Warning for tailgating - just curious

[Jimdandy]

I’ve been sent the attached - completely accept it and it’s worked, I’ll change my ways (I honestly don’t normally do it, but get frustrated as there's a lot of lane 2, 3 and 4 hoggers, but I still see why I shouldn’t and won’t again)

But I’m just really curious how they detect it from the cameras? Just interested in the technology and how it works.

Anyone know? I drove this route everyday so on my best behaviour now.

I believe the reverse is also true, ie middle lane hoggers are receiving letters too. Both types of driving are dangerous and unnecessary. I was once on the M1 and witnessed the most diabolical displays of stubborn ignorance from both the hogger and the tailgater. Either of them could have easily switched lanes (motorway not busy) but they both continued honking, flashing and making finger gestures and causing a dangerous distraction. I hope they both got warnings.

Someone I know was in a multiple vehicle pile up because they had to stop suddenly and all the cars behind them were too close. Luckily they weren't badly injured, but fucking hell, it could have been so easily avoided if people had just maintained some distance. I don't get why you wouldn't? It's hardly a massive inconvenience to stay back a bit more.

@PrtScn

What part of "fitted back seat crate" dont you understand?

I didnt realise people put their dogs in the boot. I've owned dogs my whole life

We use a crate. A boot is the best place for a crate, surely?

@Jimdandy if it's a 60 section, set it to just over 60. Your Speedo is out. 59 people get tailgated 😂 just kidding but it provides a much less sardine like effect. I set mine to 64.

I'm going to take a guess and assume you drive an Audi or BMW?

I'm so glad they're cracking down on this. Its about time. It's bullying behaviour and you're making yourself look like a dick. I am not a slow driver by any means, I drive safely at the speed limit but often get judged by the big hard owners or Audi's or BMW's (usually men though) trying to intimidate me for my small Ford KA. If I dare take over a slow driver there will be someone fly up my arse and I've had enough of it.

I drive on junction 15 to 13 every day. Maybe we've crossed paths 😂

I drive an Audi (proper shit hot one) and don't drive agressively like this

[quote WhereverIGoddamnLike]@PrtScn

What part of "fitted back seat crate" dont you understand?[/quote]
You neglected to mention the crate until a later post.

@Chanandlerbong01

Maybe they can introduce them for the idiots who undertake, too

It sounds like you are in the wrong lane if people are undertaking you. Lane hogging slows a lot of people down unnecessarily.

Back to the main topic though, I’m glad something is being done about tailgating. Nothing annoys me more on the road than someone up my arse flashing lights when I’m stuck behind a car going miles under the speed limit and nowhere to move to.

Yeah, given we've had someone on this thread proudly stating that they undertake if the person in front doesn't 'comply immediately' by moving when they tailgate and flash them, and another poster explaining that exactly this behaviour actually makes it more difficult to change lanes because you're expecting the idiot behind to undertake fast with no notice, I'm not convinced that only 'lane hoggers' get undertaken.

If you have a fitted dog crate in the back seat where do your passengers sit or have you omitted that you drive a mini bus?

Noooo - stop telling people to not middle lane hog... I like my own personal driving lane (lane 1!)!!

I'm impressed about the letter though - good to see it's being clamped down on.

I hate tailgating, guess what if you’re dangerously close to my car I’m not going to speed up, if I can’t change lane I’m going to very slowly reduce my speed so if you do chose to drive in to my car injuries are likely to be less severe.

Letters are a good thing, anything that makes people think about their own driving and how they can improve is a positive. No one is a perfect driver, and we all need reminding that a vehicle is a deadly weapon.

@BubblyBarbara

Undertaking is not illegal, look at the Highway Code. If anyone is done for it, it’s because they get done for careless driving and driving in a way that other road users would not expect. If someone is sat in lane 3 by themselves, it is neither illegal, unexpected, or careless if people undertake in lane 1 for example.

Only allowed in specific circs - see excerpt from Highway Code below

This thread is 😂😂😂
All the perfect drivers and Highway Code experts
Those overtaking HGVs at 62mph perfectly legally
Those that would 'kill you' if you injured their dogs

🙄🙄🙄 MN at its finest

"I've undertaken someone before but not purposefully, is that still wrong? Car was doing about 60 - 65mph in the middle lane of the M4. Amazingly the inside lane was clear of lorries so I was there and slowly went past the car in the middle lane as I was doing and average of 70mph."

Yeah, that's classic undertaking

What if you had never actually been in the middle lane behind the slow car, so had not actually moved into the inside lane to pass them? And then you didn't move into the middle lane in front of them I.e. You had been driving along in the inside lane for a few miles, long before the middle lane slow car was in view, continued past them in the inside lane then carried on in the inside lane?

Are you supposed to slow down, move behind them in the middle lane and then wait to overtake in the outside lane? What if it is a two lane dual carriageway? Do you just slow down to travel more slowly than the middle lane person and keep at that speed until they decide to move to the inside lane either in front of or behind you?

How sad it must be for you ^ if you’ve never had the love of a dog/dogs to understand how precious they are that you would be angry and distressed enough to attack anyone that caused them harm by their reckless driving.

I do all I can to transport my dogs safely. If some idiot drives into the back of me and harms my dogs then they will incur my wrath.

Are you supposed to slow down, move behind them in the middle lane and then wait to overtake in the outside lane? What if it is a two lane dual carriageway? Do you just slow down to travel more slowly than the middle lane person and keep at that speed until they decide to move to the inside lane either in front of or behind you?

Yes, you are meant to do one of these two things.

When in that position I like to pull out behind them to the middle lane, then immediately to the outside lane then back across two lanes as quickly as possible back to the first lane to emphasise how unnecessary it is for them to be in the middle lane.

Doubt they ever notice but it gives me some small satisfaction.

It’s a good thing that the authorities are cracking down on tailgating. It’s stupid and dangerous. But so is lane hogging. Both are as bad as each other, and the idiots pootling at 62 mph in the outside lane should also be targeted.

I drive on the motorways a lot, or at least I did before the pandemic. I own a modern six-cylinder BMW which is designed to be driven safely on the autobahn at high speed. Which is why many British police forces use them. 70 feels slow in a car like mine, so it can be incredibly frustrating being stuck behind oblivious lane-hoggers who refuse to keep left.

Yes, you are meant to do one of these two things.

Wow, how odd.

@KatherineJaneway

Yes, you are meant to do one of these two things.

Wow, how odd.

Why is it odd? If you are travelling faster than someone you overtake. You can only overtake on the right so if someone is moving slower than you on your right you need to move even further right to overtake. Pretty straightforward really.

What if it is a two lane dual carriageway? Do you just slow down to travel more slowly than the middle lane person and keep at that speed until they decide to move to the inside lane either in front of or behind you

If it's a 2 lane dual carriageway and the person in the 'outside' lane is doing say 60 mph and there are NO cars that they are passing on the inside lane - in other words, there is no reason for them not to be on the inside lane, you don't tailgate them.

It is unusual to have cars do that on a dual carriageway.

But not unusual for cars to do that on a 3 lane motorway.

@Babdoc - if they didn’t comply immediately when I was on call for hospital emergencies, I simply overtook them on the inside. Such drivers are an utter menace.

Undertaking is bloody dangerous too.

Why is it odd? If you are travelling faster than someone you overtake. You can only overtake on the right so if someone is moving slower than you on your right you need to move even further right to overtake. Pretty straightforward really.

I don't find it odd, but I would be a bit concerned that I might have to wait for ages for a suitable gap in traffic in the outside lane, especially if they're all travelling rather faster than me stuck behind the middle lane car.

If it's a 2 lane dual carriageway and the person in the 'outside' lane is doing say 60 mph and there are NO cars that they are passing on the inside lane - in other words, there is no reason for them not to be on the inside lane, you don't tailgate them.

I wasn't meaning should you tailgate them, I meant should you slow down, move to the outside lane and drive at a sensible normal distance behind them until they move. Presumably at some point they might notice lots of cars in the lane behind them and hardly any in the inside lane and might realise they are in the wrong lane.