absolutley fuming, had a complete lunatic only inches from my rear yesterday, have fitted an old dash cam to my deflector in the hope that it will dissuade such morons , probably hoping in vain though, not sure how to pop a photo into the post, can anyone help?
Good idea, it usually works - if very visible.
Once on the M25 at a steady 70 with lid up and two empty lanes to my right there was an Audi sitting about five feet behind, most likely slipstreaming to save another one or two mpg. My passenger moved the dash cam to the rear window, and to our surprise the Audi dropped back to a safe distance. Result.
We’ve done this a few times since then, usually successful. The only snag is that I can’t do it with the lid hid. I’ve yet to find a satisfactory mounting point.
I even bought a tiny Mobius to go inside the hoop behind me, but it was still not right unless I was prepared to drill the hoop cover for a more secure fixing than than cable ties. Also it is not really visible enough to discourage the inevitable inattentive tailgater. So it sits on my desk as an occasional HD webcam.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mobius-Action-Camera-1080P-Sports/dp/B00GT2B4R6/
Just start to wash your windows. That usually gets rid of them. If not in the MX5 I use the front washers first then after a minute I do the rear window
I can understand how you feel? Our cars are lower/smaller than a lot and you can feel vulnerable when a total moron does that? It’s not exclusive to these cars though? Morons are indiscriminate in their actions. Although it’s an offence, not a lot seems to get done about it. For me, the car should be confiscated, crushed and similar done to the perpetrator. That’s not going to happen though is it? Taking the law into your own hands is also not the answer ( although it makes you want to) as your’e then lowering yourself to the same level as the moronic idiot who’s doing it.
Barrie
I made a permanent camera mount out of a phone holder and a few bits and pieces that is fixed to the mesh wind blocker with some small bolts that went through the holes without any drilling, it can see through the window with the hood up and is very visible with the hood down. Except for the totally brainless moron, who would probably tail-gate a traffic cop car, it works a treat.
Why is it the majority of tailgaters are Audi, BMW drivers. Possibly because they are the bullies of the road and feel that absolutely nothing should dare to get in their way. You only have to watch some of the TV adverts for some of these cars which suggest the mentality of the drivers their target audience is. There is an particular Audi advert for example which suggest that every other road user is a clown and shouldn’t be on the road it is particularly insulting). Probably appeals to their feeling of smug superiority and self righteousness. Says it all really. I have colleagues at work who buy these overpowered machines and get bored with them. They are then constantly getting them chipped or buying even higher powered models because they feel a need for more acceleration and show-off horse power figures and 0 to 60 acceleration times. This is the only (short lived) thrill they get because in all other aspects these cars are totally boring. Rant over!
My tactic is to put my hazard lights on and this usually gets them to back off. I realise that this is not strictly legal on a moving vehicle but if it prevents an accident I think that it is justified.
What I do & I’ve done it to tailgating artics as well when speed limit lowered to 50mph through road works is first I’ll just touch the brake with my left foot - enough for the brake lights to come on without breaking - it that doesn’t work then I do slow right down using the brakes.
This usually really infuriate the arctic drivers & results in headlights getting flashed & horns getting blown - but it is effective in that they do tend to back off after that.
If I’ve the roof down I also engage in some hand gestures as well
^^^^^ Hope you check your mirrors first and make sure the driver isn’t eating/watching tv/multi-phoning with his feet on the steering wheel and the truck on auto-pilot otherwise…!
There are two main species of tailgater.
Type 1 (Narcissists) are the drivers who basically feel entitled to go faster when they see a rival, or a peasant, in the way; this often applies when the driver they are following is observing the speed limit. I try to let these people by - I’d rather have them in front where they can have their accident without it involving me (and I can watch).
Despite trying to avoid stereotyping, it does sometimes seem that a disproportionate number of Narcissists drive black Audis or BMWs. This is probably availability/confirmation bias on my part - a lot of Audis and BMWs happen to be black. My daughter also drives a black A6 Avant, and doesn’t drive like that, so I have to be careful what I say…
Type 2 (Dreamers) are the mind-on-anything-but-driving types who just gravitate to the back of whatever is in front. They don’t want to overtake. Watching them follow someone else, it’s as if they can’t control their separation properly - constant flashing of the brake lights as they catch up, brake, fall back, repeat. I sometimes give them the hazard lights too, and they usually back off for a mile or two. Slowing down to let them pass just confuses them - I have on at least one occasion found a long empty straight, put the left indicator on, lifted off and coasted completely to a halt with one stopped behind me, utterly baffled.
Dreamers can be spotted frequently on the single carriageway A428 between the A1 and Caxton Gibbet, a bit of road I use about once a week. Overtaking is often difficult and almost always pointless, but instead of settling back they hang on like limpets, dabbing the brakes every few seconds. Leaving a big space ahead, and then straightening out the roundabouts usually puts them 1/4 mile behind, from where they creep back to fill the rear view mirror again.
I have noticed that a legally driven MX-5 attracts a lot more of both types than a similarly driven Mitsubishi Outlander.
In you description of the event it’s hard to understand ‘why’ it happened, my reaction is slow down, and they will usually pass you soon enough, so if the reason was trailing close for the initial answer above, they will soon get fed up.
I used to have an estate that showed a brake light earlier than the brakes actually came on, so I used to slightly apply the brake pedal and that often scared the daylights out of them, without risk of them running into the back of me, if the brakes actually operated at that point. Gave me a few smiles which compensated for the later fist waving that followed it.
In the Five - I was driving behind a group of cars in the fast lane, north bound on the M1 when some crazy female was so close behind me I couldn’t see the front of her car at all, just the bonnet, and the windscreen. I moved over to the center lane and let her past, then moved back to follow her - at a safe distance. (I could see what the result would be) I also made sure there was a gap in the center lane I could move into if the worst happened - it did. A multi-car pileup went into two lanes, and her car was hung up on the center barrier. Fortunately there was a also a gap in the slow lane, so I went from fast over to slow lane without upsetting anyone and got through safely. Tailgaters are among the worst scenarios on motorways, coupled with nearside passers, who jump in front of you, or others in front of you. - Inevitable braking follows. I always leave gaps between the car I’m following and make sure there is a rapid gap at my nearside to seize if I have to. That’s save me and the car more than once. You live and learn (fast).
I can assure you my BMW 330d is not totally boring.
I do so agre, I frequently get bullied in my MX-5, but never in my BMW
I had a tailgater up my a**** for a good distance on the A606 going towards Melton Mowbray recently. I had to pull up pretty sharply as the car in front suddenly decided he wanted to pull off into a farm entrance, think he was lost and wanted to do a U turn, didn’t signal and from a speed of about 40mph. I was in control as I was far enough back but the look on the tailgaters face behind (a young female) as she loomed large in my rear view mirror, to control the car whilst braking and trying to keep it on the road.
She was actually further back behind me at this point than she had been earlier but not concentrating. She ended up sitting just a few feet from hitting the car that had turned off into the farm entrance in front of me because she had to take avoiding action not to hit me. She veered across the grass verge and I’m convinced if she had had to mount a kerb to do this the car could had flipped, luckily no kerb.
I momentarily held back having gone on a few yards down the road and the car had rejoined the road and on it’s way again, guessing no damage. So what does she do next, further on continues to tailgate me, don’t they ever learn?
DonT. I did admit I was having a bit of a rant and perhaps I did exaggerate a bit. Not all BMW and Audi drivers are bully drivers (thank god) but unfortunately these cars do seem to attract a high proportion of this type of driver.
So very well observed and put John M. Reminds me of when one day I was commuting to work in my MX5 with a colleague who I lift share with. We had just gone through a village with a 30 mph speed limit when an Audi Q5 loomed large in my mirrors and started to tailgate me (he must have been speeding through the village to catch up so quickly). I was driving briskly but keeping to the speed limit when near the end of a long straight he decided he had to get past the little sports car at all cost and he overtook just as we entered a blind bend. He was going far too fast and ended up on the wrong side of the road as he struggled to maintain control of his car. God knows what would have happened if a car had been coming the other way. he would have probably have taken us all out. I followed him at a safe distance all the way to work, where to my great delight I followed him through the security gates to the company car park, where unfortunately for him, he had to park close to myself. He tried to quickly slope off but I called him back and asked him if he thought he had achieved anything, apart from putting our lives at risk, in his attempt to put my little Mazda in its place in his big “get out of my way” Audi. He muttered something then actually had the temerity to question my driving (he obviously felt that attack is the best form of defense). My passenger colleague put him in his place very quickly and he withdrew his attack. Lucky for him where I work is a very large site and we probably would never meet again. I have not seen his car on that car park again. I just hope he had learned a lesson.
Type 2 Gerry, a Dreamer. Some of them never overtake anything, ever, believing it to be inherently dangerous. The Narcissists are off like a two bob rocket.
I drop my speed (when safe to do so) to let them pass. Better to have them in front where I can see them rather than behind being a pain. The main culprits seem to be large 4x4s, SUVs and white van man. There are a lot of arrogant and impatient drivers on the roads these days I’m afraid and yes AUDI drivers seem to be the worst…
There is NO fast or slow lane on any motorway in this country, The national speed limit on all motorways is 70 mph in all lanes,
There are exceptions, no offence JS.
Posted 4x in error. No delete post function, which would be useful sometimes.