How do you tell if someone is tailgating you?

[Matthew_T]

I have never been intimidated by someone behind me unless they have just attempted to pass me and failed, and as a punishment are tailgating me.
But today I had a bus behind me on a bridge, and I thought he was a bit too close when we were going down the other side of it. And the same happened with a much narrower bridge but with a car this time.

I dont really notice anyone tailgating me so should I be a bit more aware? or just ingore them and concentrate on what I am doing?

 

[Bman]

You should be checking over your shoulder enough to notice if someone is behind you, tailgating or not.

 

[Blue]

It pays to be aware of all other road users at all times, otherwise the bubble you exist in may be burst by someone who is going to inflict damage & pain.

 

[gaz]

Shadows, noises and shoulder checks let me know if someone is too close behind me.

 

[Blue]

Shadows, noises and shoulder checks let me know if someone is too close behind me.

That's a big part of my awareness strategy. I suppose that's the reason why I dislike the habit of listening to music while riding.

 

[Matthew_T]

I never listen to music whilst riding unless it is in the middle of the summer and I am going along the coastal shared use path. I never have earphones in whilst on the roads.

I am aware of people behind me but unless they are very close, I cannot judge how close they are supposed to be.
People where I live have a habbit of going very close behind when overtaking but the overtake itself is fine. If I get a helmet cam, you would probably notice that I shoulder check an awful lot, especially at junctions or when I am changing lanes.
My awareness is not a problem, it is my technique of judging how close people are. I am fine with people in front of me, just not behind.

Should I really be letting this get to me? I dont have a rear cam so is there much point in saying anything to a driver who is dangerously tailgating (I dont want to start another debate about confronting drivers so I doubt I would confront a tailgater).

 

[gaz]

If you are shoulder checking then you should be able to see how close somebody is.
If you can't, then your shoulder check isn't good enough.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Shadows, noises and shoulder checks let me know if someone is too close behind me.

I would add glass to that list, in town reflections off windows, shops, cars and anything else that gives a reflection can be a good source of information.

 

[numbnuts]

mirror

 

[Riding in Circles]

If they are touching your back tyre then they are too close.

 

[Matthew_T]

If you are shoulder checking then you should be able to see how close somebody is.
If you can't, then your shoulder check isn't good enough.

Well I do a good job of shoulder checking. When having a quick glance, it is about 1.5 seconds. When changing positions or turning, it is about 3/4 seconds long. When someone is overtaking me, I do a half check just so I can see the driver. When changing positions, I make sure I can see the driver and they have seen me.

In most cases when I am doing a moderate to major manouvre* I always make sure that I can see the driver or atleast the passenger side.


* I class a moderate to major manouvre as changing positions in my lane or turning left or right at a junction. A major manouvre is where I have cross more than one lane or I have to negotiate a large junction. A minor manourve is when I get to a pinch point, or I am overtaking a parked car.

 

[Matthew_T]

If they are touching your back tyre then they are too close.

Is that so?

 

[Hip Priest]

I can normally tell from a shoulder check if I'm being tailgated. If I'm happy for them to pass, I might move over to the left. If I don't want them to pass - if approaching a roundabout for example - I'll take a strong primary and give a non-aggressive 'stay behind' signal.

 

[CopperBrompton]

On the trike, it's easy to see what's behind thanks to two mirrors that stay steady. On the Brompton, I do frequent shoulder-checks, so I'd be aware of anything before it got close enough to tailgate. I do find that constant shoulder-checks are generally enough to embarrass a tailgater into dropping back. If not, I slow down and deploy a Tactical Wobble.

 

[Zoiders]

Use the force.