mil

One of the first things I realised when I arrived in Australia was the horrendous amount of tailgating that goes on. Not just 'white van man' or 'sales rep' like in England, but people of any age or sex. Thought I had gotten used to it, and started to accept that that is just how people drive here but an episode the other day really aggravated me. I left work after my afternoon shift and was driving home on the Sunshine Motorway at about 10.15pm. I set off cruising along on the nice, quiet road doing the speed limit. All was well until some clown decided he would drive hanging off my bumper for the whole duration:curse:. What made it worse was the road was so quiet, he/she had ample opportunity to overtake, but insisted on tailgating instead. What is the point? If you want to go faster than the speed limit, just bloody overtake and leave the rest of us alone!! Is it any wonder why the death toll on the Sunshine Coast roads is so high. Rant over, feel better getting that off my chest.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Its slipstreaming... they think it says them fuel.

Sparky wife

Well, we don't live on the sunshine coast, but I hear you!!!! It's terrible- have spent many journeys being followed up the bum. It's dangerous to do and I am considerate- if I'm on a road in the hills and am not familiar with it, then I pull in when I get the opportunity.

:curse::curse::curse:

Funny story though- once when I was a kid, my dad was driving along a one way road, being tailgated by the car behind and all of a sudden stopped the car, and opened our car boot. The guy in the car behind (totally blocked) starts shouting- "what's going on"-my dad replies with- "oh I'm sorry, I thought you wanted to get in my boot!!!"



It wasn't funny at the time (when you are eight years old) and my mum had me quicksharp out of the car as there was looking to be a bit of a barny!

Wol

They:

1) Have unbelievably fast reactions and the most advanced brakes in the world

or

2) Have absolutely no concept of thinking time, momentum or tyre grip.

Choose 1 or 2.

However, the 75% of the drivers who tailgate are beaten by the 99% who don't have left-hand indicators, so indicate that they are continuing around the roundabout even though they are exiting. And just when you get used to them, and enter the roundabout in front of a car with the usual right indicator flashing you discover you've met the other 1%................

NedKelly

What pisses me of is when you are doing the max 110kph on the motorway and some dick brain comes up fast and tailgates you. Then when you pull over to let him pass at the earliest opportunity, expecting the dick brain to overtake and start speeding again, he just sits there forcing you to slow down when you reach the car in front that is doing 105 kph.

Dick Brains the lot of 'em.

fionamw

The technique my dad taught me has never failed yet.... don't brake at all, not sharply, not slowly... just take your foot off the gas, and allow the car to slow. If it doesn't get rid of them the first time, keep doing it. It's pretty safe for you and your passengers & they invariably get fed up & go past.

I guess the only downside would be if you got a road rage merchant - but if they're tailgating you I would think the chances are against that, they'd be past & gone!

iamthecreaturefromuranus

That might work in Malaga when its a Seat Panda behind you... here it will be some nutter in a V8 who probably wouldn't even notice you slowing and drive right over the top of you.

fionamw

except the Spanish don't actually understand the concept of leaving a space in front of you..... leave a gap any longer than a motorbike & a car will fill it!
(anyway I didn't mean here, I meant UK motorways, A roads & dual carriageways...)

Wol

Doesn't work here: the tailgaters will 90% of the time just slow down behind you - even coming to a complete halt if you do. Overtaking doesn't seem to be an option.

sj oldfield

I just slow right down, that usually does the trick!

MarkMC

in the UK I used to speed up, here I just slow down. I love having a tailgater behind me, then find a car/truck doing 80 or less up a big hill on the dual carriageway. I just slow down and sit next to the truck. Its great watching them get annoyed.

Also in the housing estates I pull up abruptly near the houses with a for sale sign and point. Tailgater are always too close to pull out and have to reverse.

The Bloke

I was told by a friend of mine that if you indicate on entering or exiting a roundabout (as per traffic laws), you'll confuse the other drivers....... go figure....... and most will enter just in front of vehicles on the roundabout. The police don't seem to care, as I have seen plenty of marked general duties cars not indicating themselves.

The Bloke

Me too, just brush the brake pedal to illuminate the lights - seems to give them a hint.

MartinLuther

The driver behind needs to catch up with you otherwise they won't know what the speed limit is. They can't overtake as they wouldn't know what the speed limit is any more*.


* Note: this is why people overtake on dual carriageways and then slow down to a speed slower than what you were doing when they overtook you. They've lost their point of reference.

MarkMC

Sounds about right.