Cracking down on middle lane hoggers...

[mercia]

if I'm able to, can I take down the number of a vehicle that has been tail-gaiting me and report it to the police ? because, not surprisingly, 99% of the time this happens the police are not on hand to witness it.

[Bryn]

if I'm able to, can I take down the number of a vehicle that has been tail-gaiting me and report it to the police ? because, not surprisingly, 99% of the time this happens the police are not on hand to witness it.

You could try, but whether they would act on it is quite another matter. How often to they ignore mobile 'phone use by drivers? Indeed, how often do they engage in that activity themselves (a question reflecting personal observation)?

[Nick Armstrong]

low level careless driving

- hand brake turns

That's pretty high-level, skilful driving, I'd have thought. Criminally insane if it's on the M25 or similar, of course.

[Nick Armstrong]

if I'm able to, can I take down the number of a vehicle that has been tail-gaiting me and report it to the police ? because, not surprisingly, 99% of the time this happens the police are not on hand to witness it.

Might result in a warning at least. Worth doing, if it's safe to note the number.

[mercia]

I'm assuming this "crackdown" will apply to all roads, not just motorways.

[Nick Armstrong]

I'm assuming this "crackdown" will apply to all roads, not just motorways.

I think so.

So no more hand-brake turns on the A259, s.v.p. mercs!

[mercia]

the A259

Part of the road was named "the most dangerous road in South East England" in 2008, and the BBC named the road as the 'most crash prone A road' in the UK with 7,721 crashes and 120 deaths over 12 years from 1999–2010, an average of 383 crashes per mile. wikipedia

it's a long road, almost 120 miles [whereas those statistics suggest its only 20 miles long 7721 divided by 383 ]

[Nick Armstrong]

I was on it the other weekend late Sunday morning heading towards Bexhill from Eastbourne and the road was a solid queue... Along with a number of others, I abandoned plans for an ice cream by the De La Warr Pavilion, performed a three point turn and hastened westwards again...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Part of the road was named "the most dangerous road in South East England" in 2008, and the BBC named the road as the 'most crash prone A road' in the UK with 7,721 crashes and 120 deaths over 12 years from 1999–2010, an average of 383 crashes per mile.

I always think the most dangerous bit of any road in Britain is the M60 Junction 25 sliproad from Stockport to join the motorway to go anticlockwise. The sliproad becomes the third (fast) lane. Whoever designed that wants putting on Breakfast.

And while were talking about the M60, that is where the real, original Spaghetti Junction is - in the region of Junctions 14 and 15. It was called by this title 17 months before the M6/A38 juction was completed and Birmingham copied the name.

[mangerton]

I strongly dislike tailgaters and tailgating too. I noticed that some parts of motorways in England are marked with chevrons to indicate how far apart vehicles should be. I think the guidance is "2 seconds", which works out at just under a yard per mph - ie at 70 mph, you should be 70 yards behind the vehicle in front.

How often do we see that? Perhaps if we saw it more often, there would be fewer motorway pile ups.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The problem with chevrons is that their spacing doesn't vary with your speed. However, they do still encourage drivers to think.

[Bryn]

I strongly dislike tailgaters and tailgating too. I noticed that some parts of motorways in England are marked with chevrons to indicate how far apart vehicles should be. I think the guidance is "2 seconds", which works out at just under a yard per mph - ie at 70 mph, you should be 70 yards behind the vehicle in front.

That's in dry conditions. In the wet, at least 4 seconds is recommended. There is a little rhyme that was drummed into me as a learner, "only a fool breaks the 2 second rule".

Looks like I am going to have to learn not to 'flash' drivers out in future. What a shame that simple courtesy is being undermined by insurance fraudsters.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The problem with chevrons is that their spacing doesn't vary with your speed. However, they do still encourage drivers to think.

Indeed - I've frequently pulled back when chevrons tell me I'm too close to a vehicle in front. Just enough room for someone to pull in front of me. So I pull back again and ... One could end up reversing!

[Nick Armstrong]

Indeed - I've frequently pulled back when chevrons tell me I'm too close to a vehicle in front. Just enough room for someone to pull in front of me. So I pull back again and ... One could end up reversing!

Remind me to leave PLENTY of room if I'm ever driving behind you in convoy.

BEEP BEEP *Ferney reversing, Ferney reversing* BEEP BEEP

[Serial_Apologist]

Remind me to leave PLENTY of room if I'm ever driving behind you in convoy.

BEEP BEEP *Ferney reversing, Ferney reversing* BEEP BEEP

There's one thing to like about Ferney - when expressing his opinions he's never backward in coming forward.