Tailgating should be made a criminal offence

Skinto_7

I dont understand some of the posts on here, almost everyone has said tailgating is not right, i dont see many posts defending it.

However those people who seem to have the biggest issue with tailgaters and those who occasionally sneak over the limit (even when the road conditions allow this to be done safely) seem to have no issue with people hogging lanes at speeds well below the limit, causing danger, annoyance and delay to other road users.

I am struggling to see why you would be so quick to condem tailgaters for their irresponsible behaviour, but not as quick to do so to those who do not know how to use the overtaking lanes correctly for their irresponsible driving. It seems like double standards to me.

Any lane other then the inside, is for overtaking and should be used only when overtaking, the muppet we all see driving on the outside lane at 70mph when all other lanes are clear with the "im driving at the max speed limit and noone should be going past me anyway" attitude is every bit as irresponsible as those who tailgate.

Paperbird

Gordon_Hose wrote: »

Wow.

If you executing an overtake correctly why would you ever let a tailgater dictate to you where you should be on the road or how fast you should be going??

If you're half way through an overtaking maneuver you're not going to be able to "just move over", or if you're over taking a long line of lorries on a dual carriageway you're not going to be able to "just move over"... so are you saying if you're being tailgated you should speed up just to "get out of the way"?? Ridiculous. What happens if you speed up and you're still getting tailgated? Speed up more? Do 90, 100, 110?

Utter lunacy. Also, I've never advocated slowing down or using my washer to annoy a tailgater.

I've never mentioned speeding up only slowing to the speed of the ones I was overtaking and moving over and if you read the thread you will find some have said they slow down or use their washers.
If you want to sit in the outside lane at 68mph overtaking a 2 mile line of traffic doing 66mph you are not breaking any laws I can think of but rather than complain you have been tailgated for 20 miles why not just move over. and let them go have their accident somewhere else.
Unlike you when I've been overtaking a line of cars or lorries I've never had a problem finding a space in the lane to my left to allow a faster car past.
It takes maybe 30 seconds to ease off move over let a car past and move out to finish overtaking the line of cars, there's no stress you don't get tailgated so why not try it.

Gordon_Hose

I do try it. What I'm saying is there is no reason to let a tailgater bully you into moving over.

You certainly shouldn't be questioning your own driving skills.

There is only 1 person in the wrong here; the tailgater.

almillar

Gordon Hose replying to Paperbird post #103 - it's not illegal to crawl past a queue of traffic 2mph faster than it is going, BUT whether you have a car 2 inches behind you, or 20 metres, it's discourteous to do so. In my opinion (and no I can't quote any law because there isn't one!) Paperbird should pull into the queue as suggested, or speed up to clear it faster, if there's a car behind him/her - no matter what distance the can behind is. Doesn't make tailgating right.

Joe_Horner

Paperbird wrote: »

I don't tailgate but I do flash my lights at the ones that think they should sit in the outside lane until there is a 500yd gap in the traffic before they move over.

The thing is, there's a very good chance that you either do tailgate or cause someone else to by doing that.

If we take tailgating (simplistically) as being "closer than the recommended 2 second minimum gap" for good conditions, if the vehicles in the n/s lane are doing 60 that means that if you pull into a gap of less than about 110 metres either you're too close to the one ahead, or you're moving in too close to the one behind and will be forcing HIM to slow down if he wants to maintain a safe gap.

Honestly, how often do you see a 100+ metre gap in a queue you're overtaking? So the person tailgating you forces not only YOU to react, but at least 2 other vehicles.

In practice, it's probably more because almost everyone's way too close most of the time so, as the one you pull in front of reacts and slows slightly, the wave effect takes over and people are panic braking to a standstill half a mile back.

All because someone was getting antsy about slowing below the speed limit (note, NOT "speed target") for a minute or two while you wait for a proper safe gap.

Incidentally, if you run the maths, 4 minutes of doing 60 instead of 90 will put you 2 mile further back than staying at 90. When you speed up again, that "extra" mile will add a whole 80 seconds to your journey time. Is 80 seconds of your life really worth going into someone's boot for?

martinthebandit

Gordon_Hose wrote: »

Really? How do HGV's cope being restricted to 56mph?

You don't half talk some sh*t :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

And why do you think hgv's are not allowed into the third lane on a three lane motorway?

If you want to drive slowly the considerate thing to do would be to limit yourself to 55 ish but speed up to 70 for an overtake.

....... and you really don't like to consider that your driving might be any less than perfect do you?


Unfortunately from both what you have posted and your 'I am perfect' attitude you are coming across as a very inconsiderate driver.

Instead of moaning about the bad habits you perceive to exist in others you really should examine your own driving.

Surbybird

Joe_Horner wrote: »

If we take tailgating (simplistically) as being "closer than the recommended 2 second minimum gap" for good conditions, if the vehicles in the n/s lane are doing 60 that means that if you pull into a gap of less than about 110 metres either you're too close to the one ahead, or you're moving in too close to the one behind and will be forcing HIM to slow down if he wants to maintain a safe gap.

Indeed, I always leave a safety gap and then find that *I* am then an unwitting tailgater because some idiot swerves into the gap I've left, thinking it was for them. That means then that they end up, at speed, only a short distance from my front bumper so I have to slow down and stretch the gap again, at which point, someone else swerves in and so on, ad infinitum.



K

Gordon_Hose

martinthebandit wrote: »

And why do you think hgv's are not allowed into the third lane on a three lane motorway?

If you want to drive slowly the considerate thing to do would be to limit yourself to 55 ish but speed up to 70 for an overtake.

....... and you really don't like to consider that your driving might be any less than perfect do you?


Unfortunately from both what you have posted and your 'I am perfect' attitude you are coming across as a very inconsiderate driver.

Instead of moaning about the bad habits you perceive to exist in others you really should examine your own driving.

Quote where I've said I'm a perfect driver?? C'mon, I've asked you numerous times to do so, but you haven't yet.

You're just making things up to suit your argument.

My driving doesn't need examining. More often than not, whenever I drive, I have a 12 month old baby and the mrs in the car. I don't do anything dangerous like tailgating. If I'm being tailgated I'll complete my overtake and move over. What I won't do is be bullied by someone who is so impatient they have to endanger the lives of me my family and can't wait 30 seconds for me to complete my overtake.

If I'm doing 65mph and overtaking and you can't get past, tough sh*t. The sensible thing to do is wait at a safe distance than be a complete sausage jockey and bully other drivers around you into going faster.

I'm not going to get tugged for doing 65mph in the outside lane, you ARE going to get tugged for tailgating if the Police see you doing it. Fact.

martinthebandit

Gordon_Hose wrote: »

Quote where I've said I'm a perfect driver?? C'mon, I've asked you numerous times to do so, but you haven't yet.

You're just making things up to suit your argument.

My driving doesn't need examining. More often than not, whenever I drive, I have a 12 month old baby and the mrs in the car. I don't do anything dangerous like tailgating. If I'm being tailgated I'll complete my overtake and move over. What I won't do is be bullied by someone who is so impatient they have to endanger the lives of me my family and can't wait 30 seconds for me to complete my overtake.

If I'm doing 65mph and overtaking and you can't get past, tough sh*t. The sensible thing to do is wait at a safe distance than be a complete sausage jockey and bully other drivers around you into going faster.

You have, on numerous posts, said there is no need to examine your own driving, the only way this could be true is if you consider your own driving to be perfect, although this clearly isn't the case.

In your own post above you clearly state that you will do nothing to help alleviate dangerous driving even while you have your family in the car.

Yes, the tailgater is driving dangerously and is an idiot, that does not absolve you from taking actions to make the situation safer, but you refuse to do that because it apparently makes you feel like you are giving in to a bully.

You are letting your own machismo get in the way of driving safely, just like the bloody tailgater is.

Gordon_Hose

martinthebandit wrote: »

You have, on numerous posts, said there is no need to examine your own driving, the only way this could be true is if you consider your own driving to be perfect, although this clearly isn't the case.

In your own post above you clearly state that you will do nothing to help alleviate dangerous driving even while you have your family in the car.

Yes, the tailgater is driving dangerously and is an idiot, that does not absolve you from taking actions to make the situation safer, but you refuse to do that because it apparently makes you feel like you are giving in to a bully.

You are letting your own machismo get in the way of driving safely, just like the bloody tailgater is.

In don't need to examine my own driving in relation to c**ts who think tailgating is OK. Stick to the subject at hand and don't twist my words.

I have clearly stated I won't adjust my driving to deal with a tailgater, whether that be speed up, slow down or change lanes when it's not safe to do so. It is the responsibility of the car behind to maintain a safe distance, not mine.

I think you're wrong, you think you're right. Lets leave it there.