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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Tailgating, arrrggghhhh!!

48 replies

Hermya321 · 18/08/2010 17:03

I hate it, it drives me up the wall.

All the way home I was stuck behind a car that was stuck behind a lorry and every two seconds she kept having to break because she was too fricking close to the lorry.

I mean seriously!! It's not rocket science, just pull back and give other drivers some fricking room and then you won't have to keep breaking!!!

It's just idiotic and you know what, if you crash into the back of the car in front it'll be the ones who was tailgating that will be up in court on a due care charge and paying massive amounts of extra money on their insurence.

Absolute idiots the lot of them.

OP posts:
Original poster
Hermya321 · 18/08/2010 17:03

sorry I meant the ones who 'were tailgating'.

OP posts:
scurryfunge · 18/08/2010 17:05

Yes, dangerous and antisocial.

Jamieandhismagictorch · 18/08/2010 17:35

I agree. Some people are in a permanent state of anxiety/aggression, and i think there are others who just have no clue about stopping distances. Twats

StealthPolarBear · 18/08/2010 17:36

tailgaters should be shot!

Heracles · 18/08/2010 17:53

Surely if you're having to keep braking you're also too close?

sloanypony · 18/08/2010 17:57

She didn't say she had to keep braking, just that the woman in front did. Its annoying when that happens, even if you dont have to brake yourself, its distracting and nerve-inducing...

BongoWinslow · 18/08/2010 18:02

I'm utterly sick of being tailgated every morning in the new 20mph zones by people who desperately want to do 30mph.

Happens. Every. Morning.

Though I have to say I do enjoy slowing down to 18mph or so when someone's really being an arse behind me. You can't be careful Grin

Heracles · 18/08/2010 18:03

Oh yeah, so she did. Apols. Just ignore 'em I'd suggest, they're not 'gating you and they'll get sore ankles.

I tend to get irked from the other side: people pootling along in the fast lane or on single lane roads 10 (or more) mph under the limit. No need to get stressed about it though, it's only driving.

Original poster
Hermya321 · 18/08/2010 18:20

Hera I know it's only driving, but I just don't think some people get how dangerous it is and how much of a pile up you can cause driving too close to the car in front. If they suddenly stop, you have next to no time to react. I just don't get why people don't give drivers in front of them a bit of space, how much faster are you going to get where you're going by being that close to the car in front.

OP posts:
Kaloki · 18/08/2010 18:34

Had some bloke on a motorbike tailgating me earlier. Till he overtook when there was oncoming traffic - on a corner. It's like he was going through a checklist on how not to drive!

mumdrivenmad · 18/08/2010 18:35

the best peice of driving advice I think I was ever given was "The only part of the road that you ever control, is the part that is in front of you."

Snobear4000 · 18/08/2010 21:15

Yes they are indeed proper idiots. Ever been to Portugal? Russia? It could be worse.

southeastastra · 18/08/2010 21:19

i was tailgated by a massive mercedes van on the motorway couldn't believe how close it was to me freaked me out - it then changed lanes and did it to someone else foreign number plate was bloody dangerous

musicmadness · 18/08/2010 22:05

I'm still learning at the moment so have someone tailgating me quite a bit. Must admit it made me laugh when someone who had been driving about 3 inches (ok, slight exaggeration but not too far off!) away from my bumper overtook me. I was doing the speed limit and he had no time to slow back down again after going round me before the always active speed camera Grin. Karma is a wonderful thing.

TonariNoTotoro · 18/08/2010 22:17

The best piece of driving advice I ever got (from my Dad, incredibly):

'Assume that everybody else on the road is a complete moron, and you'll be fine'

Kind of works.. if you assume that everybody else is going to do something stupid/pull out in front of you/brake suddenly with no fucking reason, you should be able to avoid shit.

Kaloki I think I had that twat biker on my arse the other day, pushed me over, then overtook someone else on the brow of a hill on double white lines FFS.

TonariNoTotoro · 18/08/2010 22:18

Someone on here once got all irate because a driver had flicker her the 'v's' because she was apparently tailgating. Her argument was 'But I was about 20 feet behind the car and we were only doing 50mph' (paraphrasing, but that's the jist)

LindyHemming · 18/08/2010 22:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

aendr · 18/08/2010 22:20

I had an aggressive tailgater when I was on a dual carriageway, doing 70, overtaking some slower lorries. Very close, flashing its brights at me so badly that if I miss timed glancing in my rear view, I got those blobs of light stuck in my eyes if you know what I mean. So when I could, I safely pulled in between the lorries. And the police car which had let me in pulled out behind the gater and turned on its blues and twos. I was SO chuffed I was grinning all the way home. Grin I still grin at the memory 2 years later.

I hate tailgaters too, and if it wasn't that it would be way too long to read and distracting for the already dangerous driver, I'd love some system to send them a message, such as "if I have to break in an emergency, can you guarantee you won't KILL me and my babies?" or (for one particularly idiotic courier I still grr at and whose company didn't give a ) "you are so close I can see the teeth marks in the sandwich you are eating and could lip read the conversation you are having on the mobile you are holding to your ear if I wasn't busy driving as safely as possible because you're terrifyingly dangerous". I went around the next roundabout an extra 360 degrees just to avoid that driver being behind me a second longer.

TonariNoTotoro · 18/08/2010 22:30

Taking the extra loop round a roundabout is an excellent way of ditching these fuckers. done it several times.

Kaloki · 18/08/2010 23:59

You weren't anywhere near St Albans were you tonari? Grin

hmc · 19/08/2010 00:19

'Assume that everybody else on the road is a complete moron, and you'll be fine'

That's exactly what I was told too - and it has stood me in good stead (not by your dad though Grin)

Kaloki · 19/08/2010 00:21

Seems to be a dad thing to say - mine however is a driving instructor!

TonariNoTotoro · 19/08/2010 01:13

hmc/kaloki - Mine is an 'advanced driver' and fuck does he ever shut up about it?

Tips have been useful though, thinking of the advanced course.. purely for smugness of course Wink

most useful since he did his advanced test was not to only look at the car in front of you, but 3-4 cars ahead at least. The car in front is an anomaly (apparently). Back off from that moron, read the road 15 cars ahead and you'll be able to time travel.

erm

MadameCheese · 19/08/2010 01:31

I sometimes like to put the car in a lower gear, brake, then accelerate. A bit irresponsible but I enjoy seeing the person behind having to slam on the anchors.

MummyWithA1Family · 19/08/2010 02:22

OMG This is my dream thread!! I truely thought I was the only one nowadays!!

I stick to the speed limit, max of 2-3mph above the limit ever and it drives other motorists round the bend (so to speak). I truely believe if you want 99% of cars to drive at a max speed of 40mph on a certain road then the speed limit needs to be 30mph as the majority of drivers speed and tailgate. I'm sick of having to put up with 'abusive driving' from others just because I obey the law!

What really upset me and got me ranting and raving recently was when I had a car tailing me so closely that I could only see the car from the windscreen wipers (no bonnet, lights, bumper etc) visible in my rear view mirror at 40mph! I was driving at 41-42mph and had my baby and dh in the back. As I approached some traffic lights they were turning to red. I had to make a split second decision whether to break and crash or 'floor it' through the lights. I chose to go through quickly as there were no cars going the other way, I know it was dangerous but even with time to reflect on my decision I believe it was the right one for all involved. Anyway what really upset me was the fact that I got caught by a speed/red light camera! On the photo it said I had passed a red light