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How do you get rid of a tail gater?

3K views 21 replies 13 participants last post by  markp 
#1 ·
This evening on the motorway I checked my mirror and I could not believe how close the car behind was. So I turned on my hazard lights, and he immediately changed lanes. Sorted. But I do wonder if this could have issues, e.g. frightening a tail pipe sniffer into a risky manoeuvre and causing a crash. Usually I'll try and ignore them, and make sure I have a lot of space in front, but the closeness really shocked me. Sometimes I change lane, let them go past, if possible. I wouldn't try the brake light trick - dabbing the brake - as that could be dangerous, or provoke a dangerous retaliation from the nut job behind.
 
#2 ·
I usually pull over as soon as I safely can. If I'm in the outside lane on a motorway and pulling in is impractical I accelerate and the pull in as soon as possible, but that might not be an option in the up! I agree about braking. Sudden braking causes accidents at worst and queues at best.Someone else posted this week that they found this happening to them more now they are driving a small car. I wonder if anyone else has found that?
 
#3 ·
I had this problem today on the way home from work, I usually speed up a little and if they don't back off I press the brakes so the light comes on but it doesn't actually cause me to brake! I had a guy in a BMW 3series driving right up my behind about 2weeks ago along the main road trough town so when he didn't back off I slowed down to 20mph.. He was fuming! When I got to the traffic lights he put his window down and started screaming at me ha, he was saying I looked ridiculous and like a 'crazy fool' so I kindly pointed out that a fully grown 50ish year old man was shouting at a 21yr old girl!
 
#5 ·
Generally just slow down a little and pull in to slower lane......I don't do road rage and would never try the brake light trick . If on a single carriageway , just stick to slightly under the speed limit,

Using dashcam app on my phone so usually capture any nutter manoeuvre
 
#6 ·
It really annoys me when drivers do that, especially HGV driver and the like - very disconcerting seeing a MAN or Volvo badge filling your rear view mirror!! I'd love to have a Bond-style switch that could deploy smoke/oil/missiles to make them back off
 
#7 ·
I get this all the time. My route to work involves a national speed limit dual carriageway where I need to turn right at a roundabout so have to be in the outside lane for the last few hundred yards. I'm forever getting cars trying to climb in the boot and see lots of shaking heads, mouthing off, giving me the finger etc and I'm usually doing around 50-60 on the approach to the roundabout.

I don't do the brake thing but I do occasionally flick the main lights on as this has the same effect but without actually having to brake at all and I normally find they back off.

Other than that, I do try to pull into the inside lane if possible but it doesn't bother me in the least if I can't and they have to sit behind me fuming.
 
#8 ·
Markmod from other thread said:
More of a concern is the recent realisation that driving a small car, (even at speed limit++) on dual carriageways and motorways you are constantly bullied by owners of larger or faster cars to get out of their way.... Flashing headlights from behind are the norm it appears... Now I'm no slouch, I used to drive a caterham.. A number of fellow vw drivers in golfs have been the main culprits.... Mines bigger/ faster than yours mentality me thinks...... Not good and the down side of owning a small car. 
See my quote above from another thread... I don't dawdle but I believe drivers of larger faster cars think

"look at this little car.... Must be a women driver... I know, I will show her my ultimate power over her and superb male virility by endangering her and her cars occupants, myself and all the other road users on our stretch of road by going right up this small cars chuff to try and force them to move over... Yes that seems like a very good idea to me, I shall do that"

They look accross as they pass to say "see I can go faster than you" and are surprised that it is a man driving a small car.

This is just simply a form of bullying, plain and simple, the same guy would have been trying to take your dinner money off you in the playground many years ago.

Strikes me it's like the male baboon showing his backside is bigger and redder than the rest of the troop!

I don't do brake testing, trying to clean my screen or any other tactics anymore..... It relies on the car driver behind having a single brain cell that registers the light of your brakes playing on the back of their retina or registering there is something different on the windscreen of their car... So you are wasting your time there... I just wait until I can indicate, to pull over to the other lane when it is safe to do so and let them pass.Edited by: Markmod1
 
#9 ·
People sometimes just have a self importance about themselves and need to have a word but there is little you can do. It frustrates me and even as a new driver I will be on the motorway doing 70mph in the left lane and a twit comes up behind me and it is not like I want to try the hard shoulder for sh*ts and giggles to let him pass and then finally they get a chance and pass me pulling all sorts of rude gestures and by the way this is not while I am driving in the UP because we are yet to get it this is me in a big powerful 2L Turbo Diesel car and can easily do what he is doing but I am not that stupid.
 
#10 ·
There is another kind of tailgating that irritates me and it is usually pensioners who are the culprits! It's when you're in a supermarket checkout queue and the person stands so close behind you can feel their breath on your neck and smell their BO
. A small step backwards usually 'persuades' them to back off! Edited by: whassup
 
#11 ·
whassup said:
There is another kind of tailgating that irritates me and it is usually pensioners who are the culprits! It's when you're in a supermarket checkout queue and the person stands so close behind you can feel their breath on your neck and smell their BO
. A small step backwards usually 'persuades' them to back off!

Exactly...we hated it so much we almost exclusively use home delivery groceries from sainsburys now....really great when you live in the sticks like us.

what is it with folk wanting to invade your personal space...I disliked the city so much we moved out to the countryside...I've 3 acres but even that isn't that big.
 
#12 ·
Sounds idyllic......even in the rain



We stay in a suburb of Dundee but are lucky enough to have a house that isn't overlooked by neighbours and has a fine view out over the Tay Estuary (not that I can see that far right now)!
 
#13 ·
Markmod1 said:
Markmod from other thread said:
More of a concern is the recent realisation that driving a small car, (even at speed limit++) on dual carriageways and motorways you are constantly bullied by owners of larger or faster cars to get out of their way.... Flashing headlights from behind are the norm it appears... Now I'm no slouch, I used to drive a caterham.. A number of fellow vw drivers in golfs have been the main culprits.... Mines bigger/ faster than yours mentality me thinks...... Not good and the down side of owning a small car.
See my quote above from another thread... I don't dawdle but I believe drivers of larger faster cars think

"look at this little car.... Must be a women driver... I know, I will show her my ultimate power over her and superb male virility by endangering her and her cars occupants, myself and all the other road users on our stretch of road by going right up this small cars chuff to try and force them to move over... Yes that seems like a very good idea to me, I shall do that"

They look accross as they pass to say "see I can go faster than you" and are surprised that it is a man driving a small car.

This is just simply a form of bullying, plain and simple, the same guy would have been trying to take your dinner money off you in the playground many years ago.

Strikes me it's like the male baboon showing his backside is bigger and redder than the rest of the troop!

I don't do brake testing, trying to clean my screen or any other tactics anymore..... It relies on the car driver behind having a single brain cell that registers the light of your brakes playing on the back of their retina or registering there is something different on the windscreen of their car... So you are wasting your time there... I just wait until I can indicate, to pull over to the other lane when it is safe to do so and let them pass.
Yes, it's a form of bullying. I do agree with that last sentence. When you are tailgated, or otherwise bullied by another driver, the chances are they are low intelligence, emotional and with anger management issues. I want that sort of person well away from me.
 
#14 ·
My journey to work goes along narrow, twisting country roads with 30mph limits in places, and then through the outskirts of a town. I've been doing it for 20 years and it always takes 23 minutes. There's no point trying to drive fast because you will always end up being slowed down by something - car, bike, bus, tractor, horse - but that doesn't stop tailgaters. They charge up behind, overtake on dangerous bends and then you come up behind them on the roundabout on the edge of town. I have to admit that part of me longs to go round the next bend and see the car that just overtook me upside down in a muddy ditch, the driver uninjured and the car picturesquely written off. It's never happened sadly!
 
#15 ·
Yes, low intelligence. So many times I have been tail gated then overtaken by an impatient driver, only to reach a roundabout where they are stationary, and I safely move onto the roundabout having judged my approach to time with a gap. Schmucks.

Some years back I was overtaken by a BMW on a blind bend, and I went round the corner only to be engulfed in smoke from burnt rubber. Round the corner was a junction with a queue, and the nutter had narrowly avoided going into the rear of someone. Nice skid marks.
 
#16 ·
Leif said:
Yes, low intelligence. So many times I have been tail gated then overtaken by an impatient driver, only to reach a roundabout where they are stationary, and I safely move onto the roundabout having judged my approach to time with a gap. Schmucks.

Some years back I was overtaken by a BMW on a blind bend, and I went round the corner only to be engulfed in smoke from burnt rubber. Round the corner was a junction with a queue, and the nutter had narrowly avoided going into the rear of someone. Nice skid marks.

On the road or his pants?
(sorry, very juvenile humour but couldn't resist).
 
#18 ·
clowesa said:
Leif said:
Nice skid marks.

On the road or his pants?
(sorry, very juvenile humour but couldn't resist).
Oddly enough I did not inspect his underpants, although that might be the custom in your area.
The double entendre was intentional, I too am juvenile, probably both meanings apply.
 
#19 ·
In my book, the only real way to get rid of someone driving too closely, is to drive normally and ignore them.
If your rear ended by another motorists, its always deemed your fault, rarely theirs.

How many times have we heard of rogue drivers deliberately braking hard at a roundabout or junction, and claiming the driver behind them was at fault.

Claiming for whiplash, and loss of earnings if off work.

If someone tailgating you accidentally hits you, then its usually deemed their fault.

The majority of drivers will certainly care, with their increased insurance premiums.
There are always a small minority who do not care, and will always drive inconciderately.

Just ignore them, drive within the speed limit, and give them no excuse to escalate their poor driving into something more serious

Most drivers will eventually calm down, or turn off at the next junction,
 
#22 ·
Exactly, or depending on the road, slow down a little so they can overtake to get them out of your way.
Anything else is just not worth the hassle and risk.
If you brake unnecessarily then even if they hit you, you can be deemed to be in liable party. If they have dashcam, whilst it will show their stupidity, it will also show you braking, either suddenly, excessively or without reason & that is the cause of the incident not them driving too close.
Equally, if they are driving like that one has to consider you (and any passenger's) safety. There are so many aggressive and selfish people out their now you are just as likely to get thumped for your trouble. Road rage is a strange one, often fairly reasonable people will behave in completely daft ways when they are behind the wheel.
One only has to witness the amount of speeding & abuse of red lights to realise that.

When driving, take the safe option.......
 
#21 ·
It certainly is - maybe we should call Guinness and see what they say? I remember talking to Leif and Privatedoc in 2012 when I bought my Up White. I think many folks from that time have moved on.
 
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