Tailgaters?

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meow
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#1785703 22-May-2017 00:48

Having been on the receiving end of being rear-ended by a truck since I had to stop suddenly (due to the truck tailgating me on the motorway just before the terrace tunnel) I've learned to be quite conscious with who is behind me. The truck who rear-ended me wrote off my car along with 3 cars in front of me so you could imagine the type of impact it was. Still though, walked away from it without any injuries however the driver of the truck was a complete idiot.

Now, if I have space to go I'd give them a way to pass but I have been known to be a little evil and let them pass me right before a speed camera if there was no reason for them to be tailgating me (karma).

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jarledb

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#1785708 22-May-2017 01:54

1eStar: @Linuxluver if you are seriously being tailgated *all* the time at 110kmh, I would check your Speedo accuracy. Nissan vehicles have a habit of being quite a bit out. It helps when selling a vehicle to have it calibrated that way: wow this vehicle is quiet at 100 (ERM actually 90) etc.

From memory the Leaf I had was about 10 KM off, like you say.

Still, no need or reason to tailgate anyone. Keep the right distance and wait for a good place to pass.

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scuwp

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#1785729 22-May-2017 07:41

jarledb:
1eStar: @Linuxluver if you are seriously being tailgated *all* the time at 110kmh, I would check your Speedo accuracy. Nissan vehicles have a habit of being quite a bit out. It helps when selling a vehicle to have it calibrated that way: wow this vehicle is quiet at 100 (ERM actually 90) etc.

From memory the Leaf I had was about 10 KM off, like you say.

Still, no need or reason to tailgate anyone. Keep the right distance and wait for a good place to pass.

EU standard is +8km/h I believe. It allows for some variation in tyre pressure and a small tolerance for the driver to ensure compliance with speed limits. Most modern cars I have driven are around 5-8 km/h out. Although some are bang on so need to check against a GPS on a nice flat road.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

frankv

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#1785739 22-May-2017 08:07

Let 'em go... you don't want to be involved in their accident.

tehgerbil

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#1785744 22-May-2017 08:26

Honestly, every single time I get behind the wheel Irealize there's less than a few brain cells, a thin white line and the limited will of self preservation stopping a complete stranger from driving into me at great force. With that in mind it's only natural to get defensive and wary of aggressive drivers.

Factor in people on their phone, angry drivers, speeding drivers, drunk drivers, high drivers, impatient drivers and it's little wonder our road toll isn't higher than it is.

Op - I personally have chosen to arm myself against these people by having a front and rear dash cam, my personal form of justice is (yes, I am one of those those people) posting online to one of NZ's dashcam Facebook pages.

Here's a classic video from the 16th March this year - https://youtu.be/HebsnJVKv7o

Tell me how I could have avoided this?

I was going the speed limit the entire time, but this douche nut clearly felt like the road rules didn't apply to him. This is why I have a front and rear facing camera.

cruxis

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#1785756 22-May-2017 09:05

Brake check them hard, especially the pricks in 4WD when they panic swerve the vehicles can lose control. I had a couple of 4WDs go off the road behind me.

vexxxboy

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#1785760 22-May-2017 09:12

cruxis:

Brake check them hard, especially the pricks in 4WD when they panic swerve the vehicles can lose control. I had a couple of 4WDs go off the road behind me.

Are you serious , you would rather kill someone instead of just pulling over and letting them go . you are just as bad as the tailgater.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

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surfisup1000

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#1785762 22-May-2017 09:14

cruxis:

Brake check them hard, especially the pricks in 4WD when they panic swerve the vehicles can lose control. I had a couple of 4WDs go off the road behind me.

Wow!!!! Did they people you caused to crash survive?

gehenna

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#1785765 22-May-2017 09:23

cruxis:

Brake check them hard, especially the pricks in 4WD when they panic swerve the vehicles can lose control. I had a couple of 4WDs go off the road behind me.

Yeah, so that's the worst possible advice.

dafman

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#1785768 22-May-2017 09:25

gehenna:

The right lane isn't a "fast lane". It's just another lane, usually for passing but in the case of motorways I use it a lot just to spread out the congestion. I've been tailgated in either lane, and usually when there is a lot of congestion so I can only question the intelligence of the tailgater - I mean if I move out of the way you're just going to immediately meet the arse end of the car in front of me?!

The NZ Transport Agency specifically advises that when driving on a motorway keep left, unless you are passing.

Drivers using the right lane "just to spread out the congestion" are the bane of other motorway drivers.

Linuxluver

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#1785817 22-May-2017 10:33

gehenna:

Wiggum:

driving in the right hand lane and not letting the faster traffic get past.

The right lane isn't a "fast lane". It's just another lane, usually for passing but in the case of motorways I use it a lot just to spread out the congestion. I've been tailgated in either lane, and usually when there is a lot of congestion so I can only question the intelligence of the tailgater - I mean if I move out of the way you're just going to immediately meet the arse end of the car in front of me?!

This is a daily struggle, I drive Hutt Road and Petone Esplanade to work and home each day. The number of numpty's on the road is phenomenal. Usually driving a company branded vehicle too. .

True.

On an urban motorway, the right lane is an express / through lane and the left lane is the on / off "collector" lane where people are staging entry and exit from the motorway. On major urban motorways overseas then often have entirely separate, parallel "collector" motorways intended to keep 'local' traffic off the express lanes. Toronto has these......about 12 - 16 lanes in all.....with 4-6 in the Express route and 3-4 lanes either side as "Collectors".

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Linuxluver

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#1785842 22-May-2017 10:38

timmmay:

New Zealand drivers are generally impatient, selfish, and stupid. I'm not excluding myself here.

The tailgating thing puzzles me as the best way to pass is to have some distance in front of you and then accelerate.....and make the go / no-go decision just before you pull out. You'll be past the other vehicle in 2-4 seconds (even a truck)......but over and over I see people sitting right up the arse of the car in front....pull out....THEN accelerate. This can take 10-20 seconds to get past the vehicle in front, especially if it's a truck. So dumb it hurts.

Even if they don't pass......how does tailgating get you anywhere any faster?

In my own case, I don't use my brakes much, so I'm trying to protect the guys behind me who are relying on the flicker of a brake light for their speed cues. Ain't gonna get the cue behind me.

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MikeAqua

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#1785846 22-May-2017 10:40

If you are driving at the limit and pulling over then I don't see what more you can do?

Some people tailgate without any intention of passing. Perhaps they are inattentive or a poor judge of safe following distance?

Mike

Linuxluver

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#1785847 22-May-2017 10:41

vexxxboy:

seriously , both parties are just as bad as each other . If you dont like been tailgated then pull over and let them pass , then everyone is happy. what is the point of blocking the driver, it just pisses him off more and he may do something stupid involving you or another innocent driver.Tailgaters are a pain but so are drivers that dont pull over and let them carry on there lives .

The demarcation line for your argument is the speed limit.

Few people feel the need to let a speeder bully his way through traffic.

The speeder needs to learn to drive properly.....and stop blaming others.

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mclean

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#1785855 22-May-2017 10:54

Lighting up the brake lights with the left foot (without slowing down) sometimes does the trick.

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