What do you do when someone is following too close?
Poll: What do you do when someone is following too close?
Total Members Polled: 422
Discussion
Had a situation on Bank holiday Monday whilst taking the in laws up to cambridge.
Two lane A Road, i am in outside lane, overtaking a few coaches. I have a car in front and traffic is average. I am cruise set at 80mph. Conditions are dry, clear and sunny, it's around 10.30am
I become aware of a Mercedes ML closing to my rear faster than normal, don't think much of it. He then closes too close for comfort as in i can't see his lights in my mirror any more. I physically can't go anywhere, even if i wanted to as i am completing an overtake as are the cars in front of me.
I look in the mirror at him and he gestures a 'shoo' motion with his hand. as in, 'out of my way'
I took offence to a) how close he was and b) the arrogance
I would normally drop him as soon as i had the chance but i had two pensioners in the car so that option was out. I have had 2 accidents in the past where through no fault of my own people have smashed into the back of me because they were too close when traffic bulked so i am painfully aware of how dangerous it is.
I cancel the cruise control and start to slow down and hope that he gets the message. He does not. He starts to get even closer. Rightly or wrongly (in hindsight i would say wrongly) i give him a gentle brake test, accelerate away, move over and allow him to pass
He comes alongside me and was making coffee i think, his wife also only had one finger, she kept showing me it. I ignore it.
He then swings in front of me and brake tests me! - Luckily i have an idea he is going to do it so the car is already down a few gears, there was nothing in lane 2 so as soon as the brakes come on i change into lane two and pass him.
I then move back over, quite a distance between us. He comes past me again now gesturing for me to pull over, i guess he wanted a chat. I of course ignore him, shaking my head. He stays behind me for another few miles (i thought you wanted to get passed mate?!) and as i come off at my junction he does too.
Expecting a confrontation the heart starts to pump but then at the last minute he swings across the markings and back onto the carriageway.
Personally i think the brake test only makes angry people more angry so looking back it wasn't the best idea, but i am so paranoid of being hit from behind i can't ignore someone that close to me and if moving over isn't an option at that time, what am i supposed to do to ensure the safety of my passengers?
What do you do in these situations?
Two lane A Road, i am in outside lane, overtaking a few coaches. I have a car in front and traffic is average. I am cruise set at 80mph. Conditions are dry, clear and sunny, it's around 10.30am
I become aware of a Mercedes ML closing to my rear faster than normal, don't think much of it. He then closes too close for comfort as in i can't see his lights in my mirror any more. I physically can't go anywhere, even if i wanted to as i am completing an overtake as are the cars in front of me.
I look in the mirror at him and he gestures a 'shoo' motion with his hand. as in, 'out of my way'
I took offence to a) how close he was and b) the arrogance
I would normally drop him as soon as i had the chance but i had two pensioners in the car so that option was out. I have had 2 accidents in the past where through no fault of my own people have smashed into the back of me because they were too close when traffic bulked so i am painfully aware of how dangerous it is.
I cancel the cruise control and start to slow down and hope that he gets the message. He does not. He starts to get even closer. Rightly or wrongly (in hindsight i would say wrongly) i give him a gentle brake test, accelerate away, move over and allow him to pass
He comes alongside me and was making coffee i think, his wife also only had one finger, she kept showing me it. I ignore it.
He then swings in front of me and brake tests me! - Luckily i have an idea he is going to do it so the car is already down a few gears, there was nothing in lane 2 so as soon as the brakes come on i change into lane two and pass him.
I then move back over, quite a distance between us. He comes past me again now gesturing for me to pull over, i guess he wanted a chat. I of course ignore him, shaking my head. He stays behind me for another few miles (i thought you wanted to get passed mate?!) and as i come off at my junction he does too.
Expecting a confrontation the heart starts to pump but then at the last minute he swings across the markings and back onto the carriageway.
Personally i think the brake test only makes angry people more angry so looking back it wasn't the best idea, but i am so paranoid of being hit from behind i can't ignore someone that close to me and if moving over isn't an option at that time, what am i supposed to do to ensure the safety of my passengers?
What do you do in these situations?
There's no reason to antagonise an angry idiot. Their aggression is irritating but if when they're one step away from causing an accident then don't push them to do so.
Don't just obviously slow down, it'll wind them up but certainly give yourself even more space and time in front to counteract their actions. Move over when you can.
The more you interact, the more you become complicit in their dangerous behaviour.
Don't just obviously slow down, it'll wind them up but certainly give yourself even more space and time in front to counteract their actions. Move over when you can.
The more you interact, the more you become complicit in their dangerous behaviour.
I voted for "Ignore them and move over when ready" but it isn't really accurate as I cannot totally ignore it when someone is doing this.
I also slow a little, maybe take 3-4 mph off my speed for two reasons: 1) IF something happens where I have to stop suddenly, the slightly reduced speed will also reduce the impact when (not if) they drive into my towbar and 2) it tends to rile them a little but eventually they realise they aren't going to gain anything from driving so damn close.
As said, brake test is NEVER acceptable but ALWAYS so tempting.
I also slow a little, maybe take 3-4 mph off my speed for two reasons: 1) IF something happens where I have to stop suddenly, the slightly reduced speed will also reduce the impact when (not if) they drive into my towbar and 2) it tends to rile them a little but eventually they realise they aren't going to gain anything from driving so damn close.
As said, brake test is NEVER acceptable but ALWAYS so tempting.
What seems to work best is to slow down slightly (2-3 mph), they usually over react as they get drawn in and drop back a bit, then you speed back up to your original speed. You should now have the safe gap back. If they then get close again just repeat. As soon as the overtake is complete just pull over and let them get on with it.
Sometimes it works and they just go on their way but quite often they will either:
Pull in behind and just keep following closely as thats just the way they drive
Sail past then pull in front and drive at the same speed as you because they just cant stand anyone being in front of them
Sometimes it works and they just go on their way but quite often they will either:
Pull in behind and just keep following closely as thats just the way they drive
Sail past then pull in front and drive at the same speed as you because they just cant stand anyone being in front of them
Slow down a few mph then accelerate to make a gap if I can, then if no response, or just the same then the old windscreen wash is worth a try.
Depends who in the car - will often just let them get on with t as they are clearly far ore important than me and desperately need to get somewhere quicker than me.
Depends who in the car - will often just let them get on with t as they are clearly far ore important than me and desperately need to get somewhere quicker than me.
Is it just me or are you guys finding this kind of thing on the increase? I've noticed a lot of incidents recently of people tailgating so close or flashing, gesticulating etc to get passed me.
I hasten to add I never sit in the middle or outside lane on purpose and find it amazing when like the OP people flash or tailgate expecting to barge their way passed when clearly you are overtaking and there is nowhere to go.
A year or so ago I noticed some horrible obnoxious little grunt in a white Fiesta van (leased by Northgate) who used to travel up the M3 northbound early in the mornings around 05:30-06:00 barging, intimidating and flashing his way passed everything. He tried it on with me one morning and went absolutely ballistic when I pulled in for him to pass and then came behind him and gave a flash, he did the full pull over gesticulation thing too. I just let him carry on. Hopefully he has got his comeuppance by now.
If I'm in my VXR8 I normally wait until the traffic is clear in front and then leave them a Supercharged gap, waving goodbye as I do, then simply back off pull in and watch them drive by (usually with them staring straight ahead and not making eye contact) or if I'm in the shed Rover 75 I usually press a button and the rear electric blind goes up, I find this has the biggest 'piss them off' factor of all, hugely funny for me. I call it Electric Blind Envy.
Stef
I hasten to add I never sit in the middle or outside lane on purpose and find it amazing when like the OP people flash or tailgate expecting to barge their way passed when clearly you are overtaking and there is nowhere to go.
A year or so ago I noticed some horrible obnoxious little grunt in a white Fiesta van (leased by Northgate) who used to travel up the M3 northbound early in the mornings around 05:30-06:00 barging, intimidating and flashing his way passed everything. He tried it on with me one morning and went absolutely ballistic when I pulled in for him to pass and then came behind him and gave a flash, he did the full pull over gesticulation thing too. I just let him carry on. Hopefully he has got his comeuppance by now.
If I'm in my VXR8 I normally wait until the traffic is clear in front and then leave them a Supercharged gap, waving goodbye as I do, then simply back off pull in and watch them drive by (usually with them staring straight ahead and not making eye contact) or if I'm in the shed Rover 75 I usually press a button and the rear electric blind goes up, I find this has the biggest 'piss them off' factor of all, hugely funny for me. I call it Electric Blind Envy.
Stef
Brake testing someone always ends badly in one way or another.
There are some seriously derranged nut bags out there who are just looking for an excuse to get the baseball bat out.
If someone is sat on my bumper, what I tend to do is slow down a little. If that doesn't get rid of them I will slow down a bit more.
If they are still there I will get out of their way when it is safe/convenient to do so.
Diving out of their way straight away just sends the message that intimidating driving works and will encourage them to carry on or get even worse.
I did once have an idea that the different lanes on motorways should be made out of different materials.
Quiet tarmac in the inside lane upto bloody noisy concrete in the outside lane.
It might encourage better lane discipline and slow people down a little too.
How about an 8 foot wooden pole that you attach to the back of your car before you enter the motorway with a bag of dog s
t tied to the end. 
That should make them keep their distance.
There are some seriously derranged nut bags out there who are just looking for an excuse to get the baseball bat out.
If someone is sat on my bumper, what I tend to do is slow down a little. If that doesn't get rid of them I will slow down a bit more.
If they are still there I will get out of their way when it is safe/convenient to do so.
Diving out of their way straight away just sends the message that intimidating driving works and will encourage them to carry on or get even worse.
I did once have an idea that the different lanes on motorways should be made out of different materials.
Quiet tarmac in the inside lane upto bloody noisy concrete in the outside lane.
It might encourage better lane discipline and slow people down a little too.
How about an 8 foot wooden pole that you attach to the back of your car before you enter the motorway with a bag of dog s
t tied to the end. That should make them keep their distance.
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