Bloody tailgaters...

[Jaggerdagger]

Picture the scenario:

Single carriage stretch of road, 30 minutes drive in total from one town to the next. It's a well used commuting route with a mixture of national and 40/50mph limits. Constant stream of traffic in front of me, all going at a reasonable speed.

Suddenly! A wild prick in an Alfa Romeo decides to sit so close behind me that I can't see his bumper. Even if he overtook me, there was so much traffic in front that there was nowhere to bloody go anyway. I kept a safe distance between myself and the car in front, yet because of this, it seemed to piss the tailgater off even more!?

I went into defence mode and sprayed my back window washer as a warning 😂⚠️ I felt like an angry skunk. It worked for a bit but he was sitting on my bum again within 2 minutes.

I know I'm not being unreasonable here, but I came to discuss why the fuck people do this?! I'm interested in the psychology behind it. Maybe I'm thinking too much in to it and they're all mindless pricks, but thought I'd give them the benefit of the doubt....

Is it because I drive a Honda Jazz? Am I deemed automatically slow and overtake-able?

Mindless pricks is correct. YABU to think it’s anything else.

the 2 (4 in wet) second rule should be on the driving test and an instant fail if you break it.

Maybe, but I used to have an Alfa and didn’t drive like that, so please don’t assume it’s that, either!

@Bingbangbongbash Oh sorry, I wasn't presuming, I was just setting the scene! Haha.

I have a front and rear view dashcam now, having had so many bad experiences with aggressive drivers. ( Always male IME).
At least if they cause an incident you have footage.
It is very scary though.

I’ve always wanted to know this! What don’t they understand about speed limits? Why do they think I’m driving the speed I am- it’s the law!! I’ve always wanted a tailgater to explain why they are so cross with me!

Exactly this!

I had someone honk me angrily a couple of days ago because I stopped to let a fire engine across a junction. A fair proportion of drivers - like a fair proportion of the population in general - believe the entire world and everyone in it should only exist for their convenience.

Angry skunk

Tailgaters in a steady traffic flow are infuriating. If a cat runs out in front of a car two cars in front and you all need to break harshly they could easily cause a 4 car pile up, and they're not getting anywhere any faster!

That is annoying but what is just as annoying is people driving 30-40 in a 60 drives me mad if the person an the front just drove at the speed limit wouldn’t be holding everyone up.

The bit that always makes me laugh is whenever the road splits into two lanes, the tailgaters like to pull away past you really aggressively.... And then get stuck behind another person anyway!

I am sure it is sexually inadequate men. If you have a dash cam record the car once it overtakes and report to the police.

Really dislike tailgaters, though I doubt cleaning your rear window will make any difference. I find breaking sharply usually does the trick. Seems to piss them off even more but at least they hang back a bit afterwards. I do drive a big car though, probs wouldn't use this tactic in a Jazz. Have you tried driving really slowly to make a point?

Really dislike tailgaters, though I doubt cleaning your rear window will make any difference. I find breaking sharply usually does the trick. Seems to piss them off even more but at least they hang back a bit afterwards. I do drive a big car though, probs wouldn't use this tactic in a Jazz. Have you tried driving really slowly to make a point?

I agree with this.. Unless it's a particularly windy road. Or if it's a farm vehicle in front!

It's so annoying!!! I drive two cars more normally driven by men, when I drive them people are always up my bum, when my DH does - people stay clear!! We both drive to the speed limits, I think it's always just stupid men 😂

Exactly this, they usually don't get any further so why risk an accident and get so angry.

I nearly bought a bumper sticker that said 'the closer you get, the slower I go'. When people do this to me I just slow down.

60 is the maximum speed limit for that road, it's not an instruction to drive at that speed.
It's annoying that some people don't understand that.

It's also not the speed limit for trucks and vans... They're limited to 50 on single carriageways.

There's nothing to report if he doesn't overtake dangerously

In the days before dash-cam, sadly, DH and I were tailgated by a mindless prick in a very sporty Jag. It was a twisty country road and we were behind a cattle truck.

Of course Mr Tinycock just had to overtake, and squeezed into the space between us and the cattle truck.

With the most perfect comedy timing, a big stinky waterfall of cow piss came flying out of the back of the truck and sprayed all over his car. We could smell it from inside our car! The sight of his windscreen washers and wipers going like the clappers trying to clear it is a sight that'll stay with me for a long time. Beautiful. 🐄 🐄

Love your op. I wish I had a rear window spray 🤣.

I had one the other day, empty road and she tore right up to my arse putting me and my daughter at risk.
Why so they do it they won't go any faster.
I think it needs to be pushed more in driving lessons because it's ways young people.

Time is money for a drug dealer!

Nah I've had women do this too regularly but they usually take the hint quicker to fuck off than men do.

I'll slow down first a bit and glare at them in the rearview mirror. If they don't take the hint I'll slow down more. Once they back off I go back to the speed limit. Sometimes they are stupid and require me to do this a few more times before they understand. Some people are just very simple unfortunately. They really shouldn't be in cars when they are this slow, but sadly tests used to not be good enough so many slipped through the cracks.