Tailgating vehicles on the road.

[ComedyPilot]

Why?

What is there to gain other than trying to intimidate the other driver to get out the way/speed up?

 

[Matthew_T]

Are you talking about cyclists tailgating vehicles or vehicles tailgating cyclists? Yes a bicycle is a vehicle but in what context do you mean?

 

[ComedyPilot]

Sorry, I was under tha assumption that writing 'driver' and 'other' would be understood to mean vehicles as opposed to cyclists.

In this context I mean vehicles being driven dangerously close to other vehicles.

What can be done to stop it, or help people that are 'victim' of it.

 

[Buddfox]

It's an interesting question I suppose, but not sure what it has to do with cycle commuting?

 

[Matthew_T]

I dont think there is anything you can do really. Everyone knows about the 2 second rule and as a learner, I try to follow that as much as possible.
Even on the motorway when they say that you should be 2 chevrons apart, noone ever is.

I think there is one word to describe following too close: IMPATIENCE. Everyone has a place to go whether or not it is important. It is a fact of life that vehicles will always follow other vehicles too closely and that is why we have pile-ups on the motorways. It isnt the nature of driving, but the nature of humans.

When walking along the pavement, you see people walking too closely behind other people (its true!) and then when the person infront stops or turns around, there is a collision.It happens everywhere.

 

[Boris Bajic]

It's an interesting question I suppose, but not sure what it has to do with cycle commuting?

Oddly, it can have impact (ha ha ha ha) on cyclists and their safety.

I recently taught Child One to drive and am now starting to teach Child Two. Both are keen cyclists.

We talk as we pootle about how this or that action affects other road users.

Drivers who tailgate are often unaware until quite late that the vehicle in front has pulled out to pass a cyclist. Also, the tailgating driver may think that the vehicle pulling out is changing lane or preparing to fork or turn right.

As a result, tailgaters can impose extraordinarily close passes on cyclists who are not expecting a vehicle even to be there. When we're out for drives and are chatting about attitudes to cyclists, we see this happen.

Also, tailgaters generally allow themselves little reaction time (by virtue of proximity and limited vision) and therefore sometimes brake or steer (swerve) when another option might be safer and make more sense.

I don't want to sound all holistic about this, but tailgating drivers make the roads a more dangerous place generally and roads that are more dangerous (less safe) are even more so for cyclists.

Carry on.

 

[Biscuit]

TBH the only time I get this is when drivers are unsure about over taking. I wish they would just get on with it, and pass close rather than sit on my rear wheel. As by then if there's any error on my part.. I'm defo dead.

 

[Cycling Dan]

Maybe they are not impatient at all. Just drafting off the car in front. Save a buck.

 

[skudupnorth]

Tailgaters don't fluster me one bit in my car,i stick to what i'm doing or slow down more till they get the message to sod off my boot !

 

[ianrauk]

Moved to Cafe as it's nothing to do with Cycle Commuting.

 

[MontyVeda]

...

... I mean vehicles being driven dangerously close to other vehicles.

What can be done to stop it, or help people that are 'victim' of it.

the vehicle in front putting on their brakes to demonstrate what happens when the car behind is too close... they go into the back of the car in front.

...or maybe some type of James Bond gadget in the boot... if a car starts pestering you from behind, fire a huge gt metal bar into their engine

 

[gbb]

TBH the only time I get this is when drivers are unsure about over taking. I wish they would just get on with it, and pass close rather than sit on my rear wheel. As by then if there's any error on my part.. I'm defo dead.

This...
It irks me, not the fact they're in a rush but the fact they're indecisive or havn't got the gumption to overtake.
I drive on B roads quite a lot, 50mph limit. I'm quite happy at that speed, its my chill time driving to or from work.
Not everyone is chilled, they've got differing priorities, some will come honking up behind you at circa 70 mph...then sit on your tail because they havnt got the bottle to overtake you, despite numerous opportunities.
So I sit there, admittedly very slightly annoyed, but thinking, sod you matey, if you want to go...go. If not, you'll sit on my arse all day...I don't care.

 

[TVC]

A quick (light) dab on the brakes often makes them think better of it.

 

[Crackle]

I owned two trailgaters, brilliant things.

 

[vernon]

A quick (light) dab on the brakes often makes them think better of it.

Better still momentarily switch on your lights they give the impression of braking without contributing to any gap closure.