Tailgaiters (aggressive drivers behind) - any advise please

[Astraist]

I work a lot on separation distances between cars and I have come to realize that if the following distance isn't within the two seconds space or greater, than you might as well ride bumper to bumper so there is less speed difference at impact.

What I mean by this is that maintaining a proper separation distance from the car in front isn't all that obvious from pure "feel". Every now and than, one needs to count seconds or be aided by chevrons or electronics, and in all driving conditions.

What this means for the car behind is that it doesn't have to by right on one's tail in order to be tailgating. Since it's even more difficult to gauge the margin from behind, I work on the basis of gently increasing the margin to just three seconds (not doubling it to four) whenever there is so much as a suspicion that the car behind is following too closely, and do the same with speed in order to be able to actually stop safely within the distance seen to be clear.

Assuming that the driver behind isn't right on our tail anyway, that extra one second combined with their's few tenths of a second should be enough for safety, but not require such deceleration that might upset the following driver into overtaking into the added space in an unexpected and perilous manner. Only if the situation of tailgating endures would I increase the margin further.

[devonutopia]

I admit whilst I would never follow that close (2 seconds at least etc) I would maintain a more right side of the lane position to open up the view - On the other foot, you could see how the driver in front may consider this to be threatening to them, even if to me, I am increasing my own safety.

Advice above doesn't need adding to, so I won't. I just felt what we may consider to be increasing observation, can be seen in a negative way by other road users.

[akirk]

that is true, but if I had you behind me doing that, I would realise why and give you space - as I do for motorcyclists etc...
it is another argument for training drivers further

Alasdair

[WhoseGeneration]

it is another argument for training drivers further

Alasdair

It is but little hope of that.
Car licences should be much more akin to flying licences, in terms of availability and checking.
One could argue that car licences should be harder to obtain and keep, in that flying is much more regulated.

[jaf01uk]

As others have said you need to accommodate the driver behind by increasing your gap etc, not sure about roads down your way but a lot of them up here have about a foot of fine gravel at the edges and you would be amazed how quickly tailgaters drop back when you "stray" into the detritus showering them with fine stones - joking obviously...

[TripleS]

Tailgaters? Don't bother about them. Keep your own house in order, and keep an eye on them of course - as you would do with any following vehicle - but don't try to accommodate their stupid driving. Just drive your own car in a safe and systematic manner, and let the tailgating idiots sort themselves out. The biggest danger with tailgaters is that they distract you from driving safely yourself. Be wary of that, and they needn't be a problem.

....and I don't agree with those who say we should pull over and stop for a few minutes, and let the tailgater past - and I've had that advice from an HPC member! Why should I sacrifice my own progress just to give an easier time to an idiot if I can cope with his idiocy by other means?

I guess my problem, or at least one of them is that I've been driving for rather a long time and I don't feel too concerned about the all the crap that's around me. It just the way things are these days, increasingly, apparently. I blame the government and its stupid policies with regard to the use of motor vehicles. They've let too much of the riff-raff loose with 'em.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[akirk]

....and I don't agree with those who say we should pull over and stop for a few minutes, and let the tailgater past - and I've had that advice from an HPC member! Why should I sacrifice my own progress just to give an easier time to an idiot if I can cope with his idiocy by other means?

Because... Sometimes it is better to let them be in front where you can choose not to drive into the mess they make, rather than behind where they can bring their mess into you....

It was my IAM observer 19 years ago who said... "Be aware of what is behind, you can't prevent it joining you, the scene in front... you are in charge of choosing whether to join it..."

Alasdair

[Black Cat]

....and I don't agree with those who say we should pull over and stop for a few minutes, and let the tailgater past - and I've had that advice from an HPC member! Why should I sacrifice my own progress just to give an easier time to an idiot if I can cope with his idiocy by other means?

Because... Sometimes it is better to let them be in front where you can choose not to drive into the mess they make, rather than behind where they can bring their mess into you....

It was my IAM observer 19 years ago who said... "Be aware of what is behind, you can't prevent it joining you, the scene in front... you are in charge of choosing whether to join it..."

Alasdair

Well I can think of a trick or two to stop them joining me. My favourite is to use a roundabout to put another car between me and them. Did it yesterday when some Volvo (of all cars) decided it liked the look of my rear end and needed to have a really close look. Carefully slowed a little bit more than I needed approaching a roundabout so I could slip on ahead of another car heading my way, leaving my Swedish-loving admirer to check out the rear of our new colleague (who seemed to like a decent gap).

[TripleS]

....and I don't agree with those who say we should pull over and stop for a few minutes, and let the tailgater past - and I've had that advice from an HPC member! Why should I sacrifice my own progress just to give an easier time to an idiot if I can cope with his idiocy by other means?

Because... Sometimes it is better to let them be in front where you can choose not to drive into the mess they make, rather than behind where they can bring their mess into you....

It was my IAM observer 19 years ago who said... "Be aware of what is behind, you can't prevent it joining you, the scene in front... you are in charge of choosing whether to join it..."

Alasdair

Yes, that's all fine; if we can easily arrange for the tailgater to overtake us without us pulling over and stopping for a few minutes, that's the logical thing to do, but I don't think it should be necessary to do any more than that. Would any of the real experts here - e.g. vonhosen, Reg Local, Playtent etc., and a few others actually pull over and stop in order to get rid of a tiresome tailgater? That seems a rather extreme and unnecessary measure to take, though it might be the choice of those lacking experience and confidence; but I wouldn't expect established and fully competent drivers to be making that choice.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[TripleS]

....and I don't agree with those who say we should pull over and stop for a few minutes, and let the tailgater past - and I've had that advice from an HPC member! Why should I sacrifice my own progress just to give an easier time to an idiot if I can cope with his idiocy by other means?

Because... Sometimes it is better to let them be in front where you can choose not to drive into the mess they make, rather than behind where they can bring their mess into you....

It was my IAM observer 19 years ago who said... "Be aware of what is behind, you can't prevent it joining you, the scene in front... you are in charge of choosing whether to join it..."

Alasdair

Well I can think of a trick or two to stop them joining me. My favourite is to use a roundabout to put another car between me and them. Did it yesterday when some Volvo (of all cars) decided it liked the look of my rear end and needed to have a really close look. Carefully slowed a little bit more than I needed approaching a roundabout so I could slip on ahead of another car heading my way, leaving my Swedish-loving admirer to check out the rear of our new colleague (who seemed to like a decent gap).

Yes, that can be a useful ploy - as can carefully timing our exit from a minor road into a major road.