Discussion
Hi, I'm 17 and passed my test two months ago. I've recently had two bad experiences both caused by me sticking to the speed limits and inpatient people behind me. The first incident was at night in a 30mph area and for about 3 minutes I had a driver following about 2 meters behind me, I was averaging around 30-32 mph. The incident involved somebody pulling out in front of me and causing me to brake reasonably softly. The person behind me (reacting slowly) then slammed on their brakes and had to swerve round me to avoid going into the back of me. Secondly (in another 30mph zone) i was again going a similar speed and had a similar driver right behind me who was actually steering from side to side to indicate his anger which I just ignored. Anyway, the driver decided to overtake on a corner and when level with me noticed a car coming the other way. No one was behind me so I braked sharply allowing him to pull back in front of me just in time.
I'd like some advice from advanced drivers/driving instructors as how to deal with this sort of situation. I was taught to follow the speed limits (obviously) and intend to stay that way. They're obviously there for a reason. Also, unlike most drivers on the road, being a new driver if I get 6 points I will loose my license so don't want to risk it by speeding. What annoys me is it's not like i'm doing 22 in a 30, I could see why drivers behind would get inpatient. I'm driving on the 30mph limit.
How should I deal with the license speed up to reduce the gap as told to do so in my theory test but then risk being caught for speeding?
Or pull over and let them by which annoys me because I don't think I should have to when I'm going the speed limit.
Thanks in advance.
I'd like some advice from advanced drivers/driving instructors as how to deal with this sort of situation. I was taught to follow the speed limits (obviously) and intend to stay that way. They're obviously there for a reason. Also, unlike most drivers on the road, being a new driver if I get 6 points I will loose my license so don't want to risk it by speeding. What annoys me is it's not like i'm doing 22 in a 30, I could see why drivers behind would get inpatient. I'm driving on the 30mph limit.
How should I deal with the license speed up to reduce the gap as told to do so in my theory test but then risk being caught for speeding?
Or pull over and let them by which annoys me because I don't think I should have to when I'm going the speed limit.
Thanks in advance.
anyone REALLY tailgates you then let them pass by pulling over or slowing and indicating where it's safe to do so. otherwise learn to ignore them. well, not ignore them, but not distract you from focusing on all the other hazards around you too.
no matter how long you drive for or how fast the car you drive is, some people will alays, ALWAYS tailgate you. it's a sad fact i'm afraid.
no matter how long you drive for or how fast the car you drive is, some people will alays, ALWAYS tailgate you. it's a sad fact i'm afraid.
Difficult as it may be stick with your resolve to keep within the speed limit! You will obviously be aware of the person following you closely and what you can try and do is compensate for their failure to leave a safe reactionary gap! For example on approaching a hazard start your slowing down a little earlier, indicate a little sooner, move to the position you need to be in to negotiate your hazard a little sooner. Only a second or two but enough time to allow you to overtake that stationery car or negotiate that junction slowly and gently which will in turn mean that the car following too closely has more time to react!!
This is the safest approach as 'telegraphing' your actions will allow the car behind time to react and thus stop them running into you!! It does work and is certainly taught when using unmarked cars on advanced police driving courses! It can have the unfortunate effect of making the impatient driver behind even more irate but at least they shouldn't plough into you because of their poor driving. If it does stress you unduly pulling over when its safe to do so is another option!
This is the safest approach as 'telegraphing' your actions will allow the car behind time to react and thus stop them running into you!! It does work and is certainly taught when using unmarked cars on advanced police driving courses! It can have the unfortunate effect of making the impatient driver behind even more irate but at least they shouldn't plough into you because of their poor driving. If it does stress you unduly pulling over when its safe to do so is another option!
AndyJones367 said:
Difficult as it may be stick with your resolve to keep within the speed limit! You will obviously be aware of the person following you closely and what you can try and do is compensate for their failure to leave a safe reactionary gap! For example on approaching a hazard start your slowing down a little earlier, indicate a little sooner, move to the position you need to be in to negotiate your hazard a little sooner. Only a second or two but enough time to allow you to overtake that stationery car or negotiate that junction slowly and gently which will in turn mean that the car following too closely has more time to react!!
This is the safest approach as 'telegraphing' your actions will allow the car behind time to react and thus stop them running into you!! It does work and is certainly taught when using unmarked cars on advanced police driving courses! It can have the unfortunate effect of making the impatient driver behind even more irate but at least they shouldn't plough into you because of their poor driving. If it does stress you unduly pulling over when its safe to do so is another option!
Thanks, very useful advice!This is the safest approach as 'telegraphing' your actions will allow the car behind time to react and thus stop them running into you!! It does work and is certainly taught when using unmarked cars on advanced police driving courses! It can have the unfortunate effect of making the impatient driver behind even more irate but at least they shouldn't plough into you because of their poor driving. If it does stress you unduly pulling over when its safe to do so is another option!
rolando said:
Pull over and let them by.
Please, whatever you do, don't do this. If you are in the safety of a 30 zone and getting so panicky, what the hell will you be like on a busy motorway? Crying on the hard shoulder? Do it and you'll do it again and again and any fledgling confidence will be trashed and chances are, you'll attract further incidents like a turd attracts flies.You may feel a little uncomfortable and threatened but don't be. In 99.999% of cases, it isn't you as such, it is down to a whole host of other factors. They may be goading you into a race, they may be crap drivers, they might think they're doing nothing wrong, might be distracted & so on
Therefore, you need to react accordingly.
So, what should you do?
1] You've sought out advanced drivers, so why not search out your local Iam/RoSPA group for some additional training? Taking what you can from either of those will start you on the road of having many of the answers you need to not ask this question in the first place.
2] First thing to assume is that, rightly or wrongly, every other driver is a total and utter f
kwit. Work from that starting point, accept that some obviously won't be and you have your base. If you have your base, you can build and react from that.3] If you don't follow 1], the first things are don't panic and concentrate on your own environment and how you manage that. Unless circumstances dictate otherwise, your priority is your safety & if that means going at a bit more of a lick than 30 - 32, so be it. It is far too often too easy to get overly wrapped up in blind devotion. You took lessons and passed your test but you now have to learn how to drive & that involves a little more flexibility and appreciation of the best course of action of the circumstances. That might be doing 29.5/39.5 etc (real rather than indicated), but at the same time, it may be doing a touch more.
Don't get too wrapped up about the points situation. I've made appropriate progress for a long time and still haven't had that issue. Of those that do pick up the points, some people are unlucky, many are stupid & ignorant, but luckily, most BIBs have some degree of real world intelligence.
4] Following on from 3], offer them the opportunity to go by if the possibility exists (without pulling over) and try and make that sufficiently clear, should you feel that uncomfortable.
However, you can also try and manage the circumstances by increasing your speed a little (in a non-aggressive way). If that doesn't solve the issue (and even if it does), it is about judging what you see (and pretty much ignoring them). React to the hazards you see and try and judge your available space/reaction time as best you can. Even if something were to happen, you're giving your self the max opportunity to react, plus your close friend is unlikely to kill you should they fail to stop without the assistance of your bumper. The onus would also most likely be on them to explain themselves afterwards.
Sorry if all of the above sounds a little rambling, it is late, a couple of beers have been consumed and it is a difficult thing to explain outside of the real world.
Edited by ClintonB on Monday 29th August 02:36
ClintonB said:
rolando said:
Pull over and let them by.
Please, whatever you do, don't do this. If you are in the safety of a 30 zone and getting so panicky, what the hell will you be like on a busy motorway? Crying on the hard shoulder? Do it and you'll do it again and again and any fledgling confidence will be trashed and chances are, you'll attract further incidents like a turd attracts flies.You may feel a little uncomfortable and threatened but don't be. In 99.999% of cases, it isn't you as such, it is down to a whole host of other factors. They may be goading you into a race, they may be crap drivers, they might think they're doing nothing wrong, might be distracted & so on
Therefore, you need to react accordingly.
So, what should you do?
1] You've sought out advanced drivers, so why not search out your local Iam/RoSPA group for some additional training? Taking what you can from either of those will start you on the road of having many of the answers you need to not ask this question in the first place.
2] First thing to assume is that, rightly or wrongly, every other driver is a total and utter f
kwit. Work from that starting point, accept that some obviously won't be and you have your base. If you have your base, you can build and react from that.3] If you don't follow 1], the first things are don't panic and concentrate on your own environment and how you manage that. Unless circumstances dictate otherwise, your priority is your safety & if that means going at a bit more of a lick than 30 - 32, so be it. It is far too often too easy to get overly wrapped up in blind devotion. You took lessons and passed your test but you now have to learn how to drive & that involves a little more flexibility and appreciation of the best course of action of the circumstances. That might be doing 29.5/39.5 etc (real rather than indicated), but at the same time, it may be doing a touch more.
Don't get too wrapped up about the points situation. I've made appropriate progress for a long time and still haven't had that issue. Of those that do pick up the points, some people are unlucky, many are stupid & ignorant, but luckily, most BIBs have some degree of real world intelligence.
4] Following on from 3], offer them the opportunity to go by if the possibility exists (without pulling over) and try and make that sufficiently clear, should you feel that uncomfortable.
However, you can also try and manage the circumstances by increasing your speed a little (in a non-aggressive way). If that doesn't solve the issue (and even if it does), it is about judging what you see (and pretty much ignoring them). React to the hazards you see and try and judge your available space/reaction time as best you can. Even if something were to happen, you're giving your self the max opportunity to react, plus your close friend is unlikely to kill you should they fail to stop without the assistance of your bumper. The onus would also most likely be on them to explain themselves afterwards.
Sorry if all of the above sounds a little rambling, it is late, a couple of beers have been consumed and it is a difficult thing to explain outside of the real world.
Edited by ClintonB on Monday 29th August 02:36
OP, do not speed up. The tailgater will go with you and you've increased the danger due to the higher speed.
Clinton, you may have been lucky to get away with not obeying the speed limits, most 17 year old drivers will attract a fair bit of attention from the police, who will possibly be more inclined to prosecute a new driver in order to steer them away from bad habits. Also, speed camera's will never let you off.
The best advice is to manage the space around you, react to hazards earlier and with plenty of warning so you give the numpty behind time to react to you. If the tailgating is excessive, pull over and let them pass you, idiots are easier to manage when they're in front of you.
OP - Is it worth getting yourself a drive with another bod in the car - say perhaps an IAM/RoSPA person? It sounds to me like you're doing the right things, and the fact you're asking these questions and considering the best way to respond to them suggests that you probably are - but getting another view of it might just reinforce your confidence enough that these tailgaters won't bother you?
Whereabouts are you?
Whereabouts are you?
Edited by guillemot on Monday 29th August 18:33
Keep to the speed limit, and ensure you have enough of a gap in front to stop safely. Slow down if you have to to make the gap safe, taking into account the twunt behind you doesn't have enough room to stop if you do need to stand on the brakes. If that means slowing down, then so be it. I once got down to about 10mph to maintain a safe gap due to a tailgater, he got the idea eventually.
goldblum said:
If you're speedo says 30 - 32 mph your true speed may be 27 - 29 mph.Expect other drivers up your backside if that's the case.
Virtually all speedos over read by 5 to 10 percent. So, your second sentence expresses an illogical conclusion in that the tailgater would also believe his speed to be 30 - 32 mph.Op, Like yourself I don't get the luxury of racking up nine points, in my case six would be an instant loss of job! There's plenty of good advice been offered already so no need to repeat. Please however don't fall into the rut of 'going with the flow'. Just because others are not thinking and are prepared to let 'the flow' do the driving for them at their percieved comfort speed there's no need for you to join in. I see plenty drivers with points who will say, 'they must have got quite a few that day because I was only going with the flow'!
I'm quite thick skinned about tailgaters, that comes with experience. I do occasionally get overtaken on longer 30mph stretches. The most worrying was the time I was holding well back from a luton type van after it became obvious his brake lights weren't working. I pity the silly little girl who went past me just to sit on the arse of that van. My turning came up about thirty seconds later so didn't see the outcome.
I'm quite thick skinned about tailgaters, that comes with experience. I do occasionally get overtaken on longer 30mph stretches. The most worrying was the time I was holding well back from a luton type van after it became obvious his brake lights weren't working. I pity the silly little girl who went past me just to sit on the arse of that van. My turning came up about thirty seconds later so didn't see the outcome.
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