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Tailgating

(35 Posts)
Ragtime Wed 02-Feb-22 16:08:16

Would you or have you ever reported an instance of tailgating to the dvla? Last night a school bus tail gated me in a 40 zone. I was doing 40. Had my dd with me....quite frightening really..was so close had I had to do an emergency stop it would have been curtains. It was 5 o clock..I dont know if any kids were on the bus but shockingly aggressive driving from a " professional "

Whitewavemark2 Sat 05-Feb-22 06:30:33

When I was working I did a lot of driving on motorways. The way I dealt with persistent tailgaters was to put on my hazard lights. That always worked.

Ali08 Sat 05-Feb-22 03:38:58

Or call police from your car to say you're on your own, with/without GC in the back, and you feel threatened by a menacing tailgater but don't want to speed up to lose them!!

Ali08 Sat 05-Feb-22 03:36:50

Write a message on a board and get your GC to pop it up at the back window.
'IF YOU CAN READ THIS, I ALREADY HAVE A CLEAR PHOTO OF YOUR FACE AS YOU ARE FAR TOO CLOSE!'

Marmite32 Fri 04-Feb-22 14:58:30

When we were in France it happened constantly, and this was on relatively quiet rural roads. I usually chickened out and pulled in to the side to let them pass.
It seemed they wanted to show off what a powerful vehicle they had.
But otherwise driving there was a pleasure, it was so beautiful.
I gave up driving soon after we returned to UK. Volume of traffic is so much worse than tailgating.

mokryna Thu 03-Feb-22 19:03:34

sodapop

Way of life here in France my husband hates it.

I switch on my hazard warning lights and brake several times just to show the brake lights.

Germanshepherdsmum Thu 03-Feb-22 17:49:40

Good idea. The one which deals with education of course - depends where you live but here it’s the county council.

Ragtime Thu 03-Feb-22 17:24:33

Thank you..I will ring the council tomorrow!

Callistemon21 Thu 03-Feb-22 17:08:23

Ragtime

I rang the bus company to complain..couldn't have sounded less interested

The Council will have a contract with the bus company, I think it would be better to contact them.

Germanshepherdsmum Thu 03-Feb-22 15:58:54

Maybe see if the police are interested. Someone who drives like that shouldn’t be driving a bus.

Ragtime Thu 03-Feb-22 15:27:53

This wasn't anywhere near a school..but it was a school bus.

welbeck Thu 03-Feb-22 15:22:22

i'm surprised that there is a 30mph outside a school; they are all 20 mph round here, and on many other roads too.
maybe needs a local campaign ?

Ragtime Thu 03-Feb-22 15:13:44

I rang the bus company to complain..couldn't have sounded less interested

Witzend Thu 03-Feb-22 09:54:51

I have been known once or twice to put my hazard lights on. That usually gets the message across.

Germanshepherdsmum Thu 03-Feb-22 09:51:33

I’m lucky to have a car that accelerates from 0 to 60 in about 4.5 seconds. I often have someone tailgating me when I’m driving through a village and I’m sticking to the 30mph limit. I get a lot of pleasure putting my foot down hard as soon as I get out of the village.

glammanana Thu 03-Feb-22 09:31:39

If anyone is tailgating me I just touch my brakes they soon get the message.They must have really important jobs to be in such a hurry.

FindingNemo15 Wed 02-Feb-22 23:32:37

Tailgating happens all the time and I hate it. It makes me feel threatened and quite scared. Usually I pull over where possible and let them overtake me. They are obviously more important than little old me even though I am doing the correct speed limit!

Callistemon21 Wed 02-Feb-22 23:25:31

Now that pedestrians have right of way to cross roads, if drivers are tailgating more accidents will happen.

HettyBetty Wed 02-Feb-22 21:10:28

I use a busy road where I'm frequently tailgated so I did a bit of a survey over a couple of weeks.

Out of 20 tailgating drivers, 19 were men.

Redhead56 Wed 02-Feb-22 20:59:41

Slow down to a lower speed don't let bullies behind the wheel intimidate you.

Beswitched Wed 02-Feb-22 20:18:03

I usually slow right down
If that doesn't work I put on the hazard lights. All but the thickest drivers get the message at that point. The ones who don't really shouldn't be on the road.

Iam64 Wed 02-Feb-22 19:51:48

I’d definitely report a bus driver.

I did a speed awareness course some years ago. We discussed tail gating, the pressure some of those on the course felt to speed up because of tailgating. The advice from the course leaders was not to slow down, press brakes, use hazard lights but to stay calm and ignore. I did this last week when driving at 30 in a 30 zone. The tail gater sped up, and overtook meant speed, right outside our primary school as children were leaving and crossing the road.

ElaineI Wed 02-Feb-22 19:42:15

I slow down too as much as possible. Hate people doing that.

M0nica Wed 02-Feb-22 19:21:29

DD always recommends hazard lights turned on and off quickly so they think you are braking, while doing what I do and slowing down gently to walking pace.

Germanshepherdsmum Wed 02-Feb-22 17:38:31

So dangerous. I’m not sure the dvla would be interested but the driver’s employer would. If you know which company owns the bus I wouldn’t hesitate to call them. He shouldn’t be driving any vehicle like that but especially not a school or other bus. I reported a school bus driver years ago when he pulled out in front of me on a roundabout and I had to brake very sharply to avoid a collision. Full of children on their way to school. My call was taken seriously.

MiniMoon Wed 02-Feb-22 17:23:31

My husband pulls in at a lay-by or field gate and lets them pass. They wind him up so much.
I ignore them and carry on travelling at the speed I want to.