Tailgaters can be annoying, and its usually the bigger 'more powerfull' cars that seem to be the culprit as they insist on bullying you to either race them, or move out the way.

I often find the windscreen washer is annoying. Once you've cleaned yours and they car behind gives theirs a squirt wait for the wiper cycle to end, then clean yours again. This normally bugs them enough to back off after the 3rd time as its obvious tha your screen is clean.

If that doesn't work, anti-dazzle the rear view mirror and fold the side mirrors in (if able to) and allow them to inspeact the brightness of your rear fog lights. This is normally a shock to them as it makes them think its the brake lights for a split second, but secondly they are uncomfortable to sit too close to and once they back off, turn the fog lights off to make them aware that it was deliberate and you can do it again.

If that doesn't get the message home i employ my 'annoy them back' tactic where i slow down to a pace so annoyingly slow it drives them mad.

I pull over. If they're mental enough to 'push' then I don't want them behind me. Better to just stop and let them go. It's not very macho, but it's safe.

And it annoys the living daylights out of them.:P

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer to what you should do if being tailgated down a country road with NO safe to overtake parts.

Personally I would clear my windscreen a few times and do my best to find somewhere to let them past. Obviously putting a rear fog light on only encourages them to put their high beam on or cause them to want to get past sooner. Slowing down for the corners more than usual then flooring it to get away could encourage them to want to race or if in a TDI sooting them could also cause them to want to get passed sooner. Dabbing the footbrake and not slowing could cause them to hit their footbrake and possible cause them to loose control or cause the car behind them to drive into the back of them,

All you can do is keep your cool, try not to be feel pressured and keep an eye on their movements to try and predict what they are going todo and to make sure your safe.

Had one the other day (getting dusky) with a guy in an x-type jag, he was so determined to get passed me that he overtook on a blind right hand bend, I could see him moving out to start the overtake so I let off the accelerator to allow him to pass quicker as I could see a van coming in the other direction (with only his sidelights on) over the top of the hedge, needless to say it was a very close call on his part

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer to what you should do if being tailgated down a country road with NO safe to overtake parts.

Hmm. I think you might be arguing the extreme situation there. If you stop and let the other car pass then 100 yards is adequate to 'safely' overtake. Most roads - even the ones with grass as a centreline marker usually have a straight stretch 100 yards long on, or a farm turning you can pull into. Just indicate, pull over, and let the dangerous driver through. It's up to them to take the risk of exposing themselves on the 'wrong' side of the road. And I'd far rather (s)he was in front of me.

There are some total nutters out there in cars.

Hmm. I think you might be arguing the extreme situation there. If you stop and let the other car pass then 100 yards is adequate to 'safely' overtake. Most roads - even the ones with grass as a centreline marker usually have a straight stretch 100 yards long on, or a farm turning you can pull into. Just indicate, pull over, and let the dangerous driver through. It's up to them to take the risk of exposing themselves on the 'wrong' side of the road. And I'd far rather (s)he was in front of me.

There are some total nutters out there in cars.

Maybe but the OP stated "Pulling over is not an option as the road is narrow and bendy" I am only offering my opinion on this.

Well, I have, in the past stopped, only to find that the tailg!t stops behind me, either because they can't look past someone else or because their decision making process is even more flawed than the mere fact of being a tailg!t would suggest!

Well, I have, in the past stopped, only to find that the tailgater stops behind me.

That is the funniest part.

...now usually, i back off a LOT more for the corners and hit the loud pedal on the straight bits to give myself some air - pulling over isn't usually an option.

Straight bits are usually the best places to get rid of them so maybe sticking on the indicator and easing off (or slowing right down if it's a short clear straight) at the start of the straight would help encourage them to get by?

If I was the tailgater and kept being forced to slow for corners and then being left behind on the straights, I'd be thinking you were deliberately trying to pi$$ me off and I'd *want* to be in front of you which is just going to endanger everyone

Chris

...now usually, i back off a LOT more for the corners and hit the loud pedal on the straight bits to give myself some air - pulling over isn't usually an option.

MPM

Which is the thing that is absolutely guaranteed to hack me off no end. I don't go faster than I can see through twisty bits, so if I can catch you you're going slower than is necessary there. To compound that with the intimate self-administered personal massage of saying "I can go fast down the straights" is just going to convince me that you're an inconsiderate idiot. :thumbdwn:

Now come on children, use the quote button properly.

I regularly do the back roads on my way home and really 40mph is pushing it for sensible speed (even though technically they're NSL roads), i find more often than not, i am being tailgated down these lanes and it really worries me that if i come across some horses/oncoming-traffic-of-equivalent-mindset-of-idiot-behind-me etc...how safe is my bumper...

...now usually, i back off a LOT more for the corners and hit the loud pedal on the straight bits to give myself some air - pulling over isn't usually an option.

Now these roads are not wide enough to pass let alone pull over and let people past. I REFUSE to go round an almost blind, single lane corner faster than i'm happy, just because i'm being pushed.

I'm sure you'd love to meet me at 60mph on a singletrack lane coming round said corner, just because the person behind can't keep their distance.

I would just like to clarify my "inconsiderate idiot" status - i do NOT potter around the back roads collecting tailgaters. I only slow down when i feel intimidated and at risk - 99% of the time i make good progress as i know my stopping distances and don't have to worry about my rear.

Any yes, if you tailgate me on said BACK LANES i am trying to tick you off - hell, you'd be ticking me off!

MPM

Now these roads are not wide enough to pass let alone pull over and let people past. I REFUSE to go round an almost blind, single lane corner faster than i'm happy, just because i'm being pushed.

Right, and that is what I've been saying, however, you say you "back off a LOT more for the corners" which implies to me that you're going considerably slower than is necessary even taking into account the tailgater?

One thing that intrigues me though ... on these roads which are not wide enough to pass or pull over, what happens when you encounter horses/oncoming-traffic-of-equivalent-mindset-of-idiot-behind-me?

Chris

Ok MPM, just what makes you think that you're the only person who regularly drives on roads that are less than 2 vehicles wide? You're not, and I still hardly ever get tailgated, even though a lot of people around here don't seem to have figured out that a blind brow is a variety of bend.

It's not an everyday occurance, by any means! But it only takes ONE mistake to write a car off or hurt someone. Usually i catch up with slower people than me and -suprise suprise - I BACK OFF and follow at a safe distance. There's no benefit at all in hassling the person in front.

I'm not relying on the person behind me having better brakes and reactions than me should i need to do an emergency stop/movement.

It's not rocket science.

edit...

Right, and that is what I've been saying, however, you say you "back off a LOT more for the corners" which implies to me that you're going considerably slower than is necessary even taking into account the tailgater?

I don't go stupid slow, that's ridiculous, i just shave more speed off than i would usually.

One thing that intrigues me though ... on these roads which are not wide enough to pass or pull over, what happens when you encounter horses/oncoming-traffic-of-equivalent-mindset-of-idiot-behind-me?

A valid point, but the answer is 'carefully' :p

MPM

Edited 19 November, 200817 yr by MPM

Where is this road?

Just there. *points at map*

As has been said previously in this thread, by very nature of these drivers sat on your bumper - if i stopped in a wider section of any of these roads to let them past, they'd just stop behind me. Lose lose situation.

I'm not here to defend my driving, that's not the point of this thread.

MPM

you'd be surprised the amount of people that dont take the hint!

It's childish but fun can be had by lapping these vehicles - pulling into the third lane, overtaking them, moving back into the first and then allowing them to pass you before you start the whole charade again. Best done on a completely clear piece of road for obvious reasons!

It's childish but fun can be had by lapping these vehicles - pulling into the third lane, overtaking them, moving back into the first and then allowing them to pass you before you start the whole charade again. Best done on a completely clear piece of road for obvious reasons!

They probably won't even realise it's the same car, lol. Was walking last night and there was a car with no headlights on whatsoever. A van in front put hazards on and the car driver didn't get the hint.

Just there. *points at map*

Oh, it's by the big bridge in Norway? Yes, I know the one...:P

Tailgaters can be annoying, and its usually the bigger 'more powerful' cars that seem to be the culprit as they insist on bullying you to either race them, or move out the way.

Oddly I don't find that. For me, mainly motorway driving, it seems to be sales reps / junior management types in either well specced rep cars, or low spec 'prestige' cars. That and a few SUVs...

The genuinely big/fast cars don't seem to do it much at all.

It can be frustrating with the number of people that find it difficult to read a road and insist on tapping the brakes at every corner rather than maintaining some momentum.

In my experience tends to happen more in the touristy areas I travel in as some folks are in holiday travel mood and others actually need to get somewhere quicker than anyone else, even if some of us have to spend less time spent stopped at the lights than others Usually I'm new to the roads as well and have caught up on the 40mph driver, but someone in a delivery van is right up my tailpipe and so I leave enough room between me and car in front so he can safely overtake and I can safely perform overtake manoeuvre. Other than that can't say the tailgater gets a reaction.

I find the worst "tap the brakes on single carriageway roads mid-corner without actually slowing down as a result" offenders are usually middle-aged to elderly locals.

Joining this thread late, so my comments may have been stated already. I find if you get a tailgater on a narrow road, speed up to a couple of MPH above the posted limit, then backoff the throttle and slow down to 5MPH under the limit, they tend to get the message and back off. Not all of them, as there are some real clods on the roads.

If you want to stop this ever happening, buy a Police hat from a costumes store (make sure you remove the badge) and stick said hat on the rear parcel shelf.

Or, join the Police Specials (it is great fun) and stick on your real hat when you meet a twonk on the road.

Just drive normally & when theres room let them pass

If you want to anoy & it depends on how you value your car, a bit of clipping the verge & showering up stones is an idea, With RWD & massive BHP I find this very rewarding

Also washing your windscreen a lot with the spray hitting the car behind anoys.

I know one person years ago who is somewhat larger than me who stopped his car, opened the boot, then walked up to the car behind & asked them if they would like to get in, a meke no was the reply !

I know one person years ago who is somewhat larger than me who stopped his car, opened the boot, then walked up to the car behind & asked them if they would like to get in, a meke no was the reply !

That's classic.

I think personally the best thing to do is let them know how much of a pain in *** they are and simply give them the w*nker sign out of the sunroof!! (if raining the drivers window will do fine)

Either that, or let them overtake and sit on their asses for a couple of mins flashing the lights. That works too.