So if you got tailgated, do you move left somehow, let them pass and tailgate them back?
I'm so tempted to do this but always got put off by the thought that I'll be the same scumbag as them.
If you did, what was their reaction?
Do you tailgate the tailgater ?
tomleonhart on 14/07/2016 - 16:58
Last edited 14/07/2016 - 17:31 by 1 other user
Last edited 14/07/2016 - 17:31 by 1 other user
Comments
Not to mention severe injury, whiplash or worse…
WHy were you in the middle lane then if you werent going the speed limit? thats what the left lane is for, slow people like yourself. And with speedos overreading these days realistically your actual roadspeed is 10 under the limit.
3 lanes on the freeway, and I was following another car that was driving at that speed. Truck could have overtaken on the right most lane but chose to tailgate instead. When I got out of the way, the truck driver proceeded to tail gate the car that I was following and eventually overtook on the right lane after a few minutes. I normally drive at the speed limit in my own car, but because I was in a rental vehicle driving in a location that I have never driven before I chose to follow other slower vehicles.
Obviously you do not understand what keep left unless overtaking means. Its people like you that 3 lane freeways get congested so quickly. Left lane is for slow people like you, middle and right lanes for people that have stuff to do and rather not fluff around on the road.
No, the right lane is for overtaking. The middle and left lanes are regular flow traffic. Keep left OF THE RIGHT lane is the law.
You are dreadfully mistaken, and a bit of a tool, frankly.
What I want to know is why some people flash their highbeams at me if I change to right lane, overtake, and change back in front of them. I leave adequate gap, and I prob am going 10-20km/hour faster after the change, so I'm not slowing them down either. When I'm back in front, some people just flick their beams on and off until I'm out of sight.
Sounds like you are speeding, maybe they don't like that
I usually am but that has nothing to do with them. Am a firm believer that if I am changing lanes using the oncoming lane, then it's better to be speeding 10km over the limit, then putter along while over taking.
Sorry, your speeding is not only about you
I would think if they didn't want me to crash, they wouldn't distract me with high beams either. Oh well.
@zhuang281: There is more going on here than you've described if this is a regular occurrence.
You don't change lanes just because there is a gap and force traffic closing in on you in the right lane to slow down. Heck I'd use my high beams on you if you did that to me.
No I change lanes when driving on a country road, the speed limit is 130, and they going 100. Thats really the only time i overtake, as I drive on these kinds of roads alot. And im talking about the guy im overtaking using highbeams, not the oncoming
Maybe they have a tic?
If I had my way I would run all VW drivers off the road.
And Skoda? Audi? SEAT*?
All VAG.On lucky days Bentley, Lambo, Bugatti and Ducati.
*we don't get SEAT here any more :'(
All just as bad. Don't have to worry about Skoda drivers as who would buy that junk.
The other day I saw a car with a bumper sticker that said "the closer you get the slower I drive"
I thought that was a pretty good ideaI just hate people who overtake me without using an indicator.
Tailgaters… I typically heavily downshift so I slow without the brake lights illuminating while keeping a close eye on them in the rear vision mirror, to make sure they're paying attention. This has worked every time to get rid of them. Don't know exactly what it is, but they think they won't get the brake light warning if I'm slowing/stopping so they either leave heaps of room after that or go around.
One time, about 1am coming home on the almost totally deserted M2 in Sydney. I'm sitting on the speed limit and pass a car. The car comes up from behind and tailgates me in the left-hand lane, not too close, but close enough. So I;
Slow down a little. They stay behind.
Speed back up to the limit, They do too and stay behind.
Slow down a little. They stay behind.
Speed back up to the limit, They do too and stay behind.
Slow right down to 70 in a 90 zone. They slow and stay behind. starting to get a bit freaked out.
I think fk it, what is this crazy person doing, and speed up to 120…
Ass clown activates siren, turns his blue'n'reds on…shiiiiiiitWe pull over and he comes up for a chat… I calmly explain to him that he was freaking me the fk out and I think he is some psycho. I ask what he was doing? No explanation, he then just tells me "you're lucky, consider this a warning" and I leave without a ticket.
Yup some HWP are ass clowns. When I'm on a highway in NSW and some ass clown tailgates me at night, i set cruise control at speed limit and just focus on driving. After 5-10 mins they normally just overtake and speed off.
I don't know how that makes them ass clowns. They are driving behind another vehicle that is driving erratically and failing to maintain a constant speed. I'm sure that raises suspicion. The fact he is a bit freaked out is understandable, and his explanation was accepted and he was warned about some minor breaches of the law. Looks like they're doing what they're paid to do. I applaud your driving technique of just focusing on your own driving and ignoring theirs.
I wouldn't say many of them were assclowns. The one tailgating me certainly was. He was right up my arse, dangerous.
…not too close, but close enough…
Just a little bit dangerous then, so that he is close enough to read your number plate and see who is in the vehicle. About as dangerous as every car check they do. Strangely you don't hear of too many police cars running up someones bum while they are checking cars all day long :) Of course I can't speak to the one-off encounter you had.
@endotherm: Close enough to do this by the sounds of it http://www.news.com.au/national/police-officer-hurt-in-car-c…
@bigjezza: Not really the same thing, someone turned suddenly and 4 cars were involved in a crash. The police car was crushed front and rear from the description. Very hard to prove who hit who first and who pushed who into the car in front. The story about a crashed police car (and a loss of $120000 of taxpayer money) makes better news stories than writing about crashing mum and dads daily driver.
That's not what happens… This normally happens really late at night (example is if you're heading down to or back from Canberra in the early hours of the morning like 2am).
You'll be driving normally with cruise control at speed limit and they'll come up and tailgate you to gauge your speed because they have no reason to stop you + you're one of the only cars on the road. Got caught out once… Was heading down to Canberra with girlfriend at 2am, cruise control at around speed limit, car comes speeding up and starts tailgating for 5 mins. We were hoping they would overtake in the first overtake bit but they didn't, stayed left lane and continued tailgating.
Started freaking my girlfriend out so we moved over to the overtaking lane hoping he'll speed by but instead, he followed and turned sirens on. Turns out it was HWP, pulled me over and said I shouldn't have been in the right lane unless overtaking. Fine + 2 demerit points. Nature of the fine isn't worth my time appealing it so just paid it and took it as a crappy lesson learnt.
This is what I mean by some of them being ass clowns.
I generally like to just use some common sense, people are going to be idiots, no point going out of your way to try and prove a point.
If someone is going slow in the right lane, fine, I'll just switch to the left lane and overtake them. If someone is tailgating me, I'll just switch lanes and let them pass.
At the end of the day, it might be the other guy's fault if he rear-ends you whilst tailgating, but you still have to get out of the car, waste your time go to your insurance/file a claim, go without your car for however long…etc, and what do you get out of it? A few minutes of foot stomping and satisfaction for being a dick to someone who deserves it, is it really worth it?
The way I see it is that I'm out there to get from A to B in the fastest/safest way possible. It's not my job to police how others behave or engage in tit-for-tat fights. If someone is doing the wrong thing, I let them be. My focus is on my own driving and making sure that I don't do any dumb or make any mistakes.
wind screen washer spray
I cave under the pressure and speed and run the next red light. Repeat this until I have lost my license from demerit points…. /s
I just mind my own business and drive at a safe speed and if they wanna overtake I don't care… especially on one lane roads with a broken line.
Tailgating at all is absolutely moronic. You should not have a license if you revenge tailgate. Utterly reckless.
If they are being assholes I get Infront of them and show them what a real brake check is, car doesn't have abs so I hit the brakes hard enough to lock up the rear tyres creating a nice smoke show. They get the hint then.
If I get tailgates in the truck I'll usually run the trailer tyres onto the dirty part of the road or onto the dirt and they can have the front of the vehicle sandblasted. That and usually give the trailer spike a slap enough to put the brake lights on.
No. And if I'm the passenger, I tell the driver to back off if they are.
If I'm not left, I move to the left. If I am, I ignore them. If anything happens, it will be their insurance nightmare to deal with, not mine. I certainly don't want it to be mine!I always do it if they're tailgating me in the left lane only. I move to the right lane and tailgate them back, I have no issues with being tailgated in the right lane, because if they wanna go faster (even if I'm at speed or slightly above the limit) I just let them through. Reading here it seems that people block other drivers in the right lane (even if people wanna go faster than them) WHY!?!!??!
I just turn on my windscreen washer and soak them with dirty water coming off my car, by then they should get the message.
I turn on the windscreen washer too. You know it's done the trick when you see them using their wiper blade. At this point I flash my hazard lights to declare victory!
I usually slowdown even more until they overtake from other lane and accelerate like no tomorrow.
Why? Seriously, what would be the goal here? These people are jerks and giving them the shits won't teach them a lesson or improve their behaviour. If anything it will encourage them to endanger other people on the road.
If you're not overtaking people, move to the left at the safest opportunity you have. As much joy as you may get by trying to enforce the law, remember 2 things: you're not a police officer and it is an offence to drive in the right hand lane unless overtaking. So they may be breaking the law, but so are you in this scenario.
If you are overtaking and it worries you that much, slow down, get to the left and let them pass. No one wins the argument wrapped around a pole or getting assaulted in a road rage incident.
I've tried doing things back to tailgaters when I was younger and stupider however it risks road rage incidents and accidents because there are too many hot headed idiots out there and they always react badly. I've had people swear and throw things at my car.
Also don't forget OP if you are talking about a multiple lane highway here ("move left somehow, let them pass") - always "KEEP LEFT UNLESS OVERTAKING"! The tailgater may be trying to hint that you are breaking the law and frustrating them. The left lane is to drive in, only use the right one to overtake a slower vehicle, get it done, then get back in the left lane! If its a one lane road, different story. Even then, if you can safely do so occasionally at a shoulder, move over and let the line of traffic you are holding up pass so people can get to where they need to be. Its just polite manners (even though they don't have them).
Also as some have mentioned, speedos are usually designed to show 100km/hr when you are really doing 90-95km/hr, therefore a lot of people know their real speed and drive slightly faster because they can legally. It frustrates me when people think I am speeding and try to "enforce" that I slow down by sitting in the overtaking lane even though they are not overtaking anyone, and going slower than the real speed limit - when I know I am driving safety to the conditions.
In road engineering it is a little known fact that all modern roads are designed to be safe at 10km/hr faster than the signposted limit. Add that to the fact they are designed for a traditional 'average' car (not one with upgraded braking and suspension package, stability control and ABS), an average driver, and the deliberate speedo over-reading and in reality it is all safely engineered to drive 10km/hr faster than the false speedo reading (for drivers with a good / well maintained car who feel safe to do so). So don't get so defensive about what your speedo reading says.
I frequently travel on the highway for a couple of hours or up to 10 hours. Over a 900km journey, 10% faster can save approx 1 hour out of the trip - an hour that can be used for more rest stops, being less tired at the end of the day, and therefore safer on the road. I'd be nice if people let you past occasionally when they are driving slow and holding up traffic instead of making everyone else travel at their speed.
Try taking a drive on the autobahn in Germany - the lanes are reversed order but say you pull out to overtake a truck, accelerate as hard as you can in your little 4 cylinder rental car - within seconds high powered M5 BMWs, Porsches, or AMGs will be tailating you, on the horn, demanding you move over… you just get out of their way! Nobody holds them up, its a culture thing in this country - we are programmed to think the tiniest amount of speeding is so bad from all the advertising, and somehow use that to justify forgetting basic common sense and manners to just let people go on their way.
Yes the tailgating is rude and unsafe, but so is deliberately holding people up.The move left somehow comment is because I often drive in single lane road and get tailgated.
When I drive on multi lane highway i.e. The m5 I don't even bother over taking, no point on that road.
Done it a few times. Feels much better giving them a taste of their own medicine. If I don't do it, they will do more to other people and think that the general populace is just a fold over. Not me.
As someone who doesnt much around whilst driving (read speed limit + 10 usually) SJW's like yourself i think call them a effin moron and keep going, i have usually forgotten about it a few minutes later.
In short, we dont care and it wont leave a lasting impression.
Now me overtaking you on the shoulder or turning lane because you are being a twit, diving infront of you and displaying what a real brake check is, now that will leave a lasting impression, usually in the form of a brown or wet stain in your pants.
displaying what a real brake check is
What is it?
Hit the brakes so hard and so violently that i lock up the back axle, usually occurs after i slow down slightly using the handbrake so you cannot detect it.
only tailgate in peakhour if going more than 10km/hr under limit or if they're in the right lane on a road that has a limit of 80km/hr or more
Still illegal
Risking several peoples lives just because you want to go faster for a while or "teach someone a lesson"? Ass hat
Actually i make sure i stop excessively late for a red/amber light. That normally stops the tailgating but it starts the rage which is amusing.
Just keep driving at the speed limit and ignore them. If something happens and they're tailgating you, they're in the wrong. Don't **** about and make yourself the "at fault" driver. If they're acting in a threatening way or driving like assholes, call the cops and let them know.
People suggesting you slam on brakes or slow down to 20km/h are just as likely to cause an accident as the tailgaters are. You're driving a 1500kg+ weapon, don't be an (profanity).
How is ignoring them going to help if you have reason to emergency brake? Do you like being the meat in a metal sandwich?
Manage a safe following distance both in front and behind you, and you can't have such accidents. The safe following distance is speed dependent. If a car is too close to my rear I slow down until they are at a safe following distance - or otherwise bugger off.
If someone is tailgating me, I account for it by leaving more space in front to brake if needed. Safe driving is about being predictable, and driving significantly below the speed limit is unexpected and the kind of thing that causes accidents. No one is arguing that the tailgater is an ass, but reacting in a way that makes the situation more dangerous for everyone involved, serves no one.
I had a real crazy one last week. I was going home from work. Wanted to change into outside lane waited for a gap let one car approaching go then saw a decent gap and moved into it. Guy came racing up behind me started flashing his lights like a mad man. Like i had dangerously cut him up. There was loads of room to make the lane change.
Anyway so i do nothing just keep driving. He then undertakes me cuts in front pulls in front without indicating and hits the breaks…on a wet road…twice… so annoying i didnt have a dash cam was so dangerous someone could have been killed. Then he speeds off and i think (hope) he got flashed going through the red light camera which.
Usually when I get taigated on the left lane, the tailgater eventually goes into the right lane to overtake me. But then I speed up so they can't overtake me. Then they merge back into the left lane behind me eventually. I always do it on the way to and from work. hehehehe.
I slow for tailgater then tap brake light on without stopping or slow down. if you want to tailgater me you going to work for it. I never tailgate that make driving more then need to be.
Its really easy people, Its just plain common sense and courtesy, if you do not need to be in the right hand lane, then stay out of it.
if there are 2 or more lanes, regardless of what the speed limit is, STAY LEFT, even if you are doing the speed limit, still STAY LEFT.
Obviously there are exceptions, and im mostly commenting on free flowing light traffic.Think about emergency vehicles, they need as much of a clear run as possible..
If its one lane, do the speed limit, if you are tailgated and you realise you are under the limit, well speed up to the limit.
No need for braking, which is also dangerous if not more so than a tailgater and also just as illegal, just ensure you are doing the limit and not under, keep left if there are 2 lanes, or when 3 or more, then the middle or left most lane.Note that in some instances you can be fined for being in the right lane if you are there for no purpose
In New South Wales, drivers can be fined $319 and gain two demerit points for this offence. - Also an offence in other states/Territories
Section 125 of the Road Rules states that a driver must not unreasonably obstruct the path of another driver or a pedestrian.
In NSW - The penalty for tailgating is a $425 fine and 3 demerit points.
Also an offence to speed up when a vehicle is trying to overtake you.NSW Road Regulation
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/repealed_reg/arr210/s…
NRMA
http://www.mynrma.com.au/blog/2015/07/11/do-you-keep-left-un…
Why would I put myself in tremendous physical danger by tailgating?
Tailgating is one of the most dangerous things you can do in a car. If you are tailgating a tailgater you are BEGGING them to brake check you.
When I was younger on occasion I'd do the 'gradually slow down to well below the speed limit' but at 32 I've put a good few years into really working on my anger.
Now I adopt the Vietnamese driving mentality of 'yield and forgive'.
If they want to speed, I'll get out of their way when I can. If they want to tailgate me, I'll get out of their way when I can. If they want to do roadrage I'll execute gradually ramped up defensive driving (slowing speed to a little under the speed limit, moving out of the way, doing nothing to provoke them further etc.
If they think 'they won' that's for them to enjoy. I'm not going to risk myself to rob them of that and 'win'. I don't have that youth ego anymore.
I agree with you, and well said.
I've never seen serious tailgating (probably because I drive a boring corolla and am a middle aged man with kids) but from what I've heard it tends to be cars full of teenage thugs trying to make you mad, so they can pick a fight and physically/sexually assault and seriously injure/kill you.
You don't play games with them. You ignore them or call the police. Tailgating and other forms of reckless driving are illegal because they are dangerous.
This used to happen to me a lot when I lived out in a regional area. So I invested in a 10 million candlepower handheld spotlight which lived in the passenger footwell.
They generally slowed down a lot really quickly. Once they could see again they kept their distance or went around. Or just told their friends they were abducted by aliens.
I never ever tail gate. Even if the guy is doing <20% speed limit, I still keep my 3 second distance.
What is retarded is tailgating there is a long line of cars infront that are less than 2 seconds apart and the left lane is still much slower.
What is even more annoying is driving on a 3+ lane freeway and the left 2/3 lanes are going at 90kmph while the right most lane is going at 120kmph. What does it take to get to my damn destination the fastest without breaking the law.
Law is there to control idiots or to get money.
I don't want to lose money.
For some reasons, If someone is tailgating me too closely, my car just suddently brake by itself.
No, what are you a 16 years old? Reason why I tailgate people is cos they're too slow or not giving up Lane. Just move over people.
I have a relative who works in the mental health industry and basically in a nutshell he advised not to provoke or reciprocate dangerous behaviour, I mean not just on the road but generally. He said you really have no idea who you're dealing with and left it at that. So, yeah.. :-/
laughing at everyone here.
great read people.i wish that the keep left unless overtaking rule was enforced more heavily at speeds below 80kph. the amount of times i have people doing 50 or 55 in a 60 zone and just sitting next to each other when traffic isnt congested ahead of them, is unbelievable.
i even had a guy stop me from from making a gap that wasnt dangerously close, just so he didnt 'lose' his spot at the front of the pack.i have only retaliated by tail gating a few times as i was furiously pissed off, not saying this justifies it, or that it is right, but hey, im human.
i never instigate tailgating, it has to be one of the stupidest road maneuvers around, all it takes is something to go on the road, or spook the driver and they'll be on their breaks and you'll be in their ass quicker then a new inmate picking up soap in a shower. and on top of that, you'll be the one at fault and paying for it.
the other reason i dont tailgate is because i hate having cars sitting directly in front of me, it is not ideal to have an overview of road and traffic conditions.
Keep left unless overtaking is not enforced at speed below 80kph.
i know, that's why i said i wish it was enforced. poor wording on my part. ha ha.
They should really update that rule, it should be encouraged on all multi lane roads regardless of speed limit.
I was in the middle lane doing the limit and getting tailgated by a bimbo P plater. The bimbo decided to overtake from the left & crashed right into the back of a parked car.Karma:2hr parking 9.30 am-2.30pm.
Tailgate…..that is one reckless and unrational behaviour.
The vehicle/car was created for to get from point A to B, convenience, multiple passenger, save time, sport and now road rage and illegal racing (public roads).
We have the typical drivers in Australia….not all but what i have witness.
Note: this is not a general statement but what i have usually witness.
Type 1:
Small cars, reckless driving and believe their cars can squeeze through.
Vehicle seen: small yaris, and etcType 2:
Heavy tinted super dark, noisy muffler, boom box thumping and mostly I associate these to be armed and dangerous driver.
Vehicle seen: usually mitsubishi, holden,Type 3:
Luxurious crazy drivers….not all but majority. Love to accelerate and doing crazy stunts on the highway. Saw a guy driving opposite car direction several times…..several times with young kids behind and wife infront which his last attempt nearly ….like a few seconds to hit the opposite lane.
Vehicle seen: could be me eyes but majority i see are crazy audi drivers especially the Q7.Type 4:
Luxurious again and usually fast but law abiding drivers
Vehicle seen bmw, benz some audis, range roversType 5:
Check out my ride drivers. Usually accelarates at roads with many pedestrian spectators or when the front of the green traffic lights
Vehicle seen ferrari, meseratti, aston martin, lambo and etcType 6
Day to day average income, family and working driver.
Vehicle seen toyota, kia, hyundai, mazda, european cars and etcType 7
Always rushing from point a to b, lots of tools on the back of the truck.
Vehicle seen Big 4x4 car, ute izuzu, holden, toyota, mitsubishi and etc.Type 8
Slow, careful and fragile drivers which these are mostly the senior drivers.
Vehicle seen usually sedan or small cars.Type 9
Professional driver that has ample knowledge on how to handle various different cars.
Vehicle seen only only on top gear…the stig.Type 10
The big truck drivers, some are great but mostly i have seen are driving. …fast above limit speeds on the overtaking lane which is fine but it feels dangerous when you can hardly see infront.Type 11
Damn i cant see infront as their vehicles is tinted very dark and is very high. I hope their break lights are working.Type 12
The dont mess with me driver and gang. Saw a few years back a caucasian driver with friends sort of block the way of a car behind. Next thing i know at the traffic lights the passwnger and the car behind came out and kick, punch and rip the front car's bumper and drove off. Yes i can see the boys was shocked and surprised. All happenned on parramatta road
Vehicle seen…..cant remember but the leasson is not to mess with road rage lunatics.Type 13
Google driver ..
Vehicle seen…coming soonSeriously our traffic is getting bad to worse due to congestion, frequent road accidents, foolish and reckless drivers plus…..the car breakdowns.
The highway is not a game to see who is faster but a medium to get from point a to b faster and safer. It is also built in such a way that slow drivers can stay LEFT and overtaking drivers can keep middle to right lane.
To the people speeding on housing streets please do it somewhere else, grow some balls and do it on non residential area.
To the people or high school student dumping rubbish on to housing property, please throw your rubbish in a bin, how do you feel people throwing stuff into your lawn. Think before you do something!
Forgot to mentioned I am a type 6 driver.
Zero collisions and eligible 50% gold licence holder in 9/10 yrs
So many here endorsing tailgating ….
No need to tailgate just because you want to illegally speed or gain that extra 7km/hr so presumably a
late appt is somehow….. on time magically ?No wonder so many road rages because the tailgaters can tailgate you but not the other way round …. is that fair ?
So the speed limit applies only to some and not others ?
What is this holier than thou entitlement mentality ?
So if you tailgate and anger the guys in the car in front of you…. they are entitled to return the favour by bashing your head in ?
Wow
Nothing worse than John Citizen with his wide brimmed hat on the parcel shelf sitting in the right lane serving street justice by holding up the flow of traffic to make a point of a tailgater
OK here's a scenario. Driving up the M1 from Sydney, you're in the right lane trying to do 110Km, you are aware that speedos have a +4% minimum error rate purposely built into them, so the twat doing what looks like 100Km/h and hogging the right lane, is actually doing less, and thereby annoying everyone else not to mention slowing the road and increasing the potential for under-taking passes, increasing the likelihood of incident even more.
Or the bellends who sit in the middle of three lanes doing 10Km/h under the speed limit, which causes more people to over or under-take. Sitting in the right lane and not overtaking is an offence that is sadly not enforced enough. The roads are getting more crowded every day, add all the imported new drivers who don't have a flipping clue on road rules or common sense and it's no wonder road death tolls are increasing.Also, the vast majority of highway patrol ignore 10Km/h over the limit, I have a lot of cop friends and this is coming from all of them. Speed is bad, yes, no one doubts this, but negligent driving and just shit drivers or the a-holes who think they need to enforce road rules? These categories of drivers are just as dangerous and the latter type, the biggest nonces on the road.
In one incident years ago, I had to transport someone having a heart attack from a very remote area into the closest hospital, and on speakerphone to 000 (telstra coverage thank god) and the operator was doing their best to get a patrol car to me to take over and trying desperately to get a chopper to meet us somewhere along the way. But what did I have in front of me? A complete total bastard a-hole who felt he needed to try and slow me down and I was only carrying 10km/h over. Luckily the person survived, a very scary moment in my life made worse by a d*ckhead who felt he needed to meddle.
Use common sense, it's not our job as road users to intervene in other people's driving, whatever the case. You are not traianed for it, you are not in a police car, you are not armed, you cannot know what is going on in the other car. Don't add to the problem.
I was a fireman as a younger man, overseas, and drove the medics around, often arriving at the scene before the trucks. I know how to high speed drive and I know I wouldn't want to do it again.
If it's been a while since you reviewed the road rules, go online and check them out. FFS there's still people who try to block me from lane sharing because they think they are doing me a favour or being officer-wanna-be and don't know lane sharing is now legal up to 30Km/h for motorbikes. Bikes take up less than 2m sq of the road, a car 6 or more, I do my bit for congestion, least cagers can do is not go into auto-pilot when they drive, tailgate me (because I will get you on my rear camera and report you) and please realise bikes lane share to be out of the traffic flow, where we're safer, and to avoid someone hitting from behind - at 45Km/h or more this often results in tetraplegia or death.
I take comfort in this thread that there are more sensible peeps commenting than fools… peace - especially on the roads!!! PLEASE!
If you are being tailgated, and then they overtake you and you tailgate them, why not just do the tail gaters speed in the first place. Simple
Wouldn't it be hard to know what speed tailgater is going to do unless you tailgate the tailgater
I am sorry but from my experience, I never really get many people tailgating me unless I have made a mistake and am not keeping up with the speed limit and are considerably lower it. On the other hand, the only times i have tailgated someone is where i am trying to keep up or close to the speed limit and the person in front of me is going 10-20kms below it and creating traffic / queues behind him. I dont intentionally tailgate him but i do flash my lights at him after a while to tell him to speed up or at the very least move to a slower lane if it is multiple lanes. I get you can be a bit below the speed limits but to be 10-20km below creates a lot more issues as well as makes everyone else around that driver having to readjust their driving styles and / or try to overtake this person and hence has more chance of an accident.
I dont think the vast majority who may end up tailgating are doing it to be arrogant or aggressive.
Dealing with tailgaters is pretty simple…if its a multi lane road move to the left and let them pass. If not, you can always just slow down and pull to the side to let them pass.
Its not worth being tailgated and two wrongs don't make a right.
This in general is whats wrong with Aussie drivers and the whole speeding fear the gov has put onto everybody, No wonder we have so many accidents and traffic jams because people do this bullshit.
This is ozbargain ffs, why put extra wear on your car (fuel, brakes, tyres) by speeding up and down to "annoy" a tailgater?
/rant
I had a semi truck trailer tailgate me on the gold coast highway, it was in the middle lane and I was driving at 5km/h below the speed limit following another vehicle. I promptly move to the far left lane and let the truck pass, because I wanted to avoid the risk of being in a rear end accident. My family's safety is paramount in these situations.
I don't tailgate, because I value my car. If the car in front slams the brakes, guess who loses ? Insurance excess payments, weeks or months without a car whilst it's being repaired at the panel beaters. Not having a car for work or shopping for groceries… really not worth it.