Frank Hovis Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I was tailgated this week. Windy narrow B road but I know it well so do mostly 50 - 60. Car right up behind me with those ultra white lights dazzling me, so I do my usual. Slow down to 40, cruise on, and ignore them. It slows me down but annoys the hell out of them. Anyway this driver soon got the message, backed right off, so I sped back up again. He did too but kept his distance. Well in all the years I've been doing it that's the first time I've found an intelligent tailgater, they do exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blobloblob Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Are you mad? Direct action... 1 flick your fog lights on and off, making them think you tapped your brakes. 2 they read hard but then realise you didn't break so drive back towards your rear end, more aggressively this time 3 when they get behind you again, stamp on your brakes, and they crash into your back end 4 get out of your car rubbing your neck 5 claim compo 6 holiday in the Caribbean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okaycuckoo Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Are you mad? Direct action... 1 flick your fog lights on and off, making them think you tapped your brakes. 2 they read hard but then realise you didn't break so drive back towards your rear end, more aggressively this time 3 when they get behind you again, stamp on your brakes, and they crash into your back end 4 get out of your car rubbing your neck 5 claim compo 6 holiday in the Caribbean Unless you end up dead. Coffins don't have air conditioning, so a holiday in the Caribbean could be very uncomfortable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ayatollah Buggeri Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 After a particularly bad tailgating experience on a North Yorkshire B-road I was chatting to a neighbour, who is a theatre lighting technician. He opined that it would be relatively simple to rig up a high-powered LED spotlight on the rear parcel shelf on the driver's side, facing directly backwards. It would be connected to the battery via a bank of large capacitors in the boot (in other words, an apparatus similar to a camera's flash bulb, but much larger). When a tailgater appears in your rear-view mirror, just press a "zap" button fitted to the dashboard, and then (s)he is treated to a one-second blast of 20,000 lumens of white light. The resulting shock would ensure that (s)he never closes to within 100 yards of you again. I was sorely tempted to ask him to install such a system in my car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 One was doing that to me the other day, they couldn't overtake safely because of windy road and solid central line, then when they could it was far too dangerous because of on coming traffic....the weather was wet, it was dark and there was no street lighting or cat's eyes, they were really getting on my nerves tiring to get me to drive faster by driving right up to my bumper.......they then revved up their engine and sped past me blowing the car horn really loudly a number of times.....like grown-up children with no patience.....caught up with them at the long lights at the top of the road.....they didn't get very far, was it all worth it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest eight Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 After a particularly bad tailgating experience on a North Yorkshire B-road I was chatting to a neighbour, who is a theatre lighting technician. He opined that it would be relatively simple to rig up a high-powered LED spotlight on the rear parcel shelf on the driver's side, facing directly backwards. It would be connected to the battery via a bank of large capacitors in the boot (in other words, an apparatus similar to a camera's flash bulb, but much larger). When a tailgater appears in your rear-view mirror, just press a "zap" button fitted to the dashboard, and then (s)he is treated to a one-second blast of 20,000 lumens of white light. The resulting shock would ensure that (s)he never closes to within 100 yards of you again. I was sorely tempted to ask him to install such a system in my car. Quite often now with the worst offenders I just pull up and let them past. The weird thing is that, once ahead, they seldom pull away at any great rate. I think it's some kind of herding thing - they genuinely don't know how fast to drive, if left to their own devices. They only want to drive as fast as the car in front. Pulling over often causes utter confusion too. Sometimes they too end up stopped - too close behind your stationary car to pull out and pass without reversing. It's all very bizarre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bossybabe Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I always slow down to around 20mph (except on the motorway). I then flick the fog lights on. Mostly they get the message after two or three iterations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scunnered Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 After a particularly bad tailgating experience on a North Yorkshire B-road I was chatting to a neighbour, who is a theatre lighting technician. He opined that it would be relatively simple to rig up a high-powered LED spotlight on the rear parcel shelf on the driver's side, facing directly backwards. It would be connected to the battery via a bank of large capacitors in the boot (in other words, an apparatus similar to a camera's flash bulb, but much larger). When a tailgater appears in your rear-view mirror, just press a "zap" button fitted to the dashboard, and then (s)he is treated to a one-second blast of 20,000 lumens of white light. The resulting shock would ensure that (s)he never closes to within 100 yards of you again. I was sorely tempted to ask him to install such a system in my car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiveinHope Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 By driving at 30 in a 30, I upset a driver once in a yellow car with black windows, spoilers everywhere, low profile tyres, exhaust the diameter of a sewer pipe etc Aggressive tail gaiting, Followed every turn I took for about 20 mins worried me So much so that I didn't fancy arriving at my deserted work car park so I took them to the police station they followed me into the car park I quickly skipped up the steps to the front desk Relayed my story to the desk officer "So, what do you expect us to do about it" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattW Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I get tailgated a lot too - even when driving at the speed limit. I always put it down to the car - a 10 year old Nissan. Popular choice with the 'blue rinse' brigade - a car that should always be overtaken at all costs. After once being tailgated I remember flipping the bird some tw@t in a BMW once despite my doing 56-60 mph on a single carriageway. He soon backed off. He was also probably nagged by his female passenger to give me some space as I wasn't doing anything wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chronyx Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Anyway this driver soon got the message, backed right off, so I sped back up again. He did too but kept his distance. Well in all the years I've been doing it that's the first time I've found an intelligent tailgater, they do exist. Is this a sign of the end times? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNACR Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I let them past......... ...........then tailgate them and wait for the steering wobble that says they've passed their comfort zone Then if it's night put your interior light on and have a flick through a road atlas or rummage around in a carrier bag and again wait for the steering wobble when they notice in the mirror. If there's been any exchange of horns or gesticulation follow them all the way home to the last conceivable point you could have just happened to be going the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNACR Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Quite often now with the worst offenders I just pull up and let them past. The weird thing is that, once ahead, they seldom pull away at any great rate. I think it's some kind of herding thing - they genuinely don't know how fast to drive, if left to their own devices. They only want to drive as fast as the car in front. Pulling over often causes utter confusion too. Sometimes they too end up stopped - too close behind your stationary car to pull out and pass without reversing. It's all very bizarre. This scenario does seem very common By driving at 30 in a 30, I upset a driver once in a yellow car with black windows, spoilers everywhere, low profile tyres, exhaust the diameter of a sewer pipe etc Aggressive tail gaiting, Followed every turn I took for about 20 mins worried me So much so that I didn't fancy arriving at my deserted work car park so I took them to the police station they followed me into the car park I quickly skipped up the steps to the front desk Relayed my story to the desk officer "So, what do you expect us to do about it" Haven't got a yellow car so don't think this was me. I do like to press on though. Let's say someone I might know has been known, if he gets held up by one of his own lorries, to call the office and get them to call the driver's cab phone to get him to pull over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tankus Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 That bright light is as dangerous idea as the tailgating ....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Eagle Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I was sorely tempted to ask him to install such a system in my car. Installing a fog machine (the ones used in clubs) in the boot might be a better idea, it will force the tailgater to back off and if he reports you you can claim that the fog was smoke due to sudden engine trouble. --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19 year mortgage 8itch Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 By driving at 30 in a 30, I upset a driver once in a yellow car with black windows, spoilers everywhere, low profile tyres, exhaust the diameter of a sewer pipe etc Aggressive tail gaiting, Followed every turn I took for about 20 mins worried me So much so that I didn't fancy arriving at my deserted work car park so I took them to the police station they followed me into the car park I quickly skipped up the steps to the front desk Relayed my story to the desk officer "So, what do you expect us to do about it" And the driver of the yellow car got out and started his shift? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiveinHope Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 And the driver of the yellow car got out and started his shift? Must admit I'd never experience a drive like it. They had bullied several other cars off the road before they got to me. I ws just too stubborn He was mightily wound up by the end. At one point we were doing 60 along a dual carriage way and the outside lane was clear for overtaking, but instead they decided to be 12 inches from my bumper weaving slightly from side to side. As I said, it went on for about 20 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19 year mortgage 8itch Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 I was tailgated this week. Windy narrow B road but I know it well so do mostly 50 - 60. Car right up behind me with those ultra white lights dazzling me, so I do my usual. Slow down to 40, cruise on, and ignore them. It slows me down but annoys the hell out of them. Anyway this driver soon got the message, backed right off, so I sped back up again. He did too but kept his distance. Well in all the years I've been doing it that's the first time I've found an intelligent tailgater, they do exist. Bored 5-0 trying to bait you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkman Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Relayed my story to the desk officer "So, what do you expect us to do about it" I'm a calm individual, but when faced with such disgusting dereliction of duty I think I'd start screaming in his face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNACR Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 I'm a calm individual, but when faced with such disgusting dereliction of duty I think I'd start screaming in his face. I think I would look to the original Terminator film for inspiration when faced with an uphelpful desk sergeant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkG Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 This is the correct response to tailgaters: "I want you to get a ******ing drivers' manual. And I want you to study that mother-******er." It appears to be the most common cause of accidents here, and probably the reason we pay 3x as much for insurance as I did in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkman Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 This is the correct response to tailgaters: "I want you to get a ******ing drivers' manual. And I want you to study that mother-******er." It appears to be the most common cause of accidents here, and probably the reason we pay 3x as much for insurance as I did in the UK. Hilarious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bossybabe Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Is this a sign of the end times? Next it'll be war and rumours of war...oops, I think that's already happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahBell Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Last night the roads were full of nob heads. A mix of old men cars driving below speed limit like they'd been drinking (well before kicking out time) and some nobhead drug dealer cars driving aggressively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Hovis Posted February 8, 2014 Author Share Posted February 8, 2014 After a particularly bad tailgating experience on a North Yorkshire B-road I was chatting to a neighbour, who is a theatre lighting technician. He opined that it would be relatively simple to rig up a high-powered LED spotlight on the rear parcel shelf on the driver's side, facing directly backwards. It would be connected to the battery via a bank of large capacitors in the boot (in other words, an apparatus similar to a camera's flash bulb, but much larger). When a tailgater appears in your rear-view mirror, just press a "zap" button fitted to the dashboard, and then (s)he is treated to a one-second blast of 20,000 lumens of white light. The resulting shock would ensure that (s)he never closes to within 100 yards of you again. I was sorely tempted to ask him to install such a system in my car. Now there is a definite business opportunity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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