Do you ever tailgate

obi_waynne

obi_waynne

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Have you ever been guilty of tailgating? (Driving too close to the car in front.)

It's something that you see loads on the roads, probably 70% of drivers are doing it but I bet that none will ever admit it?

The question is I suppose, how do you judge a safe distance to follow the car in front?
 
:embarrest: I know I should'nt, but a clown doing 65mph on the M3 in lane 3 with absolutely nothing in front of him! winds me up something terrible! the red horns begin to grow! :embarrest:
 
Very rarely. I undertake a lot mind.

I hate tailgating, it's how you know you're in Britain. Cos no matter what type of road, no matter what the weather, no matter what the time of day, there will ALWAYS be some &^*&^ 2 inches from your bumper.
 
In Italy, they make up 4th and 5th lanes on 3 lane roads so think yourself lucky! I do think our driving standard is one of the best in the world but this one thing is probably the "weak spot" that causes more accidents than ever.
 
Yugguy said:
Very rarely. I undertake a lot mind.

I hate tailgating, it's how you know you're in Britain. Cos no matter what type of road, no matter what the weather, no matter what the time of day, there will ALWAYS be some &^*&^ 2 inches from your bumper.
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Sorry! :embarrest: will try to make that at least 6 inches the next time :lol:
 
T9 man said:
:embarrest: I know I should'nt, but a clown doing 65mph on the M3 in lane 3 with absolutely nothing in front of him! winds me up something terrible! the red horns begin to grow! :embarrest:
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True That!

And the "HE" takes over control of the vehicle, so i guess its not my fault.....

;) ;) ;)

But I usually an more worried about my own car, to tail-gate.

And when I do its only after a lot of flashing of lights and even honking, when I see that is not having effect.

Else-wise,I try to remember the 2-second rule.
 
I don't know why the image has stuck to them though, is it jealousy on the part of non BMW drivers? I actually like certain BMWs, wouldn't mind an M1 or an E39 M5 or even an E28 M5....................etc.etc.
 
Big Fat Fatty said:
I don't know why the image has stuck to them though, is it jealousy on the part of non BMW drivers? I actually like certain BMWs, wouldn't mind an M1 or an E39 M5 or even an E28 M5....................etc.etc.
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It's needless jeaslousy if so, they're well put together without doubt but there's nothing radical or ground breaking about any BMW. The Bavarians are a very traditional bunch. That's why a bought a used 5 series last July. It was an emergency purchase and reliability is essential. I cannot afford constant repairs or downtime at the moment.

You watch what happens when someone who exhibits BMW envy get's their hands on one (even a basic 4 cylinder 3 series). They drive it in exactly the way that the stereotypical BMW driver would be expected to drive it.

So it's a self fulfilling prophecy.

That's why I don't like the image the 5 series projects of me.
 
HDi fun said:
It's needless jeaslousy if so, they're well put together without doubt but there's nothing radical or ground breaking about any BMW. The Bavarians are a very traditional bunch. That's why a bought a used 5 series last July. It was an emergency purchase and reliability is essential. I cannot afford constant repairs or downtime at the moment.

You watch what happens when someone who exhibits BMW envy get's their hands on one (even a basic 4 cylinder 3 series). They drive it in exactly the way that the stereotypical BMW driver would be expected to drive it.

So it's a self fulfilling prophecy.

That's why I don't like the image the 5 series projects of me.
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I have actually seen a car sticker on the rear screen of a BMW that says!
A BMW OWNER NOT A BMW DRIVER! :)
 
On occasion I will admit that I have, but only in a circumstance where I refuse to brake. Motorway slip roads or entering a national speed limit is very annoying when the car in front is sat trundling along at 40.

It's not that I ride the backside of the car in font I just prefer to let the engine braking slow me down (2 car lengths) or stay prone to overtake.

I don't want to seem intimidating, just don't drive like a donkey :amuse:
 
Two car lengths is a bit tight, even when you are planning to pass. I don't get that close, not even when preparing for the final execution of the manouevre.

Then again, some people do slow down outrageously early for something like a simple roundabout and generally these are the ones who don't really get on with the job anyway, basically forcing the driver behind to brake even though there was no need to slow quite that soon.

(They're also often the same ones who barrel through 30mph zones at 40 odd mph just because they can just about get into 5th or 6th gear at the speed).
 
It sounds bad but in context: going along a nation speed road at 60 and then encountering a car doing 40, its annoying to have to waste that much energy by braking so as soon as its free to overtake i'd stay at the distance - on the premise that I was taught to not only pay attention to car in front but to the one in front of that too.

Allows to anticipate when the car in front will brake. Usually I wouldn't risk bumping my car by driving so close.
 
aswearing said:
It sounds bad but in context: going along a nation speed road at 60 and then encountering a car doing 40, its annoying to have to waste that much energy by braking so as soon as its free to overtake i'd stay at the distance - on the premise that I was taught to not only pay attention to car in front but to the one in front of that too.

Allows to anticipate when the car in front will brake. Usually I wouldn't risk bumping my car by driving so close.
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Totally agree - I always drive through (not literally :) :) ) the one directly in front. Vision and planning is everything. You could, of course, let go of the right pedal even sooner but I agree some people to start to lose speed incredibly and needlessly early that it confuses the heck out of all or us. And we still wind up braking when it should not have been at all necessary.
 
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Some say it's not tailgating, it's slipstreaming :D

It's not something I'd do personally. I've been a passenger in a car where the driver deliberately caused an accident to get an insurance claim so I've seen what can happen first hand when you tailgate. And it's not nice.
 
Jakeymd said:
Only if the person is really taking the piss! And only to safely overtake them. :p
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You don't need to 'tailgate' to overtake, though, do you?

Adopting a slightly closer following position in preparation for the final execution of the swift overtaking manoeuvre is a good driving plan.

Tailgating is not a good driving plan.

Leave that to the uninformed masses.

Tailgaters have no place in this Torque Cars Forum. This is the place for thinking drivers. The clueless f***w**s can go elsewhere.
 
HDi fun said:
Tailgaters have no place in this Torque Cars Forum. This is the place for thinking drivers. The clueless f***w**s can go elsewhere.
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no this forum is a community to learn, teach, offer advice and have a laugh!!!!
so people have to learn somewhere. the main learning experience will probably be from a close call like myself!! but the written word can also make an impact on people learning to improve there driving;)
 
Going further, I detest tailgaters. And it's not as if I hold up or delay cars behind me.

On more than one occasion I've stopped my car in a position where it's impossible for the tailgating driver behind to get past me, got out of my car and had a discussion with the tailgating driver through that driver's very narrowly opened window.

I hate tailgating drivers and I will always take up the mantle if I feel someone is really taking the p***.

In short, please don't sit on HDi's rear bumper.
 
Hi guys, been absent for a while, and didn't actually post since introducing myself.

As i said, I'm from Montenegro, and you'll probably laugh because we don't have large national motorways, only two line roads (something like B roads in Britain). So we have a number of tailgaters because some people don't know how to make difference between road and race overtaking, but the HDi's story of BMW drivers and owners reminded me.... Back here a VW GTI drivers are the worst, because when they are on the road, and when they think they can race someone, hell breaks loose.... They tailgate, flash lights, hit the horn.... Just to get a between lights race....

I myself don't tailgate, well maybe a little when j**k in front hits the brake suddenly, because theres no room for me to go.
 
Voland said:
Hi guys, been absent for a while, and didn't actually post since introducing myself.

As i said, I'm from Montenegro, and you'll probably laugh because we don't have large national motorways, only two line roads (something like B roads in Britain). So we have a number of tailgaters because some people don't know how to make difference between road and race overtaking, but the HDi's story of BMW drivers and owners reminded me.... Back here a VW GTI drivers are the worst, because when they are on the road, and when they think they can race someone, hell breaks loose.... They tailgate, flash lights, hit the horn.... Just to get a between lights race....

I myself don't tailgate, well maybe a little when j**k in front hits the brake suddenly, because theres no room for me to go.
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The problem is that i am a bloody BMW driver :embarrest:
 
Must just point out. If the driver in front is a good driver (such as yourself) then i won't need to tailgate, in fact i think i probably leave too much of a gap as people often nip into the space in front of me. And i don't tailgate to overtake either, i hold back, build up some speed when i know an prime overtaking place is coming and then when i can see the road is clear i'm already traveling at an overtaking speed. If it isn't safe i'll slow down, pull back, and try again next time.

I'm saying all this cause i feel i hit a wrong nerve with HDi and didn't want him to think i was a terrible driver.

It's moronic drivers that stay in the right hand lane for miles and miles that may need tailgating for a little bit to remind them to pull over.
 
Jakeymd said:
Must just point out. If the driver in front is a good driver (such as yourself) then i won't need to tailgate, in fact i think i probably leave too much of a gap as people often nip into the space in front of me. And i don't tailgate to overtake either, i hold back, build up some speed when i know an prime overtaking place is coming and then when i can see the road is clear i'm already traveling at an overtaking speed. If it isn't safe i'll slow down, pull back, and try again next time.

I'm saying all this cause i feel i hit a wrong nerve with HDi and didn't want him to think i was a terrible driver.

It's moronic drivers that stay in the right hand lane for miles and miles that may need tailgating for a little bit to remind them to pull over.
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Not at all. Sorry. I re-read the post and can see how you read it the way you did.

I was actually agreeing with you - my reference to drivers not welcome here wasn't referring to you.


THe ones sitting in lane 3 for dozens of miles just because they're doing 0.00001mph more than those in lane 2 wind me up immensely.
Please accept my apology :embarrest:
 
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