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-   -   Tailgating!!! What is the point? (https://britishexpats.com/forum/barbie-92/tailgating-what-point-586639/)

Wendy Jan 23rd 2009 11:24 pm

Re: Tailgating!!! What is the point?
 
I so want to wire something up to my brake lights so that I can get them to come on even if I don't brake....:D

Sometimes I just slam all on, that wakes the buggers up :rofl:

ozzieeagle Jan 23rd 2009 11:27 pm

Re: Tailgating!!! What is the point?
 

Originally Posted by Wendy (Post 7207710)
I so want to wire something up to my brake lights so that I can get them to come on even if I don't brake....:D

Sometimes I just slam all on, that wakes the buggers up :rofl:

You've only got to touch the Brake pedal, same thing really.

Best thing is pull on the handbrake, not too quick of course.... no lights just brakes.... now that does cause problems.

I never get a problem with this these days though, so I'm not Bovvered ;)

Wendy Jan 23rd 2009 11:30 pm

Re: Tailgating!!! What is the point?
 

Originally Posted by ozzieeagle (Post 7207723)
You've only got to touch the Brake pedal, same thing really.

Best thing is pull on the handbrake, not too quick of course.... no lights just brakes.... now that does cause problems.

I never get a problem with this these days though, so I'm not Bovvered ;)


Yeah, I do that now. Doesn't seem to bother half of them :confused: well not the first time anyway, after the second and third they do tend to give you some room :D

My favorite thing is slowing right down to about 20k less than the limit :sneaky:

ozzieeagle Jan 24th 2009 12:00 am

Re: Tailgating!!! What is the point?
 

Originally Posted by Wendy (Post 7207728)
Yeah, I do that now. Doesn't seem to bother half of them :confused: well not the first time anyway, after the second and third they do tend to give you some room :D

My favorite thing is slowing right down to about 20k less than the limit :sneaky:

Does that count as one of the 19 pct Wendy ? :p

SurferBoy Jan 24th 2009 12:39 am

Re: Tailgating!!! What is the point?
 

Originally Posted by Wol (Post 7207289)
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%................

love it! good stuff

Wol Jan 24th 2009 7:59 am

Re: Tailgating!!! What is the point?
 

Originally Posted by MartinLuther (Post 7207591)
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.

:D

I like it!

jad n rich Jan 24th 2009 8:04 am

Re: Tailgating!!! What is the point?
 

Originally Posted by mil (Post 7207253)
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.

I love teh school run:curse: your in a 50 or 60 zone, police stick speed cams there and every day some wanker will be on your tail trying to get you to go faster, then they overtake at some dangerous speed dodging kids on pushbikes only to catch up with them at the next set of traffic ligjhts. I comment daily on the moronic drivers. Was the same in brisbane, melbourne, gold coast....

emelems Jan 24th 2009 9:42 am

Re: Tailgating!!! What is the point?
 

Originally Posted by mil (Post 7207253)
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.

I have been on this forum ranting about the Sunshine Motorway before too.. I think it is seriously one of the most dangerous places to drive around here.. people are mad, seriously mad.. tailgating aside, the ridiculous places that they overtake are pure insanity!

They just are not used to sharing the road with anyone else.. and they don't give a flying crap about anyone elses lives... they leave everything to the last second and they allow no margin for errors, either of their own or other peoples... I seriously hate driving on that road and I will not drive it at night ..

Of course I am generalising on a massive scale here...

Em x

Wendy Jan 24th 2009 11:21 am

Re: Tailgating!!! What is the point?
 

Originally Posted by ozzieeagle (Post 7207810)
Does that count as one of the 19 pct Wendy ? :p


What can I say...I'm a P Plater! :rofl:

Cheetah7 Jan 24th 2009 11:28 am

Re: Tailgating!!! What is the point?
 
I passed my test donkeys years ago and just discovered I hate driving.

Anyway, I had a refresher lesson in Perth not so long ago and my instructor said the UK sets the highest driving standards for its test in the world and in his opinion, Australia is the worst.

He has taught driving in his own country - Egypt and he said he is continutally shocked and appalled at how people think it is acceptable to tailgate, speed in built up areas not giving a shit if they hit someone or cause an accident, and most of all - drink/drive.

Last week I saw some twit driving along my street in a Ute with a bottle of beer in one hand.

Seriously, I have seen gypsies drive better than some of the people in Perth.

I had people tailgate me on my driving lesson and it really got on my nerves to the point I actually felt I wanted to stop the car.

'Oh I can control a car if I drive fast' or 'I can drink and drive and Im in control' or 'I can just drive like a complete and utter knob head and its fine'.

Perth drivers - it isnt fine, it makes you look even more stupid than you already do.

Passing your driving test in Perth is no biggy, nothing to be proud of - it is how you decide to drive afterwards that makes you what you are in the drivers seat.

MartinLuther Jan 24th 2009 11:35 am

Re: Tailgating!!! What is the point?
 

Originally Posted by Professional Princess (Post 7209619)
I passed my test donkeys years ago and just discovered I hate driving.

Anyway, I had a refresher lesson in Perth not so long ago and my instructor said the UK sets the highest driving standards for its test in the world and in his opinion, Australia is the worst.

He has taught driving in his own country - Egypt and he said he is continutally shocked and appalled at how people think it is acceptable to tailgate, speed in built up areas not giving a shit if they hit someone or cause an accident, and most of all - drink/drive.

Last week I saw some twit driving along my street in a Ute with a bottle of beer in one hand.

Seriously, I have seen gypsies drive better than some of the people in Perth.

I had people tailgate me on my driving lesson and it really got on my nerves to the point I actually felt I wanted to stop the car.

'Oh I can control a car if I drive fast' or 'I can drink and drive and Im in control' or 'I can just drive like a complete and utter knob head and its fine'.

Perth drivers - it isnt fine, it makes you look even more stupid than you already do.

Passing your driving test in Perth is no biggy, nothing to be proud of - it is how you decide to drive afterwards that makes you what you are in the drivers seat.

They're very good drivers in Egypt. I like the way they complement each other's driving by blowing the horn all the time :blink: :lol:

Cheetah7 Jan 24th 2009 11:41 am

Re: Tailgating!!! What is the point?
 

Originally Posted by MartinLuther (Post 7209641)
They're very good drivers in Egypt. I like the way they complement each other's driving by blowing the horn all the time :blink: :lol:

I've never been to Egypt but I have been to Tunisia and they were bad, but Perth is another thing entirely.:lol:

Merseygirl Jan 24th 2009 11:45 am

Re: Tailgating!!! What is the point?
 
Australians (particularly male) appear to undergo a complete character transplant once they get behind the wheel of a car. Gone is the easy going, larrikin- enter the reckless bully boy!
I hate tailgating - it's intimidating and downright dangerous. As a result, I rarely ever drive in Australia, I just don't feel that safe around other drivers. I had more confidence on the busy roads of the UK, I felt I could trust the ability of other drivers there.
Of course there are bad drivers in every country but for a country with a small population like OZ....makes you wonder where it comes from???:frown:

Geelong Gent Jan 24th 2009 12:00 pm

Re: Tailgating!!! What is the point?
 

Originally Posted by fionamw (Post 7207296)
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!

Oh but I prefer the stamp on good old toyota power assisted brakes and watch the Commodore/Ford driver behind suddenly loose both
  • bowel movments and
  • that illusion that there street car is the same performance vehicle on bathurst.

"Officer I think it was a cat running across the road":sneaky:

cresta57 Jan 24th 2009 12:06 pm

Re: Tailgating!!! What is the point?
 
I honestly felt safer on the U.K roads than I do here in this particular part of Australia.

The two places are comparable, I lived in Lincolnshire U.K., the A180/M180 was a notorious road for fatalities. A boring long drive to nowhere on a noisy concrete surface was attributed to lulling drivers to sleep.
Here I live close to the most notorious stretch of road in Australia. The Bruce highway Cooroy to Curra section has been long established as a fatality blackspot. The speed limit has just been dropped from 100kph to 90kph for that entire stretch. It allegedly accounts for the majority of road deaths in S.E Qld.
Speeding accounts for the majority of deaths here closely followed by dangerous driving & tired drivers.
We've had our local paper full of stats on deaths for a while & Australian roads are more dangerous than their U.K counterparts.
The only stats I could find [sorry Eric I'm doing your job;)] are from 2007 when there were officially 1616 deaths on Australian roads [source] Same year the U.K figures dropped to below 3000 [source] Per capita Australia is a far more dangerous place to drive.


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