Followed too closely again by BIB
Discussion
So there I was, heading down the A4 towards Reading with a panda behind me and a traff. plod close (very) behind the panda. Fair play, he pulled an excellent overtake and then proceded to follow me at 60, for 2 miles at about 0.5 - 1 sec gap. He wasn't able to pass due to the oncoming traffic, but why ???????? Had roles been reversed then I would have quite rightly been stopped.
He was slightly offset, so had a good view round me, but if something happened close to me on my nearside he wouldn't have seen it until he rearranged my boot.
Words fail me ....
Martin
He was slightly offset, so had a good view round me, but if something happened close to me on my nearside he wouldn't have seen it until he rearranged my boot.
Words fail me ....
Martin
telecat said:
vonhosen said:
Was there space in front of you ?
Was it on a stretch with little or no junctions ?
Perhaps he was looking to overtake you.
Was it on a stretch with little or no junctions ?
Perhaps he was looking to overtake you.
And the best position is three seconds back slightly offset.
If you don't want to ever do the overtake yeah (unless you are on a motorcycle or something with similar accelerative properties)
You're talking about a following position not a contact position.
Edited by vonhosen on Thursday 10th August 19:38
vonhosen said:
Was there space in front of you ?
Was it on a stretch with little or no junctions ?
Perhaps he was looking to overtake you.
Was it on a stretch with little or no junctions ?
Perhaps he was looking to overtake you.
Are you suggesting the correct procedure for weighing up an overtake is to tailgate the vehicle infront? Closing the gap seconds before the overtake becomes available I can understand, but to tailgate when the overtake is not available I cant.
deeps said:
vonhosen said:
Was there space in front of you ?
Was it on a stretch with little or no junctions ?
Perhaps he was looking to overtake you.
Was it on a stretch with little or no junctions ?
Perhaps he was looking to overtake you.
Are you suggesting the correct procedure for weighing up an overtake is to tailgate the vehicle infront? Closing the gap seconds before the overtake becomes available I can understand, but to tailgate when the overtake is not available I cant.
That's what I'm asking.
Was there a suitable gap infront & absence of junctions (options) that intended overtaken vehicle could take ? Yes there may be traffic towards immeadiately now, but has the following vehicle driver identified a fairly immeadiate likely opportunity ahead ?
Have they moved into contact position in anticipation of it, but then not gone having assessed it's not suitable ?
Of course they should then dress back, unless they have identified another immeadiately approaching likely opportunity & there has been no adverse change to stop over gaps or options available to intended overtake.
Tailgating is being close where you haven't got vision, the vehicle has options approaching & there is no fairly immeadiate likelyhood of an overtake. It's not just being within the 2 second following distance.
Edited by vonhosen on Thursday 10th August 20:14
vonhosen said:
Have they moved into contact position in anticipation of it, but then not gone having assessed it's not suitable ?
Of course they should then dress back, unless they have identified another immeadiately approaching likely opportunity & there has been no adverse change to stop over gaps or options available to intended overtake.
Of course they should then dress back, unless they have identified another immeadiately approaching likely opportunity & there has been no adverse change to stop over gaps or options available to intended overtake.
Done well this is breath-takingly efficient, although I've rarely seen it done well. The crux is anticipating the close up early enough without pressurising the other driver, so that - as if by magic - the overtake is there on a plate. And then having the restraint to fall back when it's not, anticipating the next close.
vonhosen said:
deeps said:
vonhosen said:
Was there space in front of you ?
Was it on a stretch with little or no junctions ?
Perhaps he was looking to overtake you.
Was it on a stretch with little or no junctions ?
Perhaps he was looking to overtake you.
Are you suggesting the correct procedure for weighing up an overtake is to tailgate the vehicle infront? Closing the gap seconds before the overtake becomes available I can understand, but to tailgate when the overtake is not available I cant.
That's what I'm asking.
Was there a suitable gap infront & absence of junctions (options) that intended overtaken vehicle could take ? Yes there may be traffic towards immeadiately now, but has the following vehicle driver identified a fairly immeadiate likely opportunity ahead ?
Have they moved into contact position in anticipation of it, but then not gone having assessed it's not suitable ?
Of course they should then dress back, unless they have identified another immeadiately approaching likely opportunity & there has been no adverse change to stop over gaps or options available to intended overtake.
Tailgating is being close where you haven't got vision, the vehicle has options approaching & there is no fairly immeadiate likelyhood of an overtake. It's not just being within the 2 second following distance.
Yes, that's an elaborate version of what I said above and I agree.
But the OP said he was followed for two miles at 60mph with a 0.5-1 second gap with no apparent available opportuntities for the BIB to pass, verified by the fact that he was still there two miles later.
Sorry, not meaning to nit pick, but normally you're very much anti- overtaking yet here it was your first suggestion to justify the tailgating.
deeps said:
vonhosen said:
deeps said:
vonhosen said:
Was there space in front of you ?
Was it on a stretch with little or no junctions ?
Perhaps he was looking to overtake you.
Was it on a stretch with little or no junctions ?
Perhaps he was looking to overtake you.
Are you suggesting the correct procedure for weighing up an overtake is to tailgate the vehicle infront? Closing the gap seconds before the overtake becomes available I can understand, but to tailgate when the overtake is not available I cant.
That's what I'm asking.
Was there a suitable gap infront & absence of junctions (options) that intended overtaken vehicle could take ? Yes there may be traffic towards immeadiately now, but has the following vehicle driver identified a fairly immeadiate likely opportunity ahead ?
Have they moved into contact position in anticipation of it, but then not gone having assessed it's not suitable ?
Of course they should then dress back, unless they have identified another immeadiately approaching likely opportunity & there has been no adverse change to stop over gaps or options available to intended overtake.
Tailgating is being close where you haven't got vision, the vehicle has options approaching & there is no fairly immeadiate likelyhood of an overtake. It's not just being within the 2 second following distance.
Yes, that's an elaborate version of what I said above and I agree.
But the OP said he was followed for two miles at 60mph with a 0.5-1 second gap with no apparent available opportuntities for the BIB to pass, verified by the fact that he was still there two miles later.
Sorry, not meaning to nit pick, but normally you're very much anti- overtaking yet here it was your first suggestion to justify the tailgating.
The car behind him may be using a legally held exemption for the overtake. If so they are not governed by the same speed constraints during it. If I am doing an overtake where there is no legal restraint on speed & looking to maintain progress without restriction on speed after it. Then I will be doing it briskly. I just won't be doing overtakes in excess of the limit where there is no exemption.
I was exploring with my comments. Whilst I accept that they may have been close at times (if in a contact position as described) that may fluctuate back & forth a little (more contact to follow & back again) whilst a perception of constantly being close may come, when infact that is not the case.
I also accept that if they were indeed in contact for a whole two miles that if that is the case it sounds excessive.
Unfortunately people's perceptions of things they don't always fully understand, can lead them to forming conclusions that may not be correct (that's no slight on anyone here, I'm exploring not defending blindly). Of course any Police driver should have been taught consideration of that in their planning of their drive. But what I have described above earlier is what they should be doing.
Edited by vonhosen on Thursday 10th August 21:08
7db said:
vonhosen said:
Have they moved into contact position in anticipation of it, but then not gone having assessed it's not suitable ?
Of course they should then dress back, unless they have identified another immeadiately approaching likely opportunity & there has been no adverse change to stop over gaps or options available to intended overtake.
Of course they should then dress back, unless they have identified another immeadiately approaching likely opportunity & there has been no adverse change to stop over gaps or options available to intended overtake.
Done well this is breath-takingly efficient, although I've rarely seen it done well. The crux is anticipating the close up early enough without pressurising the other driver, so that - as if by magic - the overtake is there on a plate. And then having the restraint to fall back when it's not, anticipating the next close.
Indeed, it is a skill that when performed well really makes it all look breath takingly easy.
jasandjules said:
Were you at or around the speed limit?
If so, clearly he wouldn't be looking to overtake as that woudl be speeding, and as we know, the police don't speed unless on a shout as it is dangerous. But then, so is driving that close.
Did you have a passenger?
If so, clearly he wouldn't be looking to overtake as that woudl be speeding, and as we know, the police don't speed unless on a shout as it is dangerous. But then, so is driving that close.
Did you have a passenger?
They don't have to be on a shout, they could be doing something as simple as looking to move up to a vehicle further ahead in order to observe or stop it. That's still a Police purpose & legal exemption.
I also prefer to get close to car in front if I am anticipating an overtaking move.
If there is a lot of oncoming traffic, then you need to time this just right, and wait for the gap in oncoming traffic, and then swiftly do the overtake. Job done.
This nonsense about holding back is fine if you are already approaching the car to be overtaken at a minimum 1.5 x the speed of car in front, but it won't work for busy oncoming traffic situations, when you need to overtake in a short and sweet move.
Tailgating in my opinion, is when a car is continuously so close behind, that car in front cannot see numberplate of car behind, and there is no intention to overtake, or no possibility to overtake in my opinion.
If there is a lot of oncoming traffic, then you need to time this just right, and wait for the gap in oncoming traffic, and then swiftly do the overtake. Job done.
This nonsense about holding back is fine if you are already approaching the car to be overtaken at a minimum 1.5 x the speed of car in front, but it won't work for busy oncoming traffic situations, when you need to overtake in a short and sweet move.
Tailgating in my opinion, is when a car is continuously so close behind, that car in front cannot see numberplate of car behind, and there is no intention to overtake, or no possibility to overtake in my opinion.
deeps said:
vonhosen said:
Was there space in front of you ?
Was it on a stretch with little or no junctions ?
Perhaps he was looking to overtake you.
Was it on a stretch with little or no junctions ?
Perhaps he was looking to overtake you.
Are you suggesting the correct procedure for weighing up an overtake is to tailgate the vehicle infront? Closing the gap seconds before the overtake becomes available I can understand, but to tailgate when the overtake is not available I cant.
No overtake possible, I was at the back of a queue, additionally, although no junctions and road ok for o. take in layout, too much oncoming traffic.
M
jasandjules said:
Were you at or around the speed limit?
If so, clearly he wouldn't be looking to overtake as that woudl be speeding, and as we know, the police don't speed unless on a shout as it is dangerous. But then, so is driving that close.
Did you have a passenger?
If so, clearly he wouldn't be looking to overtake as that woudl be speeding, and as we know, the police don't speed unless on a shout as it is dangerous. But then, so is driving that close.
Did you have a passenger?
Yep, bang on 60 ...
No passenger ??????????
Additioanlly he seemed very close to the panda for about 5 miles, before he o. took and then moved up on me.
He turned off towards what I believe is a police collage. As mentioned eariler, his first overtake on the panda was excellent. He was looking for the overtake on me, as I was on the car in front, but it just wasn't on, with the 'constant' oncoming traffic.
M
Edited by mph999 on Thursday 10th August 21:25
Edited by mph999 on Thursday 10th August 21:26
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