Tailgating: What do you do?

[pzkpfw]

How about: stay off roads where other users can do 100 k/hr, or make it easier for them to pass.

[Shadows]

How about: stay off roads where other users can do 100 k/hr, or make it easier for them to pass.

Yep. I thought the whole idea behind the 70k restriction was to keep learner riders off the open road and not tangling with high speed traffic.

[superman]

How about: stay off roads where other users can do 100 k/hr, or make it easier for them to pass.

Why would I have to stay off the road if I'm going 80? I drive at 80 in my car when I'm fuel saving. And we're talking about in the country here, very few straights. Lots of blind corners and thin roads. I have to either pull over or make them wait for a straight.

This is the kind of driver where if I was doing 100 she would have been up my ass anyway wanting to go 120-140.

[Berries]

Nah, she was probably like most people on here who want to ride/drive at the speed limit and get pissed off when someone is dawdling along holding them up (like doing 80 to save fuel). L plates on your second ride might have been a good idea. She might not know about the 70km/h rule, but may have excused you for holding up the traffic.

If you get tailgated in a car it is fine, and sometimes funny, to slow down to 20km/h to wind them up. I would never do it on a bike, you are asking to get pushed off the road.

If you can't, or won't, ride at the open road speed then you need to learn how to pull over and get out of the way. Otherwise you may find yourself in a ditch wondering what happened.

[superman]

Nah, she was probably like most people on here who want to ride/drive at the speed limit and get pissed off when someone is dawdling along holding them up (like doing 80 to save fuel). L plates on your second ride might have been a good idea. She might not know about the 70km/h rule, but may have excused you for holding up the traffic.

If you get tailgated in a car it is fine, and sometimes funny, to slow down to 20km/h to wind them up. I would never do it on a bike, you are asking to get pushed off the road.

If you can't, or won't, ride at the open road speed then you need to learn how to pull over and get out of the way. Otherwise you may find yourself in a ditch wondering what happened.

20km/h under the speed limit is holding up traffic? The road code didn't tell me that.

Remind me to aim for the speed limit everytime I drive/ride my car/motorcycle/bicycle/horse/tractor so as to please people who drive dangerously.

I'll pull over when it's safe to do so, as it tells me to do in the road code. There however wasn't an oppurtunity on this piece of road, but obviously this lady didn't understand how to best assess the situation because her small brain was too busy thinking about how she needs to get home in a rush to try on her new dresses from her weekend shopping.

I don't understand why you seem to be backing up her tailgating me!?

I'm sure most drivers on here don't get pissed off at people doing 80. If I'm behind a tractor doing 60 do I get fucked off and tailgate and overtake dangerously? If I'm behind a cyclist on a thin peace of road do I shoot around the blind corner nudging him off the road, or follow him at 10-20km/h till there is an open stretch of road? You seem to think that it's ok to expect a car/motorcycle to do the maximum speed legal and that there is no good reason for them to ever be below the speed limit. Which just seems like absolute ignorant thinking and makes me wonder if you ever managed to finish high school.

My sincerest apologies to you and anyone who hates getting behind a car doing 80, I'm sorry I hate to waste fuel. I was brought up to efficiently use things I buy. I'm sorry but you must wait behind me for three minutes till a straight comes along (OMG I KNOW THAT'S FOREVER RIGHT!) travelling at 80 instead of 100 if I wasn't there. Losing you half a minute of time?!

WHY ARE PEOPLE SO FRUSTRATING!

[popelli]

What do you more experienced guys do when you get tailgaters?

Pull over and let them past

you don't want these sort of idiots behind you - they usually can't drive for shit and are potential killers

better they are in front of you and you can control the distance between them and yourself

[Berries]

20km/h under the speed limit is holding up traffic? The road code didn't tell me that.

Nah, that's what your mirrors are for.

I don't understand why you seem to be backing up her tailgating me!?

I wasn't. She was an idiot who didn't give you enough room.

I'm sure most drivers on here don't get pissed off at people doing 80. If I'm behind a tractor doing 60 do I get fucked off and tailgate and overtake dangerously? If I'm behind a cyclist on a thin peace of road do I shoot around the blind corner nudging him off the road, or follow him at 10-20km/h till there is an open stretch of road? You seem to think that it's ok to expect a car/motorcycle to do the maximum speed legal and that there is no good reason for them to ever be below the speed limit. Which just seems like absolute ignorant thinking and makes me wonder if you ever managed to finish high school.

Not yet, I am only 12.

Tractors and cyclists can't do the open road speed limit, so you have to put up with waiting until it is safe to pass. People fuel saving are a different matter. Perhaps the vehicles you are holding up are more fuel efficient at 100km/h ? Whatever, your first thoughts should be for your own safety and I believe that riding round at 80 on the open road is putting you at more risk than is necessary.

WHY ARE PEOPLE SO FRUSTRATING!

My point was this was your second ride on the bike, and you are a learner. You want to do everything you can to make your journey safe. An L plate on the back may have caused her to back off a bit. It would certainly have made me, high school graduate or not, give you more leeway, and even forgive the slow riding. But there is no point coming on here moaning about it when the exact same driving behaviour by cars leads to calls for more tickets for slow drivers and general "burn the cager" comments.

[Fatt Max]

People dont tailgate me that much at all,

I don't usually wear pants when I ride, preferring to go arse out.

So, they overtake me very quickly rather than sit behind and have to stare up my rusty sherrifs badge....not a nice thought or view

[davebullet]

I shall try control myself and ignore. Hard when it's taking up most of your mirrors though. I really wanted to find some way to educate that woman though... Tried flashing morse code through brake lights but obviously she barely even knows how to use the two pedals in her automatic cage.

Some people just hate motorcyclists. Might be for valid reasons, but they tar everyone with the same brush

My advice? Just let them past. Don't retaliate. Honestly - it's just not worth it. Think of it this way; Your life is a shit load more important than some stupid appointment they are late for.

I found the L plate increases frustration and removed it after my first deliberate shunting at some lights when I stalled the bike and a 4 wheel driver behind didn't like it so gave me a nudge

As your confidence grows as well as speed to match other traffic and you develop other skills (safe overtaking, lane splitting etc..), you'll find it less of an issue.

Don't slow down to prove a point. It only frustrates them further, reduces the gap even more and increases the risk that neither of you are looking at what is coming up ahead.

[Pascal]

Had some terrible woman driving five metres behind me when I was going 80-100.

....

I'll definitely be getting an L plate up soon since cars obviously expect bikes to go bloody fast all the time.

Gladly when I get used to corners. Only taken out my bike twice.

You are exceeding your Learner license speed limits on the open road after only having taken your bike out twice and you're not used to corners.

And you're worried about a woman tailgating you?

I'd recommend you put the L-plate on. It at least communicates to other assmunches on the road what your situation is. But if you're worried about your ability to control a motorcycle, perhaps you should be spending a bit more time practicing basic handling skills in a safer environment before you end up as a greasy smear because you tried to ride outside of your ability?

In situations where you get tailgated - indicate and pull over as soon as possible. In a car vs bike situation, even if you are in the right, you're going to come off second best.

[MSTRS:Me]

How about: stay off roads where other users can do 100 k/hr, or make it easier for them to pass.

Yep. I thought the whole idea behind the 70k restriction was to keep learner riders off the open road and not tangling with high speed traffic.

We've had this 'conversation' before. It just doesn't fly. The speed restriction will be dropped when the other changes go through in 2011.

This is the kind of driver where if I was doing 100 she would have been up my ass anyway wanting to go 120-140.

Correct. The same people would never dream of asking you to move in a supermarket aisle...but put them in a car, and it's all on.

If you can't, or won't, ride at the open road speed then you need to learn how to pull over and get out of the way. Otherwise you may find yourself in a ditch wondering what happened.

OP, like many, lives in the sticks where EVERY road is 100kph.

My advice?
Let the person following know you are uncomfortable with them being so close by using you brake light.
Do not slow down, as that will only up the ante.
Own your bit of road, move to the left when YOU feel safe to do so.
Find a mentor on here, or an experienced rider you trust, to ride with you. They can ride shotgun and keep the turkeys off your back. They can show you what we call lines (where to be in the lane as you negotiate straights and corners).
They can show you where you should be braking, or changing gear up/down.
Most of all, they can show you how to ride just a little faster after a couple of sessions of the above, which will put you in a better space when on your own.

[Pascal]

OP, like many, lives in the sticks where EVERY road is 100kph.

Yup, he can't really stick to 70km/h on a bike out there. But he should still get a mentor or practice somewhere a bit to get his skill level up.

[superman]

Tractors and cyclists can't do the open road speed limit, so you have to put up with waiting until it is safe to pass. People fuel saving are a different matter. Perhaps the vehicles you are holding up are more fuel efficient at 100km/h ? Whatever, your first thoughts should be for your own safety and I believe that riding round at 80 on the open road is putting you at more risk than is necessary..

How is 80 on the open road dangerous? When you get tourists driving down through the country or townies who aren't used to loads of twisties they drive 70-80 in their cars. Especially if you don't know the road. There's a stretch from Maraetai to the beginning of north road that is open road but it's so twisty and thin people do it at 60. Are they all putting themselves at unnecessary risk?

In the past year I saved $700 driving 20km/h slower. You saying I should give that up in my great debt from just having started attending university this year? Well I mean that is one of the main reasons I got my bike, twice as much out of the fuel than my car and I can go 100! So don't you worry, as soon as I can drive my bike more proficiently I'll be doing the governed speed and then I'll probably start complaining it's not fast enough.

[slofox]

As so many others have already said, you are best to let them past. Move a little left and wave them through as soon as there is safe space. I still do this when necessary even after 40+ years of biking.

Don't pay to argue with cages. They have better weapons than you do...

[Banditbandit]

Wott they all said ...

(I had one yesterday - doing 80 klicks until I passed him, then sat on my arse at 120 klicks ... I flicked the bandit passed a couple of cars at 200 klicks - he wasn't even close any more ... but then, I'd probably get shot by Katman if I said that here ...)