What do you do with 'em?
Discussion
SUV following me right up my chuff leds blazing 50mph A road. Slow down a couple of times so they can overtake, no dice flashes lights and driving a couple car lengths off my bumper. Resume 50 still on my bumper, lights on full. End up turning off, looked like from road positioning I'm going to be followed. Car swerves up the inside and boots it.
I hope you have a nice evening.
I hope you have a nice evening.
PositronicRay said:
SUV following me right up my chuff leds blazing 50mph A road. Slow down a couple of times so they can overtake, no dice flashes lights and driving a couple car lengths off my bumper. Resume 50 still on my bumper, lights on full. End up turning off, looked like from road positioning I'm going to be followed. Car swerves up the inside and boots it.
I hope you have a nice evening.
Cool story and all that but what’s em?I hope you have a nice evening.
If I’m travelling at the speed limit and someone does this on a normal single carriage way road then I will probably just ignore them. If they persist, when I’ve clearly got no option to disappear into thin air, unfortunately I’ll probably get annoyed and subtlety slow them down more than if they’d just driven at a safe distance.
If there’s a chance for them to overtake I might wave them past.
Failing that I’m probably going to turn off the road and get away from them.
Really I want anyone like this in front of me, not behind.
If there’s a chance for them to overtake I might wave them past.
Failing that I’m probably going to turn off the road and get away from them.
Really I want anyone like this in front of me, not behind.
gazza285 said:
I just ignore them and get on with my journey at my pace, no point letting it upset you, it won’t change their driving, so don’t let them change yours.
It depends.Happened to me a few times, and when they overtook I just turned on my lights and sirens. The look on their faces when they realized that they had just overtaken an unmarked police car after being a d
head was priceless.The correct answer, according to the advanced driving bodies, is to build their braking distance into yours (i.e. double and a bit) and continue normally. Don't decide for them when to overtake and don't try to police their driving (unless of course, you happen to actually be a police officer, at which point you probably should...).
I just gradually reduce my speed until they overtake, generally works before you get down to half the speed limit. I won't brake check, but I may apply just enough braking to show the lights.
The most important aspect is to always remain calm though, and do not allow emotional responses to put yourself in danger.
The most important aspect is to always remain calm though, and do not allow emotional responses to put yourself in danger.
One of the main problems in this country is driver education. People don’t even know what the safe distance is to drive behind a vehicle.
I was on a speed awareness course recently and the lady running the course asked this question to the group.
Most people’s answers were ridiculous;
- “2 car lengths”
- “1 car length”
- “5 metres”
There was not a single answer that took into consideration basic physics, ie. Stopping distance is relative to speed (duh)
Of course any fairly competent driver knows the general rule is 2 seconds in good conditions.
I was on a speed awareness course recently and the lady running the course asked this question to the group.
Most people’s answers were ridiculous;
- “2 car lengths”
- “1 car length”
- “5 metres”
There was not a single answer that took into consideration basic physics, ie. Stopping distance is relative to speed (duh)
Of course any fairly competent driver knows the general rule is 2 seconds in good conditions.
On.the speed awareness course I did a few weeks bike, being tail gated was one of the top excuses for speeding.
They had quite a nice cartoon video, of what to do.
If you haven't got a 2 second gap behind you, slow down until there's a 4 second gap in front of you. That way, when the car in front emergency stops, you won't be pushed into the car in front, by the car behind.
Imho
This sounded like a reasonable compromise.
But I think...
If there's nothing in front, drive normally, maybe slow a little, and keep religiously to the speed limit. No.more no less.
If there's room for them to overtake, move slightly to the left. Don't indicate. That will confuse them.
They had quite a nice cartoon video, of what to do.
If you haven't got a 2 second gap behind you, slow down until there's a 4 second gap in front of you. That way, when the car in front emergency stops, you won't be pushed into the car in front, by the car behind.
Imho
This sounded like a reasonable compromise.
But I think...
If there's nothing in front, drive normally, maybe slow a little, and keep religiously to the speed limit. No.more no less.
If there's room for them to overtake, move slightly to the left. Don't indicate. That will confuse them.
Zarco said:
Sometimes I'll vary my speed constantly until they get sick of slowing down and speeding up.
My tactic too. It becomes a tiresome and laborious task to tailgate someone closely doing this. Accelerate, there will be a lag as they then do the same. Just as they are catching back up to their tailgate position. Lift off. They will overshoot and brake. Just as they brake accelerate again. Rinse and repeat. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff