Gob-smacked at following too close

**Akzle** · 6th April 2016, 21:47

Originally Posted by Moi

Rastus, I do wonder if drivers tailgate because they have never had a nose-to-tail and if they do, then it is everyone else's fault... how you can blame someone else for following too close I not sure. Plus, if you leave a reasonable gap then there's always some muppet who just has to fill that gap. Or have they not been taught to drive correctly?

"failing to stop short"

i'd lump most vehicular collisions into "attemtpted murder"

vote akzle.

**Akzle** · 6th April 2016, 21:51

Originally Posted by AllanB

On the passing game - my decider is always 'what if there is another bike just around that corner cranked over at speed?' Will I (we I guess) make it?

one of the more enlightening moments of my life was passing another guy in k gorge.

On each others left.

**AllanB** · 6th April 2016, 22:05

Originally Posted by rastuscat

Fancy going for a ride for an hour in traffic with me? I'll buy you a donut.

Pretty sure sure are not allowed to say things like that anymore! But you had me at donut.

**Gremlin** · 6th April 2016, 23:23

I do see a lot of bikes tailgating on the motorway, and while definitely wincing, I can only imagine it's so they can dart into the space in the lane next door as soon as possible.

In general, Auckland drivers can't stick to 2sec in the dry or wet, let alone 4sec in the wet. I was in the van on Monday night on the motorway, dark, raining very heavily and I had vehicles cutting in front of me barely leaving 3-5m... and we're doing 80kph+.

I do compromise my following distance a little (generally always have 1.5s or more) as I prefer for vehicles not to cut in, as I've usually got someone close enough behind me already...

Reminds me to report one driver from the weekend that was following vehicles including me, on the motorway at 100kph at 2-3m...

**rastuscat** · 7th April 2016, 06:46

Originally Posted by Gremlin

I do see a lot of bikes tailgating on the motorway, and while definitely wincing, I can only imagine it's so they can dart into the space in the lane next door as soon as possible.

In general, Auckland drivers can't stick to 2sec in the dry or wet, let alone 4sec in the wet. I was in the van on Monday night on the motorway, dark, raining very heavily and I had vehicles cutting in front of me barely leaving 3-5m... and we're doing 80kph+.

I do compromise my following distance a little (generally always have 1.5s or more) as I prefer for vehicles not to cut in, as I've usually got someone close enough behind me already...

Reminds me to report one driver from the weekend that was following vehicles including me, on the motorway at 100kph at 2-3m...

1.5 seconds at 50 kmh is around 20 metres, so you meet the legal requirements.

I use the legal requirements. The 2 second rule isn't law, and it's excessive. It was invented to provide a guideline, and it's basically ignored by most anyway.

In the blue suit I'd find someone at 5 metres at 50 kmh. I'd stop them, and they would say they were following the 2 second rule.

At 50 kmh you're doing 13.8 metres per second. 2 seconds amounts to 27.6 metres. The law only requires 20, and I find that to be adequate.

**swarfie** · 7th April 2016, 07:14

Now days I'm like Caseye and Rastus, just keep my own space and if some muppet wants to fill it then I just let them fill it and make more. I cannot believe the gap some of these muppets don't allow themselves. It's something I actually pride myself in and something I'm pretty sure I've instilled in my kids as well. I hate going to Dorkland for this subjects very reason, for as soon as I get over the Bombay's it's SO BLOODY OBVIUOS. I just get further and further back....and arrive at my destination 1 & 1/2 minutes behind schedule. Alive. And no bent transport. Think about it

**nerrrd** · 7th April 2016, 07:55

Originally Posted by caseye

Doesn't matter how much of a gap I leave on the vehicle in front some arse wipe always wants to get in it, apparently I'm going too slow!

This in Auckland – tailgaters are trying to intimidate what they perceive as 'slow' vehicles (must be going too slowly because there's a gap in front) into speeding up, so they don't lose their place in the queue.

Originally Posted by Gremlin

Reminds me to report one driver from the weekend that was following vehicles including me, on the motorway at 100kph at 2-3m...

Saw a frightening example of that on the western on the way home last night (before they closed it altogether for road works) – two cars tailgating another one in sequence (possibly with high beams) for about 30 seconds each when they could easily pass at any time using the adjacent lane, which they both eventually did. Why? The 'slow' car was in the 'fast' middle lane and wouldn't budge.

Changing this mindset in a lot of Auckland (dare I suggest NZ?) drivers is going to take a lot of time and effort.

**Madness** · 7th April 2016, 07:58

If only cunts would keep left unless overtaking

**jellywrestler** · 7th April 2016, 08:56

Originally Posted by Grumph

Well, around ChCh it's to avoid having a car try and insert into the gap....

I've seen you leading your flock a couple of times now, incl today. I've been tempted to follow and watch. One day.

too tight to pay the money eh?

**willytheekid** · 7th April 2016, 09:24

Heres an idea

...MAYBE, if they stopped just "testing" people then HANDING OUT ANOTHER LICENSE!, maybe!, if we introduced a new system that actually TRAINED people to drive safely, we would see a dramatic improvement in ACTUAL ROAD SAFETY ->(I believe its called defensive driver training...and I believe most other country's use such commonsense methods to train there populace BEFORE allowing them onto public roads)

But not here tho aye...can ya park?...get around the block??...GREAT!! - heres a fucking license, just learn the rest as ya go! - hope ya don't learn the hard way and kill someone!

Hence - Following distance is the LEAST of our worries...sharing the road with MILLIONS of untraining/low skilled "licensed" drivers...IS! (And to be honest, if the bar is set so fuckin low at the very get go...ya cant really blame the populace for there lack of understanding in regards to road safety...but we sure do hunt em for revenue!! - aye!

(Tis a nice wee circle of constant revenue right there!...but no problems aye...as its JUST the drivers fault!...never the systems!!)

ps...mirrors!(Like all other road going vehicles are required to have by law!) - for cyclists!!...with over 70% of cyclist fatalities from being hit from behind!...

(yeah!...that commonsense thing again eh

)

**Grumph** · 7th April 2016, 14:22

Originally Posted by jellywrestler

too tight to pay the money eh?

You know me so well....sung to the accompaniment of a no 8 barrel organ...

Actually, living out to the far west and having to pass in the neighbourhood of 'puna coming amd going, I've seen someone on a BM leading a group of assorted bikes on what is either a donut run into town or some sort of real world training...
i'm tempted to follow just to see what the leader would do....

**Moi** · 7th April 2016, 14:56

Originally Posted by nerrrd

This in Auckland – tailgaters are trying to intimidate what they perceive as 'slow' vehicles (must be going too slowly because there's a gap in front) into speeding up, so they don't lose their place in the queue...

Instead of saying "intimidate", say "bully" - because that is what they are doing, they are bullying you...

**Moi** · 7th April 2016, 15:00

Originally Posted by willytheekid

Heres an idea

...MAYBE, if they stopped just "testing" people then HANDING OUT ANOTHER LICENSE!, maybe!, if we introduced a new system that actually TRAINED people to drive safely...

You're a bloody rebel... fancy suggesting such a radical idea... you're not one of these commo types are you?

Seriously, couldn't agree more...

**Tazz** · 7th April 2016, 15:07

Because then you might leave a gap that someone could pull into, and being courteous on the road is not the NZ way

But to answer the question, I get close when I am ready to/trying to/about to pass. It has crossed my mind once or twice that I am not happy with the habit (I get much closer on the bike than I do in anything with 4 or more wheels) but I'm really struggling to break the habit.

On the flip side, as bad as it is, having less of a run up keeps the speed down and overtakes shorter too, so I'm less likely to get a ticket for speeding while passing. Safety first with those tickets eh....