Tailgating should be made a criminal offence

interstellaflyer

Paperbird wrote: »

With a 200yd gap you should move over.
If you ever take an advanced driving instructor for a ride and he (or she) asks "why did you pull out in front of a car going faster than you" or "why didn't you move into that 200yd gap when there was a car waiting to overtake you" then your answer of "I am doing 70mph and no one has any valid reason for going faster than that" is not going to impress him (or her).

Did you actually read my post? I think not.

Who said anything about pulling out in front of a car going faster than me? I certainly didn't.

And

As for the 200 yard gap, I never said or even implied that I wouldn't pull in if there was a 200 yard gap, I said that I pull in as soon as I'm clear of the vehicle I'm overtaking that means pulling in without cutting them up, Could you tell, where in the Highway Code does it say that a driver that is already doing the maximum speed allowed on that road and is legitimately overtaking slower moving vehicles, must immediately pull over, potentially cutting up the vehicle you are overtaking just to allow some one past who is speeding, often, especially on my local stretch of the A34 you get long convoys of wagons and they sit quite dangerously close together, if you did pull in to the small gap you would a) need to slow down to their speed and b) have an angy truck driver up your chuff.

FATBALLZ

As somebody who generally does 60mph on the motorway or dual carriageways and does a lot of driving, I hardly ever get tailgated. Reason being I stick to the left lane most of the time, and if I do need to overtake I either wait until there is a big enough gap in the next lane for me to do it without causing somebody inconvenience, or I speed up a bit to do it reasonably quickly.

If you are getting tailgated a lot it is almost certainly your own fault for being an inconsiderate knob (and no that doesn't excuse the person doing the tailgating, although their frustration is justified).

cyclonebri1

Gin_and_Milk wrote: »

I'd hate to cause a domestic between you and your wife, but she is right to slow down if she's being tailgated. That's in the highway code, but obviously that's not neccessarily the most tempting option!
On the occasions where I've been tailgated, I've questioned everyone's driving including my own. If I were being tailgated often, I would definitely be asking myself why. I see nothing wrong with that, in fact I think it would be pretty arrogant of me not to.

I know where you're coming from, and I know the advice is also given out by those running driving improvement courses, the alternative to the points.

But I'm sorry, reducing an already too small gap even further doesn't improve the situation in my view.

I'm convinced these guys do it for a reaction, they won't get 1 out of me and that includes by slowing down.

It's as you say be convinced it's not your driving that is the cause, and I also hinted at that, but if I am driving around conforming to all driving conditions and requirements, then I will simply not react to tailgaiting.

Someone told me they wait until the next roundabout when this happens to them, assuming there is 1, and then do a complete circuit before taking the exit they required.
Now this was an instructor on a motoring course.
That advice cannot be correct, not only do you have to negotiate several junctions that you needn't have, but no one expects that behaviour and is a greater risk than the tailgaiting itself.

martinthebandit

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

It's as you say be convinced it's not your driving that is the cause, and I also hinted at that, but if I am driving around conforming to all driving conditions and requirements, then I will simply not react to tailgaiting.

Interesting,

I assume you are happy to accept that people that tailgate are ejits? I know I do.
I also assume that you believe tailgating to be dangerous? again, I know I do.

What you are saying seems to be that you won't alter your driving in response to a dangerous situation, if that is the case, and its the only interpretation I can see of your statement does that not, in some way, make you as irresponsible as the tailgater?

Not trying to start an argument just trying to understand why some drivers don't seem willing to take responsibility if they don't believe themselves to be at fault.

passatrider

FATBALLZ wrote: »

As somebody who generally does 60mph on the motorway or dual carriageways and does a lot of driving, I hardly ever get tailgated. Reason being I stick to the left lane most of the time, and if I do need to overtake I either wait until there is a big enough gap in the next lane for me to do it without causing somebody inconvenience, or I speed up a bit to do it reasonably quickly.

If you are getting tailgated a lot it is almost certainly your own fault for being an inconsiderate knob (and no that doesn't excuse the person doing the tailgating, although their frustration is justified).

When I started this thread it was more aimed at main road/country road tailgaters, not dual carriageways or Motorways. This is where most of the tailgating seems to occur.

I can be travelling at 30 in a 30 zone, 60 in a 60 zone etc and I will still get tailgated. So, how I can be seen as an 'inconsiderate Knob' is beyond me.

martinthebandit

passatrider wrote: »

When I started this thread it was more aimed at main road/country road tailgaters, not dual carriageways or Motorways. This is where most of the tailgating seems to occur.

I can be travelling at 30 in a 30 zone, 60 in a 60 zone etc and I will still get tailgated. So, how I can be seen as an 'inconsiderate Knob' is beyond me.

Lol not sure I consider you an 'inconsiderate Knob' (yet;) )

The thing that I and a few other posters cannot seem to understand is why its happening to you and not to us.

The only possible explanations are that either we are doing something while we are driving that stops us being tailgated or you are doing something that causes you to be tailgated.

...... it would be interesting to find out which

passatrider

martinthebandit wrote: »

Lol not sure I consider you an 'inconsiderate Knob' (yet;) )

The thing that I and a few other posters cannot seem to understand is why its happening to you and not to us.

The only possible explanations are that either we are doing something while we are driving that stops us being tailgated or you are doing something that causes you to be tailgated.

...... it would be interesting to find out which

Perhaps it's the flat cap I wear?? :rotfl:

jaydeeuk1

Tail gaiting is an essential life skill, the ability to get close enough to the vauxhall zafira infront to see what radio station they're listening too without slamming in to the back of them can't be taught. As is being able to open a packet of crisps in the outside lane of a motorway, or take off your coat/jumper/cardi without undoing your seat belt and negotiating school run traffic.

Should all be part of the driving test imo.

cyclonebri1

martinthebandit wrote: »

Interesting,

I assume you are happy to accept that people that tailgate are ejits? I know I do.
I also assume that you believe tailgating to be dangerous? again, I know I do.

What you are saying seems to be that you won't alter your driving in response to a dangerous situation, if that is the case, and its the only interpretation I can see of your statement does that not, in some way, make you as irresponsible as the tailgater?

Not trying to start an argument just trying to understand why some drivers don't seem willing to take responsibility if they don't believe themselves to be at fault.

Ok, we have different views I can live with that, given my reasons.

Their are 2 reasons people deliberately tailgate.

The 1st 1 is out of ignorance, they just don't realise the issue, or the reaction it can raise in the front driver. On the odd occasion I have been tailgated, I'm sure it's been that, and also unfortunately It's always been a young female driver. Not trying to make this a sexist post. It's simply an observation. They do not realise the danger they are putting themselves in, not directly by tailgating, but by the resultant effect of the drivers reaction to it.

The 2nd reason is quite simply that the driver wants a reaction from the car in front. Usually a male driver.
It's an aggressive move intended to provoke the driver in front into either racing or moving over, each again is more dangerous than tailgating itself, pull over or slow and the following driver is likely to overtake regardless of not being in a safe position to do so.

The bottom line of my argument is that reacting to a tailgater can only perpetuate the problem, if everyone did as you suggest, it would be unsafe on the roads.
Imagine it becomes accepted practice, or that they know that tailgating will get a reaction? To drive up to within a few yards will likely immediately result in the driver slowing down at best or pulling to 1 side, it would be chaotic.

Which is why I feel reacting to a tailgater is more dangerous than tailgating itself.

And of course I realise there is no blanket answer, which is where the HC fails, we have to make our decision based on the actual situation.

northstar23

If your passenger films tailgating on a mobile phone is that evidence of any use to the CPS?

I got tailgated the other day through no fault of my own. While overtaking a car on a two lane motorway it became 4 lanes due to traffic joining from an A Road. First two lanes contained lorries, third lane a car doing 68 ish, and me in the outside doing 70. The road then switched to steep uphill, and my fully laden 1.4 Fiesta simply ran out of power and it took me a good half mile to overtake inch by inch.

Whilst overtaking I had a Range Rover Sport latch onto the bumper and flash headlights constantly, and on the rare occasions he dropped back a few feet I could see a face contorted into absolute rage. My partner and I weren't that bothered, but it did cross my mind to film it and see if it went anywhere. Pretty quickly realised that both phones were in luggage on the back seat and inaccesable.

I fail to see how being tailgated was my fault (as a few people on here would seem to argue in these circumstances), but no doubt the pious will slaughter me for not being aware of the road, the weight of my vehicle and its power and for having the temerity to get in the way of a Range Rover. The fact is though that I have as much right to use the road as anyone and I was bang on the speed limit anyway.

The guy overtook us by sweeping to the inside lane and then straight back accross the motorway whilst giving us every hand signal possible and shouting abuse.

Its a bit gutting that the chances of this type of driving ever being prosected, hence my question about mobile phone evidence.