Tailgaters

[spoonza6]

If I'm flowing along nicely at my usual pace around town and I get tailgated, they get a flash of the brake lights. Its to let them know they are too close. Suprisingly most actually back off.

Shouldn't you be more concerned on what's in front of you than behind? Spend too much time looking behind you and you could cause an accident

My mum once told me about logging trucks that I apply to everyday driving

"They don't want to hit you, just as much you don't want them to hit you"

If they hit you from behind, they are in the wrong

What happened in Australia was pretty bad, you just got to be careful when driving, you never know you might just push them over and they happen to have a gun.

[DRFTIN]

Tailgating is stupid. If you do it, expect the car in front to go full retard in return.

Why should you have to pull over though if you're doing the limit?

pretty much sums it up for me
i love winding up impatient drivers who expect me to break the rules for them

[Stu-]

Prime example of this on Sat just gone:
Merged onto motorway heading South from Silverdale, outside line was clear (next car say 500-700m back), setup cruise control at 110, eventually come up behind a trail of traffic in the outside lane traveling at say 109 slowly cruising past slow lane which was probably doing 105. Guy behind me comes screaming up behind - can't see his bonnet he was so close, he starts waving and pulling fingers, I obviously can't go anywhere with cars in front so just ignore. He finds a tiny gap in the slow lane, force merges then comes along side as all of the traffic was slow, I wind down window and ask him if he's in a hurry to die in a car crash this Christmas and notice wife and small child in the back. He was typical big mouth small man so quite calmly state that I shit bigger problems than him and if he wants he can pull over so I can break him in half infront of his family. Guys window goes up then he undertakes both lanes in the median strip. I notice a that he gets back into the traffic and continues to tail gate someone else further up.

Amusement plus

[Adoom]

People who tailgate the guy at the back of a queue of slow cars. WTF does tailgater expect that guy to do?!
Can't go faster, queue is in the way.
Pull over, tailgater is just going to tailgate the next car in the queue.

What is appropriate response?

[Mr Revhead]

If I'm flowing along nicely at my usual pace around town and I get tailgated, they get a flash of the brake lights. Its to let them know they are too close. Suprisingly most actually back off.

Shouldn't you be more concerned on what's in front of you than behind? Spend too much time looking behind you and you could cause an accident

My mum once told me about logging trucks that I apply to everyday driving

"They don't want to hit you, just as much you don't want them to hit you"

If they hit you from behind, they are in t

What happened in Australia was pretty bad, you just got to be careful when driving, you never know you might just push them over and they happen to have a gun.

It's called situational awareness. I pay attention all around.
If you tailgate your a cock. No excuse.
You should be more concerned about a safe following distance, so you don't cause an accident

[spoonza6]

It's called situational awareness. I pay attention all around.
If you tailgate your a cock. No excuse.
You should be more concerned about a safe following distance, so you don't cause an accident

Agree, you should be concerned about a safe following distance, and thats in FRONT of your own vehicle.

no idea why you would want to try have the person behind you abide by what you want done when you need to focus on whats in front of you

by all means be aware of the situation, tapping the brakes is being more than AWARE about it.

I like what Stu did in regards to his tailgater...he ignored him

Best thing to do honestly, ignore them and jus worry about your driving. If you are so concerned for your safety, you should pull over and take a time out til your calm again then resume driving.

People who tailgate the guy at the back of a queue of slow cars. WTF does tailgater expect that guy to do?!
Can't go faster, queue is in the way.
Pull over, tailgater is just going to tailgate the next car in the queue.

What is appropriate response?

umm just drive your car and ignore him?

pull over if you feel it unsafe then contact the proper authority in regards to that tailgater, never know you might be the 4th person to let them know about them

[Akane]

A little bit of me died after reading this thread.

Disappointed at revvy.

[diss7]

I brake check, and will continue to do so.

If someone tails me for doing 50 in a 50 zone, I slow down to 40.

NZ doesn't have 'fast lanes' on the motorway either. They are all 100km/h lanes. You are not in Europe/Japan/USA where this is the case.

[RS13]

I've been chased several times for brake checking people. No amount of you tapping the brakes is going to make them unlearn their bad habits, so if I'm not in a hurry I just pull over and let them pass. Their choice if they want to rear end me, I'll just push for careless driving plus I get a paint job or a new car out of it.

[Bling]

Agree, you should be concerned about a safe following distance, and thats in FRONT of your own vehicle.

Are you one of those "looking straight ahead, don't care about other places" drivers? If someone is driving in an unsafe manner around you, I don't see why WHERE they are is factor as to whether or not you should be concerned.

If someone pulls out from a side street and aims at your drivers door, will you not be concerned since they aren't in front of you?

A little bit of me died after reading this thread.

Disappointed at revvy.

Try www.shitdrivinghabits.com, should find some like minded drivers that agree with your views.

[Mr Revhead]

Some good examples in here of why we need better driver training.

Flashing brake lights is not the same as brake checking.

[spoonza6]

I was referring to tailgaters, which is what this topic is about and I think my retort was in good reference to what he stated.

You changed the topic completely from tailgating to everyone driving around you.

Go back and read what I said then apply it to a tailgating scenario. Spending less time worrying about the tailgater, watching him, flashing brake lights whatever...will distract you from the car stopping in front or as you said someone coming from the side, whatever.

[Mr Revhead]

No.
You're driving. Pay attention everywhere.
Talking about one aspect doesn't remove the need to consider others.
If you can't glance in your mirrors every few seconds and be aware of what's behind you, you should not be driving

[sergei]

Pull over when someone wants to go past you, simple.

Why should you have to pull over though if you're doing the limit? Speed (10%) isn't usually the issue (as you put it) 90% will be down to the following driver being a $&#$%.

Simple reason - you don't own the road, and you will feel better straight after pressure from behind (tailgater) is gone. If you pull over you will reduce the risk of accident.
If you are doing speed limit it does not mean anything. You are not the police and you are not authorized to police the road.
Besides the road code clearly states if someone is tailgating you you should pull over and let them pass.

Besides, people think they are doing the speed limit, but in reality they are 10kph below, because most of the speedo's lie. Hence majority of careless drivers that speed don't get the tickets and get away with 61kph in 50kph zone. If you have calibrated your speedo you will notice this.

Tailgaters are bad. The proper and the only legal action against tailgaters is let them pass. Brake checking or even brake light flashing only does aggravate the situation.

There are two types tailgaters: oblivious $&#$% (middle aged women, the most dangerous type), and people who are not happy with your speed. The second type could be broken down in two types as well: the ones that will tailgate you to make you go faster (assholes), or the ones that tailgate you for the opportunity to overtake you (impatient).

I am personally appalled to be driving behind of 90% of population. It makes me cringe how they approach the corners, when they brake, cutting blind corners, and how they behave on passing lane. I normally make the first opportunity on overtaking them.

NZ drivers are in general imbeciles. They have no idea of safe braking distance, the proper line to approach the corner, proper time to brake before the corner (they brake in the corner), cut through double yellow lines, and while driving very slow through twisty bits they accelerate right to the 110kph on passing lane, or worse attempt passing slower than the traffic they pass.

[spoonza6]

No.
You're driving. Pay attention everywhere.
Talking about one aspect doesn't remove the need to consider others.
If you can't glance in your mirrors every few seconds and be aware of what's behind you, you should not be driving

Ok

Driving down suburban Main Street, 3 cars going same direction, you're in the middle of the 3.

Rear car is tailgating you.
You are safe distance from car in front of you.
You keep checking mirrors constantly for the tailgater, brake flashing, checking. Watching for what they do.
Car ahead decides to turn right into a street, but has to give way to oncoming traffic.
You're too busy with the tailgater by the time you look up your safe distance has decreased a lot and you brake.
You hit turning car before it makes it turn.

Who's in the wrong? You or the tailgater for distracting you?

[Mr Revhead]

That's not how I drive.
Are you saying you cannot be aware of things happening in front and in mirrors at the same time? I do it every time I drive.

I don't think you understand what im saying.

It boils down to this, don't be a c**t and tailgate. If you are, and yoi get brake lights flashed at you, consider it could be Morse code for "$&#$% off c**t"

[rolla_fxgt]

No.
You're driving. Pay attention everywhere.
Talking about one aspect doesn't remove the need to consider others.
If you can't glance in your mirrors every few seconds and be aware of what's behind you, you should not be driving

Ok

Driving down suburban Main Street, 3 cars going same direction, you're in the middle of the 3.

Rear car is tailgating you.
You are safe distance from car in front of you.
You keep checking mirrors constantly for the tailgater, brake flashing, checking. Watching for what they do.
Car ahead decides to turn right into a street, but has to give way to oncoming traffic.
You're too busy with the tailgater by the time you look up your safe distance has decreased a lot and you brake.
You hit turning car before it makes it turn.

Who's in the wrong? You or the tailgater for distracting you?

Can you please put a big flashing light/sign on your car, so next time I'm in Auckland I can avoid driving anywhere near you.
If you can't concentrate on your overall situational awareness including what's in front of you, and behind you (hint it takes a micro second to check the reaeview mirror) then you shouldn't be on the road. And it makes me wonder how you got your licence in the first place.

[Mr Ree]

That's not how I drive.
Are you saying you cannot be aware of things happening in front and in mirrors at the same time? I do it every time I drive.

I don't think you understand what im saying.

It boils down to this, don't be a c**t and tailgate. If you are, and yoi get brake lights flashed at you, consider it could be Morse code for "$&#$% off c**t"

Exactly...If you cant use your peripheral vision and situational awareness to cover both in front, and behind the vehicle, then you shouldnt be driving. Anyone who has ridden motorbikes for years will be able to dfo this without concisously thinking about it, it becomes second nature.

I brake flash people who tail gate (and I NEVER sit in the right hand lane or drive below the speed limit to annoy someone), but I always apply the correct amount of throttle to ensure there is no decelleration involved.

I wish this thread had a poll attached that showed the age of the people who agree with one side or the other...it would be very telling.

[Grrrrrrr!]

Tailgaters are bad. The proper and the only legal action against tailgaters is...

*555 the asshat.

Brake light flashing is often all it takes to wake the oblivious ones up to the following distance issue. They back off and life goes on. The assholes who know they are three feet from your bumper and think thats going to make me close up the safe following distance i have left in front of me can GTFO. If for some reason i'm actually driving at less than the speed limit i'll keep out of the way, but 95% of the time i'm doing the same speed as the guy in front of me and keeping a sane following distance , and just waiting for him to pass the cars in the other lane. Ain't no way i'm going to try to force my way into the left hand lane to make way for a dickhead who thinks he can intimidate his way thru traffic.

[Grrrrrrr!]

Can you please put a big flashing light/sign on your car, so next time I'm in Auckland I can avoid driving anywhere near you.
If you can't concentrate on your overall situational awareness including what's in front of you, and behind you (hint it takes a micro second to check the reaeview mirror) then you shouldn't be on the road. And it makes me wonder how you got your licence in the first place.

+1