Being tailgated (new driver)

[AncientWasp]

Recently passed and got a hatchback as that's all I need. I stick to the speed limit but I'm finding a lot of people don't (I'm told some people memorise where the speed cameras are?) But what I'm getting annoyed at is almost always having someone (men) in SUVs or vans driving about an inch away from me, seen a few shaking their head, throwing their hands up etc.
I let them overtake where possible, but obviously not always safe. Is this something I just have to put up with? Highly doubt they'd be doing it if I were male and in an SUV.

I'm an experienced driver in a small SUV and also get the occasional tailgater. You find dick drivers everywhere.

Having had a couple of speeding tickets over the years and the fact that there are speed cameras everywhere, I drive no higher than the speed limit, and if it pisses off the driver behind me so be it.

I love the screenwash idea @NewGoldFox 😁

Sometimes country roads are very windy and 60 miles an hour seems to fast in some parts. You can’t possibly know what’s around that bend even if you generally know the road so going at 50 at times makes sense and it really doesn’t make a huge amount of difference to journey times as it’s only in some stretches of road.

Why would she need P plates if she’s doing the speed limit?
This pisses me off too, if the speed limit is 30, then I drive at 30. If the person behind me thinks it doesn’t apply to them, that’s their problem.

Out of interest I looked at the cars in front of me on my drive to work and due to headrests I couldn't tell whether any drivers were men or women

Sounds like you're doing everything safely, legally and that you can be expected to do.

I'd also suggest a dashcam so that on the occasions when you don't pull over to let them pass, and they cross over onto the other side of the road to pass you in excess of the speed limit, you can submit the footage here:

https://nextbase.co.uk/national-dash-cam-safety-portal/

I find that incredibly satisfying 😏

You will get better at ignoring them. When I was a new driver years ago this behaviour used to get me in a tizz and then I thought " sod 'em". Let them overtake if they want to. They're the dickheads.

Annoying as it it, signal you are pulling in to the kerb/layby and let them go past. You get them out of your bubble asap and carry on with your life.

You still want to be aware of who is behind you, hence why your eyes should be flicking round your mirrors. But ultimately it's their job not to crash into the car in front. And not to make that easier by tailgating, but...

OP, all you can do is drive defensively. Make sure you are anticipating issues up front so that you can break slowly and in good time.

Nope. I drive a huge car, they tailgate me, they also tailgate my husband. They are just dickheads.

In town I maintain my speed, but on faster roads I slow down. Not to piss them off, but if they hit me I’d rather it be at a slower speed, and it gives them more of a chance to overtake.

The only thing I’d add is, if cars are always tailgating you, just check there isn’t something you are doing that is causing frustration in a lot of other drivers. If it is only happening where you are sticking to the speed limit, then you’re just unlucky to come across so many arsehole drivers. But if you’re finding you’re hesitant and dropping well below the speed limit at times, is there a confidence issue?

True. I don't think I could tell. But I think the car can have an effect. My ex said people treated him better once he sold the small hatchback. Which is pathetic, but there you are. I suppose if they're being sexist they can just stereotype the Chelsea tractors as driven by women too. I'd actually be interested in who's driving what demographically. I suspect the SUV everywhere thing has shifted things.

That is terrible advice from a driving instructor.

Me and DH get this from white van drivers, so definitely not only a woman experience, but definitely a problem caused by male van drivers. Might be useful for you to get a dashcam and one that records out the rear.

Tailgating is extremely dangerous - these people are playing with lives.

I've regularly encountered articulated lorries so close to the back of my car I can't see the cab or number plate.

This is while driving at 60mph when the max speed limit for HGVs is 50mph.

I know it's difficult OP, but try to stay calm, reduce your speed and report the offending driver where possible.

This is such bad advice, you absolutely need to be aware of what’s coming up behind you as well as what’s ahead.

I’ll admit I don’t alway stick religiously to speed limits but i definitely don’t tailgate. When it happens to me I ease off the accelerator and drive even slower, hopefully when it’s somewhere they can’t pass and I just watch them work themselves into a frenzy. This morning coming home from work was a prime example, the young guy behind was almost purple with anger by the time he got passed me after about 15 mins. He quickly went from shouting and gesticulating at the traffic light to staring straight ahead when he saw my work uniform. (It looks like police but it’s not)
DON’T brake check them. You run the risk of them crashing into the back of you that’s just a whole load of inconvenience you just don’t need.

i drive a pretty quick, bigger sporty looking car and also drive DPS large suv so it’s not just little cars this happens to arsehole driver are everywhere.
dont let them wind you up and just concentrate on what’s in front of you,

Which is deliberately programmed to be up to 10% out so that they can’t be sued if you get done for speeding.

If someone is tailgating you, slow right down. If they don't know about braking distances then it's not safe to go at the speed limit - they are causing a hazard and it is appropriate to reduce speed to reduce the likelihood of a dangerous situation - if in a 30mph zone slow to 15mph. If in a 20mph zone, slow to 10mph. Their frustration/anger is irrelevant to you. Your responsibility is to drive safely and legally. If they drop back to a sensible distance it is safe to return to the speed limit speed if other road conditions allow.

i passed first time with 1 minor fault (I pulled away from the emergency stop before the examiner told me to - in my defense we were outside the roughest school in the city at lunchtime and had I stayed a minute longer they’d have had the wheels off!) after 10 lessons (and no additional driving in parental cars etc).

And in the 31 years since (and well over 400,000 miles) I’ve never had a speeding ticket or any points on my licence and the only accident was someone driving into my car whilst it was parked in a car park. 😇

As soon as I get someone on my arse I put my hazards on and drive more slowly. This usually does the trick.
They make me so angry.

Which only translates to a real-world difference of about 2 to 4 mph. @BirthdayTrash

Don’t worry OP it’s not just you being a new driver. I’ve been driving nearly 30 years and am very conscientious about adhering to 30s and 40s. I still get annoyed by other drivers appearing to be trying to speed me on. I’m not breaking the law for anybody. It’s not worth risking being in an accident for such a silly reason as speeding.

Incidentally my dad was once a witness in court because he saw a child killed outright by a speeding driver.

Exactly. Sticking to the cars speedometer means that you know you won't accidentally speed, because in reality you've got a couple of mph flex. And yes, most speed cams give you a few mph over (though it's not as simple as 10%+), but it's still breaking the law. I'm trying to drive within the law, not as fast as I can get away with.

So yes, I aim to do 30 in a 30, 40 in a 40 etc (assuming it's safe to do), based on my speedometer. If I stray to 32 or 33 then I know I'm still probably just about ok in reality.

I drive a tiny car and have noticed that drivers tailgating and cutting me up at roundabouts and junctions has got steadily worse over the last few years. Men are usually worse than women and SUV and electric car owners make up the majority of arseholes. I can only assume I have a factory fitted cloaking device that I’m unaware of which makes me invisible to other road users because I’m not a slow driver by any stretch of the imagination.

I mostly ignore tailgaters, but am not averse to cleaning my windscreen frequently 😄

If I get a particularly annoying tailgater, I'll either pull over or lose them by going round a roundabout - better to get rid of them and let them annoy someone else than to have a stressful drive.

Could be 7mph at 70…….. it doesn’t max out at 4mph