Tailgating vehicles on the road.

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snailracer

Über Member
I agree 100% but for so many people, the overtaking procedure seems to have become sit so close the car in front that you can't see past it, haven't room to accelerate so spend the entire journey stuck there, then reach your destination whining about being held up by a slow driver.
Yep, so they tailgate, restrict their vision of the road ahead, swing out violently and rely on their engine to accelerate out of trouble instead of the more powerful brakes to decelerate out of trouble - all rather poor, although TBH I don't remember being taught how to overtake correctly when I was learning to drive.
 

BigonaBianchi

Yes I can, Yes I am, Yes I did...Repeat.
..everybody is a poor driver except me:whistle:
 

GrasB

Veteran
Location
Nr Cambridge
The way to overtake is to pull out early so you have time to build up speed as you pass the car in front. Pulling out early also gives a better view of oncoming traffic, and you can always pull in and brake if oncoming traffic appears, because braking is always more rapid than accelerating.
The way to overtake quickly is to hang back a reasonable distance (I like 4-6s worth depending on the speed & acceleration of the vehicle I'm driving) & move to the far right of the lane. This allows for good visibility of the road ahead & an opportunity to get up a good speed difference without committing to the overtake. When you think you have a clear opportunity to overtake you stay in lane & accelerate towards the vehicle you're overtaking. When you have built up a speed difference & judge it clear to pass the point of 'no return' commitment you then assertively pull into the opposing lane & floor the throttle, if not done so already, keeping it pinned within reason (WOT in some vehicle can get you to speeds which are well not safe to hold the acceleration), until you pull back into your lane. At this point you speed check down to the speed limit.

When you've developed this technique fully you have a long window of opportunity to abort the overtake & can actually start your overtaking maneuver while there is still a car in the opposing lane & do your commitment judgement as the car is passing which gives more clear opposing lane for overtaking.

What ever the technique used compared to a 60bhp 'cento (>90bhp/tonn) my >190bhp/tonn vehicles allow me to get a higher speed difference without committing to the overtake which means less time in the opposing carriageway. What I really like about all my cars for overtaking isn't the PWR but actually the brakes.

EDIT: see italics
 

yello

back and brave
Location
France
Ime, tailgating is sadly common in my part of rural France. To the point where I think it's taught! ;)

In truth, I've no idea why it happens but it seems as though confident & safe overtaking is either not taught or perhaps more realistically rarely practised, due perhaps to fewer cars on the road. (Btw, I agree with GrasB's excellent explanation ^^^ of a good, safe overtake)

Whatever the reason, it's not an unusual occurrence to have a car steam up behind you and just sit there.... and you'll be the only 2 cars on the road for miles! They'll invariably hang out slightly to the left of you too, sometimes with the drivers side wheels in the opposite carriageway. They clearly want to overtake (or have you dematerialise preferably!) but lack either the space, or the courage or ability to do so. So they'll just sit there, on your bumper, for miles.

What makes me believe it could be lack of overtaking training is that you'll see it behind slower and bigger vehicles too. Cars often stick themselves right up the arse of a truck, no possible way to see past it and then proceed to do this almost comical swerving out into the opposite lane to see if it's clear! If they'd only hang back a couple of hundred metres, they could see when it's clear and then commit themselves to a good overtake.

Re flicking the brakes (for brake lights), this is something I actually do when I'm on my motorcycle if, for instance, there's something up my arse when I'm approaching a town. Reason being that I usually slow down on engine braking rather than the brakes, so flicking the brakes only alerts the tailgater to the fact I'm going to slow down... and quite quickly too, in comparison to a car anyway. I don't do it to annoy or irritate a tailgater.... besides, chances are that they're not paying too much attention anyway!
 

Arjimlad

Tights of Cydonia
Location
South Glos
I don't brake but I do sometimes slow down to a safe speed for the distance left, without braking.

Sometimes that's 20mph in a 30mph limit. When it is safe to do so and when the car behind has slowed down enough, I will then accelerate gently up to a safe speed.

This usually results in a nice gap opening up and if you do it a couple of times the tailgating moron usually gets the message & backs off.
 

matthat

Über Member
Location
South Liverpool
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.
Irks!! Thought I was the only person that used that word!! Sorry back to thread topic!
 
OP
OP
ComedyPilot

ComedyPilot

Secret Lemonade Drinker
Like others have stated, I will slow down a little till they pass or get the message and drop back. Either way the net result is that their journey is a lot longer time-wise than it would have been had they not tailgated in the first place.
 

GrasB

Veteran
Location
Nr Cambridge
I take it that isn't an Elise then ?
No a fettled Alfa 159 JTDm 2.4. It's the lowest PWR car I own at 190-205bhp/tonn, then it's the Exige at 260bhp/tonn & finally the rally 'cento at 275bhp/tonn. The irony of this is that the least powerful car I own (the 'cento) had the highest PWR & thus is actually the quickest up to the point in bounces off the limiter in 6th (120mph).

'Added lightness' really does work :becool:
 

Linford

Guest
No a fettled Alfa 159 JTDm 2.4. It's the lowest PWR car I own at 190-205bhp/tonn, then it's the Exige at 260bhp/tonn & finally the rally 'cento at 275bhp/tonn. The irony of this is that the least powerful car I own (the 'cento) had the highest PWR & thus is actually the quickest up to the point in bounces off the limiter in 6th (120mph).

'Added lightness' really does work :becool:

I would certainly agree about the weight thing (being a biker). Are these numbers calculated against the cars in a 'wet' weight condition with the driver ?

I just did the numbers on my 636R and that works out from a dyno'd RWBHP 'wet' state with fuel and a 75kg rider at 420BHP per tonne.
If really lookingfor big numbers, A slightly tweaked 2012 BMW S1000RR with 'running in mileage' has just come up for sale in the Oxford area for about £13k and measured as I've just done with mine is in the region of 700BHP per tonne :eek:
 

GrasB

Veteran
Location
Nr Cambridge
I would certainly agree about the weight thing (being a biker). Are these numbers calculated against the cars in a 'wet' weight condition with the driver ?
That's we w/driver (& co-drive for the 'cento, which makes it even more impressive compared to the Exige) hence the 'floating' PWR on the Alfa.

I just did the numbers on my 636R and that works out from a dyno'd RWBHP 'wet' state with fuel and a 75kg rider at 420BHP per tonne.
If really lookingfor big numbers, A slightly tweaked 2012 BMW S1000RR with 'running in mileage' has just come up for sale in the Oxford area for about £13k and measured as I've just done with mine is in the region of 700BHP per tonne :eek:
Even better is not only do m'bikes have ludicrous PWR compared to cars they also have lower CdA (though their Cd is normally higher).
 
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