch them on.....

Then the flasher should have overtaken you with no fuss or bother. Probably a blind or unskilled driver with a badly maintained car unable to carry out a simple task. Some diesels can get jumpy and unpredictable when revved hard under full load up a hill and this can also lead to frustration in an impatient driver. Again the sign of an incompetent driver not maintaining his vehicle properly or using dirty fuel.

coffeepls

What a rattling experience for you & your sister. There’s a lot of bad mannered irritable drivers out there, but in all honesty I think I’ve rarely come across that type of aggressive bullying from another driver. Tell her put it out of her mind. I think she drove very well considering that imbecile was behind her. Shows she kept calm and in control.

Best of luck to her next week.

doolox

In social interactions there are ingroups and outgroups. Racism stems from a majority groups perceiving a lack of worth in a minority group. This is why you have discrimination and hostility in society not just on skin colour but on national origin, language, religion and any other obvious difference people can see in other groupings.

Unmarked cars are seen as the ingroup on our roads. Cars marked L or N are seen as somewhat different and "unworthy" by many less disciplined road users and not worthy of the same courtesy and respect as unmarked cars.They are seen as an outgroup. Same applies to bikes and trucks or tractors being perceived as slow and in the way. They are seen as different and somehow less worthy to be on the road.

The Authorities think they are being clever by singling out learners and novice drivers to wear a special badge on their cars, thinking that the badge will warn other road users to be careful in the L or N cars presence but it has the opposite effect. It makes other users hostile and marks out easy targets for harrassment and abuse. Authorities assume that most road users are disciplined, level headed and polite, but they are not.

I had the experience of driving a small car with an L plate used mostly by a learner driver and the treatment I got on the road from other drivers was much different than if I was in my own car. I became a magnet for every test pilot nutjob out there on the road.

Because we follow international practice regarding L plates and such I do not see what the solution to this problem is except to make learner drivers aware of this danger and equip them for defensive driving and hazard awareness.
This danger of mob violence and mood among other drivers is never discussed or brought up by driving instructors but should be part of every learners lessons.

coffeepls

doolox wrote: »

In social interactions there are ingroups and outgroups. Racism stems from a majority groups perceiving a lack of worth in a minority group. This is why you have discrimination and hostility in society not just on skin colour but on national origin, language, religion and any other obvious difference people can see in other groupings.

Unmarked cars are seen as the ingroup on our roads. Cars marked L or N are seen as somewhat different and "unworthy" by many less disciplined road users and not worthy of the same courtesy and respect as unmarked cars.They are seen as an outgroup. Same applies to bikes and trucks or tractors being perceived as slow and in the way. They are seen as different and somehow less worthy to be on the road.

The Authorities think they are being clever by singling out learners and novice drivers to wear a special badge on their cars, thinking that the badge will warn other road users to be careful in the L or N cars presence but it has the opposite effect. It makes other users hostile and marks out easy targets for harrassment and abuse. Authorities assume that most road users are disciplined, level headed and polite, but they are not.

I had the experience of driving a small car with an L plate used mostly by a learner driver and the treatment I got on the road from other drivers was much different than if I was in my own car. I became a magnet for every test pilot nutjob out there on the road.

Because we follow international practice regarding L plates and such I do not see what the solution to this problem is except to make learner drivers aware of this danger and equip them for defensive driving and hazard awareness.
This danger of mob violence and mood among other drivers is never discussed or brought up by driving instructors but should be part of every learners lessons.

Crikey. That’s rather unfair. I think the OP was unlucky. I too have driven a small car with L plates, and when I passed my test, an even smaller car - but I would say from my experience of driving in the last decade, that most drivers have no vendetta against L plate drivers. There’s always going to be bullies. Bullies with cars, bullies without cars.

fritzelly

Brake testing is never an acceptable behaviour, unfortunately the OP met a prick on the road who thinks he has the right of way because your sister had L plates on and there are many drivers out there like that

gooch2k9

coffeepls wrote: »

Crikey. That’s rather unfair. I think the OP was unlucky. I too have driven a small car with L plates, and when I passed my test, an even smaller car - but I would say from my experience of driving in the last decade, that most drivers have no vendetta against L plate drivers. There’s always going to be bullies. Bullies with cars, bullies without cars.

I disagree. To the point that I have seen unmarked drivers hassling L drivers over a distance thast I have taken the first opportunity to overtake said drivers to provide a buffer zone for the learner.

i remember what it was like as a learner, and what it was like going for the test, and despite what many may think some licensed drivers are amongst the worst.

Wishbone Ash

doolox wrote: »

...I came across an English regged car on the M50 the other night with absolutely NO rear lights....very unnerving and annoying as most English car owners are pretty good at maintaining their cars.

He was in a different lane to me but some people could be seen approaching from the rear at high speed and then slowing down rapidly in surprise when detecting the presence of the stealth car in front of them......I eventually pulled away in front of the car to see two lovely front lights so he had not forgotten to switch them on.....

That's the problem with those DRL's that are fitted to many modern cars. I don't understand why they can't include the rear lights also when in DRL mode. I cycle a lot and see it regularly when filtering in heavy traffic. Most motorists seem unaware that their rear lights are off.

rushfan

Doltanian wrote:

Its time to teach your sister the dark art of brake testing, I did it often when I had my L plate up a decade ago, quickly thought them a lesson, worst case scenario you get a few grand out of the ripoff insurance cartel. I still do it today to any vehicle who gets close enough so I can't see their numberplate or bonnet

I wouldn't suggest following this "advice". Not a good idea.

Mongfinder General

rushfan wrote: »

I wouldn't suggest following this "advice". Not a good idea.

A great idea. If a driver is behaving like an arsehole and smashes into you from behind it's their fault. If they get violent, be prepared for that too.

shane.

Doltanian wrote: »

Its time to teach your sister the dark art of brake testing, I did it often when I had my L plate up a decade ago, quickly thought them a lesson, worst case scenario you get a few grand out of the ripoff insurance cartel. I still do it today to any vehicle who gets close enough so I can't see their numberplate or bonnet

I removed my L plates until I took the test as the diabolical attitude shown towards learner drivers is a disgrace.

And you could be done for dangerous driving, far more likely now with so many dash cams

Heres Johnny

Throcanter wrote: »

I had an experience like this last year. A car came very quickly off a roundabout and was on my tail, lights flashing. The crazy thing was that they followed me. I turned right four times, and he did the same. Eventually lost him but it was scary.

There are a lot of idiots on the road, and most of them drive Bmws

Grow up about 5% of cars on the road are BMW so about 95% of idiots are not driving BMW.

You see people in all brands doing stupid things.

EPAndlee

Normally when this happens me I'll just very gradually slow down just to really annoy them

spurious

Best thing to do is where possible, indicate and pull over or into hard shoulder if there is one. Best let loonies like that on their way. Angry unpredictable people.

dudara

EPAndlee wrote: »

Normally when this happens me I'll just very gradually slow down just to really annoy them

No, please don’t do this. It’s simply escalating the situation and it shows that you’re letting them dominate you. You’re so absorbed in proving them wrong that you won’t be able to concentrate on your driving. Drive in safely and in accordance with the rules. Give them every opportunity to go past, but please don’t react to their stupidity with an equivalent act.

The only other thing I could think of, if it was at night, is not having your full beams on?

Nothing as aggravating as a car in front of you driving on dims so that you can't see far enough ahead to overtake if you want to.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Dakota Dan

Fann Linn wrote: »

I was stuck behind a car the other night for almost 10km. I couldn't overtake due to the nature of the roads. For the whole time I was behind the car they had both fog lights on even though they weren't required.

There were plenty of times when I flashed the car in front and it didn't make a difference.

If it wasn't safe to overtake how was it the driver in front was at fault. They more than likely put on the rear fog light because you may have been tailgating. Where did you expect them to go?

Cabaal

Had my full license a few years but still had L plates on our car cause of my wife, still didn't stop a complete dick tailgating me for around 10miles on back country roads even though I was far from being slow.

Also used to drive a smaller car and alot of the time people would see a smaller car with L plates and assume I was going slow, numerous times I had people begin to overtake me only to realise that I wasn't actually going slow at all and they had to pull in again.

Sometimes you just get dick heads

dudara

I had an old Fiat Punto when learning, which had L plates up front and rear. One day, the rear L plate fell down and I didn’t really notice for a while, but eventually got around to fixing it. However, I really did notice a difference in how I was treated when it was missing.

There are a lot of d*cks out there when it comes to driving. I live near a test route and I’m often behind a learner car. It can be really frustrating sometimes, especially when they’re making a haymes of it, but all you can do is take a deep breath and let them get on with it. We were all there once.

Dakota Dan

I came across a dopey young fella in a 2005 corolla on a motorway yesterday, first off he thought the overtaking lane is a fast lane and about 3 miles further on he was doing around 30 kph in the driving lane while he was eating a sandwich :rolleyes:

I'm a learner, I live in Dublin city centre so a lot of my early lessons were in and around the city. I think out of the 15 or so lessons I've had so far there was only one where someone hasn't beeped at me for some minor transgression, and I nearly always get overtaken even when driving bang on the speed limit. It used to really rattle me but I learned quick enough not to let it bother me. I don't know why people think being aggressive towards learners is a good idea, it makes them more likely to make a mistake (or if they've made a mistake, harder for them to rectify it!)

Dravokivich

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

i'd rather have'em in front, than behind. I'd be well of the opinion to advise taking any reasonable action one can to encourage them to over take you. if this means leaning into the hard shoulder when you can see it's clear, consider it.

spurious

I'd much rather a nut like that well ahead of me than up my barney.

Sunny Dayz

I hope your sister wasn't too rattled by it. But unfortunately some people do behave like that on the road. At least she had someone in the car with her. Sometimes an L plate is like a red rag to a bull with some people, maybe they were born with a full driving licence!
But most of the time it's just the driver of the bullying car being an a-hole! Let your sister know that it was most likely those drivers with the problem, not her. I drive a small car and have a full licence over 10 years. I still meet the odd prick on the road who thinks because they have a bigger more powerful car I should get out of their way.
Best of luck to her in her test.

Cordell

spurious wrote: »

Best thing to do is where possible, indicate and pull over or into hard shoulder if there is one. Best let loonies like that on their way. Angry unpredictable people.

Indeed. Slowing down to annoy them or brake checking them is a stupid idea, turning the arsehole behind you into an annoyed arsehole.
Ignore them, let them pass, and never-ever escalate. Write down the reg and call the guards.

Lemming

Dravokivich wrote: »

i'd rather have'em in front, than behind. I'd be well of the opinion to advise taking any reasonable action one can to encourage them to over take you. if this means leaning into the hard shoulder when you can see it's clear, consider it.

spurious wrote: »

I'd much rather a nut like that well ahead of me than up my barney.

Not always true; a few years back I used to commute to and from work in Leeds from Sheffield in the UK - so doing a lot of driving up and down the M1. I once encountered a full-on, card-carrying psycho road rager who sat up my @rse & flashing his lights like mad so I moved lane to allow him overtake once I had completed my own overtaking maneuver, but instead of overtaking he decided to draw level to make eye contact for reasons known only to him. Then when I wouldn't play his game, and he got in front of me, he tried everything from driving at 5 mph on a motorway to slamming on the brakes, to swerving in front of me if I tried to change lane around him, etc. and all sorts of other crazy sh1t for the next 20 miles. In such a rage was he that at one point he swung across three lanes (at that point I was in the middle lane overtaking a coach) in an attempt to get in front of me to slam on his brakes that he missed me and slammed on in front of the coach ...

Psychos are psychos and there's little comfort having them in front or behind; at least from behind if there's an accident it's all on them. To the OP; I wouldn't facilitate such people, but nor would I position myself on the road in such a way as to be deliberately obstructive (if that makes sense?). If they have neither the ability nor the confidence to commit to an overtake, well then that's their problem. If they commit to a dangerous overtake, well then that's a matter for the gardai too.

SCOOP 64

Same thing happen to my wife 2 weeks ago in the car with the kids (shes not a learner) flashing constantly and moving from side to side behind her, she pulled over as soon as she could ,he flew pass she got out and looked at the back of car to see if anything was wrong ,nothing, what a asrehole,really annoys me, intermediating people so they can go faster.

Alun

Thinking laterally here, some cars with projector headlights have a very sharp upper cutoff to the beam pattern, and to cars in front of them, especially if the road is a bit bumpy, it can appear as if the car behind is continually flashing them even if they're not.

Kintarō Hattori

Alun wrote: »

Thinking laterally here, some cars with projector headlights have a very sharp upper cutoff to the beam pattern, and to cars in front of them, especially if the road is a bit bumpy, it can appear as if the car behind is continually flashing them even if they're not.

I understand what you're saying as I've often thought a newer car had their full beams on but then realised it was A- a newer car and B- the road was undulating. It's fairly obvious when someone is actually flashing you.

A while back I was on the R132 doing 80 which was the limit for that stretch of road I was on. The stretch in particular was fairly quiet and I wasn't slow. I had a large 4x4 come up behind me and flash me a few times. Didn't take too much notice of it and carried on. A little bit further on and it was flashing me more rapidly so I thought something must be wrong with my car. Slowed down to pull in and the 4x4 sailed on. Got out, did an inspection of the car and nothing was wrong.

They were just being a d*ck and felt I was holding them up (2005 Fiat Panda with L plates).

Dravokivich

Lemming wrote: »

Not always true; a few years back I used to commute to and from work in Leeds from Sheffield in the UK - so doing a lot of driving up and down the M1. I once encountered a full-on, card-carrying psycho road rager who sat up my @rse & flashing his lights like mad so I moved lane to allow him overtake once I had completed my own overtaking maneuver, but instead of overtaking he decided to draw level to make eye contact for reasons known only to him. Then when I wouldn't play his game, and he got in front of me, he tried everything from driving at 5 mph on a motorway to slamming on the brakes, to swerving in front of me if I tried to change lane around him, etc. and all sorts of other crazy sh1t for the next 20 miles. In such a rage was he that at one point he swung across three lanes (at that point I was in the middle lane overtaking a coach) in an attempt to get in front of me to slam on his brakes that he missed me and slammed on in front of the coach ...

Psychos are psychos and there's little comfort having them in front or behind; at least from behind if there's an accident it's all on them. To the OP; I wouldn't facilitate such people, but nor would I position myself on the road in such a way as to be deliberately obstructive (if that makes sense?). If they have neither the ability nor the confidence to commit to an overtake, well then that's their problem. If they commit to a dangerous overtake, well then that's a matter for the gardai too.

It's easier to watch them and keep your distance from them when they are in front of you. If they are a metre behind you, there's very little you can do. Even though they continued to do stupid stuff, you were in a much better position to observe and react appropriately to the actions they were taking.

Sean Kinvarra

Mod edit

Sean Kinvarra

Sean Kinvarra wrote: »

Mod edit

I've been given a warning for giving the same advice an advanced driving instructors AND the Gardaí would give. lol