Tailgating and flashing headlights

If you are a tailgater on a congested motorway, I wonder if it has struck you that you are behaving quite pointlessly? Because sure enough once you are past me, there's going to be someone else in the way. Then another and another and another and so on.

With so many lorries cluttering up lane 1 on say the M40 and M1, to assume that it's only the car immediately in front of you that's the "problem" is just failing to take any kind of account of what is going on around you. On that basis you probably NEED to be slowed down, before you lose control and take a load of other drivers with you.

Isn't it a case of saying, when you have to drive slowly or carefully then do so, when you can drive fast then do so. If the road is blocked you cannot drive fast. If that sounds obvious, don't worry, it's supposed to.

This is to do with the ego of the person in front. I ride a motorcycle (very safely - been taught be the police). If there are two cars in lane 2, and a substantial gap between them, why won't people in the outside lane move over and let me past? Maybe they fear they will get blocked in as I struggle to get past? Even though I could have safely overtaken them in lane two about 6 times over with the acceleration I have available. No, I wait, for Mr Ego "you're not faster than me mate - you have to wait for me - I'm important". On the continent people just move over. What IS it with Brits??? My car is my castle??? Don't you tell me what to do??? It's nonsense. Generally the person tailgating you is only doing so because behind you he has waited patiently for a dozen f*ckwit lane hoggers and has just had enough.

This morning, I witnessed some fool would would not relinquish his outside lane to the car flashing behind him. The patrol car flashing behind him, with blue flashing lights.

Suck your egos in people. Flashing means move over. By doing so, you lose nothing.



You could be in a ferarri, it doesn't matter - if you pull into lane two to let me past, you will not get "blocked in" and have to use your brakes.

I Agree, this happened to me once a long tme ago unfortunately the car I was overtaking tried to pull into my lane, I had to slam the breaks on to avoid being hit by him, the car behind me did the same but the car behind him, who was also tailgating, was far too close... the last thing I saw in my rear view mirror was a lot of smoke and flying debris. Later I heard on the radio that 3 people had died and several were injured, when I got home (safely) I called the authorites and gave a statement. My only hope is that the people who died were the tailgaters, a few less of them in the world the better imho - arrogant, selfish, egotistical and probably domestic, physical or sexual abusers. That'll teach the stupid morons.

Nikki I did not say all slow drivers you said that. You are totally incorrect about outside lane also it is not for overtaking middle lane drivers its called the fast lane, thats a clue for you. !!! The middle lane on a motorway is there so drivers can switch lanes and if you are in this lane then you are meant to be moving past cars on inside lane then move back into inside lane when safe. However I do understand this does not really work due to todays heavy traffic load. Your little Micra is as you say a very slow car and is not fast enough to overtake so then stay in inside lane and poodle along which is fine no problem. I drive a BMW M5 which is 508 BHP and is fast enough to safely overtake just about any car. A fast car is a safe car. You seem very nervous on the motorway and unsure about which lane is for what and the general rules of motorway driving so I hope my advise has been helpful to you and you are now more confident and safe on the roads. I wish you well.

Proper driver: I haven't read such a load of rubbish for a long time ! How can you say that "slow drivers pull into the fast lane without looking in mirror" ! Do you know every single slow driver in the world? That is a ridiculous statement to make. I for one am an inveterate mirror and blind spot checker ... for the very reason you state, it is hard to judge how long a very fast car will reach you. For this reason, I am very very careful before I pull out. I have neither the inclination, nor the burst of power in my little Micra, to get out of trouble fast if I need to.

Did I ever say I would enter the fast lane doing 50?

The fast lane is NOT for driving fast in willy nilly, the fast lane is for OVERTAKING slower cars in the middle lane, NOT for hogging. You sound like one of the J Bonington Jagworth types who expect everyone to get out your way to avoid you being held up for 1 second.

Well Nikki if you poodle along only doing 50 then stay in the inside lane the outside lane is the fast lane and slow drivers pull into it without looking in mirror to see fast approaching cars. slow drivers seem unable to judge how long it will take for a fast car to reach them. If you only do 50 then you will not be delayed by lorries as they can do this spped no problem. No one should ever enter fast lane only doing 50 mph, hello thats why its called the fast lane.

"Everyone forgets there are NO MINIMUM speed limits, only maximum. There is no reason why drivers cannot travel at 50 mph on the motorway if they so wish, or indeed 30."

Not *strictly* true. You can be pulled for driving too slowly (relatives of mine have). And despite that it is common sense that you would not do 30 in the fast lane.

"I drive a Nissan Micra"

Can you get it above 30?

Wht would you call "a proper speed" Proper driver? I drive a Nissan Micra, and when it is very windy, I do not feel safe driving any faster than 60. I have just as much right to overtake lorries doing 50 at 60 mph, than you do at 70, or whatever speed you like to drive at.

Everyone forgets there are NO MINIMUM speed limits, only maximum. There is no reason why drivers cannot travel at 50 mph on the motorway if they so wish, or indeed 30.

Then move over people like you should overtake at a proper speed you are the ones who cause accidents so get out of the way. !!!!

I've read this with some interest.

I do quite a lot of motorway driving, admittedly at more than the speed limit on occasion, but it's amazing how many people sit in Lane 2 or 3 doing 65 mph when there's nothing to prevent them moving to the left.

I always leave a good 2 seconds between me and the person in front - and I do flash, but only a couple of times - but I always say thank you with a hand signal (daytime) or hazards (night).

I find that most drivers understand and I'll often get a 'you're welcome' (at least I hope that's what it is!) in return.

One other thing: in the 1970s, the main tailgaaters were company reps in Ford cortinas, But they have now seemed to have progressed to BMW, Mercedes, People Carriers, and 4X4s.
Tailgaters have always beeen around, it is just that you have more choice in the type of Git who does it now.
People who hog lanes on Motorways and dual carriageways and tailgaters should ALL be hung by their bits that hurt most anyway.

There have always been Tailgaters on the roads, and they are annoying to say the very least, and dangerous in the extreme. On normal roads there is no excuse for tailgating because it just gets up everyones nose and causes frustration all around.
However, on Dual Carriageways, and Motorways, the main reason for tailgating is "lane Hoggers" who refuse to move into spaces in the nearside lane. These people usually drive at about 5 or 10mph below the speed limit, and cause chaos and congestion in their wake. Hence frustrated drivers drive closer than is wise in order to try and make the Lane Hogs see sense and move into the nearside lane. NOT a satisfactory situation at all.
When I was taught to drive (Many moons ago) I was told to overtake on normal roads as quickly as possible then return to the nearside lane as soon as it is safe.
On dual carriageways and Motorways, BOTH outside lanes are for OVERTAKING ONLY; move into the nearside lane once you have overtaken another vehicle. If everyone did this, travelling on Motorways would be far less stressful for everyone, and tailgating would reduce considerably in my humble opinion