Tailgating - how to react

[dand_uk]

Hi all. So I was on my jolly commute home at a good pace, slight down hill on the road bike. Opposite lane is chocka with a LONG queue going the other way (broken down vehicle) so there was not really enough space for anyone behind me to overtake safely. I therefore took a position towards the centre of the lane. There were gaps of 10-20 seconds when the road in front was clear, otherwise I was at the back of a moving queue or at a red light. At one point I looked around to see Corsa boy very close to me and this annoyed me. I held the position however but felt uncomfortable doing so. Eventually got to a wider section I moved left to let the idiot thru.

How do you react when being tailgated? Should I have given him a signal (other than a rude one)?

 

[fossyant]

Hold position. And turn round and look at them - so they know that you have seen them.

I find getting out of the saddle and honking the bike about also stops them (ride in a straight line - but out of the saddle)

 

[MontyVeda]

Hold position. And turn round and look at them - so they know that you have seen them.

I find getting out of the saddle and honking the bike about also stops them (ride in a straight line - but out of the saddle)

what he said, make an effort* to not hold up the traffic too much will let them know you're not just out a for a Sunday ride and don't care who you hold up and are in fact, part of the traffic.

* not assuming you weren't making an effort. Just a point.

Depending on how far ahead of me is clear, I do tend to pull into a side road or <whisper>hop onto the pavement</whisper> to let them pass at some point or another.

 

[Red Light]

Simple. If they won't adjust the gap to their speed just adjust your speed to the gap.

 

[ManiaMuse]

Scratch my arse.

I assume that's why they are tailgating me anyway...

 

[DrSquirrel]

Scratch my arse.

I assume that's why they are tailgating me anyway...

...inside your shorts. And sniff your finger.



Impatient tailgaters (with me) makes it worse for themselves, I don't want to go slower just because they are there to hold them up, but I have to to keep the situation safer.

Sadly the type to tailgate tend not to understand what you're doing - Ive had a van tell me "never mind me, you look at that RAB... you nearly overshot it", this was whilst he was just too near for me to beable to stop where I would want to :/

 

[Matthew_T]

Sadly the type to tailgate tend not to understand what you're doing - Ive had a van tell me "never mind me, you look at that RAB... you nearly overshot it", this was whilst he was just too near for me to beable to stop where I would want to :/

The most frequent pplace where people tailgate me is at traffic islands, they often come up behind me with some speed, then just avoid me when they overtake. If I move into a more primary position, they slam on the brakes and go very close to me (not with abuse).

In situations like this, you wish you were a car, because whenever I am tailgated, I always slow down just a fraction to annoy the person behind me more.

On a bike, if you slow down, then the person behind you cannot see that you are slowing down (no brake lights) therefore it just puts yourself in danger. And speeding up doesnt solve anything because you are going to get tired and eventually slow down again.
Stopping and getting off the bike just makes your journey pointless as you may as well walk the whole distance if that is what you are going to do whenever someone tailgates you.


Whenever I am on the road, I have the same comment lurring in the back of my mind = "If they hit me, it is assault. I am doing nothing illegal or wrong. Just ignore them."

 

[John90]

It happens to me a bit going through right turns with drivers desperate to overtake coming out of the turn. Not nice. I have to say in the OP's scenario I do sometimes give a wave of semi-apology, or acknowledgement. I know I'm in the right, but appeasement can help.

 

[byegad]

Looking back makes them aware you know they're there. I too would let 'em go when safe, but resolutely hold primary until then. However, if I'm keeping up with the traffic they can wait and rev the engine toot or whatever. I then wait for a clearance in front and in the oncoming lane, pull over and give an exaggerated 'wave on' for the numpty to pass.

 

[crumpetman]

If you are able to take a hand off the bars then you can make a signal to show them they are too close or that you want them to back off a little. Or take both hands off and flap your arms around all over the place to confuse them and hope they stop completely.

 

[StuartG]

Sadly, IMHO, being tailgated is a good reason to RLJ. Just keep going and concentrate ahead, not behind, because its an unexpected stop/slowing that puts you in danger.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Look back over your right shoulder and give them "the look"; you know the one Armstrong vs Ullrich, repeat every 50m or so. They soon back off.

 

[david1701]

would be amazing to have the coordination to lower my shorts and flash them

 

[Matthew_T]

Look back over your right shoulder and give them "the look"; you know the one Armstrong vs Ullrich, repeat every 50m or so. They soon back off.

The problem is, there are rules for how close you go to the pavement and how much room drivers are expected to give you when overtaking. But I have not see anything that says how close behind you someone can be. There is nothing in the Highway Code that talks about it.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

would be amazing to have the coordination to lower my shorts and flash them

Just use the nose of your saddle. I used to inadvertently do it a lot when on the MTB