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Tailgating, what is the best course of action?

wayne0308

I was driving to Clonmel at the weekend, it was early in the morning and was still darkish. For most of the way there was a guy within about 3 feet of my bumper.

I was accompanied at the time by my father, he just said ignore him but the guy's lights were blinding me, even after deflecting the mirror. Every time there was a corner, his lights would blind me through my wing mirrors. I was at or near the speed limit for most of it as it was a straight enough stretch.

What is the best course of action to take here?

I think my fathers probably right to just ignore him but if I had to stop suddenly the other driver would be sitting in my back seats.

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me_right_one

Well, what I would do is move up until the fella in front couldnt see my headlights anymore. No more blinding. Problem solved;)

Rulmeq

Slow down and let him pass, if there is a safe place to pull over do that.

Don't let other drivers get on your nerves, it's difficult enough to concentrate on your own driving. Also the road is not the place to be taking a stance for the high moral ground, let them pass, and let that be the end of it.

Rulmeq wrote: »

Slow down and let him pass, if there is a safe place to pull over do that.

Don't let other drivers get on your nerves, it's difficult enough to concentrate on your own driving. Also the road is not the place to be taking a stance for the high moral ground, let them pass, and let that be the end of it.

Penn

There's not a lot you can do to be honest. I would normally gently apply the brakes just enough that the brake lights come on but I still travel at pretty much the same speed, then obviously speed up. A few times of that normally does the trick, although for a learner driver, it might not be advisable as you could press the brakes too hard and, as you said, the driver would end up in your back seat.

The hazard lights may be another option although it could cause the car behind to slam on his brakes which could cause an accident.

Tailgaters are a nuisance, but there's not much you can do about them. Safest option would be to pull in, indicating well in advance and just let them past. Shouldn't have to do that, but it would be the safest option for a learner driver in my opinion

neil_purdy

Hit the brakes and see how much of a good driver he is...:D

Terrible advice i know...

RustyNut

Rulmeq wrote: »

Slow down and let him pass, if there is a safe place to pull over do that.

Don't let other drivers get on your nerves, it's difficult enough to concentrate on your own driving. Also the road is not the place to be taking a stance for the high moral ground, let them pass, and let that be the end of it.

wayne0308

Rulmeq wrote: »

Slow down and let him pass if there is a safe place to pull over do that.

Don't let other drivers get on your nerves, it's difficult enough to concentrate on your own driving. Also the road is not the place to be taking a stance for the high moral ground, let them pass, and let that be the end of it.

No no not at all, I've only been driving a few months so I'm certainly not taking any moral high ground. I wouldn't be my place to do that with my experience.

This is the thing you see, Its a rural road which is fairly bendy so there wouldn't have been much of a chance for over taking. I did slow down a bit on the straights but the opportunity didn't show itself with oncoming traffic. I could have parked up I suppose or turned off. But it just seemed so dangerous at the time.

Wishbone Ash

I would allow the vehicle to slow right down gradually. The following driver will then either overtake you or get the message.

(BTW - 3 feet is probably a bit of an exaggeration. If he/she was 3 ft fron your rear bumper, you wouldn't see his/her lights).

CiniO

You are lucky enough you live in Ireland, where tailgating is pretty rare.
Actualy for few years driving in this country it happend to me just few times that someone was tailgating.
In Poland - where I originally come from - tailgating is pretty common.
Some people are tailgating, because they want to overtake you and they think, the closer to you they are, the easier it will be to overtake. Thats obviously mistake, because it's not only more difficult to overtake, but also it can be very dangerous. Other people are tailgating just like that - thats their driving technique - which is very poor certainly.

What can you do.
1. You can slam on a breaks and let the guy hit your back.
It can be dangerous, but definitly he'll learn something from it. And you can get money from his insurance for a new car.
(I don't advise anyone to do it)

2. You can press your brake very gently just to lit your stop-lights. Can repeat this few times. Mayby guy behind will understand, that you don't feel comfortable when someone's tailgating.

3. You can accelerate, and leave him behind, but probably it's not very good idea, because you shoud drive with speed you feel is good and safe for you.

4. (what I usually do) Just slow down. It's said everyone should keep safe distance to the car in the front. He doesen. You cannot lower the distance, because it's all up to the guy in behind. But you can lower the speed. At smaller speed, the distance he's keeping might be safe then. Actually for your exaple with 3 feet you would probably have to slow down to about 10mph or lower to make it safe distance. Anyway, I would do that.

bitemybanger

A big green golly out the sunroof, should find its mark:D

Wishbone Ash

CiniO wrote: »

And you can get money from his insurance for a new car

A new car is very useful when you are dead or in a wheelchair wearing a nappy and being fed through a tube! :rolleyes:

ztoical

CiniO wrote: »

You are lucky enough you live in Ireland, where tailgating is pretty rare.

It might be rare for some but it's very common for people in smaller cars [like Micra's] or people with L plates. When I had L plates I found I was nearly always tailgated but at the time figured I must be driving too slow or doing something wrong. When the L plates came down [after passing my test] I was still tailgated but had got use to it. Then I started driving my dads Land Rover and wow what a difference. Never tailgated when driving that. Friend had to drive his girlfriends Micra while his car was in the shop and he nearly went nuts with people tailgating him.

CiniO

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

A new car is very useful when you are dead or in a wheelchair wearing a nappy and being fed through a tube! :rolleyes:

That's why I wrote that I don't advice anyone to do it.

It was just to let you guys know, that there are places in this world, where people do it.
(I mean crashing cars intentionaly just to get money from someones insurance).
It's probably very risky, but it happens.

Anyway, best what you can do to prevent tailgating is just slow down and let the guy overtake you.

CiniO

ztoical wrote: »

It might be rare for some but it's very common for people in smaller cars [like Micra's] or people with L plates. When I had L plates I found I was nearly always tailgated but at the time figured I must be driving too slow or doing something wrong. When the L plates came down [after passing my test] I was still tailgated but had got use to it. Then I started driving my dads Land Rover and wow what a difference. Never tailgated when driving that. Friend had to drive his girlfriends Micra while his car was in the shop and he nearly went nuts with people tailgating him.

Thats pretty interesting conclusion.

It means smaller cars are more likely to be tailgated, even when travelling with the same speed as bigger cars.

dudara

If someone is tailgating you in the dark, then I would advise pulling in as soon as is safe and letting them pass you. It doesn't matter if you're a learner or an experienced driver. I'd much rather have the lunatic away from me than behind me.

I experienced this a few weeks ago on my way down to Blessington in the dark. Some muppet was right on my backside in the dark. I find that incredibly scary, that driver is putting both of us in danger by being so close. So I pulled in and let them pass. Much safer for me - if they want to be a danger, then let them.

I'm not a fan of the tapping the brakes technique. You simply can't predict what will happen - you might slip on the road, they might slip etc. Just concentrate on driving carefully and let them pass you as soon as is convenient.

CiniO

dudara wrote: »

I'm not a fan of the tapping the brakes technique. You simply can't predict what will happen - you might slip on the road, they might slip etc. Just concentrate on driving carefully and let them pass you as soon as is convenient.

You can always tap on the breaks so gently, that thay won't slow down the car at all.
If someone is experinced, can always try to very gently press the brake pedal with left foot, while right one still on the gas pedal.
This way you won't slow down at all.

I don't advise doing it to anyone, before doing some training.
Left foot is usually just used to clutch which is always pressed to the bottem. So it's very likely if you press break with your left foot, you'll press it way too strong. But just a little of practice, and anyone can learn it.

About letting someone pass you.
If everyone will react like this to tailgaters, they might start use tailgating, as way to make cars pull over and make place for them for overtaking.

I wouldn't go to far with it.
Just Gardai should pay mora attention to tailgeters and give them big penalties.

ztoical

CiniO wrote: »

Thats pretty interesting conclusion.

It means smaller cars are more likely to be tailgated, even when travelling with the same speed as bigger cars.

It's come up in a number of threads on this forum - here for example - a number of people have posted saying they found massive increase in tailgating when driving a car with L plates and since the law was changed there's been an increase in small cars, associated with learners like a Micra, being tailgated as silly people assume the person driving such a car must be an L driver whose taken their L plates down.

Regarding taping the brakes I wouldn't rec that no matter how good a driver you might think you are. It's dangerous as you don't know what the driver behind you is like and how they will react. Best approach is to pull in when safe to do so and let them overtake.

CiniO

ztoical wrote: »

Regarding taping the brakes I wouldn't rec that no matter how good a driver you might think you are. It's dangerous as you don't know what the driver behind you is like and how they will react. Best approach is to pull in when safe to do so and let them overtake.

When pulling in you also have to slow down some way, posiibly by pressing your break.
I just recomended, to press your break very gently, no to make any braking effort, but just to lit your break lights.
This will most likely move guy in behind bit further. At least for some time.

If someone likes electics, it's probably pretty easy to make a small button on the dashboard, which would lit your break lights.

Cabaal

I drive a small car and its very clear alot of idiots make assumptions about small cars

One common one is people speed up behind me and go to over take then while in the middle of overtaking they realise I'm not going 60km and instead am traveling 100km so they can't easily overtake me on the road in question.

This must happen to me twice a week, its annoying and shows how stupid some people can be assuming small car = slow speed.

wayne0308

So far there's excellent advice, thanks to all people who have replied.

On main roads, especially where there are hard shoulders I would always try make space for overtaking (If I didn't notice the person come up, my instructor/accompanying driver would tell me to make a bit of room)

It was really this specific situation where you are on a rural road with width enough for two cars going side by side that I really wasn't sure what was best to do. I guess when you get to know the road you would be aware of potential spots where you could either pull over if there was enough oncoming traffic to stop him from overtaking normally.

I'll discuss it with my instructor at the weekend also and see what he thinks.

dudara

CiniO wrote: »

When pulling in you also have to slow down some way, posiibly by pressing your break.
I just recomended, to press your break very gently, no to make any braking effort, but just to lit your break lights.
This will most likely move guy in behind bit further. At least for some time.

If someone likes electics, it's probably pretty easy to make a small button on the dashboard, which would lit your break lights.

Still wouldn't do it. I may know how much pressure to apply to just make my brakelights light up, but I can't predict how the numpty behind me is going to react.

Overature

if your on the duel carrige way or moter way stay in the slow lane, (left hand side) or stick you hand out the window and make the V sign

ztoical

dudara wrote: »

Still wouldn't do it. I may know how much pressure to apply to just make my brakelights light up, but I can't predict how the numpty behind me is going to react.

+ 1 If I was going to pull in I would indicate before going anywhere near the break or on larger roads with good hard shoulders you need only to move into the side without breaking but even then I would be very careful as you just don't know what the person behind will do.

In the situation the OP found themselves with no room to pull in, at night on a coutry road there isn't a whole lot of options other then just driving as carefully as you can, don't let them bully you into speeding up or driving dangerously. Taping breaks needless on those types of roads can be very dangerous. Yes the other car is driving very badly and if something was to suddenly jump out in front of the OP forcing them to break there could be an awful acident but taping breaks or trying pull in on roads where there simply isn't enough room can be just as dangerous.

trevorku

You could stop suddenly and get your own back, coz if he r/ends you, then you can claim off his insurance, including 'whiplash' tee hehe.

20goto10

Just a point here - you say his lights were blinding you in the mirror. That would suggest to me he was actually keeping his distance. It all depends on the car of course, but usually you will not see the lights when being tail gated. There is a certain angle needed for his lights to hit your mirror and in most cases it requires him to be a bit back from you.

It is very annoying when that happens but I'd put it down to being unlucky that he just happens to be at that spot where it happens.

Wishbone Ash

wayne0308 wrote: »

On main roads, especially where there are hard shoulders I would always try make space for overtaking (If I didn't notice the person come up, my instructor/accompanying driver would tell me to make a bit of room)

I know it's not a popular thing to say but strictly speaking, you shouldn't move into the hard shoulder to allow another motorist to pass. The hard shoulder is not intended for driving on and, you would fail an advanced driving test for doing so.

robbie_998

well if i had my way now it'd be slowing down a bit more and swaying all over the road pretending to be drunk so the cnut behind will be to scared to pass. :pac:

CiniO

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I know it's not a popular thing to say but strictly speaking, you shouldn't move into the hard shoulder to allow another motorist to pass. The hard shoulder is not intended for driving on and, you would fail an advanced driving test for doing so.

Why not?
You can find in "Rules of The Road" statement saying that if you want let someone overtake you, you can move to the hard shoulder.

It's strictly forbidden on motorways.
But on other roads it's ok.

Rulmeq

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I know it's not a popular thing to say but strictly speaking, you shouldn't move into the hard shoulder to allow another motorist to pass. The hard shoulder is not intended for driving on and, you would fail an advanced driving test for doing so.

It's ok on normal roads (non-motorway) in the republic
http://www.rulesoftheroad.ie/rules-for-driving/traffic-signs-road-markings/road-markings.html

It's complelty forbidden in the UK though, and very often you will notice UK & NI registered camper vans refusing to pull over, which while frustrating, just means they are obeying the rules they know (at least I think it is, other wise they are just being really rude

)

jobless

a few times ive just thrown the hazard lights on, that seemed to get the message across i wasnt happy with them.... worth trying anyway