Tailgating should be made a criminal offence

martinthebandit

Gordon_Hose wrote: »

Why do you keep bringing up examinations? It's irrelevant. You drive to the conditions regardless of being on your test or not.

If you do 70mph when the conditions dictate you should be doing 50mph, you're gonna fail miserably.

Doing 60 to overtake slower moving traffic doesn't mean the vehicle behind has the right to tailgate. Any SENSIBLE driver would adjust their speed accordingly and wait for the car in front to finish their overtaking maneuver.

Actually the skills you learn to pass your driving test are not irrelevant and you should not be surprised if your failure to maintain and or use those skills affect the way other drivers behave.

Gordon_Hose

Well, I didn't go anywhere near an NSL dual carriageway on my driving test. I passed in 1996.

It still doesn't give anyone the go ahead to tailgate me.

I don't know why you think someone doing 60mph on a motorway should adjust their own driving to prevent being tailgated. It's a ridiculous suggestion.

Doing 60mph on the motorway isn't illegal. Tailgating is. Go figure.

passatrider

martinthebandit wrote: »

Actually the skills you learn to pass your driving test are not irrelevant and you should not be surprised if your failure to maintain and or use those skills affect the way other drivers behave.

What you are saying then in short here is you condone tailgating then?

Good grief..

Gordon_Hose

I think he's saying that if you get tailgated that YOU need to look at YOUR own driving to prevent it.

:rotfl:

leachyd

Tailgater here;

If half the muppets on the roads took to keeping to the speed limit, or at least near it, you'd find a lot less tailgating occurring.

I don't tailgate deliberately, but it's incredibly frustrating to be stuck behind someone doing 40 in a 60 in good conditions, for example. If the driver or car is not capable of traveling at the limit, then they/it shouldn't be on the road.

Blackpool_Saver

I HATE tail-gaiters and I am not a Sunday driver either. I hate being a passenger when the driver is doing it too, it's very scary.

I wish the cameras could pick this offence up too.

So sick of being on the road and seeing nutters hurtling up behind me in the mirror.

I really believe that some people think they are invincible.

almillar

Tailgating is bad, mmmkay?
Let's split this up - it's either on a single carriageway, or a dual carriageway/motorway.
On a single carraigeway, the person in front can pretty much do whatever speed they like, imagine they're transporting something really fragile. Wait for a safe opportunity to overtake. Don't tailgate.
On dual or motorway, the person in front should be in the left lane unless he is overtaking, or turning right. Notice I didn't mention speed at all. If you're doing 50 in the outside lane, all on your own, you can fully expect someone to fly up behind you at 70. Following you closely then would be tailgating, which is wrong. This is about lane discipline as much as anything else.
I also don't like people saying they won't change their speed as they're trying to save fuel, how uncourteous! If you're aware that you're blocking someone, get out of their way as soon as you can, and if that means creeping up to 55 when you're overtaking that lorry then do it! If you really want to save fuel, stay behind the lorry and don't overtake at all!

Gordon_Hose

leachyd wrote: »

Tailgater here;

If half the muppets on the roads took to keeping to the speed limit, or at least near it, you'd find a lot less tailgating occurring.

I don't tailgate deliberately, but it's incredibly frustrating to be stuck behind someone doing 40 in a 60 in good conditions, for example. If the driver or car is not capable of traveling at the limit, then they/it shouldn't be on the road.

Neither should you.

Joe_Horner

leachyd wrote: »

Tailgater here;

If half the muppets on the roads took to keeping to the speed limit, or at least near it, you'd find a lot less tailgating occurring.

I don't tailgate deliberately, but it's incredibly frustrating to be stuck behind someone doing 40 in a 60 in good conditions, for example. If the driver [STRIKE]or car[/STRIKE] is not capable of holding a safe distance from someone not traveling at the limit, then they[STRIKE]/it[/STRIKE] shouldn't be on the road.

Fixed that for you.

Your primary responsibility when driving is, quite simply, not to hit anything. By tailgating you're automatically increasing the risk of failing to do that.

No ifs, no buts, no exceptions.

foofi22

martinthebandit wrote: »

Yes it is a fail, and for good reason.

I passed and drove under the speed limit, who at the DVLA should I own up to?