What Would you have done?

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Tue 10 Oct 2006 12:17
What Would you have done? - Nsar
M6 S/bound yesterday round Stafford.

I was a passenger and we were slack-jawed at the behaviour of a driver of a transit following a car that was obviously not going fast enough for his liking as he was less than 10 foot off his bumper doing about 86-90mph.

It was insane driving and there was simply no excuse as the motorway was very busy so the guy could not have moved over anyway.

What can you do?
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Tue 10 Oct 2006 12:25
What Would you have done? - cabsmanuk
Kept well away.
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Tue 10 Oct 2006 12:31
What Would you have done? - J Bonington Jagworth
Not much you can do as a third party - presumably he didn't have a "how's my driving" sticker?

If I'd been the victim, though, I'd have dabbed my brake pedal with the other foot, just enough to actuate the lights. That usually does it.
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Tue 10 Oct 2006 12:49
What Would you have done? - Gromit {P}
What would I do?

a) Get very, very anxious that nothing moving slower appeared in my path, lest I end up with the Transit in my back seat.

b) Gradually scrub off speed back to 70mph while calling 999 to report him for intimidation - which is why the mobile in the Gromitmobile is always plugged into the hands-free kit.

c) Wish I was driving a Defender with one of those oversize tow bars for hauling three-ton trailers, in which case I'd be sorely tempted to stamp on the anchors...

What the obstinate git in me wouldn't do is pull over into the first tiny gap that emerged in the traffic (which is what the yob in the van is hoping for) - if someone is going to get squashed in a badly-judged lane change, let it be him, not me...
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Tue 10 Oct 2006 13:10
What Would you have done? - stevied
Let's have some praise for the LGV/HGV/PSV/TSB/RAC drivers of this world, though eh?

He was probably under pressure from his boss to move his precious cargo from one end of the country to the other in an unreasonable time, poor lamb. Maybe he hadn't had his full rest periods and was trying to get to the next services to have a sleep/fiddle his tacho.

There were probably loads of examples of bad car drivers as well, it's always White van man that gets picked on.

I can't carry on, as my tongue is going through my cheek.
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Tue 10 Oct 2006 13:17
What Would you have done? - Lud
Funny, this. Since I consistently exceed speed limits I don't often have the experience of being tailgated. When I see someone approaching in the rv mirror who is plainly going faster than me, I look for a middle lane gap so that I can let them past. Seems like the right thing to do.

If I am going fast myself it seems dog-in-the-mangerish to stop someone even more sporting from breaking the sound barrier if they feel like it.

So what would I do? Get out of the damn way, sharpish. White van man's sinful speeding is none of my damn business. I'm not paid to enforce discipline on other drivers. Hate that attitude actually.
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Tue 10 Oct 2006 13:37
What Would you have done? - NARU
The problem is that if everyone moves over when these inconsiderates drive so close, they learn that the behaviour pays, so do it more and more. Then they do it to more and more vulnerable road users.

The government response is heavy fines or prison IF an accident occurs - but that's not addressing the root cause of the problem with education before a tragedy occurs.

I've just heard of a mate who was knocked off his motorbike by a tailgater. Very nasty injuries.
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Tue 10 Oct 2006 13:36
What Would you have done? - Roberson
As a third party? Nothing

If I was the one being tailgated? In this instance, carried on at my own pace, pulling in only when it is safe to do so (effectively ignoring him). I think any other course of action would have been unsafe on a motorway.
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Tue 10 Oct 2006 13:39
What Would you have done? - Dynamic Dave
What can you do?


Well, I did try blowing my horn and flashing my lights, but the car 10 feet in front of me still wouldn't get out of my way ;o)
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Tue 10 Oct 2006 13:49
What Would you have done? - Nsar
Sorry, I wasn't making myself clear in the question which was what can you do as a third party? It was just so unbelievably reckless, far worse than anything I or my colleague have ever seen and seemed to be an accident about to happen as a result of criminal behaviour.

If there had been a company logo on the van I would have called the number.

Fortunately we never came across an accident so presumably the nutter 'won' or one of the cars got to their junction.

If it was me being tailgated in those circs I would move over at a time of my choosing, ie I wouldn't be panicked into anything but I would probably weigh it up as the other guy being too far into the psycho part of the dial to make an issue of it.

Take control of the situation and forget about it.

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Tue 10 Oct 2006 13:54
What Would you have done? - Lud
We see people doing silly moronic things on the road every day and frightening ones a couple of times a week. Unless involved in an accident there's nothing we can or should do.

Anyone who is shocked and appalled by dangerous tailgating should sample the German motorway system. There they do it at 130mph in the rain. Looks insane to me, but there's nothing I can do about it except laugh when something goes wrong and two miles of road become a pool-table with crushable balls.
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Tue 10 Oct 2006 13:59
What Would you have done? - Big Bad Dave
They do it at motorway speed on compacted snow in Poland. Both nerve-racking and exhillarating if you've got big enough stones to join in the fun. Otherwise, stay in the slow lane.
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Tue 10 Oct 2006 14:04
What Would you have done? - stevied
I'll second Lud's Germany comments..... exhilarating if nothing else! I think only having two lanes for the most part of the autobahn system certainly sharpens up people's reflexes.....

Think I'll stay out of Poland though!
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Tue 10 Oct 2006 14:08
What Would you have done? - Big Bad Dave
It's fun honest!

Actually I'll only belt along with them for a few km then move over for twenty minutes while my heart returns to normal.
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Tue 10 Oct 2006 14:09
What Would you have done? - Red Baron
"What do you do?"

Overtake. You want lunatics like that well behind you : )
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Tue 10 Oct 2006 14:11
What Would you have done? - Lud
That's the spirit RB!
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Tue 10 Oct 2006 14:51
What Would you have done? - Caveman
Sorry, I wasn't making myself clear in the question which was
what can you do as a third party?


Ignore it. Besides the fact that the van was tailgating someone other than you and therefore shouldn't concern you, lifes too short to be worrying about other road users and what theyre doing.
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Tue 10 Oct 2006 15:58
What Would you have done? - yorkiebar
What should you do about it as a 3rd party?

Join the police if you feel that strongly!

It may well have been 2 vehicles in a crazy convoy; but it's a drivers responsibility to drive correctly him/herself; not correct other people!

If the driver of the affected vehicle was concerned he/she has an accelerator pedal, brake pedal, indicators, mirrors and a steering wheel to choose an appropriate response.

He is also capable of taking the reg no and reporting it to the authorities; who may just be interested. But as a 3rd party I don't think its right to do anything without the full facts etc.

What if the guy in the car had just stolen something from the van, knocked over a child, etc etc etc and the guy in the van was following him and reporting it to the authorities etc etc.
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Tue 10 Oct 2006 17:12
What Would you have done? - Nsar
>>But as a 3rd party I don't think its right to do anything without the full facts etc.<<

I hope you're not the one walking past me when I'm mugged.

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Tue 10 Oct 2006 20:21
What Would you have done? - yorkiebar
Different situation imo
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Tue 10 Oct 2006 20:22
What Would you have done? - yorkiebar
Depends if they left any money too ! ;-)
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Wed 11 Oct 2006 00:38
What Would you have done? - madux
I was in a White Van Man's boss's office a while ago when he received a call complaining that WVM was hogging the fast lane and would not get out of the way (He had a 'How's my driving?' sticker)
Boss called WVM on the radio. Sorry Boss, said WVM, I'm doing nearly 90 and this pink fluffy dice in a BMW is 6ft behind me and there is nowhere to pull over. Boss told him to slow down to 70.
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Wed 11 Oct 2006 22:57
What Would you have done? - Micky
To avoid confrontation, increase the gap to the vehicle in front without touching the brakes, this will allow you some room if the tranny driver should collide with your vehicle. Move over at the earliest opportunity, avoid eye contact.

Alternatively, increase the gap to the vehicle in front without touching the brakes, this will allow you some room if the tranny driver should collide with your vehicle. Gesticulate wildy, stand on the brakes and prepare for an insurance claim.

Only joking, Plod quite rightly regard "brake testing" as a serious offence.
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Thu 12 Oct 2006 10:53
What Would you have done? - Enoughalready
If there's nowhere for me to go sometimes I soak the tailgater with my washers until they get the hint.
I don't know why but most tailgaters I pick up tend to be youngish ladies!
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Thu 12 Oct 2006 11:11
What Would you have done? - jase1
Pull over, but make a point of waiting for a sizeable gap in traffic, and indicate for at least 3 seconds before pulling over, slowing slightly in the right-hand lane to equalise your speed with the slower lane. Drives them nuts, and you can sit in the smug knowledge that you stuck to the letter of the law.
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Fri 13 Oct 2006 00:33
What Would you have done? - mk124
Enoughalready, I do this too! I put on my sprayers, until they put their windscreen wipers on, or until I think they will. After they have canceled their windscreen wipers I put my sprayers on again.
I think it drives them mad, but it's fun. I have not had the oportunity to drench a car with it's roof down yet however.
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Fri 13 Oct 2006 09:07
What Would you have done? - Statistical outlier
Works even better if you have headlight washers - they create an even better cloud of spray.
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