Deal with tailgating drivers on NZ roads.

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John2010

532 posts

Ultimate Geek

#691254 25-Sep-2012 17:09

DoggNZ: I don't really understand the "Let them pass" thing with regard to tailgaters. If you're driving at the speed limit and someone is tailgating, it's their problem....

The NZ Road Code says:

"Create a cushion of safety behind you by maintaining a safe distance between you and any following vehicles. If a vehicle is following you too closely, slow down, move over and let it pass as soon as you can do so safely."

Nothing in the Code that says you do not have to do this if you consider the other vehicle to be speeding. You are part of the problem.

Besides, have you calibrated your speedo?

kingjj: Us Kiwi's are very self focused and don't like the thought of someone doing something which we don't approve of, hence the reason we are so dis-courteous on the road! The guy going slower than me on the road is a 'bloody moron' and the guy going faster than me is a 'reckless idiot who's going to kill someone", I'm the only safe and courteous driver out there

+1, and with respect to driving it seems quite a few geekzoners fit into that category

clevedon

1059 posts

Uber Geek

#691255 25-Sep-2012 17:11

DonGould: I do have to agree with any suggestion that it seems like a very childish thing to do and not to mention very unsafe and inconsiderate of the driver behind and anyone who might be following him and get equal fright when the breaks come on suddenly for no apparent reason.

Sorry, but it is brakes - not breaks (you did it in your first post as well)

Batman

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#691305 25-Sep-2012 19:21

DonGould:
joker97: can i suggest to the OP do not try this ... if you do it wrong (wrong steer, wrong speed, wrong amount of handbrake, wrong weather, wrong car ...) you will spin, or worse, roll your car!

Should I ask how you know this? ;)

from the unauthorised manual of drifting aka PS3

DonGould

3892 posts

Uber Geek

#691313 25-Sep-2012 19:35

joker97:
DonGould:
joker97: can i suggest to the OP do not try this ... if you do it wrong (wrong steer, wrong speed, wrong amount of handbrake, wrong weather, wrong car ...) you will spin, or worse, roll your car!

Should I ask how you know this? ;)

from the unauthorised manual of drifting aka PS3

Up until your post, the best bit of advice I liked was the suggestion to a driver who failed their driving test 3 times before only just getting it, that doing 110km/h is ok.

...but backing up a bit of good advice with a reference to PS3... Yip, you win.

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Batman

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#691331 25-Sep-2012 20:03

haha don't you believe all of that :)
i don't use a PS3 :)

but what i'm trying to get at is - pulling the "e-brake" is the best way to break rear traction and induce oversteer ... if done in a million dollar car it's called rallying ... if done in the face of boozed up fans is called drifting ... if done badly wrong will kill someone ...

but ... now that i've said it ...

DravidDavid

1907 posts

Uber Geek

#691334 25-Sep-2012 20:15

Tailgating is annoying. If I get one behind me, I slam on the accelerator. If they don't get it the first time, they get what I'm trying to tell them on the second or third.

On special occasions though, I do tend to slow down if someone is dangerously tailgating me. Sometimes you can almost feel them getting mad.

EDIT: 500 posts!

MurrayM

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#691348 25-Sep-2012 20:57

richms: The other thing that might be happening is that the OP is interpreting an ok but not great following distance as tailgating because they have poor rear visibility out of their car.

I hardly ever see actual tailgating on the roads here, just like you never see actual cutting off of people despite what some people will tell you.

I agree. Just because a car is traveling behind you doesn't mean it's tailgating. If there's a bunch of cars but everyone is following the speed limit then there's no problem! Some people just think they should be the only car on the road and hate traveling behind someone else.

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DonGould

3892 posts

Uber Geek

#691359 25-Sep-2012 21:14

joker97: haha don't you believe all of that :)
i don't use a PS3 :)

but what i'm trying to get at is - pulling the "e-brake" is the best way to break rear traction and induce oversteer ... if done in a million dollar car it's called rallying ... if done in the face of boozed up fans is called drifting ... if done badly wrong will kill someone ...

but ... now that i've said it ...

Oh I got what you were trying to get at, and it was very good advice backed up with some very sound logic in my view.

It was just your reference that just made me laugh.

I really couldn't agree more that some of the suggestions and comments made by some posters just make me scared to think I might be on a road with some of these guys.

Personally I look forward to when in car computing becomes a legal requirement, that monitors driver performance and addresses some of these issues.

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tumnasgt

83 posts

Master Geek

#691451 26-Sep-2012 00:08

richms: The other thing that might be happening is that the OP is interpreting an ok but not great following distance as tailgating because they have poor rear visibility out of their car.

I hardly ever see actual tailgating on the roads here, just like you never see actual cutting off of people despite what some people will tell you.

The law states (see below) that at 100km/h, you must be no less than 36m behind the vehicle in front, which equates to about 1.3 seconds. I frequently see cars much closer together than this, which while it may not be tailgating to the point that taking your foot off the accelerator will cause them to hit you, it is still illegally close.

Personally if someone is tailgating me on a single laned highway, when the road ahead is clear I will indicate left and slow down and move as far left as is safe as if I am pulling over. This has always worked for me.
On highways with multiple lanes if I am in the left lane and someone is tailgating me, I will coast with the clutch disengaged to encourage the car behind to go around by going slower without making them have to brake.

References:
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2004/0427/latest/whole.html#DLM303092

Klipspringer

2385 posts

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#691490 26-Sep-2012 07:55

joker97:
guyz: i hate tail gaters also-- best way i have dealt with them is ... i pull the hand brake on...as no tail lights illuminate the following offender craps themselves , drops their mobile phone, spills there drink or burger and goes into evasive action trying not to rear end my 4x4..i quickly release the hand brake and accelerate... i no longer have problem with said tail gator as they have other things on their minds such as rather uncomfortable underpants that have suddenly filled with unpleasant substances

can i suggest to the OP do not try this ... if you do it wrong (wrong steer, wrong speed, wrong amount of handbrake, wrong weather, wrong car ...) you will spin, or worse, roll your car!

You sound like an aggressive driver and I think you are part of the bigger problem with NZ drivers in general. Road arrogance.

Because somebody else is breaking the law it does not give you the right to do the same ...In this case you worse than the tailgater. Pull over and let them pass

GBristow

178 posts

Master Geek

#691594 26-Sep-2012 11:21

If you're being tailgated, pull over and let them pass. No excuses. If you have a queue behind you, you're obviously doing something wrong. Pull over and let them all pass. The two most common problems with oblivious drivers saying things like "why are these aggressive drivers tailgating me??" are 1) slowing down FAR too much in the corners. The posted recommendations are for trucks in the wet. You can safely driver much faster around corners. 2) Dropping your speed when you aren't paying attention. Don't oscillate between 80-100 when you finally decide to check your speedo again. My experience with Auckland driving is that I will rarely be tailgated, but I endeavor to drive the speed limit.

Batman

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#691625 26-Sep-2012 12:18

BraaiGuy:
joker97:
guyz: i hate tail gaters also-- best way i have dealt with them is ... i pull the hand brake on...as no tail lights illuminate the following offender craps themselves , drops their mobile phone, spills there drink or burger and goes into evasive action trying not to rear end my 4x4..i quickly release the hand brake and accelerate... i no longer have problem with said tail gator as they have other things on their minds such as rather uncomfortable underpants that have suddenly filled with unpleasant substances

can i suggest to the OP do not try this ... if you do it wrong (wrong steer, wrong speed, wrong amount of handbrake, wrong weather, wrong car ...) you will spin, or worse, roll your car!

You sound like an aggressive driver and I think you are part of the bigger problem with NZ drivers in general. Road arrogance.

Because somebody else is breaking the law it does not give you the right to do the same ...In this case you worse than the tailgater. Pull over and let them pass

Huh? are you insulting me?

sleemanj

1490 posts

Uber Geek

#691639 26-Sep-2012 12:47

Sounds to me like the OP is slowing down to the recommended speeds at all corners, this is likely to infuriate drivers of cars behind, and lead to tailgating while waiting for a place to overtake.

The signs for corner speeds are recommendations, indeed, they are fairly poor-case recommendations.

Remember that vehicles have different cornering abilities, high center of gravity vehicles can't corner as fast as low center of gravity vehicles, heavy vehicles vs light vehicles, cars vs motorcycles, wet vs dry.... all different, so one can see clearly that the recommended cornering speed isn't a one-size-fits-all.

As the op gets more comfortable with their vehicle and their ability, they will soon start increasing their cornering speed to something that more experienced drivers would be accustomed to, the problem, should resolve itself.

---
James Sleeman
I sell lots of stuff for electronic enthusiasts...

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