How do you deal with tailgaters?
Discussion
I have always just held a steady speed, sometimes pulled into a bus stop or layby.
However, on my drive home there is a new 20mph stretch on a previous 30, which has no escape routes for 2 miles or so. I have someone in a SUV being particularly silly, pretending to ram me, back off, then ram again. I have 22 mph on the sat nav and hold it.
Problem is I now realise I perhaps spend far too much time looking in the rear view mirror as up ahead an oncoming car is now heading straight for me as they have overtaken a cyclist - I see this late but manage to veer left and all is well.
I did not realise I was so fixated on the clown behind me.
But anyone care to share some tips for dealing with tailgaters and not least the very aggressive ones??
However, on my drive home there is a new 20mph stretch on a previous 30, which has no escape routes for 2 miles or so. I have someone in a SUV being particularly silly, pretending to ram me, back off, then ram again. I have 22 mph on the sat nav and hold it.
Problem is I now realise I perhaps spend far too much time looking in the rear view mirror as up ahead an oncoming car is now heading straight for me as they have overtaken a cyclist - I see this late but manage to veer left and all is well.
I did not realise I was so fixated on the clown behind me.
But anyone care to share some tips for dealing with tailgaters and not least the very aggressive ones??
k what people behind want to do. If they behave like idiots then thats up to them as long as they don't drive into me.jondude said:
I have always just held a steady speed, sometimes pulled into a bus stop or layby.
However, on my drive home there is a new 20mph stretch on a previous 30, which has no escape routes for 2 miles or so. I have someone in a SUV being particularly silly, pretending to ram me, back off, then ram again. I have 22 mph on the sat nav and hold it.
Problem is I now realise I perhaps spend far too much time looking in the rear view mirror as up ahead an oncoming car is now heading straight for me as they have overtaken a cyclist - I see this late but manage to veer left and all is well.
I did not realise I was so fixated on the clown behind me.
But anyone care to share some tips for dealing with tailgaters and not least the very aggressive ones??
Can't you just ignore them?However, on my drive home there is a new 20mph stretch on a previous 30, which has no escape routes for 2 miles or so. I have someone in a SUV being particularly silly, pretending to ram me, back off, then ram again. I have 22 mph on the sat nav and hold it.
Problem is I now realise I perhaps spend far too much time looking in the rear view mirror as up ahead an oncoming car is now heading straight for me as they have overtaken a cyclist - I see this late but manage to veer left and all is well.
I did not realise I was so fixated on the clown behind me.
But anyone care to share some tips for dealing with tailgaters and not least the very aggressive ones??
jondude said:
I have always just held a steady speed, sometimes pulled into a bus stop or layby.
However, on my drive home there is a new 20mph stretch on a previous 30, which has no escape routes for 2 miles or so. I have someone in a SUV being particularly silly, pretending to ram me, back off, then ram again. I have 22 mph on the sat nav and hold it.
Problem is I now realise I perhaps spend far too much time looking in the rear view mirror as up ahead an oncoming car is now heading straight for me as they have overtaken a cyclist - I see this late but manage to veer left and all is well.
I did not realise I was so fixated on the clown behind me.
But anyone care to share some tips for dealing with tailgaters and not least the very aggressive ones??
Tbh if it's that bad I'd probably put the LH indicator on, slow to 5mph and let him overtake.However, on my drive home there is a new 20mph stretch on a previous 30, which has no escape routes for 2 miles or so. I have someone in a SUV being particularly silly, pretending to ram me, back off, then ram again. I have 22 mph on the sat nav and hold it.
Problem is I now realise I perhaps spend far too much time looking in the rear view mirror as up ahead an oncoming car is now heading straight for me as they have overtaken a cyclist - I see this late but manage to veer left and all is well.
I did not realise I was so fixated on the clown behind me.
But anyone care to share some tips for dealing with tailgaters and not least the very aggressive ones??
In the city slow down enough to double the gap to the car ahead. On the theory I don't want to have to do more than gentle braking with an idiot behind me.
On open road driving if a car catches me up, first straight went come to I indicate left and let it past. Assuming quiet roads and nothing ahead of me.
Quiet roads do happen. I left Glasgow at 0500 last week to catch an early ferry in Mallaig. Hardly saw another car the first two hours. Great being able to drive at my chosen speed rather than following traffic.
On open road driving if a car catches me up, first straight went come to I indicate left and let it past. Assuming quiet roads and nothing ahead of me.
Quiet roads do happen. I left Glasgow at 0500 last week to catch an early ferry in Mallaig. Hardly saw another car the first two hours. Great being able to drive at my chosen speed rather than following traffic.
Depends on my mood.
Sometimes I'll ignore them (right thing to do)
Sometimes I'll subtly brake test them (wrong thing to do)
Sometimes I'll indicate, pull over and let them overtake. However, I did encounter one who simply wouldn't drive past even when I'd come to a complete stop. Horn beeping, flashing headlights etc. In the end I took a different route to where I wanted to go by watching their signal and going on a completely different road. Lots of can shaking as he went the other way.
Sometimes I'll ignore them (right thing to do)
Sometimes I'll subtly brake test them (wrong thing to do)
Sometimes I'll indicate, pull over and let them overtake. However, I did encounter one who simply wouldn't drive past even when I'd come to a complete stop. Horn beeping, flashing headlights etc. In the end I took a different route to where I wanted to go by watching their signal and going on a completely different road. Lots of can shaking as he went the other way.
Heathwood said:
Flick the rear view mirror down so you can’t really see them and carry on as you were.
This. I just ignore them, stick some music on and chill. If they do it for a long time then I'll pull in and check the news for a few moments.Defensive driving and avoid confrontation. No brake testing.
Some people are thick so they just won't get the message.
Wipers/washers are usually first attempt but depending upon the car and the road just slowing down a bit reduces the chance of a rear end shunt or slow down and park up, let them wait for the traffic to clear before they can get around my parked car.
This usually delays them even more..
Wipers/washers are usually first attempt but depending upon the car and the road just slowing down a bit reduces the chance of a rear end shunt or slow down and park up, let them wait for the traffic to clear before they can get around my parked car.
This usually delays them even more..
In my experience pull in and let them go at the earliest opportunity to be someone else's problem anything else risks stupendously mental behaviour from them. It's just not worth it.
Just ignoring the nutters doesn't always work they just get more and more wound up.
Just ignoring the nutters doesn't always work they just get more and more wound up.
Edited by Narcisus on Sunday 23 June 15:46
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