Tailgating and Road Rage

LiamoSail · 27-08-2012 05:43PM

gubbie wrote: »

Last time I was tailgated, it was on that bit of road towards Bray where you can go 120kph. I was overtaking a truck going 100kph, I was doing just over 110kph. When I was half way to overtaking the truck, a car came right up on my ass. Once the back of my car was past the truck, he started flashing. I moved in when I could, but only when there was a good 10m between me and the truck. It was a very uncomfortable position to be in. Giant truck beside me, twat in a car almost touching the bumper.

If you were driving at 120kph, this situation could have been avoided. You can't control someone else's actions, only your own, and through your own actions you could have avoided the situation, while getting to your destination quicker and safer

Topper Harley · 27-08-2012 06:10PM

LiamoSail wrote: »

If you were driving at 120kph, this situation could have been avoided. You can't control someone else's actions, only your own, and through your own actions you could have avoided the situation, while getting to your destination quicker and safer

Not really, the same situation can occur while driving at or over 120kph and it's solely caused by the impatience of the car behind. I can understand somewhat, yet not condone, people getting frustrated while stuck behind someone overtaking slowly, but many people don't give the car in front any time at all to safely complete their overtaking manoeuvre.

To people who find themselves being tailgated while overtaking, just ask yourself a couple of questions before judging the asshole behind:

1) Am I possibly driving in an antagonising manner? (try to be objective and don't justify it because the driver behind is an asshole)

2) Even if not, can I briefly and easily speed up slightly to overtake a bit quicker and facilitate the car behind? (don't be overly pedantic here, it'll only be for a few seconds)

If yes to question 1, then you need to cop on as much as the driver behind. Being the bigger man (or woman) and just letting go of your grievance will probably feel even better than getting one over some asshole.

If yes to question 2, then do so and be on your merry way and let the driver behind be on theirs.

If it's genuinely no to both, then carry on as you were safe in the knowledge that you're doing all you can to drive safely and and without unnecessarily holding someone else up. If they can't deal with that, it's their problem, so try to not let it affect you.

Galwayguy35 · 27-08-2012 06:26PM

There was a guy tailgating me this morning on the way to work.

I travel the old N6 into the city and know where the speed vans do be parked but he obviously didn't because he floored it as soon as he got to the straight part of the road and will probably have an €80 fine for his antics.

Nice to see these guys getting caught now and again.

Topper Harley · 27-08-2012 06:32PM

looksee wrote: »

Perhaps LordChessington, would like to offer some more evidence on the driving skills of the over 60s, beyond 'I have never seen'?

This entire post was manufactured - no one else had mentioned tiida or note until he cobbled it together to give him an excuse to rant about pensioners. Has anyone ever seen an above average number of 'pensioners' tailgating or engaging in road rage?

I think his point was more to do with the type of drivers who buy Tiidas and Notes rather than older drivers' driving skills.

I think he has a point though, these cars are perfect for a lot retired people. For most, they don't require big cars for ferrying people around and aren't interested in performance or image. They wan't something cheap, simple and reliable. And so they end up with Micras, Tiidas and Notes and frustrate many other drivers who are rushing all over the place all around them.

This isn't an indictment of all OAP drivers or all Micra, Tiida and Note drivers but it's something that has come to my attention as well. I even know some of these types of people personally.

PieForPi · 27-08-2012 07:14PM

I don't tailgate, I just overtake anyone going slower than the limit, irregardless of the road I'm on.

It's a bit ropey overtaking someone at 45+ in an estate but hey, if they just drove a little quicker it wouldn't have to happen.

SocSocPol · 27-08-2012 07:26PM

PieForPi wrote: »

I don't tailgate, I just overtake anyone going slower than the limit, irregardless of the road I'm on.

It's a bit ropey overtaking someone at 45+ in an estate but hey, if they just drove a little quicker it wouldn't have to happen.

Speed limit in housing estates is 30kph! Cop on and grow up before you kill some poor kid.:mad:

PieForPi · 27-08-2012 07:35PM

SocSocPol wrote: »

Speed limit in housing estates is 30kph! Cop on and grow up before you kill some poor kid.:mad:

I was sure that was just a proposal?

Can you link to where it has been written into law?

LiamoSail · 27-08-2012 07:45PM

Topper Harley wrote: »

Not really, the same situation can occur while driving at or over 120kph and it's solely caused by the impatience of the car behind. I can understand somewhat, yet not condone, people getting frustrated while stuck behind someone overtaking slowly, but many people don't give the car in front any time at all to safely complete their overtaking manoeuvre.

I agree with rest of your post, but in the above situation speeding up would have solved the issue. It can of course still happen at faster speeds, but I was being specific to this scenario

The only time I tail gate is when people do stuff like not move off quick enough at the lights (as if its a fcuking shock that the light has changed from red to green), or when people are slow going through ambers etc

I don't tail gate on the motorway as I think its dangerous, though I've no sympathy for those that get tailgated on a motorway while driving more then 10kph below the limit

Very few people drive for leisure, most do so to get from A to B and in this country a huge amount of people don't get the concept of efficient driving.

That doesn't necessarily equate to speeding, just exercising commonsense. While I don't suffer from road rage, if someone does something stupid I will generally sound a few beeps at them, not out of anger, but to try make them feel a bit stupid about it, and perhaps next time they will be more aware

The Idyll Race · 27-08-2012 07:50PM

LiamoSail wrote: »

I agree with rest of your post, but in the above situation speeding up would have solved the issue. It can of course still happen at faster speeds, but I was being specific to this scenario

The only time I tail gate is when people do stuff like not move off quick enough at the lights (as if its a fcuking shock that the light has changed from red to green), or when people are slow going through ambers etc

I don't tail gate on the motorway as I think its dangerous, though I've no sympathy for those that get tailgated on a motorway while driving more then 10kph below the limit

Very few people drive for leisure, most do so to get from A to B and in this country a huge amount of people don't get the concept of efficient driving.

That doesn't necessarily equate to speeding, just exercising commonsense. While I don't suffer from road rage, if someone does something stupid I will generally sound a few beeps at them, not out of anger, but to try make them feel a bit stupid about it, and perhaps next time they will be more aware

Trying to make another driver feel a bit of a cúnt? Thought that was one of the definitions of road rage myself but hey ho.

LiamoSail · 27-08-2012 07:51PM

PieForPi wrote: »

I don't tailgate, I just overtake anyone going slower than the limit, irregardless of the road I'm on.

It's a bit ropey overtaking someone at 45+ in an estate but hey, if they just drove a little quicker it wouldn't have to happen.

In an estate, I take no notice of the limit, I drive at speed I believe is safe given the likelihood of children being around (usually 20-30kph).

While I completely agree with overtaking those driving substantially below the limit (and if it is substantial without good reason I believe they should be banned, the option of the bus is there for you if you can afford to take half the day to drive a few miles), I wouldn't do so if its putting me or anyone else in danger.

LiamoSail · 27-08-2012 07:54PM

The Idyll Race wrote: »

Trying to make another driver feel a bit of a cúnt? Thought that was one of the definitions of road rage myself but hey ho.

That's nowhere near the definition of road rage, its like saying the definition of a banana is a motorised vehicle four wheels. You're way off

Road rage implies I'm getting all angry and worked up which isn't the case. Obviously we all get pissed off to an extent, but the aim in doing it is not to vent my annoyance, but to point out that the other person has made a daft manoeuvre and perhaps they won't do so again

If it makes them look a cnut then so be it, but I'd rather them look the cnut and not do similar again then to not look the cnut and repeat the same mistake

Topper Harley · 27-08-2012 07:55PM

The Idyll Race wrote: »

Trying to make another driver feel a bit of a cúnt? Thought that was one of the definitions of road rage myself but hey ho.

Depends on how it's done really. There's the long, continuous beep which is quite aggressive and it usually brought on by something extremely stupid and is a sign of road rage but then there's the few quick, light beeps which are more to call attention to mistake and get the driver to learn, while not being aggressive.

Topper Harley · 27-08-2012 08:00PM

PieForPi wrote: »

I don't tailgate, I just overtake anyone going slower than the limit, irregardless of the road I'm on.

It's a bit ropey overtaking someone at 45+ in an estate but hey, if they just drove a little quicker it wouldn't have to happen.

PieForPi wrote: »

I was sure that was just a proposal?

Can you link to where it has been written into law?

I'm not sure if you're being serious or not but you shouldn't need a law to tell you how not to drive like an idiot. If you haven't got the common sense to work out what's safe yourself then you shouldn't be on the road.

Fuinseog · 27-08-2012 08:03PM

LiamoSail wrote: »

I agree with rest of your post, but in the above situation speeding up would have solved the issue. It can of course still happen at faster speeds, but I was being specific to this scenario

The only time I tail gate is when people do stuff like not move off quick enough at the lights (as if its a fcuking shock that the light has changed from red to green), or when people are slow going through ambers etc

I don't tail gate on the motorway as I think its dangerous, though I've no sympathy for those that get tailgated on a motorway while driving more then 10kph below the limit

Very few people drive for leisure, most do so to get from A to B and in this country a huge amount of people don't get the concept of efficient driving.

That doesn't necessarily equate to speeding, just exercising commonsense. While I don't suffer from road rage, if someone does something stupid I will generally sound a few beeps at them, not out of anger, but to try make them feel a bit stupid about it, and perhaps next time they will be more aware

brilliant, so if someone stalls or cuts out at the lights they have you on their bumper.

so if someone is 'only' driving at 110km they should be tailgated.
you remind me of the boy racer I saw yesterday who honked and nearly drove over at the old lady who was not fast enough walking crossing the road.

Tailgating is a brilliant way to start road rage that may lead to a manslaughter charge.

I remember learning to drive and some impatient cnut starts honking when I was waiting to move onto the roundabout. i did what a lot of nervous drivers do when put under pressure and shot out in front of the cars. very dangerous.

looksee · 27-08-2012 08:05PM

There is an amazing level of entitlement and arrogance in this thread.

I also could wish people could make a bit more progress or move over a bit, and I am one of those decrepit oul wans who (apparently) all dodder along with all the time in the world... but still I don't use it as an excuse for tailgating, even at a whole 10 kph less than the limit on the motorway.

Tailgating at anything other than town traffic speeds is moronic, but I think some of the posters above do not fully understand why it is moronic, and think that its just another of those stupid rules that Authority dictates.

Topper Harley · 27-08-2012 08:07PM

PieForPi wrote: »

I was sure that was just a proposal?

Can you link to where it has been written into law?

And:

Local authorities in Ireland have the power to introduce bye-laws to set special speed limits of 30kph in designated areas.

Road Traffic Act, 2004 - Section 5(2)

The Idyll Race · 27-08-2012 08:07PM

LiamoSail wrote: »

That's nowhere near the definition of road rage, its like saying the definition of a banana is a motorised vehicle four wheels. You're way off

Road rage implies I'm getting all angry and worked up which isn't the case. Obviously we all get pissed off to an extent, but the aim in doing it is not to vent my annoyance, but to point out that the other person has made a daft manoeuvre and perhaps they won't do so again

If it makes them look a cnut then so be it, but I'd rather them look the cnut and not do similar again then to not look the cnut and repeat the same mistake

I don't know where to begin on this, but I am pretty sure that there was nothing in my driver training that one of the duties of a qualified driver was to be pedantic to others. I'm back home in Ireland after a year in the west of England, and while there were asshats on the road there, the level of aggression here, and I'm not talking about being tailgated myself just to be clear, is pretty high. The further north you go, the more intense it gets, to the point that I would think long and hard about driving certain roads after dark in my native Donegal.

There is definitely a tendency here to correct others on the road. I am not a slow driver and don't hold others up if I can help it, but some drivers have a real problem with their temper and do the stupidest things out of rage. One man's pedantic "correction" of another's driving is another's impertinence.

As some of the tailgaters pointed out earlier, if you have a problem with someone's driving, call the guards. You are not the police.

stoneill · 27-08-2012 08:09PM

People who tailgate are cúnts - stop being a prick, it's not your fúcking road.
People who get tailgated are cúnts - get out of the way - it's not your fúcking road.

Topper Harley · 27-08-2012 08:19PM

stoneill wrote: »

People who tailgate are cúnts - stop being a prick, it's not your fúcking road.
People who get tailgated are cúnts - get out of the way - it's not your fúcking road.

Don't forget about the people who do neither. They're cúnts as well because they won't want to feel left out. And they probably park like assholes too, but that's another thread.

Elfinknight · 27-08-2012 09:40PM

I don't have time to read the full thread but after reading about the first half of it I would just like to say the following. If some one has already brought them up, my apologies.

While driving in the hard shoulder is not illegal, it is frowned upon and only allowed in certain circumstances.

If you are being tail gated on a road with a hard shoulder and you pull over and end up having an accident. It will be you that is in the wrong, not the guy tailgating.

So you should never pull into it at night or in bad weather.

If you are already doing the speed limit, and some idiot is tail gating you,and you cannot pull over for what ever reason, you should just stick it out and leave him there. They are already in the wrong.

If for some reason you have to brake, and i mean for a reason, Dog/Child/car comes out in front of you, and the guy tailgating you hits you, he is in the wrong.

When they do pass you, especially if they give any abusive gestures, take the vehicles registration number and report them to your local gardai when you get home.

To all parties I would recommend that ye should brush up on the rules of the road to know what your responsible for in all situations because I'm seeing a lot of spurious recommendations on here so far.

TheChizler · 27-08-2012 09:44PM

Elfinknight wrote: »

I don't have time to read the full thread but after reading about the first half of it I would just like to say the following. If some one has already brought them up, my apologies.

While driving in the hard shoulder is not illegal, it is frowned upon and only allowed in certain circumstances.

If you are being tail gated on a road with a hard shoulder and you pull over and end up having an accident. It will be you that is in the wrong, not the guy tailgating.

So you should never pull into it at night or in bad weather.

If you are already doing the speed limit, and some idiot is tail gating you,and you cannot pull over for what ever reason, you should just stick it out and leave him there. They are already in the wrong.

If for some reason you have to brake, and i mean for a reason, Dog/Child/car comes out in front of you, and the guy tailgating you hits you, he is in the wrong.

When they do pass you, especially if they give any abusive gestures, take the vehicles registration number and report them to your local gardai when you get home.

To all parties I would recommend that ye should brush up on the rules of the road to know what your responsible for in all situations because I'm seeing a lot of spurious recommendations on here so far.

I would add to that that if you are being tailgated for no good reason (there never is) you should slow down (slowly!) . If you then do have to brake suddenly, and they slam into you, the damage will be less than if you were going faster.

Fuinseog · 27-08-2012 10:07PM

as an inexperienced driver I have experience of being tailgated but someone tailgating me makes me nervous and could possibly force me to crash. is it really worth it?

I pointed in a previous post that I was tailgated at night on a narrow country road with a lot of dangerous bends. the natives tailgating me were familiar with the road. I was not. the speed limit was 100km and i was doing 70km.

LiamoSail · 27-08-2012 10:58PM

Fuinseog wrote: »

brilliant, so if someone stalls or cuts out at the lights they have you on their bumper.

so if someone is 'only' driving at 110km they should be tailgated.
you remind me of the boy racer I saw yesterday who honked and nearly drove over at the old lady who was not fast enough walking crossing the road.

Tailgating is a brilliant way to start road rage that may lead to a manslaughter charge.

I remember learning to drive and some impatient cnut starts honking when I was waiting to move onto the roundabout. i did what a lot of nervous drivers do when put under pressure and shot out in front of the cars. very dangerous.

Obviously if someone stalls are similar I'm not going to. Regarding the tailgating at 110kph, I specifically stated I wouldn't do it, just that I have no sympathy for those that are tailgated at that speed. My rational is that its perfectly safe on a motorway (wx conditions dependent) to do 120kph. So why not do it and avoid unnecessarily delaying others?

As for the tailgating manslaughter leap, that's just too much of a leap for me to even give a dignified response to

Regarding learning to drive, I'll always be patient with learner drivers. I would however give them a quick beep for blocking a yellow box or similar. Not for stalling though or anything like that. All part of the learning curve

The Idyll Race wrote: »

I don't know where to begin on this, but I am pretty sure that there was nothing in my driver training that one of the duties of a qualified driver was to be pedantic to others. I'm back home in Ireland after a year in the west of England, and while there were asshats on the road there, the level of aggression here, and I'm not talking about being tailgated myself just to be clear, is pretty high. The further north you go, the more intense it gets, to the point that I would think long and hard about driving certain roads after dark in my native Donegal.

There is definitely a tendency here to correct others on the road. I am not a slow driver and don't hold others up if I can help it, but some drivers have a real problem with their temper and do the stupidest things out of rage. One man's pedantic "correction" of another's driving is another's impertinence.

As some of the tailgaters pointed out earlier, if you have a problem with someone's driving, call the guards. You are not the police.

I'm not being pedantic. If someone blocks a yellow box, or delays traffic due to them being in the wrong lane and not moving until they can get into the lane they wish, I'm not going to call the Gard's, the Gard's have better things to be doing then dealing with those sort of calls. I'm just going to try make them look stupid in the hope they'll think twice the next time.

My issue is not with learner or nervous drivers, its with selfish drivers, inconsiderate drivers and those that don't engage their brain

Fuinseog · 27-08-2012 11:08PM

LiamoSail wrote: »

Obviously if someone stalls are similar I'm not going to. Regarding the tailgating at 110kph, I specifically stated I wouldn't do it, just that I have no sympathy for those that are tailgated at that speed. My rational is that its perfectly safe on a motorway (wx conditions dependent) to do 120kph. So why not do it and avoid unnecessarily delaying others?

As for the tailgating manslaughter leap, that's just too much of a leap for me to even give a dignified response to

Regarding learning to drive, I'll always be patient with learner drivers. I would however give them a quick beep for blocking a yellow box or similar. Not for stalling though or anything like that. All part of the learning curve

not everyone feels like doing 120km. i have been told for smaller cars it can be bad for the engine to do more than 100km an hour. usually you can pass out on a motorway. if not you can wait patiently.
tailgating is a form of intimidation. it makes some people nervous, other angry. that Englishman who was battered to death with the hurl was tailgating.

TheChizler · 27-08-2012 11:11PM

LiamoSail wrote: »

Obviously if someone stalls are similar I'm not going to. Regarding the tailgating at 110kph, I specifically stated I wouldn't do it, just that I have no sympathy for those that are tailgated at that speed. My rational is that its perfectly safe on a motorway (wx conditions dependent) to do 120kph. So why not do it and avoid unnecessarily delaying others?

That's why there's another lane. People are only delayed by choosing to stick behind rather than overtake. What about speed limited vehicles? Like trucks or caravans?

looksee · 27-08-2012 11:20PM

I'm not being pedantic. If someone blocks a yellow box, or delays traffic due to them being in the wrong lane and not moving until they can get into the lane they wish, I'm not going to call the Gard's, the Gard's have better things to be doing then dealing with those sort of calls. I'm just going to try make them look stupid in the hope they'll think twice the next time.

Wow, I agree you are not being pedantic, that is nowhere near strong enough to describe that kind of behaviour. So passing your driving test gave you the right to correct everyone else's behaviour did it?

Have you never got caught out by a yellow box? Do you always, every time, manage to stop before the box? And if somebody does slip up and gets caught don't you think that a. if they care they will be embarrassed anyway without your help, or b. if they don't care your prissy beeping is going to make any difference?

And have you never been in a strange city and found yourself in the wrong lane? And been prevented from changing lanes by a whole queue of righteous people who feel it is their responsibility to make you look stupid so you won't do it again?

Well lucky you.

LiamoSail · 28-08-2012 12:24AM

Fuinseog wrote: »

not everyone feels like doing 120km. i have been told for smaller cars it can be bad for the engine to do more than 100km an hour. usually you can pass out on a motorway. if not you can wait patiently.
tailgating is a form of intimidation. it makes some people nervous, other angry. that Englishman who was battered to death with the hurl was tailgating.

Well then drive on a road or lane where the expectation isn't that you drive at 120kph. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few

As for being bad for the engine, what size engine are you referring to?

The man who battered the English man to death probably had a number of anger issues, only sparked by a tailgater, it wasn't the only factor

TheChizler wrote: »

That's why there's another lane. People are only delayed by choosing to stick behind rather than overtake. What about speed limited vehicles? Like trucks or caravans?

looksee wrote: »

Wow, I agree you are not being pedantic, that is nowhere near strong enough to describe that kind of behaviour. So passing your driving test gave you the right to correct everyone else's behaviour did it?

No, my right to free speech granted me that

looksee wrote: »

Have you never got caught out by a yellow box? Do you always, every time, manage to stop before the box? And if somebody does slip up and gets caught don't you think that a. if they care they will be embarrassed anyway without your help, or b. if they don't care your prissy beeping is going to make any difference?

Yes, my beeping alerts them to their mistake, should they be unaware of it. How am I to know whether they are aware of it or not? I'd like to make sure they are

Yes, of course I've made mistakes such as that, and I've rightfully been made aware of it by other drivers. I'm not going to cry about someone beeping at me though

looksee wrote: »

And have you never been in a strange city and found yourself in the wrong lane? And been prevented from changing lanes by a whole queue of righteous people who feel it is their responsibility to make you look stupid so you won't do it again?

Well lucky you.

yes, I have indeed. So what I do is stay in the lane and, if I have to, go a way I don't intend to because to stop there and block the lane to others who haven't made such a mistake is extremely selfish. Why should someone else be delayed because I can't figure out a basic road layout?

I'm not talking about getting out of the car, or verbally abusing people. My point is simply letting people know they've inconvenienced you by not thinking about their actions. How else can people become aware of their mistakes, and hence avoid repeating them again?

Too many people are far too selfish, and the above example you provided is an excellent one. Anyone inadvertently caught in the wrong lane has two choices, either continue, go the wrong way then try and get back on track, or block and delay everyone else because of their mistake. Anyone choosing the latter should not be allowed on the road, and should be made feel embarrassed

Elfinknight · 28-08-2012 01:37AM

LiamoSail wrote: »

Well then drive on a road or lane where the expectation isn't that you drive at 120kph. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few

As for being bad for the engine, what size engine are you referring to?

The man who battered the English man to death probably had a number of anger issues, only sparked by a tailgater, it wasn't the only factor

No, my right to free speech granted me that

Yes, my beeping alerts them to their mistake, should they be unaware of it. How am I to know whether they are aware of it or not? I'd like to make sure they are

Yes, of course I've made mistakes such as that, and I've rightfully been made aware of it by other drivers. I'm not going to cry about someone beeping at me though

yes, I have indeed. So what I do is stay in the lane and, if I have to, go a way I don't intend to because to stop there and block the lane to others who haven't made such a mistake is extremely selfish. Why should someone else be delayed because I can't figure out a basic road layout?

I'm not talking about getting out of the car, or verbally abusing people. My point is simply letting people know they've inconvenienced you by not thinking about their actions. How else can people become aware of their mistakes, and hence avoid repeating them again?

Too many people are far too selfish, and the above example you provided is an excellent one. Anyone inadvertently caught in the wrong lane has two choices, either continue, go the wrong way then try and get back on track, or block and delay everyone else because of their mistake. Anyone choosing the latter should not be allowed on the road, and should be made feel embarrassed

Just to let you know, 120 kph is an upper limit on the motorway, there is not a lower limit so there is no mistake to be alerting them to.

MusicalMelody · 28-08-2012 03:23AM

I have terrible road rage! All drivers are inferior to my skills... I need therapy :-s

david · 28-08-2012 03:28AM

Not sure if it's been mentioned but the type of car you drive has an impact on how other drivers respect you IMO

Tailgating and Road Rage

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