To slow down when tailgated

[HoneyIshrunktheBiscuit]

Nothing annoys me more than arseholes who tailgate. When I was a new driver I found it incredibly intimidating and now I refuse to be scared by these road bullies.

Just been tailgated, right up my bum, on the motorway in the left lane. Plenty of space to overtake but not the guy was right up there. So I slowed down to about 65 - I couldn't have gone much faster anyway as there was a car only a little in front doing just under 70. When I pulled off on tothe exit junction he was effing and jeffing and gesturing at me.

Now, you do know that the outside lane isn't "the fast lane"?

Tailgating on a motorway is stupid.

BUT
I DO sit quite close on the rural roads around me when I'm stuck behind someone doing 30-40mph on a national speed limit road.

The signs all say to allow over taking, but there are a lot of strange people who seem to think it's up to them to police the roads and keep everyone at 40mph.

But why not just overtake toolong ? And what if the driver in front stops sunddenly and you've left no distance? You are driving dangerously.

The only thing worse than tailgaters is country road drivers who go at 40mph and then speed up to 62mph the second there is a clear long straight.

That sort of behaviour creates tailgaters.

"The only thing worse than tailgaters is country road drivers who go at 40mph and then speed up to 62mph the second there is a clear long straight."

Errm, just a though, but if they are speeding up on a straigh that implies the resto of the road is windy. It's simply not safe to drive at 60 on most rural roads. It's a limit, not a target.

I've lived in the country the majority of my life - properly rural, not just down the road from the nearest town - and the standard of driving by some motorists on rural roads is shocking.

Not forcibly, some drivers are inexperienced and lack confidence and feel that they have to take every curve breaking down to 20 before proceeding, speeding back to the top speed limit and on and on like this for miles. Then they wonder why they are tailgated. That's because when you go from extreme speed to another, the car behind you who drives more seamlessly will catch up at each curve of the road.

"I DO sit quite close on the rural roads around me when I'm stuck behind someone doing 30-40mph on a national speed limit road."

Yes yes really super driving. Until the someone in front of you has to slow down for a tractor coming out of a junction or a line of bikes just around the corner. You 'sitting quite close' have to brake hard but I guess you are fine with that and don't mind YOUR tailgater ramming your back end.

I slow down with a tailgater behind me to give them the safe stopping distance they are too stupid to realise they need.

Oddish - I do not overtake unless it's safe to do so. The road flows nicely and I can assure you I am driving safely, but there are very few opportunities to overtake.
The driver that cannot manage the road as more than 40mph should pull in and let faster, more confident and competent drivers pass.

toolong it doesn't matter how safely you are driving the fact is that you are not leaving enough distance between yourself and the car in front to not go smashing into the back of it if they have to slam on the brakes.

I agree that they should pull in but as you can see from this thread it's unlikely to happen. You can only control your own driving.

I hate having someone close behind me, especially on winding country roads where you can't see very far ahead. So I usually slow down, indicate left and pull over as far as I can and give them a wave and a big smile.

There is no fast lane in the UK. Rule 264 of the Highway Code says that you should drive in the left hand lane unless overtaking.

@PearlyPinkNails

Don't bother, you're only giving them free screen wash

some drivers are inexperienced and lack confidence and feel that they have to take every curve breaking down to 20 before proceeding, speeding back to the top speed limit and on and on like this for miles. Then they wonder why they are tailgated. That's because when you go from extreme speed to another, the car behind you who drives more seamlessly will catch up at each curve of the road.

Err, I have to do this on a stretch of road I regularly drive. It is very winding and there is a lot of farming traffic. So you have to slow down where you can't see round the bend as you could have a tractor going 15 miles an hour just round the corner. My brake lights should tell you what I am doing and looking at the road should tell you why.

I slow down- it actually tells you to so in the Highway Code! 😊 It states you should slow down in the event of someone tailgating you to increase the distance between you and any car in front so that they can overtake if they want to. (Not going to lie, my compliance with this guidance is 50% wanting to comply and 50% mild passive aggression as I hate this behaviour. Not as much as people who use their phone whilst driving but it's up there in the top annoying driving habits!!)

It's the right thing to do. You're making the other driver slow down to a safe speed and also making it easier for them to overtake you.

What sort of car was it op?..

I always slow down. Right down.

I think the fact that our cars are large and that in an accident, most tailgaters would end up underneath us helps.

Not sure if it's true but anecdotal evidence / experience suggests that women in small BMWs are the worst.

A bright orange citeron thing....can you tell I know a lot about cars?

toolonglurking

You sound like a moron. Not only would you injure yourself (or worse) in an accident, you have less chance of overtaking. I have a nice quick car and by hanging back, you give yourself space to safely overtake someone driving at 1/2 or 2/3 of the NSL. You can pull out to see if the road is clear as well as build speed to get past them

I had this yesterday. Doing 30 in a 30. Right up my arse. I slowed down and indictated as was turning right into a small industrial estate so road was quite tight and he overtook me!!!!

It is the correct official advice I think. My driving instructor and driving books said to increase space between you and the car ahead in this situation.
There's one thing increasing the distance between you and the car in front in case you're rear-ended, but most of the posters who slow down are doing it to get revenge on the tailgaters. I bet many don't even have cars close in front of them when they slow down, so nothing to do with increasing the distance.

I must admit to slowly slowing down for peevish reasons - have got down to 15 mph before (it's a 50 mph road)
GreenFingers you seriously need to grow the fuck up. That's downright stupid and dangerous and I can't see a copper being at all impressed by that behaviour.

As lovely as it would be to just concentrate on what's in front of me, I was taught to check my mirrors including my rear view mirror regularly. A good driver should be aware of what's behind them not just what's in front.
Yes Honey and good drivers don't try and wind up the driver behind, as many of the tail-gaited here admit are their reasons for slowing down! Also, I suggested moving the rear view mirror to the posters who get anxious looking and seeing the tailgater. Rather they temporarily don't know exactly what's happening behind them than be so distracted they don't see something happening in front surely.

I especially like to be in the outside lane when they do this so that I can match my speed to the car (or preferably lorry) on the inside of me, so that I do the worlds longest and slowest overtake.
And another twat who needs to grow up and not act just as badly as the tailgaters.