Safe Speed Forums

this practice makes no sense. a car can quite easity pass but they choose not to. they cant see anything but they insist on sitting dangerously close. this is an example taken on the M1 near Belfast on monday

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Richie

SSAFA supporter
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Yup, it's pointless on a motorway. I can see someone wanting to get as close as possible just before an overtake on a standard road (although maybe not quite as close as in the picture) but on dual-carriageway or motorway I don't see any reason for this behaviour.

I think there are two distinct points to be considered here.

1. why someone would choose to stay put in L1 behind a slower-moving vehicle when they're in a vehicle permitted to use L2 and which gives no indication of being unable to complete the overtake, and where L2 is quiet enough not to impede the move across from L1->L2.

2. why someone would choose to tailgate.


I see enough cars, exhibiting no outward signs of poor health (e.g. not emitting any smoke/steam, not running on space savers, bodywork in good condition etc.) and not carrying/towing anything which might kill their performance, happily pootling along in L1 without any intention of overtaking the HGVs they're keeping pace with (and I very much doubt, given the numbers involved, that they could all be unmarked plod out on the prowl!), so I think point 1 could be explained as being that some drivers simply don't feel like using the full limit available to them and are quite happy to just cruise along. Maybe they're trying to economise on their fuel usage, maybe they still remember the days of old when driving and life in general was a more relaxed affair and simply don't see the need to go any faster, I dunno. Point is, it's not uncommon to see this behaviour.

And we all know that tailgating is a problem in every lane, at any speed, with any kind of vehicle in front of the tailgater.

Put these two together and chances are that sooner or later you'll find a driver who does both... so I don't see it as being particularly unusual behaviour that someone somewhere would choose to sit in close proximity behind an HGV rather than overtake or fall back to a more sensible following position. No, it doesn't make sense, but then neither does tailgating any other type of vehicle.

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Chris

Who was driving the car? An old lady by any chance?

She probably drives like that every day, but she's probably too scared to venture out into lane to to pass the lorry...

I've never driven a lorry, but I'm guessing there is very little chance that the driver would see her? Instead of the sign on the Westlink (drivers in Belfast will probably know of the one I'm talking about) which say "Your speeding xxmph" (yes I know, it should be you're speeding, as far as I remember that was an error on the sign for the first while it was there) why not have one that says "You're far too close to the vehicle in front, pull back"... This will be the same driver that whenever you brake suddenly for the hazard ahead that will think of you as an 'idiot' for braking too hard...

With the restricted driver scheme over here I get that a lot of the time... Only I'm not driving a lorry, but still, I get tailgated quite often, even in 30 zones, but also on NSL s/cs and such... I want to wire up an LED sign on the back window that says you are x seconds behind me, the highway code recommends x for the current conditions... But then, they'd be too busy reading it and drive into the back of me when I hit the brakes to stop for the child that just darted out after his football...

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Mike

Only possible reason I can think of is that someone once told this person that they'd save fuel by driving that close to the back of the lorry due to reduced air resistance

Does anyone know how much fuel you actually save from this?

If you drive a brick, lots. If you drive a slippery eel, next to nothing.

I drove for a while a diesel Luton van that would make misd fifties on the flat. However, when I dived in behind a coach doing 70, I got a tow

I bottled it after about a minute though.

I've never driven a slippery eel. What are they like? Do they run on electric?

[sorry - couldn't resist. I'll get my coat...]

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Aww I'm pouting now. But just for a cod, I'll tell you what it's like to drive a slippery eel. I'm a dab hand at it. On a scale of 1 to 10, they congergate around rocks and go plaices that you'd otherwise flounder at because of the risk of a flat with the corresponding fishtailing.

There's somefin fishy going on 'ere...

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Get back on topic, for Cod's sake. This isn't the plaice for humour.

The reason this car is sitting up the arse of a truck is it is a "garden centre car".

In the same way that some vehicles are not allowed on motorways, garden centre cars are only allowed in L1. Examples include Suzuki Wagon R's, anything Pacific Rim, Nissan Micras.

Equally large parts of the highway code do not, apparently, apply to them.

One theory about some of these close tailgaters is that they are nervous, and by close following they see less fast moving scenery and feel safer.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

this one stayed there for quite a few miles. i didnt notice the driver as i tend not to bother looking when i pass them. i am more concerned with choosing the appropriate place to pass without offending people stuck behind the so called 'elephant race'

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Richie

SSAFA supporter
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Not me, and while I'm quite an enthusiast for economy driving at times, I can not imagine the economy benefit to be worthwhile unless you were to do it for a long distance.

In any case, tailgating a large vehicle leaves you with no decent visibility and it makes driving a more tense business. Having comfortable space in front of you makes things much easier and more relaxed, with the reduced risk of needing urgent action.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

"Only a fool breaks the two second rule".

The driver needs a lesson in observation, paying attention and being able to stop in the distance seen to be clear.

To be fair, it's difficult to pay attention throughout a motorway journey, the chance of being involved in a collision is pretty small as is the likelihood of being pulled over by the BiB for bad driving.

You're preaching to the converted here I wasn't asking the question because I was planning on doing it myself. I was hoping for some stupidly low figure (like a saving of 2 litres tailgating a truck for the entire length of the M6 vs doing a constant 75 on the same trip) that I could use to mock people who do this on a regular basis.

I hate car and van drivers that do that. I do quite a lot of air freight and cash n carry work and when you've a retail figure of six to seven figures in the trailer, you don't want suspicious vehicles tail-gating you as there's a good chance they're waiting to hijack you. It's even more frightening at night time on a dark and deserted motorway or d/c. It wouldn't have been the first time I've called the cops out for assistance because I've been convinced I'm being followed for the load. As it turned out, it was an old couple in a Honda who were just "taking it steady" and never even considered the possiblity that the way they were driving is just what potential hijackers do when they're waiting to make their move.

Food for thought if anyone else does this.

Know what you mean, Rixxy. I used to get followed by vans and cars when I was in Europe. Gets you edgy after half an hour or so.

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Once a Cornishman, always a Cornishman

being agency, i carry all different types of load but i am always watching the cars behind me. if one pulls in behind and stays there, i am even more vigilant and i will watch him like a hawk moving onto the hard shoulder line if needs be (the rumble strip, not actually driving on the hard shoulder) so i can see at least the side of the car

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Richie

SSAFA supporter
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can see the logic but if so it terrifys me, I feel nervous/uncomfortable if I can't see the road ahead especially at speed.

maybe they were running perilously low on gas so were trying to get a 'tow'...

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Fear is a weapon of mass distraction

it has been heard of. i heard a story about an artic who towed a car from newbury to southampton. he wasnt aware of it until a copper pulled him over to enquire about the car stuck under the back bumper of the artic. this guy had slammed on, slid under the truck and became stuck there. the artic driver obviously knew nothing of this and dragged the car to southampton

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Richie

SSAFA supporter
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