Advice: How do you stop people from tailgating you?
Discussion
Agreed
Let them past every time*.
Whenever I've been tempted to open up space to the car infront and observe front and back, I get to the end of the drive and reflect that I was being pig-headed in not just getting the numpty in front of me.
Of course, there's always another numpty behind him...
* except where it is clear that the road is about to open up and you are going to use your fabulous acceleration to remove him from the equation for an hour or two. Also that aforementioned opening up is going to preclude your overtaking him.
Whenever I've been tempted to open up space to the car infront and observe front and back, I get to the end of the drive and reflect that I was being pig-headed in not just getting the numpty in front of me.
Of course, there's always another numpty behind him...
* except where it is clear that the road is about to open up and you are going to use your fabulous acceleration to remove him from the equation for an hour or two. Also that aforementioned opening up is going to preclude your overtaking him.
of course no longer condoned in this politically correct day & age.I've found that there's no succesful way to get rid of them (save being james bond and dropping an oil slick or something). I just slow down to what I consider a safe speed for the stopping distance they have left between themselves and my bumper, but often end up driving at about 20 mph because of that. Sometimes they realise sometimes they don't.
CombeMarshal said:
Use you windscreen washer, repeatadley, they soon drop back!!
If safe, speed up a bit, a quick blast will give you a bit of breathing space to come up with a plan!!
1. No they don't; at this time of year, you're washing two windscreens. Cheers for the free screenwash!
2. Simple plan: as many posters above state - pull in, let the numpty past, and get on with your life.
Being not "at-fault" in a rear-ender would be small consolation for getting my car ruined.
jeremyc said:
Stop, let them past and then continue your journey somewhere on the road behind them.
Plain good sense.
Dealing with tailgaters: Actions in order of preference.
1) Indicate left. Slow down gently, come to a stop. Let them drive around you. IF IMPRACTICAL:
2) Slow down gently - literally touch the brake pedal to show them the brake lights but not slow down. Build up a gap in front of you that will allow you to slow down for hazards so gently even
nuts behind you will be able to brake in time. Once this gap has built up sometimes it is possible, after a minute or so to give them time to get used to the new speed/gap, to speed up again...building up a gap between you and the car behind. I often combine this with touching the brake pedal with my left foot - thus "fooling"
nuts behind into thinking I must be slowing gently whilst in fact I gently speed up - thus building up a better gap. Beware: Should the tailgater just rush to catch you back up then the following too close thing wasn't an accident. Get them past you at the first opportunity!
NEVER BRAKE TEST! Always remain calm and clinical. An advanced driver is a "professional" driver not an "emotional" one. Just work the problem until its solved as safely as you can manage.
I have found there are two sorts of tailgater:
1) The dippy bint/boy. IME mostly young girls. Its not road-rage at all its just that their comfort zone is to keep nice and close to the car in front. They're mad - not aggressive - and a bit crap at driving. These ones respond well to (2) above and often leave a larger gap subsequently.
2) The aggressive git. Most often middle aged men who should know better. Steam coming out of their ears they resent the fact that the traffic (and YOU!) are in their way. You MUST get this one past you. They are in a big hurry to get to their next accident and you want to be somewhere else at the time.
Its also worth considering:
Is the guy/gal behind tailgating constantly - or are they coming up a little close when they think an overtaking chance might be on? Help these people past you if you are holding them up. You can't know where they're trying to get to - could be a Surgeon rushing to hospital, could be a detective rushing to catch a crim, could be a complete w*nker - you can't know - so get 'em past so you can forget them...
RobM77 said:I agree with tis, but the problem is that many of them actually slow down once you do let them past, unless there is another victim close in front for them to tailgate. My diagnosis is that some drivers only feel comfortable driving so close to the car in front that they can't see its wheels. With a persistent tailgater, I sometimes pull off for a coffee or a fuel stop to let them get far away.
Well, let them past it is then! 
It's quite a good solution actually, because it gets them off your back, no-one would give you road rage for doing this, and finally it does actually make them think about their actions so they might not do it in the future.
TonyHetherington said:I think you'll find people do the same with bikes. It's basically because they can see straight over the top of you, so their perception is they're not that close. In essence you're not there, or not a hazard, because they can see past you. Pretty much the exact opposite of why I feel really uncomfortable sat behind a van or a 4x4 on the motorway.
It's odd you say that - I find a disproportionate amount of people tailgate me more in my Elise than any other car. I think part of it is that, in some cases, I tend to go slower in my Elise (yes, you read that right) because you're SO aware of the conditions - water, ice, lack of grip etc.
The IAM/Roadcraft stance is that if somebody is tailgating you, give yourself MORE space in front giving yourself MORE time to react because the person behind you is so close. Typically it's not ideal because that would make the person get closer to you...but, it does work and I have had proof in the pudding so to speak, when sudden stopping of the car in front has given the guy behind me more time to react (as frustrating as it is that they don't realise, tho!).
So, IAM/Roadcraft view; give yourself more space in front.
Zod said:
Well, let them past it is then!
It's quite a good solution actually, because it gets them off your back, no-one would give you road rage for doing this, and finally it does actually make them think about their actions so they might not do it in the future.
Doesn't this drive you potty! I've had people tailgate in town...only to drop miles back the minute we get to tha NSL. 45mph Club Members I think. Only solution is to be miles in front or miles behind...
I always used to let tailgaters past in the Caterham - basically because I sat six inches from the rear of the car and I felt very exposed! and yes, you usually catch them up again and find them going slower on their own than they were following you.
The other thing is the 42mph club. I have no problem with people doing 42mph in a 60 if that's the speed they feel safe doing, but it winds me up when the same people view the same speed as safe past a school
The other thing is the 42mph club. I have no problem with people doing 42mph in a 60 if that's the speed they feel safe doing, but it winds me up when the same people view the same speed as safe past a school
RobM77 said:
I always used to let tailgaters past in the Caterham - basically because I sat six inches from the rear of the car and I felt very exposed! and yes, you usually catch them up again and find them going slower on their own than they were following you.
The other thing is the 42mph club. I have no problem with people doing 42mph in a 60 if that's the speed they feel safe doing, but it winds me up when the same people view the same speed as safe past a school
...and insist on tailgating you because you're doing 30mph and despite steam coming from their ears they're too chicken to overtake...
Don said:One of my favourite roads near London (B507, but keep it to yourself) is plagued with these idiots. It is NSL most of the way for the best part of 10 miles, but runs through a village, Cottered. Overtaking on the NSL sections is easy, as there are some very well sighted straights and bends that allow you to see what is coming, but when you get to the village, the 42mph tootlers you have overtaken will catch you about half-way through and sit on your tail. Of course, when you get to the other side and accelerate away, you get angry flashes of the headlights
I always used to let tailgaters past in the Caterham - basically because I sat six inches from the rear of the car and I felt very exposed! and yes, you usually catch them up again and find them going slower on their own than they were following you.
The other thing is the 42mph club. I have no problem with people doing 42mph in a 60 if that's the speed they feel safe doing, but it winds me up when the same people view the same speed as safe past a school
...and insist on tailgating you because you're doing 30mph and despite steam coming from their ears they're too chicken to overtake...
Don said:
I always used to let tailgaters past in the Caterham - basically because I sat six inches from the rear of the car and I felt very exposed! and yes, you usually catch them up again and find them going slower on their own than they were following you.
The other thing is the 42mph club. I have no problem with people doing 42mph in a 60 if that's the speed they feel safe doing, but it winds me up when the same people view the same speed as safe past a school
...and insist on tailgating you because you're doing 30mph and despite steam coming from their ears they're too chicken to overtake...
I usually find that the 3.2 seconds after passing the national speed limit sign shows them why you were doing 30mph!
Zod said:
Well, let them past it is then!
It's quite a good solution actually, because it gets them off your back, no-one would give you road rage for doing this, and finally it does actually make them think about their actions so they might not do it in the future.
Don's absolutely right with his post above.
My only concern is a psychological one. if you have a class-2 aggressive-tailgater, and you reward their aggressive attitude with moving out of their way, they will perceive that attitude as being successful, and so it will reinforce in their minds.
I tend to use the slow-down build a gap method with most people. If they are aggressive, it will probably wind them up, but it might make them think also. I think it's a bit more of a risk for me (so I probably shouldn't do it), but if it makes them THINK about their driving, then I consider it worth it.
The problems are the ultra-aggressive who think you're doing it personally at them, and will undertake / attempt dangerous overtake, or do other dangerous driving to prove a point (bumper-sit or cut you up then brake to 'get back at you'). Can't always spot these people straight-off, which makes Don's comments about letting them past the best advice.
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