Why do bike riders tend to ride so close to the vehicle ahead?

[JudaBaker]

No You Cant

To be honest you're probably right.. Stupid statement on my part

[Katman]

To be honest you're probably right.. Stupid statement on my part

You'll fit in well 'round here.

[varminter]

I think tailgating is a 'comfort thing' I honestly think some folk feel safer like that, sort of pack mentality. I drive a lot and I notice that while women drivers will happily sit close behind for ages, guys will move up close then overtake (often weather it's safe or not) then, when they have pissed past they feel obligated to continue in a like manner.

Watching drivers, it's often easy to know what they will do next. But the one's that amaze me most are the one's that sit close behind a truck continually on the brakes, tap, tap, tap, when it would be a hell of a sight easier to just fall back a bit and wait.

I sometimes think I live in a 'Matrix' world where most of the other people are (poorly) computer generated. It would explain a lot.

[shrub]

I think tailgating is a 'comfort thing' I honestly think some folk feel safer like that, sort of pack mentality. I drive a lot and I notice that while women drivers will happily sit close behind for ages, guys will move up close then overtake (often weather it's safe or not) then, when they have pissed past they feel obligated to continue in a like manner.

Watching drivers, it's often easy to know what they will do next. But the one's that amaze me most are the one's that sit close behind a truck continually on the brakes, tap, tap, tap, when it would be a hell of a sight easier to just fall back a bit and wait.

I sometimes think I live in a 'Matrix' world where most of the other people are (poorly) computer generated. It would explain a lot.

Women are the worst for tailgating, and as for bikes tailgating - I can't say I notice it myself. I have learnt that other road users do weird and unpredictable shit, so I try and stay as far away from them as possible. That means I filter and get ahead of the traffic where I can, and where I can't I drop back and let them have space to do their thing.

And I especially avoid group rides with more than half a dozen riders.

[yungatart]

I was cured of tailgating very early in my riding career.

We came home from a ride one day and Mstrs said to me, "Do you like being a nappy?"
"Huh?" says me.
He replies" You know, so close to someone's arse, you may as well be a nappy"

Well, having changed a few not very pleasant nappies over the years, I decided I certainly didn't want to be one of those.

Doubt that I have ever tailgated anyone since!

[Duke girl]

Maybe they think by sitting closely behind a car it will make the driver pull over to the left to allow the bike to go past. Absolutely bloody dangerous way of thinking as well as riding and so is motorcyclists who still overtake on double yellow lines on a blind bend or on a crest of a hill. Crazy.
Dont value their own lives nor those who also use our roads.
Ride to survive.

[avgas]

Well, I could add a few funny and/or sarcastic comments here...

But I won't. There is the "planning to overtake as soon as opportunity" reason as already stated, also the "I can see more from up here" reason and I would also argue that when on a bike we are more alert than when in a cage.

I think there is one more why we tend to do it: When on a bike we are used to that the traffic is next to our leathers; we squeeze between cars and trucks when filtering, we overtake in the same lane if there is just enough space and we dont ride over the yellow lines, we squeeze in the small gap between two cars when overtaking a line of cars and a car comes from the opposite direction.

You forgot:
- run with scissors
- pull really hard on stuck power plugs
- Cut towards the hand
- touch the element to see if its hot
- have the toaster, the jug and the microwave all sitting on a kitchen benchtop.....which is wet.
- use power tools without gloves
- use chainsaws in shorts
- put the chemicals in the bottom cupboard under the sink......at child height.
- Put hot things on tables with table cloths.......
and many more

Fuck knows how we survive really

[MSTRS:Me]

You'll fit in well 'round here.

What? For making stupid statements? Or admitting the error of his ways?

[avgas]

This is the correct answer

Reminds me of a sticker the sales manager of the local holden shop had on his rear window.... 'I'm not tailgating, I'm drafting'

But I'm glad I'm not the only one to notice this, it's pretty common.

I don't need a sticker to warn people.
The tow ball will quite happily crunch through skin and bone when they fuck up their passing manoeuvrings. No warning labels required.
Hell it will even blow a 4" hole through the toughest helmet if they try hard enough.

Back in the derby days I got one to blow a hole through a volvo........ and i was driving way slower than what people do on the roads.

[avgas]

I think tailgating is a 'comfort thing' I honestly think some folk feel safer like that, sort of pack mentality.

As in fudge?

[ckai]

My favourite is the rider who nips past traffic but sits hard on the arse of a campervan or truck, totally blind & weaves out to see whats coming. Fascinating waiting for the combination of weaving rider & corner cutting car to meet.

haha I always love seeing this. I don't think I'd take to kindly to having the dude or dudette fly over my windscreen/helmet as a passing car collects them though.

I had an interesting experience the other weekend when the wife's mini broke down. Ended up getting towed my a mates SUV thingie. The rope was pretty short (standard brought joby) so the mini was right up it's ass. Couldn't see shit. He was driving to the left so I could just see past him. It made for interesting left turns. We both up one "suck it in" moment when we heading around a left handed and HOLY FUCK A TRUCK IS CUTTING THE CORNER. God it would have been close.

But to clear this tail gating biz up, I've pulled my psychology degree from my ass and give you this definitive answer:

Sense of space.

Because you're not as closed in, you feel you can get closer to things before "feeling" closed in. Same thing with driving on a straight motorway vs driving around a closed in little windy estate street.

[sinned]

Quite often I find myself following a bit closer than I probably should ----- Perhaps because I know I can stop faster ---

Oh really? Good luck with that.

Good to see JudaBaker has rethought that statement on stopping faster which is a common misconception among riders. I would challenge any rider to see if he can stop quicker than my humble little Mazda3.

Well if the car stops the bike stops. Simple really

What happens to the rider is interesting and painful.

only a fule breaks the 2 second rool

Actually I prefer a 3 - 4 second rule while on the bike. The advantage of a bike is acceleration which makes if easy to quickly close a gap when a passing opportunity arises; if you can't pass or don't want to then keep a safe distance and enjoy the ride.

Maybe they think by sitting closely behind a car it will make the driver pull over to the left to allow the bike to go past. .

That does work but it has its risks.

[Blinkwing]

I learnt early on that tailgating is incredibly stupid and I don't do it anymore if I can help it

Going from North Shore over the Harbour Bridge, there's usually traffic just around the first corner off the bridge.

The guy in front of me had broken rear lights and I didn't see him slow down fast enough. I panicked and slammed on the rear brake, twas an impressive skid. Thankfully I stopped in time ...

[sinned]

I learnt early on that tailgating is incredibly stupid and I don't do it anymore if I can help it

Going from North Shore over the Harbour Bridge, there's usually traffic just around the first corner off the bridge.

The guy in front of me had broken rear lights and I didn't see him slow down fast enough. I panicked and slammed on the rear brake, twas an impressive skid. Thankfully I stopped in time ...

An unskilled driver can stand on the brakes (ABS etc) and the car will rapidly stop. An unskilled rider does what you did - "slammed on the rear brake" and in most cases will not rapidly stop and may come off the bike. To ride a bike safely and survive requires a high level of skill whereas little skill is required to safely drive a car. Practice is required to program body and brain to brake a bike correctly in an emergency, in a modern car just standing on the brake pedal does the trick.

[Conquiztador]

An unskilled driver can stand on the brakes (ABS etc) and the car will rapidly stop. An unskilled rider does what you did - "slammed on the rear brake" and in most cases will not rapidly stop and may come off the bike. To ride a bike safely and survive requires a high level of skill whereas little skill is required to safely drive a car. Practice is required to program body and brain to brake a bike correctly in an emergency, in a modern car just standing on the brake pedal does the trick.

My bike has ABS...