Invincible tail-gating 4x4 drivers

[amare32]

Now that our neck of woods has had its fair dumping of the white stuff. Driving around today, I was tailed by a 4x4 for ages - he was literally about under half a car length from my rear bumper. You would think that given the snowy conditions, if he had half a brain he would realise it would make sense to back off a bit.

I did at one point make a sign in my rear mirror to demonstrate how close he was following me and to my amusement he started going mental with his family in the car. One wonders why some many people crash.

[g3org3y]

Er...hello. If you have a 4x4 you will never slide or lose traction. Don't you know that?

[amare32]

g3org3y said:

Er...hello. If you have a 4x4 you will never slide or lose traction. Don't you know that?

No didn't know that. Very informative

[rallycross]

I wouold have just passed you, no point getting held up, snow or no snow get out of the way!

[deeen]

Maybe he assumed you read the highway code, and were just about to pull over and let him past?

[g3org3y]

amare32 said:

g3org3y said:

Er...hello. If you have a 4x4 you will never slide or lose traction. Don't you know that?

No didn't know that. Very informative

T'was sarcasm obviously.

It is however the mindset of many people who actually have 4x4s unfortunately. Fortunately for us, physics and Darwin's Theory of Evolution both exist also...

[Pothole]

deeen said:

Maybe he assumed you read the highway code, and were just about to pull over and let him past?

Would that be the same Highway Code which recommends leaving a 2 second gap from the car in front of him?

[Urban Sports]

This must be 3 in the last couple of days.

[deeen]

Pothole said:

deeen said:

Maybe he assumed you read the highway code, and were just about to pull over and let him past?

Would that be the same Highway Code which recommends leaving a 2 second gap from the car in front of him?

Of course, but 2 wrongs don't make a right. And I don't think the Code contains the hand signal the OP was referring to, either.

If you really think you have a dangerous idiot behind you, it makes sense to me to let him past to have his accident somewhere else.

[fido]

I just slow down if someone tailgates me. No need to get all stressed about it.
I think people do it because they are on 'autopilot'. Had a stoodent-type following me in his Corsa on the twisty bits between Esher and Chessington, almost stuck to my rear bumper and i eventually signalled to pull over. The dozy f8cker actually came to a stop behind me, and i had to wind down my window and signal him to carry on .. this was on an empty two lane road!

[Pothole]

deeen said:

Pothole said:

deeen said:

Maybe he assumed you read the highway code, and were just about to pull over and let him past?

Would that be the same Highway Code which recommends leaving a 2 second gap from the car in front of him?

Of course, but 2 wrongs don't make a right. And I don't think the Code contains the hand signal the OP was referring to, either.

If you really think you have a dangerous idiot behind you, it makes sense to me to let him past to have his accident somewhere else.

you can't have it both ways...if the tailgater has read his HC then he is the one attempting to make two wrongs make a right, surely? (it's OK if I sit on his arse because he hasn't moved over to let me past)

ETA, if the leading car is not 4wd then its driver may not safely be able to move over in any case, the tailgater is more wrong, imho.

Edited by Pothole on Sunday 28th November 21:44

[amare32]

fido said:

I just slow down if someone tailgates me. No need to get all stressed about it.
I think people do it because they are on 'autopilot'. Had a stoodent-type following me in his Corsa on the twisty bits between Esher and Chessington, almost stuck to my rear bumper and i eventually signalled to pull over. The dozy f8cker actually came to a stop behind me, and i had to wind down my window and signal him to carry on .. this was on an empty two lane road!

That's exactly what I done, simply carried on about my business whilst the guy carried on ranting and raving behind the wheel for another half a mile before he turned off into a side road.

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

Let 4x4 drivers have their fun...the rest of the year they're stuck with a big unwieldy slow expensive ugly pointless vehicle.

[whoami]

I usually find the opposite.

[Deva Link]

It's better if they're closer - then the momentum differential when they hit you is smaller.

[rhinochopig]

plfrench said:

deeen said:

Maybe he assumed you read the highway code, and were just about to pull over and let him past?

A typical 'post something, anything, to make the OP out to be in the wrong' response that is so common on PH these days'.

In this case, you could argue that you need never overtake, merely sit up the backside of everyone else on the road and wait for them to get out of your way. Afterall it is your road, and no-one else has any right to be there. I am sure there is some proviso to this part of the high-way code whereby it applies only when the leading vehicle is unable to achieve a sensible speed so will be holding traffic up and should pull over periodically to allow others to pass ie. a tractor. It surely cannot apply in this situation.

I don't normally allow posts on here to annoy me, but that was such a blatantly inflamatory and pigheaded response that I felt the need to bash some keys...

Sorry but I agree with deeen. The OP should have pulled over or slowed and indicated to let the other vehicle past. Yes the 4x4 driver shouldn't have tail-gated, but then the OP should have given way to a faster vehicle. What if the driver had been a retained fireman, RNLI, or Mountain Rescue, Doctor on call, or one of the other many emergency services that do not use blue lights when attending a shout?

People should ALWAYS pull over, or slow sufficiently to let a faster car through, as you never know why the car is trying to get somewhere in a hurry. The UK has a very odd culture of my speed is perfectly sensible so I won't let anyone else go any faster.

[Mr GrimNasty]

deeen said:

Maybe he assumed you read the highway code, and were just about to pull over and let him past?

Go on then, show us the rule.

I'll save you the bother - there isn't one (169 does not apply here).

[breagh]

Driving a high vehicle does unconsciously encourage tailgating IMO, especially if you are behind a vehicle you can see over. Doesn't make it OK, but as someone who switches between a ludicrously low MX-5 and a big softroader, I do understand now.

[Mr GrimNasty]

rhinochopig said:

plfrench said:

deeen said:

Maybe he assumed you read the highway code, and were just about to pull over and let him past?

A typical 'post something, anything, to make the OP out to be in the wrong' response that is so common on PH these days'.

In this case, you could argue that you need never overtake, merely sit up the backside of everyone else on the road and wait for them to get out of your way. Afterall it is your road, and no-one else has any right to be there. I am sure there is some proviso to this part of the high-way code whereby it applies only when the leading vehicle is unable to achieve a sensible speed so will be holding traffic up and should pull over periodically to allow others to pass ie. a tractor. It surely cannot apply in this situation.

I don't normally allow posts on here to annoy me, but that was such a blatantly inflamatory and pigheaded response that I felt the need to bash some keys...

Sorry but I agree with deeen. The OP should have pulled over or slowed and indicated to let the other vehicle past. Yes the 4x4 driver shouldn't have tail-gated, but then the OP should have given way to a faster vehicle. What if the driver had been a retained fireman, RNLI, or Mountain Rescue, Doctor on call, or one of the other many emergency services that do not use blue lights when attending a shout?

People should ALWAYS pull over, or slow sufficiently to let a faster car through, as you never know why the car is trying to get somewhere in a hurry. The UK has a very odd culture of my speed is perfectly sensible so I won't let anyone else go any faster.

What a very odd view you have.

Hold back and overtake when it is safe to do so.

Going around expecting to demand/intimidate people into pulling over because you think they should be going faster and you think they are merely resentful of your right to drive like a **** and therefore deliberately slowing your progress? No wonder the roads are so dangerous with attitudes like that.

[thunderbelmont]

You have obviously not received their telepathic messages, which is why they need to get soooo close to the rear of your vehicle.

Between dribbles, they are "transmitting" GET OUT OF THE fkING WAY - I'M IN A RANGE ROVER / X5 / TOERAG / Q7 / CAYENNE (delete/add as appropriate).