Tailgating.

[Graham Wright]

Is there anything deemed legal and safe that can permit retaliation when headlights behind become invisible below your rear window?

Membership of the IAM has been very helpful in improving my "restraint" but sometimes…………!

[dombooth]

Could be a good idea to clean your windscreen for a while.

Dom

[martine]

If it's very close tailgating, just pull in and get them in front or go all the way round the next roundabout.

[michael769]

The short answer is no. Confrontation promotes aggression. At best you turn a borderline hazardous driver into an outright danger to yourself and others, at worst you end up being run off the road or with a criminal pointing a firearm in your face.

We tend to forget that those metal boxes we interact with have people in them, some good, some stupid and some violent criminals. Don't do anything to one that you would not do to a real person in the street.

If they want past that much then pull over and let them go and take their dangerous driving somewhere else, there are no prizes for getting there before they do, but there is a prize for you getting there in one piece and it's much safer for you to have them in front where you can more easily keep an eye on them.

[Gareth]

If they want past that much ...

The problem is often as much that they don't want to go past, or don't have the ability to overtake at reasonable speeds on a clear road. Sometimes I've had to slow to almost stopping before a tailgater will take the hint and go past.

[MGF]

I have found that the most effective way of dealing with tailgating is concentrating on the hazard rather than the fact it is man-made. Evaluating hazards objectivity makes the response more effective.

[martine]

I have found that the most effective way of dealing with tailgating is concentrating on the hazard rather than the fact it is man-made. Evaluating hazards objectivity makes the response more effective.

+1

Difficult to 'divorce' yourself sometimes though.

[Horse]

I have found that the most effective way of dealing with tailgating is concentrating on the hazard rather than the fact it is man-made. Evaluating hazards objectivity makes the response more effective.

+1

Difficult to 'divorce' yourself sometimes though.

Back to the 'managing emotions' discussion, I suppose . . .

But it is a good point that, at an immediate level, it doesn't matter whether a rear impact is due to poor driving or deliberate action - the outcome is still going to be the same . . . So mitigating by allowing more space ahead, possibly reducing speed slightly, etc. could be the initial actions, but as a supplement start to (calmly) consider how your actions might - if it's deliberate action by the driver behind - inflame the situation. If that happens you've gone from a 'car close behind' to a potentially worse situation.

[Graham Wright]

Could be a good idea to clean your windscreen for a while.

Dom

BELOW Its aluminium below!

[fungus]

Increasing the gap in front is my usual ploy. As Gareth said, they often don't wish to pass you, (my wifes sisters husband ). Pulling in or going around a roundabout if possible works. I also, like Dom, wash the windscreen. It usually makes them drop back a bit, and I don't think that it's generally thought of as being confrontational by the following driver, it's just something we all do from time to time.

[TripleS]

Increasing the gap in front is my usual ploy. As Gareth said, they often don't wish to pass you, (my wifes sisters husband ). Pulling in or going around a roundabout if possible works. I also, like Dom, wash the windscreen. It usually makes them drop back a bit, and I don't think that it's generally thought of as being confrontational by the following driver, it's just something we all do from time to time.

I have concluded that most tailgaters just follow closely behind because to them it is normal, and they don't realise that tailgating offends others, and makes life more difficult for themselves, especially if they are hoping to overtake.

Maintaining a generous distance to the vehicle in front costs nothing in terms of progress, and it is far more relaxing, I find.

I don't think I have ever felt sufficiently troubled by it to go round a roundabout in order to dislodge them.

As for the screenwashing trick, I have done that occasionally, and it usually prompts the tailgater to drop back, but I wouldn't do the screenwashing repeatedly, otherwise I think it would fairly soon be seen as confrontational, which is best avoided.

[Graham Wright]

Could be a good idea to clean your windscreen for a while.

Dom

Ah - you mean with a squirt. Got there in the end .

The most irritating example I find is someone pushing, pushing, pushing, then overtaking just before they turn left.

It is interesting to count the number of brake applications following a tailgater. BMWs seem the worst. Perhaps they have shares in Ferodo.

[dombooth]

Could be a good idea to clean your windscreen for a while.

Dom

Ah - you mean with a squirt. Got there in the end .

The most irritating example I find is someone pushing, pushing, pushing, then overtaking just before they turn left.

It is interesting to count the number of brake applications following a tailgater. BMWs seem the worst. Perhaps they have shares in Ferodo.

Rofl! What did you think I meant? :p

Dom

[edwin_b]

There are a few other techniques, in addition to the standard one of leaving much more space to the front, which my RoSPA tutor recommended some years ago and do seem to work enough times to be worth a try:

1. Pretending to adjust the rear-view mirror.
2. Driving very steadily at a constant speed i.e. with minimal speed changes.
3. Braking early and initially lightly to give maximum warning of hazards and intention.

These are reasonably non-confrontational, I suggest.

[Graham Wright]

Rofl! What did you think I meant? :p

Dom

"Think" I obviously didn't!