Drivers following too close to you. Noticed any pattern?

[Dizeee]

av185 said:

Sweeping generalisation alert.

It's great because it tells me all I need to know about his perception and depth of understanding.

[ChrisnChris]

Dizeee said:

It's great because it tells me all I need to know about his perception and depth of understanding.

Oh masterful omnipotent one, we are not worthy.

[BertBert]

nonsequitur said:

BertBert said:

I'm pretty sure this nonsense is in the wrong forum. Struggling to see any advanced driving content.
Bert

It may be in the wrong place, but tailgating is always an interesting subject to discuss, especially how do you stop / avoid it. My fave is the hazards, always effective. (mostly)!

Since I posted that...

Dizeee said:

Well, to put it into an AD context as moaned about above, it all depends on your perception of how close too close is.

Dizee helped out and added some driving content albeit with rather a different set of ideas to me.

Dizeee said:

I am humble enough to feel confident in my ability

That's a non sequitur surely? You'd be humble enough to know your own limitations and flaws, that's where humility lies surely?
Bert

[nonsequitur]

BertBert said:

That's a non sequitur surely?
Bert

Leave me out of it!

[Dizeee]

BertBert said:

That's a non sequitur surely? You'd be humble enough to know your own limitations and flaws, that's where humility lies surely?
Bert

You did only post half my sentence - it went onto expand on it afterwards. I am not sure what it is, but reading it back, poorly written probably.

Humble enough to know my own limitations & confident enough to work within those limitations to make progress is the crux of what I was trying to say. I think I was still baffled when typing at some of the replies around overtaking that have been posted.

[meatballs]

Dizeee said:

I do drive for a living funnily enough. And, looking at your location I am also a local driver to you.

I have done my best to explain my rational and offered up a different angle to the conversation by way of perception of what is and isn't tailgating. You seem to have taken offence to this and decided you know everything about me and my driving style, when you haven't a clue about either. It's PH at it's best, so only raises a smile this end.

Fear not however, I will continue to drive arrogantly, ignorantly, and put my family at high risk by persistently being a mug and searching for that last minute overtake that only remains viable in a split second of the available vision. Plus I won't check over my right shoulder before moving out either, just for added risk.

Edited by Dizeee on Monday 19th August 12:54

I think the problem is you started your input saying that you drive up people's chuff but only when getting ready to overtake and people may mistake it as being aggressive/tailgating.

Then backtracked and said you dont drive that close anyway and that you don't really want to be close for overtaking. And mostly have been going on about lane position for visibility which is fairly off topic.

So most people aren't really sure what your on about with regard to tailgating. :P

[BertBert]

nonsequitur said:

BertBert said:

That's a non sequitur surely?
Bert

Leave me out of it!

Apols

[Dizeee]

meatballs said:

I think the problem is you started your input saying that you drive up people's chuff but only when getting ready to overtake and people may mistake it as being aggressive/tailgating.

Then backtracked and said you dont drive that close anyway and that you don't really want to be close for overtaking. And mostly have been going on about lane position for visibility which is fairly off topic.

So most people aren't really sure what your on about with regard to tailgating. :P

I apologize that I have caused so much confusion. I am confused myself, at why there is confusion.

My comments are all there to read, non edited.

I will try and address your points and put them into simple AD terms.: ( this will likely duplicate my earlier comments )

"Driving up peoples chuffs"

I raised the issue of perception around tailgating - what is and what isn't. I don't drive up peoples exhaust pipes but I drive to the available vision, and seek to make progress. That does mean that when relevant, I shorten the following distance between me and the car in front. This only happens when circumstances dictate it appropriate - too many factors to list but in keeping with the forum, NSL area's with no additional hazards.

"Don't really drive that close and don't want to be close anyway" :

Same rules apply, as I have typed previously. This is basic AD. Following position, overtake position, then overtake. The following position is dictated by road environment. In a 30mph zone there should be no need to adopt a close follow or anticipate an overtake. In fact you extend your follow as you expect an increase in pedestrian and vehicle activity from side roads and driveways. But when that same road turns into an NSL you close up, re assess, read the road again and read and the behaviour of your fellow drivers - if present. That all combines to make a decision based on a dynamic risk assessment. Most of the time you may not overtake ( I would say around 80% of the time ) - but the fact you have considering it and planning for it is almost as good as doing it. Deciding not to overtake is far more AD than taking an overtake that presents undue risk.

"Then backtracked and said you dont drive that close anyway and that you don't really want to be close for overtaking. And mostly have been going on about lane position for visibility which is fairly off topic"

I referenced "position" as per IPSGA. That was in reference to someone trying to say you should "close up on right bends", amongst other things. Position trumps speed, so closing up prior to vision is not advised by "the book". My own view is while I agree with that concept, closing up on any bend within reason is acceptable, as long as the safe gap is maintained allowing you to stop within the distance you can see to be clear. But there has to be an advantage gained by doing so - which would normally be, to overtake - in which case you can gain vision outside, and around the car in front. Yes holding back may afford better vision, but, it has to weighed up against the extra distance needed to overtake as well as the performance of the car, the road, so many variables.

[BertBert]

Dizeee said:

...as long as the safe gap is maintained allowing you to stop within the distance you can see to be clear...

There's definitely a problem of communication here. I don't understand the logic of a lot of what you say. Can you explain the relationship between the safe gap and stopping in the distance you can see yo be clear?

They are not normally related. The safe distance to the car in front is not the same as the distance needed to stop in. If you use the 2 second rule, that's more about reaction time not absolute stopping distance.

Bert

[Dizeee]

BertBert said:

There's definitely a problem of communication here. I don't understand the logic of a lot of what you say. Can you explain the relationship between the safe gap and stopping in the distance you can see yo be clear?

They are not normally related. The safe distance to the car in front is not the same as the distance needed to stop in. If you use the 2 second rule, that's more about reaction time not absolute stopping distance.

Bert

No real relationship between the two, I mean the distance you can see to be clear for both of you. If your closer than normal in anticipation of an overtake, it is important to be able to read the road ahead of the subject to gauge it's likely movements.