Tailgaters

[S T E A L T H]

Interesting debate this.

For me this breaks down into 2 categories of situations:

1) Road-bullying (essentially). This in my view applies to any situation where the driver being tailgated can't be reasonably expected to do anything differently. ie a car doing the speed limit - (or above) being tailgated on a single lane road. Or a car in ANY but the far right lane of the motorway being tailgated. If you feel the need to tailgate someone despite being able to pass them, you're a tool. If you're able to pass - do it.

2) Teaching a self-appointed lane monitor that he/she is in the wrong.
This applies to any situation where someone, either deliberately or by ignorance, is impeding your progress where they shouldn't be. Classic situation - someone in the far right lane of the motorway travelling at the same speed as both other lanes despite there being nobody in front of them for 100m or more.
If I come across this, standard response is to close the gap to less than 1m, switch on all lighting (800w combined at last count). Usually gets the point across. For the rare special kind of moron with slow cognitive processing skills there is a treat in the shape of a 14.5", 141dB quad airhorn.

For some reason, I'm yet to be subject of the "brake check" but reading some of the responses in this thread almost makes me look forward to the day when someone takes it upon themselves to do it.

[spoonza6]

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.

Um I learnt to drive down those ways and the Rotomas was a quick learning curve for me. If you've driven them you would know how testing they are.

Don't know where you assclowns got the assumption that I tailgate???

That's the thing!!! Too many people focus on tailgaters than the whole situation...as it was said before, just ignore them. But most people focus on tailgaters a bit too much.

If you got time to brake flash or check then you're spending too much time worrying about them than other important things.

I got my license by studying the same road code you used and no where in it does it say to brake flash or check them...

[iOnic]

I have brake checked/flashed people before but in general I don't react to their driving. If I'm doing the speed limit and that is too slow for them, it's up to them to find their own way around me. I don't ever pull over to let someone past when I'm doing the legal limit unless they are in an emergency vehicle - all the bright lights and loud horns in the world won't change that. If I am on a Sunday drive or driving slower than the speed limit I don't mind letting people past but under normal circumstances, your need to drive everywhere at 120 doesn't trump my need to get where I'm going without pulling over every 5 minutes.

Note: I dont ignore tailgaters, I'm constantly aware of the situation and where other cars are on the road because all of this has an effect on my actions if I were to react to an emergency. I just don't react to their bullying. Ignoring any car on the road is dumb - everysingle car sharing the road with you is a potential hazard that you as a driver need to assess.

[Lith]

where the hell did the brake tapping rule come from?

by the way i do not condone what that guy did at all...js

whats your thoughts on this?

I definitely use this, and so far have not seen or heard anything to convince me not to. 99% of the times I have used it is when I am overtaking someone - USUALLY when I am in a "normal" car which the tailgater in question no doubt has decided is going to be or IS a hold up to them despite the fact I am actually stuck behind someone myself. I have no where to go (if I am overtaking and there is no-one in front I am not going to speed just because the person behind me is a tosser) so the only other way I can think of making my driving experience safer is acknowledging that (A) I am aware of them being there, but (B) nothing can or will be done about it so just hold your horses.

So yes, I am probably holding them back - probably by a sum total of a fraction of a second that they would take to cover the distance I take up between them and the car that may be holding me up, or possibly slightly more if I am doing the speed limit but in these cases I always pull over AFTER I have finished my own overtaking maneuover.

Tailgaters are responsible for a LOT of problems, and the tapping brakes issue should not be a consideration as without tossers tailgating the conversation shouldn't need to happen. Complaining about people tapping the brakes when you tailgate is a bit like a rapist complaining about women using pepperspray imho, though obviously a huge different scale the issue isn't there if said tailgater just lives with the fact that we all have to tolerate a bit of waiting whether it is an old person who doesn't feel safe driving at a sensible pace (agreed, they should pull over) or that there is a lot of traffic and the odds are EVERYONE has to tolerate going at slower than the legal limit.

NB: When I brake check it is typically just flashing the lights and maybe losing a couple kph at most - nothing to cause any emergency braking requirement. If this doesn't work then I *will* slow down gradually by a noticeable speed, if the person is going to stick to their guns then I'll slow down until their following distance matches the 2 second rule. The other driver is going to have to accept that the closer they follow me, the slower progress is going to be.

[Bling]

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.

The road code states lots of things, you can't just pull one part out to use for your example. Does it not state to follow at a safe distance also? Feel free to pull over everytime someone tailgates you, it's your choice. How many people would tailgate a cop? Not many, and if they did, they could be charged accordingly.

People driving in a normal manner should not have to pull over because someone is in a hurry. It's that simple. As for the speed limit, so many cars have GPS onboard these days that it's easy to know exactly how fast you are going. I come across people driving slow all the time. Free pass to tailgate them till they pull over I guess. Or just drive considerately, unless you're late for a heart transplant / latte' I don't see the hurry.

That's the thing!!! Too many people focus on tailgaters than the whole situation...as it was said before, just ignore them. But most people focus on tailgaters a bit too much.

Do you drive a manual car? Do you need to FOCUS each time you change gear or is it just a natural part of driving? As has been mentioned, checking a mirror takes piss all time. your view seems to be that if you have noticed someone following too close, you're spending too much time focused on that. By the same theory, flicking an indicator would take a lot of time to focus on, turning the steering wheel would take your focus too. Either that, or all of the above things happen automatically without even thinking about it. I guess not all drivers see it the same though. You may well need to focus intently on every part of driving you do, others don't.

Here is a quote for you Sergei, I know you love quoting shit.

It's very important to make sure you have a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front, so you will have enough time to stop if you need to stop suddenly.

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadc ... tance.html

If you can't do that as a driver, you waive the right to be treated fairly on the road.

[snwtoy]

That's the thing!!! Too many people focus on tailgaters than the whole situation...as it was said before, just ignore them. But most people focus on tailgaters a bit too much.

Wrong answer. Please apply afore mentioned flashing sign/lights.

Best thing to do is pull over/let them past as soon as possible. Better that you initiate it than them do (another) stupid thing like overtaking in the wrong place and end up running you off the road. Not only does it relieve pressure and stress for you, but it will take their stress level down a notch too.

If you got time to brake flash or check then you're spending too much time worrying about them than other important things.

And this is complete nonsense. Someone impatient or pig-headed or ignorant enough to tailgate is a potential accident waiting to happen. You HAVE to be aware of them and get them off your tail. If a flash of your lights is enough to wake them up then so be it, otherwise get out of the f*cking way.

[Akane]

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.

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadc ... -left.html




Please surrender the drivers licence that you've obtained from the back of the cornflakes box.



Yeap, I'm mad.

[spoonza6]

I apologise if I have offended you in any way.
I was merely voicing my opinion and defending myself about how I drove n what I see on the roads.

I know I'm not a perfect driver, I'm still learning, will always learn something.

I don't agree on the brake check/flash thing, but that's me and I'll deal with it however.

Yes I drive a manual car, have so for years. Indicating, gear changing and anything else is natural. Also ignoring tailgaters aswell.

So once again I apologise for offending you or anyone else with my views about tailgating.

I was just trying to make people aware on what a brake flash/check could lead to by mentioning the Australian Road Rager in my first post...

Cheers

Preston

[Bling]

[jacobrjett]

[d1 mule]

Wow never realised there were so many douchebags on here.

You think its ok to tailgate me if im doing the limit? Where the hell do you get off??? I dont give a $&#$% if you want to go faster than me. Pass, its Easy!

Brake check, handbrake and slow right down have all been used multiple times.

If you hit me from behind it is your fault not mine.

[BzzzzR]

Had a tailgater last weekend while driving from Porirua through to Levin. Heading into Pukerua bay (*100ks down to 50K) Muppet in a POS corolla ends up literally less than a metre off the back of the people mover (I was doing a GPS indicated 55k) so I gave him a brake check.....

By the time I had got to Paraparaumu lights, he had tried all the usual road rage tricks that I would expect from some young flat peaker, who has had his license for 1 year and is a driving god, some of the driving was shocking, so much so the wife *555 him (not that it does any good) All I wanted was a safe following distance behind me. With four kids in the car, if we had to emergency brake he would have ended up in the back of my car and likely killing 2 or more kids.

Anyhoo, as it turns out Mr POS corolla is a absolute pussy, due to the lights at Paraparaumu being timed perfectly and turning red, the little cocksucker got abused and the shit scared out of him by a very angry parent. The Little wannabe wouldn't even open his window and stared straight ahead, all his tailgating and the verbal tongue lashing he received must have made him feel real big in front of his missus....Even the wife, who is normally a very shy lass, gave him a piece of her mind

Tailgaters are either crap drivers or bullies, either way I will take appropriate action every time, which is not likely to include me being bullied into pulling over.

BTW, my favourite tailgater deterrence, window wipers on full speed with window washer on full spray.

End Rant

[rolla_fxgt]

I've also been rearended twice by people following too closely/not paying attention, once at the lights, and once turning, so I have no sympathy for tailgaters what so ever.
Once required a trip to hospital for suspected spinal/neck injury, and resulted in my pride and joy being written off.

So you can see why I have no sympathy for tailgaters. Brake tapping/checking is just my way of saying back off a bit before you cause some damage to me, or yourself.
Because I really wouldn't want to be the next person who rear ends me at speed.

We've all been stuck behind someone who's an inconsiderate moron behind the wheel, and drives slow only to speed up on passing lanes, but there will always be morons in life. Don't be another one by becomming a tailgater on normal traffic.

Only time it is acceptable to be a moron driver is when you've taken the whole passing lane to pass the trucks that have decided to pass each other, then its acceptble to jam on the brakes and brake check them, but only to teach them the lesson that passing each other at 5kph isn't cool.

[snwtoy]

Wow never realised there were so many douchebags on here.

You think its ok to tailgate me if im doing the limit? Where the hell do you get off??? I dont give a $&#$% if you want to go faster than me. Pass, its Easy!

Regardless if you think it's ok or not, it's actually a good idea to give a f*ck about moron behind you who wants to go faster. If a couple of brake light flahes don't work, braking etc antics may only serve to enrage the person behind. It's not always easy to pass on NZ roads, so pulling over even if you're in the right (doing the limit) is the sensible thing to do, especially in the silly season.


I can't believe there are so many douchebags on here that want to enrage/provoke other drivers.

[rollaholic]

I can't believe there are so many douchebags on here that want to enrage/provoke other drivers.

pretty much this.

its no slight in your manhood to let someone past.

[sergei]

Here is a quote for you Sergei, I know you love quoting shit.

It's very important to make sure you have a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front, so you will have enough time to stop if you need to stop suddenly.

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadc ... tance.html

If you can't do that as a driver, you waive the right to be treated fairly on the road.

Hey you are preaching to the choir.
I don't tailgate, I overtake slow drivers .

[Lith]

Wow never realised there were so many douchebags on here.

If you hit me from behind it is your fault not mine.

This.

[S T E A L T H]

Wow never realised there were so many douchebags on here.

You think its ok to tailgate me if im doing the limit? Where the hell do you get off??? I dont give a $&#$% if you want to go faster than me. Pass, its Easy!

Yep - exactly.

Years ago (...cough..) I did the Prodrive course (which is long defunct) and heard what was probably the most important piece of advice that has been bestowed upon me in regards to driving. "Once you start getting angry with other drivers, and focus on their mistakes, YOU stop learning".

Admittedly I have not always heeded this.

In general though if I _can_ pass the slow driver and be on my way I will do so and won't give it a second thought.

However IF there is a determined self-appointed speed monitor who is _intentionally_ impeding my progress, he/she will know about it. And woe betide them if they ever decide to brake-test me, thinking that I might hesitate ramming the arse end of whatever pile of sh!t it is they are driving.

- 5 minutes swapping details on the side of the road - free
- 2 minute email to the insurance broker - free
- excess = $500 (OMG no )
- self righteous tosser never attempting that sh!t again = priceless.

[rollaholic]

your rear end love tap going wrong sending them off the road into a tree to their death = ???

not sure if your post is serious, but your attitude needs a serious adjustment if so

and your car needs one of those flashing signs mentioned earlier in the thread

[S T E A L T H]

your rear end love tap going wrong sending them off the road into a tree to their death = ???

real world chance of that happening is 0.

unless they get so stunned, they proceed to turn the steering wheel to full lock, slam the brakes, all in a car with a rooted suspension.
which would be pretty fecking silly.

thats putting aside for a minute the issue, that, if one chooses to _deliberately_ slam on the brakes in front of another vehicle following them closely at speed, it would be remiss of them not to consider the likely scenario that they would get hit. I've always believed that if one chooses to start sh1t then one ought to be prepared for the likely consequences.

My attidude/driving is fine, 15 years, 1 and a quarter million kilometres, in 11 countries, 6 licence classes. 0 accidents (roadkill notwithstanding.)

Some people around the place have a lot of growing up to do.