Advice: How do you stop people from tailgating you?
Discussion
jacko lah said:
What kind of road ? Motorway ? Move over ! B Road ? Accelerate hard and leave them in the next ditch !
I never get tailgated when in my Mk2 Cavalier. Never. Nobody ever tries to overtake either. Must be the pikey style of car.
My commute is 10 miles of twisty Nurburgring like B road with a few straights.
Lots of good and wise advice on this thread but I'll add one further observation. When being tailgated for no obviously apparent reason, other than because the tailgater just isn't thinking about what he or she is doing, I find that a good open bend wakes them up. I generally seem to emerge on the other side with a much bigger gap between me and the following vehicle than we had on the way in! Sometimes they then re-attatch themselves to my back bumper, but sometimes not!
gdaybruce said:
Lots of good and wise advice on this thread but I'll add one further observation. When being tailgated for no obviously apparent reason, other than because the tailgater just isn't thinking about what he or she is doing, I find that a good open bend wakes them up. I generally seem to emerge on the other side with a much bigger gap between me and the following vehicle than we had on the way in! Sometimes they then re-attatch themselves to my back bumper, but sometimes not!
Yes, on my way to work there is a well sighted 90 degree left hander that I take in 2nd or 3rd gear (depending on my mood) at about 35mph, rear dug in firmly and on the power hard for the exit. It can be an eye widening moment for someone in a FWD box! 
havoc said:
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 have a basic rule that I'm not going to change someone's driving from outside of their car. This breaks that rule. Let them past. Someone else can change their driving - either catastrophically or didactically.
7db said:
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 have a basic rule that I'm not going to change someone's driving from outside of their car. This breaks that rule. Let them past. Someone else can change their driving - either catastrophically or didactically.
Probably true.
Interestingly, I'm far more likely to get out of someone's way when I'm in a car that I'm really proud of...which probably suggests that I instinctively know there's a risk in NOT moving out of the way. Hmmm, self-analysis, PH-stylee!!!
havoc said:
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 have a basic rule that I'm not going to change someone's driving from outside of their car. This breaks that rule. Let them past. Someone else can change their driving - either catastrophically or didactically.
Probably true.
Interestingly, I'm far more likely to get out of someone's way when I'm in a car that I'm really proud of...which probably suggests that I instinctively know there's a risk in NOT moving out of the way. Hmmm, self-analysis, PH-stylee!!!
Yes, that's true
This question has suddenly come about because I've bought a car that I truly care a lot about! In memory I've only ever moved over and let people through in my Caterham, my Elise and my Mk1 MR2. Mmmm GreenV8S said:
If people are too close behind you, then they have to overcorrect when you change your speed. You can use this to make life very difficult for them, just slow down enough to get past their 'comfort zone' and make them react by slowing down, as they slow down you accelerate and open up the gap. If they accelerate again to close the gap, slow down again as they approach so they have to overreact again. The closer they are the more effective this is. When they are really close you may only need to vary your speed by a few mph while they end up all over the place. I've only resorted to this a couple of times, but it has been extremely effective. You do need to be careful not to put either of you in danger, but I would offset this with the safety benefits of making them concentrate on the car in front of them and also the fact that they quickly drop back to a much safer gap.
I was in a long procession of cars moving at about 30(ish) through a couple of towns near here tonight, and the ned behind was so close I couldn't see his headlights, so I thought I would try this advice - after a couple of r e a l l y gentle decelerate / pick up speed cycles he was as you say, all over the place, even although my gap to the car in front of me had not noticeably changed.
He dropped back for a bit to figure it out...
Brilliant!
Here's an idea...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dl
Suggested phrases:
"BACK OFF"
"BACK OFF YOU
!"
"MY OVERTAKE WAS PERFECTLY SAFE AND WITHIN THE LAW SO QUIT FLASHING ME"
"HEY CUTIE FANCY PULLING OVER AT THE NEXT LAYBY?"
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dl
Suggested phrases:
"BACK OFF"
"BACK OFF YOU
!" "MY OVERTAKE WAS PERFECTLY SAFE AND WITHIN THE LAW SO QUIT FLASHING ME"
"HEY CUTIE FANCY PULLING OVER AT THE NEXT LAYBY?"
flurbyjim said:
Here's an idea...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dl
Suggested phrases:
"BACK OFF"
"BACK OFF YOU
"MY OVERTAKE WAS PERFECTLY SAFE AND WITHIN THE LAW SO QUIT FLASHING ME"
"HEY CUTIE FANCY PULLING OVER AT THE NEXT LAYBY?"
Excellent!!
For overtake flashers, I've often considered a large spotlight mounted on the rear parcel shelf Not proud of this one at all. Several years back, i had someone right up my bumper for a good 5 miles in a 30. Comming up there was a parked lorry half on the curb about 100 yards in front of me. I drifted slightly further left that normal and the tailgater followed me. A couple of seconds before i was going to drive into the lorry, i quickly moved back into the center of my lane. The following car was treated to the sight of a parked lorry in front of him. He had to take emergency measures to avoid it.
It felt good for about 5 seconds, after which i started thinking about the ( possible ) consequnces of my actions - had he driven straight into the back of the lorry @ 30, and felt pretty bad.
He did keep well back after that, so even though it was a stupid thing to do, i hope the scare made him think a bit. Not my finest driving moment....
It felt good for about 5 seconds, after which i started thinking about the ( possible ) consequnces of my actions - had he driven straight into the back of the lorry @ 30, and felt pretty bad.
He did keep well back after that, so even though it was a stupid thing to do, i hope the scare made him think a bit. Not my finest driving moment....
cqueen said:Most regular tailgaters are wise to the foglight trick, it'll just annoy them. Which with one type of tailgater is something to be avoided.
stick your fog lights on breifly, they'll think you're slamming on the brakes, or if that doesnt work just leave them on and they'll get pissed off with the red blurr in their vision.
Well what an interesting thought I agree this does appear to happen more in a low slung sportscar, there might be something in the height thing. It also happens on the way into the office when in my Jaguar saloon, now my technique is slightly different then I ease back off slowing down progressivly .....SUDDENLY flick on my lights and plant the kickdown at the same time...... whoaaaaah no more tailgaters
Of course so far Ive only thought of it not actually done it.
Of course so far Ive only thought of it not actually done it.
gridgway said:
I've long since given up the lighting up the brake lights approach. It enrages lots of tailgaters as they think they are being brake tested!
Graham
Depends doesn't it. The dozy bint who thinks two foot off the rear of your car is where to drive normally sees the brake lights, doesn't even notice your not slowing down and just brakes a bit. Hey presto - you have a gap. This type of tailgater tends to be found in 30mph limits and only gets up to 50 once you hit national. They're not agressive they're just crap at driving.
The evil nutter who is doing it because they want to scare you into getting out of their way (even if there is nowhere for you to go) will, of course, be enraged by almost anything you do. Lighting up the brake lights in this situation will just make them mad and likely to behave like the
s they are. Of course you may just be lucky and get them to panic brake. This isn't good either as they will either be back...or be in a big accident just behind you - which may involve you. This is why one should NEVER "brake test" a car behind.
The all important thing is to get away from either type - most likely letting them past - maybe accelerating away into the NSL...and not to lose one's cool.
Don said:
The all important thing is to get away from either type - most likely letting them past - maybe accelerating away into the NSL...and not to lose one's cool.
On M-ways I let the aggressive ones past and try and wake up the dozey ones - you can usually tell the difference if you've been paying attention to the rear-view mirror.
On A- and B-roads, I only usually find them in towns, when they can stay where they are, as I can plan ahead pretty well, and odds are I'll be quicker in the NSL section.
But you SHOULD get them out of your way - safer for everyone concerned except their next victim!
anonymous said:
[redacted]
They'd be 100% liable. No ifs, no buts, no excuses. If you need to "Emergency Stop" for any reason at all - including one you imagined - they guy behind is not supposed to hit you.
This is my understanding: Any Police Drivers, Insurance types know better I'm happy to be corrected - but this is what I have always been told.
I've been plagde with the numpty tailgater serval time. Yesterday tried the gentle decelerate/accelerate cycle, it works the numpty was all over the place.
But I do have one question, why do these numpties seem to do this more in 30/40 mph zones through villages, passed schools etc, yet in NSL areas leave larger gaps,?
But I do have one question, why do these numpties seem to do this more in 30/40 mph zones through villages, passed schools etc, yet in NSL areas leave larger gaps,?
pod said:
But I do have one question, why do these numpties seem to do this more in 30/40 mph zones through villages, passed schools etc, yet in NSL areas leave larger gaps,?
Comfort zones.
These idiots 'know' the towns, so want to drive faster than you through towns, as their familiarity leads them to contempt of potential dangers.
Out in NSL's, the speeds are higher, their confidence falters, they don't want to keep up with the flow.
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